If you do a lot of travelling and don’t want to put your data or information at risk by relying on other people’s Wi-Fi connections, then you’ll want a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot device, which are commonly known as Mi-Fi.

These Mi-Fi hubs allow for several devices to connect to one or more data SIMs – usually 4G ones – to surf privately and safely. Much like a smartphone’s SIM card, these data-only deals allow you access to the internet in complete security. You can use a monthly contract, or use a pay-as-you-go SIM, so you know exactly how much data you are paying for. The best thing about 4G data is that it is incredibly fast, so you’ll be able to browse the internet as if you were connected to a broadband connection. It means it will also often be faster than free or shared Wi-Fi spots, which usually have data limits and a lot of traffic to deal with.

Mi-Fi hubs range from a simple one SIM solution with a battery to models that can accommodate 10 different SIM cards, or others that even sport a complete Android operating system.

Below are the best mobile Wi-Fi routers you can buy in the UK, catering to all tastes, from frugal surfers to power users and everything in between.

1. TP-Link M7350 V4 4G LTE MiFi

Speed: 4G LTE 150 Mbps | Max number of devices: 10 | Features: 2000mAh battery, dual band WiFi, microSD slot

The TP-Link M7350 is an excellent mobile hotspot, supporting both micro and nano SIM cards, which means it’s almost certainly going to be compatible with a SIM card you already own. It has a small display for informing you about your connection, and it supports dual band Wifi on both 2.4 and 5GHz. It can be accessed by up to 10 devices at once, and performance is very good on 4G LTE. Its battery life is also excellent, giving you around 10 hours of 4G connectivity.

2. EE 4GEE WiFi Mini

Speed: 4G LTE | Max number of devices: 10 | Features: 1500mAh battery, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, various data plans

The EE 4GEE WiFi Mini is one of the better looking mobile hotspot devices on this list, and its compact design means it can be easily carried around with you. The 1500mAh offers up to 50 hours on standby, and up to six hours when connected to the internet. It can support up to 10 devices at once, but it doesn’t have an LCD screen, like the TP-Link M7350, which means it’s not quite as user friendly. You also need to use the EE network, which isn’t too much of a hardship due to EE’s coverage and fast 4G speeds, and the network offers a range of data plans to go alongside the EE 4GEE WiFi Mini.

3. ZTE MF65

Speed: 3G | Max number of devices: 5 | Features: 1500mAh battery, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, microSD card

If you’re looking for an affordable way of sharing data, the ZTE MF65 could prove to be a boon if you can live with its shortcomings. For a start, it is 3G-only with no 4G support, plus there’s the fact that it doesn’t have any data management tools baked in. Finally, it takes only large SIM cards rather than nano or micro-SIMs.

The flipside is that it’s great for areas where coverage is patchy or for countries where 4G has yet to be rolled out.  Up to 5 devices can be connected simultaneously, although we’d probably suggest limiting that to a few at a time. Its 1500mAh battery should allow for up to six hours’ worth of browsing.

4. Huawei E5770

Speed: 4G LTE | Max number of devices: 11 | Features: 5200mAh battery, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, microSD card

The Mobile Wi-Fi Pro from Huawei, otherwise known as the E5770, ticks a lot of boxes for power users. This 4G/LTE model (Cat-4, so only 150Mbps) has one of the biggest batteries we’ve seen on any Mi-Fi device at 5,200mAh. It can even charge another device thanks to a bundled cable that doubles as a stylish strap. Up to 10 devices can be connected with a quoted working time of up to 20 hours.

If that wasn’t good enough, it’s also the only hotspot that we’re aware of that comes with a microSD card slot (sadly taking FAT-formatted cards only) and an Ethernet port. That makes it perfect for small businesses and even, dare we say, a perfect cord-cutting device if paired with the right SIM card.

5. Netgear Nighthawk R7100LG

Speed: 4G LTE | Max number of devices: N/A | Features: Dual band, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, 5 Ethernet ports

This is the antithesis of your traditional pocket-sized hotspot and we’re bending the rules to include it in this article. Behold the Netgear Nighthawk R7100LG, a router with a SIM card slot. Technically, it is not portable as the device requires a mains power supply, but there are potential workarounds if you really want to make this happen.

The Nighthawk is a great solution should you want to offer internet access to a massive amount of users, and indeed storage access as well. It offers Cat 6/LTE (300Mbps), AC1900 Wi-Fi, two USB ports, a free app to manage the router (Genie), four Gigabit Ethernet ports plus open source support and a wealth of security features.

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If you work in an office environment where you need to make and receive voice and video calls throughout the work day, then you’re going to want to find the best headphones or earphones for your business needs.

If you choose the right pair, you could find it is revolutionary. However, when you’re looking to buy the best business headphones and earphones, you’ll want to look out for a number of features that you may not necessarily look for in headphones for listening to music on.

For example, microphone quality is just as important as sound quality – after all, you want the people you’re speaking to to be able to hear you as clearly as possible – and vice versa. You’ll also want to make sure they offer good noise cancelling features, especially if you work in a noisy environment. This allows the headphones to detect ambient noise (such as office chatter) and remove it while broadcasting your voice to your caller. If you’re wearing headsets all day for work, you’ll also want to make sure they are comfortable to wear.

We’ve assembled a list of the best business headphones and earphones, making it easier than ever for you to make the right choice – which can be tricky as there’s a huge range of headphones and earphones out there.

So which headphones are the best for business users? Read on to find out what our picks are – and don’t forget to use our price comparison tool to help you get the best deals for these amazing business headphones and earphones.

1. Oppo PM-3

Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 0.71 pounds | Cable length: 9.8 ft or 3.9 ft | Frequency response: 10-50,000Hz | Drivers: 55mm | Driver type: Planar Magnetic | Sensitivity: 102dB | Impedance: 26 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A

The Oppo PM-3‘s are a truly stunning pair of headphones, and are an excellent choice if you’re looking for some over-ear headphones for your business.

They’re equally comfortable being plugged into your desktop PC for video conferencing as they are commuting through the hustle and bustle of a big city, and they stand head and shoulders above rival products from bigger brands. We really can’t recommend them highly enough, they’re just amazing.

Read the full review: Oppo PM-3

2. Philips Fidelio X2

Acoustic design: Open | Weight: .85 pounds | Cable length: 9.8 feet | Frequency response: 5-40,000Hz | Drivers: Two 1.9″ speakers | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: 100 dB @ 1mW | Impedance: 30 Ohm | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A

The Philips Fidelio X2s are a superb pair of headphones offering premium comfort and build quality with a sound that rivals even the most vaunted audiophile cans.

Their comfortable design means they can be worn for long periods of time while working thanks to the memory foam construction of the earpads.

Read the full review: Philips Fidelio X2

3. Bose QuietComfort 35

Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 0.68 pounds | Cable length: 3.94 feet | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 20+ hours | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: Yes

Bose has finally brought its fantastic noise-cancelling technology to a pair of wireless headphones and it’s done so without any of the traditional drawbacks of wireless headphones. They sound great, and their battery life is long enough for even the longest video meeting. Going wireless with your business headphones means you have less clutter on your desk, freeing you up for more important things when on an important call.

At $349.95 (£289.95) the QC35s sit firmly at the premium end of the spectrum, but if you want the best noise-cancelling headphones available right now then you can’t get any better.

Read the full review: Bose QuietComfort 35

4. Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2

Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 0.64 lbs (289g) | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: 40mm | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 24 hours | Wireless range: 100 meters (330 feet) | NFC: No

The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 offer insane battery life, great sound quality and good active noise cancellation for the business man or woman in your life. They may not offer the best noise cancellation – especially compared to the Bose QuietComfort 35s or the Fidelio NC1 – but at only $200 (£230, AU$250) it’s hard to think of a better travel headphone for the price.

Ultimately, with the BackBeat Pro 2, you’re getting a travel headphone with incredible battery life, supreme comfort, the ability to pair two device as once and, most importantly, good sound quality for the cost.

Read our full review: Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2

5. Sennheiser Momentum Wireless

Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: N/A | Cable length: 4.6 feet | Frequency response: 16-22,000Hz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: 28 ohms | Battery life: 25+ hours | Wireless range: 30+ feet | NFC: Yes

These no-holds-barred wireless headphones are oozing with positive qualities, but for many, they’re almost prohibitively expensive. However, if you’re an audio lover that can spare the expense, do not hesitate on this comfortable, hard-working set of headphones that will likely last for years.

Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum Wireless

6. RHA T10i

Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: .09 pounds | Cable length: 4.4 feet | Frequency response: 16-40,000Hz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: 100 dB/mW | Impedance: 16 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A

If you’d rather some in-ear earphones for your business, then the RHA T10i is the first set you should consider for one simple reason: the sound quality is incredible, thanks to the snug seal created when the headphones are stuck in your ear. Plus the bass is also robust for such small earphones.

The RHA T10i look slick with a metal finish around the drivers and around the cable as well. They also come with several replacement tips if the defaults don’t fit your ear canal. They’re more expensive than other earbuds on the list, but there’s good reason they feautre at the top of our business earphones selection.

Read the full review: RHA T10i

7. Shure SE215

Acoustic design: N/A | Weight: N/A | Cable length: 5.3 feet | Frequency response: 22Hz-17,500kHz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: 20 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A

If you’re in the market for the best in-ear headphones, you should really be looking at Shure’s entire catalog of truly excellent in-ear options. Of them all, however, our current favorites are the Shure SE215s – they’re not the top-tier performers from the audio company, but we think they offer the best performance-to-price ratio of any of Shure’s headsets.

Sure, the headphones look great in their futuristic-looking translucent, space grey color but its best trait is that you can snag the Shure SE215s for ~$100.

Read the full review: Shure SE215

8. Bose QuietControl 30

Acoustic design: N/A | Weight: 28 grams | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 10 hours | Wireless range: 10m (33ft.) | NFC: Yes

Life is full of trade-offs, and it’s the same with the Bose QuietControl 30s. On the plus side you get a level of noise cancellation that’s on a par with the brand’s over-ear headphones, but the compromise here is on sound quality, which is simply not as good as that of other in-ear or over-ear headphones we’ve tried.

However, if you’re going to be using these on video or voice calls in a noisy office, then these are definitely worth considering.

Read the full review: Bose QuietControl 30

9. V-Moda Forza

Acoustic design: N/A | Weight: 13.5 grams | Cable length: 2.6 feet | Frequency response: 20-40,000Hz | Drivers: 5.8mm | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: 99dB @1kHz 1mW | Impedance: 14 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A

The V-Moda Forza offers a lot: It sounds good; it’s built to last and its modular design is like nothing we’ve seen before on an earbud. The Forza, therefore, are perfect for anyone who wants a headphone that can do it all, from working out to taking these with you on the morning commute to the office. 

Sure, it’s not the most balanced sounding or highest resolution, but the water resistance and modular design of the Forza make it a pretty compelling option.

Read the full review: V-Moda Forza

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Welcome to our guide to the best Bitcoin exchange of 2018. This list is essential if you’re serious about making money from Bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies.

But what is a Bitcoin exchange, and how can you be sure you sign up to the best Bitcoin exchange? Well, think of Bitcoin exchanges as digital marketplaces for people to buy and sell Bitcoins using different currencies. The Bitcoin can be exchanged for either fiat money (legal tender) or other alternative cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum. The exchange serves as the middleman for traders of the cryptocurrency.

Being able to purchase Bitcoin is the initial step to trading in it. Just like trading a stock, Bitcoin exchanges charge transaction fees, which range from 0 to 1%. In order to trade Bitcoin on an exchange, the user needs to have an account, and go through a series of steps to be verified. Remember that Bitcoin and alternative cryptocurrencies are a completely digital currency, and there are no physical Bitcoins.

However, before plunging in with both feet, users should be aware of what to look for in choosing a Bitcoin exchange for their cryptocurrency transactions. This is analogous to the issues and potential pitfalls in making a choice of where to do your banking, or open an online brokerage account. Furthermore, bear in mind that unlike banks and stock trading, Bitcoin trading is largely unregulated by most countries, although this is changing as its popularity increases.

A good place to start is to look at the virtual coins which are supported by an exchange. With over 4,000 cryptocurrencies, and additional ones being added all the time, it is key to figure out which currencies you want to trade in, and then match the exchange that deals in those. For example, Ethereum mining has recently become more popular, but not all Bitcoin exchanges support this alternative cryptocurrency.

Language barriers

Next look at the country that is hosting the Bitcoin exchange. Some are in less regulated countries, and there may be additional problems if something goes awry. This can include time differences, international long distance costs, and language barriers. In general, it’s preferable to find an exchange that speaks your language.

Additionally, pay close attention to the fees levied. While all these exchanges charge transaction fees – after all, they are businesses looking to make a profit – as the user, it is obviously best to find one with the lowest costs in order to maximize your own profits.

Also look for a secure trading platform, and a Bitcoin exchange which has robust security measures. After all, you wouldn’t use a bank that didn’t have a vault, and stored its money on the counter…

Desirable security features include two-factor authentication, SMS or email alerts, encrypted emails, and wallet monitoring. A smartphone app can also be very useful in terms of accessing and monitoring funds – but equally, poorly implemented software can represent a security risk.

Finally, look for an exchange which is doing a good volume of trading – in other words, one with a high number of trading pairs, and high liquidity.

Now that we know the features to look for in the best Bitcoin exchanges, let’s move on to pick out our particular favorites.

1. Coinbase

This is a US-based exchange which was founded in 2012, and it supports over 32 countries. Coinbase exchanges Bitcoin and the alternative cryptocurrencies of Ethereum and Litecoin, and it’s the largest of the exchanges, claiming $20 billion (£15 billion) in currency exchanged. In 2014 Coinbase created GDAX, the Global Digital Asset Exchange which was developed for professionals with high volumes of trading.

The firm offers a mobile wallet, offline storage, and insurance protection for currency stored on its servers. Coinbase supports several fiat currencies: British Pounds, US Dollars, Euros, Canadian Dollars, Australian Dollars and Singapore Dollars.

The Coinbase exchange has a 1% flat fee for each purchase, while cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals are done without any fees. A streamlined user interface which is ideal for novice traders – and fast trades – makes Coinbase a popular exchange with traders.

2. Gemini Exchange

Gemini Exchange is another US-based outfit founded by the Winklevoss twins – the pair who sued Mark Zuckerberg over social networking, and were awarded $65 million (£48 million), which they put to use as venture capitalists. This exchange is based in New York, and is available in 45 US states, as well as the UK, Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Gemini’s only supported fiat currency is US dollars, and it only trades Bitcoin and Ethereum. Gemini does not charge deposit or withdrawal fees, and levies a low flat rate of 0.25% for trades, to both the buyer and the seller.

Another advantage of Gemini is that it’s a New York state limited liability trust company, and is regulated by New York’s Department of Financial Services. Close proximity to the Wall Street financial markets allows the company to easily provide a bridge from more traditional investments to newer cryptocurrency markets, for both individual and institutional investors.

Gemini is also notable in that it accepts ACH transfers for fast access to money for trades. A potential downside is that the interface is not particularly novice-friendly.

3. Changelly

Changelly is a cryptocurrency exchange with support for many more virtual currencies than most, including Monero, Dash, Bytecoin, and DigitalNote among others. If you are mining a less popular currency, chances are that Changelly can exchange it for you.

This exchange comes from the popular mining platform MinerGate which provides a merged mining pool across Windows, Mac, Linux and Android operating systems. While Changelly focuses on exchanges between different cryptocurrencies, users can also purchase cryptocurrency with US Dollars or Euros.

Note that this exchange has a shorter track record, as it only entered the market in 2016. Exchange fees are 0.5% on transactions.

4. Cryptopia

Cryptopia was founded in 2014, aiming to be a comprehensive exchange that focuses on the user experience, with integration of additional services including a marketplace and wallet. It is based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Cryptopia is notable in that the first level of verification happens very quickly, and only requires an email address for initial verification.

While Cryptopia does not support fiat money trading, it does support a ridiculously large number of cryptocurrencies: over 400 to date, with more being added all the time. The trading fee is also a low 0.20% per transaction, which compares favorably with many competitors. The website is quite large and sprawling, meaning that new users might find their first experiences with the site a little daunting.

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