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Slowest UK streets for broadband exposed, is your postcode on the list?

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If you happen to live in Watford you could be facing some of the worst broadband in Britain. New research from the team at Broadband Genie has exposed the UK’s most dismal downloads and it seems homes across the country are still suffering from speeds that are well under 3Mbps.

At that dismal rate, it would take a whopping 10 hours to download a full HD movie – that’s over 60 times slower than the UK average. According to Broadband Genie, Morriston Close in Watford has the slowest broadband speeds with this area averaging just 0.6Mbps.

This is followed by Wade Court, Cheltenham (1.2Mbps), Leazes Lane, Bishop Auckland (1.38Mbps) and Borstal Street, Rochester (1.39Mbps).

At the other end of the scale is Meadway, Northampton with residents in this lucky street getting speeds in excess of 890Mbps. The same full HD movie would take just 40 seconds with this broadband pumped through the walls.

Clearly, those with the slowest speeds will feel like that are being left behind but Broadband Genie says a quick check of your postcode could see downloads getting faster.

Although some areas aren’t yet connected to full fibre from Openreach – a firm that’s used by suppliers such as BT, Sky and TalkTalk – there are plenty of other providers that may have laid their own cables right outside homes.

For example, Virgin Media, Community Fibre, City Fibre and Hyperoptic all have their own technology but homes need to switch to get access to it.

Speaking about the stats, Alex Tofts, broadband expert at Broadband Genie, said: “No customer should put up with sluggish broadband, especially in a year where we’ve had to endure record high mid-contract price rises.

“Overall, the Watford area, including Morriston Close, does have access to fast broadband. Our research highlights that residents of Britain’s slowest streets could be suffering in silence, as faster broadband is available to their homes.

“If you haven’t reviewed your broadband contract in the last two years, it’s likely you can switch or renew to a faster deal at no extra cost.

“The majority of widely available providers are signed up to Ofcom’s Broadband Speeds Code of Practice. If your provider has signed up to this, but it can’t resolve your issue within 30 days, you are entitled to leave your contract free of charge.”



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Argos offers bargain Android phone for under £200

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If you are in need of a smartphone upgrade but don’t have a lot of cash to spend, the good news is there are several Android options for you in 2026. Better still to be on the lookout for a good deal, and we think we’ve found a good one.

Argos is selling the Motorola Moto G86 for just £195.99, a much lower price than the advertised £279.99 – you just need to know how to get the discount to show up in your basket.

It’s all part of Argos’ Big Red sale event that is running until February 24. Scores of popular items are on sale when you enter the correct discount code at the online checkout.

For the Moto G86, Argos is offering 30 percent off that RRP. All you have to do is enter the code RED30 in the promo code box in the checkout process online, and the retailer will cut the cost right down to £195.99.

That’s a bargain price for a phone that has an awful lot going for it considering the low cost. Available in either black or blue hues, the Moto G86 has a large 6.67-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, so text, websites and apps will scroll smoothly by.

You get a generous 256GB storage, plus a 50MP main camera and an 8MP ultrawide with a 32MP selfie shooter, full IP68/IP69 dust and water resistance, Android 16 and a solid MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor.

View the Motorola Moto G86 at Argos

At this price, you aren’t getting the most powerful phone on the market, but if all you need your phone for is calls, WhatsApp, banking, social media, email and snapping photos it will certainly fit the bill. Just don’t expect it to keep up if you try and play PUBG for an hour.

Thankfully you get a 5,200mAh battery that is actually larger than the battery found in the £1,249 Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Not bad for a phone that costs more than £1,000 less.

Argos says its Big Red sale is running until February 24, so you have a little bit of time to pick up the Moto G86 while stocks last.

If you want a phone with a little more oomph and a better camera system, Argos is also offering an unbelievable 50 percent off the Google Pixel 9 in the same sale.



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New £39 budget earbuds offer a feature Samsung and Apple won’t match

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Fancy trying something different to AirPods or Galaxy Buds? The new £39.99 Neo Buds from Groov-e might look like any other budget in-ear music makers, but they come with a nifty bonus. Tucked on the front of the charging case is a small colour display that gives instant access to music controls and the settings. It even shows how much battery is left in the tank and if the buds need a refill.

“The intuitive smart display on the charging case gives users optimum control, whether listening to music, podcasts or answering calls, without the need to unlock their device,” Groov-e explained.

“The display also provides additional audio customisation settings, such as adjusting mixes, toggling ANC, and the option to have an image on the display.”

These aren’t the only buds that include a display on the case. JBL’s Live Beam 3 also offers this smart functionality, but they costs over £100 more.

Despite the Neo Buds’ low price, they get that clever case and also feature active noise cancellation (ANC), which blocks out all background noise so you only hear your tunes and not much else.

Other extras include a comfy fit, 22 hours of playback and touch controls.

Express.co.uk has not had a chance to test these new earbuds, so we can’t give them our stamp of approval, but they certainly appear pretty feature-packed for such a low price.

Want something we can definitely can recommend?

Sony has just unveiled its premium WF-1000XM6 buds, which now offer improved sound and unbeatable noise cancellation.

They get a new look with a matte finish, decent battery life and can even beam high-resolution audio right into your ears.

Touch controls on the outside of each bud let you manage music without reaching for a phone and can be fully customised to suit your needs.

With a price of over £230 they certainly aren’t cheap but they some of the best buds you can buy.



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Gmail for Android finally gets something iPhone users have had for years

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Google is the creator of both Gmail and Android, yet the Android app version of Gmail has been lacking a very basic tool compared to the iPhone app and the email service on a web browser. You might have thought that the Android app would be the cutting edge of Gmail features, but this simply isn’t the case.

Thankfully, Google has finally made the update, bringing label creation to Gmail on Android for, amazingly, the very first time.

Labels are a way to create subfolders to sort your unwieldy Gmail inbox into something more manageable. I use them to quickly sort incoming mail into labels for bills, invoices, specific trips, personal projects and more.

You have been able to view and send mail into already created labels on Android, but unbelievably, only now can you create them on Android.

I am no app developer, but considering I have been using labels on Gmail for at least six years (judging by my label collection), it’s very odd that the Android app is only getting this tool in 2026. I guess I have done all my label creation on my laptop for years, as email sorting, as a millennial, is very much a big screen activity. Just like booking flights or moving more than £100 using online banking, much to the amusement of younger generations.

Still, apparently we can’t have everything at once. You can create and name a label, as well as delete one, but you still can’t colour code a label on the Android app. Back to your big screen you go.

The fact Google has made sure label creation was available for Gmail on iPhone for years before it came to Android hints at where the firm’s priorities lie. Sure, Google makes and maintains Android, which has more users worldwide than iOS, and it also sells its Pixel line up of smartphones. But keeping iPhone users on Gmail with all the newest features would appear to be a priority.

9to5Google says this update is rolling out gradually to Android users, so watch out for version number 2026.01.26.x, and you’ll be able to get labelling on the go – even if it is long overdue.



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