sincity

Most of us tend to choose a web browser and stick with it for years. It can be hard to break away from your comfort zone – especially when you've become used to its quirks – but trying a different browser can greatly improve your experience on the web. Whether it's enhanced security, improved speed, or greater flexibility through customizable options and plugins, the right browser can have a huge effect on your online life. Here we've put the biggest browsers through their paces (plus one that you might not be familiar with) to identify the one that does the best job of ticking all those boxes, but if you have a particular concern then read on to see if there's an alternative that might be better suited to your needs. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YioWoshDTQDVEEwcizyay3.jpg After several years dropping behind the competition in terms of speed, Firefox is back in the game with a fully updated code base Firefox recently received its biggest update in 13 years, and it's so impressive, it's propelled the browser to the top of our list. Firefox has always been known for its flexibility and support for extensions, but in recent years it had started to lag behind the competition in terms of speed. Firefox Quantum, first released last year, represented a total overhaul of the browser's code base, with speeds now comparable with Google Chrome. That's not just on top-end computers, either – the new Firefox makes frugal use of RAM, even with masses of tabs open. Firefox also scores serious points when it comes to privacy. Mozilla is non-profit, which means it doesn't have the same impetus to sell your data as some other browser developers. The organization also makes regular updates to help protect its users' privacy as internet companies come under increasing scrutiny over the way they treat people's data. Quantum also introduced a new system for extensions that prevents rogue developers making malicious changes to the browser's internal code. It's not always the absolute fastest – for some pages Chrome still has the edge, as demonstrates – but the new Firefox has come out swinging and is our pick for the best web browser of 2018 so far.Mozilla Firefox reviewDownload Mozilla Firefoxhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/my5SzxQt9jKXFY7TKcTpeK.jpg Chrome is a superb browser - fast and adaptable - if you aren't bothered by letting Google handle all your online activityWith Chrome, Google has built an extendable, efficient browser that deserves its place at the top of the browser rankings. According to w3schools' browser trend analysis its user base is only rising, even as Microsoft Edge's install numbers are presumably growing. Why? Well, it's cross-platform, incredibly stable, brilliantly presented to take up the minimum of screen space, and just about the nicest browser there is to use. Its wide range of easily obtained and installed extensions mean you can really make it your own, and there's support for parental controls and a huge range of tweaks and settings to ensure maximum efficiency. But there are downsides, and potentially big ones. It's among the heaviest browsers in terms of resource use, so it's not brilliant on machines with limited RAM, and its performance doesn't quite match up to others in benchmarking terms. And with Google's tentacles running through it, you might be uncomfortable with the ways in which your browsing data may be used. Google Chrome reviewDownload Google Chromehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/i79v4Jyd2CzcU7NgwBszPN.jpg Opera is a superb browser with a clean interface and built-in ad-blocker, plus a Turbo mode that makes slow connections more useableIt's sad that Opera makes up only around 1% of the browser market, because it really is a quality browser. It launches fast, the UI is brilliantly clean, and it does everything its rivals can do with a couple of extras thrown in for good measure. The key reason we'd at least recommend having Opera installed alongside your main browser is its Opera Turbo feature. This compresses your web traffic, routing it through Opera's servers, which makes a huge difference to browsing speed if you're stuck on rural dial-up or your broadband connection is having a moment. It reduces the amount of data transferred too, handy if you're using a mobile connection, and this re-routing also dodges any content restrictions your ISP might place on your browsing, which can be mighty handy. Opera automatically ducks out of the way if you're using secure sites like banks so your traffic is free and clear of any potential privacy violation. There's also an integrated ad-blocker – which can be switched off if you're morally inclined in that direction – and a battery-saving mode which promises to keep your laptop going for longer. Opera reviewDownload Operahttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/djcJtCs5SU78Zy55G2zLxn.jpg Edge works on all your Windows 10 devices, with sandboxing for security and a special reading mode to isolate the important content on pagesThe default 'browsing experience' on Windows 10, and unavailable for older operating systems, Edge is an odd one. Quite why Microsoft needs to be running a pair of browser products in tandem rather than making Edge backwards compatible is beyond us. The company's reason, it seems, is that Edge represents the more user-friendly end of Redmond's offering while Internet Explorer scales a little better for enterprise. Integration with Windows 10's core gimmicks seems to be Edge's main strong point. It happily runs as a modern-skinned app on Windows 10's tablet mode, and works with Cortana. It's also highly streamlined for the current web age, doing away with insecure protocols like ActiveX and forcing you into Internet Explorer if you want to use them. We're more used to browsers failing to render newer pages than we are to being told off for visiting older corners of the web. Curmudgeonly grumbles aside, actually using Edge is a perfectly pleasant experience. It's super-quick, hammers through benchmarks, its integrated reading mode makes complex sites more palatable, and by sandboxing it away from the rest of the operating system Microsoft has ensured that Edge won't suffer the security breaches of its older brother. It's just a shame that Microsoft is quite so insistent on forcing Edge upon Windows 10 users, making it the default browser for links opened in the Mail app, adding shortcuts to your desktop after major OS updates, and presenting it as a potential result if you start typing 'Firefox' in the Cortana search box. Windows 10 (including Edge) reviewGet Windows 10 (including Edge)http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/w7nhEBzv8j52s4XrMfSur9.jpg Microsoft Internet Explorer is a fast and powerful browser, and makes modest use of your system resources, though it lacks the flexibility of Firefox and ChromeMicrosoft Internet Explorer has seen some ups and downs in its long tenure, from dominating the browser charts to languishing behind its main two competitors. This is partly an issue of choice – particularly the browser choice that Microsoft was forced to give customers after a court ruling – and partially because older versions fell behind the rendering and compatibility curve. There are no such issues with Internet Explorer 11. It's clean, powerful, highly compatible, and it demands less of your RAM and CPU than equivalent pages would on Chrome or Firefox. Plus it one-ups both of them on WebKit's Sunspider benchmark. That's not to say this browser is perfect. Google's V8 benchmark sees it struggling, and IE isn't quite as able to handle add-ons and extensions as many of its competitors. So while there's no reason to avoid IE like there might once have been, if you're looking for a more customised browsing experience you're out of luck. Download Microsoft Internet Explorerhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Njk66DKHiu3Dzrhk8watr5.jpg Vivaldi is a relatively new browser that's bound to see more development soon. Its interface is fully customizable, though it doesn't officially support extensions yetHere's something a bit different. We all spend probably far too much time sitting in front of our web browsers, and up-and-comer Vivaldi wants to make that as pleasant and personal an experience as possible. The whole style and structure of its interface is entirely up to you. There's a built-in note-taking system, you can dock websites as side panels while using the main window to do your main browsing, and we love its innovative tab stacking tech, which allows you to group up tabs and move them around to avoid the crowding that so often plagues other browsers. Vivaldi is built on Chromium, which means you can expand it even further with extensions from the Chrome Web Store. Just pick your preferred plugin and click 'Add to Chrome'. Some extensions might behave slightly differently in Vivaldi, but most work perfectly. Vivaldi is a refreshing and creative take on web browsing, and one to watch in the next couple of years as more features are added. Vivaldi reviewDownload Vivaldihttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/684e36528eca45e1971880b3630342db.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/q9YsDutYUUKnN2wJcM2AFC.jpg Tor Browser is a heavily modified version of Firefox that re-routed web traffic via random nodes worldwideTor Browser is, perhaps unjustly, most regularly associated with the seedy underworld of the dark web. While it's true that you can use this web browser to access otherwise unlisted sites, Tor's privacy aspects – where your traffic is routed through random nodes the world over, making it very hard to track - are its real asset. Tor Browser is really a package of tools; Tor itself, a heavily modified version of the Firefox Extended Support release, and a number of other privacy packages that combine to make it the most secure browsing experience you're likely to find. Nothing is tracked, nothing is stored, and you can forget about bookmarks and cookies. You'll need to alter your browsing habits to ensure that you don't perform actions online that reveal your identity – Tor Browser is just a tool, after all – but for a secondary browser useful for those private moments it's a great choice. Run it from a USB stick and nobody need even know you have it at all. Tor Browser reviewDownload Tor BrowserMake emails easier to manage with the best free email client.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/bFyjll_bMYw

Amazon has launched a page on its website that seems to confirm the existence of a leaked device that is a hybrid of an Echo smart speaker and a Fire TV dongle, called Fire TV Cube. The page is cryptic to say the least, with just the words ‘What is Fire TV Cube?’ emblazoned on a page above a blue glowing line – an obvious reference to the blue glowing line on Amazon’s hugely popular range of Echo devices. There’s no other official information, just a tease of ‘details coming soon’ and a button to sign up to learn more. But that doesn’t mean we don’t know anything about the Fire TV Cube. Two for twoThe Fire TV Cube looks likely to be a device that was leaked towards the end of last year by AFTVNews. In a single picture (below) AFTVNews leaked the upcoming Fire TV dongle and a cube shaped device that looked like an Echo, if the Echo was made by the Borg. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eAw3fdx38Nec8QfbXug6PA.jpg Credit: AFTVNews Now, there are already options for controlling Fire TV using Alexa, but this would be the first time that a dedicated flagship device was both smart speaker and Fire TV device. We’re expecting the Echo’s far-field technology to be involved, so no need to push a button on your Fire remote to activate Alexa. There’s (obviously) no word yet on price or release date but we’ll keep you informed as we find out more. Want to know what the best Echo is right now? Check out: Best Amazon Echo speaker: the Dots, Spots, Shows and Pluses comparedVia The Verge http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/C1z808QDth4

Today’s modern CIOs face a set of expectations, opportunities, and challenges that have grown tremendously over the last decade. This fundamentally revolves around one question “How can IT provide value for the business?” In conjunction with emerging technologies are the challenges of managing people, process and compliance. Wrapped around all of this is the concept of security. What “security” means for an organisation has changed dramatically over the last several years. Check out our list of the best internet security suites 2018Historically, security was viewed as an operational task. Companies had a firewall, anti-virus software, and maybe an IPS (Intrusion Prevention System). Things have changed tremendously since then. The role of the CSO (Chief Security Officer) or CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) has been created specifically to tackle these challenges. This role was responsible for protecting the organisation from the ever-increasing cyber threats and/or data breaches. In addition to the many other responsibilities of CIOs, they also need to be part CSO. In the same way the CIO is responsible for their budget to the CFO, they must also learn and embrace mature security postures. While the CSO and security team are the experts in emerging threats, CIOs must now structure a general degree of awareness and competence across the organisation. The threats businesses face today are unique in that they are fluid and ever-changing. Every week there is a new story of a data breach or compromise, and we know what is publicly disclosed is just the tip of the iceberg. Every business vertical has data that would be financially damaging if made public. Whether this is intellectual property for chemical manufacturing, to patient person information in healthcare, to client financial information in banking, to stolen credit card information in retail, security has become a board room conversation because of how it impacts the bottom line. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NZbJGiTYdeYULaTRh8emze.jpg Enforcing the basicsModern CIOs have an important role in ensuring the private business data remains private. This happens in conjunction with the CSO/CISO and audit/compliance. Too many of today’s compromises happen opportunistically because basics are not enforced. Ensure systems are patched in a timely manner. Too much malware exists for known and patched exploits.Proper identity management, no shared accounts, use good passwords.Ensure firewalls are truly least privilege. Don’t have Windows systems with RDP open from the Internet and lock down outgoing connections.Encrypt all endpoints, its free, use it. Too many data breaches have come from lost hard drives or devices.While these seem like fundamentals, they can go a long way towards improving your organisation’s security posture. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sK6FkZvw26sEoMMnkTKDCW.jpg The next level is generally driven more from the security team’s guidance, but requires a significant amount of operational support and integration. This is where things get much more interesting strictly from a technologist perspective. How do we deploy IPS (Intrusion Prevention System), WAF (Web Application Firewall), and other layer 7 type security in a way that is effective?How do I do this in a world where most traffic is encrypted?How do we put in place a SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) solution that will aggregate logs from every point of technology and be able to run real time threat intelligence and machine learning on this data?How do I enable two-factor authentications on every piece of my environment?I must assume that I am either already breached, or will be in the future. How do I lower my mean time to detection of a breach?If a malware was sending out stolen data hidden in DNS queries, would I know?The challenge is two-fold. First, while technology exists to solve all the problems above, it also comes with a significant price tag. Second, if you have the resources to procure this technology, the operational human time to both deploy and manage all this technology can be overwhelming. Today’s modern CIO have a plethora of new challenges to face around security, while still advancing business capabilities to generate revenue. Modern agile development cycles in conjunction with best of breed security. CIOs can make a big impact driving and enforcing security basics around patching, good firewall management, and training. Today’s security expectations require a strong relationship between CSOs and CIOs. In many cases, a professional service provider adds a significant amount of value in an organisation’s ability to deploy and get value from new technology that is continuously developed and released. In summary, focus on the basics and do not be afraid to leverage experts for utilising emerging technologies. Sean Donaldson is CTO at Secure-24. He has a strong technological background from over 15 years of developing world-class infrastructure solutions and critical application management. Check out our list of the best antivirus software of 2018http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/PCm9XuWq_7c

Setting up a smart home is an expensive proposition, with lighting, thermostats, plugs, vacuum cleaners and smart speakers all costing hundreds of pounds. Before you know it you’ve racked up an eye-watering total on your shopping cart, and it just sits there, unpurchased. Well, this spring Amazon has released a Spring Smart Home sale that will help shave hundreds off select bundles, so you can set up your smart home without breaking the bank. The sale runs until midnight on Sunday April 29, but as with usual Amazon sales, stock may be limited so you’ll want to move quickly. We’ll include some choice picks that we think are worth your attention here, but for the full range head over to the Amazon Spring Smart Home page. Our picksMake your own bundleOne of the best things about the Spring Smart Home sale is that Amazon has included a vast range of products that you can use to make your own bundles. Some of them (like the iRobot Roomba robot vacuum cleaner) already have a reduction, but even if they are full price, you get a 15% reduction when bundling three or more products. As you can imagine, that very quickly works its way up to being a pretty significant saving. Want to know what the best smart thermostat is? Check out: Best smart thermostat: heating your home using techVia The Ambient http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/zkTV3IxlaFc

Email remains an important form of communication, more formal than a text, tweet or instant message, while obviously being much faster than ‘snail mail’, which may explain why email volume continues to increase. Indeed, a recent estimate claimed that something like 269 billion emails are sent daily. Most of us likely have multiple email accounts with online providers such as Gmail, Outlook.com or Yahoo, which can be used online via their corresponding websites (also known as webmail), or by using mobile apps. Managing and coordinating multiple accounts can quickly become a chore, and that is where an email client becomes a useful solution to sync all your messaging in one place. An email client can also offer additional features, such as enhanced security, or the ability to back up messages. We’ve picked out six of the best email clients in this article. We’ve also chosen the best free email client if you don’t want to pay anythinghttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NHU3VWLxje5KP8VGEAVFmb.jpg Microsoft’s Outlook is the de facto email client for most businesses and enterprises, and has been around for decades, with its origins dating back to MS-DOS. Obviously it has tight integration with other Microsoft services, and that takes email beyond the simple exchange of messages. Outlook has the advantage of being fully integrated with the Outlook Calendar, making it a snap to share calendars to coordinate meetings. This integration also extends to Outlook Contacts. Outlook is supported for the Windows platform, but also across the mobile platforms of iOS and Android as well. Microsoft Outlook is available as part of the Microsoft Office suite, which can be purchased as the standalone Office 2016, or the subscription-based Office 365. A single user subscription to Office 365 Personal can be purchased for $6.99 (around £5, AU$9) per month or $69.99 (around £50, AU$90) for a full year. You can buy Microsoft Office herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EGkcUte2hFtWxQ3Twe5EMi.jpg While Outlook is a stalwart of the business world, Microsoft has long realized that it is overkill for many home users, so there’s a lightweight email client built into Windows. Way back when, this client was Outlook Express, but it has since evolved and in the latest version of Microsoft’s desktop operating system, it’s known as Mail for Windows 10. For any Windows user, the Mail for Windows 10 client is an obvious choice, as when you log into Windows 10 with a Hotmail, Live, or Outlook.com address, the account is already added to the email client. It can also work with other popular accounts, including Yahoo, Gmail, and iCloud. Mail for Windows 10 has a useful feature known as Quick Actions, which, for example, allows the user to easily flag or archive a message. It’s also integrated with the Windows Calendar app. Mail is included with versions of Windows 10http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gVaVajWK9Z4eD9DwvHzX3.jpg This alternative email client is trusted and used by Fortune 500 companies which include Avis, McDonald’s and Toyota. It offers a wide array of features, including a calendar, contacts and chat. Support is provided for all the major email services including Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud and Outlook.com. The latest version of eM Client (7.1) also offers PGP encryption, live backup, and auto-replies for Gmail. There is a free tier, but you need the Pro version for commercial use, and that also gives you VIP support and unlimited accounts (the free product is limited to two email accounts). The Pro version will set you back $49.95 (or £29.95 in the UK, which is around AU$55). You can buy eM Client herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RbxrTCXxHpw38ehBV8HRuQ.jpg Mailbird Pro is an email client that promises to “save time managing multiple accounts,” and to make your email “easy and beautiful”. While beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, as they say, it’s undeniable that Mailbird Pro offers many free themes to make email a more enjoyable and customizable experience. Unlike some more Microsoft-centric email clients, Mailbird Pro supports a diverse range of integrated apps, including WhatsApp, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox and Slack, all making for a better streamlined workflow. However, one downside to bear in mind here is that there’s no support for filters or rules to organize your inbox. The annual cost of Mailbird Pro is $9 (around £6, AU$12) for an individual, and $20 (around £14, AU$26) for a business user. You can buy Mailbird Pro herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6GAx7kcBYBQy46UweUb8Rc.jpg Inky is an email client that focuses on security, using “sophisticated AI, machine learning and computer vision algorithms” to block all manner of phishing attacks which might otherwise get through. This client uses an ‘Inky Phish Fence’ that scans both internal and external emails to flag phishing attempts. The proprietary machine learning technology can literally read an email to determine if it has phishing content, and then is able to quarantine the email, or deliver it with the malicious links disabled. It also takes things a step further and offers an analytics dashboard, which allows an administrator to see patterns of attacks based on dates, or targeted users. The Inky email client does offer a free trial, but sadly, pricing details aren’t made available on the Inky website. However, the site does note that pricing is per mailbox per month on a subscription, with volume discounts available. You can sign up for Inky herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rhkqTaYprdMaPw2ZQJU2F3.jpg TouchMail is an email client that simplifies email by making it more visual. This also makes it easier to use on a touch-based mobile device. The goal of TouchMail is to aggregate multiple email accounts together, in a single visually attractive interface which is user-friendly. It lets you see all of the day’s emails in one place, with messages color-coded by sender for easy identification. Emails from top senders can be easily sorted and managed, too. This client is available for the Windows 10 platform, but not for iOS or Android, sadly. TouchMail can be grabbed from the Microsoft Store, and normally retails at $29.99 (around £22, AU$39), although at the time of writing there is a sale on that gives you a third off the asking price. You can buy TouchMail herehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/0MU8OYd7cyg

Amazon is known for taking risks and getting into categories well ahead of its competitors (just look at the Amazon Echo), and the mega etailer could be looking to do that once again with robots for your home. That's right: Amazon is working on domestic robots, reports Bloomberg. The top-secret project is codenamed Vesta, and could see robots in employee homes by the end of this year, with consumers possibly able to buy their own bots by 2019. Recently, Amazon began to ramp up hiring at its Lab 126, where the robot is being developed. Lab 126 previously concocted Amazon Fire TV, the Amazon Fire tablets, Echo smart speakers and the Amazon Fire Phone (remember that?), according to Bloomberg. Amazon's domesticationIt's not exactly known how the robot will function, but Bloomberg's sources speculate it could follow homeowners around to rooms where an Echo isn't already in place. Alexa, Amazon's voice assistant, will likely figure heavily in the robot. Already, prototypes feature advanced cameras and computer vision software, allowing the robot to move around a home like a self-driving car, presumably aware of the surroundings and avoiding obstacles. Amazon currently uses robots in its product warehouses, though obviously Vesta bot would be specialized to operate in the home. While Amazon would likely beat main rivals Google and Apple to the punch when it comes to domestic robots, other companies, like LG and Sony, have already developed robots that perform tasks or provide some level of companionship. The big question, aside from whether Amazon's robot ambitions ever come to fruition, is how much the Alexa robot will cost. Chances are, it'll be pricey, though Amazon may be able to undercut the cost for its Prime members. A domestic robot would give Amazon an explicit in into your home, and we speculate the robot would quickly learn your habits, such as when you turn off lights in a certain room, as well as what products you buy (we could easily see it sensing when you need to restock on laundry detergent and filling an order for you). As the company looks for more ways into your home, a domestic robot makes a whole lot of sense. The best robots from the year's biggest tech showhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/OPXzyIAr-vo

Sony has announced that it’s celebrating upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive, Detroit: Become Human, going gold by releasing a demo of the very first scene in the game. More interesting than the demo, however, is the reveal that it will have its very own Alexa skill. Named CyberLife, the skill will give players guidance and advice to help them make their first decisions in this choice-filled game world. Called Hostage, the demo will have players take up the role of an android called Connor, a hostage negotiator sent into a fraught situation where lives are on the line. Using the CyberLife skill, players will be able to ask Alexa questions relating to details in the crime scene and the backgrounds of characters to guide them through the decision making process. Players will even be able to ask Alexa to find out which decisions had which impacts and find out how they might be able to alter the course of the game by doing one thing differently. "Alexa, please help me choose"This isn't the first time a game has created its own Alexa skill – Destiny 2 did so very recently by allowing players to interact with their AI companion Ghost through their own devices. This skill is also very in-keeping with the story of Detroit: Become Human. Set in a dystopian future, Detroit: Become Human is a game which follows the story of three androids who have started to experience human emotions in a world that sees them as nothing more than machines built to obey. The fate of these androids and the characters around them will be entirely in your hands, with all of your decisions and actions opening up a branching story that will be individual to you. We don’t think Alexa is about to start offloading its feelings when you come home after a long day, but it is the first step towards fully-fledged androids, and a good example of how they might know more than you already. To use the Alexa skill you simply have to have access to any Alexa-enabled device and ask it to download the CyberLife skill by saying “Alexa, enable CyberLife.” The demo will be available for download on the PlayStation Store on Tuesday, April 24 at 12:01 am ET/ 5:01 am BST. Once excited fans get through this demo, they’ll have to wait until the game’s May 25 release date before they can play again. These are the best PS4 games you can play right nowhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/kmSTImB4x-M

While everyone knows that most Linux distributions (distros) are free to download, not everybody is aware that you also have access to thousands of cost-free applications through your operating system’s package manager. Many of the more user-friendly distros will come with a selection of software preinstalled to help you get started, but there are many more apps out in the wild, under continuous development. Install Linux on the best-in-class Dell XPS 13In this guide we'll highlight 10 of the best desktop applications for Linux. All of these programs can be installed either via the command line or by using a graphical frontend to your package manager – such as Synaptic, which we’ll cover in the very next slide. 10 of the best Linux distros for privacy fiends and security buffs10 best Linux distros: which one is right for you?What's the best Linux distro for beginners?How to choose the best Linux distro for laptops10 of the most popular lightweight Linux distroshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xM734Eb5TTDwad6zbi4Tkk.jpg 1. SynapticWhile some Linux distros like Ubuntu come with their own flashy app stores, none are as quick and easy to use as Synaptic, which simply serves as a graphical frontend for the 'apt-get' command line utility. You can install it on any Debian-based Linux distro such as Ubuntu or Linux Mint. Browse categories of apps such as 'Games and Amusement' using the pane on the left-hand side. Click the box next to an app name to mark it for installation (or uninstallation) then click the Apply button at the top to affect your changes. All the programs covered in this feature can be installed via Synaptic. Website: http://www.nongnu.org/synaptichttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/u5NbnZiuMqNogXmVtPrPtQ.jpg 2. VLC Media PlayerVLC is most commonly known for being a media player, although it does much more. When installed, it downloads codecs for virtually every kind of audio or video file, meaning you're unlikely to ever have playback issues again. The software can also play DVDs. You can use VLC to clip video files and even convert them from one format to another – from AVI to MP4, for example. See our guide on this here. The media player client can also act as a server, allowing you to stream media from one device to another (handily, we’ve also got a guide on how to do this). Website: http://www.videolan.org/vlc/index.en-GB.htmlhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Zy4CxgpnDATvegUyA8wiBk.jpg 3. Mozilla FirefoxFirefox is the default web browser for a number of Linux distros such as Ubuntu and Linux Mint. The browser’s simple and fluid interface is one of its many attractions. Firefox will play YouTube videos right off the bat, and can download plugins to play other formats for you. The browser also updates itself from the get-go, meaning you always have the latest version. Firefox supports a number of extensions to enhance your web experience, and you can customise the browser further via the Mozilla add-ons page, where it is possible to install a colourful theme. Website: https://www.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/newhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/d29ukZdasz88hMs6b2vKDm.jpg 4. GIMPGIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free image editor. It can be used to edit and retouch images by resizing, adding layers and other special effects. You can access these via the handy toolbox or dropdown menus. See our guide on how to use GIMP here. The GIMP website itself also has a great selection of tutorials. If you're accustomed to Adobe Photoshop, it may take some time for you to adjust to GIMP's interface, but it can do almost everything professional image editors are capable of. You can even add certain Photoshop plugins to GIMP. By default the program takes up less than 100MB of space, which is another considerable benefit, particularly for those short on storage. Website: https://www.gimp.orghttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2WeQyqC7opiEKEYXcCH5ik.jpg 5. DelugeWhile many Linux distributions already come with a BitTorrent client, Deluge stands out as a lightweight yet fully-featured app for downloading your files. The interface is extremely easy to master and can be enhanced by a number of excellent community supported plugins which do things such as shut down your machine when a download completes. You can even set up Deluge so that it can be accessed via a web interface from other devices, allowing you to download files to your home computer when you're away. Website: http://deluge-torrent.orghttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eR9eNWkLtSaGQ4ToYwWw4m.jpg 6. ThunderbirdThunderbird is a free and powerful email client. The setup wizard guides you gently through the process of either creating a new email address or setting up your existing one. Thunderbird's database contains email settings for all common providers, and you can add as many email accounts as you wish. Like Firefox, Thunderbird can be enhanced by add-ons, such as themes to make it more colourful, or better ways to sort your Mail folders. The most useful of these is undoubtedly the Lightning extension which adds a fully functioning Calendar to the email client. We’ve got an in-depth review of Thunderbird right here. Website: https://www.mozilla.org/en-GB/thunderbirdhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yxLM8Q8B3KME9e2YUzbmtk.jpg 7. LibreOfficeLibreOffice is nothing less than a full-blown office suite, on a par with commercial alternatives like Microsoft Office. While the interface may look rather basic, this product has some extremely advanced features. The LibreOffice word processor Writer, spreadsheet software Calc and presentation app Impress are preinstalled in Ubuntu and most of its derivatives. The suite also includes three less well-known apps – Draw, Math and Base – which are used for editing vector graphics, composing mathematical formulae and managing databases respectively. While LibreOffice uses the ODF (Open Document Format) by default it can open and save Microsoft Office compatible files too. Read our full review of LibreOffice here. Website: https://www.libreoffice.orghttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bUJNkEZGuj2DEEJssz3vqk.jpg 8. PidginPidgin is an instant messaging program which allows you to connect to multiple chat networks at once. At the time of writing these include AIM, Bonjour, IRC and Google Talk to name but a few. Sadly Facebook chat is no longer available since the social network dropped support for the open XMPP messaging protocol. Pidgin can be enhanced by installing third-party plugins. Some of these allow you to connect to other chat networks such as Skype, while others can be used to protect your conversations, for example the OTR (Off the Record) messaging plugin. Website: https://pidgin.imhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Y7FaePz8gEy5G9TMfh98kk.jpg 9. ClamAV/ClamTkAlthough Linux machines can't be affected by viruses designed to infect Windows, your PC can accidentally forward harmful files to other computers, for example in an email attachment. And these days, there are even some incidences of malware aimed at Linux systems. The antivirus scanner ClamAV provides some peace of mind, as it can detect many types of malware. It's often used on mail servers but will run happily on your desktop system if you want to scan files or folders. By default ClamAV can only be used from the command line, but you can use Synaptic to install 'clamtk' and 'clamtk-nautilus' to allow you to scan your system and individual files with a few clicks of your mouse. Website: https://www.clamav.netWebsite: http://clamtk.sourceforge.net/faq.htmlhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D4daNezhf4VgDj6Q4gtB8m.jpg 10. AudacityAudacity is an editing program which allows you to record and tinker with audio. Not only can Audacity record audio simultaneously from various inputs (for example, a USB microphone or an electric guitar), it can also trim and edit clips. Furthermore, it supports multiple tracks, allowing you, for instance, to record lyrics and backing music separately. The software also supports a number of audio effects such as noise reduction, as detailed in its extremely comprehensive manual which is both bundled with Audacity and available online. Audacity also supports VST (Virtual Studio Technology) plugins. Tracks can be exported in a number of popular sound formats such as WAV, OGG and MP3. If you want to know more about Audacity, then have a read of our full review here. Website: http://www.audacityteam.orghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/vsXOFRm0zWk

Regardless of your profession or industry, having to deal with multiple deadlines is commonplace in working life. It’s easy to feel under pressure and fall behind with your work when you have so much to do, but task management software can help keep things under control. These apps allow for the planning, tracking and reporting of tasks over a certain period of time. Using these programs, individuals and teams can collaborate on complex workloads, share knowledge and ensure the delivery of work within a set deadline. To ensure that task management procedures are effective, project managers must consider the priority, deadlines, recurrence, aims and resources of projects. Without these considerations, teams may find themselves confused and tasks could end up being delayed. In the past, companies have had to rely on largely paper-based mechanisms to oversee the delegation and completion of projects and tasks. However, through technology, firms are able to simplify the task management process and cut through red tape and time-consuming bureaucracy. There’s a great range of workflow and project management applications available to companies of all sizes, which share the common aim of improving productivity for managers and employees. We’ve picked out some of the very best here. Also take a look at the best productivity apps for mobilehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JG49bdUysJHJUBMoyoeFQ9.jpg If you’ve got lots of things happening in your work and personal life at the same time, you should definitely check out Centrallo. Described as a simple and elegant organization app, its main aim is to ‘catch everything life throws at you’. That may sound like an ambitious goal, but the software certainly has a good crack at achieving this. With Centrallo, you can create as many notes and checklists as you want, and share these private or publicly. You can also add photos, videos links and voice notes to the lists you create and store in the app, as well as due dates so you never miss a deadline. There’s also the ability to collaborate with team members on tasks within the app. What’s more, you can edit lists from a smartphone or tablet while on-the-go. That way, you should never fall behind with your work (hopefully). Centrallo offers a free version of the app, but it comes with restrictions: you’re limited to a maximum of 100 notes, small attachments, and only a relatively small amount of cloud storage. That said, you may find 1GB of storage is enough – at least for personal usage. However, if you plan on using this throughout your company, it’s likely you’ll need the premium option. It costs $4.99 (£3.50) monthly or $44.99 (£32) annually. You can sign up for Centrallo herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mWAsfBmC4HdFng7eNYBSpL.jpg Easynote is another easy-to-use task management tool which is nicely affordable. It provides you with the tools to create, assign and track tasks. Targeted at both everyday users and businesses, the app can be used to organize everything from shopping lists to multi-platform projects. In terms of features, the software allows you to collaborate on tasks, and share files. You can also set deadlines, task dependencies, alarms and reminders, as well as providing feedback to colleagues, and asking for amendments on tasks. What’s more, if you plan on using the software in your business, you don’t need any training. It works straight out-of-the-box. Easynote claims that the app is used by tens of thousands of people and companies across the globe, including the likes of Samsung, Yamaha, Siemens, Barclays, Unicef and Pfizer. Just like Centrallo, there’s a free option of the app available, but you only get 1GB of storage and a limit of 10MB when it comes to file uploads. To expand both of these limits, and get better customer support, you can upgrade to the Business plan which offers 5GB of storage and 50MB of file upload for $5 (£3.50) per month, or the Extended product which gives you 10GB/100MB for $10 (£7) monthly. You can sign up for Easynote herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pwHULzemNDKLgeRTzTWAxY.jpg When it comes to business productivity software, Trello is no doubt one of the most popular and widely known offerings on the market. Available on both desktop and mobile devices, the app lets you organize personal and professional tasks. The company lists homework, shopping lists and work projects as a few examples. The user interface is very friendly and based largely on boards that you create to organize the things you’re working on. You can categorize these based on different topics and tasks, and invite co-workers, friends and family members to collaborate on tasks. Similarly to Centrallo, the app makes use of checklists and to-do cards. Once you’ve created a board, you can create tasks and assign them to different people. From here, you can comment or receive feedback to ensure you’re on-track with everything. You also have the option to add photos, videos and files to cards, and to look at your lists in a calendar view to monitor deadlines. Trello is a cloud-based platform that works across a range of platforms and devices, including Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. The app is free to use, and you can create as many boards and lists as you’d like with the free version. However, there are premium products with more features and the ability to attach bigger files, with a Business Class plan costing $9.99 (£7) per month and an Enterprise offering running to $20.83 (£15) monthly. You can sign up for Trello herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NeEK2DiYsdvn9FQV6kSefn.jpg Should you want a task management tool that’s geared more towards business teams, Monday.com is vying for your attention. It’s a more visually-oriented piece of productivity software that lets project managers delegate tasks and keep an eye on the steps their team members are taking to complete tasks successfully. Using the app, you can generate comprehensive task and to-do lists, share files and communicate with colleagues. The software provides a great deal of insight into projects, letting you add details such as owner status, prioritization and timelines. What’s more, there’s a built-in chat function which allows you to discuss tasks and updates with individual team members and groups. Taking design cues from Trello, this tool comes with a calendar function as well. This puts all your tasks and deadlines into one place. And to ensure crucial business information doesn’t get into the wrong hands, all data stored in the app is encrypted. Other security features include two-factor authentication, single sign-on and audit logs. For a five-member team and 5GB of storage, you’ll need to pay £22 ($31) monthly. You can sign up for Monday.com herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6songjVztt7DdzFtViDUUC.jpg Marketed as an automation system for businesses, Accelo is a cloud-based platform that lets you manage all your client work from one place. It combines all aspects of a business – such as sales and project management – within a single piece of software. You can make use of drag-and-drop charts to manage projects, and there’s a project tracking feature that considers outcomes, resources and budgets. You also get a team scheduling tool to delegate tasks among appropriately skilled employees, along with mobile timers and automated timesheets. Other goodies include an invoicing function that automatically syncs to Xero and QuickBooks, and automated notifications. Accelo offers a free trial so you can test out the service, and the base plan starts from $34 (£24) per month billed annually. You can sign up for Accelo herehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/p1dmI2advfY

Smart home device manufacturer Hive has recently announced that one of the biggest name in smart lighting – Philips Hue – now works in the Hive app. This is an interesting move, as Hive already has its own smart lights, and has in fact just launched a new set. We think that this integration, tied in with another recent Hive release – the Hive Hub 360 – is the start of a move for Hive to create its own wider smart home ecosystem. Hive already has a micro-ecosystem in place, as you can control all of the Hive devices from the same app, but the introduction of third-party products is a new (and slightly surprising) move. Best smart thermostat: heating your home using techIt's a complicated spaceOne of the big sticking points with the smart home at the moment is the siloed products, with each requiring their own app, and often their own hub. This not only takes up space and sucks up power, but is another device putting strain on your Wi-FI router. The answer is a smart home hub like Samsung’s SmartThings Hub or the Wink 2, that operates not only using Wi-Fi but also Bluetooth Low Energy, and often Zigbee or Z-Wave, wireless protocols that have greater range and a more solid signal than their more famous counterparts. We found it interesting that Hive released the Hub 360, as it already has an existing hub, but the Hub 360 is a slightly unique proposition. It uses AI tech to work as an auditory security system, and is designed to look like an attractive piece of ornamentation, a clear break from the usual ‘white plastic tech’ look that we see from smart home hubs. There are more instances of Hive doubling-up, with two smart cameras both available. First the Hive Camera hit the shelves, then the Hive View. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zfzAprKXN7yCXJjZiv3oHA.jpg Undoubtedly, the Hive View is the more attractive of the two (and has a design language that fits in with the Hive Hub 360), but the main difference is that the Hive Camera doesn’t sit in Hive’s main app ecosystem. It seemed odd that Hive wouldn’t make the original Camera compatible with the app, but now that a plan for a wider ecosystem seems to be emerging, the Hive View/Hive Hub 360 tie-in makes more sense. We contacted Hive to see if there is a plan for wider product integration into the ecosystem, and a Hive spokesperson replied: “In terms of other integrations, unfortunately I don’t have intel on this one but it would be great if they were to link up with other devices too!” Considering Hive's (popular and well-designed) setup already contains a hub, it makes sense to build its ecosystem around that, rather than starting from scratch. So, it can naturally introduce you to an ecosystem, and doesn’t require you to buy a separate hub, which at this stage still feels like an unnecessary complication in the smart home. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2ed991bf75f5c846807093683563533c.jpg The Samsung SmartThings Hub There is of course the possibility that you just want to use a smart speaker like the HomePod with the HomeKit ecosystem or Amazon Echo with the Alexa ecosystem, but both of these are limited in terms of the products that they support, basically due to the wireless protocols they support. The Echo Plus has Zigbee, but all the others don't. It’s also worth noting that as there is competition between Google, Amazon and Apple when it comes to the smart home market, so some products (like Google-owned Nest and Amazon-owned Ring) sometimes don't play nice with each other’s ecosystems. We’re hopeful that if Hive does continue to grow as an ecosystem that it could be more universal. It seems unlikely that it would support other thermostats, but before the Philips Hue announcement we would have thought that unlikely too. We’ll keep you updated as and when we hear any more about this. Check out the current state of the Hive ecosystem in our Hive Active Heating reviewhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/gRC2pIQatv8

Google’s Project Zero team of bug hunters has found a flaw in Windows 10 S, publicly disclosing the issue despite Microsoft wishing to keep it under wraps until it fixed it. Project Zero looks for exploits in software, either made by Google, or from other companies, and if one is found the team usually alerts the developers of the software in private, giving them 90 days before going public. Not only is the finding of the flaw embarrassing enough for Microsoft, but apparently it primarily affects Windows 10 S, a version of the operating system that is designed to be more locked down and secure than other versions by only allowing apps from the Microsoft Store to be installed. According to Project Zero, the flaw targets users with user mode code integrity (UMCI) and Device Guard enabled – which Windows 10 S has by default. This allows arbitrary code to be run, something that Windows 10 S was specifically designed to prevent. 90-day windowBecause the flaw only affects a minority of PCs, and even then hackers would need to physically access the PC, Project Zero only deems this a “medium” security flaw, and gave Microsoft the usual 90 days grace period to fix the issue before it was made public. However, as Neowin.net reports, Google alerted Microsoft to the flaw way back on January 19, and after Microsoft was not able to issue a fix after those 90 days, in time for April’s Patch Tuesday, Microsoft asked for a 14-day extension. However, Google refused, and apparently Microsoft again asked for an extension of the deadline so that it could be included in the Redstone 4 update (also known as Spring Creators Update). However, with that update being delayed without a new date set in stone, Google has again refused the extension, and has now made the flaw public. It’s a bit embarrassing for Microsoft, and we can understand why it was keen to avoid the flaw being made public, but hopefully Google’s move will force Microsoft to get a fix out as soon as possible. A closer look at Windows 10 S, Windows 10 on ARM and Windows 10 IoThttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/gBNl2VVcrS8

Despite rumors that Microsoft is cutting back its work on apps to focus on Edge, it's still hard at work building up the Microsoft Store, and has just announced that it's killing off the OneNote desktop software in favor of the OneNote UWP (Universal Windows Platform) app. The software will be pushed to the background from the release of Office 2019 onwards. It'll still receive security updates until October 2025, but it won't get any new features. After support ends, we expect it will go the way of Windows Movie Maker, Windows Live Mail and Groove Music, consigned to the great HDD in the sky. What's in storeFans of the desktop software will no doubt be unhappy with this latest announcement, but the shift towards UWP is great news for users of Windows 10 S (or Windows 10 S Mode, as it will soon become), who are limited to installing apps from the Microsoft Store. Windows 10 S is particularly popular with schools and businesses, so it makes sense for Microsoft to start with OneNote – a tool they're likely to use on a regular basis, but which isn't as essential as the core programs Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The announcement also scotches any rumors that Microsoft might be planning to replace UWP apps with progressive web apps (PWAs) in the Windows Store when the delayed Spring Creator's Update finally rolls out. PWAs are effectively websites that are delivered through the store alongside UWP apps. They run in sandboxed containers rather than a web browser, so from the user's point of view there's no difference between the two – except for the fact that PWAs can run on both desktop and mobile platforms. There's no news of the rest of Office being deprecated by UWP apps, but it'll be interesting to see what happens in the coming years. Make a note of it. Fancy a change? Check out the best note-taking apps for WindowsVia Ars Technica http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/2v8ftJ8Sys0

Dinner is ready, but little Jimmy is glued to his Call of Duty deathmatch and your partner is still working that spreadsheet in the home office. You could holler and shout up the stairs to corral the family, but Amazon wants its Amazon Echo smart speaker range to take the strain instead. The new Alexa Announcements feature for the Echo range will let you record a message through your smart speaker, and have it broadcast around the home. With the "Alexa, announce that..." or "Alexa, tell everyone..." commands, you'll be able to say, for instance "Alexa, tell everyone that dinner is ready" and have the "dinner is ready" part relayed in your voice to every Echo device on your network at once. In-home intercomIt's worth noting that it's a one way system – those on the other end of the Echo will not be able to respond to the announcements, making it very much an instructional exchange. But the point is to offer a complimentary feature to Alexa's existing communication options. The smart speakers can already make calls to other Alexa devices, while the Drop In feature lets you have a conversation with one other Alexa device in your home or with another person's device in your contacts book. The Alexa Announcements feature rolls out today, and is compatible with all Echo generations, the Echo Dot, Echo Spot, Echo Plus and Echo Show. Best Amazon Echo speaker – which is the Echo for you?http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/0Vj-ceGZqIU

More popular versions of Linux such as Ubuntu focus on enhancing the user experience by automatically updating packages and providing flashy, resource-heavy GUIs. While user-friendly distributions (distros) certainly have their place, in this guide, we've tried to get back to the glory days when developers would customise their Linux build. These Linux distros allow you to fine-tune your development environment so whether you're a veteran programmer or relative newcomer, you can get on with your coding. In short, whatever your programming preferences, you’ll find a distro to suit your needs in this top 10 roundup. These are the best Linux training providers and online courses in 201810 of the best Linux distros for privacy fiends and security buffs10 best Linux distros: which one is right for you?What's the best Linux distro for beginners?How to choose the best Linux distro for laptops10 of the most popular lightweight Linux distroshttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/C6iYxUzyW8e7iNsZZBgFtm.jpg 1. Arch LinuxArch Linux offers a powerful level of customisation during setup, allowing you to download and install only the packages you need. While this is definitely not for newbies to coding, the fact you can install only a minimal number of programs on your machine using the Arch Build System and Arch User Repository, reduces the possibility of anything interfering with your coding. This means, for instance, that you can install a barebones window manager like i3 to be certain your system will respond quickly when using your chosen text editor. If you run into difficulty, the Arch Linux Wiki offers a helpful installation guide. You can download Arch Linux herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NfruoY6z8tyijPZaXjx4vi.jpg 2. DebianDebian is one of the oldest Linux distros and is built with stability in mind. All programs included with Debian have to meet the Debian Free Software Guidelines. Packages are carefully selected and tested for inclusion in the 'Stable' branch of Debian meaning that while some may be dated, there's very little chance of system instability, making this OS ideal for programmers. The Debian website has extensive manuals, including a chapter on programming talking you through the basics of creating a script, compiling it, and using Autoconf to allow your scripts to be compiled on other Linux distros. You can download Debian herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HrY33odKxqEiapUa9NHxn6.jpg 3. RaspbianRaspbian is the default operating system which is included with the Raspberry Pi. As the Pi was designed as an educational tool, Raspbian is the perfect OS for those interested in getting started with coding. The Raspberry Pi website has excellent guides on using the visual programming tool Scratch, which is used to create animations and games. There's also an excellent section on getting started with Python, which is supported out of the box. Younger coders might prefer to learn to use the programming language for Minecraft Pi, a mini-version of the highly popular sandbox game. You can download Raspbian herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6GCX3ATMRgJz5gDKBscgwm.jpg 4. GentooNamed after the fast-swimming penguin, Gentoo is sometimes called a 'meta' distribution as users download and compile its source code manually according to their needs. This not only makes it a perfect match for the hardware requirements of your machine, but it allows you to decide exactly which versions of packages can be installed. Gentoo suffered a minor setback a few years ago when its comprehensive Wiki went offline. Fortunately, it has since been restored and now includes the official Gentoo handbook. There's also a small diehard Gentoo following on Reddit if you need further help. You can download Gentoo herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/62jEQJ4vwNwtN8zPATGQ9C.jpg 5. UbuntuUnlike barebones distros like Arch Linux and Gentoo, Ubuntu is designed to be ideal for beginners, complete with a desktop interface and automatic updates. Ubuntu is the chosen distro of the Android Open Source Project for building source files. The Android build is regularly tested using the most recent versions of Ubuntu. You can also install other development environments using Ubuntu Make. Ubuntu now supports the 'snaps' application packaging format, using the Snapcraft tool, which allows you to write apps in the programming language of your choice and package them with all the required dependencies. Visit the Ubuntu Developer portal here. You can download Ubuntu herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RP7Bb3DF48eaLHfnmW2iDY.jpg 6. FedoraFedora is a community supported derivative of the commercial distribution Red Hat Linux. It also enjoys the distinction of being the distro of choice of Linux kernel creator Linus Torvalds. Aside from being very easy to set up and install, Fedora has a dedicated Developer Portal. Simply click 'Start a Project' to see dedicated guides on developing web, command line, desktop and mobile apps. There's also an excellent section on working with hardware devices such as Arduino. If this wasn’t enough, the Fedora repositories also include Eclipse, a fully featured and multi-language IDE. Eclipse is probably best known for Java, but also has a C/C++ and PHP IDE. You can expand its functionality even further with plugins. You can download Fedora herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/F8VLQNGr8yrpBjpZesKHEZ.jpg 7. OpenSUSEOpenSUSE (formerly SUSE Linux) is a distribution specifically designed for software developers and system administrators. Installation and system configuration is a breeze with the integrated YaST tool. This allows you to install all the '-devel' packages needed by developers with one click. OpenSUSE comes preinstalled with all the basic tools a software developer needs, such as the Vim and Emacs text editors, build automation tools such as CMake and packaging tools like RPM. The operating system also comes with OBS (Open Build Service), a tool for developers to build software for various distros and platforms. You can download OpenSUSE herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/erLsRk46PARkejKUVDQkr9.jpg 8. CentOSLike Fedora, CentOS is a free, community-based variant of Red Hat (a commercial version of Linux). Many of the packages are the same and theoretically it's possible to build a version of CentOS which is functionally identical to Red Hat itself, although this is difficult to achieve in practice. This results in a highly stable system. The CentOS repository also contains the Developer Toolset, which boasts a range of essential programming tools. For developers, the Xen virtualisation platform offers a way to compartmentalise your projects and run applications safely inside a virtual machine. You can find instructions on how to do this and other developer tips in the excellent CentOS Wiki. You can download CentOS herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/o8HF7GZSiZh5LMVMmwUBSL.jpg 9. SolusSolus is special in that it's one of the few Irish Linux distros, and also because it follows a curated rolling release model. The advantage of this is that once you've installed the OS, you can keep running updates rather than a major upgrade. Solus, however, tries to avoid installing extremely recent packages and beta software to maintain system stability. Solus supports several editors and IDEs such as Atom, Idea and Gnome Builder, as well as the Git GUI, GitKraken. The Solus project website also claims that the OS supports a number of programming languages such as Go, Rust, PHP, Node.js and Ruby. You can download Solus herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HKYEpWH5jbRfsyucx8a5tA.jpg 10. Puppy LinuxPuppy Linux is an extremely lightweight distro based on either Ubuntu or Slackware. The entire OS is only around 325MB in size, meaning it can be run entirely in RAM as well as installed to an ordinary hard disk. It comes with a minimal number of packages, although you can add more, such as 'devx' which contains various development tools. The Puppy Linux 'Wikka' details the programming languages supported by the OS. One notable language is BaCon, which can convert code written in BASIC to C. The Wikka also has an extensive selection of tutorials on writing Bash scripts and getting started with Python. You can download Puppy Linux herehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/F9mZVurA-jQ

Nest isn’t going to let income level prevent folks from enjoying the cost-saving benefits of its new Nest Thermostat E smart device - it’s giving away one million of the devices to people living in low- and moderate-income homes. The drive is part of a new initiative called The Power Project that hopes to reduce the amount lower-income families spend on their energy bills which, according to Nest’s research, can be as high as 20% of their monthly income. To make things better for these folks, Nest is committed to working with government agencies, utility companies and non-profits, including Habitat for Humanity, Fannie Mae and Southern California Gas to get smart thermostats into 1 million homes. “As part of our shared vision for creating thoughtful and sustainable homes, Nest is donating a Nest Thermostat E to every Habitat for Humanity home built in the U.S. in 2018,” the company said. “And for the two weeks around Earth Day, April 16th through April 30th, 10% of the proceeds from sales of Nest thermostats (up to $500,000) will be donated to organizations like Habitat for Humanity that are bringing energy efficient solutions to the people who need them most.” Helping families grow their Nest egg Now, I know a smart thermostat isn’t going to drastically change the lives of lower-income Americans. At the end of the day, poor insulation and inefficient heating systems will likely still plague families living in impoverished neighborhoods - and no amount of smart home tech is going to change that. And yet, what Nest is doing is taking corporate responsibility for the plight of some of America’s most vulnerable families, giving them some sort of tangible aid that will help many of them lower their monthly bills and put more cash in their pockets at the end of the month. A Nest Thermostat E probably isn’t going to the factor that helps an American rocket from the lowest income percentile to the highest - but it can be a family’s first steps towards gaining financial freedom that can lead to re-investment and job growth in low-income areas. A healthier planet and a better quality of life for those of us who live here? Sounds like a win-win situation. Looking to upgrade your heating system? These are the best smart thermostatshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/SLq64_Nd-_4

Smart thermostats allow you to control the temperature of your home digitally, and intelligently. They can learn your domestic routines, give you control from anywhere in the world, enable you to adjust rooms independently, and even let you control your heating using your voice. But not all smart thermostats are created equal, and different models each have their own particular selling points. In this round-up we're going to be talking you through the best smart thermostats you can buy from the biggest names in the business: Nest, Hive, Honeywell and Tado. We'll be discussing what their key selling points are, and which particular heating requirements each one is best suited to. Because of the nature of the market a direct comparison isn't actually very helpful, so the units here aren't ranked by number according to our preference. Instead, you can rest assured that we recommend all the systems featured, and it's simply a matter of you deciding which one will suit you best. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QtnMU53k5TwWHvYkVUtDQV.jpg Nest is one of the biggest names in the smart home market, and for good reason. This Google-owned company delivers well-designed, easy-to-use products that are packed with serious smarts. The Nest Learning Thermostat (third generation) is renowned for its ability to learn your routines and adjust itself accordingly. This means that over time your heating system can actually adapt to suit your needs, without you having to do anything. It also benefits from location-based features that track where your phone is, and will turn the heating on or off depending on your location. But don't worry that it's going to turn off the heating and leave your guests to freeze when you're out, as its built-in sensors enable it to detect whether there's anyone at home. The main criticisms of the Nest Learning Thermostat are that it doesn't offer zonal control, and that if you're a tech novice it can be a little complicated to set up and use. The absence of zonal control means that while you'll be able to digitally control your property as a whole, you'll still have to manually adjust individual radiators. That said, if you're looking for a top-of-the range system Nest is a good way to go. Plus, with Google behind it, Nest is a good system to invest in if you're planning to build a wider smart home setup. Read the full review: Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd generationhttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaV3kfiKqe8HZw8guGnRxS.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jmKA6cuqviTXmWZECeww9b.jpg Hive is owned by Centrica, one of the UK's leading energy providers, so you can rest assured that you're in experienced hands when it comes to your heating needs. While the company may be British, Hive products have been available in the US since 2017. The thermostat itself is a collaboration between Hive and Swiss designer Yves Béhar, who's responsible for everything from the August smart lock to PayPal's brand identity. That top-quality styling makes the Hive Active Heating thermostat something you'll be proud to have on your wall. What's more, Hive has an excellent ecosystem, so you're able to control a vast range of Hive products using a single app. And its thermostat is no slouch, garnering our 'recommended' tag thanks to its simple interface and easy voice assistant integration. It's worth noting that, like the Nest thermostat above, Hive Active Heating doesn't support Apple's HomeKit, so it's best avoided if you're already invested in Apple's smart home ecosystem. With a small dial in the middle of its compact design controlling temperature, the Hive Active thermostat gives you the option of keeping things extremely simple, while being packed with features for those who want greater control of their system. Read the full review: Hive Active Heating 2http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaV3kfiKqe8HZw8guGnRxS.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/j2Tq7eTTxqKmiezUFu4B78.jpg The Honeywell Evohome gives you total control over your home, with individual thermostats for each radiator enabling you to set an independent heating schedule for every room in your house. It's difficult to grasp what a difference this feature makes until you've tried it for yourself. If you live in a house where different inhabitants prefer a different temperature, or if one room always seems to be hotter or colder than the others, this system is going to be a godsend. What's more, it works with under-floor heating too, so even if you have a large and complicated heating system the Evohome gives you total control over all of it via an app that's a pleasure to use. The control panel and radiator thermostats aren't going to win any awards for design, coming as they do in plain white plastic, but that's not really the point of the Evohome. It's a simple system, without the bells and whistles of the Nest or Hive, but if you've got a complicated heating system that you want to control digitally, it's hard to beat. Read the full review: Honeywell Evohomehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaV3kfiKqe8HZw8guGnRxS.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z3mfzvgFtjcpeWXCj8GyvS.jpg The Tado Smart Thermostat should be brilliant. It offers the zonal control of the Honeywell Evohome, a slick design that rivals the Hive, and the geofencing smarts to match the Nest, but somehow it doesn't quite manage to pull all these features together into a cohesive system. It's seriously good-looking – by far the most attractive zonal control on the market – but the app is unintuitive to navigate, and compared to the incredibly user-friendly app on the Evohome, it's positively difficult. That's not to say it's a bad system – it's still comfortably a 4-star product, and we don't imagine anyone who buys the Tado regretting their purchase. And it's so close to being the perfect system – the one that mixes together the best features of other offerings. The problem is, it just doesn't manage to outshine any of its rivals. One thing that does make the Tado stand out in this list is Apple HomeKit integration – if you're the proud owner of a HomePod, or you're firmly entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, this is probably the best smart thermostat for you. It's also worth noting that the things keeping Tado from standing out are all software rather than hardware issues, so these could well be addressed over time. The Tado Smart Thermostat isn't currently available in the US, but as Tado's Cooling system is sold there we'd be surprised if it didn't become available at some point. Read the full review: Tado Smart Thermostathttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eaV3kfiKqe8HZw8guGnRxS.jpg http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jy43Jbi7G596XQYRvmQbV6.jpg If you like the look of the Nest Learning Thermostat but don't fancy shelling out the money for it, there's a cheaper alternative. It definitely looks cheaper – it's made of white plastic, with a white coating on the plastic screen that can make it hard to see the information being displayed – but it does echo the design language of the original Nest Thermostat, so you'll be more than happy to have it on your wall. As the Nest's smaller sibling it benefits from industry-leading smarts, lacking only the most advanced features of the premium model which most users are unlikely to take advantage of anyway. The Nest E is a great example of how to streamline a flagship product to make a cheap alternative without damaging the qualities that made the original great. Make no mistake, this isn't flagship quality for bargain price, but it's great value for what it is. Read the full review: Nest Thermostat ENow you've got the best thermostat, check out our Best security camera round-uphttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/wzCHO5oCGEA

If you were hoping that the next big update for Windows 10 was just around the corner, it seems that Microsoft may have run into another major bug that could potentially put paid to that possibility, and delay the rollout further still. If you’ve been following the story of the Spring Creators Update (or whatever it might eventually be called) thus far, you’ll recall that it was expected to launch last week, but then a serious issue was discovered which needed to be fixed. Then, earlier this week, Microsoft’s Dona Sarkar (who is head of Windows testing) clarified that Windows 10 had indeed suffered from some reliability issues that caused outright crashes (BSODs), but that a fresh preview build (17134) which was pushed out solved these. However, the bad news now is that build 17134 is beset by a new bugbear of its own. As Wccftech.com reports, those testing this fresh preview version of Windows 10 are having trouble with the Settings app. Not ‘appyApparently, when you go into Default Apps and click to ‘Set defaults by app’, the Settings app crashes, simply disappearing and leaving you back at the desktop. This has been reported over a number of different systems, the suggestion being that it could be a somewhat widespread and not trivial issue. Exactly what this fresh bug might mean isn’t clear yet, then, but if this does turn out to be a significant issue with a wider level of impact, then we could be looking at a further delay for the already late Spring Creators Update. We were hoping it might arrive next week, but perhaps there’s even a danger now that the big update could fail to be released before May rolls around. We’ve chosen the best laptops of 2018http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/mRnNsNNXEM0

Microsoft is still pushing Edge as hard as possible, but as an uncharacteristic peace offering, it's released a new extension that brings the power of Windows Defender to those awkward people who still insist on using Chrome (or, worse still, a Mac). The Windows Defender Browser Protection extension is available to download now from the Chrome Web Store. It guards against phishing and other malicious websites in real time. If you accidentally navigate to a malware-laden site, or one designed to trick you into divulging personal information (no, we don't mean Facebook), the extension will alert you with a subtle red warning page and a huge 'back' button. There's no complicated setup – just an on/off toggle. Defend yourselfThe extension is powered by Microsoft's list of known malicious sites, which it keeps updated regularly as part of its main Windows Defender antivirus suite. There's no option to report malicious pages yourself, but that may arrive in a future update. The Chrome extension is still new and Microsoft is soliciting comments from early adopters. To send your thoughts, click the button in the Chrome toolbar and select 'Send feedback'. Keep your whole PC safe with the best free antivirus for Windowshttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/-gT8VJGXzKo

It may well seem like you can’t move without knocking over an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant smart speaker at the moment, and that’s because the market adoption is moving at a staggering rate, if a new YouGov poll is to be believed. We already knew that millions of Amazon’s speakers have made their way into our homes, with a January 2018 poll indicating that one in six Americans now owns a smart speaker. This time it’s the UK’s turn, with a poll that shows adoption of smart speakers has doubled over a period of six months. Apparently it’s gone from a nation where 5% of all homes had a smart speaker in Q3 of 2017, to 10% in Q1 of 2018. One in ten is still quite a bit behind the Americans, but it just goes to show the rising popularity of these devices. Losing the lion's shareAnother interesting note is that Amazon’s popularity is apparently slipping slightly, with its overall percentage of smart speakers dropping from a vast 88% of the whole market, down to 75%. That’s still three quarters of the market owned by a single company, but it shows that it’s certainly not the only horse in the race. Google Assistant speakers and Apple’s HomePod are now giving Amazon’s Echo range a run for its money, as well as the plethora of other, third-party speakers. Now, as always with polls, these findings are taken from a group of people (in this case a little over 2,000) and extrapolating the numbers, so it’s possible that ownership could actually be less, or more, but it’s still interesting to see this emerging technology really start to actually emerge. Want to know which smart speaker to choose? Check out: Amazon Echo vs Apple HomePod vs Google Home: the battle of the smart speakershttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/N5mJyhOczkQ

After the success of its Boom series of Bluetooth speakers, Ultimate Ears (UE) will be bringing its latest Alexa-enabled smart speakers Down Under – the Blast and Megablast. Most of the playful aesthetics and rugged durability of the UE Boom 2 and its larger UE Megaboom sibling return with the Blast and Megablast, but with the addition of on-board Wi-Fi and built-in Alexa. Street party or house party?Naturally, the addition of Alexa to the UE speakers turns them into a smart hub, allowing you to control your connected devices at home over the wireless network and access any of the thousands of Alexa Skills. The pair of speakers will be accompanied at launch by the Power Up charging dock (sold separately) that you can leave plugged in at home, allowing you to quickly transform your rugged Bluetooth speaker into a powered smart home hub by simply plonking it down. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/m8k2ACCHBSsRjW6PLGpf4a.jpg The Power Up charging dock is rather innocuous once you hide its cable. Amazon Prime, iHeartRadio, TuneIn and Deezer are all compatible at launch, as is Amazon Music Unlimited, of which you’ll get a free three-month subscription with the purchase of a Blast or Megablast. While you won’t be able to use Alexa to play music from Spotify straightaway, this feature is officially "coming soon". Crank thatWhile the regular-sized Blast speaker won’t differ too drastically from the Boom 2 in the acoustics department, the Megablast is UE’s loudest speaker, with two extra tweeters and extensively tweaked drivers giving it an extra 40% loudness edge on the Megaboom. The UE Blast and UE Megablast will be on shelves from May 8 for $279 and $379 respectively, available in Graphite Black, Blizzard White, Blue Steel, Merlot Red, Mojito Green, and Lemonade Yellow. The Power Up charging dock will launch on the same date, purchasable separately for $49. Amazon’s premium Echo Spot smart speaker arrives in Australia next weekhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/X9FQexMp2K4

Amazon has today announced the Australian launch of its latest smart speaker in the Echo range. The Echo Spot will be on sale on April 26, with pre-orders already open, and carries a price tag of $199. It’s available in two colours, black and white. Like all the other Echo devices, the Echo Spot is powered by Alexa and works the same way as the other smart speakers, including being able to control your smart home setup. The difference is the 2.5-inch screen on the front face of the tiny device. For the launch, Amazon has teamed up with ABC News and Fox Sports to offer users video news flashes – short clips that can be watched on the display. See Spot runThe Echo Spot is a tiny device but packs quite the punch in terms of the amount of tech it houses. The 10.4cm x 9.7cm x 8.1cm chassis not only holds the screen in place, but also includes a front-facing camera, a 1.4-inch built-in speaker, a 3.5mm stereo port, four microphones on the top and button controls for the mics, camera and volume. With the Echo Spot, users can make video calls, monitor live feeds of connected smart security cameras and set customisable alarm clock faces. Which Amazon device is best for you?http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/digital-home/~4/o0j-Evkbvug

Having emerged in the 1990s, PDFs are not only one of the most prevalent file types, but they’re also one of the oldest. These venerable documents remain immensely popular because they combine text formatting and images into a single file type that can work universally across different operating systems, hardware and applications. Whether it’s a bank statement, invoice or letter, many of the documents you receive through email are likely sent as PDF files. They’re also common in the workplace, with the PDF specification enabling encryption, digital signatures, and more… Although virtually all email services, web browsers, applications and operating systems will let you view PDF documents, they’re not specifically designed to handle these files. For instance, if you preview and try to print out a PDF document, the paper copy may look slightly misconfigured. That’s where PDF readers come into the mix. These applications often contain built-in, specialized features that allow you to do much more than merely view PDF files – you can also use these apps to edit, convert and manage PDFs without any issues or fuss. In this article, we’ve picked out five of the best readers for Windows devices. We’ve also highlighted the best free PDF readershttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Wx48G86UY3vfp3exhbPpST.jpg Software giant Adobe not only pioneered the PDF, but it has also created a highly popular and comprehensive application that lets you manage such documents effectively. Acrobat DC provides you with the tools to download, convert and edit PDF files across computers, tablets and smartphones. With the software, you can use your smartphone camera to capture and turn any document into a high-quality PDF. There’s also a new file comparison tool, which quickly and accurately analyzes two PDF files to find any differences. That could be handy if you’re looking to compare different drafts of the same piece of work. What’s more, when you create a PDF document using Acrobat, you’re sent a smart file that you can edit, sign, share and search. You can even use the built-in preview feature to see what the document will look like on different screen sizes and resolutions. And if you’re writing a letter or have been sent an important form, you can add your signature by using the Acrobat app on a touchscreen-enabled device. If you’re interested in purchasing Acrobat, there are two offerings to pick from. Acrobat Standard DC costs £13.14 ($19) a month, letting you create, edit and sign PDF documents. However, it only works on Windows devices. Meanwhile, Acrobat Pro DC gives you access to all the listed features for £15.17 ($22) a month – plus it’s also compatible with Mac devices. You can download Adobe Acrobat DC herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WUaFgvt6524KxcVEur4ZLn.jpg Foxit has developed a sophisticated PDF management app, with PhantomPDF being pushed as a tool that goes well beyond PDF viewing, providing a range of cloud-based tools that allow you to create and customize documents at scale. Described by the company as a ‘transformative’ PDF application, the software lets you create and modify PDFs while providing a plethora of sophisticated management, security and collaboration features. For instance, you can manage who has access to documents, track who opens them, notify readers of document updates and send document requests to your colleagues. This software also sports a whole suite of useful editing tools. You can change the layout of a document, rearrange paragraphs, columns and pages, or make your documents look more professional by including stamps, watermarks, headers, footers and so forth. In terms of price, the Standard edition will cost you $7.99 (£5.60) monthly or a one-time payment of $129 (£90). Should you be mulling a purchase, the good news is that there’s a free trial so you can test out the software first. You can download Foxit PhantomPDF herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9qHiXxw2LKGVoy3YQcX9fN.jpg Nuance is another notable firm that develops PDF management software for individuals and enterprises. Power PDF is an easy-to-use piece of software that lets you create, edit, annotate and share documents quickly. It’s used by large organizations including the likes of Airbus, PwC, Carillion and the Welsh government. There are several versions of the software, all of which offer different features. For £79.99 ($115), the Standard edition lets you create, convert, combine and edit documents, fill in forms and share PDF files. It also lets you turn documents like invoices and receipts into PDFs through a scanning and OCR feature. Meanwhile, the Power PDF Advanced package is priced at £139.99 ($200) and targeted at business users. While offering all the same features of the Standard edition, it comes with collaboration, security and redaction abilities. You can access documents anywhere and at any time through the cloud, too. Enterprises can get a quote for volume licensing of the software as well. By going down this route, firms get one deployment package with a single license. You can download Nuance Power PDF herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wjf7QvivacKP6HxTJj2eRg.jpg Lulu Software has developed a range of easy-to-use PDF management applications for both individual users and businesses under the Soda brand. PDF Anywhere is the firm’s enterprise offering, giving companies access to a full suite of cloud-based PDF tools. With the software, you’re able to review, annotate, send and track documents from a single comprehensive user interface. You can also connect Soda PDF Anywhere to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Evernote and Box accounts, which makes it easier to download and distribute documents. Another great thing about the application is that it comes with a batch processing feature, allowing you to create and convert multiple PDF files at the same time. There’s an e-sign function as well, which you can use to prepare and send PDF-based contracts to clients or partners. What’s more, you can track and get reminders on all the documents you distribute through the app. Plus, if you use a range of devices within your company, the software works not just for Windows, but also Mac, Linux, iOS and Android devices. As for pricing, there are several plans available. The basic premium package costs £72 ($103) a year, while the business edition comes in at £108 ($154) annually. You can get a free PDF reader and individual functions (like e-sign) separately, though. You can download Soda PDF Anywhere herehttp://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3BDWqSdMVcwMxfA3QNnFc8.jpg SoftXpansion has developed Perfect PDF Ultimate, which is described by the firm as an ‘all-in-one’ application for processing PDF files. Available to buy direct from the Microsoft Store, this user-friendly software is perfect for viewing, editing and creating PDF documents. Features include the ability to edit page content, generate interactive forms, comment on existing documents, as well as being able to convert, combine and split files. You can also add e-signatures and encryption to important business files. This program currently retails at $25.99 (£18). You can download Perfect PDF Ultimate herehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/U3WbWdGzZb4

Despite constant warnings to never open an email or to click on a link sent from an unknown source with “important” delivery information, executive file or report, legions of employees still do it, and IT is still left to prevent further infiltration. As quickly as employees get wise to some of the more basic tricks, the rules of the game seem to change. We have recently seen a rise in malicious emails masquerading as business correspondence with a great degree of authenticity. This has made it much more difficult to prevent the spread of these spammers as the notes now match company logos, business writing style and auto signatures. Combine this with the fact that more and more of these emails are now being accessed through mobile devices, with smaller screens and a heightened trust factor, and this trend will only accelerate. Check out our list of the best internet security suites 2018Move from email phishing to mobileMobile phones feel more personal in nature than computers or even tablets do, whether they are personal or corporate owned and people use them differently as a result. Phones are better trusted, which makes them a natural breeding ground for phishing attacks. In addition, mobile web traffic has increased in volume in comparison to web traffic to desktops. It is not surprising that mobile phishing attacks are the biggest security risk to organisations going into 2018. As indicated by a report from Wandera, 85 percent of organisations have suffered phishing attacks whether they were aware of it or not, with increased mobile access to social media accounts being one of the major factors. Organisations have been caught somewhat blind due to the focus on preventing traditional computer email phishing, and are leaving their company open to mobile phishing, which is often much harder to detect. Another stat by Wandera has 81 percent of phishing attacks that occur on a mobile taking place outside of email. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sK6FkZvw26sEoMMnkTKDCW.jpg Prevention is better than cure: getting ahead of the phishersPhishing, Smishing and other types of Malware are not going anywhere and the risks are only going to rise as mobile becomes a primary device for employees. Therefore, companies need to get ahead of the issue rather than responding to the threat once it is inside their network. To avoid these types of mobile attacks, the first few steps IT teams can take are the same as those used for PC protection. These steps include updating to the latest secure email gateway, deploying URL filtering and attachment sandboxing. These actions can be deployed through the proper configuration of any leading MDM stack, as most are compatible with a lot of email infrastructures and can be tightly integrated into existing networks. The key factor is ensuring the configuration matches the security needs of your organization. Having an MDM therefore is a key factor in preventing mobile phishing. We’ve also noticed, and heard much in the news, about the increase in SMiShing attacks – SMS text phishing. These aren’t as easy to combat through an MDM, but steps can be taken both on the device and through your carrier. Most SMiShing attacks hide their identity through internet text relay services. Most carriers will allow users to block texts that come in from the internet, thus preventing the spammers required relay service technique. You can also suggest your corporate end-users create aliases. They can still send and receive texts from the devices but outgoing texts will not attach their mobile numbers – something required for a SMiShing attack. Instead your Alias is attached to your text without a simple way to uncover your actual number. Users can then block any incoming text that comes in on their actual number. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oyeak7xZpCgbD69FFSjk7Y.jpg “Old” methods still applyIT leaders and CISOs also need to identify the possible types of threats they could face, both now and in the future, to plan accordingly. This is a difficult exercise as scammers are constantly changing their approaches to reduce the chance of detection. However, providing up to date training, not only for security teams but also for the broader workforce on the latest phishing techniques is the best way for preventing an infection, so trying to stay one step ahead is critical to educate the workforce appropriately. Although no one can prevent the attacks, all organisations can put training in place to minimise the risks. Areas of training to focus on, for example, include educating end-users about how to access accounts- directly from the source site and never from a text message. This is true even if that message looks legitimate. Accounts should also be checked on a regular basis. Stagnant accounts are a key tool for successful phishing. If you or your end-users are not keeping accounts up to date, there is a good chance someone else is using them to reach out to your company’s contact list. It is important that any training provides an easy feedback loop so that employees become your first line of defence and can easily report any suspicious emails, texts, links and contacts. One of the key identifiers is still the generic introduction: “Dear Customer.” Train your employees to report back on these communications and you will be well on your way to preventing an attack. Craig Riegelhaupt is director, product marketing, mobile solutions at Tangoe. He focuses on mobile trends, technology, and policy across all markets and organizations. Check out our list of the best antivirus software of 2018http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/KOKxa19-dEQ

Perhaps all of the leaks and rumors surrounding the name of the next major Windows 10 update have affected Microsoft, as infamous leaker WalkingCat has found a new possible name. Currently known to the world as Windows 10 Redstone 4 (its internal condename), the public name of a Windows 10 revision has become important to many of Microsoft’s customers so as to intimate the philosophy behind the update and which users will primarily be served. Several previous reports have led outlets to believe the update would be known as the ‘Spring Creators Update,’ intimating a focus on features and improvements geared toward that audience: creative professionals and individuals. However, in a leaked Microsoft promotional video (seen below) featuring partner group program manager Mark Kuenster, the update is referred to as the ‘Windows 10 April 2018 Update.’ This doesn’t give any hints toward focus or philosophy at all. That could be an intentional effort to distance these updates from expectations that naturally develop in response to more colorful names. That said, this leaked video is part of an ‘Online WinHEC video series,’ and as such could very well be for employees and Microsoft’s corporate customers developing new hardware. The update could be referred to in this way in these channels for simplicity’s sake, but having different names for the same thing could become ultimately confusing. At any rate, Microsoft has come clean regarding the delay of this update and promises a speedy recovery and release for later this month. Now, we wait and see what Microsoft will name its new baby. Meanwhile, here’s what we want from Apple’s macOS 10.14http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/pOOU4bWPMzk

Among the clutter of web browsers available on the Play Store, users will now be able to spot one more option called, ‘Internet: fast, lite and private’. This is Amazon’s new offering in the app store, essentially a web browser for Android. And no, there is no iOS version yet. It can be reasonably asserted that the app is aimed at smartphones that don’t necessarily have top of the line connectivity or specifications. Considering that Google recently launched a whole series of Go apps along the same lines specifically for the Android Go platform, it’s possible that Amazon is just trying to keep up with the competition. Currently, the app is only available in India, which is perhaps why the launch of the app was so hush-hush. It’s apparently been in the Play Store since March but had gone unnoticed among the sheer volume of other options available to users. There’s nothing India specific about the app as such, apart from the fact that it’s built to accommodate slower net speeds. There aren’t any Indian languages that have been integrated and quite honestly, it doesn’t feel that different to use as compared to its counterparts. At the time of writing this article, the app has some 100 downloads, which is hardly groundbreaking. It’s probably due to the fact that the app is only compatible with select smartphones. Exceptions like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5, Oppo A83 and Honor 9 Lite aren’t congruous. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Wue32ctRb7U6uHSWh8g4Wa.jpeg Internet interface Amazon Internet’s featuresAmazon claims that the web browser is ‘lighter than the competition’ in the app’s description in the store. The download size of the apk is 2.1MB, which is considerably smaller than Firefox, Google Chrome, and Opera. Chrome is the biggest of the three at 61MB. Even the Opera Mini web browser for Android takes up 7.7MB of space. The app also lays emphasis on the privacy aspect, which is no wonder with the Cambridge Analytica scandal still fresh on everyone’s minds. True to its word, the app doesn’t ask for any permissions when you launch it. As an additional layer of privacy, the app also has the option of private tabs, which are basically akin to the incognito mode in Chrome. Considering that the app isn’t recording your data, private tabs will allow you hide your browsing history from your phone as well. The overall layout of the app is similar to the UC browser, though it’s definitely less cluttered. The default page shows icons to access Amazon, Cricbuzz, Facebook, BookMyShow, India Times, Intex, MakeMyTrip, and Twitter. http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gFcbnQhPqSgDouvjFBDzAa.jpeg Default search engine option Within the app, users have the option to choose between Google and Bing as their default search engines. It's always nice to have the option to choose. This isn’t the only ‘lite’ app that Amazon has launched. Apparently, the lite version of Kindle was also launched around the same time. It shrinks the original Kindle app from 49MB down to a 2MB interface. Speaking of Kindle, aside from Internet web browser, Amazon has the Silk web browser, which runs on the company's Android based Fire devices. But, Silk isn't available through the Play Store. The long-term game plan of why these apps are being launched is unclear. But on speculation, it seems as though Amazon is creating its own ecosystem that can eventually be the default for its consumer products. Best Android apps of 2018The best VPN apps for Android in 2018Best Android Wear apps for your smartwatchhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/wbYXwK3qYrg