sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Abstract/Network/iStock_000023829955Small-Henrik5000-470-75.jpgVPN applications have gradually become one of the most sought-after software as they allow you to circumvent a lot of restrictions imposed by service providers globally. TechRadar Pro has partnered with VPN specialist, Keepsolid, to offer a 6-month subscription to its VPN services, VPN unlimited, for free to all readers who complete our short survey and subscribe to the TechRadar Pro newsletter. The link to the survey is here. Also in the package is a 6-month subscription to WiFi Hotspot Protector, an iOS-only application that scans public Wi-Fi when the user connects to them and notified him/her of any possible security issues. The bundle, which has been struck exclusively with the VPN company, is worth $27.98 (about £18). To get your hands on that package for free, simply complete the short survey below and provide us with your email. The Best top free VPN servicesYour email will only be used to send the appropriate details regarding this promotion and, optionally, for the TechRadar Pro newsletter registration. The offer has been extended to September 11th at 2359 (UK time) due to popular demand. Note that existing TechRadar Pro newsletter subscribers can also apply for the package. The voucher code needed for this promotion will be sent once the competition closes; you will need to enter the redemption codes on Keepsolid's website and download the appropriate applications here and here. You should always check your spam box if you don't get anything sent to you. Note that we are not responsible for any issues that may arise with using these applications; should you run into problems, please contact KeepSolid's support. http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567553344/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4926031e/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567553344/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4926031e/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567553344/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4926031e/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567553344/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4926031e/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567553344/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4926031e/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4926031e/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/55t7vMvE3S4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/logos/microsoft-1-bett-470-75.JPGMicrosoft has announced that new previews of Windows Server 2016 and System Center 2016 are both out now and represent the debut of containers in the Windows ecosystem. Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 3 and System Center 2016 Technical Preview 3 are both ready to download now with Windows Server Containers arriving to allow administrators to test them out. "You've probably seen the momentum building around container technologies as a new approach to simplifying the development and deployment of applications. We're committed to making containers a part of the modern application platform available to our customers in the 2016 wave of datacenter solutions," read the release. Alongside the containers, Microsoft has also added a range of new functionality options for the Nano Server that build on what is available in Technical Preview 2 and the software-defined networking features have also been given an uplift. Security isn't left out and TP3 includes updated builds of some of the security innovations coming in the release following this one. In TP3 you can also test the creation of a shielded virtual machine from a signed template and take a peek at the new Host Guardian Service (HGS). For those not in the know, the HGS enables administrators to identify legitimate hosts. Out next yearSpeaking of administrators, a revamp of the management aspect of the two platforms includes various enhancements that make it easier to manage the capabilities that will play a crucial role in Windows Server 2016. Microsoft has also released Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 10 Client, which allows remote management of Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview, Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2012. Microsoft remains on track for the launch of Windows Server 2016 at some point next year and it has so far failed to elaborate on when exactly that might be. What you need to know about Windows Server 2016 http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567553343/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/49260325/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567553343/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/49260325/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567553343/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/49260325/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567553343/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/49260325/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567553343/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/49260325/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/49260325/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Pf0PNEWp1V8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBCNews/Dragon%20Anywhere%20Tablet%20Login%20Screen-470-75.jpgNuance is ready to take smartphone dictation to the next level through a completely revamped version of its Dragon Anywhere app. First reported by 9to5Mac, the new iOS and Android app is a drastic departure from the original app that extends far beyond the dictation functionality it provides for the built-in keyboard in iOS. The new functionality owes no small debt of thanks to its new status as a completely cloud-based app that means it can take continuous dictation with no time limit and the added level of accuracy allows users to easily write an entire document using the dictation. The entire app works by voice and all navigation can be done without having to so much as touch your iPhone or iPad. Once work is complete it can be synced straight to Dropbox or Evernote where you can then collaborate on editing the document with co-workers or friends. Dragon for MacDragon Anywhere for iOS and Android isn't the only incoming offering. The new Dragon for Mac gets a refreshed look that makes it smaller and much easier to fit onto your busy desktop. Nuance also claims that speech recognition is faster than it once was. Anyone interested in the Mac edition, it costs $200 (around £127, or AU$272) from Nuance's website and that drops down to $100 (around £63.90, or AU$136) if you own the previous edition. The big tech firms you may not have heard of http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567392291/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491dd948/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567392291/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491dd948/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567392291/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491dd948/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567392291/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491dd948/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567392291/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491dd948/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/491dd948/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/N3gaz8gjBFQ

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/av_accessories/Chromecast/chromecast%20main-470-75.jpgThe Google Chromecast is one of the most useful and innovative gadgets of the last few years. And if you're looking to pick one up for the cheapest possible price, you've come to the right place! The Chromecast is not only super functional, useful and easy to use but it's also dazzlingly cheap - what's not to like? If you're unsure what Chromecast is, it's a wifi-connected HDMI dongle that you plug directly into your TV. From there you can use your smartphone or tablet to 'throw' video at your TV over wifi, whether it be Netflix movies, live football matches from the major broadcasters or simply just a funny YouTube video sent to you by 'that' friend who always sends you 'funny' YouTube videos. In essence, it turns any screen into a smart TV that can stream video and music from the internet and TechRadar gave it 5 stars when we reviewed it. What is a good Chromecast deal?This one's easy. The standard price for a Chromecast is $35 in the USA and £30 in the UK. You should never, ever pay more than that because you can always find one for that price. However, at certain times of the year, prices tumble. On Black Friday last year, for example, we saw Chromecasts going for under $20 in the US, while the UK's best price was £18 throughout November. That's a hefty discount on an already super cheap, amazing gadget. Honestly, we would be more than happy to pay the regular $35/£30 asking price for Chromecast because it's such great value. But equally, you should always make sure you're getting the best price! See all Chromecast deals Compare all Chromecast deals in your countryThese prices are updated each and every day.

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/classifications/computing/software/utilities/images/IE9%20RC/newtabs-470-75.jpgMicrosoft has issued a critical security update for all versions of Internet Explorer that prevents attackers taking control of a PC. The bulletin explains that CVE-2105-2502 has the potential to allow a remote code execution if a user stumbles upon a specially crafted website inside Internet Explorer and those that have activated full administrative user rights are most at risk. For Internet Explorer versions 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 running on Windows, including Windows 10, the update is rated as critical whereas for versions running on Windows server the vulnerability is only given a moderate tag. The update patches up the problem by changing how Internet Explorer handles objects in memory and will be welcomed by the millions of internet users that still count Microsoft's browser as number one. How to updateLegacy systems that have yet to upgrade to Windows 10 are missing out on Microsoft Edge, the new browser that will be at the centre of things going forwards. Internet Explorer can still be used on Windows 10, however, Microsoft is trying to wean its users off the browser and over to Edge, which has a range of new features and isn't affected by this vulnerability. Microsoft is delivering the critical IE update via its automatic Windows Update facility for those that have automatic updating turned on and for everyone else it can be downloaded right here. Microsoft Edge hands-on review http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567392290/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491dd94c/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567392290/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491dd94c/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567392290/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491dd94c/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567392290/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491dd94c/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567392290/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491dd94c/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/491dd94c/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/mQot6pr0tEs

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Parallels/Parallels%2011/P1011420-470-75.JPGParallels launched the latest version of its desktop virtualization software for OS X users. Even though Parallels 10 allowed OS X users to run Windows 10 alongside OS X without requiring a reboot, the new Parallels Desktop 11 brings added features that make Windows feel native on the Mac. In a demonstration of Parallels Desktop 11 ahead of its launch, Nick Dobrovolskiy, VP of Development of Parallels Desktop, showed that Windows 10 can look as if it's native to OS X. Rather than running Windows in a virtualized window on OS X, the Coherence Mode, which is now available for Windows 10 on Parallels Desktop 11, puts Windows apps in the OS X dock at the bottom. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Parallels/Parallels%2011/P1011406-420-90.JPG With Coherence on, you won't even notice you're running Windows as there is no virtualize window. Windows apps take on the Windows UI, but they each open in their own separate window, just like native OS X apps. Hey, CortanaAnother big change for Parallels Desktop 11 is that Cortana can live natively on OS X thanks to Coherence Mode. Not only will Cortana look like she belongs on your Mac, but she can also be commanded to launch your Mac apps. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Parallels/Parallels%2011/P1011404-420-90.JPG "Hey, Cortana," Dobrovolskiy commanded, "Launch Chrome on my Mac," and the Chrome browser for Mac opens. If you just say "Launch Chrome," then the Windows version will open, so it's important to add the "on my Mac" distinction at the end of your command. Other new innovationsIn addition to Cortana and Coherence Mode support, Parallels Desktop makes use of native Mac gestures. With Force Touch, you can also use Mac's Quick Look feature to get a preview of your Windows file. This brings Mac support to Windows. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Parallels/Parallels%2011/P1011421-420-90.JPG And because OS X supports voice dictation, you can use your Mac's voice dictation feature in Windows 10 apps. Dobrovolskiy launched the Microsoft Word program for Windows on his MacBook Air and launched OS X's voice dictation to dictate, rather than type, text. To conserve battery life, the new Travel Mode shuts down select system resources while you're away from your power outlet. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Parallels/Parallels%2011/P1011405-420-90.JPG Parallels Desktop 11 can also use your Mac's location information, which is useful when asking Cortana to look up nearby restaurants, map your directions or get weather information. PricingParallels Desktop 11 is available for $79 (£50, AU$107). Users upgrading from Parallels Desktop 9 or Parallels Desktop 10 can pay the $49 (£31, AU$66) upgrade charge. If you don't want to virtualize Windows 10 and prefer to dual-boot instead, Apple added support for Microsoft's latest OS for its Boot Camp utility. Read our review of Windows 10 http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567374097/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4919a422/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567374097/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4919a422/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567374097/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4919a422/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567374097/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4919a422/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567374097/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4919a422/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4919a422/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/N_1yLc967E8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone%206%20Plus/HandsOn3/6Plus-HandsOn-16-470-75.JPGIntroduction to HomeKitIt seemed as if Apple was taking over the household with its Macs, iPhones, iPads and the Apple TV, but now the Cupertino company wants to control your smart home. That may happen starting with the iPhone 6S in September with its still vague HomeKit intentions. It wasn't a big focus at June's WWDC, but the company did add iOS 9 support for motorized window shades and new sensor classes, like motion and carbon-monoxide detectors. Modest as they may seem, these impressive additions all work toward making your home more efficient. It could rival Google's convenient and energy-efficient Nest innovations. Will the iPhone 6S be the central hub for your smart home? Apple is clearly pushing its software in that direction from everything that we have seen so far. What is HomeKit?Home automation is in a state of chaos, requiring an individual application for each smart home component you buy. Apple aims to simplify this through the HomeKit framework, which was originally thought to be built into iOS 8, but now we won't see it until iOS 9 launches this fall alongside the iPhone 6S. Apple created the HomeKit framework so that any smart home device from any manufacturer could be understood without the need for an individual application for each component you buy. Not only that, but HomeKit also takes advantage of Siri, allowing you to control your home with just your device and your voice. In layman's terms, HomeKit brings all smart home components under a single umbrella over its traditional, cluttered mess. This allows for simple, efficient, and easy access to all of your smart home products. In the words of Nest, home automation "focuses on the little things so you can focus on the big things." http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/events/wwdc/2014/screengrabs/homekit-wwdc-2014-420-90.jpg How is HomeKit being improved in iOS 9?HomeKit is receiving some very nice improvements in iOS 9, all of which Apple introduced during WWDC 2015 in early June. There is now support for motorized window shades, along with the aforementioned new sensor classes, such as motion and carbon-monoxide detectors, to name a couple. Another extremely useful addition is the compatibility with home security systems, which could mean that it will support popular services like ADT, Alarm Relay, Vivint, etc. There are also looming reports that Google and Apple could get into the home security business. When it lands this autumn, iOS 9 will now let you securely access your home via iCloud, whether that be on your iPhone or Apple Watch (as of watchOS 2.0, which should launch this fall alongside or not long after iOS 9 hits devices). The iPhone 6S could control your homeFor the mobile world, smart homes are the next big thing, and many companies are jumping on this train, with Google even going as far as purchasing home automation company Nest early last year. That said, Apple needs to stay competitive in this field, and HomeKit is its weapon to do just that. http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/gadgets/Nest/Nest_thermostat_protect-420-100.jpg HomeKit will obviously be available on any device running iOS 9 or watchOS 2.0, but the coming iPhone 6S, thanks to iOS 9, will be able to easily control your home through Wi-Fi, and for some devices, maybe even Bluetooth. Unfortunately, there's still a lot of problems to solve before that becomes a full reality. At this point, manufacturers need to make their smart home devices compatible with HomeKit. While many are jumping on board, more well-known smart home companies may not agree, such as Nest, due to being a competitor in the field. Despite that, the iPhone 6S, combined with the powers of HomeKit, will be able to power our houses in new ways through Wi-Fi technology. The iPhone 6S will no doubt act as the remote for everything, whether it be as setting scheduled thermostat settings to something as simple as turning on your TV. If HomeKit provides a good interface for the iPhone 6S to access all of this tech, home automation will have a big player in the field. The iPhone 6S also has the potential to control the home through Bluetooth technology. This is purely speculation, but if Apple can make transferring files efficient, easy, and seamlessly through AirDrop and other technologies, there's no doubt they'll be able to take Bluetooth to a new level to offer seamless home automation. Imagine being able to shut your lights off or transfer files to your Apple TV through a two-step process. The technology is there, and Apple can easily implement it in the iPhone 6S. That said, the iPhone 6S has the potential to control your home. There's no doubt about this, however, compatible smart home components just aren't available to the public yet. There's also the aspect that many could be paranoid about smart home technologies due to just how new of a technology it is. Potential HomeKit problems for iPhone 6Shttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/events/wwdc/2014/Ecobee-420-90.jpg HomeKit is rather useful, but as of right now, it's really only appealing to technology enthusiasts. It'll take some time for the everyday person to accept the idea, as is the case with almost any new technology. Back when the Internet was in its infancy, it took awhile to catch on, and so did smartphones. It's difficult to say, but many people are paranoid, and we're just not ready to accept home automation from a cultural standpoint. That's the same reason why Google Glass hasn't hit the ground running: people look at it and think it's weird. I remember listening to an where Joshua Topolsky, Chris Ziegler, and David Pierce discussed walking around New York City with Google's wearable. He received many interesting remarks, one of which was "can you see through my clothes with that thing on your head?" People are paranoid, and that probably has a lot to deal with the lack of public excitement around wearables, smart home automation, and other technologies.There's also the aspect that consumers don't see a need for smart home components yet. They don't see how it will truly benefit their lives. We all know how smartphones have benefited us: we can send emails faster, schedule and track things more efficiently and complete tasks on the go. Smart homes are beneficial: they can automatically alert authorities in the case of a fire or break-in and change your thermostat from work, for starters. However, consumers have yet to decide whether they may "need" this simplifying technology, at least not yet. So yes, HomeKit is useful, and with it, the iPhone 6S will be able to easily control our homes. But again, it won't be a widely used feature – at least initially – because the public is wary of adapting to these new technologies yet. How will HomeKit work with the iPhone 6S?As of this writing, there's no confirmation, but many expect Apple will offer an official app called Home alongside the 6S to control all of your HomeKit devices. However, other rumors indicate that HomeKit will be exclusively operated through Siri. Again, there's no indication in any official capacity, but you will allegedly be able to create visual representations of rooms with the Home app. This will allow you to easily organize your HomeKit devices for more efficient remote operation. It'll be interesting to see how this works, especially if Apple decides against a central application and has HomeKit operated exclusively through the company's voice assistant. Either way, we're not entirely sure what Apple's plan of action is, and we likely won't hear anything in an official capacity until we're closer to launch day. Regardless, it's already clear that the iPhone 6S and HomeKit have the potential to change how you interact with your home, specifically your living room. The war for your living roomThere are a lot of companies fighting for your living room, whether it be Microsoft with the Xbox One, Sony with the PS4, Google with the Android TV, or even Apple with its Apple TV and possibly a coming refresh this fall. The living room is largely unclaimed space, as far as technology goes. And Apple wants to be at the center of that with its Apple TV. While there are some rumors that Apple will release a Home app to control your smart home technologies, other rumors say that the Apple TV will be the central hub for your smart home. That's not to say it will replace the iPhone 6S as the gateway to your automated products, as the handset will easily be the go-to device while you're away or moving about your home. After all, what do you always have next to you? Your smartphone. With the iPhone 6S, you will not only be able to access your home entertainment, but also be able to adjust your thermostat, turn your lights on or off, monitor your home via smart security cameras, and so on. Apple's goal to winning your living room is to make it not only as convenient as possible, but also to be the place for on-demand entertainment: that's the primary goal of taking over your living room. All of the hardware and software is available to do this, and more is being added every day – we're just waiting on Apple to release the iPhone 6S. Paired with iOS 9's HomeKit, the iPhone 6S will be the gateway to all of your smart home tech. The only problem is that Apple is already seeing fierce competition in this regard. Amazon's already offering the Amazon Echo, convenient grocery services like Amazon Fresh and the Dash buttons, and living room entertainment through Amazon Fire TV. Remember, smart home technology is still in its infancy, and is expanding at a rapid rate, but it might not be the next big step. The next big leap could be completely based around convenience, as Amazon seems to think, not flashy gadgets. Either way, the smart home is here, and while the iPhone 6S may not be able to control our entire home, it can control your living room really well. And, for right now, that seems to be all that matters to big players in the tech industry. What about your entire home?In 2015, creating an entirely automated home is difficult, particularly because of how many industries your home falls into: groceries, cookware, appliances, entertainment, the home office, books, the bedroom and so on. It's an extremely difficult undertaking, something that all the big tech firms are working on. And Apple's staking its claim for the home through HomeKit in the iPhone 6S. Any company that comes out with a smart home product can make it HomeKit-compatible, thus bringing it into Apple's ecosystem. So, while you may not be able to control your entire home in 2015 with the iPhone 6S, Apple is just waiting on smart home companies to provide those products. ConclusionThere are a lot of devices out there to help further the smart home movement, but many of them aren't even close to official availability. There are also some points that need to be defined regarding home automation. For instance, what does a smart home look like? And after answering that as an industry, products need to be made to reflect that answer. In the end, smart home technology is here, and it should work wonderfully with the iPhone 6S, but Apple and its rivals could be jumping the gun here. What do you think about the iPhone 6S and HomeKit? Could you imagine yourself purchasing a few HomeKit devices to see just how well it works? Better yet, could you imagine actively using smart home tech in your home?

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/AU%20News/chromecast%20android%2001-470-75.jpgWith the arrival of streaming giant Netflix earlier this year, it was always going to be a challenge for local digital store Ezyflix to compete. But it's still sad to see the company announce on its website that the service has been closed. Customers heading to the Ezyflix.tv website are greeted by a notice confirming the service's closure: "Thank you for having been a part of EzyFlix. Access Digital Entertainment has decided to end the service offered on this site. If you have rented or purchased any movies or TV shows, these movies are no longer available on EzyFlix." UltraViolet library survivesEzyflix was one of the leading shopfronts for the UltraViolet digital service, launching Australia's first disc-to-digital service last year. While customers will no longer be able to access their UV files through the Ezyflix portal, fortunately the way UltraViolet works means that other UV portals will still offer your collection of movies and TV shows. "If you have purchased or redeemed an UltraViolet title through EzyFlix these may be accessed through several other digital movie services. Please go here and log in with your UltraViolet credentials for further information. https://www.myuv.com/" the website statement reads. We're trying to get in contact with someone from Ezyflix for comment, but it's proving challenging: the website for parent company Access Digital Entertainment has gone offline, and the company's previous PR firm no longer represents the brand. We'll keep you updated with any more information as it comes to hand. http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567331586/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491370e1/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567331586/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491370e1/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567331586/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491370e1/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567331586/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491370e1/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567331586/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/491370e1/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/491370e1/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Q2PN5szyirk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/AU%20News/chromecast%20android%2001-470-75.jpgWith the arrival of streaming giant Netflix earlier this year, it was always going to be a challenge for local digital store Ezyflix to compete. But it's still sad to see the company announce on its website that the service has been closed. Customers heading to the Ezyflix.tv website are greeted by a notice confirming the service's closure: "Thank you for having been a part of EzyFlix. Access Digital Entertainment has decided to end the service offered on this site. If you have rented or purchased any movies or TV shows, these movies are no longer available on EzyFlix." UltraViolet library survivesEzyflix was one of the leading shopfronts for the UltraViolet digital service, launching Australia's first disc-to-digital service last year. While customers will no longer be able to access their UV files through the Ezyflix portal, fortunately the way UltraViolet works means that other UV portals will still offer your collection of movies and TV shows. "If you have purchased or redeemed an UltraViolet title through EzyFlix these may be accessed through several other digital movie services. Please go here and log in with your UltraViolet credentials for further information. https://www.myuv.com/" the website statement reads. We're trying to get in contact with someone from Ezyflix for comment, but it's proving challenging: the website for parent company Access Digital Entertainment has gone offline, and the company's previous PR firm no longer represents the brand. We'll keep you updated with any more information as it comes to hand.

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/events/Microsoft%20Build%202015/screen%20grabs/edge-view-470-75.jpgWhile Microsoft's Edge browser has been available to Windows 10 users since its release on July 29, if you haven't been given the chance to update to the new OS yet (or you simply don't want to), here's a way you can still try out the browser. Microsoft has today announced that free virtual machines (VM) of Windows 10 are now available and will come supporting its new Edge browser and will include all future updates. "With this release, we have automated the process we use to create the virtual machines, so future updates will be available more quickly as the platform is updated," Microsoft wrote in a blog post. The Windows 10 VM is available on Windows computers through Hyper-V 2012, VirtualBox and VMware, Mac users can access the VM using Parallels, VirtualBox and VMware, while Linux users will only have access to it through VirtualBox. Vagrant boxes with VirtualBox and QEMU are also supported. Microsoft said that the availability of the Edge browser in Microsoft's Azure RemoteApp service will be added later. It should be noted, however, that the new VMs will only be available for 90 days. Here's what we think of Microsoft's Edge browser http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567388796/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4910525f/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567388796/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4910525f/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567388796/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4910525f/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567388796/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4910525f/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567388796/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4910525f/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4910525f/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/e33O-b1BA-c

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/MacLifeWebContent/ManageiTunesSubscriptions/subscriptions-FLAT-470-75.jpgThere are many apps on the iTunes App Store and Mac App Store that rely on recurring in-app purchases in order for you to get the most from them. In the case of Newsstand and other online services, these in-app purchases take the form of subscriptions. So how do you know what subscriptions you've subscribed to, and how do you manage, cancel, or reactivate them? Apple makes it fairly easy if you know where to look. In this article, we'll walk you through this process of managing in-app subscriptions so that you'll only pay for what you're using, and show you how to cancel the rest easily. Continue reading to find out the details. Viewing Subscriptions on MacBoth Mac App Store and iTunes subscriptions can be viewed in the desktop version of iTunes on a Mac or Windows computer. To access them, open iTunes, follow these steps: 1.Click your name beside the search bar. 2.Select Account Info, then sign in when prompted. 3.Locate the Settings section. 4.Click "Manage" next to "Subscriptions." http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/ManageiTunesSubscriptions/Manage_1-420-90.jpg This list will contain all of the active and inactive subscriptions associated with your Apple ID. "Expired" will be listed next to services that are no longer active in your account, while active services will list the next renewal date. Viewing Subscriptions on iOSYou can manage your subscriptions from an iOS device as well. The easiest way to do so is to access the iTunes Store, scroll to the bottom of the main page and click on the Apple ID button, then click View Apple ID. After entering your password, scroll down to the Subscriptions section and hit Manage. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/ManageiTunesSubscriptions/Manage_3-420-90.jpg Canceling recurring SubscriptionsIf you wish to cancel a recurring subscription, then click the "Edit" button to the right of the service listed in the "Manage Subscriptions" view. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/ManageiTunesSubscriptions/Manage_2-420-90.jpg Once in this new "Edit Subscription" view, select "Off" for the Automatic Renewal option, then click Done to save the changes. This will cause the subscription to expire whenever it goes to renew. Instead of renewing, it'll be placed in an inactive state. You can do this for any subscriptions which you are not currently using in order to save money each month. http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567302960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490fff13/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567302960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490fff13/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567302960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490fff13/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567302960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490fff13/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567302960/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490fff13/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/490fff13/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/haGXU0ZjXQM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Buildings/Microsoft/microsoft-hq-redmond-470-75.JPGMicrosoft will support previous versions of Dynamics CRM on Windows 10. Dynamics CRM users with versions no earlier than 2011 can continue to use the data input tool as long as they are accessing the web client on Internet Explorer 11. Those clients on the most recent version of Dynamics CRM will be able to access the web client on Microsoft's new Edge browser starting in September. CRM for Outlook for Dynamics CRM 2011 and 2013 does not work on Windows 10 with Internet Explorer 11. Microsoft says it is working on a fix and a workaround is in place. What's new with Dynamics?Microsoft is rallying testers for the upcoming version of Dynamics CRM, which is expected to launch before the end of the year. Microsoft recently acquired Incent Games, the parent company of sales gamification platform FantasySalesTeam. Microsoft will integrate the solution into its Dynamics CRM suite. FantasySalesTeam is a platform that takes its premise from fantasy sports. Microsoft hopes FantasySalesTeam will drive adoption and usage of Microsoft CRM products in fun and creative ways. Dynamics CRM revenue increased 6% annually during fiscal 2014. 10 CRM systems you should know http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567378389/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490eeb5f/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567378389/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490eeb5f/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567378389/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490eeb5f/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567378389/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490eeb5f/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567378389/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490eeb5f/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/490eeb5f/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/KorJozRCOeE

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/Features/Windows%2010%20sucks/Samsung%20Chromebook%202%2011-470-75.JPG So, you need to pick an operating systemWindows 10 has arrived, with plenty of promises to fix all the woes that mucked up the experience with Windows 8. But no number of improvements is going to make the bad memories of the Start screen go away. Then there's the matter of whether Cortana, Xbox streaming or Windows 10 other features are high on your priority list. However you – or we, having thrown it 4.5 stars – feel about the new Windows, there are plenty of reasons to ignore Microsoft's latest operating system altogether. Both Google Chrome OS and Apple OS X have proved to be exceptional options. Whether it's the easy usability of OS X Yosemite or the lightweightness of Chrome, both offer plenty of advantages to make either your operating system of choice. We've seen what Windows 10 holds over its competitors, so let's play devil's advocate and look at the key ways that Google and Apple each have honed an edge up on Microsoft's latest operating system. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Apple/New%20MacBook%20(2015)/review/table-tennis-420-100.JPG Apple OS XApple and Microsoft have been going head to head, and while Macs have historically been the underdog in this race they're very popular among creatives and students. MacBooks are by far some of the prettiest laptops with an unbeatable build quality. What's more, OS X comes packed with useful applications, free updates to newer versions and fewer security headaches than Windows. Apple's unified mobile and desktop platform Apple has done plenty to tie its platforms together. Thanks to Handoff, you can easily transition from your life on the iPad and iPhone to the computer, or vice versa. For example, with Safari (or even Chrome) you'll see an icon pop up on your dock when you have a web page open. Just click that if you want to continue reading that page on your Mac. Yes, other browsers offer syncing tools, but thanks to Continuity, this process is much faster and rather easy to switch over between devices. Then there's also iMessage and Facetime, which let you keep a conversation going across an iPhone, iPad or Mac with ease. On Windows 10, you can migrate seamlessly between desktop, laptop, tablet and smartphone through Universal apps. But, while you can work across Windows 10 devices with everything synced in OneDrive, Microsoft is still working on fleshing out its suite of apps – including those for video and messaging. If you want the full-fat multi-platform experience, the Handoff and Continuity features built into Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite are your best bet for now. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/Features/Windows%2010%20sucks/Free%20updates-420-90.jpg Simple, free updates One of the best things about being a Mac user is not having to worry about paying for operating system updates. Thanks to the recent string of free upgrades that started with Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks, it costs zilch to make sure your Mac is running on the latest OS complete with all the new features. Windows 10, meanwhile, will only be free for a year for those upgrading from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. However, further updates to Windows 10 issued online will be free. That's a bit more confusing than Apple, which simply limits its free updates to a subset of older computers dating back as far as seven years ago. While Microsoft plans to make Windows 10 its main focus for the next five year with free updates of all sizes, including new features, but who knows whether its successor will roll out with a similar free upgrade path. OS X is tops at gestures One of the reasons it's so fast to work in OS X is that Apple has built in so many touch gestures into the Mac's excellent trackpad. It's lightning-fast to move from one app to another or to launch Mission Control with a quick swipe. Windows 10 is still trying to catch up in the trackpad quality department by introducing more gesture commands, like three-finger swipe to activate the new Task View. Microsoft is also working with its manufacturer partners more closely than ever through its Precision Touchpad initiative. Apple, meanwhile, has been the king of trackpads for years, with smooth as butter scrolling and perfect sensitivity right out of the box. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/Features/Windows%2010%20sucks/Bundled%20applications-420-90.jpg Bundled software you'll actually use OS X also comes bundled with useful applications, like Photos for editing images, Garage Band for musicians. Apple even includes a fully-featured iWork productivity suite with apps for drafting word documents, creating presentations and crunching numbers. Windows 10, on the other hand, includes a Universal (formerly known as the mobile) version of the Microsoft Office suite. But there's a catch: you'll need an Office 365 subscription to actually edit any documents on any Windows 10 device larger than 10.1-inches. OS X El Capitan is around the bend Microsoft isn't the only one with a new operating system coming out this year, Apple also has plans to update it desktops and laptops with OS X 10.11 El Capitan. Though it looks to be light on radically new features, El Capitan promises to improve user experience and performance, including a larger focus on window management and multitasking The next version of OS X will also introduce window snapping and a revamped multi-desktop management system called Spaces Bar. At the same time, under-the-hood additions, like Metal graphics technology, will enhance the gaming capability of Macs and make everyday activities, like launching apps, even faster. Now, it's fair to say that Windows has offered some of these desktop management features since Vista, like window snapping. However, their inclusion in El Capitan makes OS X feel more feature-complete in area where it has long been inferior to Windows, thus leveling the playing field. Living on the Cloud with Chrome OShttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar//art/laptops/Asus/Chromebook%20Flip/Asus%20Chromebook%20Flip-10-420-100.jpg Chrome OSChromebooks are still relatively new to the block after being first introduced at Google I/O in 2011. Despite being around for less than five years, they've completely flipped the script on what we think about cheap laptops. For less than 300 smackers, you can get a fully functioning machine for browsing the web and editing documents. Chromebooks are cheap Whether you're looking for an inexpensive, fully-featured laptop or a second machine, Chromebooks are extremely affordable. Just $249/£219 (about AU$342) will easily get you a leatherette-bound Samsung Chromebook 2. Not only is this a fraction of the price of the average Windows laptop or MacBook, these Chromebooks don't feel cheap or chintzy either. Chromebooks have even diversified, with an all-metal, convertible Asus Chromebook Flip or the 15-inch powerhouse Acer Chromebook 15 C910. But, speaking of which, Acer has just released a new Windows 10 Aspire One Cloudbook packing similar, if not identical, hardware as a Chromebook for $169 (about £108, AU$232). While this 11-inch machine is even cheaper than most Chromebooks, we'll have to see how well Windows 10 runs with limited resources. You can almost be sure Chromebooks will have better battery life, thanks to Chrome OS being a more lightweight operating system. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/Features/Windows%2010%20sucks/sync%20settings-420-90.jpg Easy account sync While Windows has vastly improved its cloud capabilities with OneDrive, no one beats Google when it comes to keeping essential account details in sync. Once you sign in with your Google account, your history, recent tabs, apps, and most essential details make themselves right at home. While no one would want lose their computer or have it accidentally fall into a pond, it is reassuring to know all your data is safely synced up in the Google Cloud. Aside from giving you protection against any unfortunate catastrophes, having practically all your data live in the cloud means there's little-to-no maintenance when it's time for a new computer. When it comes to Windows, you'll have to be much more vigilant in backing up your data even with the handy built-in tools. Additionally, setting up again on a new Windows machine requires more steps, including reinstalling programs and tweaking settings in the Control Panel. With Chrome OS, you can simply log in, sit back and let everything set up on its own. Chrome OS is extremely secure Chrome OS is currently, without a doubt, one of the safer operating systems in the world. For starters, Chrome OS by design prevents most native applications from being installed, which makes it immune to many malicious email attachments or web pages attempting to infect your system with a virus pretending to install itself as a legitimate application. Additionally, Google's cloud-based platform encrypts all your files, which prevents hackers from sniffing out your data over the Internet or even if they physically steal your laptop – that is, unless you've accidentally given out your password. Similarly, OneDrive will encrypt your data while it's both in transit as well as files stored on Microsoft's Cloud platform. Despite this similarity, by likely garnering a dominant slice of the PC and laptop market, Windows 10 could soon be a naturally larger target for hacking and viruses than either Chrome OS and OS X combined. Purely based on where the majority of hackers are expected to lurk (where the most targets are), going with either alternative could be a safer bet. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/Features/Windows%2010%20sucks/Remote%20Desktop-420-90.jpg Remote Desktop is Chrome's killer hidden feature Remote Desktop is one of Chrome's most underrated features. It allows you to control other computers securely or use another device to control your Chromebook. You just need to install the Remote Desktop app on any computer you want to control and you're in business. For example, it would be perfect when you need to queue up a download away from home or when your parents call (again) in need of computer troubleshooting. On Windows, a few applications allow you to remotely control your PC, such as telling Steam to download games. But in the end, the ability to control a Windows 10 machine is much more piece meal compared to the complete access Chrome OS (or the Chrome browser) offers. The best cloud services compared http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567370630/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490dba4b/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567370630/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490dba4b/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567370630/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490dba4b/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567370630/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490dba4b/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567370630/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490dba4b/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/490dba4b/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/HKtUUumy-Fs

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/review/10240-set1/10240-set1-32-470-75.jpgWindows 10 adoption is already slowing down just a matter of weeks after it was released to the general public. StatCounter figures quoted by The Register show that Windows 10 owned 4.95% of the total operating system market at the end of last week and that it grew by 30% in seven days from August 9 to August 16. While the figures are impressive, they are down on the 177% increase seen during its second week in the wild when it went from 1.36% of the market to 3.78% in the same period. In terms of the Windows versions to take a hit, Windows 7 didn't even see a drop (up from 53.46% to 53.5%). Windows 8.1 on the other hand took a substantial hit that saw it go from 15.03% to 14.09% with Windows 8 and XP both seeing very small drops. Enterprise growth expected soonEven though Windows 10 has seen a drop off in adoption, it still owns almost 5% of the OS market after just two weeks and given that the back to school period has yet to get back into full swing we can expect the numbers to keep rising. You also have to take into account the traditionally longer time that it takes for enterprises to adopt a new product of this ilk and with all this taken into account there's a great deal of optimism for Windows 10 continuing to grow at an impressive pace. Windows 10 Review http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567367809/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490dae59/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567367809/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490dae59/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567367809/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490dae59/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567367809/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490dae59/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567367809/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490dae59/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/490dae59/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/FURuJhujqlo

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010%20Lenovo/Embargoed%20until%209PM%20PDT%20on%2028%20JULY/Start%20Menu%20angle-470-75.JPGMicrosoft has just made it even harder to use pirated games and unauthorized hardware in conjunction with Windows 10. A clause in the services agreement, Section 7b to be precise, states that Windows 10 users have to allow Microsoft to automatically check for counterfeited software, however, it falls short of proposing any punishment for breaking the rules, according to Alphr. "We may automatically check your version of the software and download software updates or configuration changes, including those that prevent you from accessing the Services, playing counterfeit games, or using unauthorised hardware peripheral devices," reads the agreement. It means Microsoft can automatically detect when counterfeit versions of Office, Adobe Creative Suite and others are being used before disabling them. It would also seem that hacked hardware can also be blocked by Windows 10. Get rid of pirate games now!The agreement covers various different versions of Windows 10 including those used on PCs, smartphones, the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. Therefore, now is the time to start hiding your pirate games and software before Microsoft takes them away! Prospective Windows 10 users can, of course, upgrade to the new OS on any qualifying machine even if it once had a pirated version of Windows 7 or Windows 8 on it although you do have to pay for the privilege. Windows 10 Review http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567309030/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490d72e2/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567309030/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490d72e2/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567309030/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490d72e2/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567309030/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490d72e2/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567309030/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/490d72e2/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/490d72e2/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/ivrUJJ6gkm4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/Review%20images/Windows%20Vista/39/OWV40.ex1_stripie8.iewalk5-main-470-75.jpgIntroductionhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Windows%20Vista/39/OWV40.ex1_stripie8.iewalk5-main-420-90.jpg When you think of the history of the internet, Microsoft's iconic Internet Explorer browser is never far away and it was with a heavy heart that Redmond finally decided to put the program out to pasture when Windows 10 arrived. It has gone from hero to zero to…well…it's a respectful browser these days and it's not farfetched to say that the internet wouldn't be what it is today without the browser. That's not to say there's not been controversy, court cases and more over the years, as there has, and the software still rankles with any hardcore Netscape Navigator fans. What follows is a look back at the tumultuous 20 years that Microsoft's first entry into the online market has enjoyed. 1995http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/20%20Years%20of%20Internet%20Explorer/slide-1-420-90.jpg August 16, 1995 was the date when Microsoft pulled the covers off Internet Explorer 1 as part of the 'Internet Jumpstart Kit' that was included as part of Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95. Famously, IE1 was barely a Microsoft product at all. It grew out of a version of Mosiac that was licensed from Spyglass and this caused controversy due to an agreement stating Microsoft had to pay royalties for every copy sold. This obviously amounted to nothing due to the fact it was given away for free. It wasn't long until IE2 was out, November 22, 1995 to be exact, and with that came the groundbreaking addition of browser cookies (yes, we can hear you groaning!). IE2 also included support for SSL and those nostalgic internet newsgroups of yesteryear, plus it was the first version of the browser that supported multiple operating systems. This translated into the release for the Macintosh in 1996 and it was even available for Windows 3.1. 1996http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/20%20Years%20of%20Internet%20Explorer/slide-2-420-90.jpg IE's feverish release schedule kicked up another notch in 1996 with IE3 arriving for Windows on August 13, 1996, a little less than a year after the first version was released. It added a range of new features such as Internet Mail and News 1.0, Windows Address Book, ActiveX, frames, support for Netscape plugins, and Jscript. It eventually also gained Windows Media Player integration and was a browser that started to look like the modern versions of IE we've gotten used to. IE3 was also significant in that it was the first developed without the Spyglass source code. 1997-1998http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/internet-and-broadband/netscape/netscape1-420-90.jpg Internet Explorer kicked off 1997 in court when a lawsuit brought by Spyglass concerning those fishy royalty payments ended in January with an $8 million settlement. Later that year IE4 rolled off the production line and was another to court considerable controversy, which we'll revisit later on. It was around now the first much-publicised browser war against Netscape kicked off. At the time of IE4's release, Netscape Navigator had a 72% share of the browser market compared to Microsoft's paltry 18%. This was not to be the case for long though. EWS browser stats show that by the end of 1998 IE had 50.43% compared to Netscape Navigator's 46.87% and that trend continued almost completely unabated. 1999-2000http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/20%20Years%20of%20Internet%20Explorer/slide-4-420-90.jpg Internet Explorer 4 had turned the tide thanks to its inclusion for free with Windows and upon its released in March 1999, IE5 was similarly ingrained inside Windows 98 and gave Microsoft an almost unassailable position atop the browser market. It was one of the final versions that included a useful compatibility mode that enabled IE4 to be run alongside IE5. Going back to IE4, halfway through 1999 a court case brought by the United States found that Microsoft had abused its position as a monopoly to effectively push Netscape's Navigator out of the browser market. The decision was that Microsoft should be broken up into two companies - a ruling that was eventually overturned. 2001-2005http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/20%20Years%20of%20Internet%20Explorer/slide-5-420-90.jpg When Internet Explorer 6 arrived in August 2001, the challenge from Netscape Navigator had all but evaporated and with the internet becoming an even more multi-faceted beast, the first popup blocker arrived in a version of IE. Microsoft then reached a point where it owned 95% of the market. This was terrible news for innovation as it simply didn't release anything of note until IE7 in 2006. By 2004 things were getting a bit stale on the IE front with the only release of note coming in the shape of IE 6 Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista a year earlier. The Mozilla Foundation changed all that when it released the first full version of Firefox in November 2004 and browser wars part two was on. This time, however, Microsoft was on the receiving end of heavy losses in the market share department and before long it was time to get IE7 out there to try to remedy things. 2006-2007http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/20%20Years%20of%20Internet%20Explorer/slide-6-420-90.jpg In the face of competition, Microsoft pushed out IE7 in October 2006 and at the same time welcomed all manner of innovations like tabbed browsing, a search bar, phishing filter and more. The problem with that? Firefox and Opera already had those features and users were in no mood to switch back over and so began its worst decline in terms of usage share among browsers. Microsoft made another slight boob by only offering IE7 to genuine Windows users and in the face of very poor adoption among the masses it was made available to all Windows users in October 2007 2008-2009http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/internet-and-broadband/Microsoft/ie8-2-420-90.JPG With the release of Google's uber-popular Chrome browser in December 2008, Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 had to be good but when it came out inside Windows 7 in March 2009 there were still a fair few complaints. Two years in the making, it included a range of new enhancements yet still flunked when it came to performance against competing browsers and scored a shocking 24/100 in the Acid3 test. Even so, it still achieved some impressive adoption figures, which had more to do with the fact it came as part of Windows 7 than anything else. 2010-2011http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/software/utilities/images/IE9%20RC/newtabs-420-90.jpg With competition still rampant in the browser sector, IE9 arrived on March 14, 2011 along with the caveat that it would not support Windows XP, an OS that even after its end-of-life in 2014 remains popular. Much like IE7 the "new" features included many that were already a part of the package offered up by competitors like Chrome and Firefox. It was also one of the first to include HTML5 support and Microsoft overhauled the user interface so that it included new features like pinned sites that were designed to embrace the apps era. 2012-2013http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/software/utilities/images/IE10_platform_preview/IE10%20crop-420-90.jpg The penultimate version of Internet Explorer, IE10, was released in August 2012 as part of the doomed Windows 8 OS and as such will forever be linked to the disastrous touchscreen interface that has been largely shelved since. It did have a newly designed version of Adobe Flash Player that was meant to save of battery and the user interface of the 'Metro' version was a huge departure from IE9. Speedy release cycles were becoming the norm when IE 11 first saw the light of day on 17 October 2013 and at the time we were none the wiser that this would be the final version of IE before it became Edge. IE 11 even shipped with Windows 10 after all and Net Applications figures show that at a 26.9% market share it is the most popular browser out there. 2014-2015http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/events/Microsoft%20Build%202015/press%20photos/Microsoft%20Edge%20Build%20press%20photo-420-90.jpg Microsoft confirmed the impending death of Internet Explorer in March 2015 when they announced that the age-old browser would no longer be the number one going forward. The replacement, which finally gained its Edge moniker later on in the year, was originally called Spartan and will carry the torch from now on. Given that so many people still use outdated versions of Windows and IE is the only option for them, IE won't die out just yet and will live to see its 21st birthday and probably even more anniversaries beyond that. http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567250149/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/49060025/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567250149/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/49060025/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567250149/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/49060025/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567250149/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/49060025/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567250149/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/49060025/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/49060025/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/cYSN2q6MTw0

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/MacLifeWebContent/HowToStoreMusicLocally/iphone_golden_gate-FLAT-470-75.jpgGot an Apple, Mac or iOS tech question? We have the answer. Storing stuff in the cloud can be very convenient, but sometimes it can cause problems too, especially when you don't have a constant, stable online connection. One reader wants to store all of her iTunes music locally instead of relying on the cloud for just that reason, but her iPad isn't making it easy. We'll show you what you need to do make sure your music is stored locally on your device instead of in the cloud. QuestionThe Music app on my iPad keeps automatically removing songs from the device and storing them in the cloud. I then need to download these songs again to listen to them, which is a total pain, especially if I am somewhere with no or poor Wi-Fi. Is there any way to stop this? I don't use iTunes Match. AnswerA feature called "iTunes in the Cloud" is available whether or not you are a subscriber to iTunes Match, and it provides music that you've purchased from iTunes in the Music app available for download or streaming. This is most likely what you are seeing here, so once you've downloaded any music you need, you can go ahead and disable that function. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/HowToStoreMusicLocally/Ask-StoreMusic-420-90.jpg To deactivate "iTunes in the Cloud" from your iOS device: 1. Open Settings. 2. Select Music. 3. Turn off the option for "iCloud Music Library." Whenever you view the Music app from now on, only music that is stored locally on your device will be shown as available. Got an Apple tech question? Email ask@maclife.com. http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567202976/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48ffdfd9/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567202976/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48ffdfd9/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567202976/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48ffdfd9/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567202976/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48ffdfd9/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567202976/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48ffdfd9/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/48ffdfd9/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Mowuc-mft6A

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/people/Kaspersky/kaspersky-470-75.jpgAre you ready for a tech story that reads as if it's straight out of a Bond film? For more than 10 years, Kaspersky Lab has been manipulating rival antivirus companies into deleting or disabling harmless files on your PC. Two unnamed Reuters sources claim the Russian security software developer targeted Microsoft, AVG, Avast and other developers by reverse-engineering their virus detection software to figure out how to flag good files as malicious. The attack was made possible by widespread information-sharing among rivals in order to stay a step ahead of hackers and faulty programs. It is also what enabled Kaspersky rivals to begin copycatting Kaspersky software, which is what prompted Eugene Kaspersky, the company's founder, to begin the attack. Kaspersky's beefReuters writes that Kaspersky Lab previously complained about copycats and called on his competitors to respect intellectual property. When those requests fell on deaf ears, Kaspersky ran an experiment to determine if his competitors were stealing directly from his company's ideas. Kaspersky created 10 harmless files and told VirusTotal, an information aggregator that shares data with security companies, it regarded them as malicious. All 10 files were promptly declared dangerous by as many as 14 security companies, according to the Reuters report. This is when Kaspersky began injecting bad code into PC software and sending the corrupted files to VirusTotal in order to manipulate competitors into disabling or deleting the files. Kaspersky told Reuters that no such attacks ever came from within their firm. The legal implicationsIt will take forensic computer scientists backtracking the claims Kaspersky made to TotalVirus to determine if any illegal activity occurred, Craig Delsack, a New York City-based technology and media attorney at NYCCounsel.com told TechRadar Pro. "The case is only as good as the data that's still around," he said. "If you follow the trail and fingerprints from TotalVirus and connect the dots and see who submitted these problematic claims [then you can make a case]." Delsack said the allegations made by the unnamed sources, if proven to have occurred, would be violations of the Stored Communications Act 18 U.S.C. Chapter 121. The first offense is punishable by up to five years in prison, as well as a fine. The second offense is punishable by up to 10 years in prison for each subsequent act. "It's illegal to hack into someone's computer and damage it. Although it wasn't Kaspersky software directly [that affected PCs], that software was manipulated by Kaspersky and caused damage to people's computers," Delsack said. "Whether you're a hacker [directly], or if you're manipulating others to delete those files, you're responsible," he added. Delsack said it is also likely that Microsoft and the other companies allegedly attacked by Kaspersky could sue for damages if they are able to prove the attack harmed their reputation or triggered lost sales. Delsack would not speculate on what the amount of the damages might be. Do unto othersKaspersky is not immune to attacks. In June, Kaspersky Lab revealed that its systems had been hacked by an unnamed nation-state looking to access other targets. The attack, Duqu 2.0, was caught in the early stages and Kaspersky claimed at the time that none of its clients had been impacted. Kaspersky has not immediately returned TechRadar's request for comment. Read our picks for the best antivirus tools http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567166353/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48fda26c/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567166353/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48fda26c/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567166353/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48fda26c/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567166353/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48fda26c/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567166353/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48fda26c/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/48fda26c/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/-qaI9VTVcpM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/MacLifeWebContent/BestPhotoFilters/PhotoFilters-HeroB-470-75.jpgAdd fun to your photoshttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/BestPhotoFilters/PhotoFilters-HeroB-420-90.jpg If you're an iOS-using photographer, there's a good chance you're constantly on the lookout for unique visual "looks" that will set your photos apart from everyone else's. In the post-Photoshop-plugin era, inexpensive iOS photo-filter apps are the hot tickets for instantly converting photos to slick pop art, with minimal effort and maximum creative flexibility. Here are some of our favorite flavors of sweet visual candy. (And for some more traditional photo-editing apps, click here.) Trimaginatorhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/BestPhotoFilters/Trimaginator-420-90.jpg Trimaginator ($3.99/£2.29/AU$3.79) takes any photograph and converts it into a work of modern abstract art, with a wide range of preset styles that will astound and delight even the most jaded designer. The results look like absolutely nothing we've ever seen elsewhere, not even Photoshop. An in-app purchase adds the option to save results in a vector-based format, perfect for post-editing in Illustrator or any other drawing package. PhotoTropedelichttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/BestPhotoFilters/PhotoTropadelic-420-90.jpg It's the groovy '60s in an app! PhotoTropedelic ($1.99/£1.49/AU$2.49) offers the Peter Max visual aesthetic as an instant filter effect, turning any picture into a psychedelic Woodstock rock poster, with optional stars and wild colors galore. In terms of sheer fun factor, it's hard to top this gem. Popsicolorhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/BestPhotoFilters/Popsicolor-420-90.jpg One of the more limited apps, Popsicolor ($2.99/£2.29/AU$3.79) does one thing alone - watercolor renditions - with a somewhat limited color palette, but the results are visually distinctive and quite lovely, and it can also handle high-resolution output. For a few bucks, it's worth the download. PaintCanhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/BestPhotoFilters/PaintCan-420-90.jpg We're not used to getting anything gratis from graphics giant Adobe, but this rather slick instant-painting app designed to turn photos into painterly works of art is completely free. PaintCan (free) is really nice, too, so what are you waiting for? Thankfully, no Adobe CC needed to use this sweet app. Waterloguehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/BestPhotoFilters/Waterlogue-420-90.jpg The incredibly soft, organic watercolor effects made possible by Waterlogue ($2.99/£0.79/AU$1.29) are really without comparison, images definitely look they were rendered by a skilled artist, and a decent array of different preset "looks" makes it more than just a one-trick pony. One of our all-time favorites. Glazehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/BestPhotoFilters/Glaze-420-90.jpg For the maximum selection of painterly styles, Glaze (free w/ IAP) is the way to roll, with a handful of really attractive base styles in the free version, and a mere $2.99/£2.29/AU$3.79 to unlock the kitchen sink, with tons of realistic paint effects and totally luscious output. Another IAP opens up all sorts of advanced compositing options. Glaze is a titan amongst painting apps. Percolatorhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/BestPhotoFilters/Percolator-420-90.jpg If abstract art and mosaics are more your style, this neat little brew of an app will be right up your alley. Percolator ($2.99/£2.29/AU$3.79) instantly turns pictures into modern art masterpieces, with some lovely - and unique - visual styles that look like nothing else in the app store. This is one we'd love to see as a desktop filter someday, but for now, it's iOS-only. Tangled FXhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/BestPhotoFilters/TangledFX-420-90.jpg Tangled FX ($1.99/£1.49/AU$2.49) is another app that has no direct competition, and somewhat defies easy description; suffice it to say that it turns pictures into wild, other-worldly forms of luminous energy like nothing else we've ever seen. Look up the artist Alex Grey: if they could condense him down into an app, it would be Tangled FX. Glitchéhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/BestPhotoFilters/Glitche-420-90.jpg When you get into a surreal state of mind, nothing quite scratches the creative itch like Glitché ($0.99/£0.79/AU$1.29), an enormously fun and wild tool for messing up images in ways that your parents would never approve of; from rendering pictures as stacks of emoticons to making weird extruded 3D wireframes from flat images, Glitché is glorious decimation for a single dollar - such a deal. A $2.99/£2.29/AU$3.79 IAP adds high-res output. PixelWakkerhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/BestPhotoFilters/Pixelwakker-420-90.jpg PixelWakker ($2.99/£2.29/AU$3.79) produces a series of visual effects that nothing else on iOS can match, but what's truly interesting about this app is that it can send the output directly to a vector-based PDF image, which can then be resized/edited with no quality loss in any vector graphics program. http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567138687/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f70760/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567138687/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f70760/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567138687/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f70760/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567138687/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f70760/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567138687/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f70760/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/48f70760/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/izpiaQ9lLjI

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010%20Lenovo/Embargoed%20until%209PM%20PDT%20on%2028%20JULY/Start%20Menu%20angle-470-75.JPGOne wonders what would have happened had Microsoft not decided to give away Windows 10 to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users (as well as tablets with small screens). A recent survey by TechRadar shows that a lot of Windows 10 users have been enticed to upgrade because of the free nature of the Windows 10 upgrade. Nearly two thirds of the respondents say that the £0 price tag was the defining factor in their decision to swap operating systems when Windows 10 launched late last month. Encouraging signsThat number comes as a surprise as it means that more than a third of those Windows 10 users were actually attracted by something else other than the freebie nature of the offer. The fact that Windows 10 will be able to run on multiple platforms (mobile, tablet, gaming console, VR, embedded) convinced 17% of the respondents to jump ship from their previous operating systems while a much smaller portion (4.5%) say that universal apps was what made them switch. Worryingly for Microsoft, other new features touted by the vendor (Cortana, Edge, Continuum or Hello) garnered single digit figures in the survey, a sign that Windows converts, at least in the early days, did not transition because of them. Read our review of Windows 10 here http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567079968/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f3a031/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567079968/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f3a031/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567079968/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f3a031/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567079968/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f3a031/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567079968/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f3a031/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/48f3a031/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/-yfZMTqGE54

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/all%20my%20files/all-my-files-470-75.JPGHere's what to do when your downloaded Mac files start changing their names all by themselves. QuestionI use the Outlook Web app to access my company's Exchange email and to download work file attachments. When I do so, they download correctly, but the file names have "%20" in the places previously occupied by spaces in the file name. It is very time consuming to fix this manually. Is there any way to prevent this in the first place? AnswerWhen downloading files online, the "%20" is a web standard to replace the spaces in words and phrases. The best way to prevent this by only uploading files with underscores ("_") instead of spaces. However, with a little Automator action, you can completely rid yourself of these issues with some on-the-fly renaming of files when they are added to the Downloads folder. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/untitled-420-90.JPG In Automator, follow these steps: 1. In the template chooser, select Folder Action. 2. In the "Folder Action receives files and folders added to" drop-down menu, select the Downloads folder. 3. Find the "Get Folder Contents" action in the pane to the left, drag it into the workflow, and check its option for "Repeat for each subfolder found." 4. Add the "Rename Finder Items" action into the workflow underneath the previous action. When prompted, choose not to add the Copy Finder Items action as well, then set the action's options to "Replace Text", and set "Find" to "%20" (without the quote marks), "in full name," and put a space in the Replace field. 5. Save the action by pressing Command + S, then specifying a name. Each time a file is added to the Downloads folder, this action will run, and it will automatically rename files with names containing "%20" to use spaces instead. http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567079967/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f3a047/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567079967/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f3a047/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567079967/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f3a047/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567079967/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f3a047/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567079967/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f3a047/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/48f3a047/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Ul_B6LVO7R4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Streaming%20Services/Stan/Content%20Lineup/Friends-Stan-Logo-470-75.jpgNetflix may have the lion's share of the relatively new streaming market, but local upstart Stan isn't shying away from the battle. At a media event this week, Stan CEO Mike Sneesby confirmed that the company was performing better than expected, with over 300,000 paying customers on its books. That number isn't a reflection of people who have trialled the service either – over 800,000 have kicked open a Stan app somewhere since the platform launched on Australia Day. Platform progressStan isn't sitting back either, planning on finishing 2015 with a bang. By the end of the year, the service expects its apps to appear on games consoles and smart TVs. While they were a little cagey about which consoles and which brands of TV the service would appear on, we did get to see it working on a console that rhymes with Maystation Poor, and the app was an exact replica of the intuitive tablet app, rather than the Apple TV version. Stan was also reticent to confirm dates for the app launches, aside from specifying it will happen this year. • Looking for something to watch on Stan, check out this list of the 25 best shows on Stan

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Streaming%20Services/Stan/Content%20Lineup/Friends-Stan-Logo-470-75.jpgNetflix may have the lion's share of the relatively new streaming market, but local upstart Stan isn't shying away from the battle. At a media event this week, Stan CEO Mike Sneesby confirmed that the company was performing better than expected, with over 300,000 paying customers on its books. That number isn't a reflection of people who have trialled the service either – over 800,000 have kicked open a Stan app somewhere since the platform launched on Australia Day. Platform progressStan isn't sitting back either, planning on finishing 2015 with a bang. By the end of the year, the service expects its apps to appear on games consoles and smart TVs. While they were a little cagey about which consoles and which brands of TV the service would appear on, we did get to see it working on a console that rhymes with Maystation Poor, and the app was an exact replica of the intuitive tablet app, rather than the Apple TV version. Stan was also reticent to confirm dates for the app launches, aside from specifying it will happen this year. • Looking for something to watch on Stan, check out this list of the 25 best shows on Stan http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567160820/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f2d568/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567160820/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f2d568/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234567160820/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f2d568/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234567160820/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f2d568/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234567160820/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48f2d568/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/48f2d568/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/qGoK7tMfnMw

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Features%202/Best%20VPNs/cyberghost-470-75.jpgIntroductionhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/Miscellaneous/Introduction%20SurfEasy-420-90.jpg David Cameron's landslide victory in this year's General Election means that the controversial Snooper's Charter is very much back on the menu in the UK, and the prospect of the government spying on online communications has many citizens understandably worried. There are plenty of ways to try to circumvent any government snooping on you and your family's data, though, and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are among the most affordable and effective ways to do so. Another way they are used, and this could possibly be why you're reading our article, is to access content geo-blocked in your country. This is especially the case with services such as BBC iPlayer and Hulu, which can only be accessed in the UK and US respectively. VPNs can help here by providing you a bunch of different locations to choose from and, when the program you're craving to binge-watch on Netflix is only available on the US version, it's incredibly helpful. Sounds like it's going to cost a lot of money, right? Wrong. Some of the best VPNs on the market are available free of charge and offer a comparable service to the top paid-for options. So whether it's circumventing government surveillance or catching the latest episode of EastEnders whilst on your holidays, we've got eight different options to help you out without costing a penny. How to build a dedicated VPN routerVPN Gatehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/Best%20VPNs/VPN-Gate-420-90.jpg If you want a VPN option that has over 10,000 servers and has been created by students then VPN Gate will be your cup of tea. Branding itself as an academic experiment, it works on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android, with some of the best results coming when using the L2TP/IPsec option. Using L2TP/IPsec is the fastest way to connect with VPN Gate as it doesn't require any extra software to be installed. Unfortunately it's slightly tricky if you've never used it before, though thankfully the makers have provided an easy guide for every platform. Once you're over that hump it's plain sailing with speeds that competitors struggle to match. TunnelBearhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/Best%20VPNs/TunnelBear-420-90.jpg VPN options don't come any easier than TunnelBear with a friendly website and interface that will appeal to many users. Getting this VPN is as simple as downloading the relevant app for PC, Mac, iOS or Android and following the on-screen instructions. TunnelBear is split into different options depending on whether you want to pay. In our case, the free 'Little' option gives you 500MB of data free every month and if you tweet them every month you get another 1GB. Take special care to create a 'bear themed' tweet! Privacy options are well covered. By turning on 'Maul Trackers' you can take a peek through the trackers that TunnelBear has tackled in order to protect your privacy. For ease of use and a VPN you can truly trust, TunnelBear is up there among the best in the paid-for category. The fact it's also available for free makes it even more attractive. SurfEasyhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/Miscellaneous/SurfEasy-420-90.jpg Privacy is one of the primary concerns for anyone deciding to go for a VPN and SurfEasy's product offers some of the best safety features out there. The Canadian company prides itself on bank-grade encryption to keep your data away from any prying eyes, and that's alongside the private network that allows you to spoof your IP to look like it's from various locations across the globe. SurfEasy is very similar to TunnelBear in that it offers the same 500MB limit for free and will then charge you for anything over that. You can complete tasks or refer your friends to earn extra MBs. The speed is what you would expect from your regular connection and for light monthly use this is a more than adequate option. Hotspot Shieldhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/Best%20VPNs/hotspot-shield-elite-420-90.jpg Finding a VPN that doesn't limit the amount of data you can use isn't difficult and Hotspot Shield shows that choosing one of the 100% free options doesn't mean you're scrimping on the privacy side of things. Even though it has a lot of popups during installation and some ads, Hotspot Shield is worth its place on this list. It offers the usual array of countries such as the US, UK, Canada, Japan and a handful of others, and works on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. You can upgrade to Hotspot Shield Elite but it's by no means a prerequisite for using this as a VPN, as is the case with some of those limited by data. Private Tunnelhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/Best%20VPNs/private-tunnel-420-90.jpg Another of the 500MB limit brigade, Private Tunnel works on the same 'refer a friend' principle for those that want to get more data without having to shell out for one of the (affordable) paid-for options on the table. The interface of PrivateTunnel, although it looks simple at first, actually offers a higher level of statistical analysis compared to some of the others, with a detailed list of how you used up your precious month's worth of data. Again it works on all the major platforms (Windows, OS X, iOS and Android) and the speeds experienced are almost on par with the regular internet connection on your PC. CyberGhosthttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/Best%20VPNs/cyberghost-420-90.jpg With unlimited bandwidth and traffic, CyberGhost stands out from many of the other VPNs due to the fact it doesn't throttle you to just 500MB of usage per month. The free plan is offered without charge across Windows, Mac and Android, but there are a number of expected limitations thanks to it costing nothing. This manifests itself in the 'free user slots' employed specifically for anyone not paying for the service. When we were online the queue was at over 2,200 users. It took just over a minute for that number to reach zero and then connect. By default it will connect you to a random location across the world (we got Romania) in order to spoof your IP. You can choose the location by clicking the relevant options inside the program. For a free program it offers a surprisingly high amount of free servers, which is very commendable. ZoogTVhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/Best%20VPNs/zoogtv-420-90.jpg Branding yourself as something with 'TV' on the end seems very appropriate in the VPN game and ZoogTV promotes itself as the place to access TV streaming services anywhere. With testimonials calling them, and we quote, "absolute legends", they certainly have some backing. It actually works in a slightly similar manner to a certain facet of VPN Gate in that you must install TunnelBlick to be able to use it. Once installed it offers free VPNs in the UK, Canada and US, and it is very easy to connect or disconnect when you need to protect your browsing. There's even a high 2GB data transfer limit per month on one device. There are plenty of subscription options for those that want to pay but the free ZoogTV option is one of the more generous ones out there right now. SecurityKISShttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/Best%20VPNs/security-kiss-420-90.jpg This loving VPN makes some bold claims from the outset such as being 'free for lifetime' and both 'fast and secure'. These statements both ring true but it is one of the hardest VPNs on this entire list to actually configure, though that said, there's no doubting that in the end it is worth it. Even though it is tricky to set up, there's a guide on the SecurityKiss website to get you through the process and once you're done there are plenty of servers to choose from. You can either use Tunnelblick to connect or the L2TP/IPsec method mentioned above, which works on iOS and Android as well as Windows or Mac. All in all it's a good program just so long as you don't mind the learning curve. http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234566925741/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48d4974b/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234566925741/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48d4974b/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/234566925741/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48d4974b/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/234566925741/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48d4974b/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/234566925741/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/48d4974b/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/48d4974b/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/r4KACGBhKuU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/How%20tos/DIY%20networked%20media%20player/Cover%20Image-470-75.jpgHow to build a DIY OSMC media playerhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/How%20tos/DIY%20networked%20media%20player/Cover%20Image-420-90.jpg The launch of the original Raspberry Pi was a bit of a phenomenon. It was a super-cheap computer board that could be used to build a variety of devices. It could also be used to build a network media player, but it was sluggish and not really great for the task. The Raspberry Pi 2 has changed that. You can now build your own network media player for relatively cheap that's every bit as capable (if not more so) than many commercial network media players. With the new processor in the Pi 2 it's perfectly snappy and absolutely capable of 1080p media playback. To go along with the board, we have a new OS to run on it: OSMC. OSMC is essentially a cut down version of Debian Linux running Kodi as the interface. Kodi, if you're not aware, is the app formerly known as XBMC, is quite likely the best free network media player app there is. It has incredible support for formats, devices and protocols, a plug-in architecture and it's easy to use. What you'll needhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/How%20tos/DIY%20networked%20media%20player/What%20youll%20need-420-90.jpg To build your own network media player you'll need a few things. Raspberry Pi 2 (the most important part) is available from a number of stores. That only gets you the naked board, however; you don't even get a power cable in the box. So you'll need a few extra things to make it work: - A Raspberry Pi case. - A Micro SD card (8GB or larger), preferably class 10 speed. - A micro USB cable (the same type used for charging mobile phones), which will be used for power. - A standard HDMI cable. - An SD Card reader for your PC. Hopefully your PC has one built in, but if not you'll need one to set up OSMC using this method. There are a few optional extras you can get as well: - A USB WiFi adapter. The Raspberry Pi has wired networking built in, but no WiFi. - A Media Center Remote with USB IR receiver. More on this in a moment. The remotehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/televisions/future-ofTV-420-90.jpg OSMC can be entirely controlled with a remote control. You don't ever need to plug in a keyboard or mouse (though you can). What's more, you may not even need to buy a remote. Whether or not you need a new remote depends on whether your TV supports HDMI-CEC (consumer electronics control). HDMI-CEC is also known by a variety of vendor brand names, like Panasonic Viera Link, Samsung Anynet+, Pioneer Kuro Link, Sharp Aquos Link, Sony Bravia Sync and so on. HDMI-CEC allows your TV to send device signals down the HDMI cable to attached devices to control them. Essentially, it will let you use your TV remote to control the Raspberry Pi. Does your TV remote have media playback buttons on it? It's likely that it supports HDMI-CEC. You can also go into your TV's setup menu and see if you can locate it, either under the HDMI-CEC name header or on the particular vendor's brand name. If your TV does not support HDMI-CEC, then you'll need a remote and USB IR receiver for the Pi. The cheapest and easiest way is to use a Windows Media Center Remote. OSMC works perfectly with Media Center Remotes, no setup required. OSMC absolutely works with mobile phone remotes as well, like Kore on Android. Setting up OSMChttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/How%20tos/DIY%20networked%20media%20player/Setting%20up%20OSMC-420-90.jpg Now let's get down to the setup. It's actually very easy with a Windows PC (which is why we went with OSMC over alternatives like OpenELEC): 1. Put the Micro SD card into the SD Card reader on your PC. 2. Go to the OSMC website and download the Windows installer for Raspberry Pi 2. 3. Run the installer and step through the options: Choose your language and platform (Raspberry Pi 2); choose the latest version of OSMC to install; choose what type of device you'd like to install it on (SD Card); whether you'll be using wired or wireless. Finally, you'll see a list of detected SD Cards in your system. 4. The installer will then proceed to download an operating system image and install it onto the SD Card. Once it's done, you can close the installer and eject the card. Starting the Raspberry Pihttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/How%20tos/DIY%20networked%20media%20player/Starting%20the%20Raspberry%20Pi-420-90.jpg Now that we've installed OSMC on the SD Card, let's get it running on the Pi. The first thing to do is put together your Raspberry Pi, which really means just installing it in the case. Put the SD card into the Micro SD card slot on the Raspberry Pi 2. Plug the HDMI cable in, and also the USB WiFi adapter or IR receiver if you have them. Grab the micro USB cable and plug it into the Pi's micro USB power port and any powered USB port. Much like many phones, the Pi is powered over USB – and it will need roughly 900mA to operate (so some ports might not provide enough juice). Most USB ports on TV sets will do the trick, but some will not. We have it running off the USB port on Linksys router. You could also plug it into a powered USB hub or a USB wall socket as long as the socket provides 1A or more. As soon as the power is plugged in OSMC should start to load. There's a brief initial setup process and then you're good to go. Setting up the remotehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/How%20tos/DIY%20networked%20media%20player/Setting%20up%20the%20remote-420-90.jpg If you're using a Windows Media Center remote, OSMC should just work. If you're planning on using your TV remote through HDMI-CEC, you might have to go through an extra step. Go into your TV's setup menu, and find the HDMI-CEC/Anynet+/Viera Link/Aquos Link/Bravia Sync/whatever-it's-called-on-this-model setup. Make sure it's turned on, and you should see the OSMC device listed (you may have to go through device discovery process first). Select it. Once you've done that, the arrow keys, select and media control keys should work for the Pi as long as they're not being used by the TV set. Using OSMChttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/How%20tos/DIY%20networked%20media%20player/Using%20OSMC-420-90.jpg OSMC works exactly like the desktop version of Kodi. You add sources and plugins the exact same way, and it supports most plugins and all the sources and formats that Kodi on Windows does. Although it runs on Linux, there's no real Linux-ish stuff to deal with: Kodi is the interface. It defaults to the OSMC skin, which is a very basic looking skin, but you can change that by going into the settings and changing it to Confluence (the default skin for other Kodi versions) or another skin. You should be aware that if you do that, you'll lose a special menu that only appears on the main page of the OSMC default skin: the My OSMC menu. It's no big deal, however: you can still access it by going to Programs and selecting the OSMC plug-in. The special menu in question is the system control menu. It lets you control your Raspberry Pi 2 settings, configure automatic updates and install new apps into the underlying Linux operating system from the App Store. You probably don't ever need to access it, but you can experiment with it if you like.