sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Windows/windows-insider-achievement-470-75.JPGMicrosoft has added yet another build – 10159 – to the fast ring, just hours after unveiling a major build 10154 which itself followed 10130. Explaining the rapid succession of builds, Microsoft's Gabe Aul said both 10158 and 10159 passed the evaluation and validation stages quickly enough to go on Windows Insider Fast Ring and be available to Windows Insider Programme users. What's likely to happen is a fair few of the estimated 4.1 million users will be downloading both 10158 and 10159 at the same time, which may cause error 0x80246017 to happen. Aul suggests that users should reboot their computers if that happens and choose 10159 from the settings options. What's new?10158 brought some general user interface improvements and refinements as well as a number of tweaks - such as a dark theme, Cortana integration with Office 365 and a new Edge browser button. 10159 doesn't bring major changes but added over 300 (yet to be documented) fixes. Windows 10 launches on July 29, so Microsoft still has plenty of time to push a few more builds through the door. Everything you need to know about Windows 10 http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194043484/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bd4d67/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194043484/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bd4d67/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194043484/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bd4d67/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/233194043484/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bd4d67/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/233194043484/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bd4d67/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/47bd4d67/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/eE0WeTiio3o

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/all%20my%20files/all-my-files-470-75.JPGSince the introduction of Lion, Apple has included a special section in the Finder called "All My Files." As its name implies, it finds and displays all of the files on your system when clicked. This is great when you want to view a listing of all the files on your system sorted by modification time, but what if you want more control over this section of the Finder? It's possible, and we'll show you how to do just that in this Easy Mac Hacks article. The "All My Files" section of the Finder is just a fancy Smart Folder. Before Mavericks, you'd have to go through the Terminal to hack your way around and customize this Smart Folder behavior, but now it couldn't be more simple. How to do itOpen a new Finder window.Select "All My Files" from the sidebar.Click the Action icon in the toolbar. (Hint: it looks like a gear.)Select "Show Search Criteria."Once you do this, you'll be presented with a list of criteria that the Finder uses by default to find all of the files on your system.Using the filtering UI, you can remove any currently displayed filters by pressing the "-" button beside of the criteria; or, you can add new criteria by pressing the "+" button on any of the criteria items, then filter to your heart's content. When you're done, press the "Save" button at the top of the filtering list. Be sure to make a note of the default filtering items in case you ever wish to restore the functionality to the defaults without reinstalling the operating system! http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194037463/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bc86bf/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194037463/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bc86bf/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194037463/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bc86bf/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/233194037463/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bc86bf/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/233194037463/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bc86bf/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/47bc86bf/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/_-vEaXKGo18

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Apple/Apple%20Music/apple-music-hero-470-75.jpg5 issues we want Apple Music to fix http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Apple/Apple%20Music/apple-music-hero-420-100.jpg Apple Music kicked off with a bang today, with its iOS 8.4 update delivering an all-encompassing music service that doesn't just stream music – it's also an internet radio service (like Pandora), an Instagram-style social network for artists and fans and a replacement for your old Music app. It's safe to say that Apple is attempting something huge with Apple Music, weaving all of its streaming content and social stuff into your existing music libraries and playlists. For the most part, Apple Music pulls it off, but there are a few quirks and issues we'd definitely like to see addressed before decide on whether we're going to stick with it past the 3 month trial period. Limited cellular data options http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Apple%20Music%201-420-100.jpg If you want to listen to Apple Music outside of your Wi-Fi network, you'll have to switch on the Use Cellular Data option in your iOS settings. That's fair enough, but for some reason, cellular data for Apple Music doesn't have its own tab. If you want this functionality, you will also be opened up to automatic downloads for app updates and other things you probably don't want to waste your precious data on. You can opt to turn automatic updates off, but then you'll have to go back to manually updating all of your apps. It's a weird 'one step forward, one step back' scenario that seems like it should be entirely avoidable. Album art replaced with random junkhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Apple-Music-2-420-100.jpg We're not sure why, but many of the albums in our existing library, which we've been ripping from CD since the early days of the MP3, have had their album art replaced by random junk that Apple Music has downloaded from the internet. Many of us have spent extensive time over the years carefully selecting the highest quality images or best variants of album covers for our libraries, so having to find these images and apply them again is disappointing to say the least. Lacks higher quality streaminghttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Apple/Apple%20Music/taylor-swift-pointing-at-stereo-420-100.jpg Surprisingly, Apple Music streams at a bitrate of 256 kbps, which is lower than most of its competitors. Spotify, Rdio, MOG and even Beats Music, which Apple Music's streaming foundation is built on, all stream at 320 kbps (Beats Music still streams at this quality on Android and Windows Phone devices, rubbing even more salt on our wounds). And then there's Tidal, which manages to stream its music at the lossless FLAC bitrate of 1411 kbps. So what gives, Apple? Why is the biggest and baddest new streaming service on the block peddling inferior audio quality? Not the full iTunes libraryhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/prince-420-100.jpg It may have been naive of us to have expected that we'd be able to stream music from the entire iTunes library, but that's how the service has been pitched to us for a while now. This would have easily given Apple Music the edge over its biggest competitor, Spotify. Instead, it has roughly the same number songs as its rival (30 million, which is 13 million songs less than is actually available to purchase from iTunes). Sure, it's got Taylor Swift's latest album, but Prince (a.k.a. The Artist Formerly Known as Prince) is completely absent from the service (which is weird, because his entire discography is available to stream on MOG). And don't even think about trying to stream The Beatles. Too much going onhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Apple%20Music%205-420-100.jpg A first world problem to be sure, but the Apple Music app has got way too much stuff going on in each of its sections, leaving the app feeling cluttered and somewhat confusing. Apple doesn't provide any kind of tutorial for the app, so expect quite a bit of trial and error as you try to figure out how to do everything. If you ask us, this much information crammed into small areas on various tabs seems to go against Steve Jobs' love of simplicity. Hopefully, Apple will continue to streamline its Music app. http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194029236/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bb5303/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194029236/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bb5303/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233194029236/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bb5303/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/233194029236/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bb5303/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/233194029236/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47bb5303/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/47bb5303/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/8Vt1ZqOgs9c

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/MacLifeWebContent/apple_music_auto_renew/apple_music-hero-470-75.jpgThe highly anticipated Apple Music subscription service has arrived, bringing limitless song streaming to the seemingly endless iTunes library. And the first three months are free! But when signing up, you'll notice that Apple sets you up to auto-renew at the end of the trial, which means monthly charges of $9.99/£9.99/AU$11.99 (individual plan pricing) or $14.99/£14.99/AU$17.99 (family plan pricing) could kick in without you realizing it on September 30. Not to worry: you can cancel the auto-renew right now without affecting your free trial, and it couldn't be easier. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/MacLifeWebContent/apple_music_auto_renew/apple_music-account_settings-420-90.jpg On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > iTunes & App Store, and open your Apple ID. Next tap "View Apple ID" and type your Apple ID password to reach the Account Settings screen. Scroll down until you reach Subscriptions, and tap Manage. Here you'll find everything you're subscribed to, from Apple Music to magazines. Tap your Apple Music membership to bring up details about this subscription. Here you can toggle off auto-renew, or subscribe at any time if you decide to do so. And that's it! Now there's no chance you'll be charged at some future date, so you can enjoy your free trial of Apple Music worry-free. http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193997542/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b7a33c/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193997542/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b7a33c/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193997542/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b7a33c/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/233193997542/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b7a33c/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/233193997542/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b7a33c/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/47b7a33c/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Wwq2YXXfmM4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Microsoft/Cortana-Office365-470-75.jpgCortana takes a bigger presence in the latest Insider Preview Build 10158 of Windows 10, especially for Office 365 users. Microsoft announced that the Halo-inspired digital voice assistant can deliver alerts for flight information, commuter traffic and package deliveries on the desktop, and Office 365 users can now get a glimpse of their schedule with deeper Cortana integration. "By integrating with Office 365, Cortana can proactively help you prepare for an upcoming meeting," Microsoft said in a statement. "Cortana brings you helpful information about the people you're meeting with, recent documents they've worked on, and reminders about when and where you need to be next so you won't be late." Your office assistantScreenshots posted by Microsoft show that Cortana can complement your schedule with glanceable information, like the weather forecast. On Windows 10 Mobile, the screenshot also shows actionable buttons for an appointment entry so you can notify meeting participants if you're running late, or open Skype if it's a virtual meeting. Mobile integration will occur later this year, but desktop and tablet integration is available now. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows10MobileCortana-420-90.jpg In another example, Microsoft shows flight information with a flight tracker to notify if your plane is on time. In the same view, Cortana also delivers traffic information to help you get to the airport on time for your flight. Microsoft isn't the first to roll out proactive or predictive notifications. Rival Google offers similar alerts on its Google Now platform, but Google doesn't have deep integration with Google Apps. How it works and how to get it"Through Office 365, Cortana can pull together insights to help you be more connected – like how you and your colleagues are connected to each other, documents you share and your upcoming meetings with them," Microsoft said. "Cortana will even deliver reminders when that important person contacts you." Microsoft did not specify where it is gathering the insights to make Cortana more useful for work, but Microsoft demoed various work-related features using data from the Power BI platform at the Ignite conference. "This lets you ask questions like 'which projects are due to be finished by July?' or 'which countries are my best customers in?' or 'how many PCs do my customers have by industry?' – which sound like the questions you can already ask Cortana, just with a knowledge base about your business rather than more general web searches," we reported in May. To get Cortana integration, you must be part of the Windows Insider program running the latest preview build, have an Office 365 account from work and be part of an organization that supports Cortana through the First Release program. For organizations that do not want Cortana integration at this time, Microsoft allows IT administrators to opt out of Cortana connectivity in the Office 365 Admin portal. In addition to delivering your daily schedule, Cortana could be used to send emails with your voice. With dictation, you can tell Cortana the email recipient and compose the message with your voice. It's unclear if Cortana's integration with Office 365 is the same personal assistant project that Bill Gates confirmed he is working on. Microsoft is also said to be involved with a Work Assistant app. Windows 10Windows 10 will be available on July 29 for customers to download. Microsoft offers Windows 10 as a free upgrade during the first year of release for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 owners. For ineligible customers, Windows 10 Home costs $129 (£99.99, €135) and Windows 10 Pro will retail for $199. Microsoft has not revealed international pricing for Windows 10 Pro. Cortana will be one of the highlight features of the operating system, allowing users to search the web, find local files on their systems or network and receive notifications and alerts. Other new features included in Windows 10 include the return of the Start menu, new multitasking capabilities, the Microsoft Edge browser and Continuum for users who work with convertible notebooks. In addition to Windows 10 availability, Microsoft has hinted that Cortana could make the leap to competing iOS and Android operating systems. Read our review of Windows 10 http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193997541/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b7a345/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193997541/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b7a345/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193997541/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b7a345/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/233193997541/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b7a345/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/233193997541/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b7a345/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/47b7a345/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/pwlcFxCY6nU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/20_great_image-editing_opener_v2-470-75.JPG Introductionhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/analog-420-90.JPG There are more great image-editing tools than ever before, and they aren't limited to the desktop. We've curated a collection of the best Mac and iOS apps for tweaking, filtering, improving, painting, or just plain editing your favorite photos, no matter where you happen to be. Best of all, most of this software is extremely affordable (or even free), so dive in and find an app that's a good fit for your personal workflow. 1. Photos http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/os_x_photos-420-90.JPG Out with the old, in with the new: iPhoto and Aperture exist only in our memories now, but they've been replaced with a capable new option already on our Macs (the ones with OS X Yosemite, anyway). Coupled with iCloud Photo Library, Photos (free, Mac) keeps all our high-resolution images (and videos, should you want them) in the cloud, available at all times from OS X and iOS devices. Although it may not be as powerful as Aperture, Photos is a great deal faster and more capable than iPhoto. The only thing missing is support for plug-ins or extensions, but Apple announced that's on the way with OS X El Capitan this fall. For many readers, Photos will be all you'll ever need. 2. iPhotohttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/iphoto_9.6-420-90.JPG If you don't need the complete control (and occasional complexity) of Aperture, iPhoto (free, Mac) gets the job done quite well in just a few clicks of the mouse. Although it will soon be replaced by an all-new Photos app, iPhoto's auto-enhance tool makes any photo look great in a single click, and the unified library means you can jump into Aperture to make pro corrections, then right back into iPhoto. There's also rich Facebook integration and iCloud Photo Sharing available, but those who prefer print can create some pretty awesome photo books and letterpress cards as well. And did we mention it's absolutely free? 3. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/lightroom_5-420-90.JPG Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 (Mac) has been working overtime in recent months to become a home for orphaned Aperture users, thanks to a built-in migration tool that makes it easy to switch. Smart Previews allow users to edit low-resolution files on the go and have changes automatically applied to original images when an external drive is mounted, along with pro tools like Advanced Healing Brush, Upright, and Radial Gradient borrowed from the more expensive Photoshop. Creative Cloud members ($9.99 per month and up) can also sync Lightroom 5 images with a mobile app, putting the most-used image editing tools in the palm of your hands. 4. Photoshop Elements 13http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/boy-420-90.JPG Like iPhoto, Photoshop Elements 13 ($99.99, Mac) is for users who want Aperture or Lightroom-style results in just a few clicks. The latest version makes it easy to create photo remixes or mashups, pick the best composition, and offers more comprehensive selection tools while offering five variants for each effect you want to apply. Facebook junkies will love the app's profile and cover photo creation options, while Guided Edits and Slideshows have been improved and Elements Live delivers creative ideas, tips, tricks, and help without having to leave the software. 5. Pixelmator 3.3http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/pixelmator_3.3-420-90.JPG Pixelmator 3.3 ($29.99, Mac) delivers Photoshop-class tools in a package only a fraction of the price, including powerful, pixel-accurate selection tools, top-notch painting, drawing, and retouching options, more than 160 effects, and an elegant collection of professional-grade color correction tools. The latest version adds complete support for OS X Yosemite (including Handoff and iCloud Drive), and also works hand-in-hand with Pixelmator for iPad for seamlessly creating and editing images on the go, while retaining the option to further enhance them back on the desktop. Best of all, there's full support for layered Photoshop PSD files, and images can even be imported from iPhoto or Aperture. 6. Snapheal 2.5http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/snapheal_pro-420-90.JPG If your photo editing needs lean more toward restoration or retouching, Snapheal 2.5 (Mac) provides a deliriously simple UI with the ability to remove unwanted objects like magic, or adjust shadows and highlights on dark or overexposed images. With Snapheal Pro ($39.99 or $19.99 upgrade), the application can even be run as a plug-in inside Photoshop, Lightroom, Photoshop Elements, or Aperture, adding improved image editing algorithms and a Blur brush with selective masking. 7. Capture One 7http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/captureone-420-90.JPG Capture One 7 ($49.50 for Express/$299 for Pro, Mac) is the offering from Phase One, a manufacturer of remarkably expensive medium-format digital cameras. Its software also works with consumer models, though, and Capture One Express is the cheaper option. It claims to have a particularly fast workflow coupled with the best image quality of all editing software, but Aperture and Lightroom don't trail too far behind. 8. DxO Optics Prohttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/dxo_optics_pro-420-90.JPG DxO Optics Pro ($99 for Standard/$199 for Elite, Mac) has a rather scientific approach to image editing, and its selling point is that it claims to correct the flaws introduced to images by camera lenses better than other software. 9. GIMPhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/gimp-420-90.JPG GIMP (Free, Mac) is completely free, and more like Photoshop Elements in Expert mode than any of the others. In the past, it suffered from poor documentation and an unintuitive layout, but now has built-in help, a downloadable manual, online tutorials, and a customizable interface. The Mac version of the app even comes bundled with a raw-image-processing plugin. Get started on GIMP with this guide! 10. Perfect Presets for Camera Rawhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/raw-420-90.JPG Perfect Presets for Camera Raw (Free, Mac) packs 140 filters for Adobe Camera Raw that let you apply tweaks without ever touching a manual tool. It's perfect for beginners. 11. Tiffen Dfx 4http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/tiffen_dfx_4-420-90.JPG Sometimes, all that's needed to make a good photo great is throwing on a filter or two. Tiffen Dfx 4 simulates the look of more than 2,000 award-winning glass filters, delivering 134 digital equivalents and more presets than you can shake a stick at. The latest version adds borders, cartoon, and colorize gradient options, curves and selective detail adjustments, the ability to add grunge effects like film dirt, hair, stains, and scratches, and subtle new Pearlescent and Satin looks created especially with modern digital camera sensors in mind. Tiffen also offers Dfx in Photo Plug-in ($149.95, for Photoshop, Elements, Lightroom, and Aperture) or Video/Film Plug-in ($499.95, for After Effects, Premiere Pro, Avid, and Final Cut Pro) versions. 12. Analoghttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/analog-420-90.JPG Analog ($9.99, Mac) is a flexible tool for adding borders and effects that make your images look like they were taken with a film camera. 13. Adobe Photoshop Mixhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/adobe_photoshop_mix_0-420-90.JPG The desktop power of Photoshop comes to smartphones and tablets with Adobe Photoshop Mix (free, iOS), a non-destructive photo enhancement app that makes it drop-dead simple to cut objects out of images and combine them with other elements. There are also plenty of great looks on hand which can be applied to selections or entire images, and users can open Photoshop documents, individual PSD layers, or even photos from Lightroom Mobile. A free Creative Cloud membership is required to use Photoshop Mix; the latest 1.4.1 version adds smart auto crop technology for the iPad, as well as iOS 8 Touch Size support for more precise finger selections. 14. Hydra Express 3http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/hydraexpress-420-90.JPG Hydra Express 3 (Mac) combines images with different exposures for more tonal range, resulting in finer detail and greater impact. 15. Camera+ 6.1http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/camera_1-420-90.JPG Thanks to the arrival of iOS 8 extensions, Camera+ 6.1 (iOS) just became an iPhoneographer's best friend. No longer do users have to open the app and import an image to apply the awesome Clarity filter — once enabled, it's right there in the built-in Photos app, alongside all of the app's other awesome image editing options. Of course, if you don't use Apple's Camera app, this third-party solution offers a host of other improvements, including a front-facing flash mode for better selfies, touch exposure and focus, and sweet shooting modes like Stabilizer, Timer, and Burst. The latest version also delivers a new Pro quality setting, which processes and stores image in TIFF format with lossless compression. 16. Halftone 2http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/halftone_2-420-90.JPG Sequels are rarely as good as the original, but Halftone 2 (iOS) really delivers the WHAM, BAM, POW! of classic comic books on your iPhone or iPad. There's plenty more here than just adding halftone dot patterns to your favorite photos: Creative options include captions, balloons, stamps, photo panels, page options, and even 720p HD movies, with a host of robust output formats including JPEG, PDF, comic-friendly CBZ, and MP4 video. There's even an experimental 3D anaglyph feature to create images from the bygone era of red and cyan glasses! 17. Sketch http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/mysketch-420-90.JPG With complete control over contrast and brightness, and a range of presets to choose from, My Sketch (iOS) will convert your shots into convincing pencil and charcoal drawings, complete with realistic imperfections and scribbled edges. You can crop your images before you start work and export at a range of sizes. 18. Etchings 1.7http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/etchings_1.7-420-90.JPG Restyle images for a unique textured look on your iPhone or iPad with Etchings 1.7 (iOS), which delivers 12 different styles and complete control over line width, color, and styling. With image exports up to 3300 x 3300, users can put the result on a virtual stamp, frame it, or use it elsewhere as a regular drawing. The latest version adds support for iPhone 6, as well as the option to etch images right from the built-in Photos app using iOS 8 extensions. 19. Rayshttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/rays_ios-420-90.JPG As with the OS X plug-in, Rays (iOS) makes it easy to cast rays of light, which pass through brighter areas and are blocked by darker detail such as window frames or people. You can change the length, color, and opacity of the rays, and the brightness at which they kick in. 20. Previewhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Features%202/computing%20how%20tos/20%20best%20image-editing%20apps%20for%20Mac%20and%20iOS/preview-420-90.JPG Every Mac since the dawn of OS X has come with the Preview application. It doesn't get much attention, but it contains image-editing tools that shouldn't be ignored, especially as they come for free. It can import from cameras and scanners directly from its File menu. Its Tools menu can find options to resize your image, rotate and flip it, and even make adjustments to exposure and color. That's just a start, but be sure to investigate Automator, too, which can do great batch-processing. http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193966944/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b2eef8/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193966944/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b2eef8/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193966944/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b2eef8/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/233193966944/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b2eef8/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/233193966944/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47b2eef8/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/47b2eef8/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/U6PA1WB9SZ8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Dorian-470-75.jpg Electrolux Design Lab competition: the semi-finalists http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Dorian-420-100.jpg Each year, Electrolux holds an event known as the Electrolux Design Lab, a global competition which invites young designers from around the world to submit new ideas for Electrolux products which are based around a specific brief – this year's theme is Healthy Happy Kids. Entrants were asked to submit concepts in three areas: air purification, cooking and fabric care. The winner of the competition receives a €10,000 and a six-month paid internship at an Electrolux global design centre. Thousands have entered the competition this year, but it's now down to 35 semi-finalists, all of which have produced original and innovative concepts based on the theme of children's heath – read on to find out what these top submissions are all about! 1. Air Shieldhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Air%20Shield-420-100.jpg This concept, by designer Dominykas Budinas from Lithuania, creates a microclimate within your child's stroller to ensure that it receives purified air. 2. Airy Leafhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Airy%20Leaf-420-100.jpg The Airy Leaf, by designer Valeriya (also from Lithuania) uses an ionizer filter to create a favourable microclimate of purified air around a child's bed. 3. BIOPRINTERhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/BIOPRINTER-420-100.jpg The concept of the BIOPRINTER, from designer Constanza Fredericksen Neira of Chile, is to convert organic material into biofuel using a process called "liquefaction". 4. Bloomhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Bloom-420-100.jpg British designer Jordan Lee Martin's concept, called Bloom, is to provide a safe, entertaining and educational way for children to take part in cooking, cleaning and growing their own food. 5. Budhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Bud-420-100.jpg Lithuanian designer SImonas Palovis has come up with a concept called Bud, which is an educational gaming device that allows users to taste the food they've created in the game. 6. ButtonLabhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/ButtonLab-420-100.jpg Designer uhlirdom, who hails from the Czech Republic, came up with this concept which finds the best time and way to treat specific items of clothing. 7. Chauvahttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Chauva-420-100.jpg Designer Tomas Blaha of the Czech Republic has created a concept of an air purifier that combats pollen allergies, specifically for children. 8. Cleanspirehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Cleanspire-420-100.jpg Polish designer Łukasz Kowalski came up with this concept, which sees a robot clean and sterilise your bed sheets on a daily basis. 9. Dorianhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Dorian-420-100.jpg Orsan B. Tuluce of Turkey has designed a concept that lets families raise their own 'Tree of Life' in their living rooms with specialised bonsai trees. 10. Echodreamhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Echodream-420-100.jpg Brazilian designer Bruno dos Santos Pierosan came up with this concept, which reproduces wild environments within the family home, so that kids can embrace their adventurous side in safety. 11. Electrolux Hubhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Electolux%20Hub-420-100.jpg This concept, by British designer Angelo D'Onofrio, provides an educational cooking experience for kids in an augmented reality environment. 12. Electrolux Engagehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Electrolux%20Engage-420-100.jpg Currently residing in China, designer Daniel Sällberg has submitted a concept which turns daily kitchen tasks into social activities for the whole family. 13. Floudhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Floud-420-100.jpg The Floud, from Slovakian designer David Jurik, is an active concept seat which not only purifies the air, it also cleanses the body, relaxes you and provides a workout. 14. Flowshttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Flows-420-100.jpg Designer Pascal GRANGIER's Flows concept provides a fun and interactive way to monitor and manage the air quality of your home. 15. FOODYhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/FOODY-420-100.jpg Italian designer Albina has submitted a concept called FOODY which recycles food waste and involves the whole family in the cooking process, allowing them to practice healthy eating habits. 16. Fum-ehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Fum-e-420-100.jpg Finnish designer Joona Tapio Hinkkanen has submitted the Fum-e, a concept kitchen hood which not only helps with cooking, it also gives information about food and teaches healthy eating habits to the whole family. 17. Future Classroomhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Future%20Classroom-420-100.jpg This concept, from designer Tobias Tsamisis of Hungary, is an interactive and self-sustaining kitchen which is used for educational purposes. 18. GUThttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/GUT-420-100.jpg GUT, from Colombian designer Susana Restrepo Dávila, is an air-purifier and interactive assistant which actually grows with your child as if it were alive. 19. HP+http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/HP+-420-100.jpg Dubbed the HP +, Indian designer Omkar Vilas More submitted a concept called which provides a real-life gaming experience that rewards you for indulging in healthy eating habits. 20. IMAGINARIUMhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Imaginarium-420-100.jpg Indonesian designer Larasati created the concept for IMAGINARIUM, a futuristic dream machine with purifies the air while emitting "relaxing lightwaves and scented varieties". 21. KickAirhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/KickAir-420-100.jpg This concept, from Spanish designer Javier Gil Campos, is an air purifying ball that charges when it's kicked around, making the act of cleaning your air a fun event. 22. Kitchen Wizardhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Kitchen%20Wizard-420-100.jpg Polish designer Agata came up with this concept, which helps children learn about food by scanning food products and providing information on them with sounds and light signals. 23. Linkhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Link-420-100.jpg The concept for LINK, from designer Herman of the Ukraine, is a network of personal bracelets which monitors the wellness of children, also helping them eat and enjoy healthy food. 24. Magic Spherehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Magic%20Sphere-420-100.jpg Magic Sphere, from designer Sofia Calvo of Peru, is a concept that helps protect children by turning green when the air is pure, and red when the child is in danger. 25. Magic Wandhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Magic%20Wand-420-100.jpg Designer Lakatos Botond of Hungary created this concept, which is a personal tool which can instantly remove stains from clothes, as well as pathogens and hazardous bacteria. 26. Platohttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Plato-420-100.jpg Plato is a concept by Russian designer Mary Pilyugina, which sees ideal geometry shapes used to emphasise the plasticity of the human body to children in the form of crib toys. 27. Pure Lifehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Pure%20Life-420-100.jpg The concept of Pure Life, from Argentinian designer Tomy Moyano, is based around an air purifier that has a tree planted inside of it, changing its efficiency based on which tree has been used. 28. Q.H[Quadruple H]http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Q.H%5BQuadruple%20H%5D-420-100.jpg The name of this fitness-inspired air purifier, Quadruple H, is a reference to the four elements which make up this product from Korean designer Jeongbin Seo – health, happiness, hologram and hula-hoop. 29. Shake your airhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Shake%20Your%20Air-420-100.jpg The concept behind this device, from Taiwanese designer Yi-Jun-Chen, is to monitor and reduce the concentration of CO2 in interior spaces by shaking a fragrance-emitting device. 30. Sleep-Dhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Sleep-D-420-100.jpg The Sleep-D, from Korean designer ahjeonghan, is a concept which helps purify the air in a baby's room, making it a better sleeping environment, which also monitoring the baby's health. 31. Symbiosishttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Symbiosis-420-100.jpg Brazilian designer João Luís Lopes de Brito's concept for Symbiosis is to teach children what a single plant is capable of, as the device produces 3D laser holographic projection when planted to show the child a glimpse of what is to become a new playground. 32. Ugglahttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Uggla-420-100.jpg Uggla, from Korean designer GuYong Park, is a cute and huggable companion for your child that purifies the air by breathing as if it were alive, and which also has the ability to monitor your child's health. 33. VORIShttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/VORIS-420-100.jpg Mexican designer Martha Fabiola García Bustos' VORIS concept is a friendly monster that lives in children's closets, keeping their clothes so fresh and so clean. 34. Weaverhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/Weaver-420-100.jpg Designer Larissa Trindade of Brazil came up with this concept, which helps extend the life of your garments by recovering colours and textiles in damaged fabrics, and figuring out ways of weaving them back in. 35. YoYoAirhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Randoms/Electrolux/YoYoAir-420-100.jpg Ever wanted a yo-yo that simultaneously purifies the air as it's being played with? That is exactly the concept that Romanian designer Tripon Adelina Ionela has envisioned in her submissions.

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/events/Microsoft%20Build%202015/screen%20grabs/windows-10-laptop-470-75.jpgAfter several decades of embracing and evangelising the concept of software as a product, Microsoft has embarked on its most ambitious project yet; turning its flagship product, Windows (and Windows 10), into a service. The company published a PowerPoint presentation on Friday that prepares the financial sector (read: analysts and the investors) to that change. One slide says "we will have a new revenue recognition model because Windows 10 will include software upgrades provided over time rather than at specifically priced software upgrade events, which will result in the deferral of revenue." On the footsteps of Office 365Microsoft was quick to point out that there is no change to the software licensing business with related deferrals and future recognitions recorded in the "Corporate and Other" segments of the company. What it allows Microsoft to do is adopt a multi-year view of revenue recognition. It acknowledged the importance of deferring allocated revenue to match the changing nature of the operating system as it evolves from being a static, rarely evolving monolithic piece of code to one that undergoes frequent, often radical changes. Windows 10, which launches in a month's time, will likely be Microsoft's last traditional operating system, moving to a hybrid approach (think Office 365) in the future. Coincidentally (obviously), we have just published an introductory guide to Windows as a Service. http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193917905/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47ab7dc2/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193917905/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47ab7dc2/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193917905/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47ab7dc2/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/233193917905/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47ab7dc2/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/233193917905/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47ab7dc2/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/47ab7dc2/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/4FTd4qWroLY

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Windows/Windows%208.1%20hands%20on/81forRT/81forRT%20(8)-470-75.jpgMicrosoft has updated its Windows 10 FAQ to answer one question pertaining to Windows RT, its ARM-based operating system that powered its first two Surface tablets alongside a number of other devices from a wide range of manufacturers. The company confirmed that there will be an update coming for the remaining Windows RT users around the time of Windows 10 release; Microsoft's new flagship operating system will be launched in a month, on Wednesday 29th July. What hasn't been spelt out though is what that update will consist of. An update to Windows 10 has already been ruled out previously given the complexities associated with running a traditional Windows 10 on an ARM. Nearing the endHowever, expect some functionality of Windows 10 to come to Windows RT; Edge, Continuum and a better Store being the most likely. Hello and Cortana require a bit more processing power than these devices could deliver so are likely to be ruled out altogether. Windows RT was perhaps far too ahead of its time in trying to persuade people that ARM-based hardware was the future of Windows devices. They were underpowered, they were not as affordable as expected and legacy apps could not be run. Check out our reviews of Windows 8.1 RT (back in the day) and Microsoft's Surface 2 http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193917904/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47ab7dcc/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193917904/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47ab7dcc/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/233193917904/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47ab7dcc/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/233193917904/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47ab7dcc/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/233193917904/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47ab7dcc/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/47ab7dcc/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/KsyP16k-T0E

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/cellulose-470-75.pngMaterials scientists in Sweden are developing the technology for 3D printers that can turn leftover plant material into full-sized houses. Umeå University in the north of the country will host a project with a sub-goal of producing cellulose-based materials for full-scale 3D printing. That could include anything from doors and vents to walls and eventually entire structures. Meanwhile, materials scientists at Chalmers University in the south recently announced successes in printing with cellulose at a smaller scale. Their experiments combined cellulose with carbon nanotubes to create electrically-conductive materials based on wood, rather than fossil-based plastics and metals. Reinforcing"The idea of the project is to develop a technology that can be used in reinforcing the manufacturing industry in the region," said Marlene Johansson, the director of Sliperiet - the centre that will coordinate the research in Umeå. Sliperiet and its collaborators have received £1.34 million from the EU to create a regional cluster for digital manufacturing and sustainable building. "Combining the use of cellulose with the fast technological development of 3D printing offers great environmental advantages," added Paul Gatenholm, professor of biopolymer technology at Chalmers. "Cellulose is an unlimited renewable commodity that is completely biodegradable, and manufactured using raw material from wood, in essence allowing us to bind carbon dioxide that would otherwise end up in the atmosphere." Japanese startup wants to deliver shooting stars on demand

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/av_accessories/Sonos/Sonos%20Play%201%202Room-470-75.jpgFrom Spotify to Tidal, every music streaming service is judged not just on its music library or its ease of use, but whether you can access it directly via a Sonos speaker. While Sonos confirmed it was more than willing to get on board with Apple's streaming service when it was announced at WWDC, up until now we had no idea whether the service would actually make its way to Sonos speakers around the world. But now we do, with Apple Music senior director Ian Rogers confirming on Twitter that while the service won't be available on Sonos devices at launch, they're working on launching compatibility "ASAP". Meanwhile, Apple has confirmed to Buzzfeed that they are working with the wireless speaker company to deliver streaming music by the end of this year, putting a very definite timeline on the integration. Admittedly, Sonos support isn't going to do as much for Apple's service as having Taylor Swift's latest album available, but it will definitely be a big selling point for current Sonos users.

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/ebook_readers/Reading%20app%20vs/Readly%20vs%20hero-470-75.jpgWhen it comes to entertainment and information, we tend to like the all-you-can-eat model: whether it's streaming music on Spotify or watching shows on Netflix, more and more of us expect to get everything for a flat fee. Could that work for other kinds of content too, such as magazines and newspapers? Readly and Readbug say yes, while Flipboard and Apple's imminent News say "hmmm." The four services are very different, but they all have the same aim: to give you something interesting to read. Readly and Readbug take the Spotify Premium model with flat fees giving you access to all their content, but Flipboard and Apple News are ad-funded. Have any of them got reading right? Let's find out. Readlyhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/ebook_readers/Reading%20app%20vs/readly-420-90.jpg We reviewed Readly back in 2014, and while we liked the app we had some reservations. In particular, the catalogue wasn't as big as we'd like. The catalogue is much, much bigger now and includes pretty much every magazine you might see on a newsagent's shelf including T3, Total Film, Marie Claire, FHM, Empire, Car, Top Gear, cooking magazines, specialist magazines, trashy supermarket titles, kids' comics and so on, with unlimited access for just £9.99 per month. It's available for iOS, Android, Windows and Kindle Fire. Readly's catalogue doesn't just include current issues but back issues too, and new issues appear almost as soon as they hit print. The issues are perfect reproductions of the print editions, so they work best on Retina/HD screens. Expect to do a lot of zooming in and out if you're using a small or low-res device. One of our concerns last year was that Readly didn't have parental controls, so Kids' National Geographic could be racked next to trashy tabloids with appalling cover lines. That's changed and the app now supports multiple accounts. Readly is exceptional value for money. With magazines typically costing around five quid per issue, if you read just three titles a month you're saving cash. We've put our money where our mouths are with this one: we're happy subscribers using our own cash, not a PR-provided account. On a Retina iPad or similar Android tablet, it's a superb way to read magazines. Readbughttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/ebook_readers/Reading%20app%20vs/readbug-420-90.jpg If Readly is a supermarket magazine rack, the iOS-only Readbug is your local indie emporium, stuffed with niche titles the wider world might not even have heard of with a friendly expert telling you about the good stuff. It reproduces photography perfectly but the text is rendered separately, so it's a lot easier on the eyes than Readly, and there's a daily, hand-picked best-of to show you interesting content. The digital text isn't always perfect – the typography is a little inconsistent and we'd have liked the option to specify our own fonts and sizes – but Readbug does a great job of preserving the print layouts (and the magazines' ads). Readbug uses algorithms to analyse what you read and help find related content too. Like Readly, Readbug is £9.99 per month, and like Readly you get access to back issues as well as current ones. And like Readly, Readbug is great value for money – with one major caveat, which is that its catalogue is relatively small and definitely won't appeal to everybody. The catalogue currently contains 37 titles including Dazed, AnOther Magazine, Under The Radar, Sight & Sound, Little White Lies and Things & Ink. It's very pretty and a joy to use, but if your tastes are firmly mainstream this isn't the app for you. Flipboardhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/ebook_readers/Reading%20app%20vs/flipboard-420-90.jpg Flipboard is an odd thing: it's partly a good-looking RSS feed reader, partly a place for you to share the things that interest you and partly a social media-powered recommendation engine. It shows you content from the sites you've chosen as favourites and from other users' Flipboard magazines (if you wish) and it can also grab content from your Facebook and Twitter feeds, creating what in theory should be the perfect magazine. Flipboard is available for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows, Windows Phone and (since February 2015) online in your web browser. Rather than charge a subscription fee, Flipboard pays its way with ads. Flipboard looks good (although we prefer the rival app Zite it bought last year, and whose recommendation system is now part of Flipboard), but its success largely depends on you: if you choose your interests wisely, follow good user-created Flipboard magazines and don't connect Facebook if you like lots of companies' pages then you'll get a much better experience. The Flipboard app on iOS has just been updated to make it more social. Magazine creators can ask readers questions, comment on the stories they link to, add images or request others get involved. If you prefer reading to be a passive activity that won't be of much interest, but it's great if you want to share what you see online. Apple Newshttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/AAevents/Apple%20WWDC%202015/Screens/21-news-420-90.jpg Apple News is a bit of a mystery at the moment. We know it's going to be ad-funded, we know it's going to be based around RSS news feeds, and we know that human curation is going to be a key part of it because Apple is busy hiring journalists and editors. But until it actually launches in Autumn 2015, we don't know whether it's any good. We know some of the partners who have already signed up, a list that includes Wired, ESPN, the Guardian and the Atlantic, but it's unclear whether you'll be able to add your own feeds to the app or whether you'll be limited to the content Apple chooses for you. The demo certainly looks good, but then so did the original iPhone demo – and we know now that the phone Steve Jobs was waving about was barely functional. News might be the death of Flipboard and the future of newspapers. Then again, it might just be another Ping. We'll let you know in the autumn. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/47a387c0/sc/15/mf.gif http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767465383/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47a387c0/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767465383/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47a387c0/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767465383/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47a387c0/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/232767465383/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47a387c0/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/232767465383/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47a387c0/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/DCeB0LoKf-8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone%206%20Plus/HandsOn3/6Plus-HandsOn-16-470-75.JPGApple has published two iOS patents that could give users the ability to send real-time tracking notifications and track users indoors. Described by AppleInsider (which found the two patents) as a tweak to the Find My Friends app, the patent titled "Customization location notification" allows users to request notifications based on your friend or family members' movements. If the request is accepted, when he or she crosses a "geofence boundary," the first user will receive a custom notification, be it a text, email or "other form of communication." Geofenced zones can also be selected, so that when you and your iOS device leave or enter that area, your device can broadcast a notification to the person you are sharing your location with - all of which add up to sound like a more advanced, grown-up version of Find My Friends. Leveraging iBeacon?The other patent, titled "Indoor remote triggered location scanning," describes a technology that allows your location to be tracked inside buildings. This patent would use "nodes" or indoor antennae (basically the same tech used in Apple's iBeacon technology), which can triangulate your device's location, even as you move around. Though the technology for both patents are a little creepy, we can see how it could be beneficial as well. Sending geofenced location notifications could become an easier way to let people know how close you are to, say a restaurant, without having to send texts, a safer alternative than texting while driving. Still, there's no knowing when or even if these two patents will ever find their way onto Apple devices, though perhaps the technology is destined for the iPhone 6S or iPhone 7. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/47960f8b/sc/28/mf.gif http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767355152/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47960f8b/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767355152/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47960f8b/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767355152/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47960f8b/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/232767355152/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47960f8b/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/232767355152/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47960f8b/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Sut2AUU7vvs

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/portable_speakers/Amazon/Echo/review/amazon-echo-shelf-470-75.jpgWhen Amazon first released the Amazon Echo, one of the main gripes we had was that Alexa, the company's voice-controlled AI rival to Siri and Cortana, acted more like a novelty than a fully functioning virtual assistant. Things looks to be changing, however, with Amazon's announcements today that it's freeing up Alexa in hopes to build up the ecosystem. The company has made a free Alexa SDK available, which will allow third-party developers to build their own app support for the platform. Amazon is also opening up Alexa to third-party manufacturers with Alexa Voice Services, meaning we'll likely be seeing Alexa on non-Amazon-branded hardware in the future. An investment in AlexaAmazon also announced the Alexa Fund today, a $100 million investment "to support developers, manufacturers, and start-ups of all sizes who are passionate about creating new experiences designed around the human voice," the company said. There are already seven companies on-board with initial investments, with specialties ranging from children's toys, connected cars, home security systems and personal fitness. This should give you an idea of where we may find Alexa next, or at least where Amazon hopes to find its personal assistant in the future. A is for Android Mhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/47953dd7/sc/23/mf.gif http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767348622/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47953dd7/sc/23/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767348622/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47953dd7/sc/23/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767348622/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47953dd7/sc/23/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/232767348622/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47953dd7/sc/23/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/232767348622/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/47953dd7/sc/23/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/sgfHW6U4X7Q

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010%20background-470-75.jpgMicrosoft created a lightshow to capture the hero image for the desktop background on Windows 10. With ambitious plans to get Windows 10 on one billion devices within the next few years, the image of the Windows logo, captured with smoke, glass and lasers, will instantly become one of the most visible photographs. Prior to this latest photograph, the Bliss desktop theme on Windows XP is probably the most iconic desktop photo, depicting a grassy hill set against blue skies and white clouds. YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL8BBOwupcIA window into the futureThe Windows 10 background was captured by photographer Bradley Munkowitz in a studio in San Francisco, California. Known for his work on Oblivion and the futuristic Tron movie, Munkowitz wanted to create a glass portal with light shining through the Windows logo. The resulting image matches well with Windows 10's darker theme, but unfortunately it won't be animated as seen in the Microsoft video. Windows 10Windows 10 will begin shipping to consumers on July 29. Owners of Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. For those not eligible for the free for the first year promotion, Microsoft announced that Windows 10 Home will cost $129 and Windows 10 Pro will retail for $199. The company also ran campaigns in the UK and Eurozone countries, revealing that the prices in those regions will be £99.99 and €135. The software will bring back the Start menu – the feature was controversially removed on Windows 8. New features include a new Microsoft Edge browser, Cortana digital voice assistant and Continuum for hybrid convertible notebook owners to seamlessly transition between tablet and laptop modes. Let us know what you think of the new Windows 10 background theme in the comments. Read our Windows 10 coveragehttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4793ed0c/sc/15/mf.gif http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767350866/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4793ed0c/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767350866/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4793ed0c/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767350866/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4793ed0c/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/232767350866/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4793ed0c/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/232767350866/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4793ed0c/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/O9GTcuAa7_s

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/office_365-470-75.jpgNot content with being the centre of everyone's productivity within the home, Microsoft is positioning itself to be the go-to place for educators and students by kicking off two new services. Currently available in private beta, the two services take the form of the Classroom Hub website to pull together content from all Office applications and the School Information Sync service that helps administrators gain insights from school data, according to PC World. At its heart, Classroom Hub allows both teachers and students to benefit from a central location where content is stored on each class. This includes notes, assignments, calendars, class materials, and gives both sides of the desk the chance to track exactly what is going on in any given lesson. In addition, there will be a OneNote Class Notebook so that information about each class can be shared by both students and teachers. Software vendors listen inSchool Information Sync, meanwhile, will bring information from student information services straight into Office 365. From there, administrators and teachers will be able to bring a student's name and class commitments into Office 365 applications and others. That isn't all. The latter service provides software vendors with a single API that means school data can be integrated into various other programs and means the data can be combined with apps that bring-in data from a range of sources. Microsoft has been working hard to make Office 365 the application for students and built on this by providing it to certain students in the United States free of charge after Google made a similar move with its Google Apps for Education. Microsoft Office 2016 release date, price, news and featureshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4793beae/sc/28/mf.gif http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767352000/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4793beae/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767352000/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4793beae/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767352000/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4793beae/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/232767352000/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4793beae/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/232767352000/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4793beae/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/5mdi0jYSkkc

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/hands%20on/10074/10074%20(8)-470-75.jpgEuropeans who aren't qualified for the free Windows 10 upgrade during the first year now know how much to save in order to get Microsoft's latest desktop operating system. The Windows-maker had previously announced that US customers who are ineligible for the first year free promotion would have to pay $129 for Windows 10 Home and $199 for Windows 10 Pro. For eligible Windows customers in the UK, Microsoft is running a similar Get Windows 10 campaign, announcing that users in that country could "Enjoy Windows 10 for free," with the price of £99.99 crossed out. Similarly, in countries that use the Euro, the price of €135 was crossed out. When converted, European prices are slightly higher than US pricing, with UK customers paying the equivalent of $155 and Europeans paying $151 for Windows 10 Home. The fine printThe UK £99.99 and Eurozone €135 prices are for Windows 10 Home. We still do not have the price for Windows 10 Pro in those regions. In the US, users who have Windows 10 Home either through a free upgrade or paid license and wish to switch to Windows 10 Pro will have to pay an extra $99 (equivalent to £63, €88). It's unclear how much a similar upgrade to Pro in the UK or Europe would cost. Even though Microsoft is listing those prices currently in its campaign, the company discloses in fine print that this is only the "estimated retail price of Windows 10 Home licence; actual prices may vary." Unfortunately, we still haven't learned pricing for Windows 10 in other markets outside the US, UK and Europe. However, since Windows 10's pricing in the US, UK and Europe seems comparable to the cost of Windows 8.1, it's likely that pricing for Windows 10 in other markets will be similar to Windows 8.1's current price. Windows 10For Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 owners, the biggest appeal of Windows 10 will be the re-introduction of the familiar Start menu. The OS will also bring several new features, including a new Microsoft Edge browser, more multitasking capabilities, Cortana digital assistant and Continuum, a feature that allows the user experience to automatically adapt to tablet or notebook mode for owners of hybrid convertibles. Even though the consumer versions of Windows 10 for desktop will debut on July 29, Microsoft hasn't announced when Windows 10 Enterprise will debut. Similarly, Windows Phone users still don't know when Windows 10 Mobile will arrive. Source: Neowin Read our Windows 10 reviewhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/478b3ae6/sc/28/mf.gif http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767276661/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/478b3ae6/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767276661/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/478b3ae6/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/232767276661/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/478b3ae6/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/232767276661/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/478b3ae6/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/232767276661/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/478b3ae6/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Mu6HZLLgH-g

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/events/Ashes/Ashes-470-75.jpgHow to watch The Ashes this summerIt's shaping up to be a fantastic summer of cricket as England take on Australia in the Ashes series, and TechRadar will tell you exactly how you can watch this most thrilling of sport rivalries. With the normally noisy neighbours in football having a relatively quiet few months without a men's World Cup or European Championships, England fans can concentrate on the traditional summer sport. The bookies have Australia as odds on favourites, but with the likes of Joe Root and Ben Stokes producing some fine individual displays against New Zealand this year, there is a glimmer of hope for England. Sky, Channel 5 and the BBC will all feature England and Australia's five match series in July and August, plus there are five one-day internationals in September sandwiching a T20 match on August 31. The first test kicks off on Wednesday July 8 in Cardiff, and the final ODI takes place at Old Trafford on Sunday September 13. Watch it on Sky Sports http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/events/Ashes/skysportsashes-420-90.jpg Sky's satellite broadcasts on Sky Sports 2 and Sky Sports 2 HD are perhaps the most obvious way of watching the Ashes tour this summer. Sky's tried-and-definitely-tested team of pundits have become a familiar sight and sound through England cricket fixtures, and will continue to provide expert analysis and, of course, all of the latest gadgets and gimmicks to keep abreast of what's going. Sky Sports is a subscription service and can be added to an existing package for £25.50 a month. A new subscription, with the Sports package, will set you back £45.50 a month (with some extras thrown in). Subscribe to Sky Watch on Sky Go http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/broadcast/Sky/Sky-Sports-iPad-UC-2-screen-420-90.jpg If you are a Sky Sports subscriber you can also take advantage of the Sky Go app to make sure that being away from your Sky box does not mean missing the action. The Sky Go app on Android and iOS means that you can watch from your tablet or phone, or you can watch through your browser on an approved device. However, a word of warning: you are only allowed a small number of registered devices so make sure you've planned in advance if you need to switch things around. Subscribe to Sky Buy a NOW TV box and a subscription http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/broadcast/Sky/nowtv/nowtv_chair-420-90.jpg If you aren't looking for a permanent subscription, but you do want to watch on your main television, then you could pick up a NOW TV box and a Sky Sports pass. The NOW TV box is a low-cost streaming option (it's heavily subsidised by Sky and is built by Roku) with an HDMI cable that connects to your network and streams, so you should definitely be sure that your internet speed is up to the task. You can buy day passes for £6.99, but Sky has also brought in a week pass now for Sports that would make a lot of sense for the Tests. Subscribe to NOW TV and buy a NOW TV box Watch it live http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/events/Ashes/cook_ashes-420-90.jpg Yep - it's the most expensive option but watching the Ashes live should definitely be on your sporting bucket list. There are still tickets available, but expect to pay a significant chunk of money to be able to witness the event live - and make sure you take that most critical of things for any event in the English summer - a brolly. Buy a NOW TV packagehttp://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//classifications/computing/mobile-computing/Tablets%20and%20touchscreens/ipad%20accessories/ipad%20cricket%20large%20portrait-420-100.jpg If you already have a device that you want to watch the Ashes on and don't need another streaming box then you can simply get a NOW TV Sky Sports pass and use your own device. Chromecast, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Roku, LG Smart TV, PC or Mac, some Android and most iOS devices are supported - but not Amazon Fire TV at this stage. Subscribe to NOW TV Sky Sport iPad App http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/events/Ashes/skysportsapp_cricket-420-90.jpg One of the more novel ways to watch the cricket is through the Sky Sports app on iPad. For those with the requisite subscription, the app (and iPad of course), you can keep in touch with the Ashes Event Centre. That means a cool timeline so you can see clips of the key events, a Hawkeye analysis tool and, for the first time, a choice of 17 cameras to watch things unfold. Subscribe to Sky Channel 5 highlightshttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/events/Ashes/cricket_jumper-420-90.jpg If you just want to watch the best bits then Channel 5 will be broadcasting the highlights from each day's play. We're just checking with them exactly what time it will be on. The channel is available on terrestrial digital, Freeview, Freesat, Sky, Virgin Media, BT Vision, YouView. First highlights for the Ashes are on July 8 at 19:00 BST The pub http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//classifications/home-entertainment/images/Sky3D_JimmyAndersonLarge-420-100.jpg For those of you who don't want to subscribe to Sky, pay for a NOW TV pass, want more than the highlights and won't attend live there's always the option of finding the nearest local boozer and bagging a stool with a good view of the screen. Matchpint.co.uk has a list of pubs showing the Ashes, but be ready to fork out for beer and nuts. And also be ready for a bunch of rowdy Aussies slating you when you're ordering them.

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/windows-journal-w10-470-75.jpgWhen Windows 10 launches in a few weeks' time, deep inside its lines of code is concealed a nifty little application that seems to have been teleported from the 1990's. While Calc, Paint or even Notepad have had a lick of paint to prepare them for Microsoft's new flagship operating system, the same can't be said about a little known Microsoft app, Journal, which looks almost exactly the same as the original version launched on Windows XP nearly 14 years ago. Journal, which allows users to create and organise their handwritten notes, could be rightly considered the forerunner of OneNote, Microsoft's de facto note taking application, and was launched at a time when the company was trying to position tablet devices as the next big thing. Missed opportunitiesWindows XP tablet edition was supposed to be the OS driving that but it all ended a little bit miserably as its poor hardware keyboard dependent OS yielded abysmal sales. Fast forward to 2015 and Journal joins WordPad and Notepad as the default note-taking applications on Windows 10 with Live Writer, One Note and Microsoft Word Mobile Preview being available for download for free. These two are arguably superior than the three aforementioned applications but their reliance on the cloud as well as their relatively large memory/processor requirements mean that in some cases, a simple word processor is more responsive than its bigger siblings. An ideal open source candidate?Journal embraces a rudimentary skeuomorphic design, offering what looks like a paper notepad (with lines). Basic functionalities like being able to choose between writing tools (pen or highlighter) or converting your scribbles into text (via a useful lasso tool) are there but that's it. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/windows-journal-wxp-420-90.jpg The fact that it exports in a proprietary file type (Journal Note) and can only export in two (Web Archive or TIFF) means that it has little appeal for mainstream users other than irreducible aficionados. For now, Journal remains an unsolved mystery; why would Microsoft allow such an antiquated application, one whose functionality is replicated elsewhere in the system, to exist in its flagship OS? No one knows. For the rest of us, Journal will only ever be an object of curiosity, the vestige of an era of untapped potential when Microsoft could have owned the market for touch devices, one which ultimately fell in Apple's hands. Maybe Microsoft should open source it, just as it did for Live Writer. Best free software for writing: 10 programs to unleash your creativityhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4776a96b/sc/15/mf.gif http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231042159243/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4776a96b/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231042159243/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4776a96b/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231042159243/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4776a96b/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/231042159243/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4776a96b/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/231042159243/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4776a96b/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/bse2DJpnhFI

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/OSX/OSX%201011/wwdc-2015-grabs/mission-control-470-75.JPGIntroduction and split screenApple showed off its latest computer operating system, OS X 10.11 "El Capitan," at WWDC and as predicted it was an iterative upgrade, based around improving the core features of OS X and providing a better experience to users. Just like iOS 9, El Capitan takes the essentials of OS X – Safari, desktop management, Spotlight – and makes them better, tweaking the interface or reworking it slightly. Microsoft's Windows 10 is coming at the end of next month and brings with it a whole new set of features, many of them iterations on Windows 8.1. Both new operating systems will be available for free to those who have already got OS X 10.10 or Windows 8 (both have support that extends even further back from this) and the general theme of improvement runs through both. In this article, we are going to gauge how El Capitan's new features stack up against Windows 10. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/OSX/OS%20X%20v%20Windows/Browser%20(Apple)-420-90.jpg Pin tabs in SafariApple's WWDC keynote spent a fair amount of time talking about improvements to Safari. While many users have switched over to Chrome, the Mac client is traditionally a battery killer and the redesign that OS X 10.10 Yosemite introduced won back support. One of the key features that Apple introduced with El Capitan is the ability to "pin" tabs, making for quick and easy access. The bookmark system of the current incarnation of Safari (version 8) is a little lacklustre and so it's good to see Apple is thinking this through. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/OSX/OS%20X%20v%20Windows/Browser%20(Microsoft)-420-90.jpg Windows 10 introduces a much needed change, ousting Internet Explorer and replacing it with Microsoft Edge, a new and fresh browser that attempts to shake off the reputation of IE. We know relatively little about Edge as it is still in the development stage but it doesn't seem to have any way to pin a tab. Apple is a development cycle ahead of Microsoft in terms of releasing a new browser and so it wouldn't be unreasonable to see pinned tabs being "borrowed" by Redmond and implemented in a later version of the software. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/OSX/OS%20X%20v%20Windows/Split%20View%20(Apple)-420-90.jpg Split screen desktop One of the main updates to OS X comes in the form of windows management, an area that Microsoft has traditionally been strong in. Many of those watching the show noted the similarity between Windows' "snap" window mode and Apple's new Split View. Dragging a window to one side of the screen can split space down the middle in El Capitan, showing two applications side by side. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/OSX/OS%20X%20v%20Windows/Split%20View%20(Microsoft)-420-90.jpg With every update there is a back and forth between Windows fans and Apple fans about who has implemented the others' features – Microsoft introduced a new multi-desktop mode recently, reminiscent of Apple's Mission Control – and it's pleasant to see that each company respects the other enough to borrow ideas, especially as the net gain is for the user. Apple also unveiled a cleaner Mission Control which makes it easier to manage windows and apps, especially with multiple applications open at once. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/OSX/OS%20X%20v%20Windows/Notes%20(Microsoft)-420-90.jpg Better Notes app Note taking is one of Microsoft's fortes, especially with the announcement of the Surface and its pen accessory. OneNote has taken a far bigger role in the makeup of Windows, becoming almost a "mini Word" in terms of its abilities. Meanwhile, Evernote has attracted millions of users across multiple platforms by offering well designed, easy to use apps and services for free, with more available if you pay a subscription. Apple has evidently seen this and has chosen to beef up its note taking offerings, offering a revamp of Notes in El Capitan. Notes can now contain images, videos, links, checklists and so on, and can sync across all Apple devices seamlessly (or so the theory goes) via iCloud. Unlike OneNote and Evernote, Notes is still very much aimed at a consumer audience who don't want to write a book on the service (as Nicolas Carlson of Business Insider did with Evernote). The new checklists feature will be incredibly useful, if not damning for smaller apps, such as Clear. Gaming and MapsMetal for Mac Gaming has never been the strong suit of OS X, despite good hardware on many of the higher-end Macs. iOS, however, has strong roots in mobile gaming and Apple is looking to export some of that gold dust to the Mac via Metal, allowing far faster GPU rendering for developers making for better games. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/OSX/OS%20X%20v%20Windows/Metal%20for%20Mac-420-90.jpg Windows 10 is also set to be a hit with gamers as it incorporates many aspects of Windows 7 (specifically the desktop mode) into the operating system, endearing it to game players in a way that Windows 8 did not. Many of the games on Windows are now becoming available via the Windows Store just as a large quantity of Mac games are on the Mac App Store but it's clear that in gaming, Windows will always have the lead. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/OSX/OS%20X%20v%20Windows/Search%20(Apple)-420-90.jpg Better Spotlight searches Searching for files on a computer can be a frustrating experience, especially if you know the file is out there somewhere. Apple is aiming to take away that frustration by adding a more "natural" element to searches, allowing queries like "documents I wrote last month about Apple". Searches for stocks, sports scores and the weather are all supported, too, right from within Spotlight (which can now be resized and moved around the screen). http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/OSX/OS%20X%20v%20Windows/Search%20(Microsoft)-420-90.jpg Search in Windows 10 integrates Cortana, Microsoft's virtual assistant that is a mixture of Siri and Google Now. While Siri is not available on Mac, Cortana is as yet untested on a PC and only offers as much information as you can get out of Spotlight. Talking to a PC when there is a keyboard right in front of you may also strike some users as odd, especially for hard-to-understand names of files and so on, but the option is present. Apple's approach is far more traditional but that is because no Mac comes with a touchscreen, an area where Cortana may shine just as virtual assistants do on a phone. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/OSX/OS%20X%20v%20Windows/Maps%20(Apple)%20via%20The%20Verge-420-90.jpg Better Maps It is still unknown how many people actually use the built-in Maps app on a Mac (Apple says Maps get 5 billion requests per week but didn't break it down to iOS and OS X) but the company is still innovating, introducing directions that include transfers and public transport information. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/OSX/OS%20X%20v%20Windows/Maps%20(Microsoft)-420-90.jpg Microsoft's offering includes various new features in Windows 10, partly because the software is also available on phones. Powered by Bing, there is a new Street View-style feature, a 3D mode and more available for free on Windows 10. Both clients are also available on their mobile counterparts and the relevance of this on desktop – especially for services such as transit directions – is questionable, but it's nice to see that both companies are focusing on it. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/OSX/OS%20X%20v%20Windows/Big%20Cursor%20(Apple)-420-90.jpg Big cursor This is one feature that is largely specific to OS X and could, if implemented tastefully, be very useful on a day-to-day basis. The feature stems from the question: "Have you ever lost your cursor?" If the answer is yes, OS X 10.11 has you covered – if you move your mouse quickly, it increases dramatically in size for a few moments alerting you to its location. Of course, Windows 10 is also designed for touchscreen so this shouldn't be a problem but it's nice to see Apple has thought through the everyday usage of its machines and software. Windows 10: release date, price, news and featureshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/476dbc14/sc/28/mf.gif http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231123256841/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/476dbc14/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231123256841/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/476dbc14/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231123256841/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/476dbc14/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/231123256841/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/476dbc14/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/231123256841/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/476dbc14/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/otAPHVsDqik

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/audio_systems/Sonos/Sonos%20Play%201/Sonos_Play_1-470-75.jpgSonos has announced that Spotify will be the first streaming music service to take advantage of the new range of features included in its latest update to the Sonos Controller App. The update, which is currently available in beta form to Android users, brings more of Spotify’s most popular features into the app, including the ability to browse and stream specific genres, moods, time-of-day recommendations, and artist radio stations to every room in your home. Don’t fret iPhone and desktop Sonos Controller App users – this newly-added functionality will be available to you in the coming weeks. Sonos has also expressed its excitement for the upcoming arrival of Apple’s streaming music service, Apple Music, stating that it looks forward to “partnering with them to bring Apple Music into the home.” Sonos 5.4 is available to download from Sonos’ website right now. Apple Music vs. Spotify: which streaming service is king?

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/amiduos-470-75.jpgA company better known for producing the BIOS, the precursor to the UEFI, has unveiled a piece of software that brings Android 5.0.1 to the Windows environment, including Windows 10. AMI's AMIDUoS allows owners of Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 computers to run Lollipop on their computer, including compatibility with Android's ART runtime, native support for 64-bit apps and more. Android 5.0.1 essentially runs within a virtual machine and accesses native PC hardware and drivers. That means that peripherals like the touchscreen, sensors, GPS, the camera and more can be accessed by Google's OS. The downside is that it will likely request more resources from the host computer. What's more, both OSes integrate tightly; the clipboard is shared as are directories which means that you will be able to save files and open them independently on either OS. Running Android apps on Windows allow you to access apps that aren't usually available on a desktop or are not available for free. The application is currently in beta and costs $10 (about £6, AU$13) and comes with lifetime updates. AMIDuOS faces stiff competition from BlueStacks (which is free), Google's own ARC Welder Youwave, Genymotion and AndY. How to run Android apps on any laptop or desktophttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/475c2fb1/sc/15/mf.gif http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231049679937/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/475c2fb1/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231049679937/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/475c2fb1/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231049679937/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/475c2fb1/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/231049679937/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/475c2fb1/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/231049679937/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/475c2fb1/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/1SzuBOHfPH4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Android/Android_closeup-470-75.jpgGoogle, Samsung and HTCAndroid M is official and it's set to bring a bevy of improvements to all manner of Google-powered phones. Battery life improvements, greater app permission controls, standardised support for fingerprint scanners, more granular volume controls, USB-C support and new Google Now features are all part of a mix that makes this an exciting upgrade for users - but is your phone actually going to get it? It doesn't have a name yet, though internally it's known as Android Macadamia Nut Cookie - but it's well on the way to launching, with a Q3 release planned (likely in September according to the sources). But do remember that when Android M does launch you won't necessarily have instant access to it, as it's down to device manufacturers to spend time with the new software before imbuing their phones and tablets with it. To make the rollout less of a mystery here's the latest - and constantly updated information - on when Android M is likely to land on the various devices out there. Google and NexusGoogle's Nexus devices will naturally be the first to get Android M. One of their biggest selling points is speedy updates and stock versions of Android. There's every chance Google will launch one or more new Nexus devices to showcase Android M, with Huawei rumoured to be behind one of them, so expect any new Nexus device this year to ship with it. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Google/Nexus6/Review/nexus-6-review-score-420-90.jpg Not all existing Nexus devices will see the update on day one, but the developer preview is available now for the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player, suggesting they'll all get updated pretty soon after Android M rolls out. However earlier Nexus devices may not get the update at all. It's been rumoured that Google will institute a two year update guarantee with Android M and that it will be applied retrospectively, which would mean that while the Nexus 5 will get the update the older Nexus 4, both versions of the Nexus 7, the Nexus 10 and anything older still probably won't. SamsungSamsung did a pretty good job of getting Android Lollipop on to its phones rapidly, so we'd expect to see it start appearing in major handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 shortly after launch. It's possible that the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 will even ship with Android M on board, but with an early September launch likely it will probably arrive slightly too soon for that. Still, it's bound to be one of the first in line for an update. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Samsung/Galaxy%20S6/Full%20review/Hands%20on/Samsung_Galaxy_S6_review%20(21)-420-90.JPG The Samsung Galaxy Alpha and older flagship devices like the Samsung Galaxy S5 are likely to get the Android M update too, though they may have to wait a little longer. Anything older than the Samsung Galaxy S5 is a bit more up in the air as to if or when they'll get Android M, but it's possible that the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will get it. Both of these ex-high-end phones were updated to Android Lollipop, though they'll both be more than two years old by the time Android M arrives, so we wouldn't hold our breath. As for tablets, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S range has been updated to Android 5.0 and is recent enough that we'd expect an Android M update. The Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 may well get an update too, but we're not optimistic about the chances of most other Samsung slates. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014) is still on Android KitKat for example, despite being relatively recent. It's possible that it will simply skip Lollipop and move straight to Android M but there's nothing to suggest that's the case. HTCJeff Gordon, HTC's Senior Global Online Communications Manager, has already confirmed on Twitter that Android M will be coming to the HTC One M9 and HTC One M9 Plus. That's not particularly surprising but he did also say that more devices would be announced soon, so stay tuned. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/HTC/M9/Review/Hands%20on/HTC_One_M9_review%20(22)-420-90.JPG No time frame was given but HTC started rolling out Android Lollipop to its flagships within 90 days of its arrival, so we could well be in for a similar time frame here, in which case it may start arriving sometime in December 2015. We'd expect most phones released by HTC in the last 18-24 months will ultimately get the update, especially high and mid-range ones. That means the HTC One M8, HTC One M8s and HTC Desire Eye are likely to get it among others. We wouldn't totally count the HTC One Mini 2 out either, though it's yet to get Android Lollipop which doesn't bode well. A question mark hangs over the HTC One M7 though, as while that's still a great phone it's also over two years old. Sony, LG, Motorola, OnePlus, Huawei, Asus and ZTESonySony hasn't confirmed which devices will be getting Android M or when, but it seems a safe bet that the Sony Xperia Z3+, Sony Xperia Z3, Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet and Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact will all be in line for it along in all likelihood with recent lower end phones like the Sony Xperia M4 Aqua. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Sony/XperiaZ3/Hands%20on%203/Sony%20Xperia%20Z3%20review%20(2)-420-90.JPG Slightly older devices like the Sony Xperia Z2 and Sony Xperia Z1 Compact will probably get it too. We're less optimistic about anything earlier than that, but you never know, the Sony Xperia Z1 and Sony Xperia Z have both been upgraded to Android Lollipop after all. Anything which isn't already on Lollipop probably won't get the update. That means devices like the Sony Xperia T3 and Sony Xperia E3 could be left out. LGLG has stated that it won't be bringing Android 5.1 to the LG G3, which has led to speculation that it will jump straight to Android M, but we've heard nothing concrete to substantiate that. However we'd be surprised if LG abandoned its 2014 flagship though, so it's believable. The LG G4 will of course get Android M and it may do so quite quickly, as LG started rolling out its Lollipop updates soon after the final version of the software was available. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/LG/LG%20G4/Review/Hands%20on/LG%20G4%20Review%20(10)-420-90.JPG The rumoured LG G4 Pro may even launch with Android M depending on when it arrives, though if not that will likely get updated quite quickly. We'd expect the LG G Flex 2, LG G4c and other fairly recent LG phones will get Android M eventually too, though they'll probably have to wait longer than the G4. It's even possible that the LG G2 will get it, but we wouldn't count on it. MotorolaAs Motorola's phones run a version of Android which is almost stock there tends to be an expectation that they'll receive updates in a timely fashion and hopefully that will be the case here, with updates perhaps starting to arrive before the end of 2015, though Motorola hasn't confirmed anything yet. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Motorola/Moto%20X%202014/moto-x-2014-hero-420-90.jpg We'd expect the latest versions of the Moto X, Moto G and Moto E will all be first in line, as of course will the Moto X (2015) when that launches. Earlier models of the X, G and E range may well get Android M ultimately too, though they may have to wait a little longer. OnePlusOnePlus eventually brought Android Lollipop to the OnePlus One, but it wasn't very fast about it and with the OnePlus 2 on the way and a new OS just out the gates we wouldn't be surprised if the company was a bit busy to be thinking about Android M just yet. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/OnePlus/OnePlus%20One/HandsOn2/OnePlusOne-HandsOn-11-420-90.JPG That said we expect some version of it will arrive on the OnePlus 2 and possibly even the OnePlus One eventually, but probably not until sometime in 2016. HuaweiIf you've got a Huawei device you might have quite a wait on your hands for Android M, as the majority of its devices are still on Android KitKat or earlier. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Huawei/P8/HandsOn3/P8-HandsOn-02-420-90.JPG The Huawei P8, Huawei P8 Max and Honor 4X are probably among the most likely handsets to get the update, but even then it may take a while. Asushttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Asus/ZenFone%202%20hands%20on/zenfone/Asushero-420-90.jpg Asus is another company which often isn't particularly speedy with its updates. The Zenfone 6, Zenfone 5 and Zenfone 4 are only just getting Android Lollipop for example, but nevertheless they are being updated, so we'd expect relatively recent Asus handsets like those ones and the Zenfone 2 will eventually see Android M. ZTEZTE doesn't always bother to update its phones, so if you have one you may have to make do without Android M, though the newer and higher profile it is the better your chances of getting the upcoming Android release. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/ZTE/ZTE%20Blade%20s6/zte-blade-s6-420-90.jpg So there's a chance the ZTE Blade S6 will get the update, but the ZTE Blade V and ZTE Blade Q Mini for example probably won't. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/475c2fbd/sc/15/mf.gif http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231049679936/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/475c2fbd/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231049679936/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/475c2fbd/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231049679936/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/475c2fbd/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/231049679936/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/475c2fbd/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/231049679936/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/475c2fbd/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/moyMb2O5Fug

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Nest%20Cam-470-75.jpgAt a press event today, Nest refreshed its product line with some new devices and new features. First up is Nest's brand new device, the Nest Cam, the home security camera designed to give owners the ability to see the going-ons in their house when they're not there. Designed like a classic dropcam, the Nest Cam will continually stream its video stream to the cloud. You can bend it, twist it, put it on a wall - and it comes with a mount that can stick onto a wall or fridge. There's also a tripid accessory so you can latch it onto just about anything. Nest Cam will offer 1080p resolution, which should provide an adequately sharp image, as well as an 8X digital zoom. The Clear Zoom feature also helps sharpen the picture when you zoom in. Nest also highlighted that its cam offers great night vision thanks to eight infrared LEDs. We got a preview of how sharp the night cam is, and it certainly seemed better than we'd expect. It's smart, too: a unique detection algorithm will detect any strange happenings and alert you on your smartphone with a live feed. You can even select certain objects in the room that you want Nest Cam to pay particular attention to. The camera costs $199, available for order now, and will ship next week. To make more of Nest camera, you'll need to subscribe to Nest Aware for $10 a month. Smoke without fireNext up is a second-generation Nest Protect. "It can learn more, know more, and you can worry less," said Nest's Maxime Veron. The first generation had one type of smoke sensor good at detecting small fires, but Nest has improved the device's accuracy with a split-spectrum sensor which can pick up both slow and fast-burning fires. The reason? In the 1970s, Nest says, a fire could take about 30 minutes to engulf a room. Today, it can take just five. The new Protect can also better tell if smoke is less threatening - a bit of excess smoke from a toaster, for example - and won't bleep unless if feels there's an actual prospect of danger. Third, Nest is updating existing Protect smoke alarms with two new features. The first is a fan shutoff, which will switch off your fans if it detects smoke in your house. The second feature is safety temperature alerts, which will notify your smartphone if your house temperature reaches an unsafe level. Finally, the new App Silence feature will (as its name suggests) let you silence your smoke alarm with your phone. It also costs $99, available to order today, and will be available next month. Developing...

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Apps/Apple-Maps-470-75.jpgThe 39 Best Australian appshttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Apple-Maps-420-90.jpg From the moment that Apple launched its first iPhone, Australian developers have been at the forefront of creating amazing apps for mobile devices. Over the past eight years, the local industry has blossomed, with amazing apps for everything from productivity to entertainment being created by Aussies for the rest of the world. We've pulled together this list of 39 amazing Australian apps for iOS and Android devices, which we'll update as more amazing locally produced apps arrive on our devices. 1. Weatherzone by BOMhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/weatherzone-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free Before smartphones overtook our lives, finding out the weather forecast for the week involved antiquated technologies such as newspapers and sitting through the 6pm news. Weatherzone delivers the temperature straight to your pocket, with all the data sourced directly from the Bureau of Meteorology itself. You get real time data from over 2,000 locations across the country, plus ski and snow reports, BOM warnings and a national radar and lightning tracker. 2. ABC iviewhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/abc%20iview-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free Australia's original video streaming service, ABC iView still holds up as one of the best. More of a catchup TV service than a binge watching smorgasbord like Netflix, the national broadcaster's app has still managed to push the boundaries of broadcasting online in Australia, with original series, digital fast tracking and live news. Given the price, this is an essential download. 3. Stanhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/stan-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free ($10/month subscription) It's no surprise that when the TV networks heard Netflix was planning an Australian invasion, they decided to start their own local competitors. A joint venture between the Nine network and Fairfax media, Stan launched on the web, iOS and Android devices earlier this year, before hitting the Apple TV. While the app is getting constantly improved, the best part about the service is an impressively extensive content catalogue from Australia and around the world. 4. Prestohttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/presto-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free ($15/month subscription) Foxtel and Channel 7's streaming venture may be more expensive than its rivals; it may only offer standard definition streams, but if you want to watch a David Duchovny TV show, it's pretty much your best friend. Leveraging Foxtel's impressive movie catalogue and Seven's local content, Presto is battling its reach and video quality issues with some great content offerings – which keep getting better every month. 5. SBS On Demandhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/sbs%20on%20demand-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone | Price: Free If ABC paved the way for streaming video in Australia, then SBS On Demand made it significantly more cultured. As well as being the home of the FIFA World Cup and Eurovision in Australia, SBS On Demand is also a great way of discovering the best movies and TV shows from around the world, from award-winning documentaries to iconic animation like South Park. 6. Tripviewhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/tripview-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone | Price: $3.79 / $3.99 / $4.89 Sydneysiders will be all too familiar with the perils of public transport in Australia's most populous city. Thankfully, we now have Tripview to help us navigate the mire of confusion that is Sydney's bus, train and ferry network. While a free version of the app lets you check any trip to discover the time of your next vehicle's departure, the full version allows you to save multiple trips for easier scheduling and navigation. It's worth every cent. 7. Wikicamps Australiahttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/wikicamps-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone | Price: $7.49 / $7.49 / $8.59 Sometimes you just need to pack up the car and get the hell away from the city. But where do you go? That's where Wikicamps Australia comes in, with a comprehensive list of over 18,000 campsites around the country, with user reviews, photos and comments on each site, as well as offline maps to help you find the more out-of-the-way locations. You can even narrow down sites by what amenities they have, so if you like the idea of camping but can't handle travelling without 3G connectivity, this is your app. 8. Pocket Castshttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/pocket%20casts%201-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone | Price: $4.99 / $3.99 / $4.29 The world of podcasts is as wide and varied as the people who make them. But listening to your favourite podcast can be a convoluted experience without the right app. Aussie developers Shifty Jelly have created what is arguably the best podcasting app ever produced with Pocket Casts, with features like automatically skipping awkward silences, increasing audio volume for quiet talkers, impressive sharing options and a heap more. 9. Pocket Weatherhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/pocket%20weather%201-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: $2.49 / $1.99 Being able to predict the weather takes years of practice, study and an understanding of science. Making the weather forecast look amazing on your smartphone or tablet is also challenging, but it's something the team a Shifty Jelly has accomplished with Pocket Weather. Beautifully simple yet packed with information straight from the Bureau of Meteorology, you can do much worse than this app for your weather needs. 10. Procreatehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/procreate-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS | Price: $7.49 Quite possibly the most powerful art app available for the iPad, Procreate created a bit of a stir a few years back when it was used to create a hyper-realistic portrait of Morgan Freeman. With amazing versatility through a range of different brush styles, blur tools and layers, Procreate (and its iPhone sibling, Procreate Pocket) are proof that the iPad is definitely more than just a consumption device. 11. Foxtel Gohttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/foxtel%20go-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free (Foxtel subscription required) Foxtel may have jumped on board the binge-watching bandwagon with Presto, but that doesn't mean it's giving up on its core customers. The Foxtel go app requires a Foxtel subscription, but offers access to a large part of your Foxtel package, delivered through the internet to your mobile device. Plus, it's the only legal way to watch Game of Thrones on a tablet in Australia as it airs, so it's kind of worth it. 12. Tenplayhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/tenplay-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone | Price: Free Commercial TV in Australia really took a long time to sort itself out on the internet. Channel 10's effort, dubbed Tenplay, is among the better options out there, with full episodes (with ads!) available to stream after broadcast. For fans of the network's iconic series Neighbours or its reality powerhouse Masterchef, it's definitely a convenient app to have stored on your device. 13. GoCatchhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/gocatch-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free Like Uber, but Australian and without the threat of getting picked up by an unregistered driver. GoCatch lets you book a cab anywhere in Australia, watching it approach on a map on your phone. Once you're done, you can also rate your driver, so the best are rewarded with more trips, while the less pleasant fade into the background. 14. Qantashttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/qantas-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone | Price: Free Unsurprisingly, the country's international airline is also responsible for one of the country's premiere travel apps. The Qantas app lets users shop for cheap flights, book hotels or cars, check their frequent flyer points, and check in to flights from their smartphone. It also recently added the ability for passengers to download digital copies of their favourite magazines to read on the flight and then keep forever. 15. Commbankhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/Commbank-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone | Price: Free The Australian banks picked up pretty quickly on the power of the smartphone as a tool for banking, and the Commonwealth Bank has gone out of its way to pioneer some pretty cool mobile banking features. The app lets you do all the standard account balance checks and transfers you want, as well as withdraw cash from ATMs without your card, make payments from your phone at PayPass terminals (on some phones) and lock up your missing or stolen credit cards. 16. St Georgehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/stgeorge-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone | Price: Free St George customers using an iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 will love the ability to replace the need for passwords and pincodes and use the iPhone's TouchID fingerprint scanner to access their bank details. Also great for all platforms is the ability to quickly check balances without having to log in, instead swiping across to a gauge showing how far your balance is between full and empty. 17. Pocketbookhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/pocketbook-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free Keeping on top of your finances is a never-ending battle, but one that is made significantly easier thanks to technology. Local finance startup Pocketbook lets you keep track of all your expenses and incomes across a wide range of accounts from different Australian banks, and intelligently collates them into different categories. A great tool for managing your budget. 18. Realestate.com.auhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/realestate-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free Thanks to an army of boomer investors, buying property in Australia's capital cities is all but impossible for young people today. But it's still fun to look, and that's where the Realestate.com.au app comes in. Easy browsing by map, with customisable filters for bedrooms, bathrooms and garage spots, as well as rental searches and what properties have sold for in the local area. 19. Domainhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/domain-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free If you have a particular bias towards Fairfax owned media properties over News Ltd, then you'll want to ensure you use Domain as your real estate app of choice. While it offers essentially the exact same service as the Real Estate app, it does so with a green, rather than red colour scheme, and has an integrated Commonwealth bank mortgage calculator. 20. Yahoo! Plus7http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/plus%207-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free In the battle for your catch up entertainment time, Channel 7's joint venture with Yahoo! certainly helps it deliver with its Plus!7 app. While the programming selection is quite limited compared to the likes of ABC iview or SBS On Demand, it does offer a fairly simple (and ad-supported) portal into Channel 7's recent programming. You can also chat with other viewers for certain shows directly from the app. 21. SBS The World Gamehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/sbs%20world%20game-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free SBS not only has a pretty impressive catch up TV app in the form of SBS On Demand, but it also delivers possibly the best app for soccer fans in Australia in its World Game app. With all the latest news from the world of football, plus highlights, video news, tables, fixtures and more, the app also lets you customise your experience by selecting your favourite club. 22. AFL Livehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/afl-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone | Price: Free, with in-app subscription Sport is big business here in Australia, so it's probably no surprise that the official AFL app comes from a major player, like Telstra. The good news is that the app offers the ability to watch every match from the AFL season, including finals, from your smartphone. The downside is that you need to pay for the privilege, which costs $90 a year. Telstra customers also get to stream from the app unmetered. 23. Seekhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/seek-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free If you need a new job – and let's face it, you probably do – then you need to install the Seek app. As soon as you setup your login, you can create a series of pre-determined job searches. Then, you will receive notifications whenever a new job is listed meeting those criteria, so you will never miss an opportunity. Throw in the ability to upload a CV and apply directly from the app, and you have a ticket to your next career move in your pocket. 24. NRL Official apphttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/nrl%20live-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone | Price: Free Telstra spent a pretty penny getting the digital streaming rights to not just the AFL, but also the NRL, and this app is the end result. Just like the company's AFL app, you get access to all premiership games of the Rugby League streamed to your mobile device for an annual fee of $90, although only seven are available live each week. There's also a massive archive of older matches, and it's all unmetered for Telstra customers. 25. Omnyhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/omny-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS | Price: Free Commercial radio today is designed to cater to a broad audience. And while Pandora tries to counter that with personalised music, Aussie app Omny takes it one step further by combining your Spotify and Pandora playlists and blending them with podcasts you might like, and personalised notifications. The end result is a truly personalised radio experience. 26. Lasoohttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/lasoo-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free Paying full price for stuff is crazy in this day and age, with websites and apps dedicated to telling you when things are on sale. Lasoo combines good, old fashioned retailer catalogues with digital purchasing, to let you grab bargains from your local department store or retail outlet. 27. Canvahttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/canva-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS| Price: Free It's like having an art department on your iPad. With a collection of templates and the ability to purchase stock photography cheaply directly from the app, Canva offers the ability to create everything from business cards to presentations, as well as simple things like engaging social media posts. With an incredibly simple interface, even the most design illiterate person can create attractive products. 28. Hello Localhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/hello%20local-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free Sometimes the best savings creep up on you unexpectedly. Especially when you're using the Hello Local app, which will send you a notification of a great deal as you walk by a participating store. By using your location information, the app can give you the best deals on products that interest you, without sharing your personal information. You can also filter the types of deals you receive, so you're not spammed by the latest offers on moist towelettes (unless you want to be, of course). 29. Bodywisehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/bodywise-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS | Price: Free Being able to get on top of your fitness goals is a challenge, especially with the endless stream of fitness wearables hitting shelves. Bodywise is trying to become your software hub for your fitness goals, syncing with Jawbone and Fitbit devices, as well as HealthKit in iOS. Rather than counting calories, the app focuses on the important things that will make a difference to your overall health, like alcohol or smoking. 30. Cookhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/cook-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS | Price: Free The App Store has no shortage of apps designed to help budding chefs perfect their culinary masterpieces in the kitchen, but Cook is noteworthy for a few reasons. Firstly, it was developed in Australia. Secondly, it is extremely personalised, with the ability to customise everything from the font to the image, and then share it with the world. 31. Discovrhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/discovr-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS | Price: Free Relying on Apple's iTunes music recommendation engine is a pretty flawed approach at discovering new tunes. Better is to explore this little app, which uses intelligent algorithms and a simple, connected graph-like interface to show you which artists you should be listening to, as well as giving you the links you need to actually click through and purchase the music or watch the artist on YouTube. 32. Clipphttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/clipp-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free The days of placing your credit card behind a bar for a good night out are well and truly behind us now, with Aussie app Clipp landing on iOS and Android. Supported at over 500 bars around the country, the app lets you flash your phone at the bar staff to add drinks to your tab, and then close the tab by "closing" it and paying with your PayPal account. You'll get your receipt emailed immediately, and earn rewards points all at the same time. 33. Beanhunterhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/beanhunter-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free Early mornings are hard, especially in that wicked time between waking and your first cup of coffee. To find the best cup of caffeine to get you started in the morning, there's the Beanhunter app, which lets you find the nearest cafe, or browse by name, roasts or brew methods, and then review the coffee for other users. And if you're one of those people who just loves taking photos of coffee, you can do that too. 34. ANZ goMoneyhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/anz%20gomoney-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free With a name like goMoney, you just know this app is going to be all about watching where your money goes. ANZ's mobile banking app lets users easily check balances, pay bills, and perhaps most importantly, send money to anyone with nothing more than their mobile phone number, placing the onus on them to actually collect the money rather than you delivering it. But seriously, have you ever known anyone to not collect free money 35. Gydehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/gyde-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS | Price: Free With all these shiny new video streaming services launching in Australia, deciding what to watch can be a truly confusing adventure. Enter Gyde, which lets you browse through movies that you might want to see, and then tells you what service you can watch it on. What's more, it also knows what you can get through iTunes, so there's almost always an opportunity to catch up on films you've been wanting to see for ages. 36. Gift planhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/gift%20plan-420-90.jpgPlatform: iOS | Price: Free Facebook might be great at reminding you about birthdays, but it doesn't fare so well as a reminder on when you need to grab your 5 year old nephew a birthday present. Gift Plan is designed to help make buying gifts for anyone easy, with the ability to add ideas, photograph purchased items and set reminders of when you'll need to head to Toys 'R' Us. It also works for everything from Christmas to your anniversary, which is sure to help save at least one relationship this year. 37. eCoffeeCardhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/ecoffeecard-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone | Price: Free Forget about filling your wallet with dozens of incomplete rewards cards for each cafe you visit. eCoffeeCard lets you scan a QR code at your cafe to register each coffee purchased, so you can mark another one off on your quest to redeem a free coffee. It also has the ability to rate cafes and see special offers, but really, you're just here for the free coffee. 38. Streakshttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/streaks-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS| Price: $6.49 If you want to make something happen, you need control, discipline and an app. Streaks helps you create better habits by letting you track six tasks you want to complete everyday, from reading to exercising. The app pulls in data from Healthkit to automatically tick off your activities, or you can mark off your own activities. 39. Airtaskerhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/Apps/Best%20AU%20apps/airtasker-420-90.jpg Platform: iOS, Android | Price: Free Need something done, but don't want to do it yourself? Airtasker will let you pay someone – anyone – to do your dirty little jobs for you, for a small fee of course. From cleaning your bedroom to picking up your laundry, to lining up to buy one of the first iPhone 7 handsets, Airtasker proves that people can do pretty much anything to make a bit of coin on the side. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4752d5e5/sc/28/mf.gif http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231123101855/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4752d5e5/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231123101855/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4752d5e5/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://rc.feedsportal.com/r/231123101855/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4752d5e5/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/231123101855/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4752d5e5/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/231123101855/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4752d5e5/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/bkccU-XtMms