sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/microsoft-outlook-accompli-470-75.jpgRemember Accompli? The start-up that produced an eponymous email app and somehow convinced Microsoft to fork a whopping $200 million (about £130 million, AU$220 million) for it back in December 2014. Well, Microsoft has rebadged the app and released it again on iOS and Android for free. It took it just over a month to do it and you still get advanced features like an integrated calendar, email management tools as well as tight integration with Microsoft's own cloud based solutions. You can save files to OneDrive for example and the app is compatible with Office 365, Exchange and Outlook.com. The app is available on iOS and Android although only in a beta/preview mode for the latter. Interestingly, while Office for desktop includes Outlook, Office for mobile devices – including Android and iOS – doesn't. Microsoft did give a peek at a new Universal Outlook app for desktop and mobile platforms at the Windows 10 event last week, one that include Word editing capabilities. Outlook.com, nee Hotmail, was acquired by Microsoft in 1997 for an estimated $400 million ($590 million adjusting for inflation, about£380 million, AU$740 million at today's rate). Check out our review of Office 365http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42d51c1a/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611202435/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d51c1a/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611202435/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d51c1a/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611202435/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d51c1a/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611202435/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d51c1a/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611202435/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d51c1a/sc/15/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/cloud_services/Fuzebox/fuzebox-470-75.JPGIn today's software-driven business landscape, delivering applications every few months just doesn't cut it. If you want to remain competitive you must be prepared to continuously release innovative, high-quality applications to satisfy growing customer and business demands. But how can you do THAT, when costs are increasing and budgets tightening? That's where DevOps, the methodology that fuels richer collaboration between development and IT operations teams, comes in. Putting a DevOps culture in place – and then leveraging and investing in the tools needed to support it – enables businesses to better compete in today's app-driven, cloud-connected, mobile-everything world. We spoke to Ritu Mahandru, Vice President Solution Sales, Application Delivery at CA Technologies, on the subject of DevOps and how it can work for your organisation. TechRadar Pro: There has been growing buzz about DevOps. What is DevOps and how can it best be deployed in the enterprise? Ritu Mahandru: DevOps is about breaking down the barriers between software development (Dev) production and operations (Ops), and presents a pathway for these two functions to work together seamlessly. It's essentially about improving the quality, security and speed of delivering new apps to market, tightly integrating development and operations in order to do so, with reduced costs. This is vital in today's application economy. TRP: Is DevOps a technical movement? RM: DevOps is a methodology that unites the often separate functions into a single, integrated and continuous process. It's about bringing teams together to work collaboratively so the reality is that business outcomes drive DevOps, not the technology. DevOps is about organisational change, not a technology. TRP: What business issue does this address? RM: Dev is focused on software development and faster innovation. Ops is about business stability, control, and predictability. They often don't even report to the same places in the organisation. The result can be employees don't work well together and the software doesn't work reliably. That's what DevOps solves. TRP: It seems impossible to divorce the hype from the reality – doesn't that create a lot of confusion? RM: There are a number of myths around DevOps. People think DevOps is just another new buzzword that can only be understood by a new breed of IT professional using the latest tools. In reality the problem isn't the people, it's the organisational structure. A rigid culture and a "one skill in a box" approach restricts broader skills development. DevOps is about reversing this and opening up the organisation to work together better. TRP: How can organisations encourage a broader use of skills? RM: First review and assess the untapped skills of your current employees before looking further for specific DevOps talent. Look for Ops professionals who think like coders and coders that understand the need for business alignment. TRP: So what is the role of technology in implementing DevOps? RM: It's about using technology as a driver to accelerate DevOps goals, and removing physical constraints and bottlenecks that interrupt the flow of value to customers. For example, by automating the release process as much as possible – more releases generate more business and less IT headaches if done right. TRP: Many businesses just outsource these functions, so does that mean there's not much of a case for DevOps? RM: The reality today is that every business is a software business. While there are significant challenges to the application economy, enterprises are not sitting back – they are acting quickly. Enterprises are reversing a long-standing trend toward outsourcing and bringing more software development back in-house. JPMorgan Chase now has more software developers than Google and more technologists than Microsoft. TRP: So are you predicting that DevOps will change the world? RM: The success rate for development projects hasn't improved much in 20 years and some reports suggest that over 50% of ERP projects have failed to meet original expectations of ROI, cost and timings. DevOps solves problems using the adaptation skills of your workforce. When thinking about DevOps, look at your business first and IT second. Embrace new techniques, experimentation, new design approaches and be innovative! The rise of the DevOps culture, and why it's importanthttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42d51c21/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611202433/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d51c21/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611202433/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d51c21/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611202433/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d51c21/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611202433/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d51c21/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611202433/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d51c21/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/Internet%20Of%20Things/internet_of_things-470-75.jpgOfCom just published a paper on how it's going to deal with the internet of things, the rather vague term that waves a hand in the direction of all the electronics that are suddenly getting smart. While the paper doesn't make any bold claims or plans, it does say OfCom will look into the security of the infrastructure required to get this whole internet of things off the ground. As smart devices start taking over parts of our lives that were previously mechanical, the potential for hacking becomes all the more horror film-like. Smart locks that spring open at an intruder's command? Smart home security systems that could be used to spy on, instead of protect, you? There's clearly some work to be done here to avoid a future disaster. The paper explains that OfCom sees IPv6 as a big part of this connected future.This is a new internet protocol much more advanced than the IPv4 one our digital world is currently based on. It allows for an order of magnitude more IP addresses to coexist, meaning that there would be less need for IP sharing. With the connected home becoming a reality right now, and the IoT expected to be an $8.9 trillion market by 2020, these sorts of changes are needed sooner rather than later. via ITPRO

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/29th%20Jan%2015/6dealsmain-470-75.jpgTechRadar has a team of tech-savvy super-elves putting together our daily deals, and today we've got some great ideas for some January bargains. We've got TV deals, gaming deals, phones, speakers and more! Let's start with this great deal on a Philips 4K TV. This 50-inch machine comes packing Philips' legendary good looks, Ultra HD screen and currently costs just £699 at Argos. January Sales: quick linksAmazon's Daily DealsGAME salesJohn Lewis Clearance SalePC World SaleCurrys SaleVery Electrical SaleTesco Tech SaleZavvi SaleGift cards: Amazon gift cards | Gift card store | John Lewis gift cards|Currys gift cards|PC World gift cards | GAME gift cards HOT DEALS of the DAYhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/29th%20Jan%2015/2XBOXONE-580-100.jpg First up, a great deal on an Xbox One. The console has been selling very strongly of late, and can now be picked up for as little as £279! http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/29th%20Jan%2015/1SAMTAB-580-100.jpg Or if you're looking for an amazing new tablet that's not an iPad, your best bet is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 1 10.5-incher. You can get the super-connected version with 4G, Wi-Fi and a 2560x1600 Super AMOLED screen for just £279 with the code NPR-15W-E4W-4ZK - normal price is £479. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/29th%20Jan%2015/3TAB-580-100.jpg Or if a cheap and cheerful tablet is what you're wanting, how about this Toshiba Windows 8 tablet? Currently going for less than £50 at eBuyer! http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/29th%20Jan%2015/4MISFIT-580-100.jpg Fitness trackers are all the rage at the moment and they enable you to track your activities and calorie comings and goings. The Misfit Shine is currently discounted to £49 at Tesco Direct. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/29th%20Jan%2015/5AKG-580-100.jpg AKG is one of the best headphone brands around and there's currently a great deal going at Amazon on the K451 headphones. They're currently £49, down from £130. MORE TECH DEALSAsus TF103CX Intel® Atom Processor, 1Gb RAM, Wi-Fi, 10 inch Touchscreen Tablet - Silver - £106 Seagate Expansion 2TB USB - £54.99 GoPro Battery BacPac - £29.99 Cruzer Blade 64 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive - £16.42 TDK T78920 A33 Wireless Weatherproof Bluetooth Speaker - £66 Nomad ChargeKey (iPhone) - £7.99 VTech InnoTab 3S With £10 App Card Included, Blue - £19.99 Toshiba 2TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive - £55 Misfit Flash Personal Physical Activity Monitor - £24.99 GAMING DEALSNeed For Speed: Rivals (PS4) - £26 Shape Up (Xbox One) - £17.99 Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - £25 Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved - £16.85 Learn with Pokémon: Typing Adventure - £6.99 Ryse: Son of Rome - £19.85 MLB 14 The Show - PS4 - £20

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/microsoft-office-android-official-470-75.jpgMicrosoft's Office for Android tablets suite has emerged out of beta after three months in the labs and can be downloaded to your mid-sized tablet of choice for free. So long as you have a Microsoft account and a tablet with a display that's between 7 and 10.1-inch in size, you can download and use the free (basic) versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint to your heart's content. Owners of larger devices will have to cough up for an Office 365 subscription. You will also require it on smaller tablets if you want to take full advantage of all the productivity offering's features. Like their iOS counterparts, Microsoft's Office for Android tablet apps allow you to create and edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations by swiping and prodding your tablet's display. The apps are available to download now from the Google Play Store. Microsoft has been giving away free 1-year licenses for Office 365 Personal on entry level tablets like the Linx 7. Office for Android Beta hit about 250,000 downloads while its iOS counterpart clocked more than 80 million to date. Read our Office 365 reviewhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42d3c46f/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611140461/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d3c46f/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611140461/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d3c46f/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611140461/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d3c46f/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611140461/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d3c46f/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611140461/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42d3c46f/sc/21/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/Apple/Tenplay%20Apple%20TV-470-75.jpgAfter years of being considered a hobby product, the Apple TV streaming box has finally begun delivering Australian catch up services, with Channel 10 this week launching TenPlay for the Apple TV. The service automatically begun appearing in the app grid of the Apple TV, bringing access to Channel 10's collection of catch up programming across its One, Ten and 11 digital channels. Full episodes of shows like The Project, I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and SharkTank are all available to stream minutes after broadcast. While TenPlay is no stranger to a variety of platforms, with apps for iOS, Android, Xbox One and more, it has claimed the mantle of being the first Australian catch up TV service to launch on APple's little black box. It's just not cricketTenPlay may offer a massive glimmer of hope that Australian entertainment companies are beginning to leverage Apple's box, but it's not the first Australian app to get on the box. That title actually goes to Cricket Australia, which launched a Cricket app earlier in January for the Apple TV. The Cricket app offers a similar approach to sports catch up as the MLB and NBA, but without any live streaming. Instead, cricket fans can enjoy news, highlights and archival footage via the Apple TV's interface. TV of the futureWith the arrival of Stan and Presto – and not to mention the impending launch of Netflix in Australia – the streaming market is becoming significantly more competitive, and accessing that content on the big screen is going to become increasingly important to users. Devices like Fetch TV will be working hard to bridge the gap of customers who want to both watch broadcast TV and stream video, but if Apple can create a complete hub of streaming services down under, it will certainly help local uptake. But still, the fact that Apple has launched two Australian streaming services this month is a promising development for the future of the device. Apple TV is great and all, but have you read our Chromecast review?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42cf8cf8/sc/28/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/219132422650/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cf8cf8/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/219132422650/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cf8cf8/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/219132422650/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cf8cf8/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/219132422650/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cf8cf8/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/219132422650/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cf8cf8/sc/28/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Generic/Home%20working/PCA201.exp_cover.istkman-470-75.jpg2015 will be a year of setting priorities for business software users and vendors alike. At a time of digital reimagining in the workplace, there is much to do to keep the next generation of workers and customers happy. Industries are being challenged by disruptive new business models so it's imperative they make the right technological decisions. Everyone is focused on building a business for the digital cloud era. Organisations want to use emerging IT delivery models to safely innovate and drive business efficiencies, whilst making the most of the huge investment already made in their enterprise backbones. Cloud is the future and 'cloud your way' will be the theme over the next few years. Everything will focus initially on value generating, customer-focused initiatives, where quick tangible benefits can be achieved from new technologies like social, mobile and analytics. Building effective communities that deliver valuable customer service in the long-term is vital. Given this shift in thinking, here are my top five priorities that I believe will affect the business software industry in 2015. People over productsNew technology has the power to strengthen the services industries, and free up people to focus on customer service and engagement, instead of spending time inputting data into difficult to use systems. 2015 will see more companies rethinking their customer experience and the systems they use to support their people to deliver that experience. New technologies and a new digital mind-set make this new kind of service focus not only possible, but essential, and has put customer service at the front of the queue when it comes to successful business, no matter what your business. Mobile over desktopFor years business software has struggled to keep up with our love of mobile and the proliferation of mobile use for business. Most vendors have already released mobile versions of their systems to some extent. However, a superior mobile experience, particularly in complex areas like ERP, requires more than making the software compatible for the dominant mobile operating systems. The new generation of mobile ERP requires the mobile-first thinking that consumer app builders have. These apps are linked to the core system and designed for specific tasks, like expenses, reporting and time registration. 2015 will be a year of mobile developments in business software. Customer over service providerTraditionally business software has been a market of long-term upfront investments. Companies purchased a new ERP system and invested millions of dollars for multiple year deployments and became so entwined with their software that switching became almost impossible. Digital technologies and mind-sets have changed all this. Subscription pricing and simple switching means the customer is king and their long-term success is key to a vendor's long-term success. It's a new world of customer feedback too. Software vendors have a new responsibility – the power is no longer in their hands but in the hands of the customer. In 2015 we'll see more businesses setting up customer success teams with this in mind. Users over consultantsIn a world in which change is the only constant, rigid systems have the power to stop organisations from changing with it. The key to success in the 21st century is to be flexible (both adapting to new business models and scaling up or down as required). This will be an important consideration for software purchasers in 2015. Traditionally business software users have become accustomed to systems that can only be altered with the external help of a consultant or developer. The new reality in 2015 will be that businesses wish to switch from one vendor to the other in a matter of days; the ability to make changes to the system without external assistance is a key competitive advantage. Experience over functionalityBusiness software users have a seamless, easy and convenient digital life in their private lives delivered through smartphones, cloud storage and social media. As this mind-set and technology advancements proliferate, our tolerance for clunky, difficult to use systems at work is diminishing. The consumer workplace requires social collaboration, mobile devices, role-based intelligence and cloud computing to be brought together and this is where organisations will focus attention over the next few years. Customer experience will start to trump breadth of functionality as the key software priority until enterprise systems begin to catch up with consumer applications. Helen Sutton is the Managing Director in the UK and Ireland for UNIT4 Business Softwarehttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42cd111e/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611173679/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cd111e/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611173679/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cd111e/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611173679/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cd111e/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611173679/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cd111e/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611173679/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cd111e/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/ChromeOS/Chrome%20OS%20OpEd/Acer%20Chromebox%20CXI-470-75.jpgIn need of some spit and polishWhen Chrome OS was announced in July 2009 it was a bold idea that traded the ever increasing complexity of PC OSes and traded it all for a robust web browser. The idea behind it all was a simple, lightweight operating system that would run most all of it's applications through a web portal. By running practically all programs through a web browser this allowed manufacturers to build devices with a modicum of processing power and memory compared to a system running Windows or OS X. After a few early stumbles these low-powered Chromebooks, Chromebases and Chromeboxes have matured over the years. Now Chromebooks are all grown up; Acer announced its biggest unit yet with a 15.6-inch screen while the Samsung Chromebook 2 pushed the envelope on budget design and engineering. While the hardware has stepped up, how far has Chrome OS come along in the same five years? As I recently found out, not very far at all. I would be wrong to say there haven't been any new features added; a three-finger swipe expands a Expose view of your open windows, Google Now cards trickled down from Android to Chrome along with a handful of apps, plus Google added multi-user support in September 2014 Despite these small changes, the cloud-based OS and its web apps have remained relatively the same in the last five years. At the same time, we've seen some stark revisions to desktop operating systems including Windows 10 and OS X Yosemite. Google still has some big gaps fill in with Chrome OS. Here's what I found missing after living in the cloud for a week with the Acer Chromebox CXI. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/ChromeOS/Chrome%20OS%20OpEd/Chrome%20OS%202009-420-90.jpg http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/ChromeOS/Chrome%20OS%20OpEd/Chrome%20OS%202014-420-90.jpg A new lookComparing these two images of Chrome OS circa 2009 to its modern counterpart, it clear not a lot has changed. It might just be personal preference but I feel the UI could certainly use a bit of spit and polish. It doesn't have to compromise the spartan aesthetic of Chrome OS either. Google could simply add a few more Android Lollipop material design inspired animations and icons to spruce things up visually. At the same time it would make sense for this always web-connected operating system to send more periodic updates. Google Now cards could pop up as they do on Android Wear, notifying users of information pertaining to their location and recent searches. As it stands Google Now notifications only show me that I've taken a screenshot and to remind me of an upcoming meeting, but it fails to notify me when I've received an email and messages. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/ChromeOS/Chrome%20OS%20OpEd/Chrome%20OS%20App%20Store-420-90.jpg An expanded app storeWhen I first visited the Chrome OS app store last March, it was in a sad state of affairs. The digital marketplace was a mess filled with unofficial Spelunky and CounterStrike clones ported over to the cloud-based OS. Other apps and games, meanwhile, only existed to spam you with advertisements once you've downloaded and opened the software. After revisiting the store in the last week, things have improved. Android apps ported over to Chrome OS have bolstered the app store, and there are games like Angry Birds and Cut the Rope. Meanwhile, there are a few more useful productivity tools such as Mint, Wunderlist and Evernote. Technically these are only neatly presented wrappers over what are essentially pre-existing web apps, but it's one good step towards making Chrome OS better integrated with mobile devices. I hope Google will continue expanding its app store offerings so Chrome can truly compete with Windows and OS X. Gaming and photo editing on Chrome OS?New functionality that's not in betaChrome OS it's great for web browsing, streaming media, and everyday computing, but going outside of these typical tasks gives Chromebooks a bit of trouble. Take image editing, for instance. There are a few useful tools already on the app store, including Photoshop Express and Pixlr image editing software for artists who need to work in layers. Adobe's Project Photoshop Streaming is another step towards expanding the capabilities of Chromebooks by adding RAW image editing on the cloud, but it's currently limited to beta. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/ChromeOS/Chrome%20OS%20OpEd/Photoshop%20Streaming-420-90.jpg While most Chromebooks are outfitted with Intel processors capable of working with these uncompressed image files, Adobe's software isn't made to run on Chrome OS. By streaming the application, I was able to edit the image as if I were working on my Mac or Windows machine, toggling settings and seeing the live changes. It's amazing considering that all the heavy duty image processing is being piped over to an Adobe server miles and miles away. However, the Photoshop Streaming projects currently only exists as an incredibly closed beta. First users have to be enrolled in a Creative Cloud subscription and be a qualified Creative Cloud education member before they can even get to applying for the selective beta. It's great that Google is experimenting adding a small sprinkling of Android apps and supports the Photoshop Streaming beta, but Chrome OS is going to need more full-fledged features to make itself stand out. Especially after both Apple and Microsoft adding collaborative cloud-based features to their respective iWork and Microsoft Office 365 productivity suites to steal back some Google Drive users. More video codecs pleaseNative video playback is one of the niceties that Google baked into Chrome OS's built-in file browser and it works beautifully for AVI and MP4 files. However, throw a MKV video Chrome OS' way and Chrome simply won't play any audio. Furthermore the operating system won't recognize files encoded in WMV at all. You could download PLEX and transfer your files to a media server, but streaming media isn't feasible option for users stuck on a flights spanning more than ten hours. There are few devices that last as long as a Chromebook, and some more robust video support would go a long way to making extended travel bearable. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/ChromeOS/Chrome%20OS%20OpEd/Bastion-420-90.jpg Browser gaming that should already be hereBastion and From Dust stand out as two shining beacons of of browser gaming. Unfortunately they're also the only two games that are actually available in the app store. Browser gaming seemed like a great promise in March 2013 as Firefox added support for both the Unity 5 engine and Unreal Engine 4. Since then, any sort of developments in the browser gaming front have simply disappeared, contrary to the ever increasing popularity to streaming gaming with services like PlayStation Now, Steam's built-in streaming technology, Windows 10's Xbox One streaming and Nvidia Grid. With streaming games becoming a bigger part of the console and PC world, Google should be capitalizing on this chance to make Chrome OS it's own gaming platform. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/ChromeOS/Chrome%20OS%20OpEd/Toshiba%20Chromebook%202-420-90.jpg Coming back to earthThere are plenty of advantages to using Chrome OS-powered device. They're often more affordable, lightweight and hardly ever get hot compared to a system running Windows or OS X. The simplicity also makes the OS a great choice for anyone who just needs to get by with a basic computing suite or businesses that need to equipping employees with a full suite of productivity software for next to nothing. Still the operating system could use a bit more polish and functionality. In a week of living with the cloud-based OS, I found myself repeatedly running back to my Mac and PC to play games, watch media, accessing a FTP and a host of other tasks that you simply can't do on Chrome OS. If Google can patch these holes in it's operating system, cloud computing could truly take off. These are the best Chromebooks you can buy todayhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42cce5a3/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611149759/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cce5a3/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611149759/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cce5a3/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611149759/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cce5a3/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611149759/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cce5a3/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611149759/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cce5a3/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/utilities/WinDirStat/Dotd-45-WinDirStat-470-75.jpgFreeing up hard drive space can be difficult it you're not sure where your largest files are located, but WinDirStat makes that task quick and easy, all for free. Why you need itWe all know the problem – the longer you use a computer, the more your hard drives fill up and reach capacity. This is especially problematic if you use solid state drives (SSDs), which usually come with less storage capacity than traditional hard disk drives (HDDs). That's why using a program like WinDirStat is important. It scans the drive(s) of your choice and shows you which files and folders are taking up the most space in a clear, concise manner. It runs quickly, too, so you can take action to free up disk space without having to wait around for the program to finish scanning your drives. WinDirStat's interface is divided into two sections. The top half displays a browsable tree list of all the folders on your drive, with the largest at the top. That lets you quickly discover which folders are hogging up all the precious space on your drives. Below that is a graphical representation of your drive. Each file is represented by a coloured rectangle, with larger rectangles representing larger files and folders. So whichever view you prefer, there's always a simple way to get to the bottom of your hard disk space issues with WinDirStat. Key featuresWorks on: PCVersions: FreeUser friendly interface: WinDirStat is so easy to use thanks to its clear interface and graphical representations of your drivesUnderstand your drive: Knowing which files and folders are gobbling up space on your hard drive allows you to move or delete them, freeing up valuable storage spaceYou'll also likeCCleanerWise Registry CleanerGlary UtilitiesSiSoftware SandraDefragglerhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42cc1056/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611162278/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cc1056/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611162278/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cc1056/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611162278/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cc1056/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611162278/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cc1056/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611162278/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cc1056/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Generics/wifi_cloud_iphone_coffee-470-75.jpgContinuous Delivery is a design practice used in software development to automate and accelerate the process of software delivery. Continuous Delivery has emerged as a hot topic in the software industry because it is critical for software organisations that want to accelerate the delivery of quality code as a means of better serving customers and gaining a competitive advantage. Electric Cloud is a company dedicated to helping internet-based and enterprise software organisations adopt and scale Continuous Delivery. The firm is based in the US and has additional offices in London and Tokyo. We caught up with Steve Brodie, CEO of Electric Cloud, to discuss the recent round of funding from a group of notable investors, including Siemens' Venture Capital, US Venture Partners, Mayfield Fund, RRE Ventures and Rembrandt Venture Partners. We also asked Steve about industry trends, agile development and DevOps. TechRadar Pro: Could you tell us a little about Electric Cloud, your recent round of funding and how you are using the investment? Steve Brodie: Electric Cloud is a company that has focused on automated software delivery processes to streamline the release of production-ready software where quality and time-to-market are vital. Much of our early focus was on the build/test lifecycle, and now we have the industry's first and only platform for automating the entire build-test-deploy lifecycle. Our latest round of funding is being used to accelerate technical development and expand sales and marketing to become the market leader for Continuous Delivery solutions. TRP: Looking at the software delivery market, what are the major customer trends that are different from one year ago? SB: On the software delivery side we see "agile" hitting a roadblock as the complexity and pace of application releases increases – especially within larger enterprises. The process improvements have been great at driving team productivity and even extending development practices into IT operations with DevOps. This is the reason you see things like Scaled Agile Framework and others addressing the need to scale. However, what our large enterprise customers really need to accomplish any of this is automation that accelerates code into a production-ready state. Other bigger trends are the rise of agile approaches for complex embedded systems and the critical nature of mobile apps in the enterprise. All of this is driving added pressure on IT organisations while demands for speed are relentless. TRP: How do you see agile expanding into other areas of the IT business? SB: Agile is one of the most disruptive technology waves we've seen in IT for many years. What started as a grassroots movement for developers to "work smarter" is now being scaled across geographies, teams and business units to drive the agile enterprise. Across functions, we see agile moving into test, QA, production and deployment very quickly. More stakeholders are now involved, many of whom are not technical. Marketing, sales and customer service are all becoming part of the application design, build and deploy lifecycle. TRP: What is your vision for DevOps, and how does Continuous Delivery support it? SB: Our vision for DevOps is a unified IT organisation that is synchronised technically and highly collaborative on the cultural and process front. We see DevOps as the extension of agile by embracing the development and IT operations functions – gaining a consensus on how resources are provisioned and how applications are released quicker by removing functional silos. To us, Continuous Delivery is the technical enabler of both agile and DevOps. We automate the cumbersome and time-consuming tasks that slow down the release of software code. Without technical automation all of the process improvements fall short and fail to deliver the desired result of releasing quality, needed software to the enterprise in a timely manner. TRP: Why do you feel that Continuous Delivery is the "new agile"? SB: Agile disrupted the software development world in a very big way. Now it's time to apply lean and agile principles to the release pipelines. One of the exciting things about working in the software industry is both the pace of change and how change is embraced as a part of improvement. Continuous Delivery is the lynchpin to help organisations speed the development and delivery of software within an Agile Business Environment. By accelerating the entire build-test-deploy cycle from weeks or months down to a few minutes, the promise of agile and DevOps can be realised. TRP: How have companies been implementing Continuous Delivery up to now? SB: Many organisations do continuous integration and call it Continuous Delivery. Many are using Jenkins and calling it good. Or, they are deploying their own home-grown process and tools to get the job done. All of these approaches fall short at scale. All of us providing Continuous Delivery solutions have a tall order to simplify a very complex and increasingly multi-faceted progression of tasks and hand-offs. TRP: How do you see agile, DevOps and Continuous Delivery maturing? SB: We see more attention being paid to DevOps in general as an extension of agile. As stated above, there's a bit of what I would call "agile fatigue" in the market and with customers. People want to measure and have performance metrics. And, to be honest, many organisations that are so-called "agile" say they don't release software any faster than before. So, really, agile, DevOps and Continuous Delivery are all working toward the same goal of making software release and deployment an automated, iterative and frequent occurrence. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42cc105d/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611162277/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cc105d/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611162277/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cc105d/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611162277/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cc105d/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611162277/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cc105d/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611162277/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cc105d/sc/21/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Software/Microsoft/PowerBI/New%20PowerBI%20Jan%202015/Power%20BI%20Designer%20Hero-470-75.jpgBefore Steve Ballmer even announced the "One Microsoft" reorganisation, he'd started talking about Power BI as a key product for the company because of the powerful natural language queries. You can just type in questions like 'monthly sales by category' and receive charts ready formatted for you. But Power BI has been tied to very Microsoft ways of working – Excel, Silverlight and SQL Server. That's changing in the new release which has just been unveiled, says James Phillips. Six months ago Phillips, the co-founder of NoSQL database Couchbase, became the general manager of "data experiences" at Microsoft, taking over Power BI – that's the third leg of Microsoft's data story alongside SQL Server (which he once competed with at Couchbase) and the SQL Azure version, and Azure ML (the machine learning service for working with your data). Put them together and the Microsoft data strategy is a "simple promise" Phillips told TechRadar: "For every byte of data that enters the Microsoft data platform – whether it enters through SQL Azure or through a connection to a database on-premise – that will be exposed as a collection of value. You can do machine learning on it, you can build apps with it, you can do business intelligence on it. We're pulling it all together and allowing customers to wring value out of every piece of data they put into the platform." http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/Software/Microsoft/PowerBI/New%20PowerBI%20Jan%202015/natural%20language%20questions-420-90.jpg Previous generationsThe difference from previous generations of BI isn't just the tools – it's the idea of what data you can get intelligence from, and how much of a technical expert you have to be. "The first-generation was technical business intelligence for the data professional, the database admin who understood OLAP models and cubes of data," he explains. Microsoft has done very well in that market: "We're the unit leader – there are more cubes running our system than any other product on the planet." But times have moved on. "The second-generation is the move to self-service BI; that's where you've got Excel, you've got Tableau – you've got solutions a business analyst can pick up and use. You may not know OLAP, or be able to install a database, but you can get value out of it and create analytical reports." The new Power BI Designer software for creating visual reports is obviously designed to compete with Tableau, which Phillips calls "a solution that's very focused on meeting a smaller need" than Excel, which he notes offers "unbelievably powerful ad hoc analysis". He views both Tableau and Power BI Designer as tools to use alongside Excel – "I've yet to meet a Tableau user who does not also use Excel." http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/Software/Microsoft/PowerBI/New%20PowerBI%20Jan%202015/dashboards-420-90.jpg BI finally goes cloudPower BI Designer will be free too, "because arming business analysts with tools to model and visualise data should not cost an arm and a leg". That's another indication that Microsoft is gunning for Tableau in this release but Phillips says the opportunity is far bigger than that. "I think we're entering a new generation of BI. Think about services like IBM Watson Analytics or Salesforce analytics cloud. It's the move to finally allow business users to adopt BI without being technical professionals. That's where we are putting all the wood behind the arrow." The big change is that so much data is now going into cloud services that BI can also finally become a cloud service. "Businesses have their data in Salesforce, in Marketo, in Mailchimp and so on. So we're finally able to deliver a BI solution as a cloud service, because they have adopted services where their data is accessible to them." If you use Salesforce or Marketo or Zendesk or GitHub or SendGrid (or Microsoft Dynamics CRM), you can open your data in Power BI in just a few clicks, and get a set of pre-built dashboards that you can use or configure the way you want them – and Microsoft is working with other services to get them connected (the next few will be Inkling Markets, Intuit, Microsoft Dynamics Marketing, Sage, Sumo Logic, Visual Studio Application Insights and Visual Studio Online). You don't just get your cloud data, you get the data model – which means the natural language Q&A feature works straight away. He also points out that users don't need the technical expertise for Power BI that Watson demands. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/Software/Microsoft/PowerBI/New%20PowerBI%20Jan%202015/Power%20BI%20apps%20for%20multiple%20platforms-420-90.jpg This cloud connection puts Microsoft in a good position for today's web data and tomorrow's Internet of Things data. Databases and BI started in the transactional world of software designed to run your business, but "in the last decade and a half businesses have not just been using software the way they used to," Phillips points out. "They have also used software in a different way to talk to customers. With websites and mobile applications, they're serving not just employees but customers measured in the millions or, if you're lucky, in the billions. That puts a pressure on transactional systems that is unprecedented and try as we have to tune it, twist it, turn it and harden it, you just need a different hammer." Look forward and the problem just gets worse. "We've gone from systems of record to systems of engagement and there's another newer trend. Whatever business you're in, whatever you make is spewing data and it comes at very high velocity. That requires a different way of thinking about how I capture information because not only do I need to transact, I also need to respond to something happening in that stream." That means a fundamental change in what you care about in BI, he believes. "Today BI almost always looks in the rear-view mirror. You get data, and then tomorrow you get it again. Now we're pivoting from historical only to real-time backed by historical." Doing more cheaperAll that on-premise data still matters too, of course, and Phillips points out the "hundreds of thousands of data models on the planet that are in Microsoft SQL Server and Data Analysis Services." Power BI can automatically discover those – Phillips demonstrated that by finding a very long list of internal Microsoft databases – but you only get access if you have Active Directory permissions to use them. "You can connect it up to Power BI but you never have to move data to the cloud; it stays on-premise, locked inside your role level security model and you only get the data you're allowed." http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/Software/Microsoft/PowerBI/New%20PowerBI%20Jan%202015/Power%20BI%20Dashboard-420-90.jpg He thinks Microsoft is unique in being able to handle both. "We cover the gamut on ways to build software systems and get value from data coming out of those systems." Phillips calls Power BI "the face of the Microsoft data strategy – it will be the tip of the spear for everything we do". In this new release, that means a free service you can sign up for with just an email address (as long as you're in the US – the international version follows soon). "No details, no credit cards, no CAL, no software," he promises – and much lower prices. "What we're selling today as the pro tier will be under $10 (around £6.50, AU$12.50) per user per month." http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42cadede/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611164135/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cadede/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611164135/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cadede/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611164135/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cadede/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611164135/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cadede/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611164135/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42cadede/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Fitness_tech/Wearables/sleeve_wearable-470-75.jpgToshiba has announced that it will consolidate all its technology business units into an inhouse Cloud and Solutions company. Toshiba's current Corporate Information Systems Division, Corporate Software Engineering Center, and part of Toshiba Solutions Corporation's system integration business, will be merged into the Cloud & Solutions Company. In addition, Toshiba I.S. Corporation, which supplies information systems and services to the Toshiba Group, will become a subsidiary of the Cloud & Solutions Company. The move comes as Toshiba has made of IoT-related business a priority with a resolute focus on software solutions (big-data analysis technology, real-time information processing technology) rather than solely on hardware. The CS group will work across Toshiba's business segments, with the company hoping to create a common IoT platform that it says will "serve as [an] infrastructure for offering advanced connectivity of systems and devices over the internet". Toshiba announced in September that it was restructuring its PC business to focus on the more lucrative B2B market, a move that meant cutting 900 jobs in the process. The company will boost its product lines for businesses with more Satellite Pro, Tecra and Portege SKU likely to launch this year. The Internet of things, everything you need to know.

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/microsoft-powerbi-470-75.jpgMicrosoft has unveiled a free version of its Power BI business-intelligence solution. Like popular package Tableau, Power BI is used to manage, visualise and interact with data, preferably in large amounts. Known simply as Power BI, it will offer a basic set of features with 1GB of data capacity limit per month per user. Those looking for extra features and capacity will need to opt for the paid-for Power BI Pro package at $9.99 per month (about £6, AU$11). The company has yet to disclose when the new Power BI versions will be unveiled but did add that the free version doesn't have any requirements (no need for an Office 365 subscription, a Microsoft ID) and can be used from a browser or a Power BI client app. Speaking of apps, Microsoft will add new client versions of Power BI for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone/tablet/PC. A preview version for Apple's iPad is already available. Those wanting to test PowerBI can access it here and try it out free in the US, any email addresses can be used as long as they are work ones (i.e. no Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook). Note that the service will be rolled out in other territories later this year. Source: ZDNet In the BI of the beholder: Tableau on what it means to be 'data driven' in 2014http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42c8d707/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611131766/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c8d707/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611131766/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c8d707/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611131766/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c8d707/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611131766/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c8d707/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611131766/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c8d707/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/Microsoft/Surface2/Surface_2_4G-470-75.jpgMicrosoft has confirmed that it has stopped manufacturing Surface 2 and with no Surface 3, one wonders whether this marks the end of the Windows RT journey for the company. A spokesperson for the company told The Verge :"We are no longer manufacturing Surface 2; however, those still eager to buy Surface should visit Microsoft Retail Stores, MicrosoftStore.com, third-party retailers and resellers for the latest availability". The operating system, which was misunderstood rather than underperforming, was a cross between the traditional Windows desktop and Windows mobile. The big mistake made by Microsoft was to run it on ARM solutions; doing so meant that legacy applications were not compatible and Windows RT and initially suffered from poor performance. Windows RTWhile the first Surface RT got the backing of all the main vendors, bar Acer, Microsoft went alone with the Surface 2 after poor sales convinced the likes of Dell and Lenovo to give up on Windows RT completely. When Microsoft launched the Surface Pro 3, it did so without a Surface 3 equivalent. Microsoft already confirmed that it had no plans to bring Windows 10 to Windows RT -- only selected features. So Windows 8 vs Windows RT: what's the difference?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42c8d70e/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611131764/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c8d70e/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611131764/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c8d70e/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611131764/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c8d70e/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611131764/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c8d70e/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611131764/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c8d70e/sc/5/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/events/AAvents/Windows%2010/windows10-spartan-470-75.jpgInternet Explorer lacks many features compared to better browsers like Chrome and Firefox, including the popular add-ons called extensions. That will change with Microsoft's new Windows 10 browser, codenamed Project Spartan, which the company hopes will appeal to fans of Google's and Mozilla's browsers. Microsoft's @IE Dev Chat Twitter account confirmed during a conversation with users that they're "working on a plan for extensions for a future update to Project Spartan." Off to a good startExtensions let users customize their browsers with a variety of features. According to The Verge Microsoft is also working on a way for developers to port their Chrome extensions directly to Spartan, streamlining the process and potentially ensuring Spartan gains a library of extensions as quickly as possible. Project Spartan will ship with all Windows 10 devices beginning this year. The best laptops are all in TechRadar's buying guidehttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42c60597/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611079709/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c60597/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611079709/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c60597/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611079709/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c60597/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611079709/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c60597/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611079709/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c60597/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/Apple%20Pay/Hands%20on/Apple%20Pay%20Review%20(1)-470-75.JPGUSA Technologies, a company that operates hundreds of thousands of vending machines across the country, has announced support for Apple Pay. The company says it specializes in "small-ticket, self-serve retailing industries," which include various vending machines and kiosks, parking pay stations, laundry machines, and more. The move makes Apple Pay immediately accessible in 200,000 new locations across the US. Apple Pay vs Google WalletUSA Technologies machines already take Google Wallet, according to the company's website, meaning Apple is still playing catch-up. But even though Google recently ramped up its efforts to kill Apple Pay, by all reports adoption is going pretty smoothly at this point. Either way the clear winner here is anyone who likes to pay for stuff with their phones. The iPhone 5S is not out of the picture yethttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42c55ab2/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611131155/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c55ab2/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611131155/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c55ab2/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611131155/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c55ab2/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611131155/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c55ab2/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611131155/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c55ab2/sc/5/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/email/Claws-Mail/Dotd-44-Claws-Mail-470-75.jpgEase of use and excellent functionality are not two things you often find combined in email clients, but Claws Mail has them nailed down. Why you need itIf you're searching around for an email client that combines simplicity of use with an abundance of features, we may just have what you're looking for – Claws Mail. Founded with a mission statement of being fast, stable, simple to use and easy to configure, it has everything you'd expect from an excellent email client. There's support for POP and IMAP, and you can import emails from pretty much every other email app out there. It's got some excellent features, including a powerful search and address book, useful spell checker, colour labelling and much more (and its worth checking out the developer's website to see just how much is on offer). What's even better is that you can add an unlimited number of email accounts to Claws Mail, something that many free email clients refuse to grant you (instead only letting you register a limited number of accounts). The interface is very easy to get to grips with, and you can adjust a whole range of visual elements to your liking. That includes tweaking the fonts, toolbars, shortcuts and more. There are also some excellent free plugins that can extend the program even further. Key featuresWorks on: PC, Mac (with additional software), Linux, BSD, Solaris and othersVersions: FreePowerful features: Whether you need to import mail, tag and label messages or search through your inbox, Claws Mail can do it all and moreExtend its functionality: There are plenty of free plugins to choose from should you wish to get even more from the programCustomise the interface: Make Claws Mail look exactly the way you want it to and tweak its look and feel in a number of different waysYou'll also likeMozilla ThunderbirdMicrosoft OutlookIncrediMaileM ClientMozBackuphttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42c1afdf/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611062588/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c1afdf/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611062588/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c1afdf/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611062588/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c1afdf/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611062588/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c1afdf/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611062588/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42c1afdf/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/27th%20Jan%2015/6dodmain-470-75.jpgTechRadar has a team of tech-savvy super-elves putting together our daily deals, and today we've got some great ideas for some January bargains. We've got TV deals, gaming deals, phones, speakers and more! Let's start with this great deal on a Philips 4K TV. This 50-inch machine comes packing Philips' legendary good looks, Ultra HD screen and currently costs just £699 at Argos. January Sales: quick linksAmazon's Daily DealsGAME salesJohn Lewis Clearance SalePC World SaleCurrys SaleVery Electrical SaleTesco Tech SaleZavvi SaleGift cards: Amazon gift cards | Gift card store | John Lewis gift cards|Currys gift cards|PC World gift cards | GAME gift cards HOT DEALS of the DAYhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/27th%20Jan%2015/1flex-580-100.jpg If you're looking for a smartphone with a difference, how about picking up the world's first curved smartphone? The LG G Flex is currently going for just £225 at Expansys, down from £400! http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/27th%20Jan%2015/2anker-580-100.jpg If a pocket sized Bluetooth speaker is what you're after, Amazon has a great deal on the Anker Ultra Portable speaker - it's currently just £12.99. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/27th%20Jan%2015/3misfit-580-100.jpg Meanwhile, the Misfit Flash personal activity monitor is going for just £24.99 also at Amazon. It tracks your walking, running, swimming, cycling, sports and has a battery that lasts 6 months at a time. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/27th%20Jan%2015/4tab-580-100.jpg Need a new tablet? The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7-inch Android tablet is currently just £79 at Currys. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/27th%20Jan%2015/5omaker-580-100.jpg Got phone battery problems? Carry one of these around and you'll never be caught short. The Omaker Premium Sleek charger will charge your phone multiple times over without being charged itself and currently costs just £17.99 at Amazon! MORE DEALSTesco Mobile Microsoft Lumia 535 Black - £79 Targus Vustyle Case with Autowake for iPad Air, Black - £19.98 My Passport Ultra Hard Drive Metal Edition 2 TB Premium Storage - £78 Sony PlayStation 4 PS4 Console With 500GB HDD (Black) - £287.99 (With code JANSALEDAY1&2) Cruzer Orbit 32 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive - £7.98 Comply Tx-400 Isolation PLUS Earphone Tips With Wax Guard Medium Black 3 pairs - £7.99 Netgear DGND3300 RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N DSL Gateway - £42.91 WeSC Cymbal Unisex Premium On-Ear Audio Headphones - £28.74 January sales: quick linksQuick links to the best January sales deals: http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/retailer%20logos/Square/very%20logo-50-100.jpg Very sales homepage | Electricals sale | TV sale | Tablets and E-Readers | Games & Consoles | Clothing, fashion & footwear sale|Home, garden & furniture sale | Home & Garden | http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/retailer%20logos/Square/amazon%20logo-50-100.jpg Amazon sales | Games & console deals | Electricals & computing sale|Clothing sale | DVD & Blu-ray sales | Shoes and boots sale | Toys & Games sale http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/retailer%20logos/Square/argos%20logo-50-100.jpg Argos sales | Technology, Gadgets & Gaming sale | Home & Garden|Toys and Games | Sport & Leisure | Health & Beauty sale | Clothing sale http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/retailer%20logos/Square/currys%20logo-50-100.jpg Currys sales homepage | TV Mega Sale | Cameras & Audio|Laptop & Computing sales | Hard drives & printers | Home Appliance sales|Software sales http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/retailer%20logos/Square/tesco%20direct%20logo2-50-100.jpg Tesco Direct: The Big Sale | Smartphones & Mobile | TVs & Accessories| Headphones & Speakers | Computing & Office| DVD & Blu-ray sale |Furniture sale http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/retailer%20logos/Square/john%20lewis%20logo2-50-100.jpg John Lewis Sale | Tech & Gadgets sale | Home & Garden|Sports Gear|Womenswear | Menswear | Furniture sale|Beauty sale Gift cards: Amazon gift cards | Gift card store | John Lewis gift cards|Currys gift cards|PC World gift cards | GAME gift cards

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/27th%20Jan%2015/6dodmain-470-75.jpgTechRadar has a team of tech-savvy super-elves putting together our daily deals, and today we've got some great ideas for some January bargains. We've got TV deals, gaming deals, phones, speakers and more! Let's start with this great deal on a Philips 4K TV. This 50-inch machine comes packing Philips' legendary good looks, Ultra HD screen and currently costs just £699 at Argos. January Sales: quick linksAmazon's Daily DealsGAME salesJohn Lewis Clearance SalePC World SaleCurrys SaleVery Electrical SaleTesco Tech SaleZavvi SaleGift cards: Amazon gift cards | Gift card store | John Lewis gift cards|Currys gift cards|PC World gift cards | GAME gift cards HOT DEALS of the DAYhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/27th%20Jan%2015/1flex-580-100.jpg If you're looking for a smartphone with a difference, how about picking up the world's first curved smartphone? The LG G Flex is currently going for just £225 at Expansys, down from £400! http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/27th%20Jan%2015/2anker-580-100.jpg If a pocket sized Bluetooth speaker is what you're after, Amazon has a great deal on the Anker Ultra Portable speaker - it's currently just £12.99. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/27th%20Jan%2015/3misfit-580-100.jpg Meanwhile, the Misfit Flash personal activity monitor is going for just £24.99 also at Amazon. It tracks your walking, running, swimming, cycling, sports and has a battery that lasts 6 months at a time. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/27th%20Jan%2015/4tab-580-100.jpg Need a new tablet? The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7-inch Android tablet is currently just £79 at Currys. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/27th%20Jan%2015/5omaker-580-100.jpg Got phone battery problems? Carry one of these around and you'll never be caught short. The Omaker Premium Sleek charger will charge your phone multiple times over without being charged itself and currently costs just £17.99 at Amazon! MORE DEALSTesco Mobile Microsoft Lumia 535 Black - £79 Targus Vustyle Case with Autowake for iPad Air, Black - £19.98 My Passport Ultra Hard Drive Metal Edition 2 TB Premium Storage - £78 Sony PlayStation 4 PS4 Console With 500GB HDD (Black) - £287.99 (With code JANSALEDAY1&2) Cruzer Orbit 32 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive - £7.98 Comply Tx-400 Isolation PLUS Earphone Tips With Wax Guard Medium Black 3 pairs - £7.99 Netgear DGND3300 RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N DSL Gateway - £42.91 WeSC Cymbal Unisex Premium On-Ear Audio Headphones - £28.74 January sales: quick linksQuick links to the best January sales deals: http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/retailer%20logos/Square/very%20logo-50-100.jpg Very sales homepage | Electricals sale | TV sale | Tablets and E-Readers | Games & Consoles | Clothing, fashion & footwear sale|Home, garden & furniture sale | Home & Garden | http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/retailer%20logos/Square/amazon%20logo-50-100.jpg Amazon sales | Games & console deals | Electricals & computing sale|Clothing sale | DVD & Blu-ray sales | Shoes and boots sale | Toys & Games sale http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/retailer%20logos/Square/argos%20logo-50-100.jpg Argos sales | Technology, Gadgets & Gaming sale | Home & Garden|Toys and Games | Sport & Leisure | Health & Beauty sale | Clothing sale http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/retailer%20logos/Square/currys%20logo-50-100.jpg Currys sales homepage | TV Mega Sale | Cameras & Audio|Laptop & Computing sales | Hard drives & printers | Home Appliance sales|Software sales http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/retailer%20logos/Square/tesco%20direct%20logo2-50-100.jpg Tesco Direct: The Big Sale | Smartphones & Mobile | TVs & Accessories| Headphones & Speakers | Computing & Office| DVD & Blu-ray sale |Furniture sale http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/retailer%20logos/Square/john%20lewis%20logo2-50-100.jpg John Lewis Sale | Tech & Gadgets sale | Home & Garden|Sports Gear|Womenswear | Menswear | Furniture sale|Beauty sale Gift cards: Amazon gift cards | Gift card store | John Lewis gift cards|Currys gift cards|PC World gift cards | GAME gift cards http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42c4f1ef/sc/28/mf.gif

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/people/Satya%20Nadella%20seated-470-75.jpgShares of Microsoft plunged more than 4% in after hour trading after what many analysts considered to be disappointing Q2 financial results. The company saw revenue rose by 8% compared to last year's but the cost of revenue went up significantly as well which means that the operating income fell slightly. Add in other one-time accruals (like tax payments linked to an IRS audit adjustment and restructuring expenses) and the earnings per share dropped by 9%. Revenue associated with the company's Device and Consumer licensing business went down by a quarter. Windows Phone as well as Microsoft's licensing changes to Windows may explain this sudden drop and why it may only be the beginning. Microsoft is selling more smartphones than ever before (more than 10 million in the last quarter) and the number of Office 365 subscribers should breach the 10-million barrier soon. Office 365 Business, Azure and Dynamics CRM Online more than doubled the quarterly revenue figures for Microsoft Commercial Cloud segment. Make no mistake, it's the B2B business arm of Microsoft's that generating the profits and paying shareholders. Two thirds of its gross margin comes from it and it is growing. Check out our review of Office 365http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42bec6d5/sc/1/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611086013/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42bec6d5/sc/1/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611086013/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42bec6d5/sc/1/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611086013/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42bec6d5/sc/1/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611086013/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42bec6d5/sc/1/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611086013/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42bec6d5/sc/1/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/press/windows10-carousel2-470-75.jpgMicrosoft rolled out its Enterprise Cloud Suite add-on in December 2014 for Enterprise Agreement customers and has now confirmed that the suite will cost between $7 (£4.66, AU$8.86) and $12 (£7.99, AU$15.18) per month per user. The package includes a Windows Enterprise Edition license for a desktop or a laptop and a Windows tablet (with a display size smaller than 10.1-inch). Other goodies included are Azure Active Directory for identity management, MDOP desktop optimization suite, Intune mobile deployment management, Office 365, OneDrive for Business as well as unlimited licenses to access Windows Enterprise via VDI or through USB drives equipped with Windows-To-Go feature. Microsoft's Corporate Vice President, Brad Anderson, says that the move to deliver this solution was motivated not only by customer demand for a simpler enterprise licensing scheme but also by the desire to fend off competition from companies such as MobileIron, AirWatch, Box, Good Technology and others who were trying to fill the void created by Microsoft's hitherto inability to embrace a platform-agnostic workforce. "Organizations are looking for solutions that marry management with productivity with identity," Anderson told Computerworld. Competition, it seems, is keeping Microsoft on its toes and forcing the company to implement strategic decisions that nobody would have expected it to only a couple of years ago. Check out our review of Office 365http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42bec6db/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611086012/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42bec6db/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611086012/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42bec6db/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611086012/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42bec6db/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611086012/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42bec6db/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611086012/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42bec6db/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/people/Satya%20Nadella%20seated-470-75.jpgAt the Windows 10 event, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella claimed that "Windows is the best place, it's the home for the very best Microsoft experiences." But does that ring hollow when Microsoft launches tools like Sway on iOS before anywhere else? We asked him if Microsoft had been waiting for the always-up-to-date Windows as a service to make it easier to put Windows first for new tools. "For sure, it allows us to be in a much more continuous flow," Nadella told TechRadar. "But the way I don't want to measure ourselves is some temporal changes. There might be reasons why I don't want to just release an app for Windows – because the way we can bring things together in Windows is seamless. Take Skype. The way Skype and Windows come together, we can do a lot more in terms of integrating with the core messaging scaffolding in Windows, which I can't do on the Android device or on the iOS device." Being best is more important than being first, he told us. "I know sometimes people measure us by the time – but that is immaterial in the long run. What matters is 'have you done a better job of making our experiences feel like home on Windows?' That's our real goal and that's what we're going to stay focused on." http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/people/Microsoft/Satya_Nadella/Satya1_web-420-90.jpg So it isn't just about Windows getting a great version of Microsoft apps and services; it's about bringing them together in Windows in a way Microsoft just can't do anywhere else. Making things available on other platforms doesn't mean that Microsoft views as just another platform and Nadella is clear that Microsoft needs to make Windows users feel they matter to the company. "That's absolutely right and we have to do a better job of explaining that they should feel the love with the work we do. Take OneNote and the Spartan browser. Having a OneNote app on other platforms is not the same as building OneNote as a core experience to annotate the web. That is the kind of thing that I mean, when I say Microsoft experience are going to be at home in Windows and we can do a much better job there." It's not about whether Microsoft is cool or not; to Nadella it's whether Microsoft is innovating. "I want us to stand for what is it we can do as a company and have our best work in and have people love us for that innovation." http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/events/AAvents/Windows%2010/windows10line-1-420-90.JPG Windows isn't freeThe free Windows 10 upgrade isn't about giving Windows away (especially to companies); it's more about making sure Windows 7 doesn't turn into another Windows XP, hanging around for years. "There are two things we are really focused on; one is to really make sure Windows 10 is a fantastic upgrade experience for even Windows 7 customers, even on the desktop with a mouse and keyboard. It's familiar but you can get all this new value. And then we hope that one year promotional offer really helps a lot of Windows 7 customers move over." Nadella made it clear that Microsoft will still be selling Windows. "There is no fundamental shift in our business model. We want to be able to service our customers more, like an internet service. Our goal is to run one of the largest internet services that enables people to use Windows on an everyday basis. That's the way we approach it." If there is a shift, it's in what Microsoft wants us to think of as a PC – like Surface Hub. "I think of it as enterprise TV," said Nadella; "I want it in every conference room and every newsroom." http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/monitors_and_projectors/Microsoft/Surface%20Hub/press/surfacehub-demo2-420-90.jpg The features in Surface Hub like Skype for Business and OneNote are available on other devices and platforms – but again, Nadella wants them to be best on Surface Hub because it's integrated together so the technology gets out of your way. "The thing I love about Surface Hub is that we've always been struggling with what does it mean to join a meeting; how do you collaborate once you join a meeting and then how do you leave a meeting with all the notes and annotations? It's taking that scenario and completing it – that's what we have with Surface Hub." Check out our in-depth Surface Hub hands on reviewhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42b94a78/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611082637/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b94a78/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611082637/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b94a78/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611082637/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b94a78/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611082637/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b94a78/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611082637/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b94a78/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/build9926/windows10-9926%20(8)-470-75.jpgIntroduction, bugs and feedbackThe Windows 10 Technical Preview has been out since the beginning of October and while it has had three milestone updates (plus many more smaller ones) since then, it's not until now that we've had a really big update in terms of the feature set. 110 Days with Windows 10: what's it really been like to use?1. Not everything demonstrated last Wednesday is hereThe latest build is 9926. It was released to members of the Windows Insider Program over the weekend, so here's what's new, what's wrong and what's right with Microsoft's latest preview release of Windows 10. Once again, we need to stress that this is really very pre-release software – we won't see a full Windows 10 release until much later in the year, so this OS still has several months more work to be done on it. If you saw last Wednesday's Windows 10 keynote speech from Microsoft HQ in Redmond, you might be a little disappointed as not all the Windows 10 features demonstrated there are present. However, it's clear that there will be more preview builds released to the Insider Program, and they'll be released faster, too: "Much is still in-progress and we're getting it out to you as fast as we can – so you can try it out and give us feedback," says Microsoft's Gabe Aul. "Over the course of the next few builds, you will see us refine Windows 10 and continue to improve the experiences as well as quality and stability." YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9phebKc_DOs2. The charms are back (sort of)Some of the functions that used to be in the Charms bar on Windows 8 are now in the Action Center menu (launched from the system tray/Notifications area) in the bottom right. A new Connect feature enables you to find and connect your PC to devices such as a DLNA-enabled TV or Bluetooth speakers far more easily. However, more work is needed; this didn't work for us when we tried it, and we couldn't connect to either our smart TV or locate a pair of Bluetooth headphones. Note that you can also connect to other displays using a button in the Action Center. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/build9926/windows10-9926%20(11)-420-90.jpg 3. There are plenty of issuesThe last major build of the Technical Preview, November's 9879 release, was pretty buggy, and with the advent of a batch of new features here the story is the same, although it doesn't appear to be affecting the stability of our version of the OS. There are actually stacks of issues, which Microsoft has fessed up to. A boot selection menu shows whenever the PC is started for many. Xbox Live enabled games that need sign-in won't work (this is being fixed via Windows Update very shortly). Tiles on the Start menu show shortened names, while sometimes the Start menu doesn't load properly (we haven't experienced this ourselves but Search is really slow). The release also isn't optimised for Connected Standby, so if you're used to this you may find your battery life is significantly shorter. One again, all these issues show that you shouldn't install the Windows 10 Technical Preview on a PC you need to use on a daily basis (unless you're TechRadar that is, because we need to test it out to write articles like this). http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/build9926/windows10-9926%20(1)-420-90.jpg 4. Changes have been made based on feedback Microsoft is keen to stress that feedback from Windows Insiders has been taken into consideration. Alt-Tab was too jarring before, many folks said. It was changed. It was hard to make apps full-screen in some circumstances. Changed. People wanted to be able to pick a default folder for File Explorer. Changed. Feedback works. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/build9926/windows10-9926%20(6)-420-90.jpg Cortana, Start menu and Continuum5. Cortana is here!We didn't actually expect Cortana to be in this release, and despite the fact that we had a US English installation, Cortana wasn't working for us. It's integrated into the Search bar on the Taskbar (search has moved from where it was on the bottom of the Start menu). You can search for files, settings, the web, and more. Via Cortana Settings, you can also set up your PC to respond when you say 'Hey, Cortana'. I won't be doing that in the office. According to Microsoft there are some bugs with reminders – especially the first one you try and create. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/build9926/windows10-9926%20(4)-420-90.jpg 6. There's a new Photos appThankfully there's now a new Photos app. This is quite important, as the old one was a dog's dinner. You can also perform edits on your photos, too, but again, this is currently feature incomplete. The Maps and Xbox app are present and revamped as well, but functionality is currently limited. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/build9926/windows10-9926%20(9)-420-90.jpg 7. The Start menu is differentWe've already mentioned that the Windows 10 Start menu has lost its search box, but there are some other changes to Start, too, since Microsoft has completely recoded the menu for this build. The main thing is that it's a little more Windows 8-style. In fact, we'd go as far to say it's regressed in that respect (you can make it full-screen like the old Start screen, which is totally not what anybody wants unless they're using a touchscreen, and we'd have preferred to leave that to Continuum to sort out). We're not quite sure what to make of it as yet, but Microsoft says there will be more personalisation, drag and drop, and Jump Lists as time goes on. The version of the Start menu in this build also can't be resized which is a little irritating. This is the type of thing which will drip down through Windows Update. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/build9926/windows10-9926%20(8)-420-90.jpg 8. The new Settings app is a false dawnOne of the worst things about Windows 8 was the disconnect between desktop and Windows 8 apps, especially in terms of the way Settings were handled. So you had the Control Panel on one hand and the PC Settings app on the other. Microsoft claimed it had come up with a brand new Settings app – but actually it's just a new front page to the Settings app that simply provides easier navigation. And Control Panel is still there running in the background. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/build9926/windows10-9926%20(7)-420-90.jpg 9. Continuum is hereThere's a little button in the Action Center that enables you to switch into tablet mode. With Continuum this should happen automatically whenever you detach a keyboard, such as on a Surface Pro device. In tablet mode, all apps can now be closed (even desktop apps) by dragging them down from the top. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/build9926/windows10-9926%20(3)-420-90.jpg 10. There's a new Windows StoreThere are two Windows Stores in this version of Windows – a grey tile in the Start menu takes you to the Windows Store Beta, a new version of the store that will be arriving with Windows 10, and will bring a new visual style across all Windows devices. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Microsoft/Windows%2010/build9926/windows10-9926%20(1)_1-420-90.jpg Why Windows 10 is a smart move for Microsofthttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42b54e66/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611060605/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b54e66/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611060605/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b54e66/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611060605/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b54e66/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611060605/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b54e66/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611060605/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b54e66/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/BBC%20Taster/BBC3-470-75.jpgWant to see extended interviews, experimental nuggets of drama, more Dr Who, gigs and "collaborative poems about body image. BBC controller Danny Cohen and editorial lead Will Saunders today announced BBC Taster, and it's live right now, here. Announced in a blizzard of BBC speak – "We're constantly iterating to go beyond the portfolio as we know it today… We're putting more than the linear experience in the scope of our production teams… Challenging the story teller to tell stories in a different way, etc" – the mini site is a kind of conceptual beauty contest, letting you try out the BBC's new ideas across every imaginable genre, rate 'em and share 'em. With mobile now matching desktop for traffic chez Beeb (24m UK visits in November), the site works across "all" platforms, although as several of the experiments require Flash, it doesn't really work across "all" platforms. But anyway. Most mobile platforms that aren't Apple ones. Danny Cohen described the BBC's approach to tech as, "Balancing content now while planning for our future," which seems to translate as, "let's squeeze out as much material as we can, and whack it on the internet." So some of the little nuggets on offer make use of material the BBC's already shot but couldn't use, rather like the extras on a DVD. For instance, a Lena Dunham interview that was originally cut to 10 minutes for use on Newsnight is here in all its glory, replete with a noddy-headed, animatronic Lena and Jennifer Saunders, because it's the BBC. The Taster site is a fun kind of mess, with no division by genre (yet; we bet that'll change once it's more established), so a live gig and backstage swearathon by hip-hop stars Run The Jewels rubs shoulders with an app that pulls key events that happened during your lifetime from the BBC's archives, with the content chosen based on your Facebook likes. There was also the promise held out that Radio 1 – rebranded as "R1OT" would be entirely run as an experiment in rolling social-media democracy, with a promo vid suggesting you'd be able to vote for who would host the breakfast show tomorrow. Unfortunately, this turned out to be an exaggeration, but you may be able to vote for what song gets played next. The point here is not just that the BBC is sharing new ideas, but that it wants you to rate them. So, for instance, if R1OT proves to be massive, who knows, maybe in ten years' time you will be able to vote for who DJs where, and who gets handed their P45. Ultimately, maybe you'll never be able to moan about what's on the BBC again, because you will have chosen what gets made. Right now, there's a decent if not overwhelming amount to look at, from "experiments" that are likely to be successes – there's some Dr Who, of course – to collaborative poems about body image. The test will be how much new content comes online subsequently. But you don't need us to tell you that though tech innovations are great, it's content that's king.

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2015-Jan/Writing-software/writing-main-470-75.jpgIt would be easy to be fooled into thinking that all you need to write is a word processor. While this is certainly a useful piece of software, there's far more to consider. It's important that you use the right tool for the job, and there is plenty to think about besides the writing itself. Here we round up ten of best tools to help you out with every stage of the writing process, no matter what you're working on. 1. SigilIf you've ever thought of making your own ebooks, you're going to need some great software to enable you to do that – something much like Sigil. It's accessible to both novices and experts, with a WYSIWYG and code view to suit either experience level. It's also full of useful features, such as the table of contents generator, spell checker and book browser. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2015-Jan/Writing-software/1_sigil-420-90.jpg You can start from scratch by typing directly into the program, or convert HTML files into ebooks – complete with embedded audio and video if you like – that can be read on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. 2. EvernoteSuccessful writing, from screenplays and novels to essays and papers, depends on research. And if you're conducting research or maintaining a list of notes and ideas, you need somewhere to store them – this is where Evernote can help. You can create an endless list of notebooks to store information about different projects you are working on. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2015-Jan/Writing-software/2_evernote-420-90.jpg Evernote can be used to store text that makes its way into the final document, grab content from the web, and there's even scope for collaborating with others by sharing your notes. Best of all, Evernote syncs to the cloud, so it can be accessed from just about any computer or device, either online or through a dedicated app. 3. FreeMindStoryboarding is a great way to try out ideas and see where a particular thread of a project is going. Mindmappng is something of an extension of this idea, letting you riff off your own ideas and see how things unfold. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2015-Jan/Writing-software/3_freemind-420-90.jpg It doesn't matter if you are working on a storyline idea and want to track what happens to individual characters, or if you want to map the main points you need to make in an essay so you can brainstorm sub-content, FreeMind is on hand to help. If you have a tendency to get lost and forget ideas before you have chance to get them on paper, this could be your saviour. 4. ScribusNot every writing project is a simple case of filling the page with words – sometimes you need an advanced layout tool. There are several expensive professional layout applications to choose from, but Scribus is an immensely powerful free alternative. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2015-Jan/Writing-software/4_scribus-420-90.jpg This is not a program that you'll pick up instantly as there is a bit of a learning curve, but once you get to grips with it you'll be able to create stunning newspaper and magazine-style layouts. You can use Scribus to create advanced documents suitable for professional printing, or you can save projects as PDFs for electronic delivery. 5. LibreOffice WriterFor every day writing of all sorts, a word processor is all but essential. While Microsoft Office may be the most popular office suite available, you can get your hands on a similarly powerful suite, including a word processor, free of charge in the form of LibreOffice. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2015-Jan/Writing-software/5_libreoffice_writer-420-90.jpg Its word processor is called Writer, which has all of the basics covered so you have full control over the look of your documents. There are also useful writing tools such as autocorrect and a table of contents creator, further helping your writing process. Documents you create are fully compatible with the likes of Microsoft Word, too, so you can share files with others without worrying about how they will look. 6. WriteMonkeyThere are all sorts of distractions that can get in the way of writing. While interruptions from friends and family can't really be avoided, there are plenty of on-screen diversions that you can banish. WriteMonkey is a word processor that has been designed with the serious writer in mind. The interface is stripped back and basic so you can concentrate on the one thing that matters – writing. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2015-Jan/Writing-software/6_writemonkey-420-90.jpg Don't be fooled by the sparse-looking interface, WriteMonkey is far from being devoid of features. Right click a blank area of the screen and the context menu gives you access to all of the tools you could need, whilst hiding them away when you want to remain distraction-free. 7. RapidTyping TutorThe faster and more accurately you can type, the less time you will need to spend writing – or the more time you will have for writing, depending on how you look at things. As with so many things in life, practice makes perfect, and RapidTyping Tutor guides you through how to use the keyboard correctly, and uses a series of lessons to help you increase your speed. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2015-Jan/Writing-software/7_rapidtypingtutor-420-90.jpg This is an instantly accessible tool which is fun to use and brings genuine results. You can track your progress in the program so you can keep an eye on how much you improve. 8. GanttProjectWhen you're writing for other people, you need to think about deadlines, and GanttProject can help you keep on top of them. It is particularly useful if you are working on more than one writing job at the same time, as it helps to eliminate confusion. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2015-Jan/Writing-software/8_gannt_project-420-90.jpg It's an excellent project management tool that works equally well if you are working alone, or if you are collaborating with others. You can set deadlines and goals, break a large project up into smaller chunks, and easily keep an eye on the progress that's being made. It's a great way to effectively manage your time. 9. PagePlusFor those writing projects where you need more page layout control than you'll find in a regular word processor – but don't need the advanced features of the likes of Scribus – PagePlus fits the bill perfectly. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2015-Jan/Writing-software/9_pageplus-420-90.jpg This desktop publishing tool is great for putting together newsletters, booklets and other documents that are a little different to the norm. There are all manner of templates readymade for you to work with so you don't have to spend time fiddling with too many settings. Like other Serif titles, PagePlus is incredibly simple to use, but this does not mean that it isn't highly powerful and versatile. 10. SimpleOCRWhile the majority of your writing is likely to be penned by your own hand, there may well be times when you need to repurpose content from other sources. Rather than typing passages out by hand, you can use SimpleOCR to convert printed words into editable text. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2015-Jan/Writing-software/10_simpleocr-420-90.jpg As well as being useful for quoting lengthy passages from books, the program will also come in handy if you have a printout of a file but have lost the electronic version. The software is free, but you also get a two-week trial of a handwriting conversion component that can be used to make handwritten notes editable. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/42b4c583/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611009060/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b4c583/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611009060/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b4c583/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611009060/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b4c583/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/218611009060/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b4c583/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/218611009060/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/42b4c583/sc/4/a2t.img