sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/features/Best-software-2014/Chrome-470-75.jpgHaving built its entire business around the web, it seems only right that Google would offer the best browsing experience on Windows. It has been quietly iterating and updating Google Chrome over the past year – and it shows. Microsoft's Internet Explorer lost the user experience battle with Google Chrome long ago, as did Mozilla Firefox and Apple's Safari. In 2014, Google added syncing between devices that have Chrome, which is seamless – as is integration with Google services (especially Google Now). As a part time Android user, having Chrome sync bookmarks and browsing information (such as passwords) from my computer to my phone is useful. Automatically syncing my Facebook password to my phone feels like the future and while it isn't specific to Chrome (Safari does it too), it just seems to work better and faster. A myriad of extensions are also available on Chrome alongside the Chrome Web Store, which offers 'apps' within Chrome, such as Angry Birds or TweetDeck. While there are also standalone app versions on Windows 8 and OS X Yosemite, it is nice to be able to quickly hop into the app through the Chrome browser. As a free browser that runs and syncs across all major platforms – both PC and mobile – Chrome is class leading. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41ed1f57/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443437773/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ed1f57/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443437773/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ed1f57/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443437773/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ed1f57/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443437773/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ed1f57/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443437773/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ed1f57/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/laptops/Chromebook/Pixel/Two%20Pixel-470-75.jpgStats published earlier today by analytics company NetApplications suggests that Google's operating system, Chrome OS, might have a bumper month thanks possibly to Christmas sales. Data compiled for the month of December 2014 shows that Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 suffered significant dips while Windows XP and OSes classified as "Other" have increased significantly. "Other", which almost certainly includes Chrome OS, saw its market share more than double from 8.56% to 17.52% in a month; in comparison, Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 have less than 12% of the global desktop OS market. Chrome OS's surge may also explain a massive jump in desktop browser market share in December 2014 for Google's browser. Chrome more than doubled its market share, overtaking Internet Explorer for the first time in NetApplications' surveys. Chromebooks have been a popular gift at Christmas, occupying three out of the five top gift ideas at Amazon US. We've reached out to Netmarketshare to find out more about the data published. Source: NetMarketshare Check our review of Windows 10http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41ece1b9/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443382894/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ece1b9/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443382894/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ece1b9/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443382894/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ece1b9/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443382894/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ece1b9/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443382894/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ece1b9/sc/15/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/features/Best-software-2014/Dropbox-470-75.jpgThere are plenty of file sharing, or file storing, services out there that store information in the cloud to be accessed anywhere. Box is doing it for enterprise. Apple is doing it with iCloud. Microsoft is doing it with Azure. Google is doing it with Drive. But beyond all of these, Dropbox has always been my go-to client for online storage. Due to competition from other services in 2014 (namely Google Drive and iCloud), Dropbox has been forced to drop the price of its subscription service (called Dropbox Pro) and increase the storage. For £7.99 a month, users get 1TB of space, accessible from any device (for comparison, Google charges $9.99/month for 1TB while Apple charges £14.99/month for the same) with the free tier offering 2GB of space, upgradeable through promotion to friends. Dropbox creates a simple folder on your computer which can be accessed from any device, alongside a web based interface. As such Dropbox is not tied to a major corporation and so can work freely between any software or hardware; there is no necessity to use Google Docs or Apple's iWork and no bias towards a certain device, both of which ruin the experience of Drive and iCloud somewhat. While there is always the (faint) possibility that Dropbox will fold, the company has grown at a pace during 2014, introducing new, and better, apps for all major platforms. Investing in a Dropbox account has never been more attractive. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41e80e34/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443371388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e80e34/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443371388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e80e34/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443371388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e80e34/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443371388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e80e34/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443371388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e80e34/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/text-editors/Notepad-plus-plus/Dotd-024-Notepad++-470-75.jpgThe default text editor in Windows, Notepad, is great for simple tasks, but for anything else you'll want to get your hands on the free Notepad++. Why you need itNotepad++ is more than just a simple text editor; it comes with useful features for all manner of different tasks, from web editing to letter writing and more. Let's say you want to work on HTML code for a website. Whereas Microsoft's Notepad app simply displays the code with all formatting removed, Notepad++ highlights the code's syntax in different colours, making it simple to find what you're looking for. Then there are the bookmark, auto-complete and document map features, which all serve to make text editing that much easier. You can also customise the look and feel of Notepad++, giving it tabs to make editing multiple documets easier, plus there's the multi-editing tool, which allows you to change several instance of the same piece of text at once – great if you're playing with web code. Key featuresWorks on: PCVersions: FreeCustomise: Notepad++ lets you customise your experience with the program through changeable layouts and pluginsWeb editing: If you're working on developing a website, Notepad++ makes it easy to work your way around the codeExtend: There are far more tools available in Notepad++ than in the basic Windows Notepad app, allowing you to do more when it comes to text editing.You'll also likeLibreOfficeOpenOfficeMicrosoft Word 2013Word ViewerPowerpoint Viewerhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41e2097c/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443347357/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e2097c/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443347357/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e2097c/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443347357/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e2097c/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443347357/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e2097c/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443347357/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e2097c/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/features/Best-software-2014/OpenOffice-470-75.jpgEditing and creating documents is one of the cornerstones of computer use. In almost every job, there is a need to create and edit documents ranging from word files to spreadsheets. Currently, the main way of doing this is Microsoft Office, which is available for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android – but it's expensive. Office 365 starts at £5.99 a month for one user, increasing to £7.99 a month for up to five PCs, which for the cash-strapped is just too much. Apple's iWork suite is free, but only works on OS X and iOS, requiring the purchase of expensive Apple hardware. Enter OpenOffice, a free open-source project by Apache to offer word processing, presentation creation and spreadsheet creation on Windows, Mac and Linux. Offering all the benefits of Word, PowerPoint and Excel for free, OpenOffice exports and imports .docx, .ppt and .xls, guaranteeing integration with peers and colleagues. Having used OpenOffice on and off over the years, it deserves a place on our countdown for offering one of the only legitimate alternatives to Office and iWork, and at no cost. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41e0cdf6/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443384362/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e0cdf6/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443384362/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e0cdf6/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443384362/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e0cdf6/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443384362/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e0cdf6/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443384362/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41e0cdf6/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/events/Windows%209/Windows%2010%20IE-470-75.jpgWe've heard lots and lots of rumors about Windows 10, but until now there's been little word about what browser the new operating system will use. According to ZDNet's sources Microsoft is building a completely new browser to replace the ubiquitous but oft-maligned Internet Explorer. This new Windows browser is being called "Spartan," and it seems it's a completely new browser not based on Internet Explorer at all. This is pretty surprising, considering how long Microsoft has stuck with Internet Explorer, but what isn't shocking is that the new browser will reportedly look and feel more like Chrome and Firefox. Future revelationsPreview builds of Windows 10 have included a desktop version of Internet Explorer, though granted an old version that was always bound to be replaced in future Windows 10 builds. Microsoft creating a new browser from scratch would explain why they haven't fit a new version into any Windows 10 previews so far. However the new browser will reportedly use Microsoft's Chakra JavaScript and Trident engines rather than the common WebKit, just like IE does, and Windows 10 may actually ship with both Spartan and the existing version of Internet Explorer 11 (or one slightly updated) for backward compatibility's sake. "Spartan" for now is just a codename, but we may find out exactly what the new Windows browser will be called at Microsoft's impending January event. The Nexus 6 is Google's best Nexus yethttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41dbc49f/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443363248/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41dbc49f/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443363248/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41dbc49f/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443363248/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41dbc49f/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443363248/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41dbc49f/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443363248/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41dbc49f/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/boo-keun-yoon-470-75.jpgSamsung Electronics' president and CEO, Boo-keun Yoon, will use its keynote address at the 2015 International CES event in Las Vegas next week to pull the curtains on company's Internet of Things (IoT) strategy. A report published in the Korean press highlight the fact that the firm plans to tap into IoT to build a steady, growing revenue stream, supplementing falling margins and increasing competition in the smartphone and tablet market. Yoon said in a statement that IoT is "is already shaping a new ecosystem within and outside of the tech industry, bringing infinite new opportunities. The convergence of technologies will accelerate, and collaborations will multiply to fill the needs of consumers." before adding "We at Samsung are committed to working with others to build the IoT". The news piece also mentions that Samsung plans to set up a common platform for connected home applications in the short term, potentially moving in the business segment down the line. Samsung acquired an IoT company called SmartThings back in August for $200 million, a fraction of what Google paid for Nest earlier this year. IoT is not new; it's essentially what was called embedded but repackaged and wireless functionallity backed in. Via Korea Times & Samsung Tomorrow

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/blurred-picture-of-people-470-75.jpgThroughout 2014 we have witnessed a massive surge in digital technology, especially around mobile. As a result of these advances in digital and mobile technologies, today's businesses and brands have more marketing tools available to them than ever before. However, these advancements are often outpacing an organisation's ability to interact, not only with their customers, but also with each other internally as there are so many tools at their disposal. It is evident that those brands that focus on engagement via a single channel, such as email, social or mobile, can become leaders but it is this limited focus that disables a business' capabilities to provide a consistent unified experience to a consumer across a number of channels. This year, we've seen many leading retailers strive to offer their customers a seamless omnichannel experience, investing heavily in upgrading their digital infrastructure in a bid to move closer to obtaining the mythical 'single customer view'. But is this really working in practice? Over the past year we have seen many business that have created siloed environments, data points and analytics that drive consumer communication that is relative to just one channel, such as web, with no cross federation of customer data and profile analytics to another channel, such as the app. For example, as a consumer, if I'm on my app, I receive communications based on what I do in my app. If I am on the website on my laptop, I receive an email, often post event, to recap on what I was looking at and suggest new things I should look at or do on the website. Occasionally l may see a pop up on the website which references what I am currently doing. Does this really sound like an omnichannel experience to you? This apparent lack of an omnichannel experience is predominantly driven by the fact that companies are unable to "identify" users or people across all the interaction points and channels and understand what they do and what channels they use regularly in an aggregated view. This aggregated view would allow businesses and brands to be able to instigate communications based on what users are doing across the entire digital estate. For example, if I were to do one thing via one channel, I would receive a communication across all channels or a specific channel relative to driving a marketing objective. These interactions should take place in real time when the consumer is engaged and are accessing the brand. Of course interactions can take place "post event" but all metrics suggest real-time interactions increase conversions. As a result, brands should be looking to create an aggregated view of their digital estate and the "people" that sit behind them, throughout 2015 and beyond. By having this information at their disposal, real personalisation can occur across channels. We believe that key to capturing the omnichannel consumer is this linked-up approach. To ensure consistency, brands and businesses must connect multiple customer touch points and understand and communicate with people and not just the users of individual devices. All interactions will be driven by customer name not just behaviour allowing consolidation of data, CRM and analytics. This will allow true real-time and valued post event communications, which will in turn unify the experience. By proxy this visibility will save significant investment around acquisition across channels as many times businesses and brands pay to acquire "people" that have already been acquired on another channel but just don't know it. Paul Putman is the Chief Executive Officer, Donkyhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41d6f316/sc/46/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443350396/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41d6f316/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443350396/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41d6f316/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443350396/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41d6f316/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443350396/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41d6f316/sc/46/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443350396/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41d6f316/sc/46/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/features/Best-software-2014/VirtualBox-470-75.jpgThere are very few emulator programmes available for Windows, and even fewer that are free. If you want to instal a new OS, partitions must be created and so on – a lot of work to run the odd Linux programme. Luckily, VirtualBox, a piece of software created by Oracle, comes to the rescue, offering the power and flexibility of more popular emulator apps (such as Parallels or VMWare Fusion) for free. As part of Oracle's enterprise suite, VirtualBox enjoys regular updates and bug fixes. Alongside this, VirtualBox supports a wide range of operating systems, including older versions of Windows. Throughout my usage of VirtualBox, I have never experienced a crash of the emulated OS, even when running more intense programmes. Obviously this is somewhat hardware based, but Oracle's backing of VirtualBox pays dividends in performance,stability and continued updates to the software. Being able to run a different OS from a free, multi-platform app is fantastic and, as such, VirtualBox more than justifies its place on this list. The software has been continuously updated throughout 2014, offering bug fixes and feature additions, and it continues to get better and better. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41ce6ca6/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443300462/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ce6ca6/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443300462/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ce6ca6/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443300462/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ce6ca6/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443300462/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ce6ca6/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443300462/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ce6ca6/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Android/google_play_store_app_materialdesign-470-75.jpgGoogle has updated the "Keyword spam" section of its Android developer guidelines to forbid app developers from including "user testimonials" in their app descriptions. The search company says developers use these "dubious" testimonials to game the search system with keywords and competing app names, and that customers' feedback should be relegated to official user reviews. "Please do not include user testimonials in your app description," the updated guidelines read. "They tend to be dubious and are frequently utilized to include references to popular search terms and competitor apps in violation of the policies outlined here. Let your users speak for themselves via Play's comment review system." The Google Play Store has long been notorious for having less regulation than Apple's iOS App Store, although to be sure plenty of crap slips through the cracks in both systems. In any case it's nice to see Google making positive changes to its policies. The Samsung Galaxy S5 was no revolutionhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41cbb1d4/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443240669/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41cbb1d4/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443240669/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41cbb1d4/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443240669/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41cbb1d4/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443240669/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41cbb1d4/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443240669/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41cbb1d4/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2014-Dec/new-PC-software/Avast-470-75.jpg1. avast! Free Antivirus Nothing spoils Christmas like a trojan fouling up your computer. And with the sheer amount of viruses lurking in the dingy recesses of the net, waiting for an unprotected PC to stumble their way, getting a beefy antivirus program is a top priority. Luckily, you don't have to fork out a fortune to guarantee peace of mind; you don't have to fork out anything, in fact, because the powerful avast! Free Antivirus is, as the name suggests, completely free. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2014-Dec/new-PC-software/Avast-420-90.jpg And with 25 years of know-how to back it up, you're not getting any old software either – avast! protects 200 million computers and devices worldwide. It scans your hard drive, emails and messenger apps, and there's more than enough in the free version to keep your PC safe and sound from online threats. 2. Firefox A super fast new computer needs a super fast internet browser, which is where Firefox comes in. It has established itself as one of the quickest browsers available, and since bursting onto the scene a few years ago, Mozilla's Firefox browser has captured a sizeable market share and prized many a user away from Internet Explorer. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2014-Dec/new-PC-software/Firefox-420-90.jpg It's got an absolutely huge range of extensions to do anything from changing the look and feel of Firefox to managing your bookmarks, debugging code and more. You can sync your bookmarks and settings to any device that uses Firefox, while it has privacy features a-plenty to ensure your information is yours alone. 3. LibreOffice It's pretty much guaranteed that you're going to need some good office software on your new PC. Whether you're keeping track of your finances, working from home or making greetings cards come holiday season, having good software that can handle this type of work is always a good idea, so make sure you check out LibreOffice. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2014-Dec/new-PC-software/LibreOffice-420-90.jpg And there's no need to shell out on Microsoft Office, as LibreOffice is a free alternative that is more than up to the task. It contains a suite of programs to handle every office need, from word processing and spreadsheets to presentations and even drawing. It's open source and regularly updated, and will make a fantastic addition to your new computer. 4. GIMP If you're looking to removing that pesky red eye from this year's Christmas snaps, you're going to have to sort yourself out with some image editing software. But if you've ever balked at the high asking price of Adobe Photoshop, GIMP could be the answer to your prayers – it's completely free. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2014-Dec/new-PC-software/GIMP-420-90.jpg It also comes with an impressive range of tools to rival its Adobe equivalent, all developed on a regularly updated open source basis. With a rich feature set that will appease beginners and experts alike – including layer masks, bezier curves, gradients, brushes and more – GIMP mounts a solid challenge to the Adobe behemoth. 5. Recuva We've all done it – deleted a seemingly unnecessary file, only to realise it was actually vitally important. For those awful moments when you accidentally banish a file seemingly forever, fear not – Recuva has your back. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2014-Dec/new-PC-software/Recuva-420-90.jpg When you delete a file in Windows, it's not actually deleted; the link to the file is removed, but the file still exists within your computer's innards. Like an intrepid cave explorer, Recuva plumbs the murky depths and finds those orphaned files and brings them back to the surface, whereupon you can choose which to restore. So don't panic if you need to bring back a previously deleted file, give Recuva a try. 6. TeamViewer If you need to collaborate with others or access your new computer remotely, you'll find TeamViewer is an absolute godsend. It lets you log in to your PC remotely and access your files through the power of magic (well, not quite), or you can share desktops with other computers. That makes it ideal for collaborating on work or showing someone how to complete a certain task, even if you're not there with them. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2014-Dec/new-PC-software/TeamViewer-420-90.jpg But it's not just ideal if you use your new PC for work. If you find yourself out and about without that vital file you left on your home computer, TeamViewer can save the day and let you remotely log in to your computer and get that file when you need it. It's a lifesaver in all sorts of situations, making it a perfect program for any new computer. 7. Dropbox Cloud storage had a big year in 2014, with all the major providers engaging in a heated price war that saw prices slashed and storage space soar. Dropbox emerged as one of the main winners of that little scrap, with its free option providing a meaty 2GB of space for all your files. You can even get 16GB extra by referring your friends. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2014-Dec/new-PC-software/Dropbox-420-90.jpg Yes, that means EVEN MORE Christmas gifts (hooray!). What better reason to put that New Year's resolution into action – you know, the one where you vow to keep all your important data safely backed up in the cloud. It's certainly easier than going to the gym, and a whole lot cheaper too. 8. Spotify If you want to explore new music and find your new favourite band, there's no better way to do it than with Spotify. It's designed to encourage the sharing and discovery of new music, with user playlists prominently displayed for you to browse through. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/DOWNLOADS/roundups/2014-Dec/new-PC-software/Spotify-420-90.jpg There's Spotify Radio too, which picks tracks it reckons you'll like, while the app's close integration with social sites like Facebook mean it's super easy to tap into your friends' tastes and broaden your music horizons. New PC, new music and a new year just around the corner – what's not to like? http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41c7fb60/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443226752/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c7fb60/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443226752/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c7fb60/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443226752/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c7fb60/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443226752/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c7fb60/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443226752/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c7fb60/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/utilities/Recuva/Dotd-023-Recuva-470-75.jpgPanic over! Recuva finds deleted files and restores them with ease, perfect for any time you've deleted a file and later come to regret it. Why you need itWhen you delete something in Windows, it ends up in the Recycle Bin, allowing you to bring it back should you change your mind. But what if you empty the Bin, then change your mind too late? Well fear not, because Recuva can bring your files back from the dead, even when you think they're gone for good. Because when you delete a file in Windows, the file itself is not destroyed; instead, the links that allow Windows to find it are cut. Recuva therefore skillfully traverses this gap and brings your files to the surface. Tell it to run a scan and, after completion, it will display a list of files that you can choose to restore. Recuva can also restore files lost or corrupted in a crash, not just ones that you deleted. That makes it pretty much an essential app on your Windows PC, a perfect disaster-recovery option for when you think all is lost. Key featuresWorks on: PCVersions: Free, Professional (£19.95)Get your files back: Recuva scans your hard drives for deleted files and allows you to easily recover themRecover almost anything: Whether you deleted the files, they were corrupted or were lost in a crash, Recuva can find and restore themYou'll also likeCCleanerParagon Backup & Recovery Free 2013PC Inspector File RecoveryGlary UtilitiesFree System Utilitieshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41c46bd3/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443264214/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c46bd3/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443264214/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c46bd3/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443264214/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c46bd3/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443264214/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c46bd3/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443264214/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c46bd3/sc/4/a2t.img

We've sorted you out with video editors, card makers, recipe ideas and more, but you don't want to be working on all that on a day like today. Christmas is stressful enough – so put your feet up and enjoy the beautiful First Christmas Screensaver. Although we might no longer need screensavers for the reason they were originally created – preventing damage to monitors – they still have their place. There are plenty of Christmas-inspired screensavers out there, often leaning towards the cartoony, the fun and the silly. There is nothing wrong with this, but sometimes it's nice to opt for something slightly more traditional. This is precisely what the First Christmas Screensaver is: a screensaver that returns to the origins of Christmas. Beautifully stylised scenes are enhanced with stunning a cappella vocals and elegant animations. The manger scene is one that will be instantly familiar, and the screensaver gives the well-known story something of a modern twist. There's a very gentle look and feel which is very much in keeping with the spirit of the season, and the music is something that is lovely to have playing in the background, even if you're not watching what is happening on the screen. Just the thing to get you in the mood for Christmas – and keep your eyes open for the cute mice that scuttle back and forth! The free version of the screensaver includes a single animated scene complete with music, but more can be unlocked in the full version. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41c4165b/sc/38/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443213816/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c4165b/sc/38/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443213816/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c4165b/sc/38/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443213816/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c4165b/sc/38/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443213816/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c4165b/sc/38/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443213816/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c4165b/sc/38/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/nest/nest_lifestyle_photo_living_room-470-75.jpgTechRadar Pro interviewed Avi Barel, Director of business development for the ULE Alliance to talk about the Ultra Low Energy standard (ULE) which has the potential to transform the current smart home market by making building automation, security and climate control solutions more eco-friendly, secure and affordable. TRP In which areas and sectors do you see the biggest potential for ULE? AB ULE technology can add value to a wide range of applications. At the ULE Alliance, we are currently focusing our work on solutions and applications for Home & Building Automation, Security, Climate Control and Healthcare. That's where we see the biggest potential at this point in time. However, the ULE standard offers many advantages which can also be useful for other markets and scenarios. TRP What does the ULE standard have to offer that isn't covered by other wireless standards? AB The idea behind the Internet of Things (IoT) in general, and smart homes in particular, is to make our lives and homes more convenient, secure and energy efficient. Achieving these goals requires solid support from the underlying technologies which are used to build IoT devices. The current short range wireless technologies use the 2.4 GHz or 900 MHz frequency bands. That means that they have to share the spectrum with other existing technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. This leads to far reaching implications: the more devices are being used in the area, including products in neighbouring properties, the lower the data bandwidth and range. Repeaters are a makeshift solution but increase the cost of ownership and the complexity of installation. Interference is another significant problem. The Wi-Fi signal can have a massive impact on the performance of the smart home devices – and vice versa. ULE technology uses dedicated frequency bands - 1880-1900 MHz in Europe - and is therefore interference free. ULE-frequencies can cover longer distances of up to 50 metres within buildings and up to 300 metres outdoors; partly because the spectrum isn't been used by other devices in the vicinity. That's why ULE-based networks are highly reliable and simple at the same time. Additional devices such as repeaters that may fail - and also add to the costs of ownership - are not required. The installation couldn't be easier. Usually, the push of a button is all that is needed to add a new device to the network. As the name Ultra-low Energy suggests, ULE is also extremely energy efficient. Actuators and sensors based on the ULE standard can be operated up to ten years on the same set of batteries. TRP What kind of information can be transmitted via ULE? AB The ULE standard is based on secure DECT-frequencies which are also used for cordless telephones. That means that ULE can deliver voice and video in addition to data and control signals with a data throughput of up to 1 Mbit/s. As a result, the solutions become smarter. For example: In case of an alarm, instead of just sending a loud signal, ULE based devices can provide detailed information throughout the entire home with announcements such as "smoke in the kitchen". In other words: ULE changes the user experience and, in some cases, can even help to save lives. TRP In which countries has ULE been launched so far? AB ULE is using the same physical layer protocol as DECT, which means that ULE is available in every country in which DECT has been enabled - such as Europe, the US and Americas, Japan, Korea and South East Asia. In China and India, the DECT spectrum is currently been negotiated. TRP What needs to be done before users can enjoy a smart home system which isn't limited to a single provider? AB So far, the available solutions are usually restricted to products and services from one and the same company. What users really want are networks that can easily be extended without unnecessary restrictions. With open standards such as ULE, the demand for smart home products will increase. It's a win-win situation for both, the user and the manufacturers. There are several aspects that contribute to the user satisfaction and widespread adoption of smart homes. For a broad market acceptance, smart homes can no longer be restricted to luxurious and expensive homes. Making smart homes affordable is one of the key points to enable a widespread use of smart home products. This can be further subdivided into the cost of purchasing and the cost of installation and maintenance. That includes further expansions of the network when new devices become available. Another important factor for the success of smart home solutions is the variety of available devices. It must be easy for the consumer to get hold of the products, from multiple manufacturers, to setup and expand the existing networks without any hassle and without having to consult an expert. More do-it-yourself-systems are required. With the widespread use of smartphones and tablets in recent years, it is also important that apps and cloud services are easily available for free or at moderate prices - not only for the delivery of information, but also to control the system or single devices remotely. TRP What kind of ULE-based products are already available? AB The setup of the ULE certification program is currently being finalised. The certification program will enable all ULE Alliance members to submit their devices for compliance testing to receive a certificate of compliance: the ULE logo. Several ULE-based products are already available, ranging from smoke detectors to smart plugs, but these devices don't have the ULE logo yet. TRP When will we see a widespread use of ULE products? AB Several large manufacturers will release a series of products next year. Once this has happened, we expect that many other companies will follow suit which will lead to a surge in systems and devices. IHS Research predicts that 50 million ULE products will be sold in 2015. In addition, millions of existing DECT gateways can easily be upgraded to ULE via a simple software update. Unlike with conventional DECT products, up to 2,000 actuators and sensors can be connected with each other via ULE. There are basically no limits, neither for the manufacturers nor for the end users. TRP How secure are ULE-based systems and what are the major threats? AB Besides the ultra-low energy operation, the increased security of ULE is another important addition to the DECT standard. The ULE network is using a higher level security scheme (AES 128) compared to traditional DECT. This scheme is the state-of-the-art industry solution for secure networks. When it comes to security, compromised privacy is probably the biggest threat to smart homes as all components are connected and can be controlled remotely. If an un-authorised person manages to access the system, it could lead to unpleasant consequences for the owner. The ULE security scheme in its current form will protect the users. TRP What does the ULE Alliance do to support businesses and end users? AB The ULE Alliance helps its members to quickly develop new products and services in the areas of Home Automation, Security and Climate Control by ensuring perfect interoperability between the products of different vendors. We also co-operate actively with other organisations such as ETSI and HGI who promote ideas for the widespread adoption of the Internet of Things. By ensuring that the solutions become more affordable, secure and user-friendly thanks to ULE, the end users also benefits from our work. TRP How will the smart home of the future look like? AB Basically everything that can increase the comfort and the security of the user and helps to save energy and money will become a reality. Once the Internet of Things is fully deployed, we will be surrounded by an increasing number of devices that improve the comfort and security in and around our homes. The smart home will recognise who's at home, leaving or arriving. It will adjust the room temperature to the user's liking and intelligently manage the heating and cooling systems to save energy and money. And it will also alert us about unusual events of all kind. These are only a few examples of how smart homes will improve the quality of life. The underlying technologies such as ULE will play an important part by allowing seamless co-operations and solutions. It won't be a revolution - partly because of the diverse nature of smart homes and the challenges that come with it, partly because the transformation has already started - but a very fast and eagerly anticipated evolution.

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/cloud_services/Perzo/perzo-safelock-470-75.JPGWith what seemed like continual breach headlines shaking the confidences of nearly every business across every industry in 2014, it is all the more important to button up security practices in the New Year. Now the question becomes: where does one begin when cleaning house? Survey findings from Ipswitch say start with your employees. In a survey of more than 200 IT professionals and practitioners, Are Employees Putting Your Company’s Data at Risk?, findings show that employees are circumventing IT staff by sending confidential and highly sensitive company files via means that are insecure, lack auditability, and run the risk of exposing an organization’s sensitive data: 84% of employees are using personal emails to send sensitive filesMore than 50% of respondents expose company files or data by uploading to a cloud-based service such as Dropbox or YouSendItMore than 30% of employees have lost a USB drive containing confidential informationHackers are constantly on the lookout for ways to steal sensitive data, and some practices by employees are actually making these hackers jobs easier! A vast majority (84%) of the respondents send classified or confidential information as email attachments; and nearly half of them use their personal email to send company documents and data. Additionally, file transfer sites and cloud services are also making it easier for employees to sidestep IT restrictions and potentially expose sensitive information. More than 50% of respondents expose company files or data by uploading to a cloud-based service such as Dropbox or YouSendIt. There is a lack of visibility and control associated with these methods when files are being transferred, putting them outside any reasonable IT comfort zone and putting organizations at tremendous risk. Furthermore, when business users aren’t turning to personal email accounts or free file-sharing services to send information, they’re often using USB thumb drives, smartphones or other external devices. These methods are simple, cheap and convenient – but also extremely risky. For example, in July 2012, a USB drive with data on 14,000 patients and about 200 staff was stolen from the home of an employee of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) during a home invasion. This is just one example of the dangers of allowing data to be stored and moved using USB drives versus a secure transfer method. More than 30% of employees in the survey admitted to having lost an external device containing sensitive business or personal information. The survey also revealed that when respondents lost external devices with sensitive business information, 49% did not report it to the IT department. That means companies are often unaware of these disasters until it’s too late for anything except damage control. These data findings serve as an important reminder that when company systems hinder employee productivity, it’s both a security risk and bad for business. Employees are sending a clear message: if IT doesn’t provide the tools they need to send large and confidential attachments – or if the processes and technologies are too difficult to use – users will take matters into their own hands. In many cases, a managed file transfer solution can be found that offers simple person-to-person file transfer technologies that allow business users to send files of any size simply and securely to anyone at any time in a well-governed way. As employees continue to circumvent IT and use their own tools to send and share files in the workplace, IT must deliver end-user simplicity that meets the governance and control required by the organization. Paul Castiglione is a technical marketer and product evangelist at Ipswitchhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41c18077/sc/46/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443199092/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c18077/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443199092/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c18077/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443199092/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c18077/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443199092/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c18077/sc/46/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443199092/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41c18077/sc/46/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/image_editors/Inkscape/Inkscape-470-75.jpgInkscape is a great free program for creating vectors (scalable graphics that won't blur when you resize them) – so much so, in fact, that it it's a serious alternative to expensive alternatives like Adobe Illustrator. Why you need itAdobe has a dominant position in the image software world, but that doesn't mean there aren't excellent alternatives. Inkscape is one such program – an open-source vector imaging suite that mounts a serious challenge to Adobe's Illustrator behemoth. And what's more, Illustrator is over £210 for a year-long license; Inkscape is free. But don't think it's just some cheap alternative. Inkscape comes with all sorts of tools for manipulating and creating vector graphics, be that through paths, shapes, text or embedded bitmaps. You can manipulate image shapes, fill them with gradients, group them with other layers, convert them to paths and so much more. There's not enough space to list everything that Inkscape can do, which just attests to how powerful it is. Simply put, if you can do it in Illustrator, chances are you can do it in Inkscape, and that's pretty incredible for a piece of free vector software. If nothing else, give it a try to see how you find it; if it's not for you, you haven't lost a thing. Key featuresWorks on: PC, Mac (with additional software), LinuxVersions: FreeCreate: Inkscape has so many tools to help you create vectors, you'll wonder why you need to shell out for Adobe IllustratorManipulate vectors: It's not just for creating vectors from scratch; there a tools a-plenty for when you want to tweak and edit existing vectorsFree: Unbelievably, Inkscape is completely free, giving you another reason to download it todayYou'll also likeGIMPPhotoscapePaint.NETSketchupIrfanViewhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41bfa489/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443195885/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41bfa489/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443195885/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41bfa489/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443195885/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41bfa489/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443195885/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41bfa489/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443195885/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41bfa489/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Miscellaneous/Banking%20Speech%20Analytics%20Feature/bank-fixing-hero-470-75.jpgIntroductionThe public furore over dodgy bankers may have subsided a little, but since the 2008 financial crisis we have seen 2013's rigging of Libor and the recent fixing of the foreign exchanges market. Fines and compensation payments (read: PPI) have cost British banks £38.5 billion (around $60 billion, AU$73 billion) this century, and some think it's the banking culture that's to blame. However, there could be a way to change this bad behaviour, and TechRadar Pro was given a demo of this tech. It's a new speech recognition and analytics engine that records and scrutinises every single sentence – plus emails, chat rooms, IM and texts – to identify fraud as it's happening. This fix could be history. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/Miscellaneous/Banking%20Speech%20Analytics%20Feature/Fonetics-risk-barometer-2-420-90.jpg Why do we need speech analytics? Although banks need to limit their risk to fines and compensation, the new market for speech analytics is opening because of the Dodds-Frank Act in the US, which was created after the collapse of the Lehman Brothers bank in 2008. It puts an onus on investment banks, in particular, to be able to reconstruct derivative and swap trades within just 24-72 hours. "The Act actually says the data should be 'readily available', which could be as short a time as 14 hours," says Juan Manual 'Juanmo' Soto, an industrial engineer and CEO of Spanish linguistics company Fonetic who specialises in speech analytics. "Every big bank in the world is affected." His solution is the Fonetic Linguistics Voice Platform, which uses a unique algorithm that records and analyses speech. "It's about managing risk for banks," says Karen Winter, Sales & Marketing Director (EMEA) at Fonetic, who began her career in the banking sector working for Morgan Stanley, and later worked as a foreign exchange trader for ABN AMRO Bank. "The nature of trading is to push the boundaries, and sometimes bankers go over them." Santander currently uses the Fonetic Linguistics Voice Platform in seven trading rooms across three continents. Other customers include another Spanish bank BBVA. How does it work?"We use the Nuance speech recognition engine, and Genesys SpeechMinor as the platform for handling the administration of the calls," says Juanmo, though the crucial speech analysis algorithm is unique to Fonetic. The Linguistics Voice Platform does two things. Firstly, it allows a trade to be reconstructed. "The trade isn't closed so there is no reference number," says Winter about the detective work involved in tracking the history of a fraudulent trade. "You have to use metadata like the date and the content of the conversation to detect what the underlying asset is, and who was involved." The second use of the tech is in Trading Communications Surveillance, the monitoring in real-time of voice and, crucially, text sources also – including emails, chat rooms, and other written documents on a corporate network – for fraud and bad practices. Anything that the bank wants to detect, it can generate alerts for in near real-time or compile a list of suspicious conversations for auditors to look at later. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/Miscellaneous/Banking%20Speech%20Analytics%20Feature/bbva-3-420-90.jpg Can it understand different languages? Yes – and speaking Klingon doesn't fool it since the software immediately flags up anything unusual. Nuance's speech recognition engine can handle 84 different languages, and many variations within them, and the Linguistics Voice Platform software can listen out for all of them. "It's working in five languages for some banks," says Juanmo. "The Nuance engine even includes variations – it can understand US English, Australian English, UK English and even Singapore and South African English, with four or five versions of Spanish also," he adds. Big data and catching fraudstersDealing with big dataTraders' calls have been taped since the 1970s, but they've never been analysed until now. "The average trader will generate 2,000 hours of recordings every year," says Winter. "Multiply that by 500 on a small trading floor then multiply that by five trading houses … that's 5.6 million hours of calls per year!" Since the Dodd-Frank Act defines that the lifetime of a swap is 35 years, it's a lot of data to sort and archive. "A proper trade reconstruction is impossible," says Winter. "The banks have not got a chance." http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/Miscellaneous/Banking%20Speech%20Analytics%20Feature/calls-sorting-4-420-90.jpg Dealing with city-speak and slangBefore computers, traders dealt with each other in coffee houses and other public places, so they developed their own language to keep the details private. It's a tradition that's stuck, but it's about to become redundant. Take this example of a concluded deal picked-out by the Linguistics Voice Platform: "Hi how are you, mine." Now that's subtle, but easy to spot if you're looking for it. "Traders shortcut a lot – time is money – and prices change by the second," says Winter, who's steeped in bankers' lingo. "We put context into language, so if something looks out of context, it's flagged and categorised," she says. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/Miscellaneous/Banking%20Speech%20Analytics%20Feature/processing-power-5-420-90.jpg Can it catch fraudulent bankers? Absolutely. Here's an example of how the tech operated during the period of Libor fixing – we've capitalised the examples of word strings or phrases the software picked out: "This is the way you PULL OFF DEALS LIKE THIS CHICKEN, DON'T TALK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH, two months of preparation ... THE TRICK IS you MUST NOT DO THIS ALONE … THIS IS BETWEEN YOU AND ME but REALLY DON'T TELL ANYBODY." The rest of that conversation was punctuated with promises of Bollinger champagne alongside odd sounding compliments such as 'big boy', which were all flagged by the tech. Another more subtle – but detectable – Libor-related conversation went like this: Senior euro swaps trader: "Hi, is it too late to ask for a low 3m?" Euribor submitter: "Just about to put them in ..... so no." However, whether this kind of technology can prevent the next financial crash entirely depends on the reason for a fall in the markets. That could be fraudulent behaviour, though that wasn't the issue last time around in 2008. "The banking crisis was to do with liquidity in the market, and that's what triggered Dodd-Frank to make the market more competitive and liquid," says Winter. "Whether we could have helped, who knows, but we do know that with our solution trader behaviour would probably have been different." The recent Forex foreign exchange rate fixing scandal, however, could have been prevented by the Linguistics Voice Platform because it works across all sources of communication, both written and spoken. "That's just a bunch of guys who got together probably in a chat room," says Winter. "Markets move on events – they need an election, an event to move the market – so these guys got together to put their money together to move the market between them. They've been fixing their position prior to their market move then selling out at the top of that position to maximise profits – it's highly irregular." The software spots that kind of behaviour easily because it looks at trading patterns, and because criminal activity tends to happen in short periods of the day. "Once you are suspicious, you can track everything," adds Juanmo. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/Miscellaneous/Banking%20Speech%20Analytics%20Feature/trader-calls-analysis-6-420-90.jpg Does it work in other industries? Anywhere that has a high volume of calls, emails and other types of communication could benefit from speech analytics. "The software is found in call centres, in the telecoms industry, energy, insurance – any company handling big volumes of calls which they want to analyse," says Juanmo, picking out three examples of how speech analytics can produce data to improve efficiency: the churn in the telecoms sector, calculating customer satisfaction in call centres, and processing insurance claims. The platform is already used by Vodafone, Telefónica and Direct Line. Users' 'voice-prints' will soon be integrated to increase security, while sentiment analysis is now possible, and already used by Fonetic in the call centre-centric versions of its Linguistics Voice Platform to detect underlying feelings of anger or frustration in customers' voices by studying intonation. That doesn't apply to banking, which is largely about facts. That's not going to change, but banking culture is about to be shaken up – and shaken down – by the sheer thoroughness of speech analytics. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41bf68c7/sc/46/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443190986/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41bf68c7/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443190986/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41bf68c7/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443190986/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41bf68c7/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443190986/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41bf68c7/sc/46/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443190986/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41bf68c7/sc/46/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/features/Christmas-countdown/photoscape-470-75.jpgIt may be that you get a new camera for Christmas, but even if you are still using one from last year or earlier, you're probably going to be taking a lot of photos over the coming weeks. From pictures of relatives you only catch up with once a year, to shots of that 'interesting' jumper you were given by a friend, Christmas photos are lasting memories. You could print out your favourite pictures, but PhotoScape provides you with the tools you need to show them off on your computer. The program can be used to edit photos – including making batch edits to whole bundles at once – but it also includes a number of options for displaying pictures. This is great for when you have friends and family visiting, as you can all gather together and browse through a digital photo album. If you're feeling creative, you can use the editing tools to do something a little different with your images, and the option to make animated GIFs gives you the chance to create something that you can share online or via email. Other great features include templates that can be used to transform your photos into calendars, posters and more. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41be6fca/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443191447/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41be6fca/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443191447/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41be6fca/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443191447/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41be6fca/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443191447/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41be6fca/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443191447/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41be6fca/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/audio_systems/LG/LG_Music_Flow_Wi-Fi_Series_001-470-75.jpgHome theater enthusiasts have always had a challenge when it comes to hiding speaker wires, but LG has come up with an ingenious solution that takes advantage of the Wi-Fi you already use. LG Electronics today divulged a few of the company's previously announced products that will be on display in time for the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which kicks off at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 6. Aimed at music and movie lovers, LG's Music Flow is a series of Wi-Fi equipped hardware, including battery-powered speakers capable of being controlled with iOS and Android mobile devices. Music Flow hardware has been designed to work independently or in tandem with other wireless devices over a dual-band (2.4/5GHz) Wi-Fi connection, streaming music from the likes of Spotify or Napster without interrupting a jam session like competing Bluetooth products would. Go with the FlowThe debut LG Music Flow lineup includes the H4 Portable speaker, which can also be set up with HS7 or HS9 sound bars to deliver a more immersive audio experience; the former promises "seamless HD sound," while the latter touts "outstanding, deep acoustics." Consumers can also pair the wireless speakers with the LG BP550 3D Blu-ray player, which features a variety of streaming services along with the unique ability to push sound from connected CDs or even a USB thumb drive. Owners of LG smartphones or tablets can also use HomeChat to send free text message commands to any Music Flow speaker, while the Auto Music Play feature can be set up to start music playback whenever a device comes with a foot of the wireless hardware. LG has yet to announce pricing and availability for the Music Flow series, but will be demonstrating the new hardware at CES 2015 from January 6-9 in the Central Hall, booth 8204. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41ba22cf/sc/28/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443217415/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ba22cf/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443217415/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ba22cf/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443217415/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ba22cf/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443217415/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ba22cf/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443217415/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41ba22cf/sc/28/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/audio_systems/LG/LG_Music_Flow_Wi-Fi_Series_001-470-75.jpgHome theater enthusiasts have always had a challenge when it comes to hiding speaker wires, but LG has come up with an ingenious solution that takes advantage of the Wi-Fi you already use. LG Electronics today divulged a few of the company's previously announced products that will be on display in time for the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which kicks off at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 6. Aimed at music and movie lovers, LG's Music Flow is a series of Wi-Fi equipped hardware, including battery-powered speakers capable of being controlled with iOS and Android mobile devices. Music Flow hardware has been designed to work independently or in tandem with other wireless devices over a dual-band (2.4/5GHz) Wi-Fi connection, streaming music from the likes of Spotify or Napster without interrupting a jam session like competing Bluetooth products would. Go with the FlowThe debut LG Music Flow lineup includes the H4 Portable speaker, which can also be set up with HS7 or HS9 sound bars to deliver a more immersive audio experience; the former promises "seamless HD sound," while the latter touts "outstanding, deep acoustics." Consumers can also pair the wireless speakers with the LG BP550 3D Blu-ray player, which features a variety of streaming services along with the unique ability to push sound from connected CDs or even a USB thumb drive. Owners of LG smartphones or tablets can also use HomeChat to send free text message commands to any Music Flow speaker, while the Auto Music Play feature can be set up to start music playback whenever a device comes with a foot of the wireless hardware. LG has yet to announce pricing and availability for the Music Flow series, but will be demonstrating the new hardware at CES 2015 from January 6-9 in the Central Hall, booth 8204.

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/Nokia/N1/Nokia_n1_tablet_2-470-75.jpgThe Nokia faithful has been waiting in breathless anticipation for the arrival of the company's first Android tablet, and that patience is about to be rewarded - assuming you live in China. GSM Arena (via Sina Technology) reported Monday that the world's first Android tablet built by Nokia may finally break cover on January 7, although it's unclear if the device will launch or actually go on sale that day. Either way, the date is only of significance for fans in China, which is where the 7.9-inch Nokia N1 is expected to first make its mark, presumably before what's left of the Finnish giant decides to make tracks for other destinations. Nokia made the N1 official last month after weeks of speculation, but only provided a vague release sometime in the first quarter of 2015, despite having plenty to say about specs at the time. Don't you N1-ant me, babyLaunching with Android 5.0 Lollipop on board, the Nokia N1 features a 2048 x 1536 touchscreen display powered by a quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor clocked at 2.3GHz with 2GB RAM. Packed with a 5300 mAh battery, 32GB of onboard storage and dual cameras (5MP at front, 8MP around back), Nokia's debut on the Android tablet scene will arrive with the company's custom Z Launcher software, rather than a pure Lollipop experience. We may have to wait until January 7 to get an exact price on the Chinese version of the Nokia N1, although the tablet is expected to sell for around $249 (about UK£160, AU$307), putting it somewhere in the middle of the Android tablet spectrum. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41b96e5f/sc/28/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443210124/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b96e5f/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443210124/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b96e5f/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443210124/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b96e5f/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443210124/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b96e5f/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443210124/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b96e5f/sc/28/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/security/Hotspot-Shield/Hotspot-470-75.jpgThe free Hotspot Shield is perfect for protecting your data from intrusive snooping, whether that's by hackers, governments or viruses. Why you need itUnless you've been living under a rock for the past few years, you'll know that online privacy is somewhat newsworthy (a possible contender for understatement of the year right there). An increasing number of companies are offering services to keep your data safe from prying eyes, and Hotspot Shield is one of the most trusted. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) like that offered by Hotspot Shield are used extensively by journalists seeking to protect their sources and by political dissidents in repressive countries, but they're very useful even if you just use it on an everyday basis. Hotspot Shield, for example, lets you browse the internet as if you were operating on a secure, private network, keeping you anonymous, your data encrypted and preventing light-fingered hackers from stealing your vital information. There's more to it than just privacy protection, though. Hotspot Shield actively monitors for malicious websites and files, warning you if you're heading towards a dodgy site. It encrypts your personal data such as credit card numbers and passwords, making them much harder to steal and misuse, while the nature of VPNs – extended private networks, essentially – means you can bypass restrictions blocking you from certain websites. There's a free version of Hotspot Shield that does all this and a little more too, while there's an Elite version for £18.95 a year if you want even more protection. Key featuresWorks on: PC, Mac, iOS, AndroidVersions: Free, Elite (£18.95 per year)Stay anonymous: Hotspot Shield protects your privacy: it hides your IP address and reroutes your traffic so it looks like you're browsing from a different locationProtect your data: All your important information is encrypted, while you'll be warned if you're heading towards a known attack site.Bypass censorship: Browse websites that are blocked in your location or available only to viewers originating from a certain country (such as USA-only Hulu videos)You'll also likeLogMeIn HamachiConnectify Hotspot LiteMicrosoft Security EssentialsKaspersky WindowsUnlockerMcAfee Labs Stingerhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41b88db3/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443159107/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b88db3/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443159107/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b88db3/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443159107/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b88db3/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443159107/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b88db3/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443159107/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b88db3/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Software/Yosemite/Finder%201-470-75.jpgVulnerabilities in the ubiquitous Network Time Protocol (NTP) service have forced Apple to issue its first-ever automated security update for Mac OS X, a process that is common on Microsoft's Windows platform. Apple has included that mechanism in its last three operating systems and is using it as a last-resort intervention. The weaknesses were unearthed by Google researchers last week and have since been published by the US Department of Homeland Security as well as the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute. The Mac OS X update, which a spokesperson said is seamless and doesn't require a restart, will roll out on 10.10 Yosemite, 10.9 Mavericks, and 10.8 Mountain Lion. Time splittersNTP is used primarily to synchronise time on devices across networks and is a fundamental component of any connected operating system. While there is no risk of data being compromised, it allows any remote attacker that uses a particular payload to execute malicious code, something that might be particularly useful to mount DDoS attacks. NTP-based attacks usually cause more havoc because of a so-called amplication factor where a query sent by a device gets a response that's 1000x larger. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41b7204b/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443199540/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b7204b/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443199540/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b7204b/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443199540/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b7204b/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443199540/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b7204b/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443199540/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b7204b/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/features/Christmas-countdown/skype-470-75.jpgChristmas is all about family and friends, but it is often not possible to get together with everyone you would like. If you're missing someone and want to keep in touch over the festive season, there's no better way to do it than with Skype. The program shows just how far communication tools have come in recent years, making it possible to conduct not only text-based chats online, but also phone calls and video calls. The best experience comes when you connect with other Skype users, as this opens up the opportunity to conduct multi-user video chats; this gives family spread around the world the chance to get together in a single conversation window. But Skype can also be used to place calls to regular landlines. Whether you want to chat with a friend in the next town, an uncle at the other end of the country, or a sibling on the other side of the world, making calls through Skype is usually significantly cheaper than placing a regular landline call. With versions of the software available for desktop Windows, Windows 8 and a host of mobile devices, Skype makes it easier than ever to keep in touch with the ones you love. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41b72054/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443199539/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b72054/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443199539/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b72054/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443199539/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b72054/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/216443199539/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b72054/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/216443199539/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41b72054/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/23rd%20Dec%2014/6dealsmain-470-75.jpgSaving you money is what TechRadar Deals is all about, and we've got some more bargains for you to consider here. Whether you're after something for the family or simply looking for bargains for your own good self, we've got some deals for you! And if you haven't heard about the deals bonanza that's going down on the 26th, check out our Boxing Day sales page! Here's a great little deal to kick us off. If you're looking to pick up a kick-ass USB stick, you can currently get the SanDisk Cruzer Extreme USB 3.0 drive with 64GB capacity for just £24.99. Today's Hot Dealshttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/23rd%20Dec%2014/1omak-580-100.jpg Here's an exclusive deal just for you. Portable phone chargers are one of the most useful gadgets to own, and with the secret code TR14XMAS you can currently get £3 off the Omaker Premium portable charger with 10,000mAh of charge! That makes the price just £14.99. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/23rd%20Dec%2014/3luxor-580-100.jpg If you're looking for a big TV but want to pay as little as possible, Richer Sounds currently has a deal just for you. You can pick up the 40-inch Luxor 401080 LED TV for just £169.95. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/23rd%20Dec%2014/2ps4bundle-580-100.jpg Remember, if you're still looking to buy last minute gifts, you could use Argos' click and collect service to order online and pick up in store! And if a PS4 is what you covet, today's best new deal is indeed at Argos. There you can pick up a black or white PS4 console with copies of Minecraft, Little Big Planet 3, Driveclub and LEGO Batman 3 all for £349.99. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/23rd%20Dec%2014/4bosch-580-100.jpg This is a great gadget and Amazon is running an excellent deal on it for today only. It's a digital laser rangefinder that allows you to accurately measure distances of up to 15m. Normally it's £49.99, but today the Bosch PLR 15 Ditial Laser Rangefinder is reduced to £33.99. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/23rd%20Dec%2014/5complete-580-100.jpg If you're a PC gamer and have never played some of Valve's all-time greatest games, you're in luck. You can currently pick up every game Valve ever made, including Half-Life 1 and 2, Portal 1 and 2 and Left 4 Dead 1 and 2 (full list on the website) - all for just £10 when you use the secret code WINTER-SALE20-GROGRE. http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/16th%20Dec%2014/mag-580-100.JPG Struggling for Christmas gift ideas? If you need help finding the perfect present for that hard to buy for friend or relative, or you're just running out of time and need a great last minute gift, look no further - get up to 69% off magazine subscriptions to titles like T3, Digital Camera, MacFormat, PC Format, Total Film, SFX and more! Get 69% off magazine subscriptions MORE HOT DEALSBraun CruZer6 Face All-in-One original £35 @ Amazon James Bond RC Aston Martin DB5 Car with lights and sound £24.99 @ Maplin Nintendo DSi XL perfect Xmas gift only £59 delivered @ iwoot Predator trilogy BLU-RAY boxset (6 discs ) £7 (+ more items in sale below) at play/fox direct Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay Form 2i Limited Edition Headphones with In-Line Remote - Blue - £47.99 delivered at IWOOT Sony Bravia KDL-42W829BBU Smart 3D 42" LED TV with Sony HT-CT60BT Soundbar £509 @ Currys Yamaha RX-V377 5.1Ch 100W Output 4K Ready AV Receiver - £179 - Richer Sounds Xbox One Console - £285.00 @ Amazon Lenovo e50 Quad Core Desktop PC 25% off £149.99 (£119.99 after cashback) with free delivery @ ebuyer Sony Xperia Z3 Sim Free £399.88 at unlocked-mobiles From Dusk Till Dawn 1-3 Complete Collection Blu-ray £8.99 @ Zavvi Habitat Kringle Small Colour-Changing LED Tree only £6 Argos Seagate 5TB USB 3.0 (3.5 inch) external hard drive (Black) £119.99 @ Amazon http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41bd153d/sc/28/mf.gif