sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Windows/windows_81_rtm/win81%20startscreen-470-75.jpgIntroduction and app issuesMicrosoft took a different approach when it designed Windows 8 compared to all of the firm's previous operating systems. Instead of designing for a desktop or laptop – predominantly controlled by a mouse – Windows 8 was designed for a touchscreen, creating big 'tappable' tiles in place of small, fiddly buttons. While this approach was fine on a tablet, it grated a fair amount with desktop and laptop users who were used to the Windows 7 experience. Users clamoured for the Start menu – a staple feature of Windows – to return, and Microsoft answered with Windows 8.1, and an ensuing update to that version. Legacy appsIf you are deciding whether or not to upgrade to Windows 8 from Windows 7, you need to consider various things. The first point to bear in mind pertains to you if you're running a business and are installing Windows 8 onto multiple computers, all of which will need legacy apps and services. If this is the case, Windows 8 may not be an advisable choice unless absolutely necessary. While Microsoft has implemented some more mouse-friendly features, the operating system remains predominately designed for a tablet with an awkward transition to the Desktop mode when legacy apps are called upon. Businesses still rely on some legacy software, no matter which sphere they operate in. For example, Microsoft is still yet to produce a proper, dedicated Windows 8-ready version of Microsoft Office, one of the core suites of apps used around the world. When the Office tile is tapped, the whole OS switches to Desktop mode, a jarring process that can be confusing and is in no way smooth. While legacy apps are still compatible, the process of using them is confusing and feels, above all else, unpolished. Over time, major developers will build apps specifically designed with Windows 8 in mind, but that time may be some way off. Market share mattersWindows 7 is still the operating system with the most market share – due, in part, to Microsoft's lack of a clear update mechanism like Apple's Mac App Store – but that will change as more people upgrade their PC to a machine running Windows 8, buy a tablet, or simply upgrade their operating system. The day when Windows 8 has the majority market share of the Microsoft ecosystem has not yet arrived though, and so it is still possible to choose between the two. Major retail outlets and PC vendors still sell some machines running Windows 7, and the support and developer community is strong, despite its release being almost five years ago. As an enterprise, the operating system of choice is clear: Windows 7. As of right now, the lack of apps made specifically for Windows 8 undermines the usefulness of the changes, and the state of many companies' hardware – laptops and desktops without touchscreens and sporting older internals – makes Windows 7 the obvious option. As a consumer, however, the answer is rather harder to find. http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net/art/software/Windows/windows_81_rtm/search%20in%20charms-420-100.jpg Consumer considerationsIf, like me, you prefer to keep your software up to date then upgrading to Windows 8 seems like the next logical step, as everything moving forward will become exclusively compatible with Windows 8. If you've already invested in the Windows ecosystem – through Windows Phone, for example – then Windows 8 will make a lot of sense, both aesthetically and functionally, as the two sync well and the user experience is almost identical, bar desktop apps. Windows 8 does come with some app advantages, however. If you're willing to put up with the awkward transition from the tile interface to the desktop one, then you are opening yourself up to a lot more apps. Microsoft is encouraging developers to create apps that work in full-screen in a similar fashion to how apps work on a Surface or iPad, meaning that tablet-style apps are possible on your desktop. This has obvious advantages, with casual games becoming a reality just as they are on tablets. Microsoft is working on getting as many developers on board as they can, with some big name apps already appearing on the Store. Developers are receiving an even bigger incentive from Microsoft's "One Windows" strategy, by which developers can write one universal app for Windows and have it run on Windows Phone, Xbox and Windows 8. This will help increase the amount of games available massively – especially indie titles made by developers who don't have the resources of a big studio – as Xbox has been brought into the fray. OS X and enterprise conclusionsMac attackThe debate about which operating system to choose is, however, never complete without comparing Windows to its biggest rival, Apple's Mac OS X. Over recent years, the Mac ecosystem – both hardware and software – has come on leaps and bounds, introducing features that surpass Microsoft's own. The "Back to Mac" strategy unveiled by Apple means that features found on iOS are becoming available on the Mac, creating a synergy between the two platforms. While the concept may sound similar to Microsoft's strategy with Windows 8 and Windows Phone, the two operating systems remain distinctly different: different code bases, no touchscreen input for OS X, and no app sharing (beyond namesakes). In enterprise, Microsoft's offering beats Apple's hands-down. While the Office suite is available on Mac, there are a host of apps that many businesses rely upon to get the job done that are not available for OS X and likely never will be. The refusal to license OS X onto machines not manufactured by Apple dealt them a deadly blow in the enterprise space, where companies are more comfortable buying one thousand Dell PCs and putting Microsoft's OS on them. Apple is increasingly moving into the enterprise space, however, with many businesses investing in the iPad or providing employees with an iPhone. Whether this means a greater uptake in Mac sales in the enterprise remains to be seen, but right now Microsoft still rules the roost. http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/software/Microsoft/Windows81/Update%201/DSC_0122-420-100.jpg Redmond gets creativeWith Windows 8, something even more unexpected happened than Apple moving into the enterprise space: Microsoft became a (minority) player in the creative sphere, where Apple has traditionally had an almost total monopoly. While it's unlikely that Apple will lose its large creative client bases who have invested hundreds of thousands in Macs and niche software for recording, editing or drawing, Microsoft has stepped up its efforts in the home video making and audio editing space. This predominantly stems from the fact that the new Windows Store is so much friendlier to those kind of apps, so a spotlight can be placed on them. When the majority of apps were found on the web, or via "Top 10 Apps" lists, building and executing creative apps was a much tougher process. Whether you require Windows 7 or Windows 8 is predominately determined by what you use the operating system for. If, for example, you are in need of a new PC and are wondering whether to try and find a machine still running Windows 7, the answer is probably no, you can live with Windows 8. The majority of tasks are very similar – if not better, due to full-screen apps – on Windows 8 compared to 7, and the opportunity to pick up a touchscreen PC, or even a tablet, increases the experience tenfold. The jarring shift to desktop apps is annoying, but time will fix this as more and more developers move to create apps specifically for Windows 8. Enterprise adviceAs an enterprise, the answer is rather more confusing. Visually, Windows 8 is far nicer than Windows 7 and is far more future-proof, but also comes with many more headaches. While core spec requirements for Windows 8 are the same as Windows 7, running an operating system that needs a touchscreen on a five year old desktop PC grates somewhat. Microsoft is moving to make the experience more pleasurable, but it will never truly match that of Windows 7. Phil Tyler, Head of Global Programme Delivery at Gazprom, says that he implements a "year on, year off" strategy, meaning that you ignore one update from the company. With this strategy, he went from Windows XP to 7 (bypassing Vista) and will update to Windows 9 upon release, bypassing Windows 8. This strategy seems sensible – Vista was a terrible operating system according to many, and Windows 8 is a large leap which will be compensated for in Windows 9 to some degree – and it saves a company thousands of pounds from the headache of upgrading its array of PCs. Windows 9 release date, news and rumourshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3ebc6d75/sc/4/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/BdDJC-1-aCc

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/microsoft-windows-9-wtp-470-75.jpgOnly eight days before Microsoft's Windows 9 event in San Francisco and one Microsoft veteran has managed to get hold of screen captures believed to be the latest Windows 9 build, 9841. That person is Paul Thurrott of WinSuperSite, who reckons that the build is the current one though he admitted that it may also be the final Windows Technical Preview due to be presented next week. The new Start Menu is present - a combination of the old Windows 7 Start Menu and the current one on Windows 8.x start screen. Charms are still there but will only be activated when touching a display (be it on a tablet or a hybrid device). Minor changesA new Task View button on the taskbar will allow you to switch between running apps and will see the itroduction of virtual or custom desktops, something Linux and Mac users have had for ages. Microsoft also introduced a new feedback programme called the Windows Insider Preview Programme, which allows users to get more regular preview builds and provide frequent feedback to Microsoft. This allows for a more methodical management of user feedback based on top-level choices (major features) and applications (minor ones), thanks to better mechanisms (ability to send screenshots, add text and add more details to existing entries). Thurrott also confirmed that the Windows Technical Preview won't be available until next month but failed to provide with more details. Windows 9 release date, news and rumorshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3eb6428b/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/208961160273/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3eb6428b/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/208961160273/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3eb6428b/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/208961160273/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3eb6428b/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/208961160273/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3eb6428b/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/208961160273/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3eb6428b/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/5Y2Ce25MifM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/microsoft-windows-9-high-res-470-75.jpgIt shouldn't come as a surprise that Windows 9 will be supporting 4K out of the box. However, according to a Russian website, Microsoft's forthcoming operating system will also be able to power 8K monitors (when they become mainstream, that is). PCPortal published two pictures that appear to show the new sizes of the Windows Explorer icon, which show an ultra-sharp 768 x 768 pixel-resolution grid for the ubiquitous graphic. Another picture shows how the scaling for classic apps will evolve from 96dpi all the way to 240dpi. That's equivalent to a 8K resolution (7680 x 4320 pixels or 33.2 million pixels) spread over a display with a 37-inch diagonal. Looking far aheadThe monitor with the highest resolution is Dell's new 27-inch 5K monitor that should be available by the end of the year. 8K displays only exist as prototypes at present, and graphics card that can power simple graphics at such high resolutions - let alone games - are yet to be designed. But it's likely that Microsoft is planning well ahead for the next generation of graphics displays. 4K has yet to become mainstream since the average price of panels is still fairly high; however with the holidays season almost upon us, expect more prices to fall well be below £400 (about $630, AU$700) in the UK at least. Windows 9 release date, news and rumorshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3eb58a98/sc/28/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206158050398/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3eb58a98/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206158050398/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3eb58a98/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206158050398/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3eb58a98/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206158050398/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3eb58a98/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206158050398/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3eb58a98/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/XXe7qccKNUo

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Watches/Samsung/Galaxy%20Gear%202/Gear2s_onbackground-470-75.jpgeBay owned PayPal was curiously left out of the impressive lineup of banking heavyweights during the Apple Pay launch last week, but a new report claims that may be because the payment giant is putting all of its eggs in Samsung's basket instead. Business Korea reported yesterday that Samsung Electronics plans to follow Apple down the smartwatch payment hole, and is said to be teaming up with one of the leading mobile payment services around to accomplish that goal. According to an unnamed "high-ranking official" at Samsung, one of the manufacturer's third-generation smartwatch devices will offer "simple payment functions" powered by PayPal, and protected by some form of "fingerprint identification technology." Ironically, PayPal - who publicly dissed Apple Pay only last week - is not even available in Samsung's native country of South Korea, although the smartwatch based service is expected to debut in 25 other countries, eventually expanding to more than 50 around the globe. Payment watchSamsung is reportedly eyeing early 2015 for the launch of its payment-based smartwatch, presumably using the annual Mobile World Congress event as a springboard for doing so. Perhaps not-so coincidentally, early next year is also the same timeframe Cupertino has already staked out for its own Apple Watch, which will be capable of making contactless payments even without being connected to a compatible iPhone. Biometric expert Synaptics will reportedly provide fingerprint verification technology for Samsung's future smartwatch, part of the company's Fast Identity Online Alliance which also includes PayPal, Bank of America, Visa and Google among its ranks. Synaptics Chief Executive Officer Richard Bergman confirmed that "wearable devices with fingerprint verification and relevant solutions will be released early next year," suggesting that Samsung and Apple won't be alone in duking it out for wearable payment domination. Find out if Apple truly goes big in our review of iPhone 6 Plus!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3ea494b5/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367723914/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ea494b5/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367723914/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ea494b5/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367723914/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ea494b5/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367723914/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ea494b5/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367723914/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3ea494b5/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/xig4EeIMEZk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/OnePlus/OnePlus%20One/HandsOn2/OnePlusOne-HandsOn-10-470-75.JPGUsers who been praying every night to get an invite to buy the OnePlus One will soon have an equal chance to pre-order this great and cheap handset. OnePlus will launch a new pre­order system in October, which will allow anyone to virtually line up and purchase the smartphone but for a limited time purchasing window. Prospective OnePlus One buyer first in line will get the handset as long as it's in stock, otherwise users will be able to place pre-orders. OnePlus isn't putting any limits on the number of orders it will take, however, the company also noted users will receive a longer shipping estimation date if it gets a lot of pre-order requests. "No matter what, we'll always tell you our best approximation for when it will ship before you submit the payment authorization," OnePlus wrote in a blog post detailing it would not charge users until the device ships. Never settleThe OnePlus One is one of the best smartphones for an unbelievably low price at $299, £229 (about AU$320). However, getting an invite to actually buy the handset has been a huge hurdle and headache for interested buyers. With this new ordering window open to anyone, many more people will be able to get their hands on this 5.5-inch handset. On top of a full HD display, the OnePlus One features a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 330 GPU. The handset is more than on par with flagship handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 at a fraction of the price. What's more, the handset comes running a variant of pure Android 4.4.2 KitKat called CyanogenMod 11S, which includes a host of additional settings and greater personalization options. Speaking of great smartphones we really dig the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plushttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e9ab1bc/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367764323/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e9ab1bc/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367764323/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e9ab1bc/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367764323/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e9ab1bc/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367764323/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e9ab1bc/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367764323/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e9ab1bc/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/jSiN3CO9l54

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/microsoft-office-16-2015-1-470-75.jpgMicrosoft has been distributing copies of the next version of Office to partners and testers and although less glamorous than its operating system counterpart, Windows, the corporation's business suite is still one of the biggest (if not the single biggest) revenue stream for the company. Sources told The Verge that the "Office Technical Preview", which has yet to be name, will feature a "Tell Me" helper, similar to the one found in its Office Online apps and to the much-maligned Clippy. Screenshots of Office 16 (which could become Office 2015) show no change to the user interface - the Ribbon UI still is there - but there will be a new dark/black colour theme, one that will be introduced due to popular demand. Microsoft Office vs Apple iWork vs Google Docs: which is best?The Verge also suggests that Microsoft will add automatic image rotation to Office documents and additional sync options for Outllook email client. Expect the change log to be significantly longer than this though as the momentum gradually shifts from the desktop to online and mobile. The current version of Office saw the introduction of a subscription model together with tighter integration with Microsoft's online storage service, OneDrive. Expect Office 2015 to feature during the Microsoft "Windows 9" event, one that will be held on 30 September. Check out our review of Office 2013, Office 365 and Office for iPad.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e99f4fa/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157937024/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e99f4fa/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157937024/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e99f4fa/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157937024/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e99f4fa/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157937024/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e99f4fa/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157937024/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e99f4fa/sc/21/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/XWbaLd1-n4o

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Windows/windows_81_rtm/customise%20start%20screen-470-75.jpgAccording to Gartner, 2013 was the worst year in the history of the PC business as sales plummeted by 35 million units year-on-year. Rather than giving PCs a shot in the arm, Windows 8 appeared to have put them to sleep: in February 2014, Netmarketshare reported that Windows 7 had 48% of the PC market compared to just 11% for Windows 8. Windows XP, a 12-year-old OS, had 29%. The good news is that things are looking better this year and PC sales are on the rise. The bad news is that that the reason doesn't appear to be Windows 8.1. According to August's figures from Net Applications, Windows 8.x is suffering from declining market share – a small decline, but a decline nevertheless. Sales haven't rallied because businesses have learned to love Windows 8. They've rallied because Microsoft finally pulled the plug on Windows XP. Microsoft needs to persuade businesses not to stick with Windows 7. That's a terrible indictment of Windows 8, and it puts enormous pressure on Windows 9. To have your most important customers shun one major OS is unfortunate. To have them shun two would be disastrous. Why Windows 9 needs to be a winnerWriting on Windows IT Pro, veteran Windows watcher Paul Thurrott argues that Windows 8 was more of a disaster than Windows Vista. "With Vista, the solution was easy: Just make it faster, lighter, and smaller, and slap a new name on it – Windows 7 – and watch the accolades roll in," he says. "But Windows 8? Oh boy." Windows 8.1 did improve things, but it couldn't solve the fundamental problem with Windows 8: it's two completely different operating systems bolted together, and it's particularly confusing on the non-touch PCs that most Windows users have. That's been great news for Microsoft's rivals. We've seen Chromebooks make big progress in education and iPads in enterprises. Apple continues to hoover up the biggest profits in the PC industry, and iOS and Android dominate the mobile device market. Windows 8 has been a disaster, and come October it'll be the only disaster in town. That's when Microsoft is killing off Windows 7 on new PCs, a year after ending sales of the software. Unless you go for the pricey Windows 7 Pro, come November if you want a PC it'll come with Windows 8. Windows 9: do or dieThat's where Windows 9, also known as Threshold, comes in. Its job isn't just to repair the damage Windows 8 wrought – it also needs to persuade Microsoft's largest market, its most important customers, to upgrade to its latest OS rather than stick with a version it's already trying to take off the market. If Windows 9 can't do that, then Windows' future looks awfully like its very recent past. We're expecting to see Windows 9 at the end of this month, but it won't be available to everybody: according to reports, the "Enterprise Technical Preview" of Windows 9 will be unveiled on the 30th of September but previews for consumer users, including phone and tablet users, won't arrive until 2015. From the images and details that have leaked so far it's clear that Microsoft has taken some of the Windows 8 criticism on board. The Start menu has been changed to combine traditional menu items and tiled icons; Modern-style apps can be run in windowed mode in the desktop environment as well as full screen; the much-hated Charms appear to have been binned; there are virtual desktops; and there is a new notification centre. Speculation also suggests that Windows Phone's virtual assistant Cortana will make the move to the desktop, and leaked images showing Windows Phone devices without the Phone bit underline Microsoft's plan to make a single unified operating system across multiple platforms. That would mean the end of Windows RT and Windows Phone. Setting Windows freeWindows 9, aka Threshold, isn't the only Windows on the horizon. Windows 8.1 with Bing, a low-cost version of Windows for small tablets and laptops where OEMs set the default search as Bing (users can still change the default if they wish), is spearheading a wave of low-cost Windows devices such as Toshiba's £103 Encore Mini. That puts Windows head-to-head with small Android tablets, Apple's all-conquering iPads and Google's increasingly compelling Chromebooks. One of the most compelling Windows 9 rumours is that Microsoft will do what it did with Windows 8.1: make it available for free. According to analyst firm Net Applications, the Windows 8.1 update has gained significant market share very quickly: 53% of PCs running Windows 8.x are running the most recent version just seven months after it was introduced. Windows 8's uptake was significantly slower. Writing in Computerworld, Gregg Keizer suggests that Microsoft may be considering making Windows 9 a free upgrade not just to Windows 8.1, but to Windows 7 too. If he's right, the effects could be significant: just imagine all the low-cost devices sold with Windows 8.1 with Bing and the corporate computers sticking with Windows 7 all upgrading to Windows 9. A bold new revenue modelIt wouldn't be overnight, but Windows 9 would accumulate significant market share much more quickly than if it were a paid-for product. That makes Microsoft's job easier, with the bulk of its customers on the most secure version of Windows to date, using its most recent web browser, able to access its Windows Store and using Microsoft's various online services. That market share would be in the consumer sector at first, because of course businesses are more careful and tend to upgrade much more slowly, but the corporations would eventually get on board too. In that scenario the money Microsoft would lose on OS sales would be more than compensated by the money it would make from selling services. Perhaps the Threshold codename is prescient: Microsoft could be on the threshold of something very interesting indeed. 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http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Software/mobile-office-suites-shootout-470-75.jpgThe services provided by Apple, Google and Microsoft are becoming more alike, both in terms of use and spread. Apple has revamped its cloud offerings, moving the iWork suite into iCloud and allowing use on Windows machines. Microsoft is in the process of dramatically increasing the functionality of Office 365, adding additional security and storage space. Google Docs has become one of the go-to web-based services for writing, creating a slideshow and so on, with no subscription or specific operating system needed. For many years Apple has been seen as a company for those who are "creative", offering top of the range creative software such as Final Cut and Sound Track. As businesses became more interested in Apple's technology – mainly because of the iPad – the company has had to up its game in terms of office software, improving the iWork suite through a serious of both visual and functional updates. Office giantUnlike Apple, Microsoft has never had the problem of being the underdog in terms of businesses using its software and hardware. An increasing amount of Microsoft's revenue comes from enterprise, with over one billion people using Office. That hasn't stopped the company from innovating, adding new visual and functional changes over the years. In 2014, Microsoft brought Office to the iPad, again increasing the reach and usage of the software. http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/TRBC/officeforipad1-420-100.jpg Google's offering, Google Docs, came about after the firm's success with email. The software is, like all things Google, free to use and relies on a network connection (unless you run the Chrome browser, in which case you can set it up for offline access, albeit with some important features missing such as spell checking, for example). Google recently introduced the Chromebook, opening up manufacturing to various OEMs just as it did with Android. While some may see the need for an internet connection to be a flaw, it's not so much of an issue with the prevalence of Wi-Fi these days, and faster mobile connections (4G LTE) becoming more and more commonplace, especially in and around cities. But which of these services is the best? All three of the big companies have stepped up their game, meaning that the differences are becoming more and more difficult to see – but don't be fooled, they are still present. In this article, we're presenting our opinion on who wins and who loses this particular battle. Check our review of Google AppsQuick and effectiveFirst off, on the basis of the usability of each service, the three are too close to call. Apple and Microsoft's solutions work fully offline, whereas the same can't be said for Google's, and that is perhaps the one major difference between them all for the everyday user – with the stress on everyday. If you need to write five hundred words quickly or create a slideshow, all three options will work quickly and effectively. The biggest advantage of Apple's solution, iWork, is that it ties in so well with its other apps and services. iCloud provides constant syncing between the OS X and iOS versions of iWork, which includes Pages, Keynote and Numbers. The integration also extends to Apple TV, a device that is becoming more and more popular in both homes and the workplace. "Beaming" slides and the whole screen via AirPlay could set Apple's hardware and software apart, especially when the competition has no comparable service. iCloud's ability to sync between devices means that projects can be started on the go and finished in the office, all without losing a single bullet point. Apple offers a tiered data storage system which boasts up to 200GB of storage for customers at significantly cheaper prices than Dropbox and Google Drive. Apple has also made iWork for iCloud available, and this suite moves Pages, Keynote and Numbers into the cloud, to be worked on and accessed totally via the web browser. (This works on either Windows or OS X devices, of course). Adding this brings Apple in line with Google and Microsoft, but the depth of services offered by Apple is currently not as impressive. http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/TRBC/office_365-420-100.jpg Strength of RedmondAs the behemoth of office applications, Microsoft's software is likely the strongest and will, ultimately, serve you best if you are a normal customer or a business. With the addition of Office 365 last year – and the frequent upgrades to both features and infrastructure – Microsoft has pulled ahead of both Apple and Google's offerings. For a monthly, or yearly fee, Office 365 will enable downloads of Office and a fully-formed cloud suite which syncs between all devices that are logged into your Microsoft account. Google Docs works in a similar way to Office 365 and iWork for iCloud, minus the ability to work offline (unless, as previously mentioned, you use Chrome and can put up with some missing features). That said, this may not be an issue in a city or home anyway, as Wi-Fi or fast mobile connections are generally always available. Check our review of Microsoft Office 365Closely fought battleUltimately, all three companies offer solutions that work well and enable you to produce the content you need, either for personal or business reasons. Unlike in the past, the three companies are becoming increasingly open about who can use their services. Apple's iWork for iCloud works on Windows machines and Office for iPad was recently announced, bringing the option of using a Microsoft product onto an iOS device. The only hitch is that Microsoft doesn't allowing saving in Pages, Keynote or Numbers file formats which can preclude sharing, although the iWork suite is happy to work with Word, PowerPoint and Excel files. If a winner must be decided, then Microsoft comes out on top. The company's almost eternal focus on office applications works in its favour, as Redmond's suite is the most rounded and offers the best features overall, both online and offline. If you're already tied up in the Apple universe, iWork is best, and the same is true if you're heavily invested in Google's ecosystem, if you can handle the offline restrictions in the latter case. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e98f8ce/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367756310/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e98f8ce/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367756310/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e98f8ce/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367756310/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e98f8ce/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367756310/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e98f8ce/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367756310/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e98f8ce/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/1h83DmC1JPw

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/World-changing%20tech/FMU256.reg_contents.atmosphere-470-75.jpgBig data is an integral part of the information strategy of many businesses, driving operational efficiencies and competitive advantage. For organisations wanting to leverage big data for business advantage, its volume, variety and velocity presents a complex mix of challenge and opportunity. One of the most compelling opportunities for businesses is to gain added value by analysing big data in a geographic context. The emergence of location analytics tools is driving the ability to discover location-based patterns and relationships from data that may exist in disparate places, streams or web logs. It is also enabling organisations to visualise and analyse big data to reveal previously hidden patterns. Here, I provide tips outlining how your business, whatever its size and type, can get the most out of a location analytics implementation. Maximising your analytics strategy1. If you want to see the story behind your data, bring together maps with multiple data layers. You can combine big data with maps to optimise your information assets. Retailers can see where promotions are most effective and where the competition is. Credit card companies can map data from transactional systems, customer information and social media, to build profiles of card users to help shape outbound marketing strategies. Climate change scientists can combine data with maps to see the impact of shifting weather patterns. By visualising data on maps, businesses across all sectors can start to realise previously hidden treasures. 2. Use location analytics to interrogate your data in real time. Spatially-enabled data on a map allows you to answer questions and ask new ones. Where are disease outbreaks occurring? Where is the insurance risk greatest given recently-updated data? Taken one step further, by integrating social media data into these maps, you can now track dynamic behaviour and sentiment in real-time. There are huge potential benefits. Big data technologies provide access to unstructured machine-generated, web-generated and NoSQL data. Map visualisation and spatial analysis on this data can reveal patterns and trends that are beyond the capabilities of traditional databases, spreadsheets and files. 3. If you are looking to use mapping to harness large data volumes more efficiently, learn from the experience of others. Now, with the emergence of GIS tools for big data processing frameworks like Hadoop, analysis and predictive modelling can be carried out on massive data sets to gain unrivalled insight. Governments can use it to design disaster response plans. Health service organisations can model the potential spread of a disease and identify strategies to contain it. The Energy Saving Trust works with the Government, local authorities and commercial organisations to help them improve energy efficiency initiatives and reduce fuel poverty. They combine information from big data sources including open data, demographic and solar potential to identify housing that is suitable for specific energy-saving measures. 4. Adopt a rounded approach to data Big data is not just about a mass of data, it's about an approach to working with data, the location analytics tools required to work with it, and derive business value. The Aberdeen Group's recent report "Location Analytics: Putting the Evolution of BI on the Map" revealed that organisations with data visualisation tools can access timely information 86% of the time, compared to 67% of the time for those without visualisation tools. This means that BI users without data visualisation have to make twice as many decisions based on gut instinct or incomplete, outdated information. By bringing together big data and mapping, organisations can tap into a raft of benefits. They can drive faster time to market by highlighting previously unseen patterns within existing data sets. They can bring together different technologies like BI and CRM with Location Analytics to deliver enhanced business insight. And the combination of big data and mapping can lead to more accurate decision-making as well as delivering enhanced customer engagement, improved profitability and greater competitive edge. Sharon Grufferty is head of SaaS product management at Esri UK. She is responsible for product and content strategy across new public and private sector marketshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e96f2e9/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367799404/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e96f2e9/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367799404/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e96f2e9/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367799404/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e96f2e9/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367799404/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e96f2e9/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367799404/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e96f2e9/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/YjGHAQ9b3x8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone%206/Hands%20on/iPhone%206%20review%20(3)-470-75.JPGIn the wake of the iCloud hack and revelations about government surveillance people have understandably never been more worried about their privacy, and presumably in part because of this Apple has created a new privacy page on its website, where it explains all its policies. The page begins with an open letter from Tim Cook, where he outlines several key points including the fact that Apple won't build a profile on you to sell to advertisers. The only part of Apple's business which relies on advertisers at all is iAd and that follows the same privacy principles as everything else, so it can't get information on you from Siri, iMessage, iCloud, Health and HomeKit, Maps or your call history. He also claims that Apple has never worked with any government agency to create a backdoor into its products and services and never allowed any such agency access to its servers. He boldly goes on to say that the company also never will. Passcode protectedIf that guarantee doesn't put you at ease there is some more detailed information on this if you dig deeper into the privacy page, including the fact that Apple can't bypass your passcode, so it can't feasibly respond to warrants that ask it to extract data from your device. Apple can access your iCloud account but even then apparently less than 0.00385% of customers have had information disclosed due to government requests. If you're more worried about hacking or information theft there's also a whole page dedicated to ways in which you can minimise the chance of that happening, though it's mostly obvious stuff like advising users to enable two-step verification and to choose a strong password and change it regularly. It's worth a read in any case and while none of this is likely to totally alleviate privacy concerns it's certainly a step in the right direction. Storing data in the cloud? Here's how to keep it safe.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e96297e/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157921841/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e96297e/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157921841/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e96297e/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157921841/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e96297e/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157921841/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e96297e/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157921841/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e96297e/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/HpM6dhdNYo8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Abstract/Cyber%20lock/iStock_000020317880Small-Henrik5000-470-75.jpgIn today's business environment, there are several different challenges when it comes to sharing sensitive information. We spoke to Andrew Holmes, Director, Desktop at Nitro, in order to discuss the state of document security and the rise of Rights Management products. TechRadar Pro: When collaborating and sharing documents, what are some common mistakes people make that can potentially compromise sensitive information? Andrew Holmes: In today's business environment, there are several different challenges regarding sharing sensitive information. To start with, sharing doesn't just happen internally between employees, but also externally with partners, vendors and customers, which presents added risk. It's hard to control what happens to your document once you share it, and to know where it might end up if it gets forwarded intentionally or unintentionally. Without the latest document security solutions and tools such as RMS, anyone can still store documents on USB thumb drives, smartphones or other external devices that are not protected and might be easily accessible to bad actors. Another challenge is that some collaboration tools adopted by IT can actually be too locked down and prevent external sharing, which ends up being counterproductive. Employees will inevitably seek out workarounds in order to stay productive, i.e. downloading a file from the collaboration tool and then emailing it out. Additional control measures that persist with the content – like RMS – can minimise these risks because they enforce who can access the sensitive information, and what actions they can take on a document (e.g. viewing, printing, modifying, etc.). TRP: What poses a greater information protection risk to organisations – outside hackers or insufficient IT safeguards and careless employees? AH: While hackers certainly pose a threat, it can surprisingly be an organisation's own internal employees (often times without ill intention) who introduce the most risk of exposing sensitive information. Many employees still attach documents (primarily PDF files) via email because it is convenient for sharing and they're not aware of more secure solutions. The best defence is a good offence, and that begins with having a knowledgeable, well-trained workforce. In addition to establishing best practices and educating employees, IT needs to provide tools that are easy to use. The challenge is finding the right balance between providing tools to help enable security, while meeting usability needs. Of course, the proliferation of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) has added another layer of complexity, and organisations must deal with the implications. One of the worst things IT can do is provide document security tools that are too cumbersome for people to use. It's important to offer something that integrates into employees' daily routines with little to no learning curve. And as cloud and BYOD adoption continues to accelerate, implementing policies and managing technologies will require a more detailed action plan. TRP: Why is RMS seeing growth in a wide range of industries, from manufacturing and aerospace to banking and telecommunications? AH: Sharing and collaborating is an inevitable part of every industry, and all organisations also have confidential data they are concerned with. For example, in banking and financial services, employees manage organisational balance sheets and income statements containing information such as revenue, account numbers and client contact information. In addition, they may handle sensitive documents related to mergers and acquisitions that could seriously impact revenue or competitive strategies if accessed by unintended parties. And high-tech manufacturing companies often share confidential product schematics, technical diagrams and other intellectual property with venture capitalists. TRP: Are there any limitations to RMS? AH: We are working closely with Microsoft to establish agreed upon standards that would enable cross-product RMS compatibility. However, currently both the document owner and their recipient have to use the same application (i.e. Nitro Pro) in order to view RMS-protected files. TRP: Can you explain the process involved in securing documents using a Rights Management product? AH: In Nitro Pro, this process involves only a few clicks of the mouse. You begin by simply clicking the 'Microsoft Security' button under the 'Protect' tab. From there, you add the recipient's corporate email address (the email needs to have a corporate domain) and then select the level of permissions. These permissions cover everything from editing and printing a document, to allowing comments and text copying. TRP: How do different Rights Management products in the market compare? AH: In principle, different rights management products work similarly to encrypt and manage access to documents, allowing the sender to maintain control of source files at all times. They allow users to manage documents and users from anywhere, authenticate every open or print attempt, and delegate user and document access. Some of these products are format specific (e.g. PDF), and others such as RMS work with all file formats (including Microsoft Office). Nitro Pro is already a natural complement to Microsoft Office for managing documents, and since Microsoft RMS is an integral part of the Office suite across all file formats, the two products offer a powerful solution. Rights management pricing differs across vendors, some of which require a minimum number of users (such as Adobe). Microsoft is much more flexible, especially with SMBs that need smaller or individual subscription pricing options. About Andrew Holmes Andrew joined Nitro in 2011 as QA Manager before rising to become Director of Desktop. Nitro Pro 9 has been his proudest achievement so far – the first desktop application integrated with Nitro Cloud. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e957b92/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367743191/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e957b92/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367743191/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e957b92/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367743191/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e957b92/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367743191/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e957b92/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367743191/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e957b92/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/CDEUcVrllD0

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%208/health-app-ios-8-470-75.jpgWednesday may have marked the grand arrival of iOS 8, but the launch was marred by a bug keeping several health and fitness apps that use Apple's new HealthKit platform from actually launching. Apple didn't say what the problem was exactly, but it did say a bug is keeping these apps from launching rat the moment. The company hopes to resolve the issue by the end of the month. "We discovered a bug that prevents us from making HealthKit apps available on iOS 8 today," Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller said in a statement. "We're working quickly to have the bug fixed in a software update and have HealthKit apps available by the end of the month." http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e932ac4/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367603028/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e932ac4/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367603028/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e932ac4/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367603028/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e932ac4/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367603028/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e932ac4/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367603028/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e932ac4/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/foEBaf2s89g

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/cloud_services/Fuzebox/fuzebox-470-75.JPGThe origin of DevOps is broadly attributed to Patrick Debois five or so years ago - you can learn more about the . DevOps runs the risk of becoming a word without meaning as the industry rallies to attribute it to every product and service in their portfolio. The reality is that I can't sell you DevOps, and you can't buy it.DevOps is more than simply automation. It includes things like culture. It's a way of working that values collaboration with a shared view of success. As the name implies, this collaboration is primarily between developers and operators, but it is not restricted to that. DevOps means that you see the end to end delivery system from concept to production, your DevOps scope is any group that are involved in that workflow. So if you're willing to make a cultural investment in changing how you work, then you can start to implement some of the working practices that DevOps recommends. Integrating DevOpsBut before you jump head first into identifying work and managing constraints, ensure you know why you want to make DevOps part of how you succeed at IT services. Many successful implementations have been driven by a desire to: • Reduce time to market for new products and features • Build more agility to adapt to internal and external influences • Unlock cost savings offered by cloud platforms • Eliminate the risk of shadow IT services Successful DevOps adoptions are easy to spot. They are the organisations that talk about making tens and even hundreds of code releases into production every day, where there seems to be a constant flow of new features to keep users engaged and loyal. The leaders here are internet giants like Google, Facebook, Netflix, Etsy and more. But whilst many of these grab headlines, there are large numbers of success stories where organisations require internet and web services as a significant portion of their go to market channel, examples are Spotify, thetrainline.com, even Rackspace. Is your organisation a good fit?From the eclectic list above it should be apparent that DevOps is not an exclusive club, anyone can pick it up and try to make positive changes in their business. However, there are some common traits that identify the strong fit candidates for change: • Existing strong culture of collaboration and open communication • An executive leadership team who sees IT as a business enabler • Sponsorship from a high enough level to allow challenges to status quo • Revenue and brand derived substantially from web and mobile channels • Established organisations who view internet start-ups as a threat • Start-ups who want to be more nimble than their established competition • Applications that are self-built and developed on open technology All of these provide compelling business drivers to embrace change as an opportunity to create an advantage in your industry. But the transformation will be hard at times and leaders who are sponsoring these initiatives need patience and clear expectations to ensure the team are given every opportunity to succeed. As with cloud transformations, DevOps transformations will not be universally successful. In fact you should expect to fail at times. The trick is to fail fast, learn and repeat. Removing fear of failure is deep rooted in culture where incident reviews are a blame session rather than a learning outcome. This is why it is vital that you must commit to the culture as well as the working practices. However, the risk of not addressing DevOps does carry risks itself. If your competition gets faster to market with features and products, what does this mean for your business? If your competition can open up financial advantages by increasing operational efficiency without impacting margins, how will you react? DevOps adoption should not be driven by fear, but not making it part of your IT plans should be a well-managed risk in your organisation's strategy. Where to startSo hopefully, you've reached the point where you're interested in getting started. Here are some prompting questions to get you going: • Which application am I going to build this model around? Don't do this wholesale across your IT estate. The application and teams around them are key factors in success, identify a candidate application and create a bubble of autonomy around it. • Can I draw out the entire process from idea to production release? Simply drawing out your processes is a great way to identify stakeholders and eliminate waste. Never assume you have all the right people in the room in the first meeting! • Where are my constraints? The key to increasing flow through a system is to manage constraints. Creating capacity either side without addressing the bottleneck will not increase output. Work out which parts of your system slow you down and improve them. • Do I have the skills to execute this? DevOps skill sets are in high demand right now. Take time to understand if you have the right resources to succeed? If you don't, make plans for additional hiring, training, or look to introduce a third party who can help offload some of the core functions. There is a huge amount of reference material online. DevOps as an approach values sharing, many organisations have published materials about their successes and failures for you to learn from. Chris Jackson is the Chief Technologist for Rackspace EMEA.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e96575a/sc/4/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/rbKpAcRslZM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone%206%20Plus/HandsOn2/6Plus-HandsOn-22-470-75.JPGJust as folks are starting to download iOS 8 today and get on line for the iPhone 6 launch on Friday, Facebook is also tidying up its smartphone apps. The social network detailed in a blog post that it's making its Facebook app bigger and clearer to match the larger screen resolutions of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Facebook also wrote a short walkthrough on how sharing photos from users' libraries or webpage clippings though Safari will lead users to a sharing page with a new layout. After tapping on Facebook, the usual sharing overlay will display on the screen allowing users to pick who they want to share with, add a location, tag friends, and add a status update. In reality nothing has changed here on Facebook's end as it seems its smartphone app does not support iOS 8's extensibility feature, which lets apps to communicate directly with each other. The new feature allows users to share an item they see in Safari on Pintrest without ever having to leave their browser or edit their images in the photo library with Waterlogue effects. Facebook says its update will roll out to users over the coming weeks. It's Apple, not usAside from the small UI refresh, Facebook is took the time to make it very clear that it has not changed its privacy rules regarding users' Location Services. Users on Apple's latest mobile OS may note that their Location Services settings have been updated with an option to be turned always on, never or just when using an app. Worried that it would be accused of tracking users (again), Facebook wrote it "does not get location information from your device in the background (that is, while you're not using the app)." The social network went on to explain Location Services only activates when users geotag their status updates or turn on a feature that requires the service such as Nearby Friends. Should you brace your wrists for the Apple Watch?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e918d0b/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367727085/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e918d0b/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367727085/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e918d0b/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367727085/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e918d0b/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367727085/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e918d0b/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367727085/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e918d0b/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/BktSAYVk2J8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20159/LXF159.feat_ubuntu.usc-470-75.jpgChoosing an operating system may seem simple but can result in restrictions on what applications you can run, and if not executed properly, can result in slow running services and websites which will not load. There are two popular operating systems for businesses, each available with different options. Let's take a look. Windows With 75% share of the OS and software market, Microsoft products are regarded as the standard option for most businesses. Windows Server 2008 and 2012 are the current options for Microsoft Server OS. Most IT admins are comfortable using either flavour. You can also run Hyper-V on either alongside other applications, minimising hardware requirements. Microsoft includes the ability to operate applications over the internet using Remote Desktop Services, enabling end-users to run software without installing it on their PCs. One big consideration to make when selecting Server operating systems is how long you intend to run them for. According to Microsoft's website, 2008's mainstream support will end in 2015, with extended support ending in 2020. If you are looking to run physical servers, you will likely keep the physical hardware for around five years before a hardware refresh. This will mean your product's support will end before you upgrade your hardware. Using an operating system beyond its lifecycle opens your business up to potential security issues, as you're no longer covered by Windows updates. Cost is also an important factor; licence fees are expensive. The more employees you have, the more expensive it will become. Choosing older versions to reduce costs will come with the caveat of shorter support lifetimes. LinuxAs a free operating system the developer market has embraced Linux; you can download, modify it and re-distribute it without spending any money. However, Linux itself is not a complete operating system (it is just a kernel) and requires an additional set of software to be bundled with it. These bundles, known as distributions have hundreds of flavours available; more popular ones include Ubuntu, SUSE and Red Hat. SUSE is popular with the enterprise market and is used by the Open University and the London Stock Exchange. Linux operating systems often have a smaller footprint and resource load. The distribution can be configured with as many, or as few, components as required, to ensure the most effective use of your environment. Linux is installed on over (http://www.zdnet.com/linux-continues-to-rule-supercomputers-7000016968/) 95% of the world's best supercomputers demonstrating that it is the fastest performing OS with the smallest resource footprint. Linux distributions also offer alternatives to popular Microsoft products such as Microsoft Exchange, meaning that you can continue to enjoy free versions of known products for free. If you already use Microsoft and are looking to migrate to Linux in stages, SUSE (for example) is compatible with Active Directory, Exchange, SharePoint and Novell GroupWise. This means that you can introduce your Linux system gradually into your Windows environment and allow some bedding in time before phasing Microsoft out. Recently, SUSE partnered with Microsoft to enable Hyper-V node management using SUSE Cloud, allowing you to run a mixed environment where required. Red Hat can also co-exist with Microsoft and Unix servers using a combination of Microsoft Active Directory and the identity management features within Red Hat. No OS is perfect; one of the major downsides of Linux is that as it is a lesser known platform you will find it harder to administrators with the skills to configure and support the system in-house. These skills are generally less common in the market and therefore can be more costly. Final wordSelecting the right platform is important for the health of your business. It's worth building a test system running your preferred OS so you can spot any issues and check security and performance prior to going live, with minimal disruption for your users. David Barker is the technical director of 4D Data Centres, the colocation and connectivity supplier for small businesses in the South East of England. In 2013, he re-launched 4D Hosting with a focus on providing premium hosting packages and 24/7 support from its own engineers to technology companies, developers and geeks.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e85d961/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367723963/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e85d961/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367723963/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e85d961/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367723963/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e85d961/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367723963/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e85d961/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367723963/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e85d961/sc/21/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/SC-pKj9HZMI

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/Apple%20Pay/Hands%20on/Apple%20Pay%20Review%20(9)-470-75.JPGApple has finally jumped on the NFC train with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch, but sadly you'll only be able to use it with Apple Pay, at least for the time being. NFC is used for all sorts of things, from contactless payments to easy pairing of devices - it can even be used to unlock doors - but it's only the contactless payments bit that you'll get from Apple. That means you won't be able to use it for contactless PayPal payments, for example. Or at least that's according to Cult of Mac, which claims to have got confirmation from an Apple spokesperson. Things could changeIt's not all bad news though, as we're likely to see Apple Pay supported in a lot of places, especially as the company has already partnered with Visa, MasterCard and American Express, and Apple is also going to allow developers to integrate Apple Pay into their apps. It's also possible that it might expand the functions of its NFC chip in future, much like it's now doing with Touch ID, but that's likely to be at least a year away. For now we're stuck with just Apple Pay, rather than the full features of NFC. Want to see what we think of Apple Pay?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e8336cb/sc/28/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157844658/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336cb/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157844658/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336cb/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157844658/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336cb/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157844658/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336cb/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157844658/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336cb/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/J6pIsX81ljo

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Windows%20Phone/WP8/Press/Win8_05_Press-470-75.jpgAs much as we like Windows Phone 8.1 we're ready for the next major upgrade and it looks Microsoft might be too, as it's rumoured that a preview build of Windows Phone 9 will launch in January 2015. That's according to unnamed sources speaking to NokiaPowerUser, so as always we'd take it with a pinch of salt given that we don't know how credible their sources are. But if you're wondering whether you'll be able to get Windows Phone 9 on your current device then you might not need to worry, because apparently it will be available for all existing Windows Phone 8 devices. Low on detailsActual rumoured features of Windows Phone 9 are thin on the ground but we've heard in the past that it could be major overhaul of Microsoft's mobile OS and that it may even be merged with Windows 9. Whatever the case, NokiaPowerUser warns that one rumoured feature, split-screen multitasking, might not be available for smaller screen devices, which makes sense. If Windows Phone 9 really is coming in January then we're likely to hear a whole lot more about it over the coming months, so stay tuned. Windows 9 is on its way soon too.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e8336cf/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157844657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336cf/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157844657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336cf/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157844657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336cf/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157844657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336cf/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157844657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336cf/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/ytVvuyOiLBU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/people/Apple/Tim%20Cook/Tim%20Cook%20on%20Charlie%20Rose-470-75.jpgPrivacy has been a hot topic over at Cupertino over the last couple of weeks, with a well-publicised iCloud hack threatening to overshadow Apple's launch of the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch. Now Apple CEO Tim Cook has given his thoughts on the issue of online privacy, as well as government intervention, during an interview with the Charlie Rose Show. He reaffirmed Apple's money was made from selling products and not collecting data. "Companies should be very transparent about it [privacy]. From our point of view, you can see what we're doing on the credit card thing," Cook told Charlie Rose during the interview. "We're not in that business. I'm offended by lots of it and I think people should have a right to privacy," he said. "More and more incidents"Without being drawn on the subject of the Apple hack that saw thousands of celebrity images stolen from personal iCloud accounts, Cook did allow that privacy will become an even more crucial issue. He explained that privacy, as he sees it, is going to be a very key topic over the next year or so. "[it will] reach higher and higher levels of urgency as more and more incidents happen," he said. Following the theft of celebrity pictures, that included shots of Jennifer Lawrence and US model Kate Upton, Apple conducted an internal investigation following which it determined there were no breaches in its system. The images were stolen following a phishing scheme based on guessing account passwords. Cook also took a second to quash rumours that government agencies, specifically the NSA in the wake of Snowden, had any kind of back-door access to Apple's servers. You can see the full clip below. YouTube : www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmm5faI_mLoApple pledges to boost encryption following iCloud hackhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e8336bf/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157844659/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336bf/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157844659/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336bf/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157844659/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336bf/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157844659/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336bf/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157844659/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e8336bf/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/u5EjLqtXzo8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Windows/windows-xp-cracked-470-75.jpgAs you may be aware, some 20% of organisations have yet to migrate from Windows XP. You might even be one of those firms, and you may have finally come round to realising that upgrading is a necessity. However, upgrading an entire organisation's computers isn't easy at the best of times, let alone when you've left things late – but fortunately we've got some great advice for you in this article. Here are eight key considerations that any business partaking of a late-stage OS migration should bear in mind. 1. Realise this is something you have to doMost of the risks of remaining on an unsupported Windows XP system have been widely discussed in the public sphere, as business systems are vulnerable to viruses, malware and hacks. And Microsoft's extension of anti-malware support until July 2015 won't be enough to protect your systems. XP exploits will likely begin to emerge en masse in the coming months. The millions of computers on which XP is still installed are simply too tempting a target. What's more, on an old OS your business won't have access to the latest apps or software, with all the attendant frustrations and productivity issues this implies. If you're already coming late to migration you have no choice; you need to do it right now. Don't compound the problem by waiting any longer. With the latest developments on automated systems, OS migration can be undertaken much more quickly than you think. 2. Plan carefullyPlan your migration strategy in advance, clearly setting out your objectives, costs and time goals. What are the risks? Will migration impact users, and how? It might sound obvious, but it's incredible how many companies just make their migration strategy up as they go along, especially those who have never undertaken a large-scale migration before. As a result, timescales and KPIs tend to drift. As well as making your migration efforts more credible within the business, this form of planning will also be incredibly helpful to you as an IT professional. I guarantee, while doing your research, you'll learn something about the process that probably would have tripped you up later on. 3. Audit and rationalise your application estate up-frontUnderstand which applications are required and how critical they are; how much are they actually used and what does each application cost the business? Understand if applications can be upgraded or repackaged or if a new, similar application can be found. Make sure you involve users in decisions to keep or 'rationalise-out' certain applications, though. IT teams can frequently underplay this stage of the migration process and underestimate the time, complexity and overall challenge involved in rationalising apps effectively, and the cost of getting it wrong. It's often best to call in outside help to undertake your application audit, whether in the form of consulting or automated application rationalisation tools. 4. Run basic hygiene tests on your infrastructureMigration of an OS is no time to discover you have fundamental infrastructure issues, but this is just the way it has played out for many. In fact, an OS rollout can cause companies to take the first good, hard look at their systems for a while. However, finding these faults during the migration can cause the process to be drawn out, adding further expense. Make sure you perform some basic sanitation issues up-front. Ensure you have applied all the most current updates to all systems. Also, ensure your system management infrastructure has minimal failure points so it doesn't become a bottleneck. It will need to have the capacity to provide deployment services and desktop management in parallel. 5. Automate, automate, automate!Many companies manually ship disks and USB drives to departments, and/or eat up time with numerous costly desk-side visits in order to upgrade individual computers. This annoys users, disrupts work, and pulls IT staff away from important duties. Ensuring rollouts occur effectively and efficiently is the quickest way to be seen as an IT hero within your organisation. Given the technology that is available, aim for 100% 'Zero Touch Windows Migration'. My company 1E, for example, is typically able to achieve 100% Zero-Touch on 90% of a computer estate during a migration, with very limited interaction required on the remaining 10%. OS rollout is almost completely automated across the network with minimal desk-side visits from the IT department. 6. Ensure users are involved and educatedMigration is not about OS, but about people. Your job is to give staff the tools that will allow them to do their job effectively. Your migration should also be totally non-disruptive. Encourage user buy-in to the upgrade process by letting them schedule when automated upgrades occur, and ensure you are clear about the benefits it will bring and when it needs to be done by. After migration, consider setting up an app store, or another way of allowing users to request applications and upgrades in a way that lets them feel in control of the process and timing. 7. Learn from the mistakes of othersIf you're undertaking an ultra-late-stage migration, one thing is strongly in your favour – the ability to see the mistakes everyone else has made, and avoid them. Whether there are issues with application mapping or device drivers, you'll see some very common problems out there, often experienced by IT professionals who, perhaps understandably, will never have undertaken a large-scale migration before. Scour the forums, talk to other IT professionals, and consult with experts. At this point in time the industry will have a broader view of the issues involved. Use this to maximum advantage. 8. Use the time to start thinking about the next migrationIf you're migrating from XP, then trust us, your next OS isn't going to survive 13 years like XP did! The rate at which Microsoft releases a new OS is speeding up. Many companies hadn't even got onto Windows 7 or 8 when Windows 9 was announced. Think about how you can implement more robust, efficient processes for the rollout of operating systems and rationalisation of applications. As before, the best solution is to automate your migration processes as much as possible, putting in place systems that will make your next migration that much smoother. Ambareesh Kulkarni is Vice President of Professional Services at 1E. He has over 22 years of proven ability to establish, manage and run profitable professional services organisations in enterprise software companies.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e82bfff/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367591961/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e82bfff/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367591961/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e82bfff/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367591961/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e82bfff/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367591961/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e82bfff/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367591961/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e82bfff/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/LoEWo0zqhck

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/Apple/Apple_iTunes_U2_hand-470-75.jpgSay what you will about the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch - perhaps the thing we're still talking almost a week later is the U2 album "gifted" to the iTunes masses following the new hardware reveal. Bad music aside what really irked people was the fact the album, Songs of Innocence, appeared on their iTunes accounts without any user consent whatsoever. After a weekend of complaints and claims Apple is killing music, the Cupertino company finally got the picture that not everyone wants to listen to Bono warble in their ear. So, to stem the tide of pissed-off users, Apple has come up with a way for them to banish Songs of Innocence from their music library and iTunes purchases. They even created a dedicated SOI Removal page to get you started. Click Remove Album and after entering your log-in details, the songs will flutter away for good. You won't be able to re-download it as a previous purchase, so make sure you really want it gone before going through with it. Thankfully, if you realize you've made a horrible mistake in deleting it you can still get SOI for free through October 13. Though this time you'll actually have a choice in the matter. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e7e400c/sc/28/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367691201/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7e400c/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367691201/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7e400c/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367691201/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7e400c/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367691201/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7e400c/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367691201/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7e400c/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/3n-_3ocMwvM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Windows/Windows%209/german_windows9_threshold_leak-470-75.jpgMicrosoft is hosting an event September 30 to show off "what's next for Windows," signalling it's finally time to see Windows 9. The event, taking place in San Francisco, was rumored late last month, but now invites from Microsoft are landing in virtual mailboxes everywhere. Redmond bigwigs Joe Belfiore and Terry Myerson will be on hand to the proceedings. Though the future of Windows will be up for discussion, enterprise and power users will be this event's main focus. In fact, Recode reports the event will be geared towards business users, with other events planned later in the year to show off Windows 9 features for different user groups. In addition to demonstrating some of what's being done with Windows 9, Microsoft is expected to release a Windows Technical Preview for developers and business users to start prep work on their systems. It won't be publicly available and the version of Windows 9 we see September 30 will likely change before that date comes. What's to come with Windows 9Microsoft's invitations come amid a slew of Windows 9 leaks showing off everything from virtual desktops to a new Notification Center to a more traditional Start menu. In addition to add-ons and tweaks from Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, Windows 9 is expected to more deeply integrate Microsoft's various OSes than ever before. One rumored cross-over will be Cortana, Windows Phone's virtual assistant, moving to the desktop. Some say it will be missing from early test versions of Windows 9 but the Siri-rival should show its face at a later date. Excited for Windows 9? Continue to stick with TechRadar as we bring you all the news from the September 30 event. What does Windows Phone 8.1 have to offer?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e7e9064/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367644877/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7e9064/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367644877/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7e9064/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367644877/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7e9064/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367644877/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7e9064/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367644877/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7e9064/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/MPBVXFIoVgg

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/digital_tv_boxes/Amazon/amazonfireTVboxandremote-470-75.jpgIt's not quite the same as having a full-fledged Spotify app, but owners of Amazon's little black box can now make beautiful music with their smartphone or tablet in hand. Spotify announced the availability of Spotify Connect support for Amazon Fire TV, which allows the tech companies' mutual customers to "enjoy the music together" without the need to install an app on the media streaming device. Instead of a dedicated app for Fire TV, Spotify Connect takes advantage of the Spotfiy app already on your smartphone or tablet, allowing users to stream potentially millions of songs from anywhere within Wi-Fi range. There is one catch: This mash-up won't work unless you have a paid Spotify Premium subscription, which is a requirement of Spotify Connect to begin with. Oh, and you'll have to be a US resident. Better together"You can seamlessly switch your favorite music from your mobile to the TV and continue to make calls, use other smartphone apps and go out of Wi-Fi range, all without interrupting the music," Spotify explained in a brief blog post. Launched more than a year ago, Spotify Connect offers subscribers a way to hook up to supported hardware from anywhere in the home, as long as the connected speakers are within the reach of a Wi-Fi connection. Amazon Fire TV joins a long list of hardware launch partners already Connect-ing, including Samsung, Revo, Sony, Denon, Yamaha, Panasonic and Pioneer. The set-top requires the latest version of the mobile app in addition to a Spotify Premium subscription. This may not be quite as cool as actually having a standalone Spotify app for Fire TV, but being able to beam millions of songs to yet another piece of hardware in your home without having to pay extra is certainly welcome. Peer into the goodness of our hands-on review for the Motorola Moto X (2014)!

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/digital_tv_boxes/Amazon/amazonfireTVboxandremote-470-75.jpgIt's not quite the same as having a full-fledged Spotify app on your favorite streaming media player, but owners of Amazon's little black box can now make beautiful music with their smartphone or tablet in hand. Spotify today announced the availability of Spotify Connect support for Amazon Fire TV, which allows the tech companies' mutual customers to "enjoy the music together" without the need to install some pesky app on the media streaming device. Instead of a dedicated app for Fire TV, Spotify Connect takes advantage of the Spotfiy app already on your smartphone or tablet, allowing users to stream potentially millions of songs from anywhere within Wi-Fi range. There is one catch, however: This mashup won't work unless you have a paid Spotify Premium subscription, which is a requirement to take advantage of the included Spotify Connect feature. Better together"You can seamlessly switch your favorite music from your mobile to the TV and continue to make calls, use other smartphone apps and go out of wifi range, all without interrupting the music," Spotify explained in a brief blog post Monday. Launched more than a year ago, Spotify Connect offers subscribers a way to hook up to supported hardware from anywhere in the home, as long as the connected speakers are within the reach of a Wi-Fi connection. Amazon Fire TV joins a long list of hardware launch partners including Samsung, Revo, Sony, Denon, Yamaha, Panasonic, Pioneer and others, and requires the latest version of the mobile app in addition to a Spotify Premium subscription. Maybe not quite as cool as actually having a standalone Spotify app for Fire TV, but being able to beam millions of songs to yet another piece of hardware in your home without having to pay extra is certainly welcome. Peer into the goodness of our hands-on review for the Motorola Moto X (2014)!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e7db4fb/sc/28/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367522102/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7db4fb/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367522102/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7db4fb/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367522102/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7db4fb/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367522102/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7db4fb/sc/28/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367522102/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7db4fb/sc/28/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/xMCKd158LH4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Windows/Windows%209/windows9_startmenu_leak_winfuture-470-75.jpgIt seems some sort of public test of Windows 9 - aka Windows "Threshold," internally - may indeed be right around the corner, if all the recent leaks are any indication. The next version of Windows, which is believed to be called Windows 9, has appeared in several video and screenshot leaks, all courtesy of German site WinFuture.de. The videos show several important expected new Windows 9 features, including the OS's new notification center, the virtual desktops feature, and the new, more traditional Start menu. Start with the clip below to see the Windows 9 multi-desktop feature in action, with a Mac OS X exposé like interface and a convenient button down on the Windows toolbar. " width="420">YouTube : Cortana, where art thou?Then there's the notification center: " width="420">YouTube : And finally the Start menu, which appears to smartly combine elements of the Windows 8 Modern UI and a more traditional, Windows 7-like experience: " width="420">YouTube : WinFuture has been posting several screenshot leaks as well, including never-before-glimpsed images of Cortana hard at work in Windows Threshold. This interface looks unfinished, and Cortana will not appear in upcoming test versions of Windows 9 until a later date when she's ready, according to The Verge. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Windows/Windows%209/cortana_windows9_winfuture-420-90.jpg But the virtual assistant will be married to the new search button in the Windows taskbar, reports say. The Windows Technical Preview of Windows 9, supposedly being aimed at enterprise desktop users mainly, is expected to debut in a matter of weeks, followed by a public preview next year. Will Windows 9 be a free update?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e7dd01b/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157818294/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7dd01b/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157818294/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7dd01b/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157818294/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7dd01b/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/206157818294/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7dd01b/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/206157818294/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e7dd01b/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/8MFTIsBx02c

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/affinity-0-470-75.jpgIf, like me, you've grown up with printed computer magazines with physical cover disks, then Serif is a name that's full of nostalgia. The Nottingham-based company, better known for its popular flagship desktop publishing package Page Plus, launched its first Mac product Affinity Designer and it is free until the end of September. Affinity Designer is the first vector editing tool to offer creative professionals a serious alternative to Illustrator. Announced in beta a few weeks ago after four years of development, it's been causing quite a stir, especially if you are not keen on Adobe's Creative Cloud subscription model; Affinity Designer, for once, sticks to the pay-once, own-forever model. For Affinity Designer, Serif has started from scratch, building an entirely new, high-end product, aimed squarely at creative professionals, on an entirely new codebase. That means Affinity Designer can take full advantage of the latest hardware which translates into a fast, responsive, feature-rich and very powerful application. Which means it could easily upset some established names in the creative industry. Here 10 great reasons why Affinity Designer could become your new favourite vector editing tool. 01. It's free in betaThe Affinity Designer beta for Mac is free until its official launch in October 2014. Downloading it comes with absolutely no obligations. So you've got absolutely no reason not to give it a try. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/affinity-1-420-90.jpg 02. There's no subscriptionOnce the free beta is over in October, Affinity Designer will be 'free to try, one price to buy', at a very reasonable £34.99/$49.99 via the Mac App Store. And there'll be no subscription charge; Serif has promised that all updates to the software will be free for at least the next two years. Why so cheap? Despite Affinity Designer being a high-end product, Serif is hoping the modest price point will lure designers away from either being tied to an Adobe subscription or clinging on to old software. And they're convinced there's a demand for such a product. "When you stop paying for the Creative Cloud, its apps stop working," argues Serif MD Ashley Hewson. "And if your internet connection or the cloud servers go down, you can't log in. That doesn't sit well with everyone. And even if cost isn't the main issue, many just want something fresh that can be taken seriously." 03. One million per cent zoomWith other vector editing programs, if you zoom in too far, what you're looking at becomes pixellated or just greys out. In Affinity Designer, the zoom just keeps on going and going. Only stopped drawing speedily around 40 million percent (and no, that's not a typo), so it's also safe to say that incredible accuracy is guaranteed. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/affinity-2-420-90.jpg 04. It's really fastAffinity Designer has been created with one overrriding goal in mind, says Serif: that 'working in Designer is always live'. That means no lag, no outlines – when you move an object, or series of objects, everything moves at once in real-time. So whether it's a 100 megapixel image or the most complex vector drawing with thousands of curves, you still pan and zoom at 60fps, move objects in the correct z-order and see live views of all adjustments, gradients, brushes and effects. In short, it's fast. Really fast. And when you go back to your old vector editing software, that will probably seem really slow and clunky in comparison. 05. It's compatible with your other toolsIf you're worried about incorporating Affinity Designer into your current workflow – and in truth that will be most pro designers' concern – then Serif says you shouldn't stress. When it launches, they promise this new tool will open and be able to fully edit Adobe Illustrator AI, Photoshop PSD, PDF, FreeHand, EPS and SVG files. You can output in standard image formats, PNG, JPG etc, and save as PDF, PSD, EPS, and SVG for broad compatibility. Affinity Designer outputs PSD for Photoshop and PDFs for Illustrator, so work can flow both ways. 06. You can export standard and retina quality in one hitAffinity Designer offers crisp vectors plus pixel tools and previews, suitable for UI and web graphic design. A live preview shows what your artwork looks like at standard- or retina pixel-export quality while keeping the document in normal editing mode so you can fine tune it and see individual pixels change. And when you want to export your graphics, or the whole design, easily turn layers, groups, objects, or custom areas into slices that are exported at standard and retina quality in one operation (in various image formats, qualities and colour spaces). http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBC/affinity-3-420-90.jpg 07. It unites vector and pixel design togetherNot everyone who illustrates works in pure vector. Many prefer using Photoshop over Illustrator or other tools for vector work, creating very large bitmaps and scaling them down to final sizes to retain as much quality as possible. Others start with vectors in Illustrator and then finish artwork elsewhere. Affinity Designer, however, offers vector and raster design together in one app. One button switches the toolset while the document doesn't skip a beat, still in one app, scalable, native, in one file format. To give it a go yourself, try creating a vector shape, paint shading over it with pixel brushes and a Multiply blend mode, then drag the brushwork into the shape in the Layers panel so it's a child. The brushwork is clipped within the vector shape and the outline is drawn on top of the brushwork. That's pretty neat. 08. Powerful masksOne thing the integration between vectors and pixels means is that masks are uniquely powerful in Affinity Designer. For example, you can even apply two or more masks to one layer no matter if they are pixel or vector based. 09. Pro adjustments and effectsBeyond combining vector and raster tools, Affinity Designer takes mixed discipline to another level. Say that your client loves the logo or the concept art you sweated over for 60 hours… and yet the client wants another revision ("Can it be a bit greener"?) Well before your blood rises too much, check this out. The kind of professional image adjustments you'd find in Photoshop – such as Recolour, HSL, Levels and Curves – can also be found in Affinity Designer and can be applied to vectors, raster art, individual objects, layers, groups, or whole designs. And the adjustments can be masked, blended, stacked and so on. As with glows, blurs, shadows and other layer effects that also apply to any type of artwork, all the adjustments update instantly, with zero lag. In other words, you can make all or part of the job "greener" with a couple of clicks, no reworking required. 10. End-to-end CMYK, pro outputIf the guts of Affinity Designer seem impressive, that extends to working with massive documents, massive images and massive complexity. And then you can output professionally. The developers have said on their forum that PDF/X and Pantone are coming in a free update quickly after launch, but Affinity Designer already offers professional quality RGB, CMYK, Greyscale, and Lab colour modes, full support for 16-bit per channel colour depth, and ICC colour profiles. All this works smoothly on any Intel 64 Mac (Core 2 Duo or better) running OS X 10.7.8 Lion or newer Looking ahead: one file format across the whole suiteThe 10 points in this list are directly about Affinity Designer, but this one is important and also involves Affinity Photo (entering beta October 2014) and Affinity Publisher (due late 2015). The big news is that there'll be one common file format across all Affinity design apps, promising a seamless mixed discipline workflow. So you'll be able to open, edit and save the same file in Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo, and Affinity Publisher, seamlessly shuttling between the suite's apps to work in whichever discipline you need. The Affinity team says each app will totally understand the others. That's because, unlike with rival software suites, there's around 80 per cent shared code between them. So each update will improve the whole suite. There's also a shared document history. So you'll be able to undo and redo any design tasks in any Affinity app, even if they were originally carried out in another Affinity app, even from an earlier session. Get it today!Although there are a few things still to iron out during the beta period and more features coming in (free) updates, the latest build is looking very slick, with Serif's devs engaging swiftly and personally with forum feedback. There are a lot of nuances and depth not covered in this round-up, so get your hands on Affinity Designer now and try it for yourself while it's free. Watch this space is definitely a cliché worth employing here, we're keen to see industry players and individual designers getting involved in something that is innovating at such a pace, and as always we welcome your comments. Article adapted from 10 reasons to download this free Illustrator alternative todayhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3e78fa69/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367553411/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e78fa69/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367553411/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e78fa69/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367553411/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e78fa69/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/204367553411/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e78fa69/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/204367553411/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3e78fa69/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/WIqQxtlEX5k