sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/desktop_pcs_and_macs/Lenovo/lenovo-keyboard-470-75.JPGSocial media is a difficult thing to manage for many companies. Most high-ranking business people think Twitter is a goldmine, and the best place to find information about their Next Big Thing™. They hire data collection services to provide them with thousands of tweets, hoping to see a trend that tells them what their clients are looking for. The goal? Identify potential new products, or a new market. Instead, they're confronted and horrified by what they find: thousands upon thousands of tweets about "laaaame", "luv it #selfieolympics", "#productx #cool #ninja #batman #teamfollowback #hashtag". I've seen dirty data like this a countless number of times, and it's impossible to sort manually. You'll comb through it for hours, get frustrated, quit, then come back and spend another couple of hours before finding a couple of tweets that are relevant. Users aren't writing for your benefit: they're tweeting for their own enjoyment. The value of text analyticsThe best way to sift through the rubbish is text analytics. Don't waste time sorting; let a machine do it for you. In a matter of seconds, the text analytics engine will give you a nice list of important topics that appear in the tweets. It'll look similar to #trends, but will actually be useful. Once you have these topics, you can run searches for them and dig deeper. For example, ""bad service"" or ""defective"" might come up as topics when you run through the data about your company. You know they've appeared often enough that they're worth looking into. At that point, you can run manual searches to see if there are patterns of "bad service" or "defective" products. It turns out that all of the "bad service" complaints came from the same hotel – someone's getting fired. Every "defective" product was made with the new set of cheap screws – back to the original product design. To put it simply, text analytics is a great way to spare you of a severe headache when trying to analyze your social data. Rami Nuseir is Semantria's Marketing Director, and a regular contributor to the Lexalytics corporate blog (Lexablog). Both companies specialize in text analytics and sentiment analysis technology.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c51745b/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120423367/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c51745b/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120423367/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c51745b/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120423367/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c51745b/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120423367/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c51745b/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199120423367/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c51745b/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/a0PjjqWxb00

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Onetimers/Windows%208.1%20logo%20zoom-470-75.jpgMicrosoft may have an even more accelerated release schedule in mind for Windows 9 as new rumors suggest it could launch as a fully built operating system in the coming months. The infamous leaker, WZOR, posted new information to Russian bulletin boards suggesting Microsoft plans to launch Windows 9 before summer is backed by a substantial advertising campaign. Until now we've heard that the Preview build would drop in the second half of 2014. Free no moreOther than quickly suggesting a sooner than expected release and passingly describing the Windows 9 marketing campaign as "fantastic", WZOR spends much more of his forum post explaining the OS' activation system. Supposedly the next version of Windows will register automatically once users connect to the Windows 9 Store. Users will also supposedly be able to take the key and save it in a special "ESD-RETAIL" format on a flash drive. Potentially this would allow users to migrate their copy of Windows 9 to another PC. However, users who attempt to run multiple copies on separate machines will be asked to "undock" it within three days. While this all sounds mighty similar to Windows 8, it's news that suggests Windows 9 won't be the first free Microsoft OS many users are hoping for or exactly what Wzor originally reported on June 25. 'Crazy rumor day'So far Microsoft hasn't commented officially on the rumor, but Microsoft Communications Chief Frank Shaw tweeted out "Was there a 'crazy rumor day' declaration that I missed?" Although Shaw did not call out Wzor's report specifically, it's very likely the Microsoft chief meant to dismiss the rumors of a Windows 9 release happening very soon. With that in mind we're going to look at this latest rumor with some extreme skepticism, but it all seems very likely we will see Windows 9 in some form in just a few short months. Until then, stay tuned to this space for more news. Will Windows 8.1 become the next Vista?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c4f06a7/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/9iWCiPSN82k

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/mac-virus/main-470-75.jpgA nebulous group nicknamed "DEEP PANDA" by security researchers is said to be behind a targeted hack of Middle East-based employees of US think tanks. According to a Crowdstrike blog post, the attacks happened as the situation in Iraq and the Middle East took a turn for the worse. It highlights June 18 as the date the individual attacks started as ISIS attacked the Balji Oil refinery. The company's co-founder and CTO, Dmitri Alperovitch, claims that DEEP PANDA has ties with the Chinese government (calling it a nation-state cyber intrusion group) and that the shift of direction is a clear indication that China is keen to know what other parties involved in the region are likely to do. Best antivirus: 14 home security suites reviewed and ratedCrowdstrike says that DEEP PANDA uses powershell scripts to fool any traditional security application that may reside on the victim's computer. They then inject the MadHatter .NET Remote Access Tool, a RAT that runs from the system's memory and doesn't need to be initalled on the system's drive. According to Alperovitch, DEEP PANDA "presents a very serious threat not just to think tanks, but also multinational financial institutions, law firms, defense contractors, and government agencies" and that the renewed interest on cash-strapped, well-connected not-for-profit organisations can only be a worrying sign. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c48c127/sc/1/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107812598/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c48c127/sc/1/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107812598/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c48c127/sc/1/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107812598/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c48c127/sc/1/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107812598/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c48c127/sc/1/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199107812598/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c48c127/sc/1/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/aKFaxevwe5Y

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/AU%20News/chromecast%20android%2001-470-75.jpgYou can now access EzyFlix.tv directly through Samsung's WatchON app to choose what and where you want to watch your EzyFlix movies and TV shows. Available to Samsung smart TVs, Galaxy-branded smartphones and Note and Galaxy Tab tablets, WatchOn allows you to consolidate different video apps and live TV channels into one place, use your smartphone as a remote and move between devices without having to restart your video. User's choiceWith the new partnership, you can now browse EzyFlix.tv content straight through the WatchON app, but purchasing or renting will open up the EzyFlix.tv app for transaction. This is similar to the integrated functionality that WatchON has with Quickflix. What this means though is that now, if a film or show is offered by both Quickflix and EzyFlix.tv, WatchON will show you the price from each provider in a little pull up menu, letting you compare and choose which to rent from. EzyFlix.tv and WatchON integration is available from today. Want to know what device to get for WatchON? The Samsung Tab S has an amazing screen

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Watches/Motorola/Moto%20360/moto-360-watch-face-470-75.jpgIt seems everyone has had an unfortunate run-in with digital rights management (DRM) at one time or another, and now Android Wear users are having theirs. Early adopters of Google's smartwatch standard have found that paid apps simply don't work on Android Wear devices, according to Ars Technica. Currently there are no standalone apps for Android Wear devices; apps with Wear features need to be downloaded to an Android phone, which then sends the relevant part of the app to the smartwatch using Bluetooth. But apparently the encryption keys that get sent to your phone when you download a paid app from the Google Play store don't make it over to the smartwatch. A strange oversightThat means Android Wear devices that receive app data from smartphones have no way to decrypt that data unless the app was free to begin with. So one solution is for developers to make their Android Wear-compatible apps free, though obviously that's not ideal. It's definitely still early in the saga of Android Wear, but this is a strange oversight that should definitely have been caught before now. We've asked Google to comment on when the bug might be fixed, and we'll update here if we hear back. Your Android Wear smartwatch could become a neat home automation toolhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c439744/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109260986/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c439744/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109260986/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c439744/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109260986/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c439744/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109260986/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c439744/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199109260986/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c439744/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/IAVALVTtU0k

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/clouds/clouds-470-75.jpgWorldwide public cloud services revenue reached $45.7 billion (about £26.7 billion, AU$48.8 billion) in 2013, according to an IDC report. IDC expects the market to increase 23% annually through 2018. Cloud Software spending, which includes Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) represented 86% of the cloud services market in 2013. Cloud Infrastructure, which is solely comprised of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) or server and basic storage solutions, represented 14% of the market. Enterprise resource management applications provided the most revenue of all cloud-based applications in 2013 with $10.78 billion (about £6.3 billion, AU$11.51 billion) in revenue. This figure comprised roughly 24% of all public cloud services revenue. CRM applications were responsible for $8.13 billion (about £4.75 billion, AU$8.68 billion) in 2013, or 18% of the total market. The CRM market is projected to increase 20% annually until 2018, according to the report. The market leadersSaaS service provider revenue is led by Salesforce.com, according to the report. ADP and Intuit are Salesforce's immediate followers with Oracle and Microsoft ranking fourth and fifth in revenue, respectively. PaaS revenue is led by Amazon.com. Salesforce and Microsoft were tied for the second-most revenue in the PaaS market in 2013. Amazon.com, which owns 40% of the IaaS market share, was the leader in the market. RackSpace and IBM follow Amazon with the second and third-largest IaaS market share, respectively. The US holds 68% of the public cloud services market. Western Europe is the second-largest market with 19%. By 2018, IDC forecasts that the US will lose 9% of the market and Western Europe will gain 4%. 10 CRM applications SMBs should knowhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c4139ed/sc/46/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107779565/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c4139ed/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107779565/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c4139ed/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107779565/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c4139ed/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107779565/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c4139ed/sc/46/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199107779565/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c4139ed/sc/46/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Rnl_QCj8ncs

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/televisions/4k-new-470-75.png4K TV channels in the UK took a step closer to reality over the weekend after a new Ultra HD TV broadcast specification was approved for Europe by the DVB Steering Board. The new DVB-UHDTV Phase 1 specification allows for the over-the-air transmission of 3840x2160 resolution pictures at 60Hz and promises much improved colour depth with 10 bits per pixel rather than 8. Once officially standardised, this specification will surely open the floodgates for 4K TV services to launch both on satellite and over-the-air platforms across Europe. It will be a huge step forward in TV picture quality, offering a whole new range of colours, higher frame rates, double the horizontal and vertical resolution and four times the number of pixels. That's nine times as many pixels as an 'HD Ready' 720p picture. How it worksThe standard uses HEVC, the same compression system that's being used for Netflix's 4K Ultra HD internet streams, which offers double the data compression ratio compared to MPEG-4/H.264. It effectively means that while the number of pixels quadruples, they'll only need double the bandwidth. "HEVC is the most recently-developed compression technology and, among other uses, it is the key that will unlock UHDTV broadcasting," said Phil Laven, DVB Steering Board Chairman. "This new DVB–UHDTV Phase 1 specification not only opens the door to the age of UHDTV delivery but also potentially sets the stage for Phase 2, the next level of UHDTV quality, which will be considered in upcoming DVB work." While great news for 4K enthusiasts, there are some caveats to all this excitement. The main one being that the new specification is completely incompatible with any of today's TV tuners, even the ones inside brand new 4K TVs with HEVC decoding built-in. So if you've bought a 4K TV already, you'll need to splash out on a set-top box as and when. If all goes to plan, we would expect compatible TVs to start shipping in 2015. The new DVB-UHDTV Phase 1 specification has been delivered to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, a not-for-profit body which is expected to formally standardise the specification in due course. Phase 2, on the other hand, could well deliver even higher frame rates, HDR pictures and possibly even 8K resolutions - we just don't know. More standardsAt the same meeting, the DVB Steering Board also ratified a couple of other new standards. One relates to the synchronisation of broadcasts with second screens like phones and tablets and will enable the development of more advanced second screen functionality. This could be as simple as delivering 'live' scores for sports events without spoiling big moments if you're behind the live broadcast, but could also be used for viewer interaction for example in live TV quizzes. And the final standard is a new MPEG-DASH profile for streaming adaptive bitrate media over the internet. The idea is that by creating an industry standard for detecting your bandwidth and delivering the best possible picture and sound quality, the number of different options for doing so will decrease, simplifying the business of delivering 4K video over the internet, accelerating growth.

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/apps-world-470-75.jpgEven the most experienced app developer will run into challenges that are unique to building a beacon app. These are the six challenges you will face: 1. Balancing UX and privacy in the feature setBeacon apps approximate a user’s physical distance from a beacon so you can link information about the real world context of the beacon with specific context of the user. When building your beacon app, you need to carefully weigh which elements will improve the user’s experience without overwhelming them as well as factoring in user privacy. If you get the balance right, you’ll be able to selectively push information to the user, for example, based on the time (a limited time coupon), user preference (modernist vs. impressionist paintings in a museum), or current conditions (less crowded checkout lines). 2. Permission to activate Bluetooth and location servicesFor beacon apps to perform, not only does the mobile device have to support beacons but also the user has to enable Bluetooth and location services. I’ve found that it’s best to wait until the last possible moment to ask for these permissions. This way, you have an opportunity to prove your app’s value instead of blasting users before they’ve even tried the app or are close to a beacon. 3. Variable signalsBeacon apps are dealing with external radios that transmit signals and therefore can be messy. The app has to best guess the beacon’s distance, which is challenging because radio waves bounce around a physical location and are affected by the presence of users. Plus, the Bluetooth LE spectrum is in the same spectrum band as Wi-Fi, which can interfere with the signal. Furthermore, signal quality varies wildly among beacon hardware manufacturers. Lastly, beacon signals are affected by temperature, device power, and polling intervals, which may vary from broadcast to broadcast. In short, the app has to be designed to make choices based on the variable information received. 4. Workarounds for triangulation & trackingTwo-way communication between a beacon and an app is not possible with beacons since they are one-way radios: they don’t know about the client devices receiving their broadcasts. There are two workarounds for this. First, an advanced beacon could theoretically open a second channel to communicate with the mobile device and then transmit that data back to a server using a persistent network connection. However, this functionality is not part of the iBeacon specification and it would be a significant battery drain. The easier way is to fake it by making the app do the work. By connecting the app to a backend, it can update a record to register the user’s real-time presence and then personalize the app or real world experience in real-time. 5. The business logic imperativeGiven all the variables, business logic scripts are a must-have. For example, the app has to collect data such as the beacon UUID, major and minor numbers, and location. When the app encounters a beacon, a business logic script then relays a list of all the users nearby. This script filters the data for privacy and interprets what “at the beacon” means which is tricky given that updates at events may not be recorded in real time or the device might drop the beacon ranging. One solution is to use a time-based heuristic to guess if the user is reasonably still there. Other business logic scripts can be used to observe trends, perform statistical analysis and draw conclusions. 6. The final challenge – the App Store reviewBased on my experience, you should: Clearly explain how the app works and its value – both in the public description and in the review notes. A demo video helps.Provide a demo account and beacon UUIDs in the review notes.Include a battery use disclaimer.What helped me most when building our beacon app for the recent GlueCon conference were pre-built backend tools plus client library extensions. They helped to “glue” together the context between the real-world locations of beacons, users to beacons and users to users. Michael Katz is the principal software engineer at Kinveyhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c383341/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120089085/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c383341/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120089085/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c383341/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120089085/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c383341/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120089085/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c383341/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199120089085/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c383341/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/51SHMKHxgvs

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/nest/nest_lifestyle_photo_living_room-470-75.jpgWhat the Nest API means for youWe've been promised smart automated homes for decades, but at long last it seems that they're finally on the horizon thanks to Apple and Google. The former's HomeKit was announced at last month's WWDC, and Google has just released its own API (Application Programming Interface) for its Nest devices. Of the two, Google's offering is currently the most interesting. An API for a thermostat hardly sets the pulse racing, but the Nest is no ordinary thermostat: it knows when you're home and when you're out, and that opens up some interesting possibilities. It isn't the only Nest product, either: there's the smart smoke alarm, and now that Google's acquired security camera firm Dropcam, Nest cameras can't be far off. What does the Nest API mean for your home?When you read the list of Nest API partners, it's clear that Google plans to work with companies of all kinds, not just home automation firms. The list includes Mercedes-Benz and Jawbone, Logitech and Whirlpool, smart light bulb firm LIFX and garage door firm Chamberlain. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Google%20House/merc-420-100.jpg If you're wondering what on earth those firms would do with a thermostat, let Google shed some light. According to Google, the Mercedes car could tell Nest when you're due to arrive home, ensuring your house is warm when you get there without wasting energy by starting too early. The Jawbone could spot when you're waking up and get the heating or cooling system working. The Whirlpool washing machine could know that you're out and switch to a refresh cycle so your clothes don't crease. The Logitech remote could set the temperature as well as your consumer electronics. And your smart light bulbs could make it look like you're home when you're out or hook into the smoke detector and flash red to alert someone who's hearing-impaired of a hazard. " width="420">YouTube : The API also works with IFTTT, the service that enables you to create instructions for other gadgets. Scripts could text you if the smoke alarm detects danger, or turn on a WeMo switch when you're nearly home, or turn off your Philips Hue bulbs when you leave the room. Google Now support, due this autumn, adds voice control and add Google Now's knowledge of your movements to the mix, and we can't imagine Android Wear integration is too far off. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Google%20House/jawbone-420-100.jpg Bear in mind we're only talking about two Nest devices here, a thermostat and a smoke detector. Factor in cameras that can stream live video to mobile devices, or other devices such as movement sensors, and things get even more interesting. Is the Nest API Android-only?No. Most of Nest's users are running iOS, and Google will support that platform - and maybe integrate it with Apple's HomeKit in the future, although there are no public plans for that. The API is cloud based and designed for iOS, Android and web deployment. What access do developers actually get?Nest developers will be able to access home and away states to see if you're in or out, although they won't be able to access the motion sensors that Nest devices use to set those states. They'll also be able to access CO and smoke alerts and peak energy usage events. Connected devices will also be able to access the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) feature that Nest-compatible Mercedes cars can use, notifying them of your imminent arrival. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/nest/protect-night-time-420-100.jpg Some of Nest's sensors aren't in the API yet, and there's no roadmap to indicate whether they'll be added later. For example, the Nest thermostat can monitor humidity levels and ambient light levels, but the API doesn't currently provide access to that data. As yet it's unclear what access, if any, developers will get to Dropcam devices such as cameras and motion detectors. Are there any privacy issues? Will I have a house full of ads?Nest says no. Speaking to Forbes, Nest's Matt Rogers is adamant that the Nest data won't be used for ill. "We don't want anyone to make the rob-my-house app." http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Google%20House/logitech-420-100.jpg According to Rogers, "ads are not part of our strategy" and developers must tell you what information their devices want and why they want it. Developers won't get personally identifiable information, and they won't be able to retain more than ten days of data. Nest's current privacy policy promises not to share your information with anyone without your permission, and that anyone includes parent firm Google. Will Nest vet the applications?Yes. While any company is welcome to write Nest-connected apps, they have to follow the developer guidelines and deliver what Nest calls "a really good customer experience". You can't join the Nest Developer Program without agreeing to play by Nest's rules. Won't a Nest smart home cost a fortune?Initially, yes: like any brand new technology, early adopters can expect to pay top whack for things that should plummet in price fairly quickly. The trade-off, though, is that Nest can potentially save you a great deal of money. Imagine Nest-connected blinds that automatically lower when it's sunny to save you from running air conditioning, or garage doors that turn off the heating when you leave for work in the morning, or appliances that know the cheapest times to use energy. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/Google%20House/ifttt-420-100.jpg In the long term, the key to widespread Nest use may be subsidy. Nest's devices aren't cheap, but in the US some utility firms are subsidising the price because it helps them manage demand peaks and reduce customers' energy usage. Speaking to Ars Technica, Matt Rogers said: "our goal is to make them free. Our products should be free. If you save people energy and save lives, those are good things that everyone should have." Nest isn't the only project Google is working on. as you can see from our highlights of Google IO.

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Apps/Uber_iOS-470-75.jpgTransport for London is satisfied that the Uber taxi app is operating within the law, despite protests from legions of the city's black cab drivers. The mobile ride-sharing app is free to continue operating within the city, according to TfL, which rejected cabbies' claims the app's driver's should be licensed because of the way they calculate fees. In a statement to the TFL board, MD of Surface Transport Leon Daniels said: "In relation to the way Uber operates in London, TfL is satisfied that based upon our understanding of the relationship between passenger and Uber London, and between Uber London and Uber BV, registered in Holland, that it is operating lawfully under the terms of the 1988 PHV(L) Act." Drivers use smartphones to meter fares rather than traditional taximeters and as a result "have no operational or physical connection with the vehicles, and [so] … are not taximeters within the meaning of the legislation," Daniels said. StandstillThe ruling comes after London black cab drivers brought attempted to bring the capital to a standstill with a strike last month. TFL's decision isn't the end of the matter. Whether smartphones can be classed as taximeters will be decided in a British court next month. For now, Uber drivers are free to go about their business. Just last month Uber offered an olive branch to cabbies...http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c348802/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120073657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c348802/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120073657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c348802/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120073657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c348802/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120073657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c348802/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199120073657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c348802/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Wf1UYHkZADE

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Watches/Android_Wear_Home_Automation-470-75.jpgThe new breed of Android Wear devices could become a key tool in the ever-expanding connected home sphere, according to one developer already putting his smartwatch to good use. Developer Doug Gregory is using a selection of AutoApps and OK Google voice commands in order to control the lighting in his home and open and close his connected garage door. Using a pre-release Samsung Gear Live paired with a HTC One (M8) Gregory uses commands like "OK Google, toggle the light," to switch it on. He's also able to use the touchscreen to adjust the lighting and control that garage door, albeit with a bit of a lag. The tool also shows photos on his device that switch between on/off or open/closed. RootedGregory uses the AutoVera, AutoVoice, and AutoNotification Tasker tools, which are all compatible with Android Wear out of the box, but had to root the device. He reckons other developers will soon get around that and launch tools that play nice with Android Wear, when it is officially released on July 7. You can check out his work so far in the video below. " width="420">YouTube : http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c34a46b/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120424054/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c34a46b/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120424054/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c34a46b/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120424054/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c34a46b/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120424054/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c34a46b/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199120424054/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c34a46b/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/s9K51aeraZ0

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/techradar/BOT/BOT0-470-75.jpghttp://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/av_accessories/Walkman%2035%20years%20old/walkman%2035%20years-200-100.jpg Sony Walkman at 35Looking back at the most iconic music player of all time Last week, the Sony Walkman turned 35 years old. The Walkman is, therefore just a year younger than I am, and I certainly feel like we've grown up together. Since the original Sony TPS-L2 was introduced in 1979, Sony has sold somewhere in the region of 220 million Walkmans, and it's still selling them today. I am not exaggerating when I say that the Walkman was the product that made Sony into a global name. If you weren't there, it's hard to explain just how much those of us who were lusted after the Walkman. From Sony's first models, through to that yellow one you could take in the shower, the Walkman range was THE gadget of the 80s and 90s, and we all wanted one like the kids want smartphones today. More, even. Happy birthday Sony Walkman: 35 today http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/broadcast/Movies/guardians-of-the-galaxy-200-100.jpg Close encounters of the 3D kindThe resurgence of post-converted 3D The process of converting 2D film to 3D movies has a reputation for turning out an inferior product - mainly because the first filmmakers to use this process made such a bad job of it. Clash of the Titans has been widely regarded as such a botch job (due to a studio's insistence on 3D and a director having no time to make the post production process work ) it was felt that true 3D was the only way forward for the technology. That was until James Gunn spoke out. http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Android/AndroidL/Android%20L%202/Android%20L%20iOS8-200-100.jpg Android L vs iOS 8: what's different?New OS versions go head to head The battle for mobile's soul is raging and there are only two heavyweight platform contenders. Google's Android and Apple's iOS are getting better (and more similar) with every passing year. The latest incarnations, Android L and iOS 8, made their entrances at developer conferences, WWDC and Google I/O. Let's take a look at how they compare and work out whether Apple and Google are treading their own paths or starting to converge. Read all about it http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/televisions/Best%20TV%20main/tv_best-200-100.jpg Best TV 2014: what TV should you buy?Helping you buy the perfect TV for you since 2008 There has never been a better time to buy a new TV. Gone are the days when 32-inch TVs weighed 16 tonnes and cost £1,500. These days you can pick up a 50-inch LCD TV for closer to £300. LCD panel technology has well and truly matured, and while brands like Sony and Panasonic push the boundaries of performance, you'll also find names like Toshiba doing very exciting things in the budget TV sector. The practical upshot of this is that no matter what you're after, how big you want to go or how large your budget is, there's a perfect TV out there for you. So which one is right for you, your family and your living space? In this buying guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know about being a new TV. Best TV 2014 http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/televisions/4k-580-100.png 4K TV and Ultra HD: Everything you need to know4K is the hottest buzz word in the tech world right now, and it's rewriting the rulebook when it comes to image quality. It affects not just the world of 4K TV and cinema, but also cameras and image capture, smartphones and tablets, computer monitors and PC games - practically anything that displays images or records video. 4K TV sets are now available from most of the major TV manufacturers, but they're merely the tip of a very cool technology iceberg. So what, we hear you ask, is 4K really all about? Continue reading... http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/televisions/Best%20TV%20main/tv_32-200-100.png Best 32-inch TVsLet us help you choose the best 32-inch TV Still going strong as we plunge headlong into the summer of 2014, the 32-inch TV is one of the most popular consumer electronics products in the UK. It was always the most popular TV size by far, mainly because many British living rooms can't physically take a TV much bigger than 32-inches in size. But in recent years as living rooms graduate to bigger sizes, 32-inches has become the de facto size option for a 'big' bedroom or secondary TV. Best 32-inch TVs http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/internet/Facebook/facebooklikedislike-200-100.jpg Facebook toying with your feelingsWhat does the experiment mean for you? Facebook has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons: last week it emerged that nearly a quarter of a million users' news feeds were deliberately manipulated to see if such manipulation could change their moods. Critics say that's unethical at best and downright evil at worst, and the UK Information Commissioner's Office has announced that it will investigate whether Facebook has breached data protection legislation. What does it all mean? http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/TRBC/rockstar-edinburgh-office-200-100.jpg Stick or twistWill the tech industry thrive in an independent Scotland? Should Scotland be an independent country? That's the question 8 million Scottish people will be asked in the independence referendum come September 18. It seems like, with such a highly emotional issue, the thoughts and needs of Scotland's tech industry don't really matter when considering the future of the country's sovereignty. But as technology and innovation are increasingly driving economies around the world, a future union or independent Scotland will have to embrace technology to keep up. http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Samsung/Galaxy%20S5%20mini/Press/S5Mini-Press-03-200-100.jpg Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini vs Samsung Galaxy S4 MiniOut with the old, in with the new Samsung's Galaxy S4 Mini was a popular little smartphone and one we were rather fond of too, but it's had its time to shine and soon it will be taking a back seat to the Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini (although we all know it'll be on the shop shelves for the next 7,000 years still). The question is, just what has changed in the new handset? And is it really much better than its predecessor? Well strap in, and prepare your brain for answers to both of those questions... plus, there will also be some pictures too. Keep your hands and arms inside the carriage. Read the battle of the Minis http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/features/spotifyconnect/spotifyconnect1-200-100.jpg 10 best Spotify Connect systemsGet connected to Spotify with these great speaker systems Spotify is gradually supplanting digital downloads as the dominant way that we listen to music, with 10 million subscribers and 40 million active users across 56 countries listening to its 30 million tracks. With Spotify adding more than 20,000 new songs daily, it's definitely time for Spotify Connect, a new badge for hi-fi gear that enables effortless control of music across a phone, tablet and speakers. Allowing music to be sent direct from the Spotify app to any of these systems, Spotify Connect is a streamer's dream. Best Spotify Connect systems http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/cameras/Generic/APS-C_Sensor-200-100.jpg Why you don't need a camera with more than 6MPThe six million pixel man I guess that many of us have programed ourselves to want more of a good thing, and perhaps also to not know when we have enough. There's security in having more than we need, in the stored hoard, in the squirrel's stash, for when the expected unexpected comes to pass: we crave reassurance that we'll get by and be equipped to take any situation in our stride. 
There's a glut of reality TV shows at the moment that deal with those who fill their house with collections of junk and precious belongings. Do we act in a similarly illogical, paranoid and pathological manner when deciding how many pixels we need in a camera? Read all about it http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/LG/LG%20G2%20Mini/review/LGg2minihero-580-100.jpg LG G2 Mini reviewThe LG G2 Mini is a fine example of a mid or low-end smartphone and shows just how far we have come in the last year. All manufacturers have benefited from having much better components available to them this year but LG has done a fine job packaging them up into the G2 Mini. The size and shape of the phone, along with LG's generally helpful software enhancements make the G2 Mini a genuinely pleasant phone to use. Only the lack of auto brightness really detracts from the experience. Superb battery life and a usable camera are welcome additions as is the excellent build quality, but the price you pay for these is a relatively higher purchase cost than some competitors. LG G2 Mini review

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/car%20tech/LinuxAuto/LinuxAutomotive-470-75.jpgIn-car tech has just gone open source with news of a new automotive-grade build of the Linux operating system. But what does this mean for your next car? Linux in various forms is already widely used in cars. But to date, it's largely been used in embedded systems, the operations of which are mostly obscured from owners and drivers. This new build of Linux is designed to underpin the sort of hands-on multimedia and infotainment functionality that's having an increasing impact on the driving experience. The idea is to make it easier for a broader range of manufacturers to include cutting-edge features like smartphone integration, streaming media, Google Maps and other apps. In your car, off the shelfEssentially, car makers would take Automotive Grade Linux off the shelf, pick their preferred feature set and skin the end result to suit their branding. For some car makers, this could be a huge boon. Currently, a gap is growing between those who have invested heavily over the years in infotainment and those who have not. Automotive Grade Linux could help close that gap much more rapidly at much more cheaply than doing all the work in-house. The Linux foundation has released some impressive looking screen shots of the default look of the new platform. It looks miles ahead of the clunky proprietary systems offered by most car makers. Of course, you might also wonder what the safety and reliability implications are of open-source software in cars. But that's a debate for another day. For more technical insight into Automotive Grade Linux, check out the announcement on the Linux Foundation website. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c2e134d/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120046379/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c2e134d/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120046379/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c2e134d/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120046379/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c2e134d/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120046379/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c2e134d/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199120046379/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c2e134d/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/ze1ReSGhcfk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Generics/hand_on_mouse-470-75.jpgA mysterious organization is using the MiniDuke malware to sneakily collect data from usual targets - such as government entities, in addition to less traditional ones - such as drug dealers. According to Kasperky Labs researchers, who first unearthed the spyware last year, the group behind MiniDuke might be working on order for law enforcement agencies, government entities or even other criminal gangs. Speaking to the Guardian, Vitaly Kamluk, principal security researcher at Kaspersky, identified their mode of operation as being "more like underground cyber criminals than a typical nation state", which is what made them stand out. Best free antivirus software 2014MiniDuke originally exploited a flaw in the popular Adobe Acrobat Reader and was a highly targeted, highly customised attack that made use of "extremely effective social engineering techniques". So much so that the founder and CEO of Kaspersky Lab, Euguene Kaspersky, described it as very unusual, adding, "I wonder if these types of malware writers, who have been in hibernation for more than a decade, have suddenly awoken and joined the sophisticated groupf of threat actors active inthe cyberworld". http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c2d2855/sc/7/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109167978/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c2d2855/sc/7/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109167978/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c2d2855/sc/7/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109167978/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c2d2855/sc/7/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109167978/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c2d2855/sc/7/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199109167978/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c2d2855/sc/7/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/VOeiUos2Uxo

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Onetimers/Google%20Play%20Services%205.0-470-75.jpgAlong with announcing the availability of Android Wear apps earlier today, the search company also pushed out Google Play Services 5.0 to almost all Android devices. There's no need to download it either. The services update comes through the Google Play Store to almost all smartphones and tablets running Android 2.3 Gingerbread to 4.4 KitKat. Google Service 5.0 brings with it API designed to make it easier for users to communicate with apps running on Android Wear devices. In a developer update Google wrote that the 5.0 update allows apps to sync data, exchange control messages, and transfer data between wearables and compatible phones. Matchmaker, make me a matchThe Android Wear specific updates will only work with devices. What's more smartwatches and activity trackers running Google's wearable OS will only work with certain handsets. To help users make sense of whether devices can pair properly, the Mountain View company launched an Android Wear Check website. The online tool allows users to check the compatibility of their smartphone before trying to find a match. Everything elseAside from all the Android Wear specific tools, the updates services also adds a dynamic security provider allowing developers to rapidly deliver security patches. A necessity in today's world when it seems like some other app has been breached every week. A tweak to Google Wallet adds the option to save offers or deals to their wallet. At registers and online carts users can now pay for goods with both their Google Wallet Balance and linked credit or debit cards in case they don't have enough virtual currency in the bank to make the purchase. The virtual wallet will also know when users have walked into a store by tracking their location data to automatically pull up loyalty cards and offers. Google hopes this will save the user the hassle of digging and carrying around the items physically when they can simply scan codes from their phones. On the developer side app makers will be happy to hear Google has improved analytics capabilities for ecommerce sites. The updated tools include new ways to measure marketing and merchandising strategies, and search for the app like a webpage with an updated indexing API. Google preps for Android Wear but what of Android L?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c265223/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109139813/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c265223/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109139813/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c265223/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109139813/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c265223/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109139813/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c265223/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199109139813/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c265223/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/BF473W1SwMs

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBCNews/oneoffs/magento-470-75.jpgeBay will shut down Magento Go and ProStores on February 1. The move will force more than 10,000 small and mid-size merchants to migrate to a new e-commerce platform. In a statement, Mark Lavelle, SVP of Product and Strategy at eBay Enterprise said the e-commerce giant will now focus its resources on Magento Enterprise Edition and Magento Community Edition. Both platforms cater to larger businesses. It is unclear if either platform will be updated to support smaller enterprises. E-commerce platform Bigcommerce will provide migration support for Magento Go and ProStores retailers, including the ability to transition to Enterprise, Community or third-party services. A sign of things to comeeBay told Magento Go and ProStore clients that "changing market requirements" were behind the decision to shut down the service, according to TechCrunch. In March, EBay laid off roughly 50 Magento employees, including members of its product and marketing departments. At the time, eBay told re/code that it was consolidating local offices "to focus more deeply on developing our core Magento products, Magento Enterprise Edition and Community Edition." eBay acquired Magento in 2011, roughly a year after it invested $22.5 million in the company. How do you choose the right server for your e-commerce site?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c25ff77/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107668295/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c25ff77/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107668295/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c25ff77/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107668295/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c25ff77/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107668295/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c25ff77/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199107668295/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c25ff77/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/PIfQ8JegPho

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Facebook/Facebook-Messenger-for-iPad-470-75.jpgNo more having to reach into your pocket to message someone back via Facebook while browsing on the iPad, thanks to the universal build now available. Facebook today updated the standalone Facebook Messenger app for iOS to version 7.0, and iPad owners finally have something to cheer about now that the app works natively on their favorite smartphone as well as tablet. If that wasn't enough for iOS users to get excited about, the update also allows videos shot inside of the Messenger app to be saved to the device Camera Roll, where they can be shared to other apps as well. Facebook is also making it easier than ever to invite friends already using the social network to join the ranks of Messenger users, and promises the app will also be "more reliable" thanks to other, unspecified fixes. Big talkNow a universal build offering a native experience across iPhone, iPod touch or iPad from a single app, Facebook Messenger 7.0 appears to be making the most of the larger tablet display. On the iPad, the Recent, Groups, People and Settings tab now appear on the left edge of the screen in both portrait and landscape views, while your ongoing conversions have plenty of room to breathe on the righthand side. The iPad is also a great place to send friends some of those decorative Facebook stickers, which are now displayed across the bottom of the screen, where they presumably look pretty awesome on a Retina Display. Otherwise, Facebook Messenger 7.0 for iOS offers the usual complement of free text and call options (including internationally), private photo sharing, the ability to record voice messages and one-tap access to jump between Messenger and Facebook apps. Find out the latest on Apple's rumored iPhone 6 right here!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c25ff78/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107668294/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c25ff78/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107668294/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c25ff78/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107668294/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c25ff78/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107668294/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c25ff78/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199107668294/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c25ff78/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/0I7A8wMeYrc

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Office/office%202013%20RTM/word%20insert%20pix-470-75.jpgIf you've ever wanted a chance to dip your toes into the next versions of Microsoft's Office products and services before they hit the shelves, you're in luck. The company is on the hunt for beta testers as part of a newly launched Pre-Release Program. In exchange for providing feedback on your experience, you'll snag pre-release versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Vision, Access, Publisher and Outlook in all their naked, non-tested glory. Additionally, business types will get the keys to early versions of the company's Exchange, SharePoint and Project Server products and cloud services. To join, you'll have to sign up as a Home or Business user and fill out a questionnaire to provide Microsoft with a few details on why you want to take part, meaning participants are likely to be hand picked on their suitability to provide constructive criticism on incoming updates. Gem in waitingMicrosoft's rumoured touch-friendly version of Office, called 'Gemini', is slated for a summer release and as such could feature in the company's Pre-Release Program plans, meaning you'd be one of the first to try out one of the most highly anticipated Office releases in recent times. Microsoft recently launched a similar early access program for Office 365 called First Release, which allows business customers to get a peek at several months' worth of features and improvements heading to the cloud. But is Office 2013 actually any good?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c17e4b0/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119952527/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c17e4b0/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119952527/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c17e4b0/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119952527/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c17e4b0/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119952527/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c17e4b0/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199119952527/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c17e4b0/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/mMgjSGPqSOg

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Apps/Songza-470-75.jpgGoogle has confirmed the acquisition of mobile music streaming app Songza and has announced plans to integrate it within YouTube and other Google music products. The Songza app users powerful curation algorithms and DJ-created playlists in order to pull together radio stations based on the weather, moods, the time of day, activities and more. Now it is in the hands of Google, although the terms of the deal remain undisclosed. In its announcement the Google said it'd be built into its Play Music service, but also hinted Songza may have a place within the forthcoming YouTube music subscription service. No immediate changes"Exciting news today - we're thrilled to welcome Songza to Google," the firm wrote. "They've built a great service which uses contextual expert-curated playlists to give you the right music at the right time. We aren't planning any immediate changes to Songza, so it will continue to work like usual for existing users. Over the coming months, we'll explore ways to bring what you love about Songza to Google Play Music. "We'll also look for opportunities to bring their great work to the music experience on YouTube and other Google products." The takeover was originally rumoured last month by the New York Post, with the pager suggested a somewhat low price of $15m (around £9m, AU$16m). The deal comes after Apple splashed out $3 billion (around £1.75, AU$3.1) on Beats, but it's rather unlikely Google forked over anywhere close to that. It's Beats Music vs Spotify in a streaming warhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c143f49/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109065370/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c143f49/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109065370/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c143f49/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109065370/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c143f49/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109065370/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c143f49/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199109065370/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c143f49/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/oDw261GVkT8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBCNews/Twitter/dickcostolo-470-75.jpgTwitter has agreed to acquire mobile advertising startup TapCommerce for just under $100 million (around £58 million, AU$105 million), the company confirmed in a statement. TapCommerce specializes in mobile retargeting and re-engagement advertising - two technologies Twitter hopes will enable it to increase mobile revenue. With TapCommerce, Twitter hopes to provide advertisers with technology that can improve the social network's app re-engagement, real-time programmatic buying, and measurement capabilities. Twitter says it believes the addition will help it to provide advertisers with a way to acquire new users through app installs, to engage existing users, and to provide more relevant ads to consumers. Since its launch in 2012, TapCommerce built a solution that processes more than 15 billion targeted ad impression bids each day, across 50,000 apps worldwide. TapCommerce had generated more than $11.7 million (around £6.8 million, AU$12.3 million) in funding from investors Bain Capital Ventures, Eniac Ventures, Metamorphic Ventures, Nextview Ventures, and RRE Ventures. Monetizing TwitterThe social networking company named Anthony Noto the company's Chief Financial Officer. Noto helped lead Twitter's IPO when he served as the co-head of Goldman Sachs' Technology, Media and Telecom Investment Banking group. Current Twitter CFO current, Mike Gupta, will be transitioned to a new role as SVP in charge of strategic investments. This week, Twitter announced it would roll out mobile app promotions that will appear as normal tweets and include a link escorting users directly to the Google Play or iTunes App store. Last September, Twitter acquired MoPub, a mobile advertising network, for more than $300 million (around £174 million, AU$315 million). Which 10 social analytics companies should you know?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c10b049/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Ve2BoohYlWo

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Generic/Servers/Server%20D/iStock_000019588436Small-scanrail-470-75.jpgCoreOS announced that it has secured Series A funding and unveiled two new products, Managed Linux and Core Update, one year after the company's Linux distribution of the same name launched. In the company's words, CoreOS is particularly suited for very large, enterprise-focused server deployments, effectively delivering the world's first "OS-as-a-Service". Patches are delivered as a continuous stream of transparent updates, in a way similar to that of web-based services such as Google Apps. Memory muscleWhat's more, CoreOS states that its Linux distribution uses 40% less system memory compared to a typical Linux server installations. This allows companies to delay any capital expenditure for servers and removes the need for major migrations as well as cutting down maintenance costs. As for other Linux distributions, what you're essentially paying for is support with prices starting from $100 (about £60, AU$110) per month for 10 servers, scaling all the way to $125,000 (about £75,000, AU$140,000) per month for 100,000 servers. A premium managed Linux support is also available with enhanced support over phone, email and chat. Stuck on Windows XP? It might be time to give Linux a tryhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c0e7c45/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109041147/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0e7c45/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109041147/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0e7c45/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109041147/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0e7c45/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109041147/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0e7c45/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199109041147/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0e7c45/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/I7uAroEpjyM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Android/AndroidL/Android%20L%202/Android%20L%20iOS8-470-75.jpgAndroid L vs iOS 8The battle for mobile's soul is raging and there are only two heavyweight platform contenders. Google's Android and Apple's iOS are getting better (and more similar) with every passing year. The latest incarnations, Android L and iOS 8, made their entrances at developer conferences, WWDC and Google I/O. Let's take a look at how they compare and work out whether Apple and Google are treading their own paths or starting to converge. UI – Minimalism is inAndroid L is a big change in terms of user interface as Google looks to unleash "Material Design", a new look that's consistent across Android, Chrome OS, the Chrome browser, and Android Wear. It includes a familiarly sparse aesthetic with bold colours and a new typography. There are lots more animations for touch feedback and transitions between apps, there's more of a 3D feel with shadows, and a nested scrolling effect that slots UI elements out of the way when you don't need them. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Android/AndroidL/Android%20L%202/Android%20L%205-420-90.jpg Apple killed skeuomorphism with iOS 7, so major surgery wasn't deemed necessary for iOS 8 and it retains the same clean and uncluttered look - Android L seems to take a little from iOS 6 (with the more realistic designs) and some from iOS 8, following the trend for flatter designs. Under the surfaceThe iOS 8 SDK contains more than 4,000 new APIs for developers, but apparently the Android L SDK trumps it with more than 5,000. Of course, everything depends on what those APIs actually have to offer, but Android L also brings support for 64-bit processors, which we saw roll out in iOS 7. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Android/AndroidL/Android%20L%202/9-420-90.jpg Google has finally dumped Dalvik and made ART (Android RunTime) the new engine, which should offer a significant speed boost. It uses AOT (Ahead-of-Time) instead of JIT (Just-in-Time) compiling, which improves a lot of elements, but among the primary benefits are general performance and battery life. Apple switched to the Swift programming language for iOS 8 and OS X development, which is intended to safeguard against errors and offer improved performance for developers when coding for iPhones and iPads. These are tools that will give developers the chance to make apps with fewer bugs, so we're waiting to hear the verdict on which will be the platform that has the best changes. Notifications everywhereThe rival platforms are creeping ever closer in terms of notifications. Apple added interactive notifications to the lockscreen with iOS 8 and made them less intrusive with pop-ups at the top of the screen in apps. Google has done much the same in Android L with notifications on the lockscreen that can carry you straight into the apps, and pop-ups at the top of the screen when you're already doing something. They're also newly ordered by relevance, based on your past activity. For the 15% of people using PINs or pattern locks, Google has added a new authentication system that can determine when you're holding your phone using location awareness and attached Bluetooth devices and unlock it automatically for you. It seems pretty likely that Apple will do the same with the iWatch when it (probably) launches later in the year, and along with TouchID shows the Cupertino brand is looking as much as anyone at ways of making your body the ultimate password. Smartwatch compatibilityThe Android Wear platform is rolling out for developers and the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live are available to order now. Apps on your Android device will automatically download and update themselves on any Android Wear device that you link. They can also sync between devices, so you can follow a recipe on your watch and on your smartphone at the same time - which is pretty neat when you can simply tap the screen and start a timer if the recipe called for it. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/other/Onetimers/google-wear-smartwatch-420-90.jpg Google looks like it's rolling out dedicated Android Wear apps too - which appeared on the Play Store then were quickly pulled - so it shows that the Big G thinks that wearables are the future (we've not even talked about Glass either). Apple has yet to announce an iWatch, but the updated Health app and the HealthKit API for iOS 8 are designed to make it easier to extract fitness and health data, and the fruity brand's new wrist-dweller is set to pack all manner of sensors as it looks to become the ultimate device to show you just how fit and healthy you are. Battery savingAndroid L offers greater control over battery life with new enhancements and modes that enable users to fine tune how much juice apps can guzzle down. 'Project Volta' goes into depth on where your battery is draining and a baked in battery saver mode can make tweaks to extend its life. This saving mode is something we've seen a lot of Android OEMs adding in their UIs already though, and we'd have loved to see an 'extreme battery saving mode' like HTC and Samsung have done to really eke out the battery life. Apple is lagging behind a little, but iOS 8 will finally bring a Battery Usage screen that actually shows which apps are leeching the most power when running and on standby, so you can make informed decisions with your settings. Android Auto vs CarplayGoogle's Open Automotive Alliance is growing fast with 40 new partners since we last heard about it. Android Auto will allow you to plug in your Android device and get a simplified interface with voice controls. You can easily browse navigation and entertainment content, as well as take calls and messages. Once the device is connected you use the car controls, but the software remains on the phone. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Android/AndroidL/Android%20L%202/Android%20Auto-420-90.jpg It looks very similar to Apple's CarPlay, in form and function, and it will be interesting to see which platform the big manufacturers favour. Google and Apple are both pushing forward as quickly as possible and we'll see both Android Auto and CarPlay models on the road later this year. Merging with the laptop Android L will allow people to unlock their Chrome OS laptop automatically when their Android device is close. There's also a sharing of notifications, so your Chromebook can mirror your Android device notifications and warn you when the phone battery is low. There's even some app crossover as some big name Android apps like Evernote, Flipboard, and Vine appear on Chrome OS. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/tablets/Google/nexus%209%20render-420-90.jpg Apple has done something similar with iOS 8 and the forthcoming OS X Yosemite with its Handoff feature, which allows you to pick up activities in apps on your laptop or desktop and start where you left off on your iPhone. You can also handle calls and messages from your iPhone on your Mac too. Other highlightsThere are plenty of other juicy features and updates in both platforms. Android L also offers greater integration with the Chrome browser, tabs now appear right next to apps when you tap the multitasking button, and you can dive straight into installed apps from browser results. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/events/wwdc/2014/screengrabs/touch-id-third-party-apps-420-90.jpg Apple opened up its Touch ID authentication for more apps, unveiled a time-lapse camera mode, and beefed up messaging options with location sharing and self-destructing messages. We'll keep you posted on everything else Android L and iOS 8 have to offer as we find it. AvailabilityDevelopers can get their hands on Android L and iOS 8 right now, but we'll have to wait a little longer for a proper release date. Our best guess is that iOS 8 will land on the new iPhone, probably in September, and will appear on older devices when the iPhone 6 goes on sale. Android L is likely to be a month or two later, probably on a new Nexus device - we're hearing stuff about the Nexus 6 and Nexus 8, and given Android L will be here in the 'Fall', the likelihood is we'll be getting new Nexii, complete with the L treatment, in time for the Christmas period. We're still waiting on Windows Phone 9.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c0e7c4d/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109041146/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0e7c4d/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109041146/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0e7c4d/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109041146/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0e7c4d/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199109041146/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0e7c4d/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199109041146/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0e7c4d/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/SrhmefDGhDs

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/Cables/Virus_synapse-470-75.jpgMicrosoft has filed a civil case, naming two foreign nationals from Kuwait and Algeria as the masterminds behind a concerted scheme to infect millions of computers with Bladabindi and Jenxcus families of malware. Detailed in a company blog post, the move marks one of the company's most audacious efforts, its tenth to date, to disrupt what it says is one of the most prolific conduits between hackers and their victims. It also highlighted the role of No-IP, a popular dynamic DNS provider, as a vital cog in that scheme. Microsoft wrote that it successfully gained control of 22 of its most commonly-used domain names, effectively shutting it down. It is not clear whether there was a deliberate attempt by No-IP (or one of its employees) to play an active role in the cyberattacks, and there is confusion as to whether the two parties worked together to crack down on the malware authors. Sufficient stepsMicrosoft's Richard Domingues Boscovich, Assistant General Counsel, Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit, wrote that "despite numerous reports by the security community on No-IP domain abuse", the company "did not take sufficient steps to correct, remedy, prevent or control the abuse or help keep its domains safe from malicious activity." However, writing in a No-IP blog post, Natalie Goguen argues that "Microsoft never contacted us or asked us to block any subdomains, even though we have an open line of communication with Microsoft corporate executives." The crackdown means that millions are likely to be affected with Vitalwerks Internet Solution, which owns No-IP, pointing to the fact that Microsoft's heavy-handed approach benefits no one. Looking for the best antivirus suite?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c0db09c/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119909889/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0db09c/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119909889/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0db09c/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119909889/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0db09c/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119909889/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0db09c/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199119909889/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0db09c/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/MRMWX57REkU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/Foxtel%20Presto/Presto%20lead-470-75.jpgFoxtel's movie streaming app Presto is finally available on Chromecast, making Google's dongle more attractive. When Chromecast launched in May in Australia, Foxtel announced that Presto would become available for Chromecast in July. However, EzyFlix beat Presto with the launch of its EzyFlix.tv video-on-demand and video-to-buy streaming service on Chromecast in June. Attractive 'castingAvailable for monthly $19.95 subscriptions, as a launch partner, Foxtel is offering a month's subscription for Presto for free if you purchase and use Presto with Chromecast. Foxtel also announced that News Corp Digital subscribers are being offered Presto for free for two months. Presto is now available on select Android 4.1 devices as well from today, including Samsung Galaxy Note and Tab tablets, as well as the Nexus 7 and 10. For more info, you should check out our Chromecast review, as well as our Foxtel Presto review.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c0e7c52/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/vZdABCpIZpQ

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/padlock-470-75.jpgAs an IT professional, what is the easiest way you could acquire one of your user's passwords? Most likely, you will simply be able to ask them. Password sharing is a very serious security issue, yet it tends to be one that is taken rather lightly. Employees share their login credentials with each other on a daily basis, most often because they need to give colleagues access to their machine to delegate work or because they are out of the office. In some workplaces the practice of password sharing is such a given that they're left lying around, written on post-it notes stuck to monitors. Worrying findingsIn our recent report, 'The Insider Threat Manifesto' we asked 500 IT professionals in the UK and US to estimate what percentage of their employees they'd estimate to be sharing their passwords, and the mean average was 19%. Assuming our survey base was being conservative, as they're quite likely to be when talking about their own organisation's security, that's at least a fifth of all employees in UK and US businesses sharing passwords with their colleagues. But who is responsible for stamping out password sharing? Is it the IT department? Most IT managers and directors don't think it is their problem, instead citing it as a cultural issue that should be addressed perhaps by HR or the board. Yet board members and HR team see it as an IT concern. So how do you tackle this problem? The solution is that it must be tackled from two angles, both culturally, in the education of your users, and technologically, by putting actual restrictions in place. Implement a thorough and transparent security policyAssuming you have a security policy (which is not a given; 29% of our survey base told us they didn't!), it's imperative that it doesn't just explain what your users should avoid doing - but also why. That means not just 'don't share your password, password sharing's bad,' as this doesn't give anyone the understanding or incentive to follow the rule. If you explain that 'password sharing is the greatest threat to internal security for this organisation, and there is significant liability involved for those who choose to share their network login credentials', then they are far more likely to pay attention. Remind users of policy at opportune timesOne of the biggest mistakes made by IT departments with regards to security policy is leaving it in an employee handbook or accessible on the intranet; 65% of our IT professionals told us this was how they communicated theirs to employees. Yes, any employee can refer to it whenever they wish, but realistically, how often do you think that is? Not very. This is where technology can start to come in. By implementing network security software that allows you to set up custom alerts, you can remind users of policy at opportune moments, when it is most relevant to them. A reminder not to share their credentials when they are using them to log in for the day is much more effective than one in the employee handbook they were asked to read on their first day at the company. Give users an incentive not to share passwordsWe touched on how to make this transparent in your policy, but technology can once again take you beyond user education and give a real, and practical, reason not to share their password. If you disable concurrent logins, users who have shared their password will not be able to login using their own credentials whilst the other user is logged in. This provides a significant incentive not to do it as it makes it significantly less practical, but it also adds a layer of responsibility; you alone are responsible for your login credentials. Monitor and respond to suspicious activityOnce this is in place, your users must be liable for the activity conducted with their own login. By monitoring activity on the network and responding to anything suspicious promptly by logging users off or shutting down access, once again you are providing a very real incentive for users not to share their passwords. Password sharing is prolific, and the reason for it is very simple: practicality. Half of the IT professionals we asked about password sharing said that the most common reasons for it were simply a colleague asking, or to delegate work. This means that the best way to combat the issue is also quite simple: make it impractical. This doesn't have to mean making your users' working lives difficult, but by creating a transparent security policy and using technology to implement it properly, there is no reason why users cannot work in a more secure fashion. To learn more about how to manage password sharing and internal security, download The Insider Threats Manifesto. François Amigorena is founder and CEO of IS Decisions, a provider of Infrastructure and Security Management software solutions for Microsoft Windows and Active Directory.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c0d6927/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120130950/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0d6927/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120130950/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0d6927/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120130950/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0d6927/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120130950/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0d6927/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199120130950/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0d6927/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/uxoCzE-4hxc