sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/events/Microsoft%20Build%202014/Windows%208.1%20Menu-470-75.jpgLast May we learned the Windows 9 preview could come by 2015. Now word on the internet street says the preview version of Microsoft's operating system could launch much earlier than anticipated. Microsoft sources told ZDNet that the next version of Windows OS, codenamed "Threshold," will arrive with a preview build in a few months time. While the preview date has been moved up from a previously rumored February release, Windows 9 is still expected to drop in the first half of 2015. The same sources also say Windows 9 will have more features designed for desktop-oriented users than Windows 8.1. The new version will rely more on a mouse and keyboard, and touch will become an optional input, rather than a focus. One of the most notable additions, or reintroductions, that reflects this is Threshold's inclusion of the Mini-Start menu. Originally demoed at Microsoft Build 2014, this revamped menu bar will include the usual list of applications. Plus, users will supposedly be able to pin Metro-styled live tiles to the start menu. Transform and log outOn top of being more desktop focused, Windows 9 is said to transform itself based on the hardware it's installed on. PC and laptops will receive a SKU version of Windows that brings the desktop to the forefront of the interface. Transforming laptops, such as the Lenovo Yoga 2 11 and the Surface Pro 3, will start with the Metro splash screen and switch to Windowed mode when the keyboard is in use. Other tablet and phone platforms won't have a desktop at all. Devices might be able to run apps side-by-side similar to the Samsung Galaxy S5. Oh right, Windows 8.1Along with the new Windows 9 details, Microsoft is rumored to be delivering the next Windows 8.1 update this August. Reportedly, this second and final update will come will just a few UI adjustments and tweaks, but nothing majorly game changing. It seems Windows 8.1 is destined to fade away into obsolescence much like Vista. Seems like the Xbox One is being left out of all this Windows update newshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c0a6ac2/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120118030/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0a6ac2/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120118030/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0a6ac2/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120118030/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0a6ac2/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120118030/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0a6ac2/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199120118030/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0a6ac2/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/ylo6v2B8PsI

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/events/Microsoft%20Build%202014/Windows%208.1%20Menu-470-75.jpgLast May we learned the Windows 9 preview could come by early Spring 2015. Now word on the internet street says the preview version of Microsoft's operating system could launch much earlier than anticipated. Microsoft sources told ZDNet that the next version of Windows OS, codenamed "Threshold," will arrive with a preview build this fall. While the preview date has been moved up from a previously rumored February release, Windows 9 is still expected to drop Spring 2015. The same sources also say Windows 9 will have more features designed for desktop-oriented users than Windows 8.1. The new version will rely more on a mouse and keyboard, and touch will become an optional input, rather than a focus. One of the most notable additions, or reintroductions, that reflects this is Threshold's inclusion of the Mini-Start menu. Originally demoed at Microsoft Build 2014, this revamped menu bar will include the usual list of applications. Plus, users will supposedly be able to pin Metro-styled live tiles to the start menu. Transform and log outOn top of being more desktop focused, Windows 9 is said to transform itself based on the hardware it's installed on. PC and laptops will receive a SKU version of Windows that brings the desktop to the forefront of the interface. Transforming laptops, such as the Lenovo Yoga 2 11 and the Surface Pro 3, will start with the Metro splash screen and switch to Windowed mode when the keyboard is in use. Other tablet and phone platforms won't have a desktop at all. Devices might be able to run apps side-by-side similar to the Samsung Galaxy S5. Oh right, Windows 8.1Along with the new Windows 9 details, Microsoft is rumored to be delivering the next Windows 8.1 update this August. Reportedly, this second and final update will come will just a few UI adjustments and tweaks, but nothing majorly game changing. It seems Windows 8.1 is destined to fade away into obsolescence much like Vista. Seems like the Xbox One is being left out of all this Windows update newshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c08a1dc/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120250345/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c08a1dc/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120250345/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c08a1dc/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120250345/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c08a1dc/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199120250345/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c08a1dc/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199120250345/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c08a1dc/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/5_s1gvO05OU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Watson-470-75.jpgIBM and Bon Appétit magazine have launched a cooking app that can automatically recommend recipes and ingredient combinations based on user-defined parameters. The technology that powers the app is built on IBM Watson, the supercomputer that won Jeopardy! in 2011. The app, Chef Watson with Bon Appétit, was built by feeding roughly 9,000 Bon Appétit recipes into the IBM supercomputer. Watson processed the articles and developed insights about ingredient pairings, cooking styles, and dishes, which the computer then combined with scientific information about food chemistry, popular opinions and tastes, and regional and ethnic cooking, according to a Bon Appétit blog post. Users will be able to generate recipes by inputting parameters, such as ingredients, allergy and dietary restrictions, and portions. Watson will use the parameters to determine millions of possible combinations, ingredient amounts and preparation instructions. How to get the appBon Appétit readers can apply to become a beta tester for the app. Testing will be conducted over the following “weeks and months” before the app is generally released, the blog post said. In February, IBM embarked on a 10-year project to bring Watson technology to Africa. As part of the initiative, IBM will be investing $100 million (£61 million, AU$111 million) to stimulate business opportunities and growth in Africa. What are the best foodie apps?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c0841e2/sc/26/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119885004/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0841e2/sc/26/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119885004/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0841e2/sc/26/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119885004/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0841e2/sc/26/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119885004/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0841e2/sc/26/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199119885004/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3c0841e2/sc/26/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/geHSQgOIoPY

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/School-01-470-75.jpgApple has updated the iTunes U education app to further enhance the ability for teachers to create lesson plans and instructional materials on the iPad. iTunes U is now integrated with iWork, iBooks Author and all other Apple educational applications. In addition to more than 750,000 educational materials readily available in iTunes U, teachers will be able to pull content directly into their lessons from other applications. The update also includes integration with the iPad's camera, thereby allowing teachers to take photos and record video, which can then be inserted into lesson plans. Discussion groupsAnother new feature is Discussions, which lets students and teachers communicate in self-created social feeds. Users can set up push notifications for new topics and replies. Teachers will be able to moderate discussions by removing any content they deem unsuitable. Previous versions of iTunes U also included a glitch that made the playback button function at the wrong speed. This glitch has been corrected, according to Apple's iTunes U update page. In January, Apple launched iBooks Textbooks and iTunes U Course Manager products in more than 50 markets. iTunes U is currently available in 69 countries. The update will be available on July 8. What are the best apps available on the iPad?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3c07aa21/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/j2cvU3rpXSc

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/GE_Link_Lightbulb_Wink_App-470-75.jpgU.S. electronics giant General Electric has announced the first truly affordable connected home light bulb range, which will go on sale this autumn. The sub-$15 (about £9, AU$16) GE Link light bulbs will allow users to use their home Wi-Fi connection to control lighting from the comfort of their favourite easy chair to anywhere in the world using the Wink app. Users will be able to set moods by dimming the lights with a quick toggle on the app, or save money if they realise they may have left lights on after they've left the house. Smart light bulbs are, of course, nothing new, but the affordability of the new GE Link options may sway homeowners into adopting them for the first time. Connected egg traysThe Link bulb is built in collaboration with Quirky, which has also helped GE bring connected egg trays, power strips and air conditioners to market. The Wink app will be available Stateside. from July 7 and will also help users control GE's smart air conditioner, the Aros. Customers in the U.S. will be able to buy the Link bulbs from the Home Depot this autumn. There's no news on whether GE plans to launch the product in other territories. Here's how you'll live in Apple's home of tomorrow

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Watches/Microsoft_surfacewatch_mock-470-75.jpgWith Google having played its hand (or wrist, perhaps?) in the wearables arena this week, attention now turns to Apple and Microsoft who are reportedly planning wristbands and smartwatches of their own. The latest tidbit of information comes on the purported Microsoft smartwatch, with a new report claiming it'll launch in October and arrive with a mighty 11 of those all-important sensors in tow. The update from Tom's Hardware sources also brings word on the potential design. Microsoft has apparently eschewed the trend for chunky smartwatch designs like the Samsung Gear range. Instead, the report claims, it'll boast a much slimmer form factor more like the Nike Fuelband. InsiderThe report also corroborates previous leaks suggesting the display will be on the inside of the wrist, which is said to be more a natural position for frequent checking. It would also enable users to keep notifications, perhaps showing sensitive information, guarded. The report also goes along with earlier information claiming the device will have a slick user interface and will be cross platform, meaning it'll play nice with Android, iOS and Windows Phone handsets. Wristy business: How Microsoft could win at wearableshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3bfe150c/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107505615/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bfe150c/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107505615/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bfe150c/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107505615/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bfe150c/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107505615/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bfe150c/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199107505615/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bfe150c/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/XbFUvmL7VqI

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Onetimers/android-wear-moto-360-close-up-470-75.jpgGoogle has confirmed that manufacturers will not be able to alter the user interface for devices running its three new Android operating systems. Following the launch of Android Wear, Android TV and the in-car Android Auto platform at Google I/O there was doubt over whether OEMs would have the freedom to overlay their own custom takes on the Android. Google engineering director David Burke says the firm wants a more consistent approach across these devices, claiming that UI is more important to the actual product than, say, it is to Android for phones or tablets. He told Ars Technica: "The UI is more part of the product in this case. We want to just have a very consistent user experience, so if you have one TV in one room and another TV in another room and they both say Android TV, we want them to work the same and look the same." 'It should be the same'Burke added that manufacturers like HTC, Samsung, LG and Motorola will have the freedom to add their own services and apps into the mix, but that's as far as it'll go. He said: "The device manufacturers can brand it, and they might have services that they want to include with it, but otherwise it should be the same." The decision explains why the Samsung Gear Live, the LG G Watch and Moto 360 smartwatches all look so similar on the software side of things. Late last week, Samsung itself said it would be looking to add its multitude of services, some from its Galaxy smartphones and others from its Gear watches into the mix. Do you think Google has made the right call in keeping the new versions of Android pure? Or is it another sign of Google walling off the open source garden? Let us know your thoughts below. Is ASUS next to join the Android Wear crowd?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3bfd824a/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107504561/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bfd824a/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107504561/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bfd824a/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107504561/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bfd824a/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107504561/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bfd824a/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199107504561/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bfd824a/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/FEVYCKwWPu0

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Apps/Photoshop_Express_Windows_Phone8-470-75.jpgAdobe has plugged another hole in the Windows Phone 8 catalogue by launching its Photoshop Express app for Microsoft's smartphone OS. The basic editing app, which has been available on iOS and Android for quite some time, arrives on the Windows Phone as a free download. Like most photo editing apps out there, users will be able to access the basic cropping, straightening and rotating, while there's plenty of manual colour and lighting tools to play around with. Naturally, there's a host of Photoshop Filters to play with. Nokia Camera buddyThe app arrives on all devices with 512MB of RAM or higher. On Nokia Lumia phones (and let's face it, that's pretty much ever WP phone these days) it'll sit nicely alongside the powerful Nokia Camera app. The photo and video shooting app brings full manual control for devices like the Lumia 1020 and allows users to Refocus their shots after the fact. Nokia 1320 reviewhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3bf8ec44/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119821430/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf8ec44/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119821430/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf8ec44/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119821430/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf8ec44/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119821430/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf8ec44/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199119821430/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf8ec44/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/GR4QX_8rImk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBCNews/people/ryankalember-470-75.jpgYou can't turn on the news, pick up the paper or scan your favorite website without hearing a report about a data breach, loss of intellectual property or hacked files. A recent statistic reported by CNNMoney revealed that 47% of U.S. adults have had their personal information hacked. The business world is also affected, with companies such as Australian telecommunications provider Telstra and even the New York City Transit Authority suffering data losses in 2014. With cybercrime on the rise, it is no wonder that IT administrators are walking around with a glassy-eyed look of fear, wondering if their companies will be the next target. Although IT can build extremely secure internal networks, they still face a critical problem. Files must travel outside of that secure, internal data center network for external collaboration with partners, customers and other employees. When hackers and data thieves are lurking around every corner, how can the IT director say yes to unlimited sharing? You cannot build an 8-foot wall around your company to lock in all of your data. For one, employees will find a way to circumvent those walls and take data off-site, likely on mobile devices to work from home or on the road, and data loss will still occur. Secondly, your company is not a self-sufficient fiefdom. Information must be shared with customers, partners, investors and other outside parties. Each time a file leaves a company's secure internal server, it is at risk of being stolen, shared with an unintended recipient or just lost. So, can a file ever be securely shared outside of the company's four walls? Don't be fooled by a red herringThere are numerous solutions that claim to secure and track files for auditing purposes. However, many of these offerings are just red herrings. They may look secure and sound secure, but in reality not all file storage and sharing solutions are created equal. What is acceptable for an individual, may be insufficient for business. The fact is: the word "secure" is a misnomer in the industry. It is not enough to just know that the file is secure while stored on a box service; enterprise security must encompass the entire lifecycle of the file and its various renditions. This is where the struggle lies for enterprise IT – it is recognizing that the term "secure" has many variations, knowing what it means for each product, and identifying what additional security measures they must put in place to protect their firm. In other words, IT must remove the big red bulls-eye attached to its company. Defining security in your companyIf IT can't keep everyone and everything contained within its own castle behind thick, sturdy walls, then there must be a clear method that allows for information to be shared externally among partners and employees. If you are an athletic shoe manufacturer, for example, you may need to share schematics and production design with the overseas production team. Yet, IT cannot just sit back and say "share away!" What if a competitor were to gain access to this information while in transit, or even worse, via an insider threat like a disgruntled employee? Here is the opportunity for IT to fully define security within their organization by creating – and enforcing – clear policies and implementing technologies on how information is sent beyond the company's walls. In order for this effort to succeed, employee input and buy-in is critical. Without their acceptance of any policy or approved technology, IT's efforts will be for naught. The inescapable truth is that cybercrime is becoming the new norm and that means another enterprise data breach will soon make the top story on the 6 o'clock news. Now is not the time to stand mute waiting for the inevitable breach or data loss to occur. IT administrators need to be proactive and take control over how data is shared externally, before it's their company splashed all over the news. Ryan Kalember is chief product officer at WatchDoxhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3bf86cb4/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119820303/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf86cb4/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119820303/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf86cb4/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119820303/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf86cb4/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119820303/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf86cb4/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199119820303/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf86cb4/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/oxmZKtpyw5M

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/techradar/BOT/BOT0-470-75.jpgYouTube's 10 greatest mistakeshttp://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/internet/YouTube/youtube-slant-200-100.jpg Once the home of video online, has YouTube lost its way? Given its giant head start over the rest of the field, YouTube should probably be the dominant force in online video. Yet in 2014 it is in very real danger of becoming an afterthought. Despite the Google-owned platform's enduring and vast share of global web traffic, it's innovative, forward-thinking and fearless platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus, Sky Go and the BBC iPlayer which are dominating the discussion around video streaming. Meanwhile YouTube drifts further and further out of the conversation. Continue reading... http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/features/how%20your%20smartphone%20is%20made/phone-faraday-200-100.JPG How your smartphone is madeFaraday cages, drop tests and fake pockets It's all very well sniping from the sidelines when a new phone comes out. It's too big, too plasticky, too Apple-y... most of us are guilty of shirking a handset without thinking about the months, sometimes years, of R&D that's packed into every device - from the cheapest feature phones to the most premium of handsets. Continue reading... Why 3D audio on Netflix will cement the internet as the home of 4Khttp://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/av_accessories/Mo4K_dolbyatmos-200-100.jpg May on 4K Netflix's claims that 4K is the ideal format for the Internet age are sounding increasingly convincing by the day. The announcement that object-based 3D audio format Dolby Atmos is landing on home cinema receivers and processors from every major AV brand this year may at first glance not seem directly relevant to 4K, however it could prove hugely influential on how the format plays out, particularly with home cinema fans. This week's May on 4K YouTube : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/android-l-the-10-things-you-need-to-know-1254965Android L: the 10 things you need to knowIt's ahead of schedule, but we've already got an early look at Android L before it rolls out to the consumers properly - Google wants to attract the developers, and this is the way to do it. The Android development team didn't even say if this forthcoming update is to be considered Android 4.5 or the full 5.0 update. But on the plus side, there are still a lot of new features, big visual changes and clever tweaks added to Google's latest refresh to get excited about. Read more about Android L BMW-GoPro camera app makes video easy at 155mphhttp://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/car%20tech/BMW/GoPro%20app/BMW%20M3-200-100.jpg Control your GoPro using your car dash In-car apps sound like a great idea but they're usually little more than gimmicks. Now, though, GoPro and BMW have teamed up to create an in-car camera-control app that's genuinely a little bit awesome. In fact, it makes capturing video even in extreme conditions like 150mph-plus on the German autobahn easy and safe. Well, relatively speaking. It doesn't hurt that our first taste of the app comes courtesy of BMW's epic new M3 super saloon and thousands of miles across Europe (keep your scanners peeled for an in-depth look at the M3 on TechRadar soon). GoPro recording in BMW's latest road weapon at 150mph? Oh, go on then. Withings has got it right: wearables should be something you want to wearhttp://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Withings/Activite/withingsactivite-hero-200-100.jpg If you don't want to wear it, a smartwatch is worthless It's often said that smartphones are driven by fashion, but that isn't really true. There are trends, of course, such as the current vogue for gold. But ultimately if a phone's good enough and doesn't actually frighten small children you won't care too much what it looks like, because you're either using it or it's in your pocket or bag. Wearables are different, and watches especially so. That's why Withings' approach is so impressive. If you look at the Activité, Withings has taken a really beautiful watch design and added a bit of technology. http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/car%20tech/best_sat_nav-580-100.png Best sat nav 2014Could the car sat nav boast the shortest lifespan of any technology yet? Surely our GPS-supporting phones are more than capable of handling our daily car sat nav needs? Settle down, buckle up and get ready for a whizz around the current state of the sat nav industry. Here are the top 13 options to help you get from A to B, arranged in order of their market prices. Best sat nav 2014 http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Android/AndroidL/Android%20L%202/3-200-100.jpg Android L vs Android 4.4 - what's new?Does Android L still pack sweet treats? Head of Android Sundar Pichai took to the stage at Google IO 2014 to deliver one of the biggest overhauls of Android yet - a whole new look and some big changes under the hood too. Sadly, it's only a peek at the new OS, as Google tries to appease manufacturers who think launching new versions of Android later in the year ruins plans to get the new platform on handsets for the holidays... but there's still enough to get worked up over. Get the lowdown MacOS through the ages: a visual guidehttp://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/features/MacOS%20through%20the%20ages/Mac_OSX_10_7_3-200-100.jpg An Apple family photo album When you're busy making photo books in iPhoto, browsing the web in Safari, or preparing rich, beautifully laid-out documents in Pages, it's easy to forget about the operating system that powers your Mac. It's just… there, isn't it? It's such a fundamental part of your Mac that lots of people understandably struggle to even really know what an operating system is. Without one, though, your Mac would just be a pretty but utterly useless collection of metal, plastic and silicates, so let's take a moment to honour the Mac's operating system. MacOS through the ages http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/LG/LG%20G3/Hands%20on%202/LG_G3_Review%20(5)-200-100.JPG LG G3 reviewThe LG G3 is a great smartphone – like its predecessor, if you're after power and precision, perhaps over design and form, then this is a winner. The camera and battery combo is sure to win some hearts, and the improved user interface both will attract new users and give relief to those that were put off by the clutter on the G2. However, I think something was lost in design in making the backplate removable – I feel that unibody designs just feel better in the hand thanks to being more solid, and I miss that from the G2. LG G3 review http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/av_accessories/Veho%20Vecto%20360/1-580-100.jpg Veho Vecto 360The Veho Vecto 360 is a wireless Bluetooth speaker with a unique selling point: it's rainproof. Not a bad idea for a travel speaker to be impervious to a bit of rain, actually, so it's surprising that there aren't more out there like it. If you've not heard of Veho before, it's a UK company that's just signed a deal to become Southampton FC's new club sponsor, so you'll probably see the logo around a bit more from now on if you're a footy fan. Veho Vecto review http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/cameras/Panasonic/Panasonic%20FZ1000/Product_Shots/PanasonicFZ1000Hero2-200-100.jpg Panasonic Lumix FZ1000Panasonic is clearly pitching the FZ1000 against the Sony RX10 and it certainly gives it a good run for its money. It may be a little larger and not have quite such a high-quality feel, but the lens is a 25-400mm equivalent rather than a 24-200mm optic, albeit with an f/2.8-4.0 maximum aperture rather than a fixed f/2.8. Our lab results also indicate that the Panasonic camera outperforms the Sony model, but there's not a huge amount in it and both models produce high quality images in the real world. Panasonic FZ1000 review

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Google/nexus5/HandsOn2/Nexus5-HandsOn-03-470-75.JPGRumours suggesting Google will retire the range of Nexus devices are unfounded, according to the head of Android engineering. Dave Burke has spoken up following a series of reports claiming the 'pure' Android smartphones and tablets would be replaced by the Android Silver program. He said those dishing out prophecies of impending Nexus doom are jumping the gun. "People just get excited by concepts and forget why we do things," he told the ReadWrite blog. "We are still invested in Nexus... People have been commenting about Nexus because there is something else and they think that means the end of Nexus. That is the totally wrong conclusion to make." Truth bombsA recent leak showcased a potential 8.9-inch HTC Nexus 9 tablet codenamed 'Volantis,' which many, including us at TechRadar, speculated could be the last Nexus device. Meanwhile, a Nexus 8 is also reportedly on the way. If Burke is dropping truth bombs rather than serving up a smoke screen then we could be seeing annual Nexus device launches for many years to come. When Burke mentions 'something new', he is presumably referencing the forthcoming Android Silver platform, which could see the launch of more Nexus-style devices with the raw Android experience. Google reportedly plans to give these Android Silver devices special marketing treatment, while offering a premium customer service experience. New Google Nexus 7 reviewhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3bf17a95/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108923331/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf17a95/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108923331/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf17a95/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108923331/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf17a95/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108923331/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf17a95/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199108923331/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bf17a95/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/6iyTKFtxbNU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/av_accessories/Mo4K_dolbyatmos-470-75.jpgNetflix's claims that 4K is the ideal format for the Internet age are sounding increasingly convincing by the day. The announcement that object-based 3D audio format Dolby Atmos is landing on home cinema receivers and processors from every major AV brand this year may at first glance not seem directly relevant to 4K, however it could prove hugely influential on how the format plays out, particularly with home cinema fans. The Dolby Atmos bitstream, which adds dedicated height channels to the usual surround surround channel mix will debut, we're told, on as yet unannounced Blu-ray releases before the end of the year (Godzilla and Hercules would seem a good bet, but there are plenty of other encoded blockbuster candidates to speculate about). The sound format will also almost certainly form part of the forthcoming 4K Blu-ray disc specification. However, Director of Sound Research Brett Crockett, writing on the Dolby blog, pointed to the Internet as another source of Atmos-pherics: "You'll start to see Dolby Atmos titles on Blu-ray and streaming video services this fall, with more to come at the start of 2015." Dolby Atmos on NetflixThis fleeting reference to streaming video services can only mean one thing: Netflix. During a recent visit to Netflix HQ in Silicon valley, VP of Product innovation Todd Yellin confirmed to me that the company was investigating (at the time unspecified) new audio technologies to compliment its 4K video stream. What we have here is without doubt a case of 2 + 2 equalling 5.1.4 (likely to be the most common Atmos home speaker configuration). Now I don't know about you, but one of the key reasons I still cherish Blu-ray discs above linear HD TV and VOD, is that the audio experience offered by DTS HD Master Audio and Dolby True HD is dramatically better than vanilla 5.1. When Netflix adds Atmos to its 4K movie proposition then any incentive to upgrade to next gen physical media takes a huge knock. 4K streaming video with 3D sound? That sounds like a winner to me. In recognition of the growing importance of Internet delivered content, the suits over at the CEA have also updated their Ultra HD 'characteristics' classification. Connected Ultra High-Definition displays must now feature an HEVC decoder, as well as have HDMI inputs capable of supporting 3840x2160 resolution video at frame rates up to 60Hz. Of course, just sporting HEVC chippery doesn't guarantee anyone will get the services they expect, as we recently revealed with Panasonic's AX802 4K screens, which are unfortunately incompatible with Netflix 4K. The push for 4KIn Europe, the TV industry hopes to point buyers in the right direction with Ultra HD retail badges (well, better late than never) to help differentiate screen types. As you might expect from the folks that gave us those HD Ready and HD Ready 1080p logos, there will apparently be two versions, apparently dubbed Ultra HD Display and Ultra HD 2160p. According to trade magazine ERT, qualifying screens must support 3840 x 2160 resolution and HDMI 2.0 connectivity. The main aim seems to be to prevent confusion with any low cost Chinese imports that play fast and lose with 4K branding and connectivity. However, the Euro guidelines don't go quite so far as the CEA in regard to network connectivity and decoding, and no one is making mention of high dynamic range or colorimetry standards. This is perhaps understandable. 4K remains a work in progress. If you buy a 4K screen now, it's certain to be dramatically different from any 4K screen proffered at end of the decade. Personally, I wouldn't have it any other way. And you can put that on a box sticker. More on Dolby Atmos: Is Dolby Atmos the future of cinema sound?

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Motorola/Ara/Ara-Press-01-470-75.jpgGoogle has announced many, many things already at its developer conference and the search company still has projects left over on the docket including Project Ara. SlashGear reports Google has challenged developers to come up with a smartphone module that does not exist in today's preassembled devices. Hair brained ideas are welcome but the Mountain View is looking for new, never before seen parts that plug and play with its modular phone of the future. On top of bragging rights, the first to engineer a working module will get $100K (about £58,732/AU$106,216) as the grand prize. There's also room for two runner ups who will win shoo-in invites to the next Ara developer event currently on track for this fall. Google's magic phone factoryDon't think Google is just going to crowd source the development of Project Ara going forward. While the developers work on their add-ons Google announced it's figuring out a new, super-speed 3D printer production system to spit out customized modules. Google touts its personal 3D printer is 50x faster than a traditional 3D printer. Like an advanced copy machine, this printer can fabricate three-dimensional parts made of multiple types of materials. To finish off the modules machine also prints 600-dpi color images applying them like a vinyl onto the modular parts. Next generation phonesWhile the printer can already produce parts, Google is looking into how to pack even more components into its platform modules. In another research project the company is looking to create longer lasting battery packs that can extend the operational time of our devices by up to three times. In the future search company expects that it eventually be able to create electrical elements such as the antennas using 3D printing. To support all this modular magic Google plans to release a prototype version of Android this fall - which could ultimately mean developer devices by next season, hopefully. Meet Android One, Google's other big plan for smartphoneshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3beb783b/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108893143/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3beb783b/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108893143/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3beb783b/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108893143/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3beb783b/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108893143/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3beb783b/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199108893143/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3beb783b/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/q3glbo_zpM4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/televisions/LG/LG_UDTV_3-470-75.jpgLG's 2015 smart TVs will get a boost in the form of a new version of the company's webOS operating system, an executive has revealed. LG Senior Vice President of TV Lee In-kyu told The Wall Street Journal that every smart TV it releases in 2015 will run on the new OS version. WebOS was previously owned by HP, which sold the platform to LG in 2013. It's already made it onto some of LG's smart TVs, but "some" will become "all" starting next year. Fear of commitmentDetails on the next version of webOS, from the update's name to its features, are nonexistent, but LG will unveil it in full next year. Lee also told the WSJ that webOS may power other smart devices in the home, though again exact details are sparse. But recall that LG already sells a variety of home appliances, from refrigerators to washing machines. And as of last year LG were considering using webOS on phones, too, though those plans have not been touched on again. Best TV 2014: what TV should you buy?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3bea73e8/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119760147/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bea73e8/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119760147/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bea73e8/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119760147/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bea73e8/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119760147/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bea73e8/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199119760147/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bea73e8/sc/15/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/ZjMMC8uAAdI

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/televisions/LG/LG_UDTV_3-470-75.jpgLG's 2015 smart TVs will get a boost in the form of a new version of the company's webOS operating system, an executive has revealed. LG Senior Vice President of TV Lee In-kyu told The Wall Street Journal that every smart TV it releases in 2015 will run on the new OS version. WebOS was previously owned by HP, which sold the platform to LG in 2013. It's already made it onto some of LG's smart TVs, but "some" will become "all" starting next year. Fear of commitmentDetails on the next version of webOS, from the update's name to its features, are nonexistent, but LG will unveil it in full next year. Lee also told the WSJ that webOS may power other smart devices in the home, though again exact details are sparse. But recall that LG already sells a variety of home appliances, from refrigerators to washing machines. And as of last year LG were considering using webOS on phones, too, though those plans have not been touched on again. Best TV 2014: what TV should you buy?

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Android/Android_OK_Google_Via_Droid_Life-470-75.jpgGoogle's gradual roll out of voice commands across its range of mobile and web services has continued with an update that makes "OK Google" recognisable across the Android system. The Google Search 3.5.14 for Android update, allows users to summon the 'hotword' command from anywhere on their phone and tablet, even when the device is locked. Users can turn on the enhanced hotword detection by heading to Menu > Settings> Voice and toggling the settings. Early reports claim the new system wide integration, first rumoured in April this year, works well in testing. Audio HistoryAlso coming to the new Google Search app, which some users are already seeing, is a new Audio History tool to boost voice searches. The feature learns the sound of your voice and your pronunciation habits in order to yield more accurate search results. Droid-Life has posted this neat hands-on video showing off the new functionality " width="420">YouTube : http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3be9340e/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107422613/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be9340e/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107422613/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be9340e/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107422613/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be9340e/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107422613/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be9340e/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199107422613/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be9340e/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/6y8xE4-I8Ko

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBCfeatures/HPtesting/HP/HPHQ-470-75.jpg How HP prepares its products for consumer abuse We're all guilty of accidentally destroying electronics. Who hasn't dropped a tablet onto the ground, or popped the spacebar key out of a keyboard, or been burned by the warm cat urine we placed our fully charged laptop onto? Because we techno-geeks treat our electronics like unwanted stepchildren, our favorite manufacturers go through pain-staking processes to ensure that their products withstand (almost) any beating consumers inflict. To prove that there is no limit to the depths they'll go to test their products, HP flew a group of about 20 reporters out to their Houston, TX headquarters, where they showed us how badly they destroy every component of their laptops, desktops, tablets, workstations and servers in order to perform quality control. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBCfeatures/HPtesting/HP/HPfactoryline-420-90.jpg That's right, it's someone's job to crush, freeze, burn, shake and scuff your laptop before it hits the market. There's even a guy who tests the strength of the boxes your HP products go into by squeezing the fully constructed cardboard beneath the jaws of a 750-lb vice. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBCfeatures/HPtesting/HPboxcrush-420-90.jpg 100,000 hours of testing From start to finish, your EliteBooks, ElitePads, ProBooks and Workstations go through more than 100,000 hours of testing. As I mentioned above, this testing includes destructive analysis that determines the limits of what your device can handle. At the first stage of testing, nothing passes (kind of like High School pre-calculus). No matter how tough you think your ElitePad is (an HP staffer dropped and stomped on one to set the tone for the day), everything that runs through HP's destructive testing will fail at some point. The earliest stages of testing include environmental analysis, which is done on the first prototypes the design team has assembled. This includes testing which determines whether or not Sir Richard Branson can bring his EliteBook into outer space. He can't. Most electronic devices require spinning bladders to cool down overheated drives. As the drives look for more air, the thin air of higher altitudes provides a weaker flow rate. As the air thins out, the boundaries between the spinning bladder and your hard drive decreases, which can lead to rubbing and grinding. However, HP says its devices should have no trouble working in Leadville, Colo., which is situated more than 10,000 feet above sea level, and is the highest incorporated city in the United States. Temperature and corrosion testinghttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBCfeatures/HPtesting/HP/HPsalttest-420-90.jpg Beachgoers will be happy to know HP does extensive salt testing of each of its components to guarantee that devices and the pieces contained within them don't corrode or rust. Every piece that goes into your laptop or server is placed within a container for 100 hours at 95 degrees and 99% humidity. If rust or corrosion is evident after the 100 hours are over, the product automatically fails and must be resubmitted for testing. HP conducts a similar test for computer and server panels to determine how temperate directly affects devices. Your ElitePad or Notebook panels will be placed into a machine that cycles between 32 degrees and 212 degrees (with no humidity) to determine the maximum and minimum temperatures a device can withstand. Devices are run through 3000 hour-long cycles over a four-month-long period. At the end of the test, HP can determine the temperature at which something failed and how many cycles it took before HP could make a fix at that temperature. Page 2: Drops, shakes and cat urine Klutzes are given a ton of consideration at HP's testing facility. Devices, and the packages they come in, are independently dropped from 30 inches and higher to determine their breaking points. They're also put into a vibration analysis machine that shakes the hell out of your devices with 1000 pounds of vibration force. That's not to say you should go home and start using your Elite Pad as a Shake Weight. These tests are done to failure to determine what the breaking point is, not to guarantee that HP has created indestructible devices (they haven't). Should a device mysteriously fail, HP has a failure analysis team that can examine product components at the microscopic level to determine why a failure occurred. HP's library contains more than 80,000 compounds that can be analyzed in fewer than 10 seconds at 1000X magnification. HP can scan metals at the same rate at 10,000X magnification. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBCfeatures/HPtesting/HP/HPmicroscope-420-90.jpg If your EliteBook mysteriously breaks and HP wants to determine what has happened, they will break the device down into microscopic components to see where the error occurred. An excellent real-life example is the man who told HP that a brown liquid at the bottom of his notebook burned his hands right before his notebook short-circuited. The man sent the computer to HP, which conducted a microscopic analysis to determine that the brown liquid was the man's cat's urine. HP does not actively test for cat urine, nor are any of their devices urine-proof (human or otherwise). Skynet Perhaps the most interesting room within HP's testing facilities, the Robot Room, is where HP conducts battery button analysis, keyboard and touchpad resiliency, and laptop hinge analysis. This room, which looks a lot like Skynet Labs, contains a robot whose sole job it is to press down on your power button and touchpads to determine how many presses the buttons can withstand before malfunctioning, as well as how many presses the buttons can withstand before their coats of paint wear away. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBCfeatures/HPtesting/HP/HPtouchpadtest-420-90.jpg Laptop hinge analysis requires a robot that opens and closes your laptop 25,000 times over the course of seven days to determine whether or not HP's 32 types of hinges will break when combined with a specific chassis. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBCfeatures/HPtesting/HP/HPhingetest-420-90.jpg My favorite machine in the room simply presses down on screens to determine the weight at which your ElitePad display will shatter. When I was standing in the room the pressure from a five-pound barbell was barely altering the pixels on the ElitePad's display. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBCfeatures/HPtesting/HP/hpbarbelltablet-420-90.jpg Keyboards: the Navy Seals of computing Your keyboards go through the most rigorous testing (consider them the Navy Seals of computing). These bad boys sit inside a machine that rapidly presses down on each key 20 million times over the course of a month. Most keyboards don't make it all the way to 20 million, but it's important for HP to determine which keyboards are most resilient so that they can constantly improve upon design to one day reach 100% success at 20 million punches. For all of you enterprise users, HP spends 133 thousand hours testing each of its software platforms before they are released to production. They test every aspect of the software, from performance to security to speed, and then they test every single piece of hardware that comes to life because of the software (such as chips, screens, fingerprint scanners, etc.). Once the entire system is stable, HP will then run the software through partner systems to ensure that integrations don't backfire. This is a nine-month process, end-to-end, during which HP tries as hard as possible to not have to recall thousands of software licenses from its Fortune 500 clients. If your tablet stops working, that sucks. If HP's Client Security software licensed by a 20,000 person enterprise fails, well that's a whole 'nother level of disaster. Deafening quiet after a day of chaosFinally, after a long day of watching things snap, crackle and pop, we were brought into the electromagnetic semi-anechoic chamber, which tests the power, and direction of the radio frequency delivered by your device. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/TRBCfeatures/HPtesting/HPsoundtest-420-90.jpg Ever wonder why your blender doesn't disrupt your Orange is the New Black stream? It's because guys in semi-anechoic chambers tested the immunity of certain radiofrequencies to guarantee the signals coming to and going from their devices. The room is 36 feet wide and 45 feet long, and the quiet is so deafening it's almost hard to imagine that just outside its doors a motherboard is being burned, a workstation is being dropped, and an ElitePad is being stomped on. Does HP make one of the best laptops in the US?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3be93414/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107422612/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be93414/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107422612/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be93414/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107422612/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be93414/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199107422612/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be93414/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199107422612/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be93414/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/8HnKL8kzFsE

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/events/Google%20IO%202014/Android%20Tree-470-75.jpgNew vs old: Android comparedHead of Android Sundar Pichai took to the stage at Google IO 2014 to deliver one of the biggest overhauls of Android yet - a whole new look and some big changes under the hood too. Sadly, it's only a peek at the new OS, as Google tries to appease manufacturers who think launching new versions of Android later in the year ruins plans to get the new platform on handsets for the holidays... but there's still enough to get worked up over. Android L: release date, news and featuresAndroid L not only marks a breakaway from Android naming tradition, that of sugary treats, but comes packed with over 5000 new developer APIs that help mark Android L as the "biggest release in the history of Android". So what exactly makes this update so big and so important, and more importantly why should you be pining for the letter L rather than the chocolate goodness of Android KitKat? User interfaceThe biggest change that users will notice is the whole new design language that has been developed with Android L introducing design guidelines that have previously been missing from the Android ecosystem. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Android/AndroidL/Android%20L%202/2-420-90.jpg Known as Material Design, Google's new interface has been created "not just for mobile but for form factors beyond mobile" said Pichai. Android 4.4 KitKat and previous iterations suffer from a mishmash of app designs; the Gmail app differs largely from the messaging app which in turn differs largely from Facebook. Instead the new guidelines offer up a way of making the whole device feel unified. This new design also brings an almost 3D effect, offered as Android L now enables developers to add an elevation value to any UI surface which will come rendered "in correct perspective with virtual light sources and real time shadows" Put simply, developers can now make it seem that certain elements are floating above the rest of the app with shadows reflecting where those elements are making Android L more intuitive than the flat Android KitKat. Developers will also have access to a new grid layout, a key that will allow apps and websites to be more easily scaled between smaller smartphone screens up to larger tablet, even desktop monitors, and will ensure that every Google product, from the smallest smartphones to tablets, chrome books and even Android enabled TVs feel like a complete ecosystem. This was previously a lot harder leading to apps on KitKat varying greatly between devices, with the same app on an Android 4.4 tablet looking different to that on a KitKat smartphone. Also built in are a whole new raft of animations available to all apps that make moving throughout your Android L device seem more seamless where KitKat often feels disjointed. As Google put it, no more teleportation - everything will seem much more interconnected. NotificationsAnother key area that has been looked at is the way notifications have been handled. Up until now the notifications have been locked to the notifications bar, with the last real update coming in Ice Cream Sandwich where users could swipe to dismiss updates. On current KitKat devices the only way you can access notifications is by pulling down the bar, allowing you to view and react. Instead, Android L brings these interactions far more front and centre, from less intrusion to new ways to see them. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Android/AndroidL/Android%20L%202/3-420-90.jpg This is most noticeable whilst receiving a call or a message whilst actively using your device; playing a game, for instance. When receiving a call in KitKat, users are greeted by the call screen, therefore taking you out of the app you are in, swallowing the entire screen and forcing you to accept or reject the call. Android L is far more subtle but is all the more useful for it, instead bringing down a 'Heads up' notification in much the same way as iOS. You can then dismiss or reply immediately without disruption. Notifications have also been given pride of place on the Android L lock screen in a bid to make receiving and responding more seamless. The effect that this will have on many Android KitKat users remains to be seen, as Android overlays such as Sense or TouchWiz and third party apps such as Qualcomm's Snapdragon Glance already offer this functionality. Those using Nexus devices and Google Play editions will find this a lot more useful though, and Google has also packed in functionality that has been omitted on many lock screen replacements. Android L will learn from your habits enabling it to prioritise the notifications that are most relevant to you, so avid tweeters will see Twitter notifications pushed to the fore, for example. SecurityGoogle believes 15% of Android users use a PIN or pattern lock on their device, and it wants to help cut down the time needed to open the phone. It claims that Android is being used regularly on over 1 billion phones, with average user checking their handset over 100 times a day so time saved unlocking can only help. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Android/AndroidL/Android%20L%202/10-420-90.jpg Android KitKat has many ways of protecting your device, with pattern unlocks, PINs and passwords, even Google's (all too often inaccurate) facial unlocking. Therefore a KitKat device will only unlock itself to those that know the correct password but this can be time consuming and often frustrating if you press or swipe incorrectly. In order to reduce the time spent entering PINs and pass codes, Android L comes with 'personal unlocking', a feature that "enables the device to determine if it's in a trusted environment, [like] the owner's hand or beside the owner on a table". This is worked out by pre-designated locations, any visible Bluetooth devices such as a smartwatch or even through your voice print. For those that have been looking over their shoulders at the ease of TouchID on the iPhone 5S or the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S5, this could prove a real blessing. Android L also comes packing universal data controls allowing users to better see what data is shared with who. Where on KitKat you had to go through each app manually to discover which ones had access to sensitive data such as your location, Android L brings these under one roof. This will give security conscious users the ability to choose who is getting access to things like location data in a way that they haven't before. SpeedWhilst Android comes with some nifty new features that make an immediate visual impact, Google has put a lot of work in behind the scenes to ensure that Android L is the fastest yet. If you're not into code-speak, here's the summary: it's built on a new platform that's way more efficient than before and runs much faster. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Android/AndroidL/Android%20L%202/9-420-90.jpg ART was made available in Android KitKat as an optional runtime but has now been made the standard for Android L and has been developed to work with ARM, x86 and MIPS platforms, running twice as fast as the Dalvik runtime that is found on previous Android iterations. The biggest benefit to users comes that this won't require apps to be readjusted in order to benefit, instead all apps will benefit from ART right away. ART is also more memory efficient than Dalvik meaning that apps that are running in the background will benefit from megabytes of saved data. ART is also 64-bit compatible, where Dalvik on Android KitKat and lower only worked with 32-bit chips, allowing Android L to benefit from the larger number registers, cross platform support and the increased RAM support that 64-bit architecture supports. Improved GraphicsAs mobile GPUs have evolved, so has the mobile gaming industry although the last real mobile graphics boost that Android saw was with 4.3 Jelly Bean with the addition of OpenGL:ES 3.0 support. At the time, EA Labels president, Frank Gibeau commented "In the near future, the next wave of tablets and phones will have nearly Xbox 360 or PS3 capabilities in terms of graphics." To a certain extent he was right as Android KitKat brought along some pretty impressive gaming capabilities; think Shadow Gun Dead Zone rather than Flappy Bird. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/events/Google%20IO%202014/Screen%20Shot%202014-06-25%20at%209.54.33%20AM-420-90.jpg Android L looks to build upon the work already done by Android Jelly Bean and KitKat bringing with it the sole task of closing the gap between mobile and desktop-class (DX11) graphics. This has been done by work with Nvidia, Qualcomm, ARM, and Imagination Technologies Google leading to the creation of the Android Extension Pack. Technically speaking this means a set of features that includes tessellation, geometry shaders, computer shaders and ASTC texture compression which will result in "more realistic environments, more realistic characters and vastly improved lighting". Overall Android L will bring far more powerful graphics capabilities to Android, exceeding what is currently available in even the most high-end Android KitKat games. Interlinked appsThe way Google search interacts with your Android L device has also been taken a look at. Searching before was a lot more hassle, with Android L looking to streamline the process. Using the KitKat search bar allows you to search the web and your device for certain details, although has always defaulted to bringing up the website address. Android L changes all of this with far greater app indexing making your Android L device more intuitive. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Android/AndroidL/Android%20L%202/8-420-90.jpg Android L allows users to search through apps directly from the search bar, whether it be a restaurant in the OpenTable app or a friend's page via Facebook The 'Recents' pane of Android L has also been reimagined to fit in with Google's new Material design, but also comes with far greater functionality. In Android KitKat it is possible to fire up into multitasking and flip through the recently accessed apps, but that is as far as it goes. With Android L, Google Chrome tabs are now listed within the multitasking pane, something that has previously been unavailable. This won't just be limited to Google Chrome though, as many Android L apps will also be able to open up multiple cards. This will all save time as you'll no longer have to load up an app like Chrome and then navigate through; instead you can go directly to where you need to be. Battery lifeFinally Android L is also helping OEMs by extending battery life through Project Volta. This brings two main power-saving elements to Android L: opening up the data and extending battery life through a low-drain mode. Android KitKat brought over Project Svelte, aimed at making the Android experience less memory intensive. This might have brought some battery improvements, but Project Volta has taken this to a whole new level. Where Project Svelte was designed to make Android KitKat as a whole run on less powerful devices, Volta allows developers to target individual apps. The creation of the Battery Historian tool allows them to measure battery drain corresponding to exactly what was going on the device. Developers can then rewrite code to counter that battery drain thereby making Android L apps more power efficient than on Android KitKat. This has been backed up by a new Job Scheduler API , allowing Android L to "make your application more efficient by allowing the platform to coalesce non-urgent network requests from multiple apps". By doing this, Android L can significantly reduce the amount of time that the Wi-Fi and cell radios are on compared to the Android KitKat equivalent, thereby reducing the amount of drain these have on the battery. Combined, Android L should make a battery last a lot longer than its older brother. The second battery saving feature that Google has brought across is a battery saving mode. This might seem familiar; this is something that is now fairly common, appearing on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S5 or HTC One (M8). Nexus users will finally reap the benefits though, with the new mode allowing the CPU clock speed to be reduced, refresh rate to be lowered and data to be turned off. Google claims that this mode will extend the battery life of a Nexus 5 by about 90 minutes in a typical day http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3be7884e/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119747575/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be7884e/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119747575/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be7884e/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119747575/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be7884e/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119747575/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be7884e/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199119747575/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be7884e/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/2c4DBfc9mSI

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Free%20PC%20software/tr%20downloads%20images/ccleaner1_edited-1-470-75.jpgIf you've owned your PC for a while, you'll know that it's just not as fast as it used to be. Where opening programs used to be quick, there's now a noticeable lag in performance. Where it used to start up in less than a minute, you can twiddle your thumbs for nearly three. And it's only going to get worse. The more software you install, the more data you create, the more new files you download… It all starts to clog up your PC's hard disk, slowing down performance. Yes. You can get rid of unwanted applications, trim your start up software and defrag your disk. But hundreds of files will still remain - a scatter of digital debris that you can't often see. What you need is the digital equivalent of a robotic vacuum cleaner. Something that you can switch on and simply leave to clean up your messy PC while you do something more important. And of all the software available in TechRadar Downloads, Piriform's CCleaner is by far the most popular. Smart system optimisationKey to this popularity is the fact that CCleaner doesn't charge you £20 for a half-hearted bit of disk-sweeping. This free software analyses your PC (or those areas you specify), identifies unnecessary or redundant files, unwanted .DLLs, old cookies, unused fonts, invalid shortcuts and leftover installer apps, then sucks them all into oblivion. With your permission, of course. CCleaner isn't heavy-handed about its task. It's clever enough not to delete login details and won't erase anything that is crucial to the smooth running of your system. Nor will it cause you to lose any data. The program will always show you what it plans to do and ask for an 'OK' from you before it gets to work. If only all software was as honest and courteous. There are many PC optimisation packages available on the Internet that claim to 'improve performance' and 'make your computer faster'. CCleaner delivers. Try CCleaner for free todayhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3be641ab/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108873676/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be641ab/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108873676/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be641ab/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108873676/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be641ab/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108873676/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be641ab/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199108873676/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3be641ab/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/08HWuhF64xo

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/events/Google%20IO%202014/Screen%20Shot%202014-06-25%20at%2011.32.28%20AM-470-75.jpgGoogle wants you to stay healthy, though of course it wants you do so using its solution to your fitness needs. Enter Google Fit, a new platform to "help users keep better track of fitness goals" announced during the IO keynote Wednesday. The platform relies on a single set of APIs "to manage data on apps and sensors" coming in from various devices, including wearables. Partners like Nike+, Adidas and RunKeeper will utilize the Google Fit platform to keep people on track of their fitness goals. Google is opening the platform to developers so they can incorporate Fit into their fitness-app routine. The SDK will go live in a few weeks' time. Google Fit's announcement comes a few weeks after Apple announced HealthKit for iOS 8. HealthKit works in much the same fashion: gather data from various health and fitness sources (in Apple's case, mostly apps), and translate that info into digestible data snacks for consumers. Which tech titan's fitness platform reigns supreme? Since neither is available to the public yet, it's hard to say. Google IO wasn't without a look at Android Lhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3be27256/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/1vGYNbKobSw

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/best_portable_apps/7zip-470-75.jpgWith today's fast broadband speeds, it's easier than ever to send large files, or lots of smaller files, across the Internet. Windows has a built-in compression utility that enables you to zip up files and crunch them down into a single archive. The trouble is, it isn't very good. 7-Zip is a superior alternative. Here are five reasons why you should be 7z-ing your files rather than zipping them up... 1. A dedicated file compression program gives you more control over how you archive your files, the compression ratio, the container format, and whether you apply layers of security. (7-Zip, for example, supports bank-level 256-bit AES encryption). 2. The popular ZIP format isn't as efficient as newer formats. While 7-Zip provides support for ZIP files, you get better results using the software's own 7z format, which uses advanced LZMA and LZMA2 compression algorithms for superior file-squashing. The brains behind 7-Zip suggest that 7z is typically between 30% and 70% more efficient than the old ZIP format. 3. That's not to say that 7-Zip is restricted to the 7z and ZIP formats. It can also archive files into XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR and WIM containers. 4. While its archiving talents are impressive, 7-Zip can inflate considerably more file types than it can deflate, which means that you should be able to open most archive files you receive. Supported formats include: ARJ, CAB, CHM, CPIO, CramFS, DEB, DMG, FAT, HFS, ISO, LZH, LZMA, MBR, MSI, NSIS, NTFS, RAR, RPM, SquashFS, UDF, VHD, WIM, XAR and Z. 5. Did you notice the RAR support there? 7-Zip also supports the core file type of one of its biggest rivals - WinRAR. So that's ZIP and RAR covered. No need to download separate software just to extract data from those two file formats. Ultimately, 7-Zip is quick, efficient, and easy to use. And did we mention that it's free? Get 7-Zip today for freehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3bdab715/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119911140/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bdab715/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119911140/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bdab715/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119911140/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bdab715/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119911140/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bdab715/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199119911140/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bdab715/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/oSeDpuDOUKY

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Watches/Pebble/Review/Pebble_review_6-470-75.jpgThe makers of the Pebble Steel smartwatch and Misfit Shine health monitor have joined forces to take on the wearables industry together. Like Mad Men's Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce and Cutler, Gleason and Chaough, both companies bring a little something to this partnership - though neither is shortening its name just yet. According to an announcement made on June 24, the collaboration will allow Pebble to integrate Misfit's "state-of-the-art activity tracking" in its smartwatches. That means starting today Pebble owners can download the Misfit "watchapp," which counts steps and tracks other activities, from the Pebble app store. And the latest Misfit iOS app update, available "soon," will connect with Pebble smartwatches to track additional metrics like burned calories and distance traveled. More than a feelingAdd Misfit to a list of Pebble collaborators that also includes companies like RunKeeper, Strava, Puma, and others. But Pebble plus Misfit might go even further than these other partnerships have, the companies suggest. "This is the first milestone in an ongoing partnership and collaboration between Pebble and Misfit that aims to provide intuitive health and fitness tracking for all," Pebble's announcement says. Both sides have style, but their individual efforts up to this point have proved that style alone won't sell wearables. Unless that style is Apple's, as when the iWatch hits the scene it will probably sell like popsicles on a hot summer's day. Atari considering a move into wearable techhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3bd782e5/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119895389/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd782e5/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119895389/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd782e5/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119895389/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd782e5/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199119895389/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd782e5/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199119895389/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd782e5/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/08nfDn8Gsgk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/Google/Nest_Developer_API_16x9-470-75.jpgNest has released its developer program which will allow anyone to build hardware, software and services capable of talking to the learning thermostat and smoke alarm made by the Google-owned company. The "Works with Nest" API platform, announced in September last year and available now to anyone with a free Nest account, has already snared some high profile parters. Jawbone will build Nest functionality in to its UP health trackers. It will inform the thermostat when users wake up in order to make sure the heating and hot water can be switched on. It'll also flash red when the Nest smoke alarm sounds. Meanwhile, new Mercedes-Benz cars will tell the Nest to adjust the temperature when the homeowner is 30 minutes away. Likewise, new connected garage doors from Chamberlain inform the Nest when drivers leave the house, allowing energy savings to be made. Harmony Elsewhere, the Logitech Ultimate Harmony remote will enable users to control the temperature while choosing a channel and Whirlpool plans to build functionality into a washer and dryer. Greg Hu, senior product manager at Nest, told The Verge, the possibilities for 'Works With Nest are endless. "It could be software, it could be hardware, it could be a service."You just need a connected platform and that's it." Which tools would you like to see play nice with a Nest thermostat? You can check out Nest's higfalutin promo video for the API showcasing the aforementioned examples below. " width="420">YouTube :

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Generic/Hands%20on%20phone/Handsonphone-470-75.jpgSiteSpect has released an SDK for testing and optimizing native iOS apps, Justin Bougher, Director of Product Management told TechRadar. For the first time, SiteSpect clients will be able to develop and test iOS apps. SiteSpect Mobile: iOS SDK supports creating and publishing changes within iOS apps without requiring App Store updates. Users will also be able to optimize iOS experiences by creating tests quickly and easily by leveraging a visual editor that requires no code changes. Rather than implement changes and wait for weeks to determine success or failure, the update will enable them to instantly see how users interact with the application. Real-life use casesExamples of possible applications include testing different sizes and locations of the site or app's search bar, seasonal-based imagery and fonts, and promotional targeting, which allows users to enable promotions based on previous user actions. SiteSpect clients include Wal-Mart, Staples and Target. How can marketing and IT best work together?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3bd3adf7/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108790754/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd3adf7/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108790754/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd3adf7/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108790754/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd3adf7/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108790754/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd3adf7/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199108790754/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd3adf7/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/dlOERFiCkjc

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/Best%20Browser%202014/chromestore-470-75.jpgDownloading a web browser used to be an easy decision. First, Internet Explorer defeated Netscape. Then Firefox proved a better choice than Internet Explorer. Google Chrome offered a third option - faster, neater, with a more minimalist approach. Now, the browser you use often comes down to personal preference or to the operating system that runs on your computer. The latest versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome are all fast. But Firefox and Chrome enjoy greater expandability, capable of installing add-ons and extensions respectively. These two browsers also leave Internet Explorer in the dust when it comes to synchronising data and browsing sessions between different devices. Security consciousFirefox and Google Chrome are also neck and neck when it comes to privacy and feature private browsing modes that won't leave sensitive data in your web history. They also give you access to various protective plugins, including HTTPS Everywhere and Disconnect, which enables you to block websites that attempt to track your Internet browsing. In a straight-up fight between Firefox and Chrome, Google's web browser nudges ahead with superior HTML5 performance and sandboxed tabs for extra stability. So if one tab crashes on you, it doesn't take down the whole browser. We have a winner. But only just. Get Google Chromehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3bd162de/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108780831/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd162de/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108780831/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd162de/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108780831/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd162de/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/199108780831/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd162de/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/199108780831/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3bd162de/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/RcR7NyX8ANg