sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/logos/microsoft_onenote-470-75.jpgMicrosoft OneNote could soon come to Mac OS X for the first time - and it might be free. The note-taking app debuted on Windows a decade ago, and so far it's never been released on Mac, though Microsoft has released iOS, Android and browser versions. But unnamed sources told The Verge that big changes, including an OS X release and a shift to free, are coming to OneNote. OneNote will also be separate from Microsoft Office, they say. Never forgetThose aren't the only changes, though - Microsoft will reportedly also add other features to make OneNote more attractive to Evernote users. These include a web clipper that will let users save parts of websites and browser extensions for Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox. These features are present in Evernote. OneNote users will reportedly also be able to email notes to the service to have them inserted into notebooks remotely. OneNote on Mac could release this month, preceding the new Office for Mac, which is confirmed to be coming out in 2014. What to expect in OS X 10.10http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/381b8f0d/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801311009/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/381b8f0d/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801311009/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/381b8f0d/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801311009/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/381b8f0d/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801311009/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/381b8f0d/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191801311009/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/381b8f0d/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/UXXaSgySeiA

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/televisions/May%20on%204K/War%20Horse/main-470-75.png4K isn't just for movies and TV, it's for live theatre too. That's the surprising message from Sony's digital cinema group and National Theatre Live, after the two staged the world's first 4K live to cinema event. Even as patrons were filling the New London Theatre for another sold out showing of Michael Morpurgo's award-winning stage play War Horse, wannabe theatre goers were filing into the Curzon Chelsea cinema to watch a live transmission of the same show. Cinema screenings of such live events are not new, but they've never been done in 4K before. This was a complete equine-to-end experiment. Live events in 4KSix Sony F55 CineAlta cameras were capturing the show, uploading to satellite from the theatre and then beaming straight onto the screen in 4K resolution. Before the transmission, David McIntosh, Director of Digital Cinema for Sony's Professional Solutions group, was optimistic: "The experience should be much more immersive, with 4K you can really feel like you're there." For Sony, the event was to be a proof of concept, not to mention a precursor to this summer's World Cup. "We're looking to do the same with some of a selection of matches, delivering them 4K live into cinemas as well," he reveals. But if you thought 4K was all about resolution you'd be wrong. "It's actually about the democratisation and accessibility of culture and content," declares McIntosh grandly. "Wherever you are, you'll be able to see a live event in the highest quality. There's traditionally a barrier to getting people into the cinema to see things which aren't Hollywood blockbusters, but because it's 4K imagery onscreen, you can really feel like you're there." As it transpires, the experience sits somewhere in between, a hybrid of the two. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/televisions/May%20on%204K/War%20Horse/Joey%20and%20operator-420-90.jpg 4K has a sweet sweetspotI actually ended up watching the first half just back from centre in the cinema, and the second half up front. The difference (perhaps predictably) was telling. There's an undeniable relationship between detail and viewing distance that's crucial if you want to really appreciate the intensity of 4K. During the second half of the show, I was picking up on nuances in performance and the texture in stage props that simply wasn't visible further back. The magnificence of Handspring's huge horse puppets became clear, from their translucent hides to their brilliantly engineered frames. It's up close that the detail in a 4K image can really make an emotional connection. This observation also holds true when watching 4K at home. Whatever size Full HD screen you're currently comfortable with, my advice is budget for something significantly larger when you invest in UHD, or at least move your seating closer to the display. Or both. While the War Horse screening was a technical success it never quite matched up to the 'being there' hype. However, this wasn't down to the delivered image, more the thin and uninvolving sound that came with it. While video fidelity is galloping ahead, it seems that Event Cinema audio still has someway to go. What next for 4K cinema?According to McIntosh, Sony's UK cinemas (along with those in France, the Nordics and the US) are now fully digitised, with many early adopter chains now looking to upgrade. 4K presentation is set to become ubiquitous, he says. "You can't stop the technology. Those that are entering that renewal cycle from first generation 2K projectors are definitely think about moving into 4K." And after that? McIntosh's eye twinkle. "That's when we move to 4K laser projection," he beams. "Laser is going to be the next big step forward in terms of cinema projection…" Can 4K save the struggling TV industry?

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Google/nexus5/Nexus%205%20Review/nexus-5-review-50-470-75.jpg5 great SMS alternatives to Google HangoutsIt's all very exciting having the latest version of Android install itself on your mobile, but what happens when it makes changes you don't actually like? That's the situation owners of phones like the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 found themselves in recently, as Google's exciting new Android 4.4 KitKat release arrived – and forced upgraders to use Google's own Hangouts app as the default SMS app. Aside from no one really liking being told what software they have to use, the change was also a bit unsettling. The SMS tool is one of the most basic, reliable and unchanged features of any phone, with even the most backward of tech users usually able to work out how to send a simple text message. But in Hangouts? Even experienced smartphone users struggled to work out how to send a simple text. Not only that, the term 'hangout' is a dreary, predictable piece of brainstorming nonsense. So if you fancy rebelling against Google's forced use of the Hangouts app and going your own way, here are five alternative SMS apps to install and bring texting back to basics on Android. 1. Hello SMShttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Features/5%20Hangout%20Alternatives/sms/hello-sms-420-90.jpg Plenty of customisation options await in this Android SMS app, with Hello SMS letting users choose if they want a standard notification or the entire screen to light up when messages arrive. Plus there's a night mode layout option with a dark background to supposedly save your eyes and battery when texting late. The design is pretty jazzy, with a list of SMS threads down the left, plus a wider layout when viewing your texts in landscape mode. Replies are threaded, albeit in a subtle, bolded highlight way, and it's a fast, simple app to open and use. A long-press on the message icon lets you delete an entire conversation, while the attachment option is a swish combined gallery and camera app, splitting the screen between existing shots and a viewfinder for capturing and attaching live shots. View this app on the Play Store 2. Handcent SMShttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Features/5%20Hangout%20Alternatives/sms/handcent-420-90.jpg Handcent's been around for a long time on Android, and it shows. The design's not particularly thrilling, offering a white and blue colour scheme that looks like it's been ported from iPhone. Still, beneath the clunky layout there are absolutely stacks of features in Handcent, with this texting app letting users add doodles to messages as image files, attach screen captures of the phone's display, spellcheck messages before sending and, if you have a clear non-regional accent, input text via Google's speech-to-text tools. The sending of messages can even be scheduled, if you need to establish a watertight alibi. It's a proper hardcore texting app for people who use their 3,000 SMS allowance each month. View this app on the Play Store 3. EvolveSMShttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Features/5%20Hangout%20Alternatives/sms/evolve-sms-420-90.jpg EvolveSMS goes all-out on design, with a stylish layout that incorporates a swish landscape option, multiple font and text size options, Emojis and more. A nice pop-up reply box makes responding simple, plus there's a pattern lock and the ability to set some conversations to private while leaving others unrestricted, and a choice of Home screen widgets. You can also snooze incoming text message notifications for a set period of time, in the unlikely event you've got something better to do than look at your portable telephone. And as nice as it looks, the appearance can further be amended by installing themes and other customisation packs. View this app on the Play Store 4. Textra SMShttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Features/5%20Hangout%20Alternatives/sms/textra-420-90.jpg Textra bravely claims it's a "beautiful" texting app, and, if you like Android's old grey, boxy layout, it probably is. To make it less pretty there's a custom Textra Emoji plugin that can be downloaded for free, if you like expressing yourself via silly emoticons, plus there's a built-in audio recording tool, for sending people clips of you speaking when typing's too much of a chore. In terms of customisation, there's much to play with. It supports pop-up message notifications, the changing of the notification LED colour (if your phone supports it), with users also able to customise the pulsing of the notification vibration – for the ultimate in stealth text alerts. View this app on the Play Store 5. TextSecurehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Features/5%20Hangout%20Alternatives/sms/textsecure-210-100.jpg TextSecure has a bigger selling point than the rest: security. On a basic level it restricts Android from taking screengrabs of messages, plus, if you demand more control and reassurance that the wife/government isn't reading everything you say, there's the option of locking the app down with a passphrase. And, for yet more protection, conversations between two users can be kept private with end to end encryption. In terms of customisation, TextSecure delivers some fun consumer toys, with SMS delivery report tools, LED colour and blink pattern toggles for at-a-glance notifications, enter key modification and more. View this app on the Play Store http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/380e190f/sc/4/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801173073/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/380e190f/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801173073/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/380e190f/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801173073/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/380e190f/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801173073/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/380e190f/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191801173073/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/380e190f/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/ybrGD5MXoJA

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Instagram/Android%20app%20redesign%202014/press_small-470-75.jpgIn its first major visual overhaul since it launched in April 2012, the Instagram app for Android is sporting a cleaner look and faster feel, one that elevates the 'gram's game on Google's mobile OS. "We wanted to focus in on our Android users," Phillip McAllister, engineering manager at Instagram, told TechRadar. "Android is a first-class citizen for us and we wanted to provide a better design." This means a faster, richer Instagram Android app, one designed for the Google-powered operating system that stays true to the photo sharing service. "This new design is both uniquely Android and uniquely Instagram," McAllister said. "It's more in harmony with the Instagram platform and will have the familiarity Android users enjoy." It's also about giving a nod to the blossoming global market; according to Instagram, more than 60% of its users are located outside the US. Almost half of its overall users come by way of Android. By paring the app down, including chopping its size by half, Instagram aims to make it chummy with the wide array of Android devices used in regions around the world. What's new with Android's InstagramUsers will notice a crisper, more streamlined look to the Android app. The redesign has extended down to the fonts and icons, giving the overall app an up-to-date appearance. Don't look for a host of new features here - this overhaul is all about capturing greater visual appeal and keeping most of the app's functionality intact. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Instagram/Android%20app%20redesign%202014/camera%202-200-100.jpg Though McAllister said the company strives to keep its Android offering on par with its iOS counterpart, there's undoubtedly some design carry-over from the Apple version, which saw its own overhaul late last year. For one, the blue orb that lets users take a picture in Camera in the iOS app is now beaming for all droids to see. It has a bit of a twist on the original monotone blue circle, as do some of the other rejiggered icons, but the overall look of the Camera UX is in line with iOS. For McAllister, the most noticeable changes are to be found in the Camera and Sharing screens. The makeovers allow for more room for the Camera's tools, and make "better use of the screen space for richer and fuller photos." The changes aren't limited to the Camera layout, though these are generally more subtle. Profile pages are largely the same except for a few design tweaks, namely the disappearance of dividing lines, and the Explore tab touts the app's new iconography. The Edit tab has undergone a tweak that sees all commands pushed to the bottom, leaving the photo to take up most of the screen space. Some fresh air was breathed into the Feed, though again the changes aren't radical (take a peek at the time-posted clock and colored hearts to see what we mean). http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/software/Instagram/Android%20app%20redesign%202014/edit%202-200-100.jpg Get up and gramDespite focusing on the app's aesthetics, there are some functional improvements as well. In addition to cutting its size down (amounting to faster download times and less space on storage-starved devices), the app will also now better fit varying screen sizes, whether large phablet or petite Mini, by self-identifying the display's dimensions and adjusting accordingly. Finally, the Android app is noticeably faster than previous iterations; McAllister said there's a 20% speed difference on some devices and the profile tab is capable of loading almost two times faster. "The feeling of the app is a lot faster," he said. The new look will be available in Instagram for Android version 5.1, and ready for downloading today in the Google Play Store. All you need is Android 2.2 and up to give it a whirl. Instagram recently revealed Direct, it's take on the same ol' http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/380e1917/sc/4/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801173071/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/380e1917/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801173071/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/380e1917/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801173071/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/380e1917/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801173071/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/380e1917/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191801173071/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/380e1917/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/nzXn3qO_VC4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone%205S/Press/5S%20fancy%20colors-470-75.jpgApple has unleashed iOS 7.1 into the wild, bringing a number of changes and additions to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users. Chief among the features riding along with the update is CarPlay, Apple's "iOS experience designed for the car." There are no CarPlay-capable cars on the road right now, but those in the market for a new Ferrari (or Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Mercedes or Volvo) will be able to integrate their iPhone apps with their roadster some time this year. Users will also notice UI changes, squished bugs and faster animations and transitions, among other improvements. What's new in iOS 7.1The iOS 7 update brings with it a few Camera add-ons, such as an indicator when auto-flash will kick in and a new auto HDR mode for the iPhone 5S. Siri is seeing some love too as she now supports push-to-talk. FaceTime call notifications will vanish automatically once a user answers a call on another device. There's also a fix for a bug that "could occasionally cause a home screen crash" as well as improvements to Touch ID fingerprint recognition. Further changes include more accessibility options, new button borders and a toggle to turn down "harsh white elements" throughout the system. The green of Messages, FaceTime and Phone apps is no longer as radioactive, either. Users will also have the option to toggle the Parallax options on the lock screen wallpaper. Finally, the keyboard has managed to see a design tweak between iOS 7 and iOS 7.1. iOS 7.1 is available over the air through the Software Update section in Settings, or via iTunes on a Mac or PC. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/38025ee0/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee0/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee0/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee0/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee0/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191801125388/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee0/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/5HpTzsrT3lk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/IOT_generic_pg-470-75.jpgSoftware AG has launched its Intelligent Business Operations Platform at CeBIT 2014. The platform is designed to tackle the growing Internet of Things phenomenon by offering ways for companies to analyse and identify patterns in huge volumes of data, resulting in a complete view of operational and market data. The Big Data solution minimises resource expenditure and provides businesses a way to contribute to society and the protection of the environment, with movements in areas like lean-carbon logistics, smart power distribution, and eHealth. The Intelligent Business Operations Platform is three years in the making. It incorporates some of the technology from mergers and acquisitions of firms like Terracotta, Apama, JackBe and My-Channels. In actionSoftware AG is demonstrating Intelligent Business Operations in action at CeBIT 2014, where it is showcasing a carbon footprint reduction and the ability to support customers using wearable devices like Google Glass. "As more and more devices interact we develop a richer, individual digital identity. We develop a personal cloud of big data that we can use to utilize devices in the Internet of Things," said John Bates, CTO for Intelligent Business Operations and Big Data at Software AG. "What Software AG provides to its customers is the intelligent and location-aware filtering of these personal data clouds. This enables real-time decision making and a rapid business response to individual consumers or to specific operational events." What is the Internet of Things and why should you care?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/38025ee1/sc/46/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125387/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee1/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125387/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee1/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125387/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee1/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125387/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee1/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191801125387/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee1/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/8xpB5NqWYFQ

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Abstract/Software%20piracy/PCP302.insight3.istock_000006324651-470-75.jpgSecurity experts from BAE have released a report claiming that the mysterious Uroburos malware which was recently found by German experts has been switched on in the Ukraine. Uroburos rootkit burrows deep into a Windows operating systems, steals files and transmits them back to its masters. It is built to target high-security installations. The malware requires an Internet connection to transmit data, but not to spread. As long as computers are connected via a network, Uroburos can replicate itself and funnel files back to an Internet-connected system for transmission. According to the report, the malware has actually been in development since at least 2005 and the research suggests that Uroburos' authors and operators are committed and well-funded professionals. Not found in RussiaThe malware has been found mostly in Eastern Europe, but also in the US, UK and other Western European countries. Curiously, it is not being seen at all in Russia. Now there is some concern that it might has been activated recently to paralyse computers in the Ukraine. The country appears to be submitting the most Uroburos related malware samples is the Ukraine, which means that the rootkit has been sitting below the radar and has only recently been spotted working. BAE said that there have been at least 22 attacks launched against Ukrainian computer systems since January 2013 and a significant uptick in Uroburos-related malware submissions from the country this year. You can read the BAE report on PDF herehttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/38025ee2/sc/46/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125386/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee2/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125386/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee2/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125386/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee2/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801125386/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee2/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191801125386/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/38025ee2/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/8vjaPAbMgRg

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/laptops/Sony/Sony%20Vaio%20Duo%2011/Sony%20Vaio%20Duo%2011%20front-470-75.jpgMicrosoft fundamentally changed the way Windows works when it introduced Windows 8, ensuring it works better with touchscreens and tablets. But what about Windows 8 laptops, Ultrabooks and convertibles? They're all supported, too. One thing Windows 8 has in spades is convergence. A Windows 8 Ultrabook that has a touchscreen? Check. A laptop with a flip-around screen? Check. Tablet PCs that slide up to reveal a keyboard? Check. It can be tough differentiating some of these from tablets, but the only conditions required for laptops to make it into this article are that they have a keyboard and also run x86 Intel or AMD processors. (None of the machines you'll see here are ARM-based.) They also come with keyboards in one way or another - for something more tablet-specific, check out our Best Windows 8 tablets article. All of which means they don't run Windows RT, the version of Windows for ARM systems. They do, however, run either Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro. Check out our article on the different Windows 8 versions to get your head around which version you'd like. So to help you choose the right machine, here's a rundown of the Windows 8 laptops, notebooks, convertibles and Ultrabooks we've looked at so far. Make sure you also read our Windows 8 review, and check out the changes in the Windows 8.1 update. Acer Aspire V5 - £299 / US$497 / AUS$554http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Acer/Acer-v5-2013/Acer%20Aspire%20V5-122P%206-420-90.jpg The Acer Aspire V5-122P is light, portable and now comes with touchscreen input. As such, it works very well with Microsoft's Windows 8. You won't need to navigate using the touchpad's frustrating integrated click buttons because you can just reach up and swipe through options on the screen. Although available in a wide range of specifications, our model arrived with an AMD A6-1460 processor, with a clock speed of 1GHz backed by 4GB of DDR3 RAM. While these components handled complex processes well on day one, we're not sure how well the V5-122P will hold up after a year's worth of program installation and software updates. Read our full Acer Aspire V5 review Lenovo G505 - £330 / US$272 / AUS$533http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Lenovo/Lenovo%20G505/DSCF6466-420-90.JPG How much should a laptop cost? A laptop that can handle serious applications, surf like the best of them and also turn its hand to the odd game? How does £330 strike you? That's the price tag that can be found hanging from Lenovo's latest offering, the potentially bargainous Lenovo G505. With the world and his dog jumping aboard on the Ultrabook bandwagon, it's good to see that there's still interest from system builders to manufacture value-focused machines. Read our full Lenovo G505 review Lenovo G500s - £330 / US$272 / AUS$533http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Lenovo/LenovoG550s_review/g500s00-420-90.jpg Lenovo has a habit of serially iterating on popular product lines, which although confusing, does mean we end up with things like the G500s, which is essentially an update to the Lenovo G505 (above). The key difference is that the G500s feels snappier in Windows 8 generally, thanks to an upgrade to a more powerful processor and twice the amount of RAM found in the G505. This model still isn't the most portable of devices (it weighs 2.5kg), but like its sibling there's a lot here, including a massive 1TB hard drive and a great deal to admire at this price. Read our full Lenovo G500s review Asus V550CA - £399 / US$663 / AUS$739http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Asus/Asus%20V550CA-CJ106H/Asus%20V550CA-CJ106H%20front-420-90.jpg Mid-ranged laptops such as the Asus V550CA-CJ106H can sometimes be a mixed bag. They come with price tags that make it hard to overlook the sort of shortcomings you'd forgive a laptop £100 cheaper. And yet they still can't target the highest-end components for the best possible performance. Sometimes these laptops can get the balance right, such as the Samsung Series 9 NP900X3D, but more often than not they can end up being rather underwhelming, like the MSI CX61 0NF. So how does the Asus V550CA-CJ106H fare? Read our Asus V550CA review HP Pavilion Touchbook Sleekbook - £400 / US$650 / AUS$800http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/HP/HP%20Pavilion%20Touchbook/HP%20Pavilion%20Touchbook%20Sleekbook-420-90.jpg Sporting an AMD A-Series processor, 6GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, the HP Pavilion Touchbook Sleekbook is pretty well specced to run full Windows 8. It also boasts a 15.6-inch touchscreen, which is responsive and works well with the OS, but has a low resolution and dull colours. Its lid is also sparkly and shiny, and the laptop has HDMI, USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 connections and a webcam. The keyboard doesn't feel that great to use, but the trackpad is great, with a hatched texture that feels nicely different. Read our full HP Pavilion Touchbook Sleekbook review Lenovo IdeaPad Z500 Touch - £439 / US$729 / AUS$813http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Lenovo/IdeaPad%20Z500%20Touch/Lenovo%20IdeaPad%20Z500%20Touch%20front%20back%201-420-90.jpg The biggest surprise about the Z500 is that Lenovo decided to pack in discrete graphics, where most laptops rely on the integrated graphics. This decision, coupled with the lower resolution 15.6-inch screen that enables the graphics to work more optimally, makes it a decent little games machine. For instance, BioShock Infinite can run smoothly at a medium graphics setting, which is quite impressive. However, the caveat, which usually follows good gaming performance, is that the Z500 is on the chunky side and battery life takes a hit, averaging about three hours. There are lighter laptops, but they don't offer as much performance or, indeed, as much storage, and there a better gaming portables, like the MSI GS70 Stealth, but they cost substantially more. Read our full Lenovo IdeaPad Z500 Touch review Acer Aspire P3 - £529 / US$600 / AUS$979http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Acer/acer%20aspire%20p3/Aspire%20P3%20left%20angle-420-90.jpg Acer has upped its game in recent years, and it's easy to forget that just two years ago the Taiwanese giant made its money peddling identi-kit budget laptops by their millions. The company has since turned around its reputation and is responsible for the glorious Acer Aspire S7 - one of the finest Ultrabooks out there - and has also got chins wagging about the Acer Iconia W3 (the world's first 8-inch Windows 8 tablet) as well as the Acer Aspire R7 and Acer Aspire P3. Read our full Acer Aspire P3 review Lenovo Yoga 11S - £549 / US$912 / AUS$1,017http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Lenovo/Lenovo%20Yoga%2011S/Yoga%2011s%20hero-420-90.jpg While other manufacturers are busy pointing fingers as to why the PC seems to be struggling in the face of competition from that Cupertino-based company and myriad tablets, Lenovo is both pumping out solidWindows 8 devices while at the same time, turning a profit. Which brings us to the Lenovo Yoga 11S. Of course, this isn't Lenovo's first time on the yoga mat. The 13-inch Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga was released last year to very favourable reviews. The appropriately named 11s is a size down. At just 11.6-inches, it's the smallest form factor that can support a full QWERTY keyboard. Read our full Lenovo Yoga 11S review Lenovo ThinkPad S431 Touch - £571 / US$949 / AUS$1,056http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Lenovo/ThinkPad%20S431/Thinkpad%20S431%20hero-420-90.jpg Lenovo faces some difficult challenges with the ThinkPad. As well as trying not to upset zealous followers of the range, it has to balance both price and performance to appease business users. On the most part, Lenovo succeeds in doing this with the 13-inch S431, rattling off a workman-like performance. The results could have been better, though. A current-generation Haswell processor from Intel, instead of a third-generation chip, would have helped both the raw power and battery results, which, even though charging the S431 is swift, saw a single charge struggling to last a working day. The Lenovo ThinkPad S431 Touch isn't flashy, but it's a solid performer at a price that will appeal to frugal IT managers. Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad S431 Touch review Toshiba Satellite U50T - £669 / US$1,115 / AUS$1,244http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Toshiba/Satellite%20Ultrabooks/U50t-A-10F/Toshiba%20Satellite%20U50t-A-10F%20(2)-420-90.jpg The Toshiba Satellite is a nice Windows 8 machine for the money, which doesn't cut too many corners for its Ultrabook status. It loses a few points for a low-res screen and heaviness at 2.3kg, and while that weight means it's not going to offer the Ultrabook experience you may be after, it's powerful enough for general office work because of the Intel Core i5 (Haswell) processor. The compromises that have been made don't equate to major flaws – battery life is particularly good at close to 7 hours and a hybrid drive with a 32GB solid-state drive has helped shape a fast booting system and generally good performance in Windows 8. Read our full Toshiba Satellite U50T review Microsoft Surface Pro - £720 / US$900 / AUS$1,000http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/tablets/Microsoft/Surface%20Pro/Surface%20Pro%20Press%202-420-90.jpg Microsoft's own full Windows 8 laptop-tablet hybrid, the Surface Pro, has the same look and the same VaporMg coat as the Surface RT, but has a tweaked kickstand and magnetic connectors for power and the two tear-off keyboards. It also has a higher resolution 10.6-inch touchscreen with excellent blacks, a smooth, pressure-sensitive stylus and an Intel Core i5 processor. It can run any application you throw at it, and has USB and DisplayPort connections. The clip-on Touch Cover feels very light, and typing on its flat surface takes some getting used to, or the more expensive Type Cover feels more like a normal laptop keyboard, which we prefer. Read our Microsoft Surface Pro review Lenovo IdeaPad U410 Touch - £722 / US$700 AUS$915http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Lenovo/U410%20Touch/Lenovo%20U410%20Touch%203-420-90.jpg We first crossed paths with the Lenovo IdeaPad U410 in January 2013, finding it to be a very tidy little package, even if it strained the Ultrabook name a little. Its mid-range price belied some rather useful specs, though, such as a dedicated graphics card and an uncommonly large hard drive. While the name change from the original Lenovo U410 to the Lenovo U410 Touch here might draw attention to the touchscreen, it's not the special part: it's everything else in it that's noticeable. Read our Lenovo IdeaPad U410 Touch review Gigabyte P34G - £839 / AUS$/US$1,399http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Gigabyte/Gigabyte%20P34G/Press/gigabytep34gpress-3-420-90.jpg http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Awards%20Logos%202012/tr_great_value_2012-100-100.jpgThis is Gigabyte's budget gaming laptop for the more frugal player of games. This portable is all about combining the best components for the least amount of cash. You get a Full HD 14-inch screen, a Core i7-4700HQ (the same as the Aurus X7), Nvidia's 760M discrete graphics, 16GB of DDR3 RAM, 1TB of storage and a 128GB solid-state drive, along with all the connectivity and ports you'll need, including HDMI and Ethernet. In real-world gaming terms the P34G really delivers. For instance, we tried out the Titanfall beta on High Settings (save for antialiasing) and it dealt with all the Source-engine's mech smashing without a stutter. Battlefield 4 will likely bring it to its knees, though. This is a gaming laptop at an unmatched price: the battery is poor at around 2 hours 30 minutes and the build quality is adequate and uninspiring, but you'll get roughly the same gaming performance as a Razer Blade or an Alienware 14. Read the full Gigabyte P34G review Dell XPS 13 - £849 / US$1,411 / AUS$1,573http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Dell/Dell%20XPS%2013%20(Late%202013)/dellxps13-press-420-90.jpg A Windows 8 upgrade of the laptop of the same name, the 13-inch Dell XPS 13 looks like a MacBook on first glance, though under the lid is a soft rubber coating and lots of black. An Intel Core i7 processor is top of the line, able to handle picture and video editing and multitasking with ease. 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD also ensure performance is quick, while battery life is seriously impressive. However, the laptop's screen isn't touch-sensitive, so you can't make the most of Windows 8 gestures, and it's not Full HD resolution either. If you don't mind ditching a touchscreen, the keyboard and trackpad are comfortable to use for long periods, and the overall performance is impressive. Read our full Dell XPS 13 review Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro - £873 / US$1,455 / AUS$1,624http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Lenovo/Yoga%202%20Pro/official/straight%20on-420-90.jpg Yes, this is another bendy Windows 8 hybrid from Lenovo. The key changes to this Yoga Pro 2 refresh are a very high resolution 13-inch screen (at a 3,200x1,800 pixels) and an upgrade to the processor, to the latest generation Intel Core i5. We were surprised that the battery didn't last longer than three hours given the promise of greater performance via the Haswell chip, but powering all those pixels onscreen has to be a drain. Windows 8.1 also fixes any concerns you might have about scaling issues with such a high-res display. What Microsoft can't fix, however, is other software and you'll need to be aware that some apps may not be ready for this HD+ world with menus that are hard to read, unless you dial down the resolution to mere Full HD. The Yoga Pro 2 also benefits from being a good half a pound lighter than its predecessor. The choice with this hybrid isn't really performance, but whether or not you like (or need) all the backflipping modes this form factor has to offer. You might be better off with a separate tablet and laptop for the same price. Read our full Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro review Alienware 14 2013 - £899 / US$1,100 / AUS$1,666http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Windows%208/Issue%2012/WIN12.Desire_REV4.1-420-90.jpg The Alienware 14 is an attempt to create a serious but portable gaming laptop. It's been designed specifically for serious gamers - it has a roster of specs to die for and a price to match. Alienware is owned by Dell, and the gaming brand has benefited from the latter's prowess in building robust laptops, as well as its buying power. As you'd hope, there's a WLED Full HD anti-glare screen with superb viewing angles. The colours on the Windows 8 Start screen still look awesome even when viewed from an extremely acute angle. The anti-glare coating can make pale colours look a little grainy at first glance, but games look superb on it. Sadly, it's not a touchscreen. Read our full Alienware 14 review HP EliteBook 820 G1 - £899 / US$1,494 / AUS$1,666http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/HP/elitebook820/820_front-420-90.jpg A military grade portable isn't for everyone. After all, most of us aren't likely to be worried whether our laptop will survive being run over by a Humvee – unless, of course, you drive one. The EliteBook is well specced out with a Haswell Core i5 chip, 8GB and 1TB of storage, as well as an optional copy of Windows 8 Pro. In soldierly fashion, there's tool-free access to the innards, which enables quick upgrades, replacements and the ability to slot in a bigger battery than that supplied, for greater staying power. The Elitebook 820 G1 is a solid straight-down-the-barrel laptop with reliability baked in and is good value to boot. Read our full HP EliteBook 820 G1 review Lenovo ThinkPad T440s - £935 / US$1,543 / AUS$1,759http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Lenovo/T440s/Press%20Photos/lenovothinkpadt440s-1-420-90.jpg Similar to the ThinkPad X240, the T440s has two batteries and as a consequence results in a combined 8 hours of power. Instantly that makes the T440s a worthy business portable, even if that additional battery increases the girth and weight of the T440s to 4.2 pounds. The solid specs, including the latest generation Core i5 processor and a 128GB solid-state drive, reflect that you're getting a no-fuss and reliable ThinkPad for everyday business people that will simply deliver. If you want to make more of a statement, you may want to consider one of the Yoga series. Lenovo's changes, particularly to the keyboard, aren't going to sit well with old-school acolytes of the ThinkPad, but it's as close as you're likely to get, with its iconic red Trackpoint and the subtly concave keys that grip your fingertips for more controlled typing. Read our full ThinkPad T440s review Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga - £962 / US$1,598 / AUS$1,782http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Lenovo/ThinkPad%20Yoga/Press%20Images/Thinkpad%20Yoga_04_interface-420-90.jpg This is the Yoga wearing a pinstriped suit - and possibly a pink tie. Lenovo wants you to think of the Yoga series as the perfect business Ultrabook and it makes a good start by supplying a Core i3 (Haswell) processor, which provides a responsive and workman-like Windows 8 performance. Unfortunately, like many of the Yoga models we've reviewed, the battery life doesn't stretch very far, which makes all that bending into a tablet for commuting and flipping into 'tent' mode for a quick presentation a lot less useful. This is a long way from ThinkPad's origins, but it's stylish and will appeal if you're looking for versatility and a hi-res screen for visuals. Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga review Dell XPS 18 - £1,000 / US$1,350 / AUS$1,650http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/desktop_pcs_and_macs/Dell/xps18/xps18-420-90.jpg Essentially an 18-inch Windows 8 tablet crossed with an all-in-one PC, the Dell XPS 18 has a charging stand, Bluetooth mouse and keyboard that turns it into a desktop machine. It also has touchscreen controls and a kickstand, which means it works on its own, though it doesn't offer stylus support. The system feels quick, if not the most powerful around, and the keyboard is comfortable to use, though trackpads are better than mice when using Windows 8, so we often tended to navigate with the touchscreen instead of the mouse. Its screen is Full HD, and the machine packs an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive and speedy 32GB SSD into a slim 18mm body. It just offers two USB 3.0 ports, an SD card slot and an audio jack, with no more connections in the charging dock. Battery life is a little disappointing, largely due to the beautiful big screen sucking it all up. Read our full Dell XPS 18 review Lenovo ThinkPad Helix £1,007 / US$1,679 / AUS$1,878http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Lenovo/Thinkpad%20Helix/lenovo-thinkpad-helix-420-90.jpg Jack of both trades and master of neither laptop nor hybrid? In fact the ThinkPad Helix bravely squares off against the biggest challenge for a hybrid and does a good job for the most part. The Helix ships with a keyboard attachment that has its own battery pack and airflow fans. Stamped as it is with the ThinkPad moniker, the truncated keyboard is the best we've tried on a hybrid laptop, and is particularly good for bashing out long documents. That extra battery in the dock also means real day's worth of longevity. Our tests indicate that you'll get 7 hours from the Helix while docked and roughly 6 hours as a tablet. That fine result is largely down to the low power last-gen (Ivy Bridge) processor, which, we feel, should really have been a latest generation of Intel processor at this price. Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad Helix review Gigabyte P2742G - around £1,000 / US$1,607 / AU$1,706http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Gigabyte/Gigabyte%20P2742G/p2742g7db8-det1-420-90.jpg Graphics. It's the final frontier for mobile computing. We'll come to the reasons why momentarily. But the bottom line is that it means going after a laptop with 3D grunt is going to cost you. And that makes the new Gigabyte P2742G actually look like something of a bargain. It's a big, brash 17-inch portable gaming rig with a full-HD screen, a quad-core CPU and – critically – a dedicated graphics chip. The problem for mobile gaming goes something like this. CPU performance is stagnating. In fact, Intel bases most of its desktop CPUs on mobile designs these days, so the performance gap is tolerable. Read our Gigabyte P2742G review Samsung Series 7 Ultra - £1,020 / US$1,200 / AU$1,350http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Samsung/Series%207%20Ultra%20ultrabook/Series%207%20Ultra-420-90.jpg Pretty much everything about the 13-inch Samsung Series 7 Ultra shouts premium. And so it should, given the price. The cost alone butts it up against rivals such as the Asus Zenbook, Dell XPS 13 and Apple MacBook Air– remember that the latter model, while running Apple's OS X straight out of the box, can have Windows 7 or Windows 8 installed on it should you wish. The Series 7 Ultra runs Windows 8 Pro. The main reason for the price is the presence of so many premium features, chief among them an AMD Radeon HD 8500M graphics chip, which Samsung has taken the rather unusual Ultrabook step of including, alongside the 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor. That extra graphics chip is why it's among our high end laptops rather than coming under our ultraportables section, coming up. Read our Samsung Series 7 Ultra review Asus Transformer Book TX300 - £1,159 / US$1,925 / AUS$2,147http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Asus/Transformer-Book/tx300%20(15)-420-90.jpg We remember playing with a Transformer that turned into a microcassette recorder, which is probably why Hasbro took offence to Asus's stylish hybrids and tried to sue the company for trademark infringement. Fortunately, Hasbro's litigation failed and as a result we have a powerful 13-inch Ultrabook that transforms into a tablet quickly by unclipping the keyboard. The rest of the specs add up to a responsive Windows 8 experience, although had the Core i7 processor been a Haswell chip, the battery life would have likely steamed past its current 5 hours. Aside from a few connectivity caveats (no HDMI or USB 3.0 ports on the tablet) and its weight, this is a desirable hybrid finished off with brushed aluminium. The Asus Transformer Book TX300 may not beat the likes of the Apple MacBook Pro but it straddles the line between laptop and tablet in an admirable fashion (that would make Optimus Prime proud). Read our full Asus Transformer Book TX300 review Toshiba Satellite P70 - £1,199 / US$1,992 / AUS$2,222http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Toshiba/Toshiba-P70/23228-420-90.jpg Aspects of the Satellite P70's build look a bit cheap, but that's not the case with the components that have been used inside the chassis. It packs a vivid Full HD screen, a stunning 2TB of storage, a top-end Core i7 chip, even a Blu-ray writer and, to top it off, discrete graphics. Unfortunately, all of those demanding internals also mean a hit to the battery life, which lasted only 77 minutes, which isn't enough time to watch the average movie. This Windows 8 machine is intended to be a desktop replacement and as such it will hit most, if not all, of the requirements. Read our full Toshiba Satellite P70 review Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus - £1,200 / US$1,400 / AUS$1,600http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Samsung/Samsung%20Ativ%20Book%209%20Plus/uk_NP940X3G-K01UK_020_Front_black-420-90.jpg Samsung was one of the very first PC manufacturers to jump on the Ultrabook bandwagon. It's done a fine job of representing Intel's baby ever since, with some stunning offerings, including the Series 5 Ultra Touch and, more recently, the top-of-the-range Series 9 NP900X3D. Samsung certainly knows its stuff when it comes to Ultrabooks, but the goal posts are always moving. So what new trick can it pull out of its sleeve for 2014? Read our full Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus review Asus G750JX - £1,269 / US$1,900 / AU$2,300http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Windows%208/Issue%2013/WIN13.desire_rev3.asus3-420-90.jpg When you buy a high-end gaming laptop like this, you're not only buying something that's physically large, you're also buying power - and a considerable amount of power at that. The Asus G750JX boasts top-end components across the board, but nowhere more so than at its hugely capable heart - there's a Core i7-4700HQ processor on board from Intel in there. Launched mere months ago, this 2.4GHz quad-core processor has plenty to offer gamers. Read our Asus G750JX review HP ZBook 14 - £1,430 / US$2,349 / AUS$2,617http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/HP/ZBook%2014/hpzbook14press-1-420-90.jpg This is Dell's Ultrabook workstation, which aside from good all-round performance means it's got business squarely in mind. This includes easy access to the internals for IT departments wanting to do quick upgrades or replacements, and a fingerprint sensor for slowing down any opportunist wishing to rifle through your confidential documents. The ZBook isn't light for an Ultrabook but it will handle all the intensive data tasks you can throw at it with its high-end Intel Core i7 chip, 240GB solid-state drive, 16GB of RAM and extra graphical grunt via discrete AMD FirePro M4100. Battery life was distinctly less impressive at 3 hours when taxed, but make no mistake this is a capable Windows 8 workstation. Read our full HP ZBook 14 review Dell Precision M3800 - £1,499 / US$2,498 / AUS$2,791http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Dell/Precision%20M3800%20(2013)/dell%20precision%20m3800%20portable%20workstation-420-90.jpg This is an exceptionally powerful and portable workstation for creative work, albeit with a limited battery life of around 3 hours. An Intel Core i7-4702HQ quad-core processor backed by 16GB of RAM and Nvidia Quadro discrete graphics give this Precision M3800 almost desktop-like performance. Another HD+ display makes a welcome appearance with a resolution of 3,200x1,800, which makes for crisp viewing. As it currently stands, however, Adobe has hobbled this great display for serious design work as it hasn't been scaled up for Creative Cloud apps. As a result, icons are tiny and menu information remains very hard to read. This isn't Dell's fault but it may take time for the situation to be resolved with all the software you use regularly. This model also comes with a decent-sized SSD that works alongside a 500GB hybrid hard drive with flash memory that kicks in for fast access to Windows 8. Solidly built yet sleek and lightweight, the Precision M3800 earns its money and is capable of running many types of 3D software and intensive tasks that are part of a designer's day. Read the full Dell Precision M3800 review Gigabyte Aorus X7 - £1,600 / US$2,666 / AUS$2,978http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Aorus/X7/Press%20images%20cropped/X702-420-90.jpg http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Awards%20Logos%202012/tr_recommended_2012-100-100.jpg Twin-GPUs in an inch-thick gaming laptop? That's the kind of thing liable to induce a frenzy among most serious gamers, akin to spraying blood into a shark pool. Gigabyte has two Nvidia 765M GPUs running in SLI mode in the Aorus X7, which putting it into perspective is the same graphics GPU in the Alienware 14 – but twice over. It would appear that physics has, apparently, been sidestepped somehow. But the notion is simple enough: use two decent graphics GPUs and spread the heat around the chassis and you can achieve a smaller form factor than with a better single graphics unit. As you'll note from the review's product shots, you also need vents – lots of them. Real-world gaming performance, as you might expect, is stellar – how about BioShock Infinite on max graphics settings at 55fps through a 1080p screen? Not bad, to put it mildly. The downside of all that performance is the noise from the fans and the air blasting through the vents (on the plus side you could dry your hair mid-game). Battery life isn't great either, but something had to be sacrificed to the gods of gaming for this kind of performance. That graphical muscle is matched up with a Core i7-4700HQ, a great processor for video editing and creative work as well as gaming. To swing for home, the Aorus X7 even has 1TB of hard drive space for all your games and a small SSD for fast booting. Read our Gigabyte Aorus X7 review MSI GS70 Stealth - £1,600 / US$2,000 / AU$2,300http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/MSI/GS70/msi10msi-gs70-420-90.jpg The MSI GS70 Stealth breaks away from familiar desktop replacement conventions: instead of being bulky, heavy and ugly, it's little thicker than an Ultrabook and half the weight of some rivals - and it's one of the best-looking laptops we've seen for quite some time. The GS70's vital statistics are backed up by great quality. It's mostly made from brushed aluminium, and the gunmetal-grey finish is paired with slick design. The MSI's lid and base gently contour toward subtle curves at each edge, and we like the little details: milled speaker grilles and air vents, discreet status LEDs on the front edge, and the total absence of garish stickers that usually disturb wrist-rests. Build quality is excellent, too - impressive when the GS70's dimensions are considered. The base is sturdy and, while there's a little flex in the lid, it's what we expect from machines with a 17-inch screen. Read our MSI GS70 Stealth review Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch - £1,779 / US$2,139 / AUS$2,538http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Lenovo/ThinkPad%20X1%20Carbon%20Touch/Lenovo%20ThinkPad%20X1%20Carbon%20Touch%20front-420-90.jpg The original 2012 Lenovo X1 Carbon was the best ThinkPad money could buy, but now Lenovo has added a touchscreen panel and changed Windows 7 Professional for Windows 8, bringing last year's model right up to date. The result is a formidable machine that not only offers the best usability and performance, but also a fantastic Windows 8 experience. However, the eye-watering price tag means this experience doesn't come cheap. Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch review Razer Blade - £1,802 / US$2,994 / AUS$3,339http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/laptops/Razer/Blade/blade-main-420-90.jpg The Razer Blade with it's matte-black aluminium finish is all about gaming with style. Razer has chosen a 14-inch chassis with a lower-res screen (1,600x900 pixels) for a design purpose: achieving the best gaming results possible with the Nvidia GeForce GTX 765M graphics and an Intel Core i7 4702HQ processor. In a sense the Razer Blade achieves this goal with some admirable results on current 3D games, such as Metro Last Light. But the achievement isn't one that yields a portable gaming machine that will replace your desktop PC. Less demanding titles, such as the Call of Duty: Black Ops will run just fine, which suggests that Titanfall (which uses the less demanding Source Engine) may run smoothly as well. The question is how much you're prepared to pay for a beautifully designed gaming laptop that's not going to be powerful enough to deliver all the current crop of high performance games with everything turned on and the graphics cranked up to Ultra. Read our full Razer Blade review http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37feeb7d/sc/28/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191800989615/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37feeb7d/sc/28/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191800989615/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37feeb7d/sc/28/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191800989615/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37feeb7d/sc/28/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191800989615/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37feeb7d/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191800989615/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37feeb7d/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/rV2vp1Mp8TU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/AU%20News/ironman3-470-75.jpgMarvel has bestowed some new superpowers on its Marvel Unlimited app for iOS, integrating the adaptive audio technology it has been working on in its secret evil lairs for over a year. Starting with five issues of Captain America: The Winter Solder, the company is adding cover-to-cover soundtracks with the hope of upping the drama and improving the reading experience for fans. The adaptive part comes through gauging how fast readers progress through the panels. If users spend a long time on a particular panel, the music will loop. Skip forward and it will seamlessly segue to the next part of the score. Other changes to the new app, which is available now, sees Marvel shift from HTML 5 to native iOS code for faster transitions. The Android version of the app is close too. More blips!There's no adaptive audio with these blips, but they're still essential reading. Did someone just unmask the mysterious creator of Bitcoin?You could've bought Instagram with the $1bn pledged on Kickstarter so farThe Minecraft movie seems to be happeninghttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37f83cf1/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801081233/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f83cf1/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801081233/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f83cf1/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801081233/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f83cf1/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801081233/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f83cf1/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191801081233/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f83cf1/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/8EXhNZrA_6w

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Abstract/Keyhole%20binary%20code/Keyhole%20binary%20code%20abstract-470-75.jpgFluctuations in foreign exchange markets can significantly impact on a business's profits. However, hedging against this risk can be confusing and expensive – particularly for SMEs. Kantox, a peer-to-peer (P2P) platform for business foreign exchange, matches companies who want to buy and sell foreign currency, allowing them to bypass expensive bank and broker fees. An example: you are a company located in Europe, importing goods from China and paying your Chinese provider in US Dollars. In the Kantox marketplace, you can find another company, located in Europe, exporting goods to the US who has US Dollars to sell in exchange of your Euros. Since launching in 2011, Kantox says it now trades in over 25 currencies across 50 countries and has provided customers with up to 80% discounts on their foreign exchange trades. We talk to Kantox CEO Philippe Gelis to find out more. TechRadar Pro: Why did you set up your business – what problem were you trying to solve? Philippe Gelis: At Deloitte, Antonio and I had a Spanish client who exported cava (the Spanish champagne) to the US. The company had a lot of FX and was paying huge spread on each trade. We tried to help them negotiating with their bank but it was really tough, so we decided to look for an alternative solution, simple, transparent and efficient. TRP: Who are your target customers? PG: We now have over 500 business clients using Kantox. Our customers are mainly SMEs, with revenues ranging from around £5-200 million, but we also have mid-cap clients with revenues in excess of £1 billion. Our customers are spread across a variety of sectors, from tourism to cosmetics, media, consulting, engineering, technology, fashion and transport. TRP: What has been your biggest success to date? PG: To have established so many clients in such a short space of time is a real achievement. When we first launched in 2011 we had just 12 clients. Getting those first few clients to on-board was the real challenge. Asking them to question traditional banking systems and see our business as not only a genuine alternative system, but one which is preferable, required a paradigm shift. The fact that we are now enabling our clients to trade millions every day and save our clients significant sums of money is probably our biggest success. TRP: What have been the key milestones in financing your company? PG: Winning a start-up contest in 2011, which came with a €25,000 prize was a sign that people believed in our company and my partner and I finally decided it was time to quit our jobs. After going on to gain €150,000 from family and friends in the same year, we concentrated on becoming regulated, which enabled the business to really kick-off. Following a €1 million investment in the Summer of 2012, we were then able to create a team and start scaling. Just this month we secured a €6.4 million investment. We're constantly working to provide the best service possible to our customers, so we're using this money to further develop our technology and consolidate our position in Europe. TRP: Where do you see your company in five years' time?
 PG: As a company we want to remain free – we don't want to be part of a bank or bigger institution – we want to offer our customers the same level of innovation by being free. In five years' time I would also consider listing the business. TRP: Where would you like to see your industry in five years' time? PG: I would like to see more start-ups providing alternatives to banking services and for these to be taken seriously - not just in FX, but across the whole range of banking sectors, including lending, payments and retail banking. As alternative offerings grow, so will customer confidence in the industry. Five years ago the idea of truly challenging the established banking system was almost unthinkable. Now people are finally starting to associate alternative finance options with more choice, better clarity and lower fees. With changing customer ideology, plus access to innovative technologies, the idea of truly challenging and indeed changing the industry is starting to become a reality. Nonetheless, the FinTech industry is still in its infancy – in five years' time I'd like to see alternative finance solutions representing at least 10-20% of the market. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37f83cf6/sc/46/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801081232/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f83cf6/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801081232/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f83cf6/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801081232/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f83cf6/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801081232/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f83cf6/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191801081232/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f83cf6/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/tE65DDpB7Mc

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/cloud_services/Perzo/perzo-safelock-470-75.JPG Wieland Alge, Vice President and General Manager EMEA at Barracuda Networks, speaks on fighting virtual shadows to protect customer data from malicious intent in the wake of the recent Barclays' data breach. TechRadar Pro: What did you make of Barclays bank recently having thousands of customer details stolen and sold? Wieland Alge: The plight of Barclays Bank, following the theft of thousands of confidential customer files, has once again thrust the issue of how organisations protect confidential data high up the business and consumer agenda. Accountable heads are lifting from the global sands of ignorance as theoretical threats become real life scenarios that must be dealt with or expose data vulnerabilities which could see the downfall of even the most powerful brands. TRP: In your experience, what are the expected repercussions from such a high profile breach? WA: This confidential data belongs to the customer, not the enterprise. Customers very quickly turn away from brands that are shown not to be worthy of being trusted with confidential personal data. Ask yourself, how many chances would you give a bank that hands over your details to criminals with malicious intent? TRP: How do you keep one step ahead of the criminal minds? WA: Good question. So how does an enterprise IT department keep ahead of criminal masterminds? Besides protecting against system failure, comprehensive data strategies must protect against a new generation of attackers that are improving their exploitation tactics greatly. With tactics ranging from pop-up adverts and spyware to capture web browsing habits to the insertion Trojans or use of cleverly crafted queries designed to steal passwords and log-in information, there is malicious intent lurking in every virtual shadow. To protect against these attacks, organisations must take into account the three core areas hackers can compromise online: • Malicious People – the potentially dangerous people with whom users interact The Barclays security breach highlights the vulnerability posed by people with the now infamous delivery to a national newspaper of a memory stick containing personal details of 2,000 customers. • Malicious Places – the potentially dangerous destinations or URLs where users visit The number of phishing campaigns worldwide increased by more than 20 percent in the third quarter of 2013, with crimeware (malware designed specifically to automate cybercrime attacks) evolving and proliferating, according to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG). • Malicious Things – the potentially dangerous objects/applications with which the user interacts TRP: And is this not already happening? Surely there have been enough high profile hacks in the last six months to put this right at the top of IT agendas? WA: Every day, more than 100,000 websites are running with the singular goal of spreading crimeware which can cripple the effectiveness of information security efforts. There is a gaping hole in today's approach to security, and organisations are not doing enough to keep data safe. The hackers have taken notice and shifted their attack mechanisms to bypass traditional security measures, and the security industry as a whole must do the same. More than ever, security needs to be intelligent, scalable, and always available wherever end users happen to be. TRP: Is it only big businesses that can protect themselves against malicious activity? WA: Not at all. SMEs are exposed to exactly the same IT threats as large companies but where international corporations employ large teams dedicated to IT security, an SME must do what it can with much smaller budgets. Security has become a great deal cheaper over the past few years and professional solutions are affordable for smaller businesses. Technology therefore, is not the answer, but staff training. Larger businesses have the financial ability to send team members for official training more easily than SMEs, so smaller businesses should also ensure that their teams are well educated internally on how they can keep their company's data safe. TRP: What kind of evolving tactics should IT professionals be wary of? WA: Phishing, for example, has not only flourished, but evolved in recent years for businesses of all sizes, and we all know the consequences can lead to a tarnished reputation and loss of business. A common form of attack now includes using email addresses stolen from specific databases using 'SQL injection' to launch targeted spear-phishing attacks against email users. To mitigate against this, protecting your databases using properly configured web application firewalls (WAFs) is a no-brainer. General phishing attacks target a wide variety of people, typically flooding thousands of inboxes. However, spear phishing targets specific people or organisations. Usually, the attacker will research personal information about the individuals in order to make their messages sound more convincing. The availability of personal information via social media has made this process a lot easier for cyber criminals, this stresses the importance that businesses must educate their users to be vigilant at all times, especially in their personal online activities. TRP: So what's your advice for anyone looking at the current Barclays situation hoping that it never becomes their own professional reality? WA: There are two basic rules, of equal importance, to adhere to when developing, implementing and managing data strategy: Rule #1 for protecting your customers: Never lose their identity. · Ensure clear accountability for protecting individuals' privacy at all times. Rule #1 for employees: Educate them to not put business related information at risk. · Continually consider and address privacy concerns. A comprehensive approach built on these two rules is the only way to stop malware, spyware, viruses, malicious content, and other threats in order to prevent hacking attacks. The NTP is one of several protocols used within the infrastructure of the internet to keep things running smoothly. Unfortunately though, despite being vital components, most of these protocols were designed and implemented at a time when the prospect of malicious activity was not considered. Anticipated or not, there will always be new and bigger threats to data to deal with. The best that organisations' can do to protect their data, their customers and their reputations is ensure all best efforts are always being made to protect against them with thorough policy and process. Faith, honour and commitment should be shown to 'The Rules' at all times. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37f79d4d/sc/46/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801151505/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f79d4d/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801151505/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f79d4d/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801151505/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f79d4d/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191801151505/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f79d4d/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191801151505/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f79d4d/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/VO4CS9gzNH4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/google%20now%20launcher/header-image-2-470-75.jpgGoogle Now Launcher has arrived, but you will be forgiven if you don't know much about it. We are scratching our heads as to why Google Now Launcher was actually launched with minimal fanfare and a low-profile Google+ post. All we can say is: don't let the low-key launch fool you as this is one of Google's most important apps in years. Not only is the new Google Now Launcher a cracking bit of software, it's also the future of Android. It is also a little bit of a secret - not much is know about Google Now Launcher and some are confused as to why you would actually need it on your phone. That's why we have tried the launcher for ourselves and are here to tell you everything you need to know about the app that adds more Google to your Android phone... What exactly is Google Now Launcher?On an Android phone, the launcher is basically the maître d': it's the bit of software that welcomes you onto the phone, is in charge of the home screen, and does the behind-the-scenes launching of any apps. It's in charge of the layout of arguably the most important and frequently seen bits of the operating system, and as such is quite important. It also tends to vary a fair bit between different Android-running phones. Vanilla Android, as released by Google, has a 'stock' launcher, but most third-party manufacturers like Samsung, Sony or HTC tend to use a software 'skin' on top of Android, which changes a bunch of things, including the launcher. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/google%20now%20launcher/launchers-420-90.jpg But, because this is Android, switching your launcher is pretty easy – hustle over to the Play Store, and there's innumerable free launchers just vying for your attention. The Google Now Launcher, then, isn't a unique app – it goes in to bat against an already established market of other options, like the venerable Nova and Apex launchers that were around back when phones had trackballs and short trousers. Where the Google Now Launcher is different is that it's the first time Google's released the stock Android launcher for download on the Play Store (with some caveats, which we'll mention later). This means that anyone with a device running Android 4.x can have the same experience that's previously only been available on the Nexus 5. For those who need Google *Now*The Google Now Launcher does pretty much what it says on the tin – it puts Google's personal assistant-cum-mind-reader, Now, front and centre on your phone. Google Now, in case you're not familiar, is the Google service that is meant to give you personalised information, without you even having to ask for it, in the form of 'cards' that pop up in your notification tray. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/google%20now%20launcher/google-now-swipe-420-90.jpg Now has existed on every Android device since July 2012 and Android 4.1, but to access it, you have to hold the home button, then swipe your thumb upwards: not exactly the most taxing gesture, truth be told, but it means that you only discover Google Now if you're specifically looking for it. The Now Launcher changes that: your cards are now accessible through a simple left-swipe from your main homescreen page (which, by complete coincidence, is exactly how Spotlight search used to be accessed in iOS). It's a minor cosmetic change, for sure, but it makes Now far more prominent in the Android operating system, and is a clear sign that Google sees Now as being a tool for the general public, not the tech-blog-frequenting minority. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/google%20now%20launcher/google-now-voice-420-90.jpg It's not all cosmetic changes, though. The biggest functional change the Now Launcher brings to the table is an always-on voice capability, like that found in the MotoX. Rather than having to tap a mic button to initiate voice command (as you had to do previously in Android), just preface your question with "Okay Google", and you can query the world's biggest search engine with whatever's bugging you. Sadly, it's not quite as integrated as the Moto X's Touchless Control features: because the voice commands are a function of the Now Launcher, which is essentially an app. It only works when that app is open on your phone – i.e. when the phone's unlocked, and on the home screen. The Moto X's Touchless Control, by contrast, is at your beck and call even when the phone's locked, or if you're in another app. The voice recognition itself is just as fantastic, though: it handles British accents rather well, and the time lag between finishing speaking and bringing up the results is lightning-fast. Just like Siri, you're not limited to simple web searches, either – ask "Okay Google, what's my schedule like tomorrow?", and your phone will list exactly how many meetings you have to sit through. Finally, if you're on an earlier version of Android than 4.4, the Google Now Launcher also means that you get lots of the 4.4 bells and whistles – transparent menu options, and a user experience that's generally a little faster and slicker. What's good for you is good for GoogleAs significant as the Now Launcher is for you and me, it's an even bigger statement of Google's vision for Android down the line. The vast majority of the code for the Google Now Launcher isn't actually contained in the Launcher app, but rather in the Google Search app (the Launcher app is basically just an empty shell with a few lines of code that redirects everything to the Search app). That's a huge deal, because third-party manufacturers have to include the Search app on Android if they want to include any Google apps at all. That, in turn, means that down the line, almost every Android phone will have to ship with the stock Android experience installed – sure, it might not be the default launcher, but it's the work of moments to enable it. That follows the trend of Google trying to re-Googlify the Android experience – the integration of SMS into the Hangouts app, and the release of the stock keyboard on the Play Store were the opening shots, but forcing manufacturers to include the core Android launcher on every device? That's the full broadside. How to install itAll that said, at the moment, if you want the Google Now Launcher (and you should – it's faster, slicker and more feature-packed than whatever you're running at the moment), you'll have to do a little work. For those of you with a Nexus device, or other Google Play Edition phone, it's easy enough – just downloadthis app from the Play Store, and Bob's your (slightly more Googlified) uncle. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/google%20now%20launcher/google-now-how-to-420-90.jpg For everyone else, the Now Launcher isn't officially supported, so you have to jump through one, very small, hoop. Make sure your version of Google Search is up-to-date on your phone, then download this file onto your computer. Hook up your phone to your computer with a USB cable, transfer the file across, then use a file browser on your phone to open the Google Now Launcher APK. Once that's all done, you just have to go to Settings > Home, and select the Google Now Launcher as the default. Happy searching! Here's TechRadar's guide to the 10 best Android launchers out nowhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37f74c60/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191800953635/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f74c60/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191800953635/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f74c60/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191800953635/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f74c60/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191800953635/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f74c60/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191800953635/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f74c60/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/ok34nwV7V7Y

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Apps/New_York_Times_app-470-75.jpgThe New York Times has announced a new mobile news app, offering subscribers a selection of hand picked, mobile-friendly shortened stores for a monthly fee. The NYT Now app, which will launch "very soon" according to the paper, will be run by a dedicated staff who will be responsible for scaling down and abridging news content for a mobile audience short on time. For all of those summarised reports, which are designed to keep users abreast on the biggest news of the day, the paper will ask the rather sizeable monthly fee of $8 (around £4.70, AU$ 8.82) a month. As well as half-stories from the world's most famous newspaper, the NYT Now app will also collate other big stories from publications around the web. Don't worry though, it's curated by New York Times editors. Mini-newsroomApparently, it's not the unashamed rip-off that it sounds. Attendees at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas were informed that it's still around half the price of the $15 digital subscription to the New York Times. It'll feature an ingenious scrollable interface, making the news easy to digest for those mobile users who want top quality journalism and are willing to pay for it, but, you know, just can't be bothered to read all of it. According to two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, the aptly-named Clifford Levy, it's like a "mini-newsroom for mobile. Don't forget that super-innovative "Save it for later" feature too! The 90 best free iPhone apps in 2014http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37f4d39f/sc/15/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191800942199/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f4d39f/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191800942199/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f4d39f/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191800942199/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f4d39f/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/191800942199/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f4d39f/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/191800942199/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37f4d39f/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/btDnjSNQzj4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/techradar/BOT/best_of_techradar_week16-470-75.png The Oscar-winning effects of Gravityhttp://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/features/gravity-sfx/Gravity-Still5-250-100.jpg In space, no one can hear you pee? It is hard for a blockbuster nowadays to deliver the all-important 'wow' factor. Audiences in the 21st century have been conditioned to expect expensive special effects - so much so that they are only usually noticed now if they fall short of being exceptional. When it comes to Gravity, though, it was not the audience's expectations that had to be met but that of the director's. Continue reading... Godz and Monsters: the making of Godzillahttp://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/features/godzilla-feature/godzilla-mainimage-250-100.jpg Godzilla director talks about bringing the monster to life When making a Godzilla movie, the conclusion you are going to come to pretty quickly is that size matters. For director Gareth Edwards there was only one way he wanted to go with the size of his Godzilla and that was upwards. Continue reading... Apple CarPlay: Everything you need to knowhttp://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/car%20tech/Apple%20CarPlay/16x9/CarPlay%20screen-250-100.jpg iOS in the car is finally here Finally announced at the start of March 2014, Apple CarPlay is the much-mooted and long-awaited 'iOS in the car' project finally coming to fruition. With our digital tech barely having made a scratch on the largely analogue in-car experience, the automobile is considered by many to be the next great tech battleground. Because the lifespan of a car is so long compared to the lifecycle of digital technologies like phones and the software they run, the challenge is to create a smart in-car infotainment system that can stay up to date even as your car ages. Here's everything you need to know about CarPlay Why internet speed should determine your next homehttp://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/other/houseforsalesold-250-100.jpg Don't bet the house on a crap connection What's a decent broadband connection worth? According to some reports, it could account for as much as 20% of the value of your home. Never mind homes built on flood plains, homes on fire or homes next door to Piers Morgan: it seems that the thing that scares homebuyers more than anything else is a crappy connection. Continue reading... http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/car%20tech/Laird%20on%20Wheels/apple%20v%20google%20cars-580-100.png Google vs Apple CarPlayMaps, Glass, driverless cars - Google is miles ahead already With the launch of CarPlay, Google and Apple are on collision course in the contest for car tech supremacy. But in my view, Google already has Apple well beaten. Both Apple and Google have now unveiled plans to get their mobile operating systems, usually found in phones and tablets, running in cars. The first skirmish in what is likely to be a drawn-out battle will be all about mapping and navigation. And Google Maps is miles ahead of Apple Maps. Factor in Google's broader track record in automotive tech, including driverless cars and the promise of Google Glass and a very strong case for favouring it over Apple in the contest for in-car supremacy emerges. Read: Google vs CarPlay PlayStation Games are too expensive, here's why Valve has the right ideahttp://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/games_consoles/PlayStation%20Gamer/price%20war/PSG%20price%20war-250-100.png It's time for PSN pricing to reflect digital values Did you miss the biggest games story of the last seven days? If you play your games on PlayStation, you probably did. PC developer Valve Software has told its dev partners they can now freely discount the prices of their games on the Steam download store. So why does this matter to PlayStation? Because Valve has just triggered a downhill sales race on Steam. Many developers, understandably eager to seize the spotlight in front of an audience of more than 75 million PC gamers, will give in to the temptation to go low, driving others to go even lower. Read: PlayStation Gamer Why The Walking Dead makes triple-A video games look like zombieshttp://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/games_consoles/Xbox%20Gamer/The%20Walking%20Dead-main-250-100.png In the new world of games, story counts more than size With the release of The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 2 this week, studio Telltale is continuing to do things differently. Instead of focusing on one full-length retail title, Telltale launches its games in episodes, with one 2-3 hour instalment of a series being released every couple of months. It's a great approach to development and marketing, and it works. The result is a fresh, reactive game with a fanbase who are constantly hungry for more. Frankly, more studios should be sitting up and taking notice. Shorter games could be the future of gaming. Read: Xbox Gamer Spying smartphones could save your lifehttp://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phone_accessories/Wello/wello_phone_case-250-100.jpg Never mind the NSA - we need iPod nannies There's a big problem with wearable health tech: the people who need it won't buy it. With the obvious exceptions - people who have conditions that mean they need to keep a close eye on what their bodies are up to - the kind of people who'll embrace wearable health gadgets are the kind of people who don't really need them. If you care enough about your health to drop hundreds on health kit, you're probably not the kind of person who runs screaming from salad bars. We don't need health sensors for healthy people, we need them for everybody else. We need smartphones that will spy on us. How Spotify dealt a huge blow to its rivalshttp://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/tablets/iPad/apps/Spotify%20for%20iPad/Lifestyle%201-250-100.jpg Swedish streamer just got a lot more powerful Spotify just bought The Echo Nest - a music intelligence engine. If you're a Spotify user, you should be happy about the move - the company has inherited a treasure-trove of music data, which can only make Spotify's products better. "With The Echo Nest joining Spotify, we will make a big leap forward in our quest to play you the best music possible," said Daniel Ek in the company's statement. But if you're not, you might find the musical rug being whipped out from underneath you. This week's hottest reviewshttp://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/televisions/LG/55EA980W/lg_curved_tv-300-100.png LG 55EA980WIt's OLED. It's curved. It's bloody brilliant! The long, long wait is over and vaguely affordable big-screen OLED entertainment has finally arrived. And what style it's arrived in, with the 55EA980W imperiously rising to the challenge of living up to all the hype OLED has built up around itself over the past three or four years. Apparently OLED screens remain prohibitively difficult to make, leading to everyone bar LG seemingly withdrawing from the OLED market again for the time being. But that loss looks set to be LG's gain, for if it can continue to make OLEDs as outstanding as the 55EA980W, there will surely always be people out there desperate to buy them. Read: LG 55EA980W review http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/tablets/Samsung/Galaxy%20Note%20Pro%2012.2/Press%20photos/Press%20photos/SM-T900_013_Set_Black-200-100.jpg Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2Samsung throws everything into the fledgling maxi-tablet category As the first significant manufacturer to step forward with its vision of a super-sized tablet, Samsung has quite a job on its hands to convince the world that there is a genuine need, and that this isn't just a gimmick. If nothing else, the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 successfully answers that question to the affirmative. It's not a tablet you'll want to lug around with you or whip out in public, and it is dauntingly expensive. But if productivity is foremost in your mind as you shop for an Android tablet, the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2's combination of huge HD display and S Pen interactivity is a compelling combination. Read: Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 review http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Nokia/Lumia1320/Press/Lumia1320-Press-04-200-100.jpg Nokia Lumia 1320A capable phablet, but is it already obsolete? The Nokia Lumia 1320 is positioned as budget alternative to the all-powerful Nokia Lumia 1520, but there's a problem. The Nokia Lumia 1520 has dropped in price significantly, making the 1320 seem surplus to requirements. Comparisons aside, it's an extremely hefty phone that lacks Nokia's usual design flair, with a workmanlike plastic construction that's prone to creaking. This middle-of-the road feeling continues with its underwhelming processor, average camera, and lack of any stand-out software that really marks the Lumia 1320 out as unique. You'll be getting a strong Windows Phone 8 experience here, but that can be had for less money and in a more desirable package these days. Read: Nokia Lumia 1320 http://cdn3.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/cameras/Pentax/Pentax%20K-50/Product%20Shots/Press%20Images/K-50_1855WR_black_001-200-100.jpg Pentax K-50A weather-proof all-rounder well-suited to beginners This is a good purchase for those looking for their first DSLR and want something a little bit rugged that can cope with a wide variety of different shooting conditions. If you have no particular affiliation to the Canon and Nikon standards here, definitely think about the K-50, if for the weather-sealing alone. Read: Pentax K-50 review http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/car%20tech/Gadgets/Alcosense/Alcosense%20Digital%20Breathalyser%20Lite%202-200-100.jpg AlcoSense Digital Breathalyser LiteAn affordable and reusable tool for testing your blood-alcohol levels There are two conundrums facing the Alcosense Digital Breathalyser Lite. Firstly, is it accurate? On that subject we can't be sure thanks to the disappointing lack of co-operation from Avon and Somerset Constabulary. That said, we've seen enough to think the device works well and would function in its intended role. In other words, we think the Alcosense Digital Breathalyser Lite will indeed give you a good guide as to whether you are risking driving over the allowed limit. Read: AlcoSense Digital Breathalyser Lite review http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/audio_systems/Philips%20Fidelio%20E2/philips-fidelio-e2-main-200-100.jpg Philips Fidelio E2A decent two-speaker setup that offers sound far above its paygrade Slight sound niggles aside there is a lot to love with the Philips Fidelio E2 speakers. Coming in at a price point that (literally) sounds to good to be true, they will be hard to beat in their category. The only issues you may have are with styling - the wood finish won't fit all living rooms - and an occasional low dirge but these are slight complaints when the overall package is such a multi-faceted delight. Read: Philips Fidelio E2 review Follow TechRadar on Twitter...http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/games_consoles/Gaming%20illustrations/twitter-300-100.jpg @TechRadar@TechRadarGaming@TechRadarPro@TR_CarTech@TR_Phones@TR_Cameras

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Android%20mobile%20apps/Vine%20Update%20Time%20Travel-470-75.jpgTwitter's video sharing social network Vine has announced posts featuring explicit sexual content will no longer be permitted. In a blog post, the firm said it had no problem with porn but didn't want its wide selection of user-uploaded, 6-second loops to be permeated by all manner of filth. "As we've watched the community and your creativity grow and evolve, we've found that there's a very small percentage of videos that are not a good fit for our community," Vine wrote. "So we're making an update to our Rules and Terms of Service to prohibit explicit sexual content." Get your porn fix elsewhere!The company said the new policy wouldn't change anything for the vast majority of users who don't feel the need to share their favourite sex scenes or even their own body parts with the rest of the community. "For more than 99% of our users, this doesn't really change anything. For the rest: we don't have a problem with explicit sexual content on the internet – we just prefer not to be the source of it," Vine added. For those unsure, the company has even offered a guide to what constitutes explicit sexual content, which you probably don't need to read. Here's to no more videos of excited members! Did you know Vine recently launched web profiles? http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37e2ab4c/sc/21/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531484373/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37e2ab4c/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531484373/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37e2ab4c/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531484373/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37e2ab4c/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531484373/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37e2ab4c/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186531484373/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37e2ab4c/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/3w5UAVDMfG0

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Abstract/Government/Parliament/WST304.lb_news.london.resized-470-75.jpgThe arrest of government advisor Patrick Rock for alleged child pornography offences throws into sharp focus the need to protect networks against illegal material. If we simply wait for incidents to come to light, our actions will have limited impact. A proactive approach is the key to disrupting the spread of illegal material. Rock's arrest has demonstrated the important point that the people committing these offences don't just exist in a dark criminal underworld, or between the lines of a newspaper. They are part of our day-to-day communities – they are employees, tenants and siblings. In so many cases, their crimes seem unexpected or out of character. The workplace is often missed from the debate about illegal online activity. But it shouldn't be. Users who are obsessed with child pornography will store or access images and videos whenever possible. Illegal contentFrom our experience we know that over one person in every thousand will access illegal content in the workplace or via a work device. Organisations and businesses of every type need to acknowledge this and take responsibility for their own networks. So far, the debate on tackling child pornography has centred on web filters. We've seen calls for companies such as Google and BT to take the lead in 'fixing' the internet. But the truth is that ISPs and search companies cannot do this alone. The spread of child abuse is a societal problem and a collaborative approach is required to solve it. Web filters block the more obvious websites peddling illegal material and will deter curious browsers. But those actively seeking illegal pornographic content won't have trouble circumventing URL blocks. Peer to peer networks, anonymisers like TOR and simple USB drives are all vehicles for accessing and sharing this kind of material. We need to bring the debate on child pornography up to date, and in line with reality. There are reasonable steps that every organisation can be taking to understand if their networks and devices are unwittingly supporting criminal activity. Technological solutions exist, and we all have responsibility to do something. It is no longer defensible for businesses to say 'we didn't know'. Christian Berg is the CEO and founder at NetCleanhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37e171b7/sc/46/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531339971/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37e171b7/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531339971/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37e171b7/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531339971/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37e171b7/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531339971/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37e171b7/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186531339971/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37e171b7/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/P8N5_A_C6KM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/iPad/apps/iAd_iPad_engagement-470-75.jpgBlackBerry isn't the only smartphone maker generating headlines for their mobile advertising initiatives this week: Apple is said to be working on iAds that automatically play video in full-screen mode on iOS devices. Ad Age dug up a scoop on Apple's forthcoming plans for its mobile iAds which may soon see those relatively innocuous banner ads exploding all over their display with full-screen video playback - whether users like it or not. According to the usual "people with knowledge of Apple's plans," iPhone, iPod touch and iPad owners may no longer have to voluntarily tap on a banner-based iAd to make it play. These so-called "interstitials" are rumored to catch a user's attention while they are in the process of jumping to another level of gameplay or after reading an article, rather than disrupting whatever they happen to be doing at the time. Lights, cameras, iAds?Launched in 2010, Apple's iAds generated a lot of buzz but never really took off with advertisers, who balked at the initial asking price of US$1 million (about AU$1.99 million) per buy. Although Apple doesn't report iAd revenue, the iPhone maker is said to have steeply marked down the price of such ads to a more reasonable US$100,000 (about AU$109,890) in the years since. According to IDC data, iAds added another US$125 million (about AU$137 million) to its already overflowing coffers in 2012, but that's a pittance compared to Google-owned AdMob, who advertised its way into US$243 million (about AU$267 million) during the same year. Apple has yet to comment on its future plans for iAds, but Cupertino is expected to offer full-screen video interstitials through a rumored ad exchange, where space is auctioned off to the highest bidder. Check out our completely iAd-free review of the iPad Air!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37e23d13/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.pnghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/1mJLiraxhrM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/features/free_web_design_software/Brackets-470-75.jpgSimple WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) web design programs make creating basic sites as easy as using a word processor. The next step up combines a WYSIWYG approach with more detailed low-level control of what you're doing, very useful when you're looking to create a more impressive site (although you may have to spend some time learning the basics). There are plenty of high level applications aimed at the more experienced users, who like to be able to focus on the HTML, CSS or scripting code. And of course you may also need tools to create your graphics, analyze the finished site and diagnose any problems. Whatever you're looking for, though, we've found a free tool which can help - just keep reading to discover our pick of the best free software for web design. 1. CoffeeCup Free HTML Editorhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor is the free version of a commercial product, and so missing a few tools (CSS menu design, FTP upload and so on). If you're a beginner, though, this probably won't matter too much. You can use the Open From Web option to open an existing web page, for instance, and tweak this to add your own content. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/free_web_design_software/CoffeeCup-420-100.jpg There are plenty of powerful editing tools, a local Help file to walk you through the more complicated parts, and you can also upload your page to CoffeeCup's S-Drive platform, where it will host it for free. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Notepad++http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg Notepad++ is an amazingly powerful source code editor with a vast number of features. Syntax highlighting makes it immediately easier to read and understand your code, for instance. Code folding allows you to collapse some areas while you focus on others. Auto-completion helps you enter code more quickly (and accurately). http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/free_web_design_software/NotepadPlusPlus-420-100.jpg There's also a powerful search tool, easy document navigation, bookmarking, macro support, and more, all of which is presented in a highly configurable, easy-to-use interface. Go grab a copy immediately. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. PageBreezehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg Experienced web designers won't be impressed by the PageBreeze - it's based on old technology, and distinctly short of features - but if you're just looking to create something very simple then it's a different story. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/free_web_design_software/PageBreeze-420-100.jpg This WYSIWYG editor comes with simple templates to help you get started (they're fairly ugly, but you can add your own later). You can add links, images, tables and forms in a click or two. It's easy to see and edit all your site pages, and when you're done a built-in FTP client puts your work online. So while the end results may be basic, the program's simplicity makes it worth a look for the novice. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Firebughttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg You've designed your website, but it doesn't quite look or work as you'd expect - and that's where Firebug comes in. This powerful Firefox extension helps you to view HTML and CSS code; adjust your styles and see the results immediately; understand your page layouts; debug and log JavaScript; manage cookies, analyze page load times, examine error messages and more. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/free_web_design_software/Firebug-420-100.jpg Clearly there's a lot of power here, but Firebug isn't just for web experts. At first you might only use it for a few basic things, just viewing code perhaps. It'll still be very useful, though, and you can begin to explore other functions at your own pace. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Bluefish Editorhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg Bluefish is a programmer's editor which also includes plenty of web-related tools and options. This starts with the usual editing tricks: syntax highlighting (ASP.NET, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, PHP and more are supported), code folding, powerful find and search and replace tools, autocompletion, and more. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/free_web_design_software/Bluefish-420-100.jpg The program also supports document templates; has wizards to add CSS, forms, tables, forms, audio and video objects; quick tag editing and easy previewing of the current document, amongst many other goodies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Bracketshttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg Brackets is an interesting open-source HTML, CSS and JavaScript-based code editor, created and maintained by Adobe. The program deliberately avoids cluttering your workspace with floating toolbars and large icons, instead allowing you to work directly on your code, with plenty of shortcuts to help. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/free_web_design_software/Brackets-420-100.jpg Click in an HTML tag, say, press Ctrl+E and you'll see a Quick Edit box with any related CSS rules, just select the one you need and you'll be able to edit it right away. It's just as easy to edit JavaScript code. And a Live Preview feature means that there's no need to refresh your browser each time to see the changes - they're updated right away. Add the growing list of extensions and, while it's still early days, Brackets is looking like an interesting tool for experienced web developers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. KompoZerhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg It's not been updated for some time, but KompoZer can still be a useful web editor for beginners. The program works like a simple word processor, so you don't have to know about HTML, CSS, scripting or anything else: just enter your text, format it, and click the various buttons to add links, insert tables, images and more. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/free_web_design_software/KompoZer-420-100.jpg If you're a little more experienced than KompoZer does have further tools which may help, including an HTML editor. The program is beginning to show its age, though, so more experienced web designers would probably be better off elsewhere. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. OpenBEXIhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg OpenBEXI is an interesting WYSIWYG HTML editor which allows you to create pages just by dragging and dropping "widgets" - everything from text, links and images, to forms, graphs and flowcharts - and tweaking them to suit your needs. It's also possible to tweak CSS or add scripts to the page, and a built-in FTP client will upload everything when it's done. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/free_web_design_software/OpenBEXI-420-100.jpg While this sounds great, there are problems. It's easy to add objects to a page, for instance, but getting them to work as you'd like can take a little while. The browser-based interface has some issues, and the need to use a server might confuse beginners, too. It's still a quality tool, but you'll need some PC (though not web design) experience to make the most of it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. GIMPhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg Every web designer needs great graphics tools, and GIMP is one of the best free image editors around. It has impressive photo retouching features, lots of useful special effects, a range of powerful paint tools and more. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/free_web_design_software/Gimp-420-100.jpg Strong colour management ensures your images always look at their best. Layer support helps you control which parts of your images are tweaked, and which remain untouched. And it's then easy to save your images for the web. The interface isn't always the best, and with so many options GIMP can seem intimidating at first. Once you've learned the basics, though, you'll find there's very little the program can't do. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10. BlueGriffonhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Software%20download%20buttons/download_button_1-180-100.jpg BlueGriffon takes a straightforward WYSIWYG approach to web editing, but also manages to include plenty of more powerful features. You could just use it to type text, insert images, tables, audio files, videos and so on. But there's also an SVG editor, form design tools, some CSS support, an accessibility checker, DOM Explorer, and more. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/features/free_web_design_software/BlueGriffon-420-100.jpg One annoying aspect of the program is that several options (even that manual) require commercial add-ons, which means clicking the wrong button will take you to the BlueGriffon site to find out more. You soon learn which options are available, though, and on balance BlueGriffon is a capable and generally easy-to-use tool. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37db1925/sc/4/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531312931/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37db1925/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531312931/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37db1925/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531312931/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37db1925/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531312931/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37db1925/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186531312931/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37db1925/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/NOgyK8XHKbY

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Abstract/Handshake/iStock_000002304477Small-ene-470-75.jpgThe cloud boom is bringing tech companies together to make sure that organisations can get the most out of the new technology. Splunk, which writes software real-time operational intelligence, and Tableau Software which writes code for business analytics, announced that they are teaming up to develop advanced visual analytics and real-time machine data. The latest version of Tableau software includes Splunk Enterprise as a native data source using Splunk's recently launched ODBC driver. Splunk can see new dataGuido Schroeder, senior vice president of products, Splunk said that Tableau software helps the Splunk software use the material which it unlocks in machine data. "Using Tableau to visualize structured data with machine data in Splunk will enable people to gain new business insights," he said. Chris Stolte, chief development officer and co-founder, Tableau Software said that the integration lets organisations use its visual analytics software on their machine data in Splunk software. Companies can find quick insights or explore machine data. The integration provides direct access to saved searches within Splunk Enterprise 6 from Tableau Desktop and Tableau Server, using Splunk's new ODBC driver. However this is the sort of alliance which was predicted would happen as the cloud boom took place, with specialist companies either being bought out by the likes of Oracle and IBM or partnering to provide services of their own. Now read about the top security concerns of using the cloud.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37da00cc/sc/46/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531307134/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37da00cc/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531307134/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37da00cc/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531307134/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37da00cc/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531307134/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37da00cc/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186531307134/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37da00cc/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/HR37eLJlHIk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/AU%20News/ABCiviewforiOS_Home_Landscape-470-75.jpgThe ABC has given its video-on-demand app iview for iOS a major upgrade, with a whole new design that's better optimised for iPhones, iPods and iPads. But while the new upgrade supports iOS 6 and 7, it won't replace the older app, allowing those still on iOS 4.3 and 5 to still have access to iview. With 1.5 million unique users on iOS, this upgrade comes only a handful of months after the release of iOS 7. The new iviewThe ABC was the first Aussie network to release a video-on-demand/catch up service, launching iview on the web back in 2008. Besides an all new look, the new app will also include easier navigation through categories, live streaming of ABC News 24 channel, faster searches, customisable watch list, parental filters, social media integration and compatibility with AirPlay. The ABC will also be overhauling iview on the web alongside with the release of the new app for iOS. The app will remain free to download from Apple's App Store, as well as being ad-free. Check out our review of ABC iview for iOS for more details.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37d67de7/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531430314/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d67de7/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531430314/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d67de7/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531430314/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d67de7/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531430314/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d67de7/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186531430314/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d67de7/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/2bj3QRa5vOM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Onetimers/Window%208.1%20Taskbar-470-75.jpgMicrosoft has greenlighted the RTM release of Windows 8.1 Update 1, according to a report by a Russian technology blog. WZorNet claims that the Windows 8.1 Spring Update 2014 for Windows 8.1, Windows 8.1 RT, and Windows Server 2012 R2 has been signed off for release. The RTM Escrow build 9600.17031.WINBLUE_GDR.140221-1952 was apparently signed on 26 February. The install should be less than 800MB if leaked screenshots are accurate. The new version will, according to WZorNet, launch on April 1 - April 2 on the Microsoft Developer Network, with a full release for everyone else on April 7 - April 8. Some major OEM partners have reportedly already received the new build. Window washingThe Service Pack, called a Feature Pack in the screenshots, promises to restore some popular Windows 7 functionality for mouse and keyboard users, such as the ability to pin Metro apps to the Desktop taskbar, along with an updated user interface and new context menus, among other features. The new version will reduce the system requirements to just 1GB of RAM and 16GB of hard drive space, opening doors for more entry-level Windows Blue tablets. No other new features have been revealed at this time. Via ITProPortal Will Windows 8.1 Update 1 boot straight to desktop?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37d341d4/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531349549/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d341d4/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531349549/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d341d4/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531349549/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d341d4/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531349549/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d341d4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186531349549/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d341d4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Xcln2h5qEPQ

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/cloud_services/Perzo/perzo-safelock-470-75.JPGDocuSign has announced the availability its new Security Appliance, which provides its customers with encryption key management and auditing of DocuSign documents through its Digital Transaction management (DTM) platform. Operating behind a business's firewall with 27001 security certification, the company says that it allows customers to realise the benefits of cloud-based DTM while meeting specialised security requirements . As such, DocuSign is directing the appliance at businesses operating in security-conscious industries - such as healthcare, insurance and financial services. With the new appliance, access to documents stored within DocuSign's data centres without an assigned encryption key will be impossible, says the company. Key industry inputNot even DocuSign itself will be able to access files stored on its systems, something the firm is keen to illustrate in a market where trust is at an all-time low. According to DocuSign, focus groups, surveys and customers have been crying out for more control over their own encryption key security. The new DocuSign Security Appliance was developed with those features in mind, it says, and had input from key firms in the high-security industry. Scott Coleman, senior vice president of technology innovation, Bank of America, said: "[DocuSign] provides tremendous flexibility to realise the benefits of DTM while maintaining compliance within the Bank's existing customer agreements, security policies, and regulations that a pure SaaS solution couldn't have offered." Microsoft and DocuSign to launch eSignature for Office 365http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37d24ed7/sc/46/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531414536/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d24ed7/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531414536/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d24ed7/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531414536/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d24ed7/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531414536/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d24ed7/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186531414536/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37d24ed7/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/7NXOJYBK4uo

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/HTC/HTC_One/HTC-One_Silver-470-75.jpgUK-based HTC One owners forced to wait months for the Android 4.4 KitKat update to hit their device, are dealing with more frustration after the company pulled the update due to difficulties. In a statement, the Taiwanese manufacturer said it was "temporarily suspending" the update due to the unspecified problems being experienced by users. Some who have already downloaded the update are complaining of poor battery life, but it is unclear whether this is the extent of the difficulties. The company told Android Central: "We are aware that a limited number of HTC users are experiencing difficulties with the KitKat update. "As a result, all FOTA updates have been temporarily suspended. HTC is committed to providing customers with the best possible mobile experience and we are working hard to resolve the issue quickly." Successor imminentThe UK was not among the first wave of European countries to receive the update in January and the company only announced the KitKat for British HTC One owners last week. With the One's long-awaited successor, the 'All New HTC One' due later this month, the company hopes to have the 'difficulties' resolved in time for its big media event on March 25. Can the new One match the Samsung Galaxy S5? Here's our hands-on verdict.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37bfa8e0/sc/5/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531197923/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37bfa8e0/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531197923/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37bfa8e0/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531197923/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37bfa8e0/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531197923/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37bfa8e0/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186531197923/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37bfa8e0/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/4yHmVflocw0

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Logos/Salesforce/SFDC%20Logo-470-75.jpgCloud-based CRM provider Salesforce.com has announced that it will open its first UK data centre. The move is planned for August of this year and will be followed by data centres in France and Germany, as well as the addition of 500 jobs across Europe during fiscal year 2015. Salesforce.com says that the investments signal a continued and increased commitment to Europe. They follow a growth in revenue of 41 percent for its European operations during 2014, a figure that is due, the company says, to growing demand for cloud computing. Tremendous growth"Our tremendous growth and customer momentum is why salesforce.com is significantly increasing its investment in Europe by adding 500 new jobs and opening three new data centres across Europe, in the U.K., France and Germany," said Miguel Milano, president, EMEA, salesforce.com. Stephen Kelly, Chief Operating Officer for the UK Government, noted the Government's satisfaction at the announcement. "The UK has a growing reputation as the leader in the European digital economy and we welcome this new investment," he said. Reiterating the UK's cloud credentials, Kelly continued, "Within the UK Government we are driving a policy of 'Cloud First' to improve the way the public sector manages crucial functions, engages with citizens and delivers value for taxpayers." Is your data safer in the cloud? http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37ba7a53/sc/46/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531177346/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37ba7a53/sc/46/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531177346/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37ba7a53/sc/46/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531177346/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37ba7a53/sc/46/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531177346/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37ba7a53/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186531177346/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37ba7a53/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/njcM6I1JkQU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/shareight-470-75.jpgOnline shopping is now firmly in the driving seat in the UK with the likes of Amazon or eBay showing the way. However, what if you don't want to be tied to one player and like shopping around? Eight is a lucky number in some cultures but also part of Shareight's name, a London-based start-up came up with a social shopping app with a tile-based user interface (very) loosely based on the 2D, grid-like UI of Android and iOS. We asked eight questions to its CEO, Grant Slatter, on what it takes to make sure that customers that want to or chose to search and shop online successfully convert into buyers rather than give up at the last hurdle. TRP: What is your business model all about? Grant Slatter: We're taking the pain out of shopping on mobile. If you want to shop on your smartphone the task gets progressively harder. Standard searches lead to multiple retailer websites that, even when optimised for mobile, are hampered by their e-commerce heritage. Comparison between them is difficult and there is no central place to store what you find. Checkout is laborious and cart abandonment rates are high. With 1.5 billion smartphone users worldwide. Solving this problem is a big opportunity. We designed an interface smartphone-up, not PC-down, using taxonomy that allows users to reach the top 500 retail search terms in just three taps. Users can save items from multiple retailers in one place for easy comparison and get opinions from friends and family more simply than ever before. Next on our list is making purchase simple and easy for the consumer. We are now perfectly positioned in the market to solve this final part of the problem, offering both users and retailers an m-commerce channel that works. TRP: Why have you given us eight options to choose from instead of another number? GS: We were looking for both an optimal way to visually search for items on a small screen, and to display the results. We noticed that as people make lists of categories and sub-categories they could name seven or eight very quickly but the next would take much more thought to recall. Upon playing around with a 3x3 grid design we found that by simply dedicating the centre square to a navigational title we could achieve two much bigger things. Firstly it the top seven search categories could be listed up front with the next most important ones in the remaining button, just one tap away. This would optimise the vast majority of searches by putting the top 500 retail search categories within just three taps. Secondly, when the user reached the bottom layer, it would be more relaxing to view the results in uniform collections rather than in an endless list. This was borne out in early testing where users spent three times longer viewing items in this arrangement. Later we discovered that these insights are known to psychology. Arthur Miller theorised that the number seven, plus or minus one, was about the limit of immediate memory (thus eight was the maximum), and Barry Schwartz argued that too many options led to a 'Paradox of Choice' where users felt overwhelmed. TRP: Tell us about some of the retailers you're working with. GS: Our aim is to bring together all of the major brands and retailers in one place. A true virtual High Street if you like. People like Etsy and Wanelo are focused on bringing together lots of independent retailers and brands, At SHAREIGHT we're bringing together all the major ones. The first retailer we secured was John Lewis with its huge catalogue of great products from hundreds of brands. Now, we list more than 80 major retailers and over 8,000 brands. In fashion we have a huge selection for women, men and kids – Superdry, Timberland, Ted Baker, Levi's, Warehouse and Converse to name just a few. But we also cover technology, home and garden, gifts, pets, books, outdoor equipment – in fact just about anything you can think of - from retailers such as Firebox, PC World, Currys, The White Company, B&Q…the list goes on! TRP: What are the biggest challenges facing m-commerce today? GS: Often, m-commerce seen simply as 'e-commerce on a phone' and it's no wonder when the industry reports conversion rates on smartphone around 20% of those on PCs and Tablets. The rush is towards tablets rather than a rush to solve the problems that hold back smartphones. Considering that almost 200m people own a smartphone in the UK and USA alone, this is a problem worth solving. What has been developed online for PCs is largely superb and tablets show great conversion rates, simply because the screen size isn't dissimilar to a laptop. In short, there's no problem to solve. Talk to people about shopping on a smartphone and they don't say they don't want to do it, they say it's too difficult. And one of the most difficult parts is checkout. But m-commerce has a hero. We will offer a solution that solves this problem for both shoppers and retailers, shortly. TRP: What's your funding situation at the moment? Why have you chosen to raise money on Seedrs? GS: We have now completed two seed investment rounds and are about to raise through Seedrs.com on 28 February 2014. We are a consumer product so there are obvious advantages to reaching out to a wide pool of investors. But more than that we wanted to be able to offer all of our current users the chance to invest in SHAREIGHT. We are building a community and we have great plans to ensure that their community is the go-to place when shopping on mobile. It makes absolute sense that everyone can own a piece of that place. It also fits with our internal philosophy of offering employee stake ownership. Also, it's because Seedrs are a really nice bunch and have worked very hard to enable anyone to invest in exciting businesses and own a part of it. TRP: Where do you hope to be from a business perspective by the end of this year? GS: We will have 100,000 engaged and evangelical users who love SHAREIGHT because they know we are absolutely committed to what we are doing and what they get back from us. We will encompass the whole of the High Street and be fully engaged with the big retailers. Their online marketing team will tend to their SHAREIGHT account in priority to other channels, simply because we are showing them growth like no other platform. We will have built Android (smartphone and tablet) versions of our app so that everyone can be part of SHAREIGHT. We will have secured series A funding of +£2m and soft-launched in the USA. TRP: Have you ever set-up a startup before or is this a new experience? GS: Every member of my family runs their own business and I grew up in a country restaurant where it was all hands to the wheel. I left home for an easier life as an officer in the Royal Marines where they choose people who have an appetite for leading large teams, with limited resources, in difficult conditions to achieve ambitious goals. I then developed property for 15 years. Every property was like a start-up. New area, new purchase, new design, new funding and new sub-contractors. I then wrote and published a series of 18 children's books called The Oddies, about where the missing odd socks go. It was a tough business but we shifted 250,000 units, which is probably the UK's most successful independently published children's book series. I learned that distribution is the toughest and most expensive part of being an independent and that led me to the App Store. My first app was a fitness app called Star Trainer Premium which has topped the charts in 39 countries. I learned that it was best to monetise away from the App Store and either go big or stay home. TRP: How receptive have users been to your site? What do they seem to like the most about Shareight? GS: People really liked us, right from the start, and the most used word to describe SHAREIGHT is 'cool' – which we like. But we would LOVE it if the word was 'simple'. Since launch we have proudly taken out more icons and buttons than we have added. We spend ages working on speeding things up but even longer on working out how we can remove a click. Once we solve the really difficult problem of making payment easy people will say we are simple! With regards to the experience, some people are a little baffled at first by what 'Eights' are, but it's an intrigued kind of baffled; like they are missing out. In fact an Eight is simply eight items that they've saved! The thing we like is that the majority of comments we get are that people found something they really liked, really quickly. That means we've solved the first part of the problem on mobile. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/37b9de6a/sc/4/mf.gifhttp://res3.feedsportal.com/social/twitter.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/facebook.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/linkedin.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/googleplus.png http://res3.feedsportal.com/social/email.png http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531175080/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37b9de6a/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531175080/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37b9de6a/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531175080/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37b9de6a/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186531175080/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37b9de6a/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186531175080/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/37b9de6a/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/gSHsJSl7DwU