sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Windows%20Phone/Windows%20Phone%208/windowsphone81_sdk_leaks-470-75.jpgMore than a year after its launch, Windows Phone 8 will finally get its first major update in the form of Windows Phone 8.1. Now that the update's release is imminent, developers have begun getting their hands on the new version's software development kit, and they're reporting on the improvements Microsoft has made. The biggest news is that one important Windows Phone 8.1 change points to the possibility that the smartphone operating system may finally be merged with the tablet OS Windows RT. It seems Windows Phone 8.1 includes support for universal apps built using a shared HTML and JavaScript language that can be used between Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8, one supposed developer revealed on Reddit - most likely breaking his or her NDA in the process. The first step is most importantIn addition, with Windows 8.1 Microsoft will begin using the same .appx package for apps that Windows 8 apps already use. Although it's not a full unification yet, this could be the first step toward merging the operating systems for good. If Windows Phone and Windows RT are using the same apps, there's little reason to keep them separate, after all. And if iOS and Android can be more or less the same between smartphones and tablets, then so too should Windows be able to. The Windows Phone is 'a changingThe unification of Windows Phone and Windows RT may be the most exciting part of these Windows Phone 8.1 leaks, but there are plenty of other features being revealed by developers too. For example, Windows Phone 8.1 appears to let users choose different default messaging apps for the first time. There's also a "Battery Power Sense" feature to monitor battery life, VPN support, a "Storage Sense" feature for installing apps to SD cards, newly separate video and music apps, a new podcast app, and the rebranding of SkyDrive to OneDrive. Multitasking is different in Windows Phone 8.1 too, according to this developer. Pressing the back button now sends apps into the background instead of closing them, while swiping downward closes them, much like Windows RT. The camera app has a new layout as well. Finally the browser has been updated to Internet Explorer 11, Facebook account and photo integration appears to be gone (though Twitter is still present and iCloud has been added), and there's support for on-screen buttons, possibly to accommodate future phones without physical buttons. Notably, two important Windows Phone 8.1 features are missing from this SDK: the new "action center" notification center, and the "Cortana" virtual personal assistant and Siri rival. But those are expected to appear before Microsoft sends the final version of Windows Phone 8.1 to developers around April. Before there was Windows Phone 8.1, there was Windows 8.1! Read TechRadar's review for everything you need to know about Microsoft's last OS update.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36fb1d40/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/187557674757/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d40/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557674757/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d40/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557674757/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d40/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557674757/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d40/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187557674757/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d40/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/n82YBtQAxNk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Geeksphone/Geeksphone_Revolution-470-75.jpgDespite its early promise, most smartphone-savvy consumers would agree it's a little too soon to throw all eggs in the Firefox OS basket just yet. So when Geeksphone announced its new Revolution handset would run Android and dual-boot Mozilla's fledgling OS, the perfect solution presented itself for those wishing to make friends with the new kid. Now the company has revealed the Revolution will go on sale in Europe on February 20 for the fairly reasonable price of €289 (around £240, $395), with a €20 (around £16.50, $27) discount for pre-order customers. For their outlay, buyers will receive a device with a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom processor, an impressive 4.7-inch qHD, 2560 x 1440 display, 1GB RAM and 4GB of built-in storage. There's also an 8-megapixel camera, and a 2000mAh battery, but there's no 4G connectivity to speak of, and no word of a launch outside of Europe just yet. A little bit foxyGeeksphone doesn't specify which version of Android is on board, but judging by screenshots, it looks to be some flavour of Jelly Bean. Android will be the default boot OS, but the company promises Firefox OS or any other community sourced operation system can be installed on the device. Geeksphone is a small Spanish manufacturer that has so far focused on cheap Firefox OS handsets. It also has a new device called the 'Blackphone,' coming at Mobile World Congress. Does the Revolution provide the opportunity to sample Firefox OS without sacrificing your dependency on Android? Let us know whether this is up your alley in the comments section below. Meet the manufacturer that promises to lock out government snoops. Could Geeksphone's 'Blackphone' be the safest handset on the block?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36fb1d47/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/187557674756/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d47/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557674756/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d47/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557674756/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d47/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557674756/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d47/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187557674756/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36fb1d47/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/rMfHhcrPFiw

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/Apps/Eminem_iTunesRadio-470-75.jpgApple's iTunes Radio service is now officially available in Australia, marking the first time the customised radio service has been available outside of the United States. The company announced the availability of the new service on devices running iOS 7, as well as set top boxes, PCs and Macs with the latest version of iTunes. The internet radio service, which rivals similar offerings from Spotify, Pandora, Rdio and more, rolled out in the US on September 2013 alongside the launch of iOS 7. It allows users to create ad-supported, free radio stations based on songs and artists, as well as access stations created by Apple and guest musicians. There's also "first listens" where albums from the likes of Eminem have made debuts and gives users the opportunity to add songs to an iTunes wishlist where they can be purchased to own. Down Under loveSince Apple launched iTunes Radio in the United States, users have patiently waited for the international roll out. There have been a few false starts, with the service becoming briefly available to a few iTunes users in the UK and Canada in recent weeks. While this makes it a little surprising that Australia is the first to receive the service outside of the US, Apple said that it will launch later in 100 countries, including the UK, Canada and New Zealand. Users can download the iTunes Radio app from the App Store, and Apple has said customers that subscribe to the iTunes Match cloud music storage service, which costs $34.99 annually, will get iTunes Radio ad-free. Google's "I'm Feeling Lucky" Radio looking to take the fight to iTunes Radio. It's another Apple vs Google showdown.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36f74209/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/187557659413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f74209/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557659413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f74209/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557659413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f74209/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557659413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f74209/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187557659413/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f74209/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/7RijSub67aE

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Nokia/Nokia-Android/NokiaAndroid-LEAK-01-470-75.jpgThe Nokia "Normandy," the long-rumored Nokia Android phone, will be officially announced at MWC 2014, says a new report. The Nokia Normandy will also be released in February, The Wall Street Journal reports. But apparently the Normandy will be specially tailored so that some Google features won't be promoted as heavily as they might be on a traditional Android phone - you know, one not made by a company now owned by Microsoft. That means no Google Play store, and the Normandy will instead feature a selection of apps created by Nokia and Microsoft, like Here maps and Mix Radio, plus a Nokia app store full of Android apps, the site's sources said. Let's be practicalNokia has long been focused on Windows Phone, but its work on an Android handset has been rumored for months. The Normandy's debut at MWC has even been touched on before. However, ever since Microsoft picked up the Finnish phone maker for $7.4 billion (about £4.4 billion, AU$7.9 billion) in 2013, the Nokia Android phone's fate has presumably been up in the air. Considering it was never officially announced to begin with, it seemed Microsoft could put its foot down at any time and cancel it altogether. But the WSJ report says Nokia's engineers were working on the Android phone long before Microsoft began conducting due diligence leading up to the purchase, and the Windows company will reportedly let it continue all the way to retail. The reason for that? Pragmatism, apparently. If the phone is debuting in a matter of weeks, then the legwork was likely completed months ago, and Microsoft would likely rather make some money off of it - even if it does run Android - then scrap it entirely and throw away all of Nokia's hard work. Speaking of Android, here's everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy S5http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36f01550/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/186530468222/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f01550/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530468222/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f01550/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530468222/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f01550/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530468222/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f01550/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530468222/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36f01550/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/XFTczZs_8T4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Windows%20Phone/Windows%20Phone%208/Windows_Phone_81_Action_Centre-470-75.jpgIt has been rumoured for a while that the Windows Phone 8.1 update will have a notifications centre to catch-up with iOS and Android and now we know it's going to be an all-action solution. According to the first leaked screenshots, Microsoft's interpretation of an all encompassing notifications portal will be called the 'Action Centre.' For a start, isn't that way better than Notifications Centre? Secondly, judging by a 'Microsoft Confidential' email obtained by Winphollowers, it actually looks kinda neat too. The Action Centre shows applications segregated by icons, while there's also a 'Clear All' option and a chance to access 'All Settings' within the portal. Intelligently managedAccording to the screenshot, and accompanying text, Action Centre is a "central location to surface missed notifications," while apps can "intelligently manage notifications," meaning you can choose which apps you wish to receive them from and silence others. There's also a toolbar offering quick access to Bluetooth, Driving Mode, Airplane and Wi-Fi settings with a single tap, much like the Android OS. Windows Phone 8.1 is expected to be detailed at Microsoft's Build conference in San Francisco on April 2. Windows Phone 8.1 is probably going to have a Siri rival too...http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36e5e163/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/186530422405/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36e5e163/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530422405/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36e5e163/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530422405/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36e5e163/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530422405/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36e5e163/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530422405/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36e5e163/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/DFL7EVutGJo

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/LinkedIn/linkedin%20intro-470-75.jpgLinkedIn is kicking Intro out the door. Announced in October as a new feature for the iPhone Mail system, Intro didn't seem to impress very many people. The LinkedIn blog doesn't exactly specify the reason Intro is shutting down except to say, "We are making large, long-term investments on a few big bets, and in order to ensure their success, we need to concentrate on fewer things." The app will officially disappear from iPhones on March 7, which gives you exactly a month to follow steps to disable the service or, according to The Verge, your email accounts will cease to function properly. Next steps?The company seems like it will continue to experiment with email services to look for "ways to bring this kind of functionality to our members" - with "this" referencing LinkedIn's network. There isn't anything more specific beyond that but we can look forward to another perhaps, better experience from LinkedIn later. The next big tech convention is MWC 2014 - here's what we expect to see.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36d938d7/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/186530372811/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d938d7/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530372811/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d938d7/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530372811/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d938d7/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530372811/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d938d7/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530372811/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d938d7/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/QQFxRF99Vo0

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Android/Android%20KitKat-470-75.jpgSamsung device owners learned long ago that holding one's breath while awaiting an Android would almost certainly result in their permanent demise. However a lifeline, in the form of Android 4.4 KitKat, may be on the way for those rocking gadgets like the Galaxy S3, Galaxy S3 Mini, Galaxy Note 8.0 Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy Mega. Those handsets, as well as the Galaxy S4 Zoom, Galaxy Tab 7.0, Galaxy S4 Active are on a list of ten Samsung devices in line for KitKat, according to a purported update roadmap, obtained by Phandroid. The remaining two devices, the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 have already started to receive Android 4.4 roll-outs in the odd territory here and there.. But when?Although the site claimed to have procured details on which legacy devices will eventually receive the latest version of the operating system, there was no word on when and where that might happen. So although that's good news for S3 and S4 Active owners, it's not really time to party just yet. As you were, Samsung fans, as you were. KitKat is now on 2 per cent of all Android phones. Yeah, about that....http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36d7ef38/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/187557536487/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d7ef38/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557536487/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d7ef38/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557536487/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d7ef38/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557536487/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d7ef38/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187557536487/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d7ef38/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/1EWHAeVfIog

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/Google/NexusTablet-470-75.jpgHaving apparently squeezed every drop of potential sales out of its seven-inch tablets, a rumor straight from Google's supply chain in Taiwan claims the 2014 model will attempt to woo consumers with a slightly larger screen. DigiTimes reported Friday that Google and Asustek Computer are eyeing an 8-inch display for the third-generation Nexus tablet, which could potentially arrive in late April. Although the partnership has by all accounts produced two critically acclaimed Android tablets using the seven-inch screen size, the report claims last year's second-generation Nexus 7 sold fewer than three million units by the end of 2013. Those so-so sales figures are being blamed on "intense price competition" in the seven-inch tablet market, which is typically more price-sensitive than 10-inch models such as Apple's latest iPad Air. 8 is greatAccording to unnamed sources in Google and Asustek's supply chain, an eight-inch version of the Nexus 7 has the potential to offer a competitive edge for the third-generation tablet. The report also cites five- and six-inch "phablet" style smartphones as encroaching on the Nexus 7's market share as consumers seek handsets large enough to also offer some of the benefits of a dedicated tablet. It's unclear whether Google plans to confuse its branding by retaining the Nexus 7 name or introduce the new hardware under something more obvious, such as Nexus 8. One thing apparently won't be changing: Google and Asustek will remain partners for this year's model, despite recent speculation to the contrary. Speaking of phablets, check out our review of the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36d74e94/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/187557533739/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d74e94/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557533739/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d74e94/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557533739/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d74e94/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557533739/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d74e94/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187557533739/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d74e94/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/SIiVhNtlHoE

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Onetimers/Lenovo%20Reach-470-75.jpgWestern Digital has released version 10.2 of its WD Arkeia network backup software, designed to provide a hybrid cloud backup solution for small to medium sized businesses. The software comes with Progressive Deduplication, which replicates backups to and from the cloud without requiring fast WAN connections. Small data backups can be made over the internet, while larger ones can be made by shipping encrypted hard drives to a remote location, where they are uploaded to an Arkeia backup server. The new version also includes continuous block optimisation and incremental orphaned block recovery. The deduplication process requires no maintenance window, while block reclamation can be done in the background without the help of an admin. Hybrid backup options"Backup solutions for businesses are going through a dramatic shift in technology. Advances in data deduplication, hard drive capacity, and wide-area network speeds allow companies to dispense with the error-prone process of trucking nightly backup tapes offsite," said Bill Evans, GM of the business storage solutions group at WD. The importance of backing up cannot be overestimated. According to the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 90 per cent of companies that experience a major loss of data end up going out of business in just two years. Arkeia 10.2 is available immediately. New licenses start at $2,000 (£1,224, AU$2,235) for backup software and $4,490 (£2,748, AU$5,020) for backup appliances. Why it's vital to have a backup planhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36d660c0/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/186530360765/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d660c0/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530360765/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d660c0/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530360765/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d660c0/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530360765/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d660c0/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530360765/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36d660c0/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/OMiI45s_D_o

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/HTC/HTC_One/Hands%20on%203/HTC_One_review_01-470-75.JPGVerizon HTC One owners your Android 4.4 KitKat ship has come in. Mo Versi, HTC product manager, announced on Twitter that Verizon has approved 4.4 over-the-air update for the HTC and it will begin rolling out shortly. Coming with the 4.4 update is a slew of Sense 5.5 improvements to the phone. Sense 5.5 already made its way to the HTC One on the 4.3 update, but it was curiously left out for Verizon customers. One of the more notable Sense 5.5 changes is an off switch for BlinkFeed. Shutting off this unified news and social network feed will return the device to a standard widget and app filled Android homescreen. For those that rather keep the on blinking, the update will also allow BlinkFeed to finally source posts from Google+, international news, and RSS feeds. To help users sort through all the content HTC added a sideswipe filters menu and improved search. All new and shinyOther improvements include some camera adjustments with a new dual shot mode for taking a picture with the back sensor and your reaction with the front snapper at the same time. Another camera upgrade is Zoe's new-found ability to make GIFs on top of short movie clips. On the some more basic level UI improvements, HTC has revamped the notifications area to be a customizable space for 12 different options. It's also added a few new options for this pull down menu such as Do not Disturb and a data roaming toggle. Up until now, only the global GSM, Developer Edition, and Sprint's versions of the outgoing HTC flagship have received the Andorid KitKat update. Hopefully the other carriers will follow suit and quickly break off a piece of that KitKat bar for the HTC One. Verizon just announced that the Android 4.4 KitKat is now being pushed out in stages to the HTC One, so keep clutching that metal clad handset. Want a phone that already has Android 4.4? Check out our review of the Motorola Moto G.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36cddb20/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/186530267156/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36cddb20/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530267156/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36cddb20/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530267156/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36cddb20/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530267156/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36cddb20/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530267156/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36cddb20/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/J6r05IGj9WM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/people/Steve_Wozniak_Steve_Jobs-470-75.jpgApple co-founder Steve Wozniak has suggested a novel way for the company to combat the march of the Android army... start building Android phones! Speaking to Wired, the flamboyant computing whiz Wozniak said there's nothing keeping Apple from making Android phones that would out-style options from best-selling manufacturers like Samsung. "There's nothing that would keep Apple out of the Android market as a secondary phone market," he said. "We could compete very well. People like the precious looks of stylings and manufacturing that we do in our product compared to the other Android offerings. We could play in two arenas at the same time." Being Steve WozniakNaturally, there's no chance of that ever happening unless things take a serious turn for the worst at Cupertino, or Eric Schmidt totally Tim Cook. It's also unlikely the brazen statement will bother too many folks at Infinite Loop. Wozniak, whose only real involvement with Apple these days is collecting his dividends cheques, is known for his occasional jaunts to the other side of the tracks when it comes to towing the company line. In the past, he's urged Apple to bring iTunes to Android, criticised the new range of iPads, asserted that the iPhone had fallen behind the competition and called Windows Phone 'more beautiful' than iOS. Beyond his latest wind up, Woz was super positive about the company's recent times, refusing to criticise the company's decision for the slow bleed of new iPhone features, amid Samsung's desire to cram their handsets with everything but the kitchen sink. "If you have something really good, don't change it; don't screw it up. You pick up a Samsung phone and say smile and it takes a picture, but how much innovation is that? That's just throwing in a lot of features, he said. Woz loves a wind-up. Here are six of the best we pulled together way back in 2009.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36ccc8e7/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/186530319477/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ccc8e7/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530319477/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ccc8e7/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530319477/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ccc8e7/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530319477/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ccc8e7/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530319477/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ccc8e7/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/IuJvArSXUfY

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/logos/Beats%20Music-470-75.jpgWith Google finally releasing the SDK for the ever popular Chromecast, it looks like more apps are starting to trickle in. A recent Tweet from Beats Music Support to a follower stating, "We're working with Google to add Chromecast" pretty much suggests we'll see a Beats Music app in no time. A similar Tweet from Rdio was posted but later removed; it's likely an Rdio app will make a Chromecast appearance as well, but wants it to remain under wraps for now. Pandora and Google Play Music are already in the cast-mix, and only a few other music apps remain - including the top dog in the music streaming industry, Spotify. Spotify seems to have "several prevailing priorities" at the moment so it will probably be awhile until you see it on your TV. What's better? Beats Music or Spotify?Via The Verge http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36cc7838/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/186530209412/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36cc7838/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530209412/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36cc7838/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530209412/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36cc7838/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530209412/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36cc7838/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530209412/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36cc7838/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/bc25SGg7Bg0

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iOS%207%20hands%20on/ios7_main-470-75.jpgThe public release of Apple's iOS 7.1 could just just a few weeks away, with reports claiming the company has no plans to release more beta versions of the software to developers. BGR reports the company's beta testing of the first major update to the revamped OS is complete after five beta versions, with only a Gold Master version to arrive before it becomes available to consumers. According to the site's source, Apple plans to drop iOS 7.1 in early March, which ties into previous speculation. Months in the makingiOS 7.1 has been almost five months in the making and will offer some visual refinements and potentially introduce a few new features, such as iOS in the Car. The company also hopes the update will fix the random reboots, app crashes, and general sluggishness experienced by some users since the iOS 7 update fell in September 2013. It has not yet been suggested that the Apple plans to address the startling drop-off in battery life experienced by older iPhone owners since upgrading from iOS 6. What would you like to see Apple introduce or fix with iOS 7.1? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. Will iOS 7.1 allow iPhone owners to delete those massive, space-hogging OS installation files?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36b83f63/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/186530170027/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f63/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530170027/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f63/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530170027/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f63/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530170027/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f63/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530170027/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f63/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/8B1NNAgFqgc

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/bing-470-75.jpgSymbiotic relationships can mean life or death in the animal kingdom, but tech companies aren't immune to the primal draw of such set-ups. Case in point: Microsoft and Foursquare have announced a deal that should help them both ride the rising tide of competition. But even more importantly for uses of Windows, Windows Phone and Bing, it means richer location-based services are on the horizon. First reported by the Wall Street Journal and backed up by Foursquare itself, Microsoft plans to invest $15 million (about £9m/AU$16.7m) in the location-based social network so it can "continue to build out our product, and, even more excitingly, make sure more people get access to the power of Foursquare." That's well and good for Foursquare and its users, but Microsoft's end of the bargain is ripe with data. Mayor of Microsoft Microsoft which just appointed a new CEO earlier today, will license Foursquare's data for use in its operating systems and search engine. With info on more than 60 million restaurants, retailers and other points of interest culled from Foursquare's 45 million users, Microsoft's services should become smarter and savvier on the navigation front as they pull up user-submitted data from around the world. It also means Microsoft can gain ground against competitive maps services from Google and Apple. Will the deal make Microsoft mayor of the mobile world? Unlikely, but it shouldn't hurt. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36b83f67/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/186530170026/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f67/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530170026/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f67/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530170026/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f67/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530170026/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f67/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530170026/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b83f67/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/kCcBjr2ODNE

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/people/Satya%20Nadella%20seated-470-75.jpgLooking like a man who'd been CEO of a major corporation for years, not just hours, Satya Nadella answered a range of questions during a sit-down/webcast at Microsoft's headquarters this afternoon. He stayed high-level, but among Nadella's poised responses was a glimpse at what the newly appointed chief exec plans to prioritize first. "Both internally and externally, there's a lot to learn," Nadella, who's described himself as a lifelong learner, said. "I've spent a lot of time in Microsoft, but there are also parts of Microsoft that are going to be new to me. We have Nokia joining our company once the deal's closed, so therefore there's definitely a lot to learn for me." He said he'd be focusing on spending time with three constituent groups: customers, partners and investors. Nadella will hit the road, and have his "best listening skills" turned on. Making sure the company is in touch with perceptions and being grounded in reality is "what's going to help us do our best work going forward." Nadella said he won't be starting from scratch with the direction Microsoft is taking, though there is still work to be done. "The strategic frame that we have around devices and services is great," he said. "We're not waiting for our entry into a mobile-first, cloud-first world. We are there ... But one of the thing we also want to do is get more specificity and more focus on what it is we can uniquely do." Sticking to the scriptNadella reiterated many of the themes from his email to employees and post on Microsoft's website. He talked about the malleable power of software, an industry that respects innovation over tradition and how critical Nokia and Surface are to Microsoft's future strategy. "Devices are where [software] experiences come together," he said. With Nokia under its wing, Microsoft will be able to "bring the core capability that we have with Surface and Xbox, [and] encapsulate these experiences." Repeating a phrase that has taken the ring of Microsoft's new anthem, Nadella said that what will define Microsoft is "mobile-first, cloud-first." In speaking about mobile, Nadella noted that the term has been skewed towards mobile phones. However, because of evolutions like the industrial internet and Internet of Things, Microsoft is building for a world connected by the cloud and data that's mediated by software. Thanks to a heritage of software that is "still very relevant," Microsoft has the groundwork to move forward. "We have to do new things," Nadella said, "but we should be very, very confident in our capability around software as it comes to these new experiences." Read the 5 first moves Satya Nadella might make as CEO of Microsofthttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36b7174f/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/187557398828/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b7174f/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557398828/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b7174f/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557398828/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b7174f/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557398828/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b7174f/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187557398828/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b7174f/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/AN1a_3trGu8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/iPhone/iPhone%205S/Hands%20on/HandsOn3/iPhones5S-HandsOn-14-470-75.JPGNo one outside of Cupertino is really sure what Apple's next smartphone might offer, but supply chain leaks can occasionally offer a glimpse at what's in store - or send rumor seekers completely off the beaten path. G4Games reported Tuesday that Apple may be looking to wow iPhone owners again this year by further improving upon the camera optics introduced with last year's iPhone 5S model. Already widely hailed as one of the most-used smartphone cameras, this year's alleged iPhone 6 could make the leap to 10 megapixels "or more," capable of packing even more image quality into those mobile images. Of course, Apple executives have frequently reminded us that megapixel count alone isn't everything, so next-generation iPhone buyers could have some other goodies to look forward to as well. ARTON or bustAccording to an unverified report on Chinese website IT168, the so-called iPhone 6 could also benefit from a wider f/1.8 aperture capable of throwing even more light onto its image sensor than last year's model. More intriguing, the same report cites unnamed sources from within Apple's Taiwanese supply chain who claim a Japanese company called JSR will be providing "interchangeable resin lenses" for the very same camera lens. Such lenses would reportedly be made from a new, transparent resin known as ARTON, which JSR says offers superior "optical characteristics" and "dimension stability" that are "best suited for optical applications." Lending credence to the last bit of this rumor is the fact that Apple was recently granted two patents for interchangeable camera lenses for the iPhone, although it's too early to know if they'll actually make their way onto this year's model. Check out our full review of Apple's latest iPad Mini 2 with Retina Display!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36b64f9c/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/187557395750/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64f9c/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557395750/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64f9c/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557395750/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64f9c/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557395750/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64f9c/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187557395750/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64f9c/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/EAQEgYFT3j8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/desktop_pcs_and_macs/Asus/Asus%20Chromebox/Asus%20Chromebox-470-75.jpgGoogle's Chrome OS continues to show up one more devices and it's marking another notch on the desktops category with the new Asus Chromebox. The most compact Chromebox yet, Asus revealed a new mini-PC measuring a scant 4.88 x 4.88 x 1.65 inches. The small, fan-less PC comes packed with an Intel 1.4GHz dual-core Celeron 2955U Haswell processor for the base end model. As an Intel powered box, it comes with integrated graphics, plus 2GB of RAM, 16GB of solid-state storage, dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi with Bluetooth 4.0 and an SD card reader for media as well as expandable storage. Power squared For a little more power customers can bump up the specs to a 1.7GHz Core i3-4010U and 4GB of RAM. Asus' Chromebox will also come in a 2.1GHz Core i7-4600U powered variety but this model won't be available on American shores. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/desktop_pcs_and_macs/Asus/Asus%20Chromebox/Asus%20Chromebox%20Ports-420-90.jpg The three boxes come with four zippy USB 3.0 ports, Ethernet, plus HDMI and DisplayPort out for dual-monitor setups. Asus also claims that the Intel i3 and i7 powered units will be able to support Ultra HD 4K TVs. The cloud platformThe Asus Chromebox joins the likes of other cloud platform Chrome desktops including the ill liked Samsung Chromebox and recently debuted LG Chromebase. But with a $179 (about £109/AUS $200) starting price, the Asus Chromebook is already looking much more affordable than Samsung's model - and even more than the similarly outfitted Intel NUC. You'll be able to can snag your own Asus Chromebox soon in March. Are traditional PC operating systems more your speed? Then you might be happy to know Windows 8.1 is not completely terrible in our review.Via PC World http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36b64fa2/sc/23/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/187557395749/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64fa2/sc/23/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557395749/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64fa2/sc/23/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557395749/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64fa2/sc/23/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557395749/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64fa2/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187557395749/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b64fa2/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/PMDtk3e_HKw

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/people/Microsoft/Satya_Nadella/Satya5_web-470-75.jpgContrary to popular belief, Microsoft is doing very well indeed. You've only got to look at the last financial results for that. Revenue of $24.52 billion in a single quarter. This is an immensely strong corporation. That strength has come from its previous two CEOs – one the founder, the other appointed from within. And it's why I believe Satya Nadella is the perfect fit to lead Microsoft into a new era where it fixes the issues it has experienced in the recent past. And, my, there have been issues. Nadella is inheriting a changing and challenged Microsoft. Just think of the problems with Xbox One: that kerfuffle over DRM and the lack of detail in graphics compared to PS4. And then think of Windows 8 and the fact that, 14 months after launch, the app ecosystem is still poor. YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8JwNZBJ_wIAnd that's before we talk about Windows 8's suitability for tablet use. Or the fact 20% of PC operating systems worldwide are still the soon-to-be-defunct Windows XP. Oh, and the small matter of Windows RT, the OS that should die. Nadella is the guy to fix these problems. Despite numerous rumours and the Nokia acquisition, it doesn't seem Microsoft were keen to bring Stephen Elop back into the fold, and in the end the radical change proposed by Ford's CEO Alan Mulally just seemed a step too far. Accelerating to succeedInstead, the board went for continuity in Nadella - a guy who has had recent success in furthering Microsoft's cloud interests as well as building the infrastructure to make it happen. As Bill Gates says: "Satya is a proven leader with hard-core engineering skills, business vision and the ability to bring people together." Nadella clearly believes there's plenty of opportunity for Microsoft too - he says potential prospects are "vast" yet the company must focus clearly and continue to change in order to continue to succeed. He acknowledges that he has a big challenge on his hands to accelerate product delivery to counter the regular updates to the likes of iOS, Android and even OS X while focusing on devices as well as services http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/people/Bill%20Gates-420-100.jpg We also shouldn't be fooled by the return of Gates to a more regular role. It's surely just a show to investors that the original Microsoft's strengths are still there, but really Gates has always been a supreme influence over Microsoft even since his semi-retirement and has had more than enough to say during his one day a week when he's not flying around the world battling Polio and meeting world leaders. We're looking forward to hearing Nadella deliver the kind of keynote speeches we've heard from Gates and Ballmer in the past – hopefully at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and pushing through to a leaner, faster and more efficient Microsoft. I reckon he'll do just fine. And I've only got one piece of advice for him: kill Windows RT and get tablets running Windows Phone instead. Like, yesterday. Now why not read Microsoft's new CEO: meet Satya Nadellahttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36b5342c/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/187557391909/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b5342c/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557391909/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b5342c/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557391909/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b5342c/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/187557391909/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b5342c/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/187557391909/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36b5342c/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/I7q_toM-orM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Valve/SteamOS/Steam%20Music%20for%20SteamOS-470-75.jpgThose who braved the SteamOS Beta installation process may, just may, get the chance to listen to tunes while playing games on Valve's operating system. The company made a stealthy announcement that it's launching Steam Music Beta for the OS and Big Picture, letting lucky invitees listen to their music collection as they take on titles. Valve isn't opening Music up to everyone yet; interested parties will have to "express interest in beta participation" by joining a dedicated community group. Members will be invited "in waves, until the feature is released to everyone." Play that Steam-y MusicSteam Music users will have to point Steam to their local music directory, after which the Steam Library will pull up Album and Artist views of their music collection. Once that process is complete, users can access Steam Music through their Steam Controller (or keyboard and mouse), manage their music queue and view and play tracks. When playing a game, Music will follow users through the Steam overlay, allowing them to continue managing their playlist, browse and select songs. Valve has made no secret that it wants SteamOS to be more about playing games; when it was first announced in September 2013, the company mentioned music, TV and movies would also be part of the picture. Steam Music sounds fairly limited for now in function as well as pool of users. However, it's a step in the right direction as Valve looks to bring PC gaming to the living room, and is one more feature Steam Machine users should find appealing. We have one Steam Machine review for you right now!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36adae38/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/186530073006/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36adae38/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530073006/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36adae38/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530073006/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36adae38/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530073006/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36adae38/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530073006/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36adae38/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/5PzxuI2xIaQ

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/televisions/Google/Chromecast/Review/hdmi-adapter-470-75.jpgGoogle's inexpensive means of streaming internet media to TVs may well see a new explosion of content partners now that the search company is unlocking the crucial Chromecast software development kit. The Google Cast Software Development Kit (SDK) is now available to any software developer who wants to stream their apps or websites to the stick. With the software open to all devs, we should see an explosion of compatible movie, TV show and music apps thanks to the Google TV dongle's very nature. Chromecast streams content directly from the user's mobile device or computer, meaning developers don't have to develop specific apps tuned to Chromecast. Instead, they simply update their apps on tablets and smartphones as well as websites to work with the SDK. A torrent of entertainmentThe Chromecast originally came to market with support for only streaming media acquired through the Google Play Store and on Netflix and YouTube. There are now over a dozen apps attending Chromecast's stream-fest, including Vevo, HBO, Pandora and a number of lesser-non titles. But thanks to today's announcement, that number will increase exponentially and likely, very quickly. While some devs may flee Apple TV's gated community, Google could run into some stiff competition against the Roku 3, which has lined up a virtual network of over 1,000 channels. We've got our fingers crossed that the Chromecast really works out for Google and TV, but in the meantime we'll keep track of all the new content you can watch as it becomes available. Google says hello software developers and good bye Motorola. Check out our review of their last Moto G love child.

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Windows%20Phone/WP8/WP8-470-75.jpgRumors abound that the next big update to Windows Phone 8 will include a notification center and Siri-like voice assistant, but users can also expect Bluetooth 4.0 support as well. Nokia Power User reported Saturday that Microsoft's upcoming Windows Phone 8.1 update has crossed yet another certification hurdle, this time for Bluetooth 4.0, which is already supported on competing iOS and Android devices. According to the listing on the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (BSIG) website, Microsoft received Bluetooth 4.0 certification for Windows Phone 8.1 last Friday, January 31, more than five months after submitting the mobile OS on August 5, 2013. The BSIG certification page twice specifically includes mention of Bluetooth low-energy (LE) support, a feature that has been widely expected given the increasing popularity of devices coupled to mobile apps which support such technology. Great, but when?The first major update to Windows Phone 8 is shaping up to be quite a doozy, with new notification center settings, separate volume control and improved multitasking also tipped for release this year. When the update might start landing on user handsets is anyone's guess, but with Microsoft's annual Build Developer Conference kicking off April 2 in San Francisco, we wouldn't be surprised to see at least a preview version land in the hands of developers during the event. Previous sources claim that Windows Phone 8.1 will be released to manufacturers next month, with a final release to end users sometime in May, assuming Microsoft has all of its ducks in a row by that time. It's important to note Microsoft's BSIG listing only covers the "mobile phone operating system" itself, although Nokia has already confirmed Bluetooth 4.0 support for its Lumia line, and all Windows Phone 8 devices are expected to be eligible for the update to 8.1. Relive the excitement of Windows 8.1 all over again in our full review!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36ab3b35/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/186530111385/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab3b35/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530111385/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab3b35/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530111385/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab3b35/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530111385/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab3b35/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530111385/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab3b35/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Bmoxzz_r5K8

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/antivirus2014/Kaspersky-470-75.jpgToday, we're delighted to announce that TechRadar now has a dedicated software downloads channel where you can grab a wealth of brilliant free programs. You'll find the channel filled with essential roundups of all the best programs to download, compiled by TechRadar's expert writers, so if you are looking for the best media player, best free antivirus or even the best browser then they're just a few clicks away. You'll also find the latest versions of popular programs such as Chrome, Firefox, OpenOffice, CCleaner and more. Simple choicesSimply choose the program you want, click the download button and the download will begin, and our content delivery system will give you the fastest download rate. This is just the first stage of what we plan to build into a comprehensive download site with a fully searchable database of programs which will help you find the perfect piece of software for your needs. We've already got the most popular programs available, but the site will soon be stuffed full with not only free software, like Google's fantastic Chrome browser, but also trial programs, demos and more. Check it out now at http://www.techradar.com/downloads. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36ab1dfe/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/186530164382/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab1dfe/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530164382/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab1dfe/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530164382/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab1dfe/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530164382/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab1dfe/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530164382/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab1dfe/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/kv-jBMAFfkI

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Generics/Cloud%20IT%20picture-470-75.jpgSmall companies are embracing the cloud. In fact it is now an integral part of nearly every organisation's business. But what form will the cloud take in the organisation? According to research firm Gartner, nearly half of enterprise will have deployed a hybrid cloud environment by the end of 2017. Another survey carried out by cloud provider Rackspace suggested that IT managers want a mix of public and private cloud in their organisations. It found that 60% of enterprises surveyed see the hybrid cloud model as the way forward. Mixing cloudsThese predictions acknowledge that not all IT infrastructures will go into the public cloud. The future for organisations will see a mix of workloads, with applications and data strung across public and private clouds as well as traditional on-premise infrastructure. For the small business, working out what applications and workloads should go where can be a difficult task. Adding Software-, Platform- and Infrastructure-as-a-Service sows further confusion. According to Joe Gardiner, Head of Product at CatN, hybrid cloud is increasingly being seen as the best way to host large applications in the cloud. "The business critical applications with security and performance demands can be hosted on a private cloud. This environment can then be integrated with the less critical services such as web servers, which are at home on a public cloud," he says. "Combining these two cloud models leverages cost efficiencies and also builds resilience into a solution. I would highly recommend engaging with a specialist cloud provider to build an effective hybrid cloud," adds Gardiner. Cloud migrationsNigel Beighton, International vice president of Technology at Rackspace, says that organisations are progressively moving to the cloud and this is taking a hybrid approach, as few companies need to move the entire data centre to the cloud. "It's important to note that some apps or workloads, better suited to dedicated hardware, may indeed never be migrated to the cloud – or at least not entirely. The hybrid cloud approach allows this tailoring of app to platform, to get the best out of each app," says Beighton. Nigel Stephenson, head of EMEA Cloud and Managed Service Solutions at Juniper Networks, believes that hybrid cloud will likely be the choice of both small and large enterprises. "For reasons of security, compliance and control, there will remain a desire to manage at least a subset of applications and data within the enterprise and outsource less critical or sensitive applications and data to public clouds," he says. "Especially where a public cloud service can offer temporary increases in capacity and release private computing power for enterprise applications." But although the model may be hybrid, it is likely that an increasing number of deployments will still be outsourced to cloud providers as a hosted private cloud. "There is a great deal of flexibility around the implementation of cloud services," adds Stephenson. Governing the cloud landscapeAnother driver of the adoption of hybrid cloud could be compliance with financial or governmental requirements that will require the need for private cloud infrastructure within some organisations. However, given the overhead in terms of cost and time that private cloud infrastructure requires, many companies will seek to move to at least a hybrid cloud model in the near term, where it's possible to do so. But SMEs looking to display the green credential may be able to use hybrid clouds to become more eco-friendly, according to Adam Weismuller, director of cloud solutions, Internap. "A hybrid solution of public cloud and dedicated servers would be able to be scaled elastically with the end-user demand on an application and ensure that both power consumption and cost is directly aligned with the resources in use at any given time," says Weismuller. "The baseline demand could be handled by the dedicated bare metal servers and the fluctuating demand can be addressed by temporary cloud instances only as needed, which reduces unnecessary power consumption and cooling." Beware the frankencloud?However Claire Galbois-Alcaix, senior marketing manager EMEA at Mozy, warns against what she called "building a frankencloud". "Hybrid cloud solutions make a lot of sense but you'll often get better performance from the public cloud element if you buy a solution from a specialist provider than you will buying space in the public cloud and building your own solution to get your data up there," she says. As every SME begins to use the cloud, regardless of whether they use it in a small way, or go all out for cloud, they are starting out on a hybrid cloud approach. For many IT managers the cloud means there is an extra set of skills they need to master. As the cloud becomes progressively mainstream, and adoption barriers are broken down, it will be interesting to see where the balance between public and private clouds and on-premise infrastructure eventually rest. Now why not check out the Best free antivirus 2014http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36ab1e01/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/186530164381/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab1e01/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530164381/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab1e01/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530164381/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab1e01/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530164381/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab1e01/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530164381/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36ab1e01/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/o6WeCpYBp_s

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/laptops/Chromebook/Lonovo_ThinkPad_Yoga_11e_Chroembook-470-75.jpgLenovo did Google a pretty big favour this week, by taking the Motorola division off its hands. Now the Chinese PC maker is lending support in the proliferation of the Chrome OS with a pair of new notebooks. Lenovo has announced theThinkPad 11e series Chromebooks which include a flexible Yoga-branded convertible laptop/tablet hybrid, which operates in four positions, and a traditional clamshell laptop. The new Chromebooks are aimed at the education market and come with built-in protection against youths may be prone to chucking school bags around as if their parents hadn't spent a fortune on nice things. There's rubberised bumpers, reinforced ports and stronger hinges to protect from the "hustle and bustle of the classroom," Lenovo says. Kid-proofing aside...Aside from the kid-proofing, the 11e series Chromebooks feature an 11.6-inch display, while the Yoga has a wide-angled IPS touchscreen to boot. The devices promise all-day battery life and are powered by unnamed Intel processing configurations (which probably means they're pretty low-end). There's also an LED indicator which shows "wireless connectivity, laptop power or sleep mode to help teachers ensure consistent student activity," - in other words allowing teachers to check students aren't cyber loafing. Schools can also have them custom engraved to ensure those of dubious morals don't do a runner with them. The ThinkPad 11e series goes on sale this spring, starting at $349. Better get used to Lenovo Chromebooks. There are loads coming this year...http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36a217fa/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/186530122160/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36a217fa/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530122160/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36a217fa/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530122160/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36a217fa/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530122160/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36a217fa/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530122160/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36a217fa/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/n4lDr-cvzPk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Archos/Archos_Titanium_series-470-75.jpgFrench mobile manufacturer Archos plans to throw its beret in to the Windows Phone arena. CEO Loic Poirier said the company will launch a handset on Microsoft's gradually improving platform, joining its budget offerings on Android. Nokia is currently earning a whopping 90 per cent of Windows Phone sales, with big hitters like LG, Samsung and HTC focusing all of their attentions on the Android operating system. That means a potential opportunity for manufacturers a little lower on the totem pole, like Archos, outside of the densely populated Android market. New breed rising"We will launch a Windows Phone handset when the time is right," he told TrustedReviews before explaining its primary focus would remain with Android. "Before anything else we are focussed on Google," he added. Other manufacturers like Alcatel and ZTE are also planning to jump in on Windows Phone. Could we be seeing a new breed of handset makers rising on Windows Phone? Have you checked out Archos' latest range of budget Android tablets?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/36a16024/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/186530066362/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36a16024/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530066362/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36a16024/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530066362/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36a16024/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/186530066362/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36a16024/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/186530066362/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/36a16024/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/9_j-cM5bVc0