sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20171/LXF171.feat_50distros.fedora-470-75.jpg Linux is about choice, or so the popular mantra goes, and nothing represents this more than the plethora of desktop environments on offer. Most distros have at least five graphical environments in their repositories, and some offer double-digit numbers of choice. But why? What's the point of all this? Surely it's not a question of having a lot of desktop environments, but of having a single one that works properly. Well, maybe. That's what we're here to investigate. We're going to look at some of the most popular, and some of the more esoteric desktop choices to find out which one you should be using. But before we go any further, we need to understand what we're looking at. 50 best Linux distros: find the best one for youThe phrase desktop environment is notoriously slippery. We're taking the view that a desktop environment is a collection of things: it's the window manager plus a set of utilities. This may come in the form of a pre-assembled package, such as Gnome or KDE, or it may be assembled by the distro maintainer, such as CrunchBang's Openbox or Puppy's JWM. Of course, even when it comes in a pre-assembled package, it will vary between distributions. KDE, in particular, can seem like a different desktop environment in each distro. The final thing we have to say before we get started is how we're evaluating them. In short, what should a good desktop environment do? We could get technical here, but really, we don't think the average end user cares that much about technicalities of what happens behind the scenes. So, we're going to say that a good desktop environment is one that makes computing fun and simple. That's the litmus test we're going to reference when deciding what's good and what's not. That's enough about what we're doing. Bring on the desktops! Gnome 3 Can the once-popular desktop reclaim lost users? http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.gnome_new-420-90.jpg Gnome was once the most popular desktop environment for Linux. It may still be, but it's hard to be confident now. When Gnome 3 launched in April 2011, it changed from a traditional desktop to a new, stripped bare, minimalist environment, and users took to the internet to demand it reverted to its older ways or else they would abandon it. The developers stayed with the new style and some users have certainly left, but not in the droves that critics predicted. In fact, it's now more common to hear people say that they like the new version. This new style comes courtesy of Gnome Shell, the part of the Gnome which creates the desktop. It's a radical break from previous versions which featured a panel with Menu, Window List and Notifications area, all of which had been common to most Linux desktop environments since they existed. In explaining their design decisions Gnome says: "The Shell is designed to minimise distraction and interruption and to enable users to focus on the task at hand. A persistent Window List or Dock would interfere with this goal, serving as a constant temptation to switch focus. The separation of window switching functionality into the overview means that an effective solution to switching is provided when it's desired by the user, but that it's hidden from view when it's not necessary. The omission of a Window List or Dock also reduces the amount of screen space occupied by the Shell, and therefore makes it better suited to devices with smaller screens." This philosophy lies right at the heart of Gnome 3. It's about simplifying the computing experience down to its bare minimum, and helping the user focus on a single task. This simplification continues through to the Gnome apps, and has been a constant cause of friction. As Gnome 3 matures, developers have simplified the core apps - Nautilus in particular - and removed functionality. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.gnome2-420-90.jpg This, in true computing style, can be viewed as either a feature or a bug depending on your point of view. Given Gnome's focus on simplicity, you may think things are looking good for this contender. Well, not necessarily. We said a good desktop environment should make computing simple, which isn't the same as the desktop environment being simple. For example, if you need to copy files between directories in a file manager, it's often simpler to use a split view to enable you to see both directories at once. This option, however, was removed when Nautilus was simplified. In the latest version of Gnome, the developers have relented slightly and introduced Gnome Classic. This is a series of extension that make Gnome 3 look like Gnome 2. It now sits in a halfway point where it has the look of Gnome 2, but everything in it still has the minimal Gnome 3 feel. As such, we find it hard to recommend at the moment, but it is early days and later versions may improve upon it. VerdictBest for: Minimalism Avoid if: You like to see what's going on Try on: Fedora In a nutshell: Less is more KDE How do you evaluate an ever-changing beast? http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.kde1-420-90.jpg The problem with evaluating KDE is that it seems to be different each time we see it. There's the vanilla KDE you get if you install it in a non-KDE distro, but many KDE-specialist distros (Mageia, ROSA, OpenSuse etc) have customised desktops. Most hard-core KDE users have personal settings that they've tweaked over the years and often provide a desktop environment radically different to the one you'd get straight after an install. In fact, the differences between two KDE installs are often so big, someone unfamiliar with Linux would be hard-pushed to recognize them as the same desktop environment. Because of this, we're going to go out on a limb and say that KDE isn't a desktop environment at all, but a framework within which you can build a desktop environment. The default settings in vanilla KDE are, in our humble opinion, terrible. It looks bland and doesn't take advantage of KDE's power. There are a number of distros that come with much better setups, particularly the three mentioned above, but they are all a little conservative. The real power of KDE comes when you dive in and customise it yourself. For the most part, this is done through widgets. While many desktops allow for some form of third party add-ons, no other embraces them as much as KDE. In fact, most of KDE is made up of these widgets. Some are distributed as part of the main KDE package, while others can be sourced from other developers, but they all have the same access to the desktop environment's internal workings. An overloaded screen full of graphically slick widgets that display all manner of information, mostly useless, is the hallmark of a new KDE user. With time and experiences, most KDE veterans whittle their way down to just a few widgets that provide them with what they need. For example, Ben has two folder views (for My Documents and Downloads folders), a weather forecaster (essential for a cycle commuter), and yuake (a terminal that drops down from the top of the screen when F12 is pressed). That provides his idea of the perfect balance between clutter and information. Yours, of course, may be different. Death by customisation http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.kde3-420-90.jpg The second main area that you can customise in KDE is activities. In some ways these are like far more customisable virtual desktops. They allow users to switch between highly customisable views for when they're performing different activities on their computer. As with most parts of KDE, in order for it to be useful, you have to spend time customising it to your workflow and use-cases. For many people, this is a bit too much effort and it's a feature that's rarely used. Of course, a desktop environment, as we said at the start, is about the complete package, including several utilities. While many of the others we look at here use similar GTK utilities, KDE uses Qt based ones. Typically these continue the KDE philosophy of ultimate configurability. There are enough of them that you could conceivably do all your computing in the KDE apps from the Konsole terminal emulator to the Calligra Office Suite to Konqueror, the web browser. This means you have a full set of applications that all share the same design principals, and have the same look and feel. In theory this should mean you have a consistent desktop, though it doesn't always work out as well. VerdictBest for: Customisation Avoid if: You like GTK Try on: OpenSuse, Rosa or Mageia In a nutshell: Tweaker's heaven Unity The new contender has made friends and enemies http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.unity-420-90.jpg After the demise of Gnome 2, the Gnome team, as we have seen, created Gnome 3 with a completely redesigned desktop. Ubuntu, previously the leading Gnome distro, decided not to use the new Gnome but to create its own desktop and called it Unity. There have been cries of it being near-identical to Gnome 3, but these seem to be from the superficial standpoint of the bottom panel going, and most of the action happening in the top-left corner. Unity doesn't have the same philosophy of maximum simplification, and the two desktops are actually quite different to use. The Unity desktop, though tidy, is busier than in Gnome 3. There's a Launcher and Window List on the desktop, so you don't have to switch to a new screen to access basic functions. Perhaps the most unusual thing about the Launcher is that you can pin web apps to it as well as native applications. Sceptics claim that these are little more than links to the web address, which have been available in other desktop environments for years. These sceptics have a point, but the 'little more' can be important. For example, it allows web apps to access the notifications area. While not everyone feels comfortable using the cloud, this makes things like web mail a little nicer to use for those that do. Strong functionality theme http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.hud-420-90.jpg Perhaps the big showdown between Gnome 3 and Unity is in the Overview vs Dash. These are roughly equivalent to the menus on traditional desktop environments. Places where you can launch apps (that aren't in the launcher), and search for things. Like Gnome 3's Overview, Unity's Dash is accessed through the top-left corners. Unlike Gnome 3, though, it doesn't have a Window List or a 'favourites' bar, since these are included in the main desktop. Again, we see the differences between the different philosophies shine through. Gnome 3 is as simple as possible, while Unity's has more functionality. By default, it allows the user to search through their applications, files stored locally and products on Amazon. The idea is to create a single point where the user can search for anything: just open the Dash and type what you want. The inclusion of the online results has upset some privacy campaigners, and it is possible to turn it off in the Settings panel. The biggest feature of Unity's Dash that's absent in the Gnome version are the lenses. These allow you to focus your search on a particular area. For example, the videos lens allows you to search online videos. For those of us in the UK, this seems to bring back results mostly from the BBC's iPlayer. There's also a Wikipedia lens to help you quickly find articles on the online encyclopedia. We can see real potential in these lenses, but for the moment they feel a little under done. The videos lens, for example, doesn't search a wide enough range of sources. If it provided a single point where you could search all video sources you had access to, then it would be a great feature. As it is, we find we hardly use it. We found that it took some time to get used to Unity, but now we can't remember why we ever used app menus. VerdictBest for: Big icons and web apps Avoid if: You like menus and panels Try on: Ubuntu In a nutshell: Innovative & bold Mate and Cinnamon A tale of two Gnome forks http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.cinnamon-420-90.jpg When Gnome and Unity both made radical changes to their desktops, two desktop environments emerged that sought to provide a comfortable home for disillusioned users. They both built upon Gnome code, and they both aimed to recreate a familiar look and feel, but they took different paths to that goal. Here we'll look at Mate and Cinnamon. If you start either of them, you'll be presented with a similar screen. There's a desktop where files can be dropped, a panel along the bottom which shows notifications, a list of open windows, and an Applications menu in the bottom left corner. For the purposes of this article, we'll refer to this as the traditional desktop. It's been the way many of us have interacted with our computers for almost two decades now, and most people find it easy to use. The differences between the two desktop environments really come down to the pedigree. Mate is a continuation of Gnome 2, while Cinnamon is a fork of Gnome 3, which is designed to retain the structure of Gnome 2. The most obvious difference between the two is that Cinnamon takes advantage of modern hardware to provide slick graphics while Mate runs more efficiently on older hardware. The extra power of Cinnamon is used to provide things like an overview (swipe the mouse into the top-left corner and it will display an overview of the open windows). Less dextrous users, though, can find this annoying when they go for the file menu a little too aggressively and suddenly find that the desktop disappears. In the latest version of Cinnamon (1.8), desklets have been introduced. These allow you to put dynamic objects on your desktop. For example, clocks or comic viewers that automatically update themselves. These are similar to widgets that are found in KDE, though they aren't as all-pervasive. Since they're a new feature, we don't yet know whether they'll become as powerful as KDE's widgets, or if they're just going to add a little glamour to the Cinnamon desktop. Pick your Gimp http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.mate2-420-90.jpg The second biggest difference is that Cinnamon is based on the GTK 3 tool kit while Mate is built on GTK 2. This means the two look slightly different, and match a different set of applications. Of course, using a desktop that uses GTK 2 doesn't mean you can't use software using GTK 3 and visa versa, but it isn't as smooth an experience. As it currently stands, almost all applications that aren't part of the Gnome project have a GTK 2 version. However, this is likely to change in the future as developers start to take advantage of the newer GTK 3 features. We find that there is little to differentiate between the two, and users that like one will probably like the other. Perhaps, as time goes on, the two desktops will diverge to target specific userbases, but this is pure speculation. We do know, though, that these two young desktops have rapidly become among the most popular interfaces for Linux. They've done this by listening to users and providing them with what they want. Verdict: MateBest for: Older computers Avoid if: You like GTK 3 Try on: Mint In a nutshell: Gnome 2 lives! Verdict: CinnamonBest for: Hipsters Avoid if: You have an older machine Try on: Mint In a nutshell: A traditional desktop Xfce The original refuge to Gnome 3 http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.xfce1-420-90.jpg Many people saw Xfce as a natural refuge for Gnome 2 users when Gnome 3 came out. It's GTK-based desktop environment and has a roughly similar layout. However, many of those who initially joined it after leaving Gnome 2 have since moved on, including Linus. This is because the two desktops were designed for different users. Xfce's graphics and effects are a little less impressive, and there are less controls. Thunar, the file manager, is also simpler than those in the bigger platforms, but perfectly functional for most uses. All this comes from the days before Gnome 3, when Xfce carved out a niche as a stripped-down Gnome 2-like desktop for low-powered machines. It does have a few features that some of the even lower-powered desktops (such as LXDE) don't, like launcher panels, but these aren't as graphically slick as in the more powerful environments. In the last couple of years, other desktops have come to fill in the niche of Gnome 2, while Xfce has continued to do what it's always done well: a simple, low-powered Linux desktop. We wouldn't quite feel right about describing it as 'no frills', but it certainly has a very limited number of frills. Whether or not it has enough is a matter of personal taste. VerdictBest for: Not too minimalist minimalism Avoid if: You like a high level of configurability Try on: Xubuntu, Debian In a nutshell: Aims for simple, but not too simple LXDE The feather weight desktop that still packs a punch http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.lxde1-420-90.jpg There are basically two ways to design a desktop environment. One is to ask yourself 'how much can we provide to the user?' and the other is to ask yourself 'what's the least we can provide to the user?' LXDE is designed with the latter in mind. The window manager is simple, as is the file manager. In short, there's no cruft. Nothing that you don't need. The result is a clean interface that's pleasantly free of interference. It's a cool glass of water after drinking flavoured pop. Some might call it boring, and they'd have a point, but does that really matter? Should your desktop environment be exciting, or should it stay out of your way and let you get on with what you're doing with the minimum of fuss? If you're of the latter opinion then LXDE could be for you. It's enjoying a certain renaissance at the moment due to it being the most popular desktop environment on the Raspberry Pi. The two projects fit together well because they're both based on the principle that computing is about function, not form. Of course, it is a little bit about form, and we think the incarnation of LXDE in Lubuntu has the best theme and set up, so it's a great place to start for people new to this environment. VerdictBest for: Low resource use Avoid if: You like graphical effects Try on: Lubuntu In a nutshell: A great desktop for older machines A few unusual choices Enlightenment http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.e17_2shot-420-90.jpg There's no way to hide the fact that Enlightenment is about eye candy. Things fade, pop and shimmer with glee any time you do anything. Some people find all these distractions and window dressing (sic) a bit too much, but for others it adds a sense of humour to their computing. Enlightenment describes itself as a desktop shell, which means it's desktop environment without any applications supplied. Since the styling is so different from the others (from which you'll need to take software) this means the result is a system that looks inconsistent. However, if you like desktop effects, but don't like KDE, Enlightenment may be for you. Sugar http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.sugar1-420-90.jpg When Nicholas Negroponte founded One Laptop Per Child, the project kicked off with extremely limited hardware, so the developers set about creating a desktop environment that was both very light on resources and very child-friendly. Given that most of their target users had never seen a computer let alone used one before, it had to be easy to use as well. Sugar is the result of this. It's a little too simplistic for most uses, but it's excellent for kids with its big blocky icons and a high-contrast colour scheme that make it great for their first digital steps. Try a Fedora spin here http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_on_a_Stick. Openbox http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.openbox-420-90.jpg We said at the start that a desktop environment is a tricky thing to define. Openbox is a perfect example of why. A number of the other desktop environments use Openbox as their window manager of choice (such as LXDE and razorQT). However, with some configuration, it can be turned into a desktop environment in its own right, and that's exactly what the developers of CrunchBang have done. It's stripped bare environment that perhaps has something in common with Gnome 3, though not quite to that extreme. It's minimalism has endeared it to sysadmins and hardcore users that appreciate the lack of desktop bloat. Puppy http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.puppy-420-90.jpg This distro has built a desktop environment around JWM, a slim window manager that's not used in many other setups. As you may be able to guess, this is one designed to be frugal with resources. The end result is pleasant, though not spectacular, and works admirably on older hardware. It's designed in the traditional fashion and does a good job of just staying out of the way. It can look a bit dated when compared to it's more resouce-intensive cousins, but as many people find that endearing as annoying. Not many people would pick this for a new machine, but it does a great job of keeping machines running that would otherwise be scrapped. Xmonad http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.xmonad-420-90.jpg If there's one desktop environment that stands out from all the others we have here it's this one. Before you start using it, it's best to forget everything you think you know about how a desktop should work. Right, have you done that? The desktop in Xmonad is split into tiles, each of which contains an application. You can shuffle the tiles around, change their sizes, and focus. You can also use the mouse within the tiles, but not to sort out the desktop like you would with windows. The result looks a little peculiar, but it is surprisingly usable once you get used to the new layout. Of course, it won't suit everyone. There's a guided tour to get you started here www.xmonad.org/tour.html. RazorQT http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.feat_desktops.razorqt-420-90.jpg As we've seen, there's a large range of lightweight desktops for Linux. However, almost all of them use the GTK toolkit which could cause problems as development has shifted to the less lightweight GTK 3. (LXDE has started work on a Qt version, but it could be some time before it's ready for mainstream use). Many people also prefer the look and feel of Qt. RazorQT was created to fill this particular gap. It's built using the same Qt toolkit as KDE, but without any of the bloat. As yet, it doesn't have many applications, but works with the KDE ones. It's still young when compared to most of the other ones in this roundup, and we expect it to improve and start to challenge the other lightweight environments soon. Conclusion If you ask ten computer users what they want from a computer interface, you'll get ten different answers, so why should they all use the same desktop environment? The answer is simple: they shouldn't. Because of this, we're not limiting ourselves to a single 'best desktop' because we don't think there is one, but we're not completely copping out. We're going to pick our favourite desktop in four categories: traditional, newstyle, tweakers and outlier. We feel this recognition of different styles of computer use has become especially important in the past couple of years as the desktop possibilities in Linux have diversified significantly. There has always been a range of desktops, but now, more than ever before, there are a range of good desktops. Not all of them will suit everyone, but everyone, we think, will be able to find a desktop that works well for them. For the traditionalists We have to say that there are no bad choices in the category at the moment. Xfce, LXDE, Mate, Cinnamon and KDE are all great desktops. They all have good and bad points, but we think that most traditionalists would be happy with any of them. However, there has to be a winner, and we're picking Mate for the way it continues the Gnome 2 feel through to the present day. For the brave new world This one comes down to Gnome 3 and Unity. Plenty of people hate both, but there's definitely a demand for much bolder desktop designs. We're going to go with Unity as our top desktop for the brave new world simply because we can't align ourselves with Gnome's stripped bare design. We like we need a little bit more activity on the desktop. Yes, sometimes it distracts us, but that's not always a bad thing. For the tweakers Let's be honest, there was only ever going to be one winner here and it's KDE. Although, an honourable mention should go out to Cinnamon now that it includes desklets. Enlightenment is another option, though we feel it doesn't match KDE as a complete desktop environment. Maybe next year, KDE will have a challenger. For the outliers We're going to pick the desktop that adds the most to the world of desktops. That is, the one that has the most useful features that can't be done in any common environment. The winner offers a radically different way of doing things that we found surprisingly usable. In fact, we were tempted to switch. Hats off then to xmonad. 50 best Linux distros: find the best one for youhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/33c0f519/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/180264306201/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33c0f519/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264306201/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33c0f519/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264306201/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33c0f519/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264306201/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33c0f519/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180264306201/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33c0f519/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/QcHjKgpdTQM

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Apple/iOS%207/iOS%207%20Apple%20page-470-75.jpgIt may not have the zoom animation-minimizing prowess of iOS 7.0.3, but iOS 7.0.4, available right now, brings some welcome fixes. The biggest patch deals with FaceTime calls. Calls were failing for some, but Apple claimed the freshest iOS 7 release remedies the issue. The 18.4 MB update also brings bug fixes and other unspecified improvements. Owners of the iPad 2 and up, iPhone 4 and up, iPad mini, iPad mini 2 with Retina display and 5th generation iPod touch can all partake in FaceTime fail-fixing relief. There's also a new Apple TV update out and iOS 6.1.5 for the fourth-gen iPod touch, so dig in. More blips!Blips are always on air. Temple Run is going to be a film nowHow Snapchat turned down Facebook's $3bn buyout offerSee the PS4 unboxed Daft Punk stylehttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/33b0ffc4/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/180264196966/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33b0ffc4/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264196966/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33b0ffc4/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264196966/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33b0ffc4/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264196966/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33b0ffc4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180264196966/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33b0ffc4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/nuD2Ja4zTsg

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Sony/Xperia%20Z1%20Mini/Sony_Xperia_Z1s_leak-470-75.jpgHey, good-looking, what's your name? Newly leaked photos appear to reveal a mini-sized edition of Sony's latest Xperia smartphone, although it's anyone's guess exactly what it might be called. PocketNow reported Wednesday that a trio of images of a Mini-Me sized Sony Xperia Z1 have surfaced and could be evidence of a second variation of the Japanese-only Xperia Z1f the manufacturer confirmed last month. According to Russian language forum 4PDA, the images we're looking at come from a prototype of the Sony Xperia Z1s, an international variant that seems to be targeted for the European market. The handset shown above is apparently being prepped for release in Russia, but all indications seem to point to the handset making its way to Western Europe in the near future as well. Big performance, small deviceIn case you're thinking the shot is just a full-sized Sony Xperia Z1, the included ruler and coin seem to indicate otherwise - the handset is roughly 65mm wide, which lines up nicely to the specs for the Xperia Z1f. The so-called Xperia Z1s is said to sport a 4.3-inch 720p HD display powered by a Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB RAM, Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and a 2300mAh battery, impressive specs that suggest this won't just be a smaller version of the Z1. Sony also isn't skimping when it comes to the camera optics, apparently packing in a 20.7MP sensor that ought to make just about anything you can point it at look pretty darned good; a 2.2MP front-facing camera is also on board for video chats. No word on when this little dude plans to come out of hiding and make an appearance in the hands of Sony fans everywhere, but for now we'll have to console ourselves with the rumors that it might exist at all. Big phone, small price? Get a hands-on look at the new Motorola Moto G!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/33b0ffc8/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/180264196965/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33b0ffc8/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264196965/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33b0ffc8/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264196965/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33b0ffc8/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264196965/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33b0ffc8/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180264196965/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33b0ffc8/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Bct-XTYlGgU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/Google/apps/Google_Now_Update13:11-470-75.jpgGoogle's quest to make its Google Now assistant a one-stop-shop for immediately prevalent information has moved a step closer to completion, with the integration of some brand new Cards. The Android version of Google Now, which is part of the Google Search app now brings access to news Google believes will pique your interest, as well as updates from the blogs they follow. Alongside some new reading material, Google Now for Android now integrates data from the company's recently-purchased Waze traffic app, offering real-time traffic information from other drivers on the road. Beyond those goodies, there's also a 'What to watch' card, which brings personalised entertainment suggestions from television and on demand portals. Repeat reminders and rugbyFor fans of egg chasing, there's some real time rugby score integration, while the app will also let you know when ordered packages are ready to pick up in-store. Finally, users will be able to set repeat reminders. Earlier this month Google boosted the iOS version of the service, bringing it temporarily in line with the Android counterpart with event ticket, train schedule and boarding pass cards among along with reminders and push notifications. The parity didn't last long as today's update puts the Android app in the ascendency once again. It's available to download now via Google Play. Will the rumoured Google smart watch get a heavy dose of Google Now?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/33af89b6/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/180264324434/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33af89b6/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264324434/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33af89b6/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264324434/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33af89b6/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264324434/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33af89b6/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180264324434/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33af89b6/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/GYa1P07vevI

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Pocket%20app%20update-470-75.jpgPocket held a press event in San Francisco Wednesday, November 13 where founder Nathan Weiner focused on unveiling an updated version of the popular bookmarking tool for the mobile platform. Freshly dubbed Pocket 5.0, the app holds two big changes to help streamline custom content for users, with the first being HIghlights. The tool essentially organizes content that it sees as the best and most relevant to you based on the items already in your Pocketed list of sites you frequent the most, tags you've created and authors you follow. New color-coded badges mark your Pocketed sites to help differentiate entries - those hundreds of items are now better organized into categories based on impact (Best Of), popularity (Trending) and length (Long Reads and Short Reads). The company also released a new developer tool called Pocket Preferences which allows third party apps to integrate topics, sites and authors you save most and lets you connect them to other apps using your Pocket account - making bookmarking on mobile devices much easier and quicker, plus content is now better curated to your interests. For iOS and Android, plus more?The app update also includes better side navigation allowing easier access to your List, Highlights, Tags, Favorites and Archive and quickly filter your content, much like the Facebook app. The update hits iPhones and iPads today and will be available on Android devices November 20. The company is also working to move the app to other platforms "soon." AMD has a bunch of announcements too!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/33a739a1/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/180264151165/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33a739a1/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264151165/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33a739a1/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264151165/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33a739a1/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264151165/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33a739a1/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180264151165/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33a739a1/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/O9GMBWU_TKs

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Motorola/Moto%20X/Review/moto-x-review-2-470-75.jpgSometimes being owned by Google can give you a bit of an edge over the competition. Such is the case with Motorola's Moto X, which will soon become one of the first Android devices to be upgraded to Android 4.4 KitKat. In fact, Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside said today that the Moto X will receive its KitKat update "in a matter of weeks," according to GigaOM. If the Moto X's KitKat update does arrive that soon it could be the first non-Nexus handset to be upgraded to Google's latest. Sweet updateKitKat was released initially on the Nexus 5, and the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 next in line, receiving the update over-the-air in the last day. Android 4.4 adds a number of changes and new features. For one, SMS messaging has been folded right into Hangouts, which Google hopes will become users' de facto messaging app. In addition, Google Now is more accessible than ever in KitKat. Much of its functionality can be accessed with the voice command "OK Google." Other important apps, like the phone, music and movies applications, have been treated to aesthetic and UI overhauls. Google's own official KitKat hub has a full outline of new features, so head there if you're hungry for more or want to know what to expect. And don't forget to keep checking TechRadar to find out when KitKat will arrive on your device. Here are 10 things you didn't know about the Moto X.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/33af89c2/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.pnghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/iR62ahlFkHg

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/televisions/Pioneer/KURO/KURO-470-75.jpg The news that the Pioneer brand is returning to the TV market will have sent tingles down the spine of every self respecting videophile, but the revelation transpires to be both more and less than it appears. Pioneer famously announced its exit from the plasma TV business back in 2009, unable to make a dime despite being widely heralded as the best television manufacturer on the planet. During their run, Pioneer Kuro screens achieved almost mythic status and even today remain a benchmark for flat panel image quality. Small wonder then that Dixon's announcement that it was exclusively licensing the marque for its own usecaused a tsunami of interest. But hopes that a Pioneer return will see the TV universe cosmically rebalance itself after Panasonic's plasma capitulation are likely to prove unfounded. The owner of Currys and PC World is handling all product development and component procurement, much as it's done previously with Prinztronic, Logik and Saisho. "Dixons Retail has been granted the exclusive rights to source, develop, produce and sell Pioneer TVs in selected European markets," read the release that heralded the news. Cynics might rightly despair at this, but there are encouraging caveats. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/televisions/Pioneer/KURO/KURO2-420-90.JPG Geoff Wood, Pioneer UK sales manager, told us that while Dixons Retail was specifying the screens, there would still be significant Pioneer involvement. "Dixons will develop the products, but we will oversee and check their specifications," he told TechRadar. "It's our brand name on the front, after all. For a TV to carry our brand, we have to be happy with it…" The first wave of rebooted Pioneer TVs screens will be distributed in Nordic territories, and comprise a trio of Full HD LED TVs in 40-, 46- and 55-inch screen sizes. The sets will be 3D-enabled, have Smart connectivity and multimedia playback. And according to Wood, they will definitely be upmarket, not least because Dixons needs another cheapo TV brand like it needs a hole in the head. As yet, we're told, no decisions have been made in regard to any UK product, although a 2014 launch is all but a certainty. What's more, Pioneer TVs could also be heading back to North America. "I suspect Best Buy will also be taking a close look at this deal," reveals Wood. The Chinese connectionWhat few people realise is that Pioneer has been quietly running a similar operation in China for more than three years. Pioneer TVs have been produced under license there, using locally sourced panels. Will the same Chinese pixel power the new European models? That's yet to be seen. But according to Wood, the retailer has always had a crush on the brand. "When we stopped making plasmas, Dixons were on the phone straight away," he confides. "They've been calling ever since, they've always been keen." For an outfit like Dixons, licensing a brand name which still has equity in the TV market makes enormous commercial sense. It's also less prone to banana skins. The Matsui own brand, launched by Currys in the Eighties and sold with the tagline 'Japanese Technology Made Perfect' (even though it was only marginally less Japanese than mushy peas), famously came a cropper when World War 2 veterans protested products because of a perceived association with Japanese General Iwane Matsui, leader of the infamous Nanking Massacre. Codenamed FugaNaturally we're hopeful that Dixons will respect the phenomenal legacy of the brand. When it came to image quality, Pioneer produced screens of unfeasible brilliance. It didn't so much push the envelope as strap it into the back seat of a Daimler. But we'll wager you won't see Pioneer's last great advance, codenamed Fuga, land at a PC World store anytime soon. We saw Fuga screens being demo'd against the brand's 9th gen Kuros back in 2008 and were astounded by what we witnessed Fuga was designed as a replacement circuit for the brand's PureDrive LSI, which gave the screens their trademark black level. In fact, the Fuga analyser was so mind-bendingly advanced it could actually alter the depth of field in an image, scanning moving images in real time and making a judgement about the perceived depth of the various elements that comprised the picture. The circuitry could actually decide to defocus parts of the background to give pre-eminence to elements in the foreground in real time, just as you might shut the aperture down on a camera to create depth. This was, in short, TV image processing gone mad. The Fuga circuit could actually alter the vision of a cinematographer, by changing the chosen focal plane of the original composition, and do it with an accuracy that was supernatural. At that point, the lunatics really had indeed taken over the asylum. It's perhaps a good thing the plug was pulled when it was. Read more from Steve May http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/televisions/10%20reasons%20for%204K%20Ultra%20HD/After%20Earth%20shot%20in%204K%20coming%20to%204K%20BD-420-90.jpg Why curved OLED TVs are a bad idea11 reasons your next TV MUST be 4K Ultra HDHow Gracenote is taking control of your TV6 ways Ray Dolby changed the way the world listens

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/templerun-470-75.jpgA film about a man who steals an archeological artifact from an ancient temple amid high-octane supernatural peril based on the popular app Temple Run is in the works. And they say Hollywood is running out of ideas. More blipsThere's no recycling of old "IP" in TechRadar's blips, no siree. No more hunting down autoplaying video tabs with new Chrome betaSee the PS4 unboxed Daft Punk styleKanye West is the new Steve Jobs, says Kanye Westhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/33a20af1/sc/38/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/180264225103/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33a20af1/sc/38/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264225103/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33a20af1/sc/38/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264225103/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33a20af1/sc/38/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264225103/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33a20af1/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180264225103/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/33a20af1/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/KF5upppeMmw

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Twitter/Vine/vine_windowsphone_official-470-75.jpgBecause any video longer than six seconds probably isn't worth watching, Twitter's Vine app has finally arrived on Windows Phone 8. Vine climbs to Microsoft's mobile OS ahead of rival Facebook's photo-sharing Instagram app, which is expected to arrive on WP8 soon as well. Windows Phone users have been waiting for Vine and other popular apps to make the jump to their platform, but the going has been slow. With makers of the most popular apps finally taking notice of the platform, though, that could soon change. Get excitedThe Vine app for Windows Phone is nearly identical to the apps on other platforms, with one small extra that Vine designer Ryan Swigart mentioned in a blog post today. Vine users on Windows Phone can pin the accounts of other users to their home screens, making them easy to access. "We love to see what each person contributes to Vine, and we're excited to welcome Windows Phone users to the community," Swigart wrote. He invited Vine users to tweet their feedback to Vine's official Twitter account. Stepping up the gameVine and Instagram have been available for years on iOS and Android, but Windows Phone's customer base is still extremely small compared to the more popular mobile operating systems. Microsoft is doing everything in its power to change that, including buying up its main device maker, Nokia. Nokia just unveiled a new Windows Phone 8 tablet, the Lumia 2520, and the Finnish company is believed to have plenty of other WP8 devices in the works. These may include products with suspicious codenames like "Goldfinger," "Moneypenny," "Phantom," "Normandy," and "Spinel," according to a tipster's report yesterday. Besides Instagram and Vine, we're also expecting Flipboard to arrive on WP8 soon, considering the aggregation app was shown off at Nokia's Lumia 2520 announcement. Nokia's new phone codenames turn to Bond, Breaking Bad for inspirationhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3399fd8d/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/180264038093/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3399fd8d/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264038093/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3399fd8d/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264038093/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3399fd8d/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264038093/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3399fd8d/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180264038093/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3399fd8d/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/gLu5u4Ak5aQ

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.round.p08_tails_desktop-470-75.jpg Among other things here at Linux Format we are also a bit clairvoyant. We decided that it was the right moment to look at 'anonymous' Linux distributions many weeks before mainstream media started discussing PRISM. Of course, even if nothing like that existed, there would still be many good reasons to protect at least part of what you want or need to do online: the examples go from whistle-blowing to home banking or super-invasive advertising. In all these cases, proper configuration of (at least!) the tools you use for web surfing, email, instant messaging and file sharing is crucial. Linux 'anonymous' distros are designed to help in just these kinds of situations. As a minimum, these systems are pre-configured to make it easier to surf the web without telling everybody in clear text where, or who, you really are. Android in 2020: the future of Google's mobile OS exploredWe put 'anonymous' between quotes for a couple of reasons: first of all, successfully hiding one's identity online takes quite more attention and discipline than just installing the right software. In the second place, and sometimes the first, the eye that you may want to appear anonymous to is the computer you're using! Why risk leaking passwords (or worse) to trojans and keyloggers when you must temporarily use somebody else's machine? We hope this roundup will help you cope with all this stress. How we tested... In the next pages, you'll find five Linux distributions designed with anonymity and general privacy protection as their primary objectives. The first selection criterion was ease of use for beginners and being actively maintained. There are other similar distros out there, but some haven't been updated for a long time. Next, we deliberately chose systems as diverse as possible, in order to give you an idea of the many faces of (Linux-based) secure computing. We've tested these distros as virtual machines or in live mode and we've also noted how they will cope with wired and wireless Internet connections. In all cases, the primary goals were to check how complete each system is, and how easy it is to start using the most privacy-sensitive applications in their default configurations. Our selection IprediaOS Liberté Privatix Tails Whonix Architecture What's in the box? What are the main features of each distribution? http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.round.p01_whonix_applia-420-90.jpg As important as it is, careful selection and configuration of applications is not the initial task of a 'privacy first!' Linux developer. Before that, it's essential to define, and restrict as much as possible, how the system should interact with the hardware it runs on and the Internet. Though not sufficient, an effective part of online anonymity is a distro that is created from scratch every single time you use it, and destroyed as soon as that session is over. This guarantees that no cookies or malware that you may get will be there to do more damage the next time you go online. All but one of the distros reviewed here use this as their default approach: they are available as binary images that you may and should directly install on CD-ROM or (better) on USB keys. Liberté ships with a Secure Boot-based trusted boot chain and the Hardened Gentoo kernel with all the GR security patches. Their function is to give each process and user only the absolute lowest privileges they need to work properly. Liberté is also available as a virtualisation appliance (the OVA file on the website) ready to load inside VirtualBox. I2P is a P2P anonymizing network that, like Tor, provides encrypted communications. IprediaOS is built, on a Fedora foundation to use all the features of I2P. Privatix and Tails are Debian spin-offs. They both have (like Liberté) utilities that clean the RAM at every shut-down and tools that make installation of persistent directories for your files on encrypted USB drives a snap. Double virtualisation Whonix is very different. It's a pair of Debian-based virtual appliances that you must download and run, simultaneously, in two virtual machines. The first one is the Gateway: its only task is to filter and route, through the Tor anonymizing network, all the Internet traffic of the other one, called 'Workstation'. This is the desktop that you will see and use: besides having all its applications configured to maximize privacy, it's built so it can only reach the Internet through the Gateway. The result is something, as its developer puts it, in which "IP and DNS leaks are impossible". Malware running in the Workstation can't find out the user's real location, because no part of that system knows what its IP address is. You may also run the two Whonix components on different machines, or use only the Gateway to isolate, in the same way, other operating systems. The downside is that Whonix isn't a portable operating system ready to be run on other computers off an USB key. Verdict IprediaOS - 4/5 Liberté - 4/5 Privatix - 4/5 Tails - 4/5 Whonix - 4/5 Hard to sum up such diverse architectures in numbers. They are all good. Usage options Different identities, computing on the road and file persistence. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.round.p02_persistence_tails-420-90.jpg Do you need different anonymous digital identities simultaneously (eg one for Twitter and one for online payments)? Do you also need to preserve many files from one session to the next, perhaps on different computers? Can you be anonymous all the time, for everything? We can answer the last question quite easily: Probably not. Registration to public Wi-Fi hotspots or services like Paypal may not work through Tor. Whonix can't be used on computers without VirtualBox, while the other distributions, instead, are explicitly made to run from CD-ROM or USB drives and all let you disable Tor with little or no effort. All the distros offer persistence, except for Whonix, this feature comes in the form of encrypted folders ( / persist in Liberté) if you install to hard drive or USB key. Alternatively, there are utilities to encrypt external drives. Whonix makes it easier to have multiple simultaneous identities with persistence: by setting up in VirtualBox multiple independent Workstations, attached to the one Whonix Gateway that you should have created anyway. Doing the same with the installable or ISO versions of the other distribution is also possible, of course, but Whonix explains how to handle configuration details in a better way. Verdict IprediaOS - 4/5 Liberté - 4/5 Privatix - 4/5 Tails - 4/5 Whonix - 3/5 Whonix is harder to run on portable drives and, therefore, scored lower. User interface Can you be anonymous, and still use a familiar Linux-based desktop? If you are serious about anonymity but also cannot spend lots of time tinkering with source code, you'll need to use a specialized Gnu/Linux system instead of general purpose distributions, such as Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint or SUSE. The focus on anonymity and, in general, security means that all these systems need to include as little code as possible, but be as stable as possible, and in case you hadn't realised it yet, here is one corollary of this fact: almost surely, your usual, favourite Linux desktop will not be available. Not in its latest and greatest version, at least. While you'll have to accept this, it is also important to figure out which system will require the least adaptation effort. So let's then assess how each of these distributions looks and feels. IprediaOS - 4/5http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.round.p05_ipredia-420-90.jpg Built on top of Fedora, IprediaOS's default desktop environment is a Gnome/Unity-like one (pictured right). Besides English, the system is also available in French, German, Spanish, Swedish and Russian. If you really dislike the default look, or need anonymity even on pretty old computers, that's not a big deal. You can always download the LXDE-based edition. The boot menu has entries for a Safe Mode (how much you would need it, is another issue) and for memory tests. The ORCA tools and the eekboard virtual keyboard offer some accessibility support. IprediaOS can take up to a few minutes, after boot, before being able to access the Internet. We didn't experience any such delay, but should it happen to you: it only means that the internal I2P router hasn't found other I2P peers immediately ready to forward your packets. Liberté Linux - 4/5http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.round.p06_liberte_desktop-420-90.jpg The distribution's home page says that Liberté "assumes willingness and capability to study operation of non-mainstream operating systems and software." Don't let that warning scare you. This actually applies to all the distributions in this roundup, but you don't need to be a real hacker to use them. Besides, we didn't find Liberté to be more difficult than the others. The window manager is OpenBox, which maybe intimidating at first sight, but is really slick and fast to use. If you need to run Liberté on low-end hardware you can even boot it in VESA graphics mode. The default web browser (pictured), with the Figaro Password Manager, Claws Email and the cables communication system set up panel, is Epiphany with HTML5 support. The Florence virtual keyboard will protect your passwords from any keylogger that may be present in the host computer. Privatix- 4/5http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.round.p07_privatix_desktop-420-90.jpg Being based on Debian 6, Privatix sports a traditional Gnome desktop, with IceWeasel as default browser. Some may find the simple, clean desktop layout a bit dated, but we liked it, and it may feel much less alien to newbies than those of some competitors. The same applies to the Application menu, that only contains six entries: Accessories, Graphics, Internet, Office, Sound & Video and System Tools. Another thing we liked a lot about Privatix is one of its settings, which is a good reminder that online anonymity must include certain easy configuration tricks: the default search engine for IceWeasel isn't Google or any of the other big ones, but Ixquick which calls itself "the world's most private search engine." Tails - 4/5http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.round.p08_tails_desktop-420-90.jpg Tails is an acronym standing for 'The Amnesic Incognito Live System'. At first sight, after presenting Privatix, it's also hard to say something about its look and feel. Not because this is a bad distribution, no! It's simply that since Tails too is based on Debian 6, the default desktop is almost identical to the one in Privatix. After playing with Tails a bit, however, several differences emerge. To begin with, Tails was the only system tested on which setting a non-English keyboard worked without problems on all the computers used for the roundup. On average, Tails was also the faster system to boot (the boot options only are Tails and Tailsafe). As in Liberté, a virtual keyboard is just one click away, together with the ORCA reader and magnifier for short-sighted users. Whonix - 3/5http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.round.p09_whonix_desktop-420-90.jpg Besides its dual-virtual-machine architecture, Whonix is unique in this roundup also for another reason: instead of some Gnome variant or simpler interfaces such as LXDE or OpenBox, this is the only system that uses a dull-looking, but full blown KDE as desktop environment. The left part of the root window is full of icons. Maybe a bit too many. Anyway, even if it's a bit heavier visually, Whonix may help inexperienced users feel less estranged. Of course, remember to start the Whonix Gateway first, or you won't be able to see much besides a huge warning window! Every now and then, select Applications >System >Whonix Check from the system menu: in a couple of minutes you'll get a complete report of how up to date your Whonix installation is! Media and hardware support Let's see online videos anonymously. No, wait… This is likely to be the section of the roundup that you'll be less happy to read. To be fair, it's not the fault of the distributions, but a direct consequence of the constraints they must respect. In all our tests, the sound and graphics cards were always recognized. We found playback of local files worked without problems, that is, whenever the necessary codecs were already present. Otherwise, we found we had less choices than with normal Linux distros. The several browsers all play HTML5 video clips but not Flash ones. You would have to install the corresponding plug-ins manually. Unless you chose Liberté, because Epiphany and the Flash plug-ins for Linux aren't really compatible. In any case, be warned that using Flash in and by itself increases the risks of attacks to your privacy. On to the worst news now. In theory, all these distributions should support things like 3G modems, Bluetooth and, above all, lots of Wi-Fi chipsets. In practice, as with codecs, they won't be as up to date as mainstream Linux platforms. If you only planned to use these distributions on your computers, you may be lucky, or you may have to do a lot of initial configuration. If, instead, your hope was an USB stick ready to use 'as is' for every Wi-Fi chipset you may throw at it you'll be disappointed! The exception would be Whonix which, as running only inside VirtualBox, couldn't care less of how its host accesses the Internet. VerdictIprediaOS - 3/5 Liberté - 3/5 Privatix - 3/5 Tails - 3/5 Whonix - 3/5 Basically, expect to face issues with Wi-Fi access or media playback. Office and graphics apps What? No slide-shows? Yes, the primary purpose of an anonymous distribution is to help you surf and do other things online anonymously. Sometimes, however, it's just impossible to limit yourself to that. The most common case may be the one in which you receive some graphic or office document over the net that you must check, or maybe edit quickly and then send somewhere else: logging off just to open one file would be really annoying, wouldn't it? From this point of view, the best distructions are Tails and Privatix: as they both come with OpenOffice 3, Gimp and Inkscape. Tails also includes publishing software, Scribus. Liberté and (at least by default) Whonix have much less on offer. The Office menu of Liberté only lists AbiWord, Gnumeric, Evince for PDF files and FBreader for ebooks. Slide-shows? No, sorry. That's still more than Whonix, which, in the same menu, only lists the Okular PDF reader. IprediaOS? Well, reading PDFs using Evince is pretty much all you'll find in the box. On the positive side, both IprediaOS and Whonix may allow for additional software, using the same GUI interfaces available on Ubuntu, Fedora and many other popular Linux distributions. In theory, that is. In practice, while Synaptic in Whonix found and let us install an old version of LibreOffice (1.3.5.4!), the Gnome Package Manager in IprediaOS found no office packages in its pre-configured repositories. Verdict IprediaOS - 2/5 Liberté - 3/5 Privatix - 5/5 Tails - 5/5 Whonix - 3/5 Tails and Privatix have all you need to do most office and graphics work. Privacy and anonymity The Internet is much more than websites! http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.round.p10_susimail_iprediaos-420-90.jpg Web surfing isn't everything, you may want to use your anonymous system more for email or instant messaging. All the distros are well equipped for this with one caveat: some of the most secure solutions may work out of the box only between users of the same distro. Let's look at email first. All the systems include some standard email client for Linux with plug-ins. Whonix, for example, provides Thunderbird with the TorBirdy interface to Tor. Privatix contains both Evolution and IceDove, with digital signatures and message encryption enabled by default. Tails achieves the same goal with Claws. Liberté users get a more interesting alternative: Claws with the Cables Communications system, a server-less protocol that routes messages directly between Tor or I2P nodes. A Cables identity consists of two long, very cryptic host names. After creating it, you'll be able to exchange email anonymously with other Cables users with the anonymous email address YourUserName@hostname. It will be much slower (up to a few days) than normal email, but you will get repudiability, delivery receipts and perfect forward secrecy. Besides Evolution, IprediaOS has an interface to Susimail, a free pseudonymous email service that routes messages via the I2P network. All the distros include some support for anonymous file sharing, normally via Bit Torrent. In IM terms, Liberté and Tails have Pidgin with the OTR (Off The Record) plug-in to provide authentication, encryption and deniability. Liberté also has XChat, which is also the default IM client in IprediaOS and Whonix. Privatix has Pidgin and Empathy. Another service present in all the systems we reviewed is unified management of passwords or encryption keys, with tools like Figaro or the GNU Privacy Assistant. Curiously, while all distros make creation of encrypted file systems easy, there seems to be no explicit, built-in support for steganography. Our roundup contenders offer many more applications and functions to enhance privacy and anonymity, and we'll close this section by mentioning just a couple that we found interesting. In IprediaOS, all the services of the I2P network are accessible from one simple, web-based I2P console. Tails, instead, has the Metadata Anonymisation Toolkit. This service removes sensitive metadata hidden in files, from geographical coordinates in photos to the editing history in office documents. Verdict IprediaOS - 5/5 Liberté - 5/5 Privatix - 4/5 Tails - 4/5 Whonix - 4/5 IprediaOS and Liberté get the top score for their support of alternatives. Documentation How can I learn what I should do? http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.round.p11_ipredia_docs-420-90.jpg Good tutorials and other helpful documentation are always important for any software program you want to use. This is certainly the case with anonymous distributions, which may otherwise cause frustration even for people familiar with running Linux. Unfortunately, as it stands, the IprediaOS website only contains one video tutorial, explaining how to start the operating system in VirtualBox. This lack of material, however, is compensated by the many links to forums and other resources in the I2P Web console. The documentation for Privatix is also scarce, at least in English. The full FAQ and manual is only available in German. Liberté, Tails and Whonix, each have plenty of useful stuff in their respective websites. (Strictly speaking, most of the pages apply as they only cover the specific distro). Do yourself a big favour by following this little bit of advice: even if you decide now, just by reading this article, which system fits your needs, spend some time browsing the tutorials, FAQs and other documents of these three platforms. This will help you a lot to understand both the potential and the general limits of online anonymity and privacy. Whonix, for example, has a great list of things that you should not do if you don't want to nullify all your attempts to anonymity. Most of that advice is valid on any operating system. On the Tails website, we'd recommend that you should read at least the article on how to securely delete files and clean disk space. Verdict IprediaOS - 3/5 Liberté - 4/5 Privatix - 2/5 Tails - 4/5 Whonix- 4/5 Liberté, Tails and Whonix all provide plenty of documentation for their distros. The verdict http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/magazines/Linux/Issue%20174/LXF174.round.p12_tails_winner-420-90.jpg Your ultimate anonymous Linux distribution will be the one closer to your actual needs. It'll take a trial period to figure out what those needs are. Sometimes, it will be really easy: the winning distro may just be the only one you'll manage, without recompiling code, to get to speak with the Wi-Fi chipset of your laptop. That said, we were mainly interested to find which distro could make it easier for you to use the web anonymously, and learn the best practices that you should always follow, regardless of what operating system you're running. IprediaOS is perfect if you prefer I2P to Tor, or if both you and your partners need something like Susimail. Whonix is great for multiple simultaneous identities. It is also the only way to provide more guarantees of anonymity to relatives etc who, for whatever reason, may continue to go online with Windows. Whonix, however, is not made to go as-is on portable drives. We must say that we miss a turn-key bundle for Whonix and VirtualBox, that would make it possible to launch them with one click, even on Windows boxes, without rebooting. Oh, and if that bundle included some other barebone Linux distribution that does nothing but boot, connect to the Internet (which means having as many up to date Wi-Fi drivers as possible) and start the VirtualBox appliances then that would be even better! Right now, and looking at online anonymity from a beginner's point of view, the distribution that comes out as the winner is Tails. The decision would have been harder if Privatix had supplied more English documentation, because that, too, is one really nice little system. The main advantages of Tails are its readiness for USB installation and the complete nature of its desktop and its documentation. The Tails system menu also contains enough applications to make you do almost everything you may need without rebooting. The documentation, while not interesting as the one for Whonix, is more than adequate to help even Linux beginners. Yay for Tails, then! 1st: Tails - 4/5Web: https://tails.boum.org | Licence: GPL Version 0.18 The best compromise for beginners between security and ease of use. 2nd: Privatix - 3/5Web: www.mandalka.name/privatix | Licence: GPL Version 11.04.11_en Almost as good as Tails, but with fewer applications and documentation. 3rd: Liberté Linux - 3/5Web: http://dee.su/liberte | Licence: GPL Version 2012.3 Very well designed, but not a good first anonymous distro for beginners. 4th: IprediaOS Web: http://www.ipredia.org/ | Licence: GPL Version 1-i686 The way to go when Tor isn't enough, but has fewer apps than Tails. 5th: Whonix Web: http://sourceforge.net/p/whonix/ | Licence: GPL Version 0.5.6 An interesting architecture, but not as easily portable as the others. Also consider... The structure of software reviews strongly depends on the type of apps being reviewed. As obvious as it is, this isn't a banal issue. The actual distro test was both fun and relatively easy, but figuring out how to structure what we found and wanted to share was much harder. The reason simply is that, with this kind of software, the user attitude is a much more critical component than in, say, office suites. How do you group (or define) the several features of a distro to take this into account, in a way that helps everybody to understand why they should care? We hope we succeeded. Now download the distros, and try them all! No, wait! Here's one last bit of advice. Please spend some time looking at all the privacy plug-ins and extensions that these distros put in their browsers: learn what they are, how they are configured and why they were added in the first place. Then, install and use them in the browser of your everyday Linux distro too. It won't hurt, and it may be the best way to become gradually familiar with the world of anonymous browsing. Now why not check out our guide to the future of Android?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3395ab0f/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/180264090591/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3395ab0f/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264090591/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3395ab0f/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264090591/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3395ab0f/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180264090591/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3395ab0f/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180264090591/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3395ab0f/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/3YHZRNDNmeo

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Windows%20Phone/WindowsPhone-04-470-75.jpgWindows Phone 7 users and old-timey Zune player owners will no longer be able to view video they've purchased through the Xbox Video store, Microsoft has announced. The company emailed customers this weekend to inform them that, from February 2014, that video content they own will no longer be supported on their devices. "This email is to notify you that in late February, 2014, Xbox will be making an update to our video catalog," the company wrote: "This update will allow us to more quickly and efficiently add the highest quality video content to the Xbox Video service. "As a result, beginning in late February 2014, any Xbox Video content you own as of then, will no longer be playable through the Zune PC client, Zune devices, or Windows Phone 7 devices. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause." Still available on other devicesThe announcement is a blow for those users on Windows Phone 7 or Zune devices, that have invested in video from the Xbox Video store. Microsoft has not indicated that any compensation will be offered to those users who have lost access to their video content and did not offer hope that the Xbox Video app will relaunch on Windows Phone 7. "You can still enjoy all of your owned content at XboxVideo.com on your PC or Mac, or on your Xbox One, Xbox 360, Windows 8 & 8.1 PC and tablet, or Windows Phone 8." http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3384c4bd/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/180263888784/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3384c4bd/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263888784/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3384c4bd/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263888784/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3384c4bd/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263888784/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3384c4bd/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180263888784/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3384c4bd/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/CRwiGzrDlZ4

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Google/nexus5/Nexus%205%20Review/nexus-5-review-28-470-75.jpgIn a race to finally mature Android into a less multi-personality OS Google has slipped a new runtime called ART into Android 4.4. For a quick primer, all Android apps downloaded from the Play Store come written in a generic code called bytecode that's left half-complied. It's done this way because Android runs on such a wide range of hardware and software platforms. Android phones currently use Dalvik and a Just-In-Time compiler to polish up apps to work with devices as they are launched. ART (short for Android Runtime) compiles code Ahead-Of-Time when applications are first installed. Though it's early yet, ART looks to cut app execution time by half, allowing for faster finishes to long-running, processor-sucking tasks and more idle time. What it looks to mean for users is improved animations, faster input reactions (touch, sensor), and substantially better battery life. ART schoolInstead of having a compiler start up every time, eating up resources and battery, ART converts apps the first time, leaving them stored as native applications for the device's specific hardware. If ART gets off the ground, it would mark a fundamental shift in the way applications work on Android devices that could help improve performance and battery life. Users can switch on ART by going into Settings > Developer Options > Select runtime. Note ART is essentially an experiment Google's running for devs and hardware makers, but the option is there for regular users to give it a go, too. What's the catch?While there seem to be abundant plusses to ART, the main catch is that every app will take slightly more space. ART precompiles every app you install or already have on your device into a larger native application. Using the new runtime also causes longer install times for all apps, which can be especially annoying when converting the entire apps library. However the trade offs could be well worth the few megabytes off of the device's storage, especially if it means games are less prone to stutter, apps generally more responsive and battery is saved. As the option to turn on ART is still hidden away in the developer settings, it's obvious this new feature isn't ready for prime time just yet. Google also hasn't given an official timeline for when ART will fully replace Dalvik, if it ever does. Check out our review of the latest Android Device running KitKat.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3379863d/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/180263925563/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3379863d/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263925563/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3379863d/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263925563/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3379863d/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263925563/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3379863d/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180263925563/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3379863d/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/TMhNKLzE068

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/games_consoles/Xbox%20One/Controller%20Xbox%20One-470-75.jpgWe knew it was coming, but now we have an idea of the utter importance of the day one update heading the Xbox One's way. When the Xbox One drops on November 22, expect to unwrap the brand new console and just stare at it for a while as it downloads a day one patch before you can do practically anything. We're serious. Microsoft Senior Director of Product Management Albert Penello told Engadget that the system basically can't do anything without the day one update. The Xbox One won't even play disc games without it, meaning your stuck with a big blocky paperweight until the update is sent through the airwaves. Penello didn't say exactly what would be in the update, except that it would be mandatory for updating the relatively old version of the operating system shipping with the Xbox One. He also mentioned that the patch contains many of the apps for the Xbox One, which won't be on the system's hard drive fresh out of the box. Surprise, not surprisehttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/games_consoles/Xbox%20One/UI%20assets/Pins_US_Multiple%203P-420-90.jpg This doesn't really come as a surprise as manufacturers often start production on the system hardware well before the software is close to its final build. And we knew the Xbox One would be receiving this update, we just didn't know how useless the console would be out-of-the-box without it. Other systems like the Wii U saw a significantly strained day one patch process that took hours. Without the update users were left with a console unable to access the eShop, Miiverse and Nintendo Chat. Future PS4 owners will also have to jump over day one patch hurdles. When Sony's new system arrives it won't even have Blu-ray or DVD playback built-in as a basic function of the system. With the Xbox One and PS4 launching in a few short days, gamers should start praying for a steady internet connection and kind server gods. Otherwise, they may be stuck with some very expensive paperweights for longer than they like. The PS4 is also getting a big salvo of apps, 11 of them in fact!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3377e131/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/180263800848/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3377e131/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263800848/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3377e131/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263800848/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3377e131/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263800848/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3377e131/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180263800848/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3377e131/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/wuHzB7ujyKU

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//art/mobile_phones/Nokia/Lumia1520/ATT_Lumia_1520_stacked-470-75.jpgWhat's black, yellow, white or red and can now be pre-ordered from your friendly neighborhood AT&T store? If you answered the latest, hottest Nokia Lumia smartphone, take a bow. AT&T has announced the launch of the Nokia Lumia 1520, the carrier's latest Windows Phone 8 exclusive will swoop into stores with its luscious 6-inch 1080p HD display on Friday, November 22. But that doesn't mean Lumia fans have to wait two weeks to throw their hard-earned cash in AT&T's direction - the carrier has opened the floodgates for online and retail pre-orders today. Available in your choice of matte black, matte yellow, matte white or glossy red, the big-screen Lumia 1520 arrives with 16GB of internal storage, plus a microSD slot ready to load up to 64GB of additional space for photos, videos and more. Big screen, bigger offersThe Lumia 1520 at AT&T was the subject of some mystery earlier this week when Microsoft put up then pulled a pre-order page showing a release date of November 15. The new date of November 22 (which also happens to be Xbox One launch day) was floated November 7, and now we know it was right on the money. Nokia's Lumia 1520 is notable as the first Windows Phone device on the market with an expansive display capable of showing more Live Tiles, offering more space for games, videos and social apps, and even reading e-books. AT&T is sweetening the deal with a trio of offers, including 50GB of free AT&T Locker cloud storage for Lumia 1520 buyers and Microsoft's free Halo: Spartan Assassin shooter game on the Windows Phone Store. Speaking of the Windows Phone Store, AT&T customers who purchase and activate their Lumia 1520 between November 22 and January 9, 2014 will receive a $20 voucher good for purchasing apps for the device. AT&T's Lumia 1520 is priced at $199.99 with a two-year agreement and also available via AT&T Next for only $27 per month; the carrier also announced a 32GB model will be offered in the near future. Surf into the big waves with our full review of Apple's new OS X Mavericks!http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3377e13e/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/180263800847/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3377e13e/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263800847/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3377e13e/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263800847/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3377e13e/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263800847/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3377e13e/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180263800847/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3377e13e/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/tEXTrqoe81w

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//art/internet/Google/Gmail/Gmail_icon-470-75.jpgApple's free OS X 10.9 Mavericks update has caused plenty of headaches for people - not least Gmail users who have had to put up with misbehaving inboxes since taking the plunge. The Cupertino-based company has outed a free patch to fix problems related to its Apple Mail app and Gmail accounts, which include mail being unintentionally duplicated and unread message tallies seemingly being plucked out of thin air. According to Apple, the 32.46MB update fixes an "issue that prevents deleting, moving, and archiving messages for users with custom Gmail settings" and "addresses an issue that may cause unread counts to be inaccurate". To install it, you'll have to head on over to the Mac's App Store, where it should be ready and waiting. Coming unstuckApple has also issued a software fix for its brand new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display laptops after users complained of freezing keyboards and trackpads. And there could be more Mavericks-related patches in the works. According to 9to5Mac, Mavericks' iBooks 1.01 and Safari 7.01 updates are due to bring improved performance for new features introduced in Apple's (for now) temperamental OS. Unfortunately, some Mac owners are still stranded in no-man's land after installing the latest version of OS X, including Western Digital external HDD users that have seen data destroyed after upgrading from Mountain Lion. Probably worth reading our Mavericks review again to see if it's all worth ithttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/3372c547/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/180263781636/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3372c547/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263781636/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3372c547/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263781636/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3372c547/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263781636/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3372c547/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180263781636/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/3372c547/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/FzE2qu5fZTk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//art/other/Onetimers/google-chrome-browse-extensions-hosted-policy-470-75.jpgThere will only be one place for Windows-based Chrome browser extensions to be stored in 2014, as Google is about to require all such extensions be hosted on the Chrome Web Store. This isn't another Google-Microsoft app tiff. Malicious extensions are the reason developers are being forced to migrate all of their extensions to Google's internal servers starting in January. "Many services bundle useful companion extensions, which causes Chrome to ask whether you want to install them (or not)," explained Erik Kay, Google engineering director, in an official blog post today. "However, bad actors have abused this mechanism, bypassing the prompt to silently install malicious extensions that override browser settings and alter the user experience in undesired ways." One example that Google highlighted involved replacing the New Tab Page without users' approval. The company even linked to hundreds of complaints from Windows users to back this up. You shouldn't see a differenceChrome users shouldn't see much of a change despite the sweeping new security efforts announced today. "There will be no impact to your users, who will still be able to use your extension as if nothing changed," Kay advised developers. He also mentioned that developers who want to keep extensions hidden from the Web Store can do so, in case they're used internally in a work group and shouldn't be shared with the public. The only difference end-users will see is if developers don't migrate over to being hosted on the Chrome Web Store right away. "If your extensions are currently hosted outside the Chrome Web Store you should migrate them as soon as possible," he warned before segueing into the overall goal of this trade-off. "Protecting our users is a key priority, and we believe this change will help those whose browser has been compromised by unwanted extensions." http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/336e5c3c/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/180263846515/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c3c/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263846515/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c3c/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263846515/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c3c/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263846515/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c3c/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180263846515/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c3c/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/8sS2MG6Fmq0

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//art/games_consoles/PlayStation%204/PS4%20official%20photos/PS4%20User%20Interface/_bmUploads_2013-02-28_1567_Screen_010-470-75.jpgNetflix. Hulu. Crackle. Crunchyroll. Sound familiar? Well they should. Sony announced today that the PlayStation 4 will receive 11 apps on launch day - basically the same apps found on your PS3. So there's nothing earth-shatteringly new about these apps, but the company did mention more will follow. However, it's not clear if they will be announced before the November 15 (November 29 in Europe) console release date. More blips!Keep clicking away for other little chewy blips. Star Wars Episode VII release date set for December 18, 2015Netflix dons a Marvel cape, superheroes to fly your way in 2015Oops, GTA V Online stimulus packs still not ready due to 'tweaks and fixes'http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/336e5c3d/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/180263846514/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c3d/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263846514/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c3d/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263846514/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c3d/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263846514/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c3d/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180263846514/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c3d/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/SxqD15N3jAk

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//art/internet/IE11%20preview/ie11-windows-7-demo-470-75.jpgThe latest version of Internet Explorer 11 is finally being ported from Windows 8.1 to Windows 7. Since September 18, IE 11 has been available to gamers and start button purists holding onto Windows 7 as a Release Preview, but now everyone can download the newly finalized build of Microsoft's internet browser. The IE 11 build coming to Windows 7 is almost the same as what comes with the recently shipped Windows 8.1. It features the same speed improvements, enhanced web security measures and interface updates as its newer counterpart. The update also includes Microsoft's F12 developer tools and support for touch gestures, as well as Microsoft's new clutter-free Reading View for Internet Explorer What's under the hood?According to the Redmond company, users switching over from IE10 will see a 9% performance increase on version 11. Microsoft has also previously claimed IE11 as the fastest desktop browser in the world at 30% quicker than competitors like Safari and Chrome. Microsoft-produced numbers aside, IE11 brings some serious browser upgrades to the four-year-old OS. The real reason behind the browser's faster speed is the Flip Ahead feature, which preloads up to two pages if you're reading a multipage story. The other major new addition is Microsoft has finally supported WebGL on Windows 7. If you tdon't know what WebGL is, it makes image filled webpages load faster using GPU hardware acceleration whilst using less memory. It also supports HTML5 link pre-fetching and pre-rendering. The top URL bar remains an aesthetic miss on Windows 7 where it can be found on the bottom in Windows 8.1. The ported browser also does not have the new tab view, and IE 11 doesn't support Google's SPDY protocol (the precursor to HTTP 2.0) on Windows 7 or the newer OS. Google says you can't sell your Glass, but can't really do anything if you do.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/336e5c43/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/180263846513/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c43/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263846513/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c43/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263846513/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c43/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263846513/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c43/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180263846513/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336e5c43/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/5xzAPgLz3UA

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//art/mobile_phones/Sony/Sony%20Xperia%20Z1/Review/z1-hands-on/hands-9-470-75.jpgIt's that time again; when Android smartphone and tablet owners cross their fingers in hope that someday their device will be chosen to join the elite few on the newest version of an operating system. On Thursday, Sony lived up to last week's promise and delivered its roadmap, not just for Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, but for the handsets that'll eventually be rocking Android 4.4 KitKat. Here's the long and short of it: In the next months, the Japanese giant will begin bestowing Jelly Bean on Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia SP, Xperia Z Ultra and Xperia Z1. The Xperia T, V and TX will go straight from 4.1 to 4.3. The zees have itSony stopped short of offering a timeframe for Android 4.4 KitKat updates, but the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia Z Ultra and Xperia Z1 are the first in line for the roll-out whenever that may be. Given Sony is taking some services straight from Android 4.1 to 4.3, some users might be asking why the aforementioned devices can't go straight to Android 4.4. Of course, Sony would probably answer by regaling us all with tales of the vigorous testing that must take place before each update can be rolled out. Google, on the other hand, seems keen for as many devices as possible to end up on KitKat and has designed the new OS to play nice with lower memory devices. One device that'll definitely get Android 4.4 KitKat is the Google Nexus 5. Here's everything you need to know.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/336dbf7e/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/180263799631/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336dbf7e/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263799631/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336dbf7e/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263799631/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336dbf7e/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263799631/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336dbf7e/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180263799631/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336dbf7e/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/c0p6gVJuFJc

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//art/Watches/iWatch/Apple_Bluetooth_hotspot_patent-470-75.jpgWi-Fi is great, but there are plenty of places where it's not available. This could be where a new Apple patent for short-range connectivity between two devices using low-power Bluetooth comes in. AppleInsider reported that Apple's latest published patent filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) could be bound for future devices that lack a built-in radio transceiver, such as the fabled "iWatch" Cupertino is widely believed to be working on. The latest application entitled "Network access using short-range connectability" allows devices such as the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to not only connect to another gadget without a built-in radio, but also share a local network. Exactly such a scenario is what Bluetooth technology is intended for, but Apple's patent places emphasis on making such connections happen with as little user intervention as possible, all while conserving precious battery power. Quacks like a duck?Originally filed with the USPTO in March, the short-range communications patent application makes no specific mention of a smart watch. "Users can leverage their mobile radio communication devices, such as their cell phones, to provide network access to their other devices without having to manually enable such connections," the patent description read. "In turn, the other devices can benefit from the network access while remaining in low-power mode during a short-range connection that uses a low-power enabled connection." The report theorized that such technology could be used for brief hotspot pairings between iOS devices and the rumored iWatch - just long enough to receive push notifications, iMessages, news or even emails. Who needs an iWatch when you can read our full review of OS X Mavericks?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/336c273c/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/180263831055/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336c273c/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263831055/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336c273c/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263831055/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336c273c/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/180263831055/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336c273c/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/180263831055/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/336c273c/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/hsRGOYvIesY

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include: Fixed a dedicated server crash related to players becoming ghosts in hellFixed a dedicated server crash related to spellbooks and switching weaponsUpdated materials for the following items: Caffeine Cooler, Tartan Spartan, Carrion Companion, Sackcloth Spook, and the Pin PalsUpdated the Crusader's CrossbowFixed an exploit related to switching weaponsReduced damage from 75 to 50Lower reload time from 3 seconds to 1.5 seconds View the full article

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include: Added new main menu character images for Scream Fortress 2013Fixed a server crash related to The High Five tauntFixed neutral pumpkin bombs exploding with blue particlesFixed health on hit particle effect precache errorFixed client nTextureFrame < 0 warning spew in dev consoleUpdated the round restart event to remove spells after playing in hellUpdated plr_hightower_event to improve server stabilityUpdated The Chicken Kiev so it can't be equipped with the Cold War Luchador or the Large Luchador Re-enabled the crafting recipes for zombie costumesNote missed from yesterday's update:Updated the Vaccinator to use the reload key to cycle through resist types View the full article

http://media.steampowered.com/steam/news/11726/blog_imageh2013 Ahoy, buoys and gulls, it’s almost Docktober 31st, and that means it’s time for the Fifth Annual Team Fortress Tort-urous Halloween Special, which this year is based entirely around the terrifyingly complex legal questions that haunt maritime law. AWOOOOOOOO! [sound of receiving a jury summons] And that horrifying description of an obviously terrible idea for a Halloween update — an idea so dreadful that we gave up on it almost fourteen hours ago — was just the FIRST of this year’s many spine-chilling, spine-tingling, all-around spinal cord-injuring shocks. We have one word of advice to those of you who survived our previous four Halloween Specials: Stop lying. These updates will kill you — GUARANTEED! [sound of our lawyers reading that sentence] This year's Scream Fortress map is Helltower, a Payload Race variation, with at least one major difference: You're all powerful magicians. Everybody gets a spellbook gifted to them automatically, which you can equip in your Action Slot in order to pick up and cast spells. The team that wins the race will be granted a buff for the final climactic battle, where you will fight for the ultimate Halloween reward: Your own lives. And a reward. So, fear fans, it’s time to put aside your precious laws of the sea, because this year anything can happen. Ghosts? Yes! Forbidden magic? Yes! Skeletons? Oh, yes. A Hellmouth? Obviously. A corpse? Yours. Really? Check your pulse. The murderer? You. Anyway, we’d love to sit here and shock you to death all day, but the update’s live. View the full article

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include: Scream Fortress 2013 has arrived Help settle the score in one of the longest running feuds in Mann historyComic and additional information available on the website (http://www.teamfortress.com/bazbobarrabus)Scream Fortress 2013 runs until Nov 11, 2013Added New Halloween Map HelltowerEquip a spell book and cast spells against your enemiesSpells can be found by pushing the cart, killing enemies and during the Witching hourThe Clocktower contains powerful magic during the Witching hourWin the race to start mega healed in the final battle for your prizeGranting Spellbook Magazine to all players who launch TF2 during Scream FortressAdded over 100 Halloween tagged items from the TF2 Steam workshopAdded Spooky Crate and Spooky Key to drop list and Mann co Store respectivelyAdded class Transmogrifier's to covert Scream Fortress 2013 items of one type to anotherAdded item Enchantment: EternaweenEnabled Halloween event maps in quick playEnabled Halloween gifts on Halloween event mapsEnabled Halloween Spell PotionsEnabled Mann Vs Machine event map Wave 666 in bootcampEnabled Halloween themed Unusual Effects to be found from Mann Co Supply CratesHaunted Quality Items can now be listed on the Steam Market placeMap : Ghost FortLowered Merasmus's base healthWeapon ChangesMedic's Crusader Crossbow now silently reloads when unholstered, similar to Pyro flaregunFixed the charge rate for the Bazaar Bargain when the player has 0 headsIn PvP Medics can now see the clip status of a patient’s active weaponItem FixesUpdated The Air Raider so it can be painted correctlyUpdated The Bone Dome so it doesn't hide Pyro backpackStrange Part: Kills While Ubercharged can no longer be applied to Strange Equalizers and Escape PlansFixed the backpack panel using the wrong "drop_sound" when items are moved aroundVirtual Reality changesImproved readability of the UI in VRRemoved the IPD calibration tool. TF2 will now obey the Oculus configuration file. Use the Oculus calibration tool in your SDK or install and run "OpenVR" under Tools in Steam to calibrate your IPD.Added dropdown to enable VR mode in the Video options. Removed the -vr command line option.Added the ability to switch in and out of VR mode without quitting the gameBy default VR mode will run full screen. To switch back to a borderless window set the vr_force_windowed convar.Added support for VR mode on LinuxMisc Bug FixesFixed an exploit that allowed unlimited uses of noisemaker itemsFixed not being able to earn the Brotherhood of Steel achievement in MvM (play with 5 friends)Fixed the camera target not always being visible when using the replay editorRemoved some servers that forged player counts from quickplay and the server browser View the full article

Thanks to our talented community translators at http://tf2.cz/, there's now a Czech version of 'Grave Matters' available for you to read here. View the full article