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Total 45 articles, created at 2016-07-20 18:00 1 Microsoft Cloud Drives $22.6 Billion In Revenue

(1.02/2) Microsoft reported gains in its booming cloud business that propelled revenue to $22.6 billion and made up for declines in mobile phone earnings. 2016-07-20 10:05 4KB www.informationweek.com 2 The best headphones 2016: which headphones should you buy? (0.05/2) The best headphones around for your every need 2016-07-20 13:30 5KB feedproxy.google.com 3 The best free iPhone games on the planet Top-quality free fun for your iPhone and iPod touch (0.04/2) 2016-07-20 13:48 57KB feedproxy.google.com

4 The best free audio editors and mixers 2016 Make and edit your own podcasts, music, ringtones and more (0.01/2) 2016-07-20 14:00 8KB feedproxy.google.com

5 You've gotta see what's in these bizarre Japanese vending machines If you think American vending machines are amazing, stop talking. Look at this instead. 2016-07-20 17:39 700Bytes www.cnet.com 6 BT disruption: Telecity owner Equinix owns up to 'brief outage' Equinix holds up hands in email to customers, blames faulty UPS,Internet ,internet,Equinix,Telecity,BT 2016-07-20 17:38 2KB www.computing.co.uk 7 ICO calls on EU to amend 'cookie law' So-called cookie law 'has not delivered the expected protection', argues ICO,Security,Privacy ,European Commission,European Union,Privacy,E-Privacy Directive 2016-07-20 17:38 3KB www.computing.co.uk 8 AlgoSec Debuts Business Application Mapping Platform Auto-Discovery automates the whole process of identifying and mapping application connectivity, and gathers this information into an intuitive map. 2016-07-20 16:39 3KB www..com

9 Life is Strange episode 1 will be free ‘indefinitely’ as of tomorrow Visit Arcadia Bay free-of-charge from July 21 onward. 2016-07-20 13:07 1KB www.pcgamer.com 10 Through the Woods is a Norse horror adventure that’s out this year Free demo lets you experience fear that “stems from somewhere deep”. 2016-07-20 13:06 3KB www.pcgamer.com 11 Best battery cases for iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 6 & 6 Plus What's the best iPhone 6s battery case for you? Find out in our roundup of cases with built-in batteries. 2016-07-20 12:15 2KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk 12 Titanfall 2 will improve matchmaking system and server hosting, says developer Behind-the-scenes video series to show “nitty gritty” of Respawn’s development process. 2016-07-20 11:12 1KB www.pcgamer.com 13 Next Hearthstone adventure will probably be announced next week Semi-cryptic invite promises “unforgettable adventure”. 2016-07-20 10:57 1KB www.pcgamer.com 14 The 10 Coolest Wearables Of 2016 (So Far) - Page: 1 With the advent of the Internet of Things, consumers can now wear smart technology as bracelets, headsets and even rings. Here are 10 of the coolest wearables CRN saw so far this year. 2016-07-20 09:46 1KB www.crn.com 15 The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 & GTX 1070 Founders Editions Review It has taken about 2 years longer than we’d normally see, but the next full generation of GPUs are finally upon us. Powered... 2016-07-20 08:45 11KB www.anandtech.com 16 GE Plans Software Platform For Creating 'Digital Twins' GE already uses an internal platform for modeling jet engines, turbines, and other physical assets. Now, the company will be offering it as a service by the end of 2017. 2016-07-20 08:05 7KB www.informationweek.com 17 The Humble 2K Bundle's dirt-cheap lineup of superb PC games isn't humble at all There are gaming bundles and then there are gaming bundles. The Humble 2K Bundle offers a ton of killer games for just $15 2016-07-20 07:18 913Bytes www.itnews.com 18 Consumer 10GBase-T Options: Motherboards with 10G Built-In Any of our long time readers will know that I can have a soft spot for high-speed networking. Throughout the years I’ve been... 2016-07-20 07:00 5KB www.anandtech.com 19 Latest leap second plan poses a dilemma for conscientious sysadmins Conscientious sysadmins face a dilemma on December 31, when a new leap second will threaten the stability of computer systems and networks. 2016-07-20 06:50 2KB www.itnews.com 20 Oracle issues largest patch bundle ever, fixing 276 security flaws Oracle has released a new batch of security updates for over 80 products from its software portfolio in order to fix 276 vulnerabilities. 2016-07-20 06:45 3KB www.itnews.com 21 The history of ransomware: How PC hostage-taking has evolved over the years See more than 20 variants of these attacks through the years. 2016-07-20 06:16 15KB www.pcworld.com 22 Skype sets a course for the cloud, ditching some apps on the way Skype is leaving behind its peer-to-peer roots and going all in on the cloud. While the popular messaging app made it this far by facilitating connections between computers for video calls and other communications, it's moving to a cloud architecture that is supposed to improve... 2016-07-20 06:00 2KB www.itworld.com 23 5 tips to avoid summer's plummeting productivity Summertime and the living's easy … and for many businesses that means a productivity drop. Here are five ways to beat the summer slump. 2016-07-20 05:04 2KB www.itnews.com 24 Scrivener for iOS review: A sophisticated writing and research app for on-the-go Like its desktop counterpart, Scrivener has the features you need for research and writing projects. 2016-07-20 04:40 4KB www.itnews.com

25 Microsoft steps up legal pressure against Windows 10 pirates Files fifth lawsuit since February to stop alleged pirates from illegally activating Windows and Office 2016-07-20 04:15 2KB www.infoworld.com 26 New HIPAA guidance addresses ransomware The U. S. Department of Human Services has released new guidance for health care companies that focuses on the growing threat of ransomware, stresses the need for better education and regular backups, and confirms that a ransomware attack against plain-text health information is, in... 2016-07-20 04:00 3KB www.itnews.com 27 Ten must-know tips for mastering Android TV Flatten out the learning curve to Google's television platform by learning all the essential tips and tricks. 2016-07-20 04:00 7KB www.itnews.com 28 Roon Labs' audiophile music server now streams tunes from Linux-powered NAS boxes You no longer need a full PC to enjoy this awesome software. 2016-07-20 03:00 9KB www.itnews.com 29 LG Action Cam LTE Launches in Korea There is no word yet on when it will hit North American shelves. 2016-07-20 00:00 1KB feedproxy.google.com 30 Ford wants to make cars with Jose Cuervo tequila (and not just Fiestas) Ford and Jose Cuervo are investigating whether the agave plant could be used as a sustainable material for new car components. 2016-07-20 00:00 987Bytes www.cnet.com 31 Pokemon Go Hackers Mark August 1st On Calendar For Next DDOS Takedown The same hacking group that claimed responsibility for ticking off every Pokemon Go player on the planet by overwhelming the game's servers with a DDoS attack last weekend is planning another attack. Poodle Corp, as the hacker group calls itself, issued a notice on that... 2016-07-20 00:00 2KB hothardware.com

32 iPhone 7 latest news: Apple files trademark for AirPods All the news about Apple's next handset 2016-07-20 00:00 28KB www.itpro.co.uk 33 FBI confirms that it may (or may not) tap Amazon Echo devices You may think that. We couldn't possibly comment,Security ,Security 2016-07-20 00:00 2KB www.theinquirer.net 34 Ordnance Survey wants to fund the next Pokémon Go Geovation programme looking for Geotech developers to build new products 2016-07-20 00:00 2KB www.itpro.co.uk 35 Gigabyte launches RX 480 G1 Gaming graphics cards Gigabyte launches RX 480 G1 Gaming graphics cards. Includes 4GB and 8GB SKUs. 2016-07-20 00:00 3KB feedproxy.google.com 36 Race Report: We can't win for losing, off- road in the Mojave Desert Desert racing is always a gamble -- and we lost big time at the Mojave Off Road Enthusiasts Sierra LED 250. 2016-07-20 00:00 4KB www.cnet.com 37 Gotta catch l'amour: Pokemon Go gets a dating site The new service PokeDates could help you Pikachu-se a new love. 2016-07-20 00:00 946Bytes www.cnet.com 38 Dell Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet review Dell's military-grade tablet wasn't rugged enough to survive IT Pro's Adam Shepherd 2016-07-20 00:00 895Bytes www.itpro.co.uk

39 Razer Teases Chat Client for Pokemon Go Talk to your teammates without leaving the app, which Razer expects to be live by July 25. 2016-07-20 00:00 2KB feedproxy.google.com 40 Deezer Launches Free Music Trial in US After a 30-day trial, consumers must shell out $9.99 per month to continue listening. 2016-07-20 00:00 1KB feedproxy.google.com

41 BT restores power after thousands of customers’ internet access crashed Partner site ‘power issues’ affect broadband and Plusnet users across UK 2016-07-20 00:00 2KB www.itpro.co.uk 42 Collecting phone data is only legal in a few cases ECJ says European Court of Justice said retaining bulk data only valid in the most serious circumstances 2016-07-20 00:00 2KB www.itpro.co.uk 43 Twitter admits troll failings after Ghostbusters abuse Social network plans to launch tougher anti-abuse measures 2016-07-20 00:00 3KB www.itpro.co.uk 44 was a huge moment for V Fighting games gets its Ultimate Fighter finale! 2016-07-19 19:00 5KB www.pcgamer.com 45 Hearthstone 'test server' code appears in latest Battle.net update Is a Hearthstone PTR on the way? 2016-07-19 18:43 1KB www.pcgamer.com Articles

Total 45 articles, created at 2016-07-20 18:00

1 Microsoft Cloud Drives $22.6 Billion In Revenue (1.02/2) Microsoft reported fourth- quarter earnings for its 2016 fiscal year on July 19. Revenue reached $22.6 billion (non-GAAP) and net income totaled $5.5 billion. Earnings were higher than anticipated. The average Wall Street prediction for Microsoft's fourth quarter 2016 revenue amounted to $22.1 billion, Reuters reported . Microsoft's cloud business was the primary driver behind this growth. Revenue for the company's Intelligent Cloud division hit $6.7 billion, an increase of 7%. Highlights for this sector include Microsoft Azure , which grew 102% and more than doubled its usage year-over-year. Server products and cloud services were up 5%, and Enterprise Mobility customers nearly doubled from last year and now exceed 33,000. [Read: Microsoft beat the government in its overseas email lawsuit.] "The past year was pivotal in both our own transformation and in partnering with our customers who are navigating their own digital transformations," said CEO Satya Nadella in a statement. "The Microsoft Cloud is seeing significant customer momentum and we're well positioned to reach new opportunities in the year ahead. " Nadella has made cloud computing a priority for Microsoft since he took leadership of the tech giant about two years ago. Under his leadership the company has undergone several organizational and leadership changes as he enacted his mobile-first, cloud-first vision. Revenue for Microsoft's productivity and business processes division grew 5% to hit $7 billion, and the Office products had a profitable quarter. Office commercial products and cloud services grew 5% and were largely driven by commercial revenue for Office 365 , which grew 54%. Office consumer products and cloud services were up 19%, and consumer subscribers for Office 365 hit 23.1 million. The success of Microsoft's productivity and cloud divisions offset losses in the More Personal Computing sector, which dropped 4% to hit $8.9 billion. Much of the loss was due to phone sales, which declined 71%. However, not all news was bad for More Personal Computing. Windows OEM non-Pro revenue was up 27% and Windows OEM Pro revenue increased 2%. Surface revenue grew 9%, propelled by Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book, and the number of monthly active users on Xbox Live reached 49 million. Windows 10 also drove gains in search advertising revenue, which grew 16% excluding traffic acquisition costs. Microsoft closed out its fiscal year on June 30, with $92 billion in revenue (non-GAAP) and $22.3 billion in net income. Going forward, the company plans to continue building its cloud business and expanding its services in the productivity space. Nadella recently oversaw Microsoft's largest acquisition with the June purchase of LinkedIn for $26.2 billion. Nadella claims the LinkedIn deal will further Microsoft's efforts to transform productivity and business processes. He anticipates the integration of LinkedIn and Office 365 will create new opportunities to monetize through individual and organization subscriptions, and via targeted advertising. Microsoft may continue to prove itself as the dominant organization for enterprise cloud customers, but there will be several challenges outside the cloud space, particularly with Windows 10 and its mobile business. Originally, Microsoft planned to have Windows 10 on one billion devices by 2018, three years from the date of its initial launch. However, company officials have admitted it will take longer than three years to reach this milestone, ZDNet reported. Microsoft's results show Windows Phone really is dead itpro.co.uk 2016-07-20 10:05 Kelly Sheridan www.informationweek.com

2 The best headphones 2016: which headphones should you buy? (0.05/2) Buying a better pair of headphones is the single most effective upgrade you can make to your music listening experience. Sure you can subscribe to a streaming service which offers higher-resolution music or you can even buy expensive sound processing devices but at the end of the day if your headphones aren't up to snuff then the sound benefit you'll see will be minimal at best. But before you start looking at the best sounding pair of headphones you need to settle on what form factor suits your listening needs. Over-ears are the most bulky but generally the most comfortable, while on-ears and in-ears are more portable at the expense of comfort. Not to mention the fact that wireless headphones (both on-ear and in-ear) are increasingly popular as battery life and connectivity technologies improve. If you're still confused as to what form factor will suit your needs the best, then check out our short video guide below. We've also got a more in-depth guide available on the second page. We've organised our guide to the best headphones by form-factor because this is the most important choice to get right if your headphones are going to suit how you listen to your music. Even if you're still unsure which set fits your lifestyle, there is a perfect set of headphones out there for you. With this guide, we want to help you find them. Below, you'll find the top contenders in each category of headphones. We're always reviewing the latest and greatest headphones available, so you can ensure that this guide is up-to-date. Premium in-ears with a price point to match Acoustic design: N/A | Weight: 0.01 pounds | Cable length: 4.52 feet | Frequency response: 18Hz - 40kHz | Drivers: 3 per ear | Driver type: Knowels balanced armature | Sensitivity: 113dB+/-3dB | Impedance: 37 Ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A See more Optoma NuForce HEM6 deals If you can get on board with the price point, the HEM6s are a great pair of headphones that really sing when paired with the right music genres. It also helps that these headphones are very comfortable and have a decent number of accessories to help you get the most out of them. Posh headphones with grand sound and comfort See more Bang and Olufsen H2 deals When you wear the B&O H2, people will look at you with intrigue, desperately trying to figure out who makes it so they can buy their own later online. I should know: it's how I found out about them. Thankfully, the H2 sounds as good as it look. The sound performance should please even picky listeners with its warm, evenly-balanced sound. We're trained to assume that good looks are a guise, but the H2's slick design complements the sound performance quite nicely. Some of the best high-end headphones that don't destroy the bank See more Focal Listen deals Overall, the Focal Listen offer a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience. We love their balance, build quality and understated design – they may not be as high resolution as the Pioneer SE-MHR5 and other headphones capable of High-Res Audio playback, but their sound-to-dollar ratio is impressive. At $250 (£150, AU$329) they're a bit on the pricey side, but they're much cheaper than our previous over-ear recommendation winner – the Oppo PM 3. Should Focal continue to pump out cans that provide balanced sound and top-notch build quality at an affordable price, audiophiles might look more and more in the French company's direction. Stellar sound without shredding your wallet See more Skullcandy Grind Wireless deals In the battle of the brands, it can be hard to trust an outsider. You probably know and trust companies like Sennheiser, Sony, Bose and Beats. And nothing against the tried and true headphone manufacturers, but a lot of what you're paying for is the name. The Skullcandy Grind Wireless is a black sheep, it breaks convention left and right and yet delivers in all the major areas. It's far from perfect (see: battery life and accessories), but, for its $89 (£69, about AU$116) price tag, you're getting a great-sounding, well-constructed pair of cans that know how to rumble with bass notes and rock with mids and highs. Bose has cut the wires off its flagship noise-cancellers with great success Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 0.68 pounds | Cable length: 3.94 feet | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 20+ hours | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: Yes See more Bose QuietComfort 35 deals Bose has finally brought its fantastic noise-cancelling technology to a pair of wireless headphones and it's done so without any of the traditional drawbacks of wireless headphones. They sound great, and their battery life is long enough for all but the longest of flights. At $349.95 (£289.95 / AU pricing tbc) the QC35s sit firmly at the premium end of the spectrum, but if you want the best noise-cancelling headphones available right now then you can't get any better. The best iPhone games 2016 feedproxy.google.com

10 best in-ear headphones available today feedproxy.google.com

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Best iPhone apps 2016 feedproxy.google.com 2016-07-20 13:30 By Cameron feedproxy.google.com

3 The best free iPhone games on the planet (0.04/2) The days when you had to buy a dedicated gaming rig and spend a load of cash for a quality gaming experience are long gone. Thanks to the iPhone (and iPod touch) and the App Store, you can get an excellent mobile gaming experience for just a few bucks (or quid, for that matter) or even less. In fact, a lot of the games out there are free. But can you get great games for nothing at all, or is the "free" section of the App Store just a shoddy excuse to bombard you with in-app purchases? The answer is, of course, both, and the trick is finding the gems amongst the dross. What follows is our picks of the bunch - our top free iPhone games, presented in no particular order, including both longtime classics and brilliant cutting-edge recent releases. We've even included a VR game for you... aren't you lucky? Simple yet increasingly difficult, Now Escape has you guiding your ship across a scrolling screen of obstacles and maze-like structures in an effort to dodge them all and not get hit. Drag yourself around tight corners, but keep your reflexes sharp as walls can open up or surprise you when you least expect it. See how far you can get and enjoy its colorful visuals and catchy soundtrack. All you have to do to play Risky Road is tap and hold your screen to accelerate your car, but because you'll be faced with hills and other obstacles along the way, the trick lies in knowing when to slow down to avoid tipping over and breaking the precious egg you're carrying. It's a basic physics game that you'll have played a thousand time before, but with cute visuals and a fun egg-based element. Show off your driving skills on the leaderboards and unlock various trucks with all the money you get by playing. Build a team of powerful monsters and take on the various islands across Monster World in Monster Raid. Over 350 monsters are waiting to be discovered, trained, and evolved, and you can find them all as you go on quests that also help toughen up your current team. Yes, that does rather sound familar... Use their strengths and abilities wisely as you build your own team to take on stronger foes or even the world in online battles. Loop Mania is an addictive that is sure to challenge your reflexes and timing skills. In order to increase your score you need to collect as many dots as possible as your circle races around a circular loop, while avoiding bigger balls on its path. The trick is to tap the screen to launch your ball onto the others to destroy them for extra points. Just don't tap at the wrong time or your race is over. Don't be fooled by this auto-runner's simple controls. Line Runner 3 tests your reflexes and forces you to decide on the fly whether to tap left or right to ensure your stick man keeps on running. Things get much harder and faster the more you play. Choose your own path and explore the gothic avenues of the Victorian city of Fallen London. Define your destiny and craft your character's fate with each choice you make and quest you complete. This literary RPG boasts excellent writing that is sure to pull you into its dark yet comedic world as you befriend the locals and choose the path you think you want to go on. Puzzles are everywhere you look in Cube Escape: Theater , a stylistic mystery game that rewards you for tapping and examining everything. Each side of the room you visit holds puzzles and items to add to your inventory, which can be the key ingredients in solving other conundrums down the road. The game itself isn't very long, but you really need to use your thinking skills carefully to ensure you figure everything out. It's like 'The Room' but a bit less in-depth. And free. Think you're good at unscrambling words? Try Impossible Words and see if you can make it through without using any hints. Over 700 words await your powers of perception and they get harder and longer the more you solve. And if you do need a hint you can purchase some with all the diamonds you get for solving words as fast as you can. Spellspire rewards you for having a large vocabulary as each dungeon you plunder requires you to come up with as many words as possible to defeat its enemies and reach that elusive treasure at the end. The money you get from all that looting can then be used to upgrade your spells and weapons to make each word you spell deal even more damage. How many levels can you clear? A bit like Q*bert but oh so evil, Mars Mountain is an arcade game that requires you to climb down a pyramid of blocks for as long as you can, while avoiding the many traps just waiting to shoot you down. Cannons, meteors, and aliens can end your descent in a heartbeat, so watch your step and try to collect some coins while you're at it to unlock new characters. Time your jumps and see how high you can score. Help Sailor Moon and her friends rid the world from the dark forces of evil in Sailor Moon Drops - a magical and colorful match-three puzzler. Clear as many puzzles as you can and overcome the many challenges that you are faced with using special moves from your Sailor Guardian pals and the items you can unlock as you play. Follow along the classic storyline or join forces with your friends to vanquish evil together in this Candy Crush- esque title. Fear the Walking Dead: Dead Run is an auto-runner that will keep you on your toes, as it challenges you to stay alive amid a world full of the undead. Tap any zombie on your screen to shoot them down before they get too close and then shake them off before you lose too much health. TV episode levels let you relive certain events from the show and you can choose to play as your favorite characters and challenge your friends if zombie escaping isn't enough for you. Star Harvest is an arcade game that has you harvesting energy given off from the explosion of a super . In order to create a super nova, however, you need to push or pull planets and other space matter into their sun to blow it up. Make money from all the deaths you cause and upgrade your ship to make the next job even easier. It's a bit dark, but it's also just business. As its name implies, Looty Dungeon tests your survival skills as you loot your way through endless dungeons teeming with traps, bosses, and falling floors. Pick up coins to purchase additional heroes, each with different powers and stats, keeping the game fresh. Hidden dangers can easily put an end to your looting, so tread carefully and carry a big sword - which is just good advice for life really, isn't it? Well, maybe not a sword. Perhaps a sense of self-confidence... life can sometimes be about metaphors too. PKTBALL takes ping pong and turns into an endless arcade addiction. Outsmart your opponents to get the best score you can, get money, and unlock lots of colorful playable characters, each with their own court and soundtrack. Once you've mastered the basics you can challenge your friends in local multiplayer matches or simply smash your way to the top of the leaderboards. This is the kind of game that you'll start playing while making dinner and only look up from when the fire brigade are breaking down your door. Tap Tap Trillionaire is not just an endless tapper but it also incorporates some unique simulation aspects that let you invest in stocks, buy them low, and hopefully sell them high. You know, just like in real life but without the added panic of having to pretend to understand what's happening in the Financial Times. You can also hire traders to do your bidding and net even bigger profits. Of course, you still have to work for all that money and do some tapping yourself - but it's great training for the day you buy your first share and think you'll be a millionaire one day. Explore the world of Kingdom Hearts - before the Keyblade War - in Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ , an action RPG that brings your favorite characters from the series to your mobile device. Create your own character, hunt down Heartless in Disney-inspired realms, and fight for control of the limited light that exists in the ever darkening world. Join friends as you go on missions and upgrade yourself to be a true Keyblade hero. A kingdom of Disney characters can be unlocked in this alternative look at the popular road-crossing game - intelligently titled Disney Crossy Road . It's a 'magical take' on a game that has been downloaded over 50 million times, and designed to attract a new raft of players. Cross as many roads as you can and collect coins to purchase even more stars spanning various Disney films, each with their own music and world for all you film fans out there. And as you can imagine (if you've played the 'normal' Crossy Road before), you'll see how far you can survive with your favorites from Toy Story, Lion King, Zootopia, and many more. We're just pleased that Jafar isn't in there. That dude is the WORST. Colorful, casual, and addictive, Slide the Shakes is a game that stays true to its name and challenges you to slide various milkshakes onto specially marked areas on a counter without tipping them over. Simply pull back and send your glass flying and hope it lands where you want it to. Sparkwave is a simple yet addictive game where you guide a spark of light through an endless path composed of traps, collectibles, and power-ups. You'll need to have fast fingers if you want to stay alive as obstacles will spawn seconds before you rush into them. You can also pick up crystals to unlock new sparks and power-ups which can completely change the way you play. Often sarcastic and full of that Futurama humor, Game of Drones is a match-four puzzler that follows the cast on a delivery bot expedition throughout the galaxy. Each level you play requires you to match delivery drones under specific requirements. Sometimes you may need to protect them against Mom's goons or simply match enough to move on to the . Even Bender helps out once in a while. Neon colors and a nostalgic 80's synthwave soundtrack accompany you as you play Retro Shot , a game that's one part golf, one part pinball, and all parts awesome. Each level requires you to get your ball into the goal, but getting there is easier said than done. Collect coins to open gates, bump into switches, and solve puzzles as you shoot your way up the leaderboards. Solving the puzzles and wordless riddles in Blackbox is going to require a bit of trial and error as each one you encounter is unlike anything you've seen before. Each puzzle is essentially just a few squares on your screen, and the solution comes with figuring out how to activate them. You may need to adjust the volume on your phone, flip it around, or even yell at it. When your brakes suddenly fail, all you can do is steer and hope you don't ram into a tree. At least that's the case of the hapless driver in Faily Brakes , an arcade title that only lets you move left and right to somehow steer your car out of harm's way for as long as you can. Always wear a seatbelt, kids. The classic run-and-gun franchise takes on the tower defense genre in Metal Slug Attack. Missions in this colorful title ultimately come down to destroying your enemy's stronghold using your own deck of troops. You can also play online with others, and go on missions to rescue prisoners, weapons, or items that can aid your campaign. Be the king or queen of social media in Kendall & Kylie , a casual title that lets you complete quests, go on dates, make money, and become famous. Your online followers will be reading your every post, so nail each quest and your follower count will skyrocket. The Kardashian sisters will instantly become your BFFs and provide you with networking connections and gigs - obviously. Put away the knives and pots and use your finger to do all the cooking in Cooking Mama Let's Cook Puzzle , a game that is as visually charming as the handheld Mama titles. Each level requires you to match "Foo-Dons" of the same type to create dishes your customers want. Satisfy enough people by completing various quests and puzzles and watch your cooking empire grow. Tennis Champs Returns is a robust remake to the 1995 Amiga tennis game and brings with it plenty of great additions and mobile-friendly controls. You can move up the ranks in career mode and challenge the computer to increasingly difficult matches. Or, compete with opponents all over the world in quick bouts. Daily challenges and mini games help to keep the interest levels going. Simple and yet very addictive, Stack is an arcade game that challenges you to stack shapes as high as you can until you can't fit anything else on top. Each time a shape approaches your pile, you need to tap the screen to glue it down. If your timing is off, your piece will be trimmed a bit, decreasing the amount of space you have to pile stuff on top. How high do you think you can stack? Use your thumb (or finger) to drift around tight corners and pick up collectibles in Thumb Drift. This arcade racer looks easy, but avoiding obstacles and walls will be your biggest challenge as all you can do is drift. Be sure to also pick up any coins on your trail as they can be used to unlock some cooler and faster vehicles. Floating Islands Crasher is a charming puzzler that requires you to cut pieces off various islands to harvest power. Each level requires you to slice as much land as you can to fill up your meter and complete your objective. The challenge lies in not harming any of the animals on each island nor disturbing the aliens (we promise it'll make more sense if you play it). Fight your way through an army of robots in OK K. O.! Lakewood Plaza Turbo , a side-scrolling beat 'em up that lets you play as a spunky fighter named K. O. as the battles the evil Lord Boxman. Unlock special attacks, help rebuild Lakewood Plaza, and go on quests for experience and goodies. Colorful comic-book panels narrate the story and a whole cast of colorful characters help draw you into their world. Bring some color into a drab world in Splash Cars , a racing game that lets you drive around literally painting the town red, green, and other colors while avoiding the cops. Pick up gas to keep driving and collect coins to unlock power-ups that make completing each level's paint requirements a whole lot easier. All is Lost is a puzzle runner that tasks you with rescuing crewmembers aboard a spacecraft on the brink of doom. Jump and roll under obstacles and swipe the screen to open doors and move levies and traps with each mission you embark on. Timing is of the essence, so your quick gestures and reaction time can make the difference between life and death. Riddle Stones is a version of picross kids can enjoy and puzzle aficionados will appreciate for its increasingly difficult levels. These nonograms also add a few interesting features so if you accidentally tap an incorrect square you think is the correct answer, you'll trigger a trap and need to find a way to turn it off before it's too late. Exercise your logic and math skills with this stimulating selection of puzzles. Play with the trajectory of a moving ball in Ricochet Theory 2 - only this time, you'll need to draw the lines the ball will bounce off. This new feature ups the ante and truly turns this puzzler into a cerebral experience. Levels will challenge you to solve them in as few bounces as possible and are sure to impress and stimulate your senses with their smart design. Make your way down the field, dodge incoming players, and score a touchdown in Blocky Football. Once you complete your run, you then need to complete a PAT and see if you can score a key that will unlock some hidden characters to play as. See how many points you can score before the defense overpowers you. All is Lost is a puzzle runner that tasks you with rescuing crewmembers aboard a spacecraft on the brink of doom. Jump and roll under obstacles and swipe the screen to open doors and move levies and traps with each mission you embark on. Timing is of the essence, so your quick gestures and reaction time can make the difference between life and death. Run away from falling bombs in Ultimate Briefcase , a colorful arcade title that is sure to keep you on your toes. Run left or right to avoid the explosions, but be sure to collect coins and collectibles to piece together why the bombs are falling in the first place. Unlock characters and use special abilities to survive the doomsday machines. A beautifully pixelated adventure, Sky Chasers requires you to use your fingers to guide your character along side-scrolling paths collecting coins and completing side-quests for his friends. Your cardboard ship has a limited fuel supply, so you'll occasionally have to stop by checkpoints to refuel and avoid any pesky enemies that add an element of danger to your otherwise peaceful trip. Solve simple puzzles and upgrade your ship as you enjoy its rich colorful worlds. Keep your planet alive by tapping out any enemies that approach its orbit in the addictive survival game Playnets. Each planet you save also comes with its own set of abilities you can use when in a pinch that can stun, freeze, or zap incoming baddies. You'll need to have quick fingers to guarantee your planets survive waves of attacks so be sure to upgrade them to make them stronger and take more hits. Build the restaurant of your dreams and make sure you expand and manage it just right to make it beat the competition in World Chef. This management sim requires you to use your resources well to so your chefs have access to the ingredients they need to cook the foods your customers want. Money and experience will allow you hire more chefs, build new rooms, and turn your restaurant into the go-to spot on the block. Team up with spiritual guardians from the past and harness their abilities as you complete quests and try to save your kingdom in Guardian Stone: Second War. Turn-based battles require you to think on your feet and choose the correct attack that ensures you stay standing despite the opposition. Choose from over 69 guardians, evolve them, and create the character you want to play in this robust RPG. Simple and yet increasingly difficult, Geometry Lock challenges you to correctly tap the screen at the right time to complete pieces of a geometric pattern. Each level gives you a different shape to reassemble and starts off a timer so the trick is to be quick but accurate when figuring out where a shape should go. Play alone or hook it up to Apple TV for four-player matches. Rust Bucket turns the concept of a turn-based game into a puzzle-like roguelike that is a blast to play. Each level requires you to navigate your way through a dungeon to reach its goal, but with every step you take, your enemies also move in different patterns. Strategy is key to surviving since you don't want to step in front of an enemy knowing it may kill you in your next turn. Brickies takes that classic game of bricks to a whole other level and challenges you to clear its many levels before the timer reaches zero. Because you're racing against the clock, you'll need to rely on handy power- ups that can multiply your ball or turn it into an explosive cannonball to ensure you finish before it's too late. Why not also try your hand at its endless mode and see how you fare? Puzzles & Dragons is a mix of many different genres rolled into one addictive experience. At its core is a monster-catching game that has you training new critters and leveling them up in battle. Combat, however, is a lot more like Bejeweled and requires you to quickly clear the screen so your monsters can attack and power up their moves. With dozens of updates and dungeons that reward you with items, experience, and rare monsters to train, this puzzler truly feels like it never ends. Stunning visuals and solid online features await fans in futuristic third- person shooter Afterpulse. Practice your shooting skills in offline mode and reap some rewards and weapons before making your mark in multiplayer matches with players around the world. Whether you play free-for-all or eight-player team deathmatch, you'll want to come out winning to ensure you get enough prize money to customize your soldier to your liking. Carefully observe the design of the smaller arrow on the screen and select the right dots on the bigger arrow to match it in Mind the Arrow. What starts off easy soon becomes a test of your directional skills as the smaller arrow starts to rotate around. Soon enough, both arrows will begin rotating so it's only a matter of time before you get disoriented and the 30-second timer reaches zero. Aim for a high score in this brain-turning, mind-bending arcade title. Planet Quest is a rhythm-based arcade game that has you play as an alien who abducts animals to the beat of some catchy music. Time your taps well for perfect abductions, but avoid zapping any flowers since aliens apparently don't like them very much. Over an hour of electronic, techno, and diverse music await your ears as you aim for a better score each time you play. Learn about clean energy as you play through beautiful worlds in The Path to Luma , a puzzler that has you traveling from planet to planet to power them back up. Rotate entire planets and use the power of natural energy like sunlight and wind to power up switches and open the way forward to your next destination. With a little hard work, dying planets come alive as you play through 20 relaxing levels. Searching for his lost grandpa, a little boy gets lost underneath a lighthouse and now must escape from a labyrinth filled with traps and secrets. Each inventive dungeon must be rotated in order to guide the boy to the tunnel leading to the next one. You'll need to prepare yourself for spikes, levers, crumbling platforms, and other challenges that amp up the difficulty as you try to survive Beneath the Lighthouse. What do bears and artwork have in common? Not much, but this pairing makes for a great puzzler starring a bear whose mission is to take down various art galleries that have invaded his woods. Bears vs. Art gives you dozens of levels where you'll need to destroy paintings, bowl over snooty patrons, or a mixture of both. A ticking clock, limited moves, and even artful traps will change things up and challenge you as you play rough. Does Not Commute is a curious puzzler that requires you to drive cars to their destination, but the catch is that previously-solved routes play live as you figure out the next one. A timer is constantly ticking down, so not only will you need to be mindful of the traffic, but you'll also need to be fast and pick up power-ups to extend your commute. Your driving and logic skills are sure to be tested. Choose from one of five races and classes and take on an expansive world in Order & Chaos 2: Redemption , a robust MMORPG that is made for mobile play. Whether you team up with friends or go it alone, Redemption's plethora of rewarding quests will keep you coming back for more as you explore the beautiful and menacing kingdom of Haradon. Daily quests, challenges, and PvP duels are sure to keep you on your toes no matter how you play. Collect teddy bears and use them to aid you in making words in the adorable Alphabear. Daily boards and challenges require you to come up with words with the letters that appear on your screen. Each time you do, bears will populate the board and get bigger the more letters you use around them. Make the biggest bear you can and rack in the points and the bragging rights. Join Rayman and friends as they journey through gorgeous worlds retrieving lost eggs and helping a sacred tree flourish in Rayman Adventures. Levels in this action-platformer can involve searching for hidden Teensies, beating up enemies on your path, or solving puzzles before making it to the goal. Take care of the creatures you hatch by feeding and playing with them, then take them on your adventures for a helpful boost. Down the Mountain is a bit like Crossy Road, but you're not crossing any streets or dodging traffic. Instead, you'll need to guide your intrepid mountaineer down blocks a la Q*bert and avoid dangerous flooring, bears, and other random obstacles that will end your descent. Open presents along the way and gather coins to unlock more colorful characters to climb down with. Dominate your friends or random strangers in Capitals , a friendly word game that takes some strategy to master. Each time you challenge someone, you need to use the letters around your "capital" to expand your area of influence. If your enemy uses your letters, he'll capture them and slowly start to take over. A good grasp of vocabulary and some quick thinking skills are your best tools to conquering everyone's capital. Unlock galleries filled with pixelated paintings in the charming Pixel 8 , a timed puzzler that has you recreating works of art pixel by pixel. Paint simple shapes and eventually move on to more difficult paintings that challenge your speed and precision. Beat them in time to gain coins to open the way for even more galleries to paint through. No one really knows why the chicken crossed the road, but Crossy Road doesn't feature just chickens, and the reason why you'll be crossing each dangerous street is to climb that leaderboard. Time your jumps carefully, and tap and swipe the screen to move as you collect coins to unlock new characters and hilarity. Just be sure to avoid traffic, cannon balls, gaps, and so many other random bits of danger that can end your travels in an instant. Homage to 16-bit platformers of the past, Super Dangerous Dungeons is sure to bring you back in time with its pixelated visuals and SNES-inspired soundtrack. Forty-eight colorful levels that feature classic traps are sure to keep you challenged as you solve puzzles, turn on switches, and find that elusive key to open the door to the next one. Avoid those bottomless pits and dangerous water and you'll be fine. Clicker Heroes does away with all the common fluff of RPGs and gives you a game where all you need to do is tap your screen to attack and win. Of course, you also need to hire heroes to help you out with all that tapping and increase your overall power with all the coins you get from your victims. Can't finish a boss just yet? Farm some coins and try again. It's the quintessential clicker game with some great features, and something tells us you'll be hooked on it in no time. Rock out to an impressive collection of popular music either by tapping your screen or strumming on a separate guitar controller like a star in Guitar Hero Live. Each time you play a song, a live audience will let you know how you're doing and cheer you on as you hit all the right notes or throw trash your way if you mess up too much. Enjoy hundreds of hits via the game's online streaming service and see yourself climb the leaderboards in style. Make words as fast as you can in this fast-paced game that combines falling blocks with a bit of wordplay. The object of Coolson's Pocket Pack is to survive for as long as you can while you make words of a set length using the letters that start falling down. Think fast and move letters around to make your way through consecutive words for extra chain combos, but take too long and the screen will overflow - game over. Robot Unicorn Attack 2 isn't just for bronies. It's an endless runner that is sure to mesmerize you with its catchy soundtrack, colorful visuals, and overall randomness. Help your unicorn run and survive for as long as it can as it jumps over lofty canyons and dashes into enemies like giant golems while narwhals splash in the distant. Each time you go for a run, you'll get three chances to score as much as you can, so it definitely helps to upgrade your unicorn to ensure you stand a chance. Pegasus wings are where it's at. Not so much an endless runner as an endless chopper, Timberman has your square-jawed (and, in fact, just plain square) lumberjack hacking away at a giant tree. You tap to move left or right, dodging deadly branches, and must chop at speed, lest your power meter run dry. Those in it for the long haul will find 30 Timbermen to unlock, including a certain large, angry, green superhero. We've seen quite a few spot-kick flick-based efforts on the iPhone, but Tiny Striker also brings to mind old-school arcade footie like SWOS. It's all goalmouth action here, though, with you scoring from set-pieces, initially against an open goal, but eventually by deftly curling your ball past walls of defenders and a roaming 'keeper. The wee knitted chap from LittleBigPlanet lands on iOS, in yet another endless runner. We should yawn and hit delete, really, but Run SackBoy! Run! is absolutely gorgeous, with stunning scenery based on the LittleBigPlanet titles. The gameplay's intuitive and simple, but inventive level design will keep you coming back time and time again. You know that popular Fallout 4 game we've all been getting excited about? Why not get in the post apocalyptic mood with this Bethesda made spin-off game? Fallout Shelter sees you take control of a Vault from the game series as you try to keep all its dwellers happy whilst protecting them from the horrors of the outside world. It's a funny little way to get excited about the upcoming game whilst also being great in its own right. You have to give Stranded: Mars One a little time to properly get its hooks into you. At first, it appears to be yet another auto-runner. The blocky retro graphics are cute, but, well, we've seen it all before. But then you notice the smart level design, and the way in which you have to keep your little astronaut's speed up, lest they run out of oxygen. Sliding, jet-packs and wall- jumping are lobbed into the mix as the game flings increasingly complex caverns in your direction. The result ends up akin to an 8-bit Rayman in space — and that's before you've even delved into async multiplayer races! You can't help but get a sense of having seen it all before when first playing Fallen. Pretty soon, though, you'll be hypnotised by its subtly engaging mix of pachinko and colour-matching, along with a pleasing soundtrack that feels like someone's sneaked Kraftwerk into your iPhone. The game itself is simple: balls drop from the top of the screen and you must rotate your coloured wheel so they hit the right bit. Three errors and you're done. Spin all the way round between hits and you get coins that can be spent on boosting upgrades that occasionally fall from the top of the screen. The first iOS Sonic kart game worked nicely on the platform (a rare thing for the genre), and this sequel doesn't disappoint. You get plenty of dynamic, colourful tracks to speed around, grabbing power-ups and boosts along the way. Periodically, your kart will transform to become a boat or plane, adding further dimensions to the racing action. It's a bit grindy now and again, but you won't care when you're drifting like a loon across an aircraft carrier, before plunging into the sea. InMind Looking to VR now, with Nival inc's offering: InMind , a free VR game for cardboard-based VR kits. Really it's a glorified demo, as you zoom and whizz through a semi-educational brain, zapping neurons to cure depression. The one-look button press idea is a good way to navigate the lack of tethered controls although sometimes instructions aren't always clear as to what to do next and the controls (at least on an iPhone 6) aren't as sensitive as they could be. If this is your first experience of VR, you could do worse than to load this Inner Space/Fantastic Voyage movie vibe upon your mobile although gamers will be left feeling a little frustrated after the wow effect of the soaring visuals wears off. This sweet survival game is full of character, as you assist a Victorian gent, out for his evening constitutional. The problem is it's a bit windy, and the gent's hat is in danger of blowing away during a gust - press the screen and he holds it in place. Each step increases your score and also the chances of seeing thoughtful comments from the hatted chap. BaconBaconBacon feels a bit like Bejeweled slipped through a time-warp and collided with oddball British gaming humour from the early 1980s. Instead of gems, you swap pigs, and must smite vegans guarding them for extra points. Bonus pigs can be matched for extra sausages, or to fill a ketchup bomb. In this insanely tough arcade test , you coax a finicky biplane through side- on levels of floating islands. The slightest touch on anything but a collectable coin or runway spells doom, and ghosts of previous crashes helpfully litter the way as you . IAP is available to buy coins for restart points, which in this case are tacit admission of your lack of gaming prowess. The Boulder Dash series has a long pedigree, but this is the first time its co-creators have teamed up since the classic 1984 original. It's also the first time (in several attempts) the game has worked on iOS. The game itself is business as usual: dig through dirt; avoid boulders and enemies; grab gems. But it looks great, controls well, and even includes the original caves as an optional IAP. Sky Force 2014 celebrates the mobile series's 10th anniversary in style, with this stunning top-down arcade blaster. Your little red ship, as ever, is tasked with weaving its way through hostile enemy territory, annihilating everything in sight. The visuals are spectacular, the level design is smart, and the bosses are huge, spewing bullet-hell in your general direction. We imagine this Crazy Taxi rethink will alienate some fans of the original series, but plenty of the classic time-attack racer's feel remains intact. You zoom through city streets, picking up and dropping off fares against the clock; only this time, everything's largely on rails. It's sort of Crazy Taxi meets Temple Run, with plenty of upgrades and mini-games to master. At some point, a total buffoon decreed that racing games should be dull and grey, on grey tracks, with grey controls. Gameloft's Asphalt 8: Airborne dispenses with such foolish notions, along with quite a bit of reality. Here, then, you zoom along at ludicrous speeds, drifting for miles through exciting city courses, occasionally being hurled into the air to perform stunts that absolutely aren't acceptable according to the car manufacturer's warrantee. We're pretty certain if there's one thing you shouldn't be using for a joyride, it's a jetpack that's kept aloft by firing bullets at the floor. But that's the score in this endless survival game with decidedly tongue-in-cheek humour, not least the profit bird power-up, a rather unsubtle dig at certain App Store chart-toppers. Logic? Pah! Sanity? Pfft! We care not for such things, yells Super Monsters Ate My Condo. It then gets on with turning the match-three genre and Jenga- style tower-building into a relentless time-attack cartoon fest of apartment- munching, explosions, giant tantrums and opera. No, really. Most developers create games from code, but we're pretty sure Hero Academy 's composed of the most addictive substances known to man all smushed together and shoved on to the App Store. The game's sort-of chess with fantasy characters, but the flexibility within the rule-set provides limitless scope for asynchronous one-on-one encounters. For free, you have to put up with ads and only get the 'human' team, but that'll be more than enough to get you hooked. Three bushes make a tree! Three gravestones make a church! OK, so logic might not be Triple Town 's strong suit, but the match-three gameplay is addictive. Match to build things and trap bears, rapidly run out of space, gaze in wonder at your town and start all over again. The free-to-play version has limited moves that are gradually replenished, but you can unlock unlimited moves via IAP. While Asphalt 8 aims squarely at arcade racers, Real Racing 3 goes for the simulation jugular. Its stunning visuals drop you deep into high-quality racing action that sets new standards on mobile devices. Plenty of cars and tracks add longevity, although do be aware the game is a bit grindy and quick to hint you should buy some in-app cash with some of your real hard-earned. Again, the forced Plus+ account sign-up is hateful, but it's worth persevering to get to this addictive game , where you "unleash the awesome power of your finger," according to the App Store blurb. The aim is to drag your finger from the start to the finish of each simple maze. The problem is you're against the clock and obstacles litter your path. Great graphics and 200 levels of compelling gameplay ensure you'll be glued to your screen. It gets a bit of stick from time to time, but microtransactions aside, the Candy Crush Saga is quite a lot of fun. Candy Crush Soda Saga throws in some new dynamics, making the game even more addictive - and frustrating. You can do quite a lot without parting any money at all, but the game will limit your replays, meaning you'll eventually hit a timer that demands you take a break for a little while - or pay up to keep playing. It's a horribly arbitrary feature, but all things considered, probably a good way of stopping us from becoming forever lost in the colourful abyss. Trace is a sweet, inventive platform game which has you navigating hand- drawn obstacles to reach the star-shaped exit. The twist is that you can draw and erase your own platforms, to assist your progress. With an emphasis on time-based scores rather than lives and the ability to skip levels, Trace is very much a 'casual' platform game, but it's none the worse because of it. Few free games are quite as polished as Hearthstone , but then this is a Blizzard game, so we hardly expected anything less. There are dozens of card games available for iPhone, but Hearthstone stands out with high production values and easy to learn, difficult to master mechanics, which can keep you playing, improving and collecting cards for months on end. Matches don't generally take too long either so it's great for playing in short bursts. Tiger Style's Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor is an App Store classic, combining arcade adventuring and platforming action, with you playing the role of a roaming arachnid. Hornet Smash includes a level from that game, but its main draw is the frenetic arcade minigame. Still controlling our eight-legged hero, the aim is to fend off attacks by swarms of angry hornets, while weaving webs and munching tasty lacewings for health boosts. Three environments are included in this compelling and innovative title. One for pool sharks, Bankshot tasks you with sending your orb to a goal by bouncing it off of at least one wall. A few different modes are on offer in this attractive neon-style game, but the best is Blitz, a high-octane time-attack affair. Think you know stress? You haven't experienced stress until you've played Spaceteam , a cooperative multiplayer game that requires you to all work together as a crew (and bark orders at your friends). Sounds easier than it is; failure to cooperate will probably end with your ship getting sucked into a black hole. There are plenty of one-thumb copter games on the App Store, but iCopter Classic goes right back to the genre's roots. You simply use your thumb to make your copter bob up and down, surviving for as long as possible without smashing into something; and there are plenty of unlockable themes if you prefer, say, a bee, submarine, spaceship or football to a helicopter! So you think you're observant? Cell Splat will test that claim to the limit. The game distills 'match' games to their purest form. You get a target shape or colour, and, against the clock, must tap all matching items in the well. Quite why this frantic, great-looking, fun, addictive game is free, we don't know; we just suggest you download it immediately. Like Cell Splat, InvaderR streamlines and hones a popular game, but this time it's Space Invaders. Like Taito's original, aliens are out to get you, but in InvaderR you have it tough. While the invaders are content to stay out of reach, it's 'game over' the second you're hit by a projectile. This turns InvaderR into a compelling and exciting score-attack game. If brutally difficult old-school games are your thing, Alice in the Secret Castle will appeal. The game boasts 64 rooms of NES-style hell, with a curious game mechanic that hides walls when you hold the 'A' button. Progression therefore becomes a case of mastering taxing and relentless (but rewarding) puzzle-oriented platforming. In this game, golf met solitaire and they decided to elope while leaving Mr. Puzzle Game to fill the void. What's left is an entertaining bout of higher-or- lower, draped over a loose framework of golf scores, with a crazed gopher attempting to scupper everything. You get loads of courses for free with Fairway Solitaire Blast and can use IAP to buy more. Another game showing that simplicity often works wonders on mobile titles, SlamDunk is a straightforward side-on basketball game. The time-attack nature of the title gives it oomph, though, and there's also the option for online competition against players worldwide. You know, if infinite zombies were running towards us, we'd leg it in the opposite direction. Not so in Into The Dead , where you battle on until your inevitable and bloody demise. The game's oddly dream-like (well, nightmare-like), and perseverance rewards you with new weapons, such as a noisy chainsaw. VVRRRMMM! (Splutch!) What do you get if you cross Drop7 with Zynga? A free version of Drop7! Luckily, the game's far more entertaining than that attempt at a joke: drop numbered discs into a grid and watch them explode when the number of discs in a column or row matches numbers on the discs. Drive yourself mad trying to boost your score by chaining! Forget to eat! The clue's in the title - there's a quest, and it involves quite a lot of punching. There's hidden depth, though - the game might look like a screen-masher, but Punch Quest is all about mastering combos, perfecting your timing, and making good use of special abilities. The in-game currency's also very generous, so if you like the game reward the dev by grabbing some IAP. It's a little-known fact that baseball mostly involves trying to hit colourful birds flying overhead and bananas lobbed in your direction by a mischievous fan. But X-Baseball provides a perfect, accurate one-thumb iOS recreation of America's favourite banana-thwacking pastime. (What?) Rogue Runner is another one of those endless games, where you leap over gaps and shoot things until you fall down a chasm and ponder why your in- game avatar doesn't learn to stop once in a while. Rogue Runner stands out by offering a ton of skins and a smart overhead dodge-and-shoot variation, which is a bit like Spy Hunter if someone knocked the original arcade cabinet on its side - the vandal. "No drawing skills required!," boasts the App Store description for Draw Something Free. You might argue otherwise when this app demands you draw something suitably tricky for your friends to guess, but can merely manage a red blob. Still, Pictionary plus iPhone plus social gaming equals 'must have' in gaming maths. We've no idea what's going on in ElectroMaster , beyond a bored girl trying to avoid responsibility by killing everything in sight with electro-blasts. The game's sort of like a twin-stick shooter but you tap-hold to charge and then release to let rip, dragging your finger about to fry your foes. Games are short, but this is one of the most thrilling blasters on the system, despite it costing nothing at all. The original Grim Joggers was odd enough: 15 joggers jog for their lives in oddball environments, including a warzone, the Arctic, and an alien world. In the free Grim Joggers Freestyle , you get just one world, but it mashes up everything from the paid game into a surreal (but thoroughly enjoyable) endless survival game. Kings in fairytale lands have a screw lose, or perhaps just an odd desire to create the conditions for a tough videogame. In Wind-Up Knight , a princess has been kidnapped. Horrors! But rather than send an army, the king tasks a knight with rescuing her. Only he's fragile. And clockwork. And can't turn around. Really, it's an excuse for puzzle-oriented swipe-based thrills, which demand near-perfect timing as the quest nears its end. Flood-It! 2 meets the rules of great puzzlers: keep things simple, but make the game so challenging that your brains start to dribble out of your ears. In Flood-It!, you tap colours to 'flood' the board from the top-left, aiming to make the entire board one colour using a limited number of taps. This release offers additional modes over the original Flood-It! (timers, obstacles, finishing with a defined colour), and offers schemes for colour- blind players. EA might not have a great reputation when it comes to free-to-play (*cough cough* Dungeon Keeper), but The Sims Freeplay is one of the games that's closer to getting the balance "right". Buying more Simoleons (the in-game currency) with real money will let you skip ahead, but you can also simply make your Sim earn them in the good old fashioned way by getting them a job. Lifestyle points will let you skip timers, but they can also be earned by levelling up. As for the game itself, this is the closest thing to a fully-fledged Sims experience you'll get on your mobile. Social management games are big business, but are often stuffed full of cynical wallet-grabbing mechanics. While Tiny Tower does have the whiff of IAP to speed things along a bit, its tower-building and management remains enjoyable even if you pay nothing at all, and the pixel graphics are lovely. At first, Letris 4 looks like yet another bog-standard word game, albeit one that's rather visually swish, but it regularly tries new things. The game's based around creating words from falling tiles, but it keeps things fresh by adding hazards, such as debris, ice and various creatures lurking in the letter pile. If you're feeling particularly brainy, you can even play in two languages at once. Before we played Bejeweled Blitz , we never knew precious gems were so 'explodey'. Still, here's the frantic member of the match-tree/gem-swap family, giving you one minute to obliterate as much shiny as possible, and then discover via online leaderboards that your chums are gem-smashing wizards. Cool Pizza isn't so much endless running as endless weirdness. In a world of stark black, white and neon, a skateboarder catches air to hack oddball enemies (laser-spewing mini Cthulhus; rotating pyramids of doom) to death. The crunchy soundtrack adds to the sensory overload, resulting in one of the finest freebies on the platform. We already covered Frisbee Forever on this list, with its -like fling- a-plastic-disc about larks. Frisbee Forever 2 's essentially more of the same, but prettier, smoother and with wilder locations in which to fly through hoops and collect stars. It's lovely and costs precisely zero pence, so download it. Jeff Minter is a shoot 'em up genius, and his Gridrunner series has a long history, starting out on the VIC-20, at the dawn of home gaming. This update riffs off classic arcade machines but also shoves modern bullet-hell mechanics into a claustrophobic single screen, and in this version's survival mode, you have just one life. Argh! The 69p 'Oxtended Mode' IAP adds the rest of the standard game. It looks a lot like Temple Run mashed into a children's cartoon show, but Subway Surfers plays a lot more like Run!, with its primarily linear leaping and sliding action. There are also plenty of power-ups to keep your graffiti- spraying hoodlum away from the chasing lawman and his faithful mutt. Just don't try this at home, kids, unless you want to redecorate a train with your innards. The hero from the insane ElectroMaster returns, but this time she appears to be tasked with feeding sentient houses roaring "HUNGRY! " in a fairly rude manner. Local monsters amble about, which can be snared by swiping over them with a surprisingly deadly pixie dust trail, whereupon they're handily converted into food to be collected. Much like ElectroMaster, HungryMaster feels like someone found a lost classic arcade game and squirted it into your iPhone, but forgot to charge you for it. We have no sympathy for the heroes of Temple Run 2. Having presumably escaped from the demon monkeys in Temple Run, they steal more ancient and shiny goodies. This time, they're pursued by only one undead ape - but it's massive. Cue: more running/jumping/hopefully not falling over, and some new mine-cart and zip-line sections. Wheeee! This combo-oriented match game has a casino feel, and there is a certain amount of luck evident, not least in the way new chips are added to the table. But in carefully laying your own chips in Chip Chain , merging sets of three to increment their number, and wisely playing cards, you can amass high scores while simultaneously wondering why real casino games are rarely as much fun. Take dozens of classic goals and introduce them to path-drawing and you've got the oddly addictive game of Score! World Goals. As you recreate stunning moments of soccer greatness, the game pauses for you to get the ball to its next spot. Accuracy rewards you with stars; failure presumably means you're compelled to take an early bath. Tap! Tap! Swipe! Rub! Argh! That's the way this intoxicating rhythm action game plays out. Groove Coaster Zero is all on rails, and chock full of dizzying roller-coaster-style paths and exciting tunes. All the while, you aim for prodding perfection, chaining hits and other movements as symbols appear on the screen. Simple, stylish and brilliant. This latest rethink of one of gaming's oldest and most-loved series asks what lies beyond the infamous level 256 glitch. As it turns out, it's endless mazey hell for the yellow dot-muncher. Pac-Man's therefore charged with eating as many dots as possible, avoiding a seemingly infinite number of ghosts, while simultaneously outrunning the all-devouring glitch. Power-ups potentially extend Pac-Man's life, enabling you to gleefully take out lines of ghosts with a laser or obliterate them with a wandering tornado. Although there's an energy system in Pac-Man 256 , it's reasonably generous: one credit for a game with power-ups, and one for the single continue; one credit refreshes every ten minutes, to a maximum of six, and you can always play without power-ups for free. If you don't like that, there's an IAP-based £5.99/$7.99 permanent buy-out. The endless rally game Cubed Rally Redline is devious. On the surface, it looks simple: move left or right in five clearly-defined lanes, and use the 'emergency time brake' to navigate tricky bits. But the brake needs time to recharge and the road soon becomes chock full of trees, cows, cruise liners and dinosaurs. And you thought your local motorway had problems! There's something delightfully trippy and dreamy about Whale Trail , which features a giant mammal from the sea traversing the heavens, powered by rainbow bubbles, collecting stars with which to attack menacing angry clouds. The game's sweet nature disguises a challenging edge, though - it takes plenty of practice before your whale stays aloft for any length of time. Games don't come any simpler than 1800. You try to stop a cursor in the dead centre of the screen, which rewards you with the maximum score. Any deviation and you'll be awarded with a lower number and have to try again… and again. This one might be insanely minimal but it's absurdly addictive. If you've never played Peggle before then get ready for a new addiction as shooting balls at pegs has never been this much fun. Actually, before Peggle shooting balls at pegs probably wasn't even slightly fun, but with its colourful art style, crazy power-ups and high-score chasing Peggle Blast is very much a game where one more go turns into a dozen. In app purchases can give you an edge, but it's playable without them and hearing Ode to Joy at the end of each level is all the sweeter for having earned your victory. Tennis in the Face had a racket-wielding hero saving a city from an evil energy drink corporation, mostly through smacking enemies in the face with tennis balls. This freebie version comes across like the protagonist's fever dream, placing him in a clown-filled hell, with only his fuzzy balls to save him. This is more like Plants vs Zombies 2 vs freemium grinding. But if you can look past the forced repetition of stages and irksome IAP, there's a lot to like in EA's horticulture/zombie defence sequel, including loads of new stages, a bunch of new plants, plenty of unique features, and a smattering of time travel. It's a case of timey-wimey-puzzley-wuzzley as Doctor Who: Legacy aims to show you that your iPhone is bigger on the inside, able to house intergalactic warfare. The game itself is a gem-swapper not a million miles away from Puzzle Quest, but all the Doctor Who trappings will make it a must for fans of the show - or Daleks fine-tuning their tactics regarding how to finally beat their nemesis, mostly via the use of strategically placed coloured orbs. Poor Marsh Mal. He's atop a cylindrical tower, about to be mauled to death by waves of hungry blobs. His only defence: a limitless supply of fruit, which he can use to blow up like-coloured blobs, thereby holding off death for a few precious extra moments. Yep, it's Rise of the Blobs - another block-falling game (think: a simplified Dr. Mario wrapped around a tube), but this one has wonderful visuals, suitably squelchy sound, and strategic underpinnings for those willing to master the game mechanics. Nyeeeeooowww! Daggadaggadaggadagga! It's biplane o' clock in this Civ- like take on World War I dogfighting. You and the bally enemy take it in turns to climb, dive, roll and shoot, as you aim to turn the tide of the war and ensure it'll all be over by Christmas. Sid Meier's Ace Patrol is also one of the few games we've seen that understands the concept of micro-transactions, for example enabling you to spring POWs for 69p/$0.99 a pop. It's hard not to have a smile glued to your face when playing Tiny Thief , with its colourful cartoon graphics, inventive levels and constant humour. It feels like a point and click game of old redesigned for the smartphone generation, with simple controls and bite-sized levels. While you get several level packs for free several more are hidden behind a paywall, but whether you stump up for them or not the game is likely to prove memorable and well worth your time. The Tiny Tower devs take to the air in game form. In, Pocket Planes , this management sim, you take command of a fleet of planes, aiming to not entirely annoy people as you ferry them around the world. Like Tiny Tower, this one's a touch grindy, but it's a similarly amusing time-waster. Dots looks and feels like the sort of thing Jony Ive might play on his downtime (well, ignoring the festive theme, which is probably more Scott Forstall's style). A stark regimented set of coloured dots awaits, and like- coloured ones can be joined, whereupon they disappear, enabling more to fall into the square well. The aim: clear as many as possible - with the largest combos you can muster - in 60 seconds. In Smash Cops, you got to be the good , bringing down perps, mostly by ramming them into oblivion. Now in Smash Bandits it's your chance to be a dangerous crim, hopping between vehicles and leaving a trail of destruction in your wake. The game also amusingly includes the A-Team van and a gadget known only as the Jibba Jabba. We love it when a plan comes together! If you're of a certain vintage, you probably spent many hours playing Solitaire on a PC, success being rewarded by cards bouncing around the screen. Sage Solitaire 's developer wondered why iOS solitaire games hadn't moved on in the intervening years, and decided to reinvent the genre. Here, then, you get a three-by-three grid and remove cards by using poker hands. Additional strategy comes through limitations (hands must include cards from two rows; card piles are uneven) and potential aid (two 'trashes', one replenished after each successful hand; a starred multiplier suit). A few rounds in, you realise this game's deeper than it first appears. Beyond that, you'll be hooked. The single £2.29/$2.99 IAP adds extra modes and kills the ads. On a mission to fill your entire iPhone with tributes to classic arcade games with super-blocky graphics, the Crossy Road and Pac-Man 256 devs return with Shooty Skies. It's a top-down vertically scrolling blaster, with heroic animals hopping into their biplanes, taking to the skies, and doing shooty things. Bob and weave between enemies and bullets, or pause for a bit and unleash homing-missile destruction the next time you move. The game's relentless, enemies coming thick and fast, spewing all manner of weirdness in your general direction. The deranged bosses are especially tough, such as a huge garbage-emitting mouth, and the "freedom eagle" that flings dollars, fast-food fries and then cruise missiles your way; if you're fortunate, you'll pick up a gift beforehand and get a suitably quirky wingman assistant, such as "gunny rabbit. " The best iPhone games 2016 feedproxy.google.com

Best iPhone apps 2016 feedproxy.google.com 2016-07-20 13:48 By Craig feedproxy.google.com

4 The best free audio editors and mixers 2016 (0.01/2) When you want to edit a sound file – whether it's to create a custom ringtone for your phone, make your own podcasts or record music – the prospect of choosing the right tool for the job can be a daunting one. The complexity of some audio-editing tools might be enough to scare you away, but it's more likely to be the price tag attached to such software that sends you running. Never fear, though – there are free options packed with professional-quality features. Whether you're looking for a tool to help create a soundtrack for your home movies, or you need something to help you convert your old record and cassette collection into MP3 format while removing background static, there's a free software download out there for you. Before you begin, it's worth noting that most audio editors use the LAME codec. It's probably already installed on your system, but if you receive a warning that you need to install it, you can download a free codec pack containing it. is a feature-packed audio-editor with professional-quality tools Available for any desktop platform you care to mention, Audacity is our first choice for audio editing. It has a huge following, and it's one that is entirely justified. It's a powerful tool that would put some paid-for product to shame, and although the interface might initially seem slightly intimidating, it's actually surprisingly approachable even for beginners. Audacity is equipped with an extensive suite of built-in tools, enabling you to edit pre-recorded files, capture sound through an attached microphone, or even stream music and podcasts. There's support for a wide range of audio formats for both importing and exporting, and the range of built-in effect is impressive. There's also a great selection of third-party plug-ins to make it even more versatile (one of our favourites is autotune add-on Gsnap , for that T-Pain effect), and a comprehensive manual is available to help you to get to grips with the more complicated aspects of the program. Free Audio Editor puts all the essential sound-editing tools right at your fingertips Free Audio Editor 's name tells you everything you need to know here. You have to deselect a few checkboxes to avoid installing unwanted software, but the tool itself is worth the effort. It can be used to record audio via line-in, work with existing audio files, or to rip CDs. One thing that makes Free Audio Editor stand out from the competition is the way the interface has been designed. Rather than hiding option deep in confusing menus, everything you need to right at your fingertips. A neat effects sidebar makes it simple to get to the tools you need, and you can even bookmark those you use most to make your life even easier. You can get as hands on as you like, but many of the readymade filters such as breath reduction (particularly handy for podcasts) and background noise reduction mean that you'll be able to perform many audio clean-up tasks in just a few clicks. MP3 Cutter and Editor is a simple tool for trimming audio files to size Free MP3 Cutter and Editor is a simple program designed with a very specific type of audio editing in mind. Audacity would be a better choice if you want fine control of your tracks, but if you're looking for nothing more than a quick and dirty program for trimming the fat from your MP3s, this is perfect. Open your MP3 file and you can cut out unwanted sections, add a fade-in or fade-out, adjust the volume, and convert between stereo and mono. That's it. It might sound limited, but it's extremely good at what it does (for example, if you have saved a live recording as one large MP3 and then want to divide it up into a number of individual tracks). It's not the sort of task you would need a professional audio editor for, and Free MP3 Cutter and Editor fits the bill nicely. WavePad Audio Editor Free is available as a desktop app, and for mobile devices The iPad has, over the years, become recognised as a value tool for music creation, but not so much for editing tracks. WavePad Audio Editor Free is an interesting app for a couple of reasons: not only is it a free audio editing app, but it's also available for iOS and Android as well as Windows. The mobile apps are surprisingly powerful - helped, perhaps, by the fact that the iOS and Android versions are designed like the desktop software. There are a number of filters and editing options available such as trimming, a high pass filter, normalization and merging files, and you can add more tools via in-app purchases. There are some nice extra touches too, including voice-activated recording, and an auto-trim editing function. ocenaudio is an excellent option for everyday sound-editing tasks Like Audacity, ocenaudio is available for multiple platforms (Windows, Linux and Mac). While not bursting with features, it's a great tool for everyday audio editing. Real-time effect previewing should help to speed up your work as there's no need to apply a change just to try it out, and a highly precise selection tool makes it easy to apply the same effect to multiple section of a files. You can work with locally stored files, or even open those hosted online. The somewhat sparse interface quickly becomes a joy to use, and if you spend a little time familiarising yourself with the keyboard shortcuts, you should fly through common tasks in next to no time. There's a decent range of effects to choose from, and there's even the option of exporting your creations as a ringtone for your iPhone. Enjoy advanced audio editing features with mp3DirectCut Despite its name, mp3DirectCut does more than just slicing up MP3s (although it does that very well). You can record directly into the program or work with existing audio files, and although there are no fancy options, all of the basics are covered. As well as simple track splitting, you'll also find tools for normalising audio, increasing the volume, and fading. Automatic pause detection is available to help make it easier to decided where to split a track, and if you have created cue files to automate file processing, there's support for those here. mp3DirectCut also features a batching processing option that can be used to quickly apply the same settings and effects to entire folders full of files, which is handy for normalising a series of tracks, or increasing the volume of a set that were recorded at the same time. Basic Edition is the best choice for cleaning up old vinyl and cassette recordings Acoustica Basic Edition is a superb audio editor, and is particularly good at cleaning up old audio recordings from vinyl or cassettes by removing unwanted noise. Opting for the free version means missing out on options such as a multi- track editor and support for 7.1 surround sound, but you still get a lot to play with. It has a very professional look and feel, and the Effect Chain - an area where you can build up and play with a layered series of filters - is a particular highlight. There's support for DirectX and VST plug-ins, so you can easily expand the program's repertoire. If you want to get a taste for audio editing with the freedom to move beyond the basics when you feel ready, Acoustica Basic Edition is an excellent starting point. Wavosaur is a great option for stripping vocals from songs to make your own karaoke tracks Wavosaur differs from the rest of the software we're looking at because it's a portable app. You can therefore save it to a USB stick, ready for use on any PC without installation. Despite its tiny size, Wavosaur packs a punch. It's designed with MP3 editing in mind, but supports other key formats as well. It also boasts features like pitch shifting and vocal removal (ideal for making DIY karaoke tracks, and as with Audacity, its feature set can be expanded with VST plug-ins. The basic program hasn't been updated in quite some time, but don't let that put you off - it's an absolute gem of an audio editor. Article continues below

The best iPhone games 2016 feedproxy.google.com 2016-07-20 14:00 By Mike feedproxy.google.com

5 You've gotta see what's in these bizarre Japanese vending machines Enter for your chance to win* a game hardware bundle One lucky winner will walk away with a gaming monitor, keyboard and mouse. Two lucky runners-up will score a gaming headset.

2016-07-20 17:39 Leslie Gornstein www.cnet.com

6 BT disruption: Telecity owner Equinix owns up to 'brief outage' Telecity owner Equinix has owned up to the outage that knocked BT and Plusnet customers offline this morning , blaming a fault with one of its uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for the downtime experienced by internet users across the country. The company confessed to being the cause of the widespread internet connection problems in a mea culpa email to customers this afternoon. According to the email, the company experienced problems with one of the UPS systems at its 8/9 Harbour Exchange facility this morning, also known as LD8. The problem is still under investigation. Equinix has admitted the outage, but claimed that service had been restored "within minutes". However, end users across the country reported multiple connection problems throughout the morning. BT claimed that around one in 10 connection attempts at the height of the outage were experiencing failures. Equinix completed the acquisition of Telecity in January this year for £2.3bn , swooping in to grab the company from Interxion, with which Telecity had been planning a merger. Equinix, meanwhile, is the world's biggest data centre company and the Telecity buyout greatly extended its presence in Europe. Telecity ran 37 data centres in key locations across Europe, including London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris and Milan. The outage at Telecity in London, which hosts telecoms networks, including fixed-line, mobile and ISPs, is not the first the company and its users have suffered. A power systems failure at Telecity's Sovereign House facility in November 2015 caused two nights of outages. Indeed, power failures seem to be a recurring problem for the organisation. Telecity was one of the first organisations in London to connect internet exchange points, key interchanges between different network operators and the backbone internet. Hence, when Telecity goes down, users across the country are affected, if not directly, then via dips in performance of online apps, such as Skype, Amazon Web Services, Google Docs and Microsoft's Office 365 app.

2016-07-20 17:38 Graeme Burton www.computing.co.uk

7 ICO calls on EU to amend 'cookie law' The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has urged the EU to consider amending its so-called "cookie law", which requires website owners to obtain users' consent before placing cookies on their devices. The ICO made the case in its submission to the European Commission's consultation on changes to the Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive, also known as the E-Privacy Directive. " Requiring consent for the processing of personal data has not delivered the expected protection for individuals because some personal data must be processed in order for the consent mechanism to operate," argued the ICO. "In our view, the rules should also seek to achieve a proportionate balance between the legitimate interests of information society services and the privacy rights of individuals. There is a case for an exemption or an alternative basis for processing other than consent, particularly in cases where the privacy impact on the individual is minimal. " The consultation over the E-Privacy Directive, which is now more than a decade old but was amended in 2009, is intended to further update it in order to better complement the GDPR, which will become law across the EU in 2018. Both are part of the Digital Single Market Strategy for Europe, which is designed to provide a level playing field for online services across the EU. The consultation appears to indicate that the European Commission is planning to tighten e-privacy laws with mandates requiring "privacy by default" settings on "terminal equipment" – a suggestion which the ICO cautioned may have unintended consequences, especially in terms of hampering the development of internet services that the Digital Single Market is supposed to aid. "The definition of terminal equipment would need to be carefully defined as it could include connected cars, IoT devices and legacy equipment. Consideration also needs to be given as to whether all these devices are capable of delivering privacy choices," argued the ICO. "The impact on small start-up companies would need to be carefully considered to avoid a disproportionate detrimental impact on innovation. Again, in our view, any rules in this area should seek to achieve a proportionate balance between the legitimate interests of businesses and the privacy rights of individuals, and not impose onerous and disruptive requirements in cases where privacy impact is minimal. " The consultation also indicates that the European Commission is considering compelling website operators to make available their content, even if users reject cookies – a measure that the ICO also opposes.

2016-07-20 17:38 Graeme Burton www.computing.co.uk

8 AlgoSec Debuts Business Application Mapping Platform Auto-Discovery automates the whole process of identifying and mapping application connectivity, and gathers this information into an intuitive map. Security policy management specialist AlgoSec debuted its AutoDiscovery platform, which automatically discovers all business applications, traffic flows and interdependencies across enterprise networks, using IP probes or existing packet sniffing tools. The platform generates an up-to-date connectivity map for all business applications, without needing any prior knowledge or manual configuration by security, network or application experts. "Any organization will benefit from being able to automatically and accurately map their business applications and connectivity flows, especially those that are preparing to migrate applications to the cloud, or to a micro-segmented software-defined network environment, AlgoSec's director of communications and strategy," Joanne Godfrey, told eWEEK. "In order to ensure a smooth, secure and successful migration you need to be able to first identify and map your applications and all interdependencies. " She explained that only once businesses have this information can they effectively migrate and adjust existing connectivity flows for the new virtual environment. Godfrey said mapping is critical when business applications are moved or migrated in data centers, or to private or public cloud infrastructure. "Companies typically struggle to identify their applications and their dependent network traffic flows across today’s complex enterprise environments - because they have little to no up-to-date documentation on application connectivity, and it can take months to gather this information," she said. "Even the most minor of mistakes in reconfiguring network traffic flows during a migration can cause an outage or a security hole. " Twenty percent of firms had a security breach and nearly half (48 percent) had an application outage caused by manual processing errors, according to the company’s 2016 survey on the state of automation in security. "A new solution has to be as simple and easy as possible for the end-user to use," Godfrey said. "Auto-Discovery automates the whole process of identifying and mapping application connectivity, and gathers this information into a highly visualized, intuitive map that’s seamlessly integrated with the AlgoSec security policy management platform. " The platform automatically tags business applications to create security policies for next-generation firewalls and Software Defined Data Center (SDDC). In addition, the platform can automatically identify and display discovered business applications, including their names and URLs, for easy viewing and analysis, as well as identify and map all the connectivity flows for each business application and any interdependencies with other applications. Godfrey explained being able to identify and map applications and their connectivity flows is an essential process in order to effectively and securely migrate applications to support new business transformation initiatives such as cloud and SDN, and is the cornerstone of an application-centric approach that drives business agility, calling it the future of security management.

2016-07-20 16:39 Nathan Eddy www.eweek.com

9 Life is Strange episode 1 will be free ‘indefinitely’ as of tomorrow The first episode of Dontnod’s multi-award winning adventure game Life Is Strange will be available to download for free tomorrow, publisher Square Enix has announced. From July 21 onwards, the episodic tale of love, friendship and coming of age is set to offer players a complimentary trip to Arcadia Bay where they’ll join Sam and Max in the game’s premier episode—Chrysalis. To mark the occasion, Dontnod has released the following trailer: Although perhaps not for everyone, one of the most impressive things about Life Is Strange is its propensity to affect people in so many different ways. It was Chris’s Personal Pick of last year; whereas Phil described it as “unfocused but earnest” , but nevertheless found it to be one of his favourite games of 2015. Jody MacGregor discussed why a bad ending needn’t ruin a great game after finishing Sam and Max’s tale; and Andy shared his thoughts on how it channels Twin Peaks. If you’re yet to try it, you can begin to craft your own slant when Life Is Strange’s episode one launches for free tomorrow via its official website .

2016-07-20 13:07 By Joe www.pcgamer.com

10 Through the Woods is a Norse horror adventure that’s out this year Third-person survival horror game Through the Woods is the debut venture from Norwegian studio Antagonist that’s out later this year. Viewed through the eyes of a mother who’s lost her son, it guides players through a seemingly haunted forest and is designed to play on a childlike fear of the dark and the unknown. Successfully crowdfunded last year, Through the Woods' horror at first leant toward the psychological variety, however has since shifted slightly towards a purposely fantastic interpretation of terror, but one which is rooted in more tangible experience. “A common characteristic of psychological horror is that you begin to blur the line between what is real and what is not,” the game’s writer Dan Wakefield tells me. “Perhaps you start to imply subtly that the character is a little unstable or maybe that certain events are not really happening. You run the danger of the 'is it all in their head?' feeling. "We realised that we didn't want to leave it up to the player to decide or to make them wonder if what they're seeing is really happening or not; it's happening. What's going on is impossible, but it's real all the same.” Much of that impossibility is tied to the game’s mythical creatures, such as towering trolls which occasionally stalk the player, while its narrative is analogous with Norse mythology and folklore. Anyone familiar with the artist Theodor Kittelsen might have some sense of what to expect, says Wakefield, however Antagonist has put its own “twisted and corrupt” spin on its visuals. “The one I can definitely confirm is the giant mountain trolls.” continues Wakefield. “What people may or may not know is that we have a lot of story elements that involve the events of Ragnarök, and that a couple of characters from Norse mythology also appear in the game, either as physical characters or in documents. The game and the island where the game takes places have been woven into the story of the epic battle of the gods.” Over the past year and half, the scope of Through the Woods has changed considerably too—what was at first to be a three hour game now stretches to around six. It’s expanding, then, a fact echoed by the lengths Antagonist has went to in order to portray a believably frightening world. “One thing that's definitely been very rewarding is that all of our art and sound effects have been captured in Sognsvann, a genuine Norwegian forest 20 minutes from our office in Oslo. We've been there a few times to take photos of textures, to capture wind, trees, water, etc and we filmed our Kickstarter video there as well. “It's a lovely place, but when you see the trees in the game, wrapped in textures that were made from photos we took, accompanied by the sound of the same looking tree blowing in the wind, it feels very convincing. That's one of the most rewarding things about this project for me. The quality that the five of us have achieved I am quite proud of.” Through the Woods is looking at a “mid-September to early October” launch, says Wakefield. Until then, you can check out the free demo that featured at PAX 2016 by heading this way.

2016-07-20 13:06 By Joe www.pcgamer.com

11 Best battery cases for iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 6 & 6 Plus What's the best battery case for Apple iPhone 6s? We review the best iPhone 6s battery cases and iPhone 6s Plus battery cases, which also work with the older Phone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The Apple iPhone 6s has a battery life shorter than most owners would like it. Who hasn’t cursed as the “Low Battery” warning pops up? For all its fancy apps and super camera the more important feature of any smartphone is its battery, for when this expires so does everything else. ( Still got an older iPhone? Read our Best Battery Cases for the iPhone 5/5s ). Apple again went for super-thinness rather than significantly better battery life when it designed the iPhone 6 and 6s. So those of us who want our phone to last all day, and then some, have to lug round a battery power bank or forgo Apple’s slimness for a bulkier battery case that will recharge a fading iPhone battery back to full life without having to stop to find a power socket. If you fancy carrying a portable power pack (rather than a protective case) around with you, read our round up of the Best Portable Battery Power Banks . And if you treasure your new iPhone 6s you should be wrapping the fragile thing in a protective case anyway; see Best iPhone 6s Cases round up . Chinese manufacturers moved swiftly to create battery cases for the iPhone 6 – much faster than they did with previous iPhone generations, which had allowed companies such as Mophie to lead the market. Many of the iPhone 6 and 6s battery cases reviewed here are very similar me-too products, but each has its own pros and cons. What has excited us are the cases tested here that show some real innovation – such as the Tylt Energi Sliding Case and Esorun iStand, that offer something more. There are also cases reviewed here that are slimmer than most, or offer massive battery capacities. And sun hats off to Mophie for offering a battery case that's also waterproof, the H2PRO. Battery capacity can be measured in Milliamp Hours (mAh) and Watt Hours (Wh). The higher, the more charge you should get from the extra battery enclosed within the case.

2016-07-20 12:15 Simon Jary www.pcadvisor.co.uk

12 12 Titanfall 2 will improve matchmaking system and server hosting, says developer During his hands-on at E3 last month , Samuel enjoyed getting to grips with Titanfall 2’s new toys—not least the new grappling hook—so much so that he queued four times for its opening showing. In the run up to its October 28 release , developer Respawn Entertainment has now launched a video series which will explore the behind-the-scenes elements of the game, and asks players to suggest what the run of shorts should cover. “This is for the more hardcore fans out there,” says game producer Drew McCoy in the Inside Development introductory short featured above. “These are not marketing speak, this isn’t anything other than actual game developers telling you how we’re doing our job. If you have anything you’d like us to cover, let us know.” For now, McCoy explains that he and his team learned a lot from the original Titanfall and as such the series will cover things like how server hosting in the sequel has changed, how its matchmaking systems have been tweaked—so as to “find better games quicker”—and how a new feature named 'Networks' will make the process of grouping together with friends easier. Titanfall 2 isn't due to launch until October 28, however Sam’s interview with lead engineer Jon Shiring makes for good interim reading.

2016-07-20 11:12 By Joe www.pcgamer.com

13 Next Hearthstone adventure will probably be announced next week Earlier this week, it seemed Blizzard was gearing up to reveal its next Hearthstone adventure by way of some typically Blizzard-like cryptic teasing. Now, while not quite set in stone just yet, a stream invite sent to us via email heavily hints that the digital card game’s latest add-on will be announced next week. The announcement for the announcement suggests all will be revealed on Thursday, July 28 at 11pm PT (7am BST) in an event that has an “unforgettable adventure planned”. This date aligns with ChinaJoy, a popular gaming convention in Shanghai that kicks off on the 28th, and would therefore explain the unusual start time. Last week, a shortlist surfaced online that suggested the next adventure will be based on a World of Warcraft raid, listing Ulduar, Terrace of Endless Spring, Highmaul and Karazhan as possible locations. Our money’s on the latter, for a number of reasons that Tim explains over here. We’ll find out for sure next week, but here’s the invite in full: In other Hearthstone news, it seems the digital card game may now have a PTR .

2016-07-20 10:57 By Joe www.pcgamer.com

14 The 10 Coolest Wearables Of 2016 (So Far) - Page: 1 IoT You Can Wear This year, we learned that the Internet of Things is much more personal than connected homes or smart cities -- consumers can use connected devices straight from their own wrists. While in the past wearables took the shape of smartwatches, such as the Apple Watch or Samsung Gear S2, this year vendors showed off new functions for connected devices -- including a smart ring and smart helmet. Now, consumers can use wearables to track their own activity and health, to translate foreign languages while traveling, and to play virtual reality games. Following are some of the coolest wearables CRN has seen so far in 2016. (For more on the "coolest" of 2016, check out " CRN's Tech Midyear In Review. ")

2016-07-20 09:46 Lindsey O www.crn.com

15 The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 & GTX 1070 Founders Editions Review It has taken about 2 years longer than we’d normally see, but the next full generation of GPUs are finally upon us. Powered by FinFET based nodes at TSMC and GlobalFoundries, both NVIDIA and AMD have released new GPUs with new architectures built on new manufacturing nodes. AMD and NVIDIA did an amazing job making the best of 28nm over the 4 year stretch, but now at long last true renewal is at hand for the discrete GPU market. Back in May we took a first look at the first of these cards, NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition. Launched at $700, it was immediately the flagship for the FinFET generation. Now today, at long (long) last, we will be taking a complete, in-depth look at the GTX 1080 Founders Edition and its sibling the GTX 1070 Founders Edition. Architecture, overclocking, more architecture, new memory technologies, new features, and of course copious benchmarks. So let’s get started on this belated look at the latest generation of GPUs and video cards from NVIDIA. As a quick refresher, here are the specifications for the new cards. At a high level the Pascal architecture (as implemented in GP104) is a mix of old and new; it’s not a revolution, but it’s an important refinement. Maxwell as an architecture was very successful for NVIDIA both at the consumer level and the professional level, and for the consumer iterations of Pascal, NVIDIA has not made any radical changes. The basic throughput of the architecture has not changed – the ALUs, texture units, ROPs, and caches all perform similar to how they did in GM2xx. Consequently the performance aspects of consumer Pascal – we’ll ignore GP100 for the moment – are pretty easy to understand. NVIDIA’s focus on this generation has been on pouring on the clockspeed to push total compute throughput to 8.9 TFLOPs, and updating their memory subsystem to feed the beast that is GP104. The GeForce GTX 1080 is a fully enabled implementation of GP104. This means 2560 CUDA cores split up over 20 SMs operating at a blistering boost clock of 1733MHz. NVIDIA is positioning GTX 1080 as a full generational update over GTX 980, and thanks to a combination of a slightly wider GPU and a much faster clockspeed, they can generally deliver on this. By the numbers, GTX 1080 offers 78% more raw compute, texturing, and geometry performance, and 43% more ROP throughput. Of course the latter is as much a product of memory bandwidth as it is the ROPs themselves, and for that NVIDIA has some new memory technologies. Feeding the beast that is GTX 1080 is 8GB of GDDR5X. A new memory standard that extends the effective memory bandwidth of GDDR5, GTX 1080’s GDDR5X runs at 10Gbps, and is attached to a 256-bit memory bus. This gives GTX 1080 a full 320GB/sec of memory bandwidth to play with, 43% more than GTX 980. And as we’ll see in the coming architectural pages, these raw numbers don’t factor in the architectural improvements that allow the Pascal GPUs to stretch their memory bandwidth even further. Finally, GTX 1080’s TDP is rated at 180W. This is a slight increase from the past generation, where GTX 980 required 165W. Video card specifications are of course a sliding scale – balancing desired performance with cooling capabilities and power consumption – and ultimately NVIDIA has opted to eat a slight increase in power consumption to allow GTX 1080 to deliver more performance than it otherwise would. Meanwhile below the GTX 1080 we have its lower price and lower performance sibling, the GTX 1070. The standard high-end salvage part, GTX 1070 trades off fewer functional blocks and the lower resulting performance in exchange for a significantly lower price than the GTX 1080. From a hardware perspective, the GTX 1070 utilizes GP104 with 1 of the 4 Graphics Processing Clusters (GPCs) disabled. Relative to GTX 1080, this knocks off around 25% of the shading/texturing/compute performance. However the memory controllers and ROP partitions remain untouched. With this configuration NVIDIA is pitching the GTX 1070 as a full generational update to the GTX 970, and with any luck, the GTX 1070 will be as well accepted as its extremely successful predecessor. All told then, GTX 1070 provides 1920 CUDA cores split up over 15 SMMs. Those 15 SMMs are in turn running at a base clockspeed of 1506MHz and a boost clock of 1683MHz. This is slightly lower than GTX 1080, but as we’ll see in our full benchmark section, the official clockspeeds have a very little impact; it’s the disabled GPC that really makes the difference. By the numbers, relative to the GTX 970 the GTX 1070 offers 65% more shading, texturing, and geometry throughput, and 63% more ROP throughput. The latter coming as a courtesy of both the higher clockspeeds and the fact that GTX 1070 ships with all 64 ROPs enabled, versus 56 of 64 on GTX 970. As for memory, GTX 1070 doesn’t get GDDR5X. Instead the card gets 8GB of GDDR5 running at 8Gbps. This delivers a total memory bandwidth of 256GB/sec, and again unlike GTX 970, there is nothing going on with partitions here, so all of that memory and all of that bandwidth is operating in one contiguous partition, giving the GTX 1070 an effective memory bandwidth increase of 31%. GTX 1070 is the first NVIDIA card to ship with 8Gbps GDDR5, a memory speed I once didn’t think possible. NVIDIA and the memory partners are pushing GDDR5 to the limit by doing this, but at this point in time this is the most economical way to boost memory bandwidth without resorting to more exotic and expensive solutions like GDDR5X. GTX 1070 is rated for a 150W TDP; this is a smaller, 5W increase over its predecessor. Despite the official TDP, it should be noted that NVIDIA is not pitching this card as their 150W champion for systems with a single 6-pin PCIe power cable, and it will require a more powerful 8-pin cable. For systems that need a true sub-150W card, this is where the GTX 1060 will step in. Otherwise NVIDIA is making a very interesting power play here what is now the second most powerful video card on the market does so on just 150W. For the GTX 1000 series, NVIDIA has undertaken a significant change in how they handle reference boards and how those boards are priced. What were once reference boards are now being released as the Founders Edition boards. These boards are largely similar to NVIDIA’s last- generation reference boards, built using a standard PCB and NVIDA’s high-end blower cooler, along with some additional cooling upgrades. The Founders Edition cards will, in turn, not be sold at NVIDIA’s general MSRP for each family, but rather they will be sold as premium cards for around $80-$100 more. As a result we have two prices to talk about. For the GTX 1080, the family MSRP is $599. At the base level this is a slight price increase over the GTX 980, which launched at $549. As the Founders Edition cards are not being sold at this price, it is instead being filled by semi and fully custom cards from NVIDIA’s partners. These custom cards offer a mix of designs, but at the cheapest level (those cards closest to the MSRP) we’re predominantly looking at dual fan open air cooled cards. The rest of the lineup is filled by more advanced cards (including some closed loop liquid coolers) with factory overclocks and other features that are sold at a premium price. The GTX 1080 Founders Edition card, for its part, fits in to this picture at $699, a $100 premium. The story then is much the same for the GTX 1070. Its family MSRP is $379, which its Founders Edition counterpart is being sold for $449. At $379 for the family MSRP, this is a $40 price increase over the GTX 970, and I am curious over the long run whether this will significantly impact sales. One of the factors that made GTX 970 such a well-received card was its price, and this takes away from that by a bit. Otherwise, as with the GTX 1080, the partners’ custom cards for the GTX 1070 run the gamut from simple dual fan cards at the cheapest prices, up to premium, factory overclocked cards at the highest prices. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the plan for pricing and reality haven’t quite agreed with each other. Even now, 2 months after the launch of the GTX 1080, card supplies are slim. There is effectively a shortage of GTX 1080 cards, as while NVIDIA insists they are continuing to ship out a good supply, those cards appear to be getting plucked off of virtual and physical shelves almost as quickly. As of the time this paragraph was written, Newegg only has a single GTX 1080 in stock, a Founders Edition card at $699. For the last several generations it has been pretty common for the first batch or two of high-end cards to sell out, however to be sold out for 2 months is a lot less common. Other than NVIDIA’s Titan series card, which are a special case due to their prosumer market, I can’t immediately recall the last time an NVIDIA flagship card was this hard to get this late after a launch. For NVIDIA and its partners there are worse problems in the world – it’s better to have too few cards than too many cards that you can’t sell – but it certainly puts a damper on things for both the partners and for customers. Meanwhile the GTX 1070 situation is noticeably better, though still not great. About half of the models that Newegg carries are in stock at any given time. So potential GTX 1070 owners have more options, though if they’re after a specific card they may find themselves waiting. But the real problem with this shortage is that it has removed any incentive to keep prices close to NVIDIA’s MSRP. GTX 1070 prices start at $429 instead of $379, while GTX 1080 prices start at $649 (and if you actually want a card in stock, that’ll be $699). These are prices that are closer to last generations GTX 980 Ti/980 prices than they are 980/970, and it means that the actual GTX 1000 series price premium is much higher as it stands, at $100+ compared to the last generation. Given that these cards keep selling out, clearly there are enough buyers willing to pay these prices – it’s the free market in action – but it means NVIDIA’s MSRPs are for the moment an imaginary number. At this point all that we can do is hope that once the shortage breaks, there will be more intensive competition between the partners and retailers, and prices will fall down to MSRP. As for the larger competitive landscape, as we’re looking at high-end cards at the start of a new generation, there really isn’t any competition to speak of. The GTX 1000 series sets a new bar for performance, and while last generation cards are being priced to clear out inventories, they aren’t performance competitive with the new cards. Meanwhile stalwart competitor AMD has opted to go after the mainstream market first rather than starting at the high-end. This means that the GTX 1080 and GTX 1070 will not have any competition for at least the next few months, leaving NVIDIA solely in the driver’s seat at the high-end, and in sole possession of the GPU performance crown.

2016-07-20 08:45 Ryan Smith www.anandtech.com

16 GE Plans Software Platform For Creating 'Digital Twins' GE is working on a modeling platform that will allow it to create a " digital twin " of all its manufacturing products by the end of 2017. Whether it's a jet engine, a windmill turbine, or a locomotive, the physical asset will be duplicated digitally through a series of models, which can be operated in a virtual environment. For a manufacturer like GE , creating a digital twin to a physical asset has many advantages. It would allow succeeding generations of a product to be created on the drawing board, simulated using data drawn from the sensors of an existing model in real life, and revised into a more fine-tuned product -- before going to manufacturing -- explained Rusty Irving, services technology leader at GE Global Research. With existing jet engines loaded with 20 information-gathering sensors that take readings every second, a large amount of operational data is available for collection and use in simulations with the digital twin. By studying the simulations, GE engineers can track how well the engine is performing and what it's maintenance schedule should be. Jet engines have always had maintenance schedules, but they've been compiled without a lot of feedback information on their current operational state. By plugging operational data into the twin's virtual reality operation, GE can come up with a maintenance schedule "that is condition-based instead of time-based. It starts to advise us how we can get more operational value" out of the physical asset, Irving said in a recent InformationWeek interview. As one example, the expensive and crucial high-temperature alloy turbine blades in a jet engine, which are performing much of the work of creating thrust, can be replaced as they produce data indicating it would be wise to do so. Employees do not, then, have to swap them on a routine schedule. The approach ensures maintenance gets done when it's needed, but puts that schedule on a more realistic, feedback-oriented footing, he said. GE has been working on a platform equipped with tools that can take various digital representations of a turbine or other physical asset and convert them into a set of models that make up the digital twin. The process starts out with the CAD drawings and blueprints through which the product was created, but builds toward a more complete picture that includes the conditions under which it operates. Among other things, aircraft manufacturers want to know what happens to jet engines as they fly into and out of dry and frequently dusty regions. There's now a dust belt that extends from North Africa, across the Middle East, and into . It's well known that the airborne debris from a volcano's eruption can play havoc with a jet engine. What about the debris from desert or near-desert environments, where the dust might seem to have a gentler, more innocuous impact? What's the long-term effect of frequent exposure to particulates that are 10 microns or less? The digital twin can be fed temperature, wear, and vibration data to form a preliminary assessment, which can be used to allow testing under mock conditions that might step up the exposures. It isn't one model that would be used to create a digital twin, but perhaps 20 that would allow the testing of different parts under different conditions. Likewise, GE would like to create digital twins of the steam turbines that are used in power-generating plants. A previous generation of plants were operated continuously "for decades," said Irving, with data collected on how to perform maintenance with such a schedule. Today, however, some older plants are being taken off line and replaced with some form of green power, then brought back on-line when the source of that power, such as solar or wind, has been temporarily exhausted. The managers of the power grid then call for more plants to be brought on- line, and that's when GE's power generating customers want to accommodate that demand. But what is the effect of this cycling of steam turbines from hot to cold, and back to hot? The best practices of the past dictated that a gas steam turbine be brought up to its high operating temperature before being called upon to generate electricity. "We've found that we can run it a little colder and still produce electricity," said Irving. That finding significantly alters how quickly the plant can be brought on-line, and how much fuel is consumed before it become productive. By using the turbine's digital twin, GE can explore the trade-offs of that earlier cut-in to the grid. It knows the turbine runs less efficiently when it's cold. What is the best point to make the trade-off between temperature, time, and fuel? Turbine blades are made of an expensive nickel alloy. At what point is their longevity affected by this change in operational procedure? With 200,000 assets like the power generating turbine to monitor daily, the digital twin becomes a key component in how GE maintains the asset and extends its life span through knowledgeable operation, Irving said. GE has developed a platform for building digital twins for internal use, and he said the company "will make a business out of this" in which it sells a platform equipped with the same tools for other companies to produce their own digital twins. He expects such a platform to become available as a service by the end of 2017, he said. Use of digital twins will become increasingly important if the world's climate continues to change, as in the dust belt condition previously described, he added. "Climate change has a dramatic effect on many of the products we produce," he noted. With the digital twin, GE engineers can plot the change and forecast conditions soon to come, plugging that information into how long it can project that the service life of its products will last. [Want to see where some machine-learning analysis might come from with a GE digital twin platform? Read Microsoft, GE Partnership Targets Industrial Cloud .] GE is building machine learning or "self-learning" analysis into its platform to constantly make use of the data that's collected from equipment sensors, and also what is known about it operating environment. "We need the physical domain knowledge. Customers trust and rely on us to have that," he said, and to know how to make use of it. GE is not the only party working on the problems. The concept of a digital twin was actually originated by Michael Graves, a researcher at the University of Michigan in 2001. The federal government has established and funds a Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute in Chicago to allow companies to conduct research into the concept. Dow, Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce, Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software, and GE are participants in the institute. In the future, the success or failure of a product may hinge on how skillfully its digital twin has been constructed, how successfully operational data can be fed into it, and how well the resulting data can be used to forecast its future, Irving said.

2016-07-20 08:05 Charles Babcock www.informationweek.com

17 The Humble 2K Bundle's dirt-cheap lineup of superb PC games isn't humble at all Every once in a while there’s a that makes us sit back, whistle, and mutter “wow” into our gaming headsets. Today is one of those days. Games publisher 2K just launched a new Humble Bundle and it’s a doozy. Rumor has it the Gearbox game has more or less tanked, and there’s some anecdotal evidence to suggest this is the case.

2016-07-20 07:18 Ian Paul www.itnews.com

18 Consumer 10GBase-T Options: Motherboards with 10G Built-In Any of our long time readers will know that I can have a soft spot for high- speed networking. Throughout the years I’ve been plagued with bad WiFi, irregular house shapes, routers that only come with a single 1G port, and the inability to set up a decent, cost effective high-speed home network. The movement to 10G has certainly been prevalent in the enterprise space, as shown by the growth of 10G panels at Supercomputing 2015 last year. However the movement to 10G for home use, which is still a niche category I admit, has been slow and still very expensive. Using 10GBase-T, over SFP or other connectivity, allows for backwards compatibility in the home which is still an important feature. There are two main ways to show 10G to your home network: either pick up a NAS with 10G and use a switch with one or two 10G ports (then 10+ ports with 1G connections), or use a full 10G switch and have 10G devices. The cheapest 10GBase-T switch available for end-users is still Netgear’s XS708E 8-port switch, retailing for $750 or sometimes on sale for $625- 650. That’s around $80+ minimum per port for the switch, and then you need machines with 10G access. Depending on how the wind is blowing and what sales are on, single port PCIe cards with dual 10G ports can be had for $200-$220 on the gray market or up to $400 from source, with the main option of controllers, however there are a few using an Aquantia/Tehuti networking solution. Or roughly translated, $100 per port, and it requires a system with a spare PCIe 2.0 x8 slot. As we’ve previously reviewed at AnandTech, there are other options for having consumer-based 10G enabled systems. We reviewed the ASRock X99 WS-E/10G back in December 2014, which used a PLX PCIe switch to enable both the Intel X540T2 controller and four-way GPUs in a high-end motherboard. This motherboard currently retails for $770 , and uses Haswell-E and Broadwell-E high-end desktop processors. This motherboard held the title of the only consumer motherboard to come with a 10G chip for over a year. Late last year, in November 2015, ASUS met the feature half-way, offering their high-end Skylake-based Z170 Maximus VIII Extreme motherboard with a bundled single-port 10GBase-T card built on the Aquantia/Tehuti platform. The package carries the Extreme/Assembly branding, and also comes with a front panel DAC. We didn’t get time to review this bundle, and unfortunately the 10G card isn’t sold separately. The whole package is currently on sale for $570 , however as it is Skylake based we are limited to a quad core i7-6700K system in this case. Move forward to Computex 2016, and ASUS dropped on my doorstep the day before I left their new 10G motherboard design for Broadwell-E processors – a near final version of the product. This is the ASUS X99 E- WS/10G, their high-end desktop workstation motherboard with a built in Intel X550T2 controller for dual 10G ports. The board also comes with reinforced PCIe slots, support for U.2 drives, USB 3.1 and most of the updated modern features for a high-end product. We’re still in the process of testing and reviewing this motherboard, which is set for release sometime soon. Price unknown at this point, but we expect it to be certainly near the ASRock 10G board. On the show floor at Computex, we saw another new entrant to the onboard 10G market on display. While all the other motherboards have been ATX (or E-ATX) so far, MSI is going to plug an Intel X550 controller on a Xeon grade Z170 micro-ATX motherboard to go after some smaller form factor designs. This design uses the C236 chipset, allowing users to equip either a Skylake Core CPU or a Xeon E3-1200 v5 processor, and siphons off four PCIe lanes from the CPU for the 10G controller. This gives 12 lanes from the CPU left, 8 of which go to the main PCIe slot, and another four to the M.2 slot as well. Being both Z170 based and micro-ATX should allow this product to be priced cheaper than the others, although unlike the others it only houses one 10GBase-T port rather than two. When MSI are near final with this motherboard, we’d love to get it in for testing. Gallery: Consumer 10GBase-T Options: Motherboards with 10G Built-In There are also a variety of non-consumer focused motherboards with 10GBase-T ports, either with Xeon-D SoCs or dual socket motherboards, such as the MBD-X9DRE-TF+ from Supermicro (dual LGA2011) for $670 or the X10FRC-T4+-O (dual LGA2011-3) for $941. For consumers looking to move to 10G for home networking, we’re still waiting for the pricing of switches to come down, however it would seem that there are moves afoot to equip more motherboards with 10G by default. There’s still the added cost, and it means the PCIe lane layouts might be a bit different to normal, but it removes the need for an extra PCIe slot/card overall. It’s a slow march, and the price of both switches and 10G controllers needs to come down to make it a more viable option.

2016-07-20 07:00 Ian Cutress www.anandtech.com

19 19 Latest leap second plan poses a dilemma for conscientious sysadmins Conscientious sysadmins face a dilemma on December 31, when a new leap second will threaten the stability of computer systems and networks. Scientists occasionally add a leap second to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the time reference most clocks are set by, so as to keep it in step with the earth's gradually slowing rotation. If they didn't, then clocks would be off by about a minute at midday by 2100. Computer systems don't like leap seconds as they are programmed to expect the same number of seconds in every minute of every hour of every day. The various ways of tricking them into accepting the extra second -- stretching out all the other seconds in the preceding minute, hour or day, repeating the same second twice, or creating a 61st second in a minute, can cause chaos as they affect different computers in different ways. A leap second added in 2012 caused trouble for LinkedIn, Reddit, and Qantas, while the last one, on June 30, 2015, caused around 2,000 computer networks around the world to crash . In November that year, government representatives at the United Nations' World Radio Conference 2015 on international space and radio regulations were invited to consider abolishing leap seconds and the troubles they cause. Delegates at WRC-15 postponed the decision until 2023 while they gather more evidence, meaning computer systems must deal with the consequences of leap seconds for eight more years. Meanwhile, on recent evidence, it's likely that about one year in two will require a leap second. The next one is scheduled for midnight on Dec. 31, 2016 . The dilemma for sysadmins next New Year's Eve, then, is whether to stay on duty when everyone else is partying in order to minimize the effects of the coming leap second. Or whether to turn off their pagers, tell themselves that whatever will be, will be -- and let the ensuing chaos stand as testimony to WRC-23 delegates that the leap second's time is up.

2016-07-20 06:50 Peter Sayer www.itnews.com

20 Oracle issues largest patch bundle ever, fixing 276 security flaws Oracle has released a new quarterly batch of security updates for more than 80 products from its software portfolio, fixing 276 vulnerabilities. This is the largest Oracle Critical Patch Update (CPU) to date. The average number of flaws fixed per Oracle update last year was 161, according to security vendor Qualys. Furthermore, out of the 276 security flaws fixed in this update, 159 can be exploited remotely without authentication. At the top of the priority list should be the Java patches, which address 13 new vulnerabilities. That's because Java is used in a lot of applications and is installed on a large number of systems. "Customers really do need to apply these Java CPU patches as soon as possible," said John Matthew Holt, the CTO of application security firm Waratek, via email. Among the patches that require urgent attention are those for the HotSpot Java virtual machine for desktops and servers, which received high CVSS (Common Vulnerabilities Scoring System) scores, Holt noted. The Oracle Database Server received patches for nine vulnerabilities, one of which is rated critical with a score of nine out of 10 in the CVSS. Meanwhile, the Oracle MySQL database received fixes for 22 new security issues, four of them with a high severity rating. While databases are not typically exposed to the internet, they often hold a company's most important data, so these fixes should be given a high priority. According to Qualys , companies should also turn their attention to assets that can be directly attacked from the internet. These include web and application servers like Oracle HTTP Server, WebLogic Server and GlassFish Server, which are part of Oracle's Fusion Middleware suite. Fusion Middleware products and components received fixes for a total of thirty-five flaws, five of them rated critical with a CVSS score of 9.8. The Oracle Sun Systems Products Suite also received a large number of patches: 34. This includes fixes for the Solaris OS and networking switches that can be targeted by attackers remotely. Depending on their industry vertical, companies should also look at the fixes for industry-specific products such as Oracle Supply Chain, Oracle Communications, Oracle Banking Platform, Oracle Financial Services Applications, Health Sciences, Oracle Insurance Applications, Oracle Utilities Applications and the Oracle products for the retail sector. Issues were identified and patched in application components like Integration Bus, Order Broker, Service Backbone, and Inventory management. The components "play a vital role in Retail infrastructure and provide integration between other Oracle retail components and the rest of a company infrastructure including other mission-critical applications," said analysts from security firm ERPScan via email. "Attacks on those applications can disrupt business processes (such as payment or supply chain) in a retail company. Also, an attacker can exploit those issues to control all data transferring between components and, thus, commit fraud by changing some data during transfer. " Oracle advises users to install patches without delay, warning that attackers constantly try to exploit flaws for which the company has already released fixes. Sometimes attackers are successful because customers didn't apply the existing patches, the company said.

2016-07-20 06:45 Lucian Constantin www.itnews.com

21 The history of ransomware: How PC hostage- taking has evolved over the years Ransomware has been the most pervasive cyber threat since 2005. According to publicly available information, ransomware infections have outnumbered data breaches 7,694 to 6,013 over the past 11 years. Over the years there have been two distinct varieties of ransomware which remain consistent: crypto and locker based. Crypto-ransomware is ransomware variants that actually encrypt files and folders, hard drives, etc. Whereas Locker-ransomware only locks users out of their devices, most often seen with Android based ransomware. New-age ransomware involves a combination of advanced distribution efforts such as pre-built infrastructures used to easily and widely distribute new strains as well as advanced development techniques such as using crypters to ensure reverse-engineering is extremely difficult. Additionally, the use of offline encryption methods are becoming popular in which ransomware takes advantage of legitimate system features such as Microsoft’s CryptoAPI, eliminating the need for Command and Control (C2) communications. Terrance DeJesus of Solutionary 's Security Engineering and Research Team (SERT) takes a look back at the highlights and the evolution of ransomware throughout the years. The very first ransomware virus, the AIDS Trojan, was created by Harvard- trained Joseph L. Popp in 1989. 20,000 infected diskettes were distributed to the World Health Organization’s international AIDS conference attendees. The Trojan’s main weapon was symmetric cryptography. It didn’t take long for decryption tools to recover the file names, but this effort set in motion over almost three decades of ransomware attacks. Almost two decades (17 years) after the first ransomware malware was distributed, another strain was released. Unfortunately, this new strain was much more difficult to remove and used RSA encryption for the first time in ransomware history. The Archiveus Trojan encrypted everything in the “My Documents” directory on a system and required users to make purchases from specific Web sites to obtain the password to decrypt the files. Archiveus was also the first known ransomware variant to use Asymmetric encryption. Jump five years and mainstream anonymous payment services make it much easier for hackers using ransomware to collect money from their victims without revealing their identity. Product related ransomware Trojans began to go mainstream that same year. A Trojan ransomware that mimicked a user’s Windows Product Activation notice informed users that their system's Windows installation had to be re-activated due to fraud. A fake online activation option was offered but was ultimately a dead end for the users trying to resolve their issue, requiring users to call an international number. The malware claimed that this call would be free, but the call was actually routed through a rogue operator who placed the call on hold, causing the user to incur large international long distance charges to go along with their ransomware infection. A major ransomware Trojan known as Reveton began to spread throughout Europe. Based on the Citadel Trojan, the piece of ransomware claimed the computer under attack had been used for illegal activities and that in order to unlock the system the user would be required to pay a fine using a voucher from an anonymous prepaid cash service. In some strains, the computer screen displayed footage from the computer’s webcam to give the illusion that the ‘criminal’ was being recorded. Shortly after this incident, there was a flurry of “police-based” ransomware including Urausy and Tohfy. Researchers discovered new variants of Reveton in the , claiming to require the payment of a $200 fine to the FBI using a MoneyPak card. September 2013 was a pivotal moment in ransomware history as CryptoLocker was born. CryptoLocker was the first cryptographic malware spread by downloads from a compromised website and/or sent to business professionals in the form of email attachments made to look like customer complaints. CryptoLocker infections spread rapidly because threat actors leveraged the already existing GameOver Zeus botnet infrastructure. Operation Tovar in 2014 put a halt to the GameOver Zeus Trojan and CryptoLocker campaigns by targeting the Peer-to-Peer infrastructure used for distribution and support. CryptoLocker uses AES-256 to encrypt files with specific extensions, then uses a 2048-bit RSA key generated by the command-and-control (C2) server to encrypt the AES-256 bit key. C2 servers were established on Tor networks. This made decryption difficult as attackers kept the RSA public- key on their C2 servers. Hackers using CryptoLocker would threaten to delete the private key if payment was not received within three days. In 2014, CryptoDefense, a ransomware that used Tor and Bitcoin for anonymity and 2048-bit RSAencryption, was released. CryptoDefense used Windows’ built-in encryption CryptoAPIs, and the private key was stored in plain text on the infected computer - a flaw that was unfortunately not immediately discovered. The same creators of CryptoDefense shortly rolled out an improved version dubbed CryptoWall. Unlike CryptoDefense, CryptoWall doesn’t store the encryption key where the user can get to it. Cryptowall became a widespread issue as it used the aggressive Cutwail email spam campaign, which mainly targeted the United States. CryptoWall has also been delivered via exploit kits such as Angler, and found to be the final payload downloaded during Upatre campaigns. CryptoWall has had several active campaigns all being conducted by the same threat actor who tracked them by unique IDs. CryptoWall showed an advancement in malware development because of its ability to establish persistence by adding additional registry keys and copying itself to startup folders. In 2015, the Cyber Threat Alliance published a report on a globally spread CryptoWall campaign that netted roughly $325 million. This CryptoWall campaign required an expansive infrastructure containing over four tiers to operate. Sypeng can be considered the first Android-based ransomware that locked the screen of victims with an FBI penalty warning message. Sypeng was delivered via fake Adobe Flash updates in SMS messages. MonkeyPaks worth $200 were expected for payment. Koler ransomware was extremely similar to Sypeng in that it used fake “police” penalties and demanded MoneyPaks for ransom. Koler can be considered the first “Lockerworm” in that it contained self-propagating techniques in which it would send customized messages to everyone in a phone’s contact list, pointing them to a specific URL to be downloaded again, then locking them out of their systems. Unlike other variants of its past, CTB-Locker communicated directly with the C2 server in Tor, versus having a multi-tiered infrastructure made up of proxies, botnets, multiple Bitcoin wallets, etc. It was also one of the first ransomware variants to begin deleting Shadow Volume Copies on Windows machines. In 2016, CTB-Locker was updated to specifically target websites. SimplLocker was also discovered in 2014. It was considered to be the first “Crypto-based” ransomware for Android mobile devices in that it encrypted files and folders versus simply locking the user out of their phone. An aggressive Android ransomware strain started to spread across America in September of last year. Security researchers at ESET discovered the first real example of malware capable of resetting the PIN of your phone to permanently lock you out of your own device. Dubbed LockerPin, the ransomware changes the infected device's lock screen PIN code and leaves victims with a locked mobile screen. LockerPin then demanded $500 to unlock the device. Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) started in 2015. These services typically included user-friendly ransomware kits which could be purchased on underground markets. Typically selling for $1,000 to $3,000, buyers shared roughly a 10 percent to 20 percent cut of their profits with the seller. Tox is often considered the first and most widely distributed RaaS toolkit/ransomware. TeslaCrypt appeared in 2015 as well and would go on to be a persistent threat as developers made roughly four versions. It was first distributed via Angler exploit kits and grew to be distributed by others. TeslaCrypt used AES-256 to encrypt files, then RSA-4096 to encrypt the AES private key. C2 domains within Tor were used for payment and distribution efforts. Included in its infrastructure were multiple tiers, including proxy servers. TeslaCrypt itself was highly advanced, containing functions which allowed resiliency and persistence on victim machines. In 2016, TeslaCrypt authors gave up their master decryption key to ESET. LowLevel04 ransomware was discovered in 2015, targeting Remote Desktop and Terminal Services. Unlike other ransomware campaigns, attacks were done manually by attackers in which they remoted into servers, mapped out internal systems and drives before manually distributing the ransomware. In this case, attackers were observed deleting application, security and system logs. Chimera ransomware was discovered towards the end of 2015. Considered to be the first “doxing” ransomware of its kind, Chimera threatened to publish sensitive or private files online to the public. Chimera used BitMessage’s P2P protocol for communication to C2s. It turned out these C2s were just Bitmessage nodes. Ransom32 was discovered and considered to be the first ransomware written in JavaScript. The malware itself was extremely large compared to others, coming in at 22MB. It used NW.js which allowed it to process and execute actions similar to other ransomware written in C++ or Delphi. Ransom32 was considered a game changer because it could theoretically work on multiple platforms such as Linux, Mac OSX, and Windows. 7ev3n ransomware has become publically known in the past few months. At 13 bitcoins, it probably demands the highest ransom yet. 7ev3n ransomware not only performed the typical encryption then ransom demands, but also trashed Windows systems as well. The malware developers seemed to be heavily focused on ensuring 7ev3n had the capabilities to destroy any possible way of recovering encrypted files. 7ev3n-HONE$T was released shortly, lowering the ransom demand and adding some efficient functionalities. During 2016, malware authors of EDA2 and Hidden Tear publicly released the source code on GitHub, claiming to do so was for research purposes. Those who discovered it quickly copied the code and made custom changes, causing a huge spike in random variants to appear. The infamous Locky ransomware was discovered in 2016 as well. Locky quickly began to spread via aggressive phishing campaigns and by leveraging the Dridex infrastructure, which was already spread globally. Locky also made headlines for infecting multiple hospitals based in Kentucky, , Kansas and foreign regions. Threat actors quickly discovered that infecting systems tied to necessary facilities within healthcare paid off as multiple hospitals quickly paid the ransoms, thus starting a trend of phishing emails that led to ransomware downloads in the healthcare industry. SamSam or SAMAS ransomware was observed being distributed specifically to vulnerable JBoss servers. At first, threat actors performed reconnaissance against JBoss servers using a tool known as JexBoss, before exploiting vulnerabilities and installing SamSam. Unlike others, SamSam included a channel so attackers could communicate in real-time directly with their victims via a.onion website. The first official Mac OSX-based ransomware, KeRanger was discovered in 2016, delivered via a Transmission BitTorrent client for OSX. The ransomware was signed with a MAC development certificate, allowing it to bypass Apple’s GateKeeper security software. Petya became popular in 2016 as it was being delivered via Drop-Box and overwrote the Master Boot Record (MBR) of infected machines, then encrypted the physical drive itself. It also used a fake CHKDISK prompt while encrypting the drive. If the payment of $431 was not received within seven days, the payment doubled. Petya was updated to include a second payload, which turned out to be Mischa ransomware variant, which did not encrypt the hard drive. Maktub was discovered as well in 2016, proving to researchers that ransomware developers were attempting to create extremely advanced variants. Maktub was the first of its kind to use a Crypter, which is software used to hide or encrypt the source code of malware. Instead of using C2s for retrieving and storing encryption keys, Maktub performed the encryption offline using Windows CryptoAPI. The Jigsaw ransomware became the first of its kind in which the ransom note contained the popular Jigsaw characters from the movie series SAW. It also threatened to delete a file every 60 minutes if the $150 ransom was not paid. Additionally, if a victim attempted to stop the process or restart their machine, it then deleted 1,000 files. As of the end of May 2016, CryptXXX is the latest ransomware variant being heavily distributed. Researchers suggest that it is connected to the Reveton ransomware variant because of similar footprints during the infection period. CryptXXX is spread via multiple exploit kits, primarily Angler, and is typically observed after Bedep infections. Included functionalities are, but not limited to, Anti-Sandbox detection, mouse activity monitoring capabilities, custom C2 communication protocols and payment through TOR. Microsoft released an article detailing a new ransomware variant named ZCryptor. Besides the adapted functionalities as its predecessors such as encrypting files, adding registry keys for persistence and so forth, Zcryptor can be considered one of the very first “Cryptoworms”. Distributed through spam email, Zcryptor has self-propagating techniques to infect external devices and other systems on the network while encrypting every machine and shared drive as well. Experts predict we will continue to observe multiple, new variants throughout 2016. Of these variants, it is likely that only a few will actually have a high impact based on the efforts of the malware authors and cyber gangs involved. While ransomware authors continue their development cycles and either update pre-existing strains or make new ones, additional features which enhance resiliency and persistence are predicted to become ransomware standards. The strains with such functionalities and capabilities, if used along with a vast infrastructure and anonymous networks and payment services will be a global nightmare. Propagation techniques included will not be surprising in the near future as threat actors attempt to determine how to increase their income, while decreasing efforts. Recent strains which use crypters suggest that ransomware authors understand there are multiple researchers attempting to reverse-engineer their strains. This reverse engineering and analysis helps lead ransomware developers to improve their own ransomware variants. It seems likely that offline encryption (ransomware variants which do not require C2 infrastructures to properly create, maintain and distribute private and public keys) will continue to be observed within Windows-based ransomware in which attackers leverage much of Microsoft’s in-house capabilities.

2016-07-20 06:16 Ryan Francis www.pcworld.com

22 Skype sets a course for the cloud, ditching some apps on the way Skype is leaving behind its peer-to-peer roots and going all in on the cloud. While the popular messaging app made it this far by facilitating connections between computers for video calls and other communications, it's moving to a cloud architecture that is supposed to improve performance and expand the service's capabilities. According to Skype Corporate Vice President Amritansh Raghav, the architecture shift has taken three years of work. It is supposed to provide a number of benefits, including improved message syncing across devices. Certain Skype features are already built on top of the new cloud infrastructure, including the mobile group video calling and live translation features that the service introduced recently. It's an important move, considering that Skype is facing competition from the likes of Google Hangouts, WhatsApp, Telegram, Line, and WeChat. It's not clear what the privacy and security implications of this change to a centralized infrastructure are. A Guardian report from 2013 claimed that it was possible for Microsoft to hand over information sent through its Skype servers in response to government data requests. Skype was not available to comment on any privacy issues by press time. With that transition comes the end of support for some legacy platforms. Skype is going to be shutting down its apps for televisions and the PlayStation Vita handheld gaming console. In addition, the service won't support and iPhones running anything older than iOS 8 or Android devices running anything older than version 4.0.3 of Google's mobile . Mac users will still be able to communicate with one another going all the way back to OS X Snow Leopard. Windows users will get the longest tail of support, however. Windows XP, a 15-year-old operating system that Microsoft hasn't supported for a year, will get a Skype client that supports the new, cloud-based infrastructure. (, 7, and 8 will all be supported, too.) The news comes as Skype recently released a set of updates for its Windows 10 app beta on both desktop and mobile, along with new alpha clients for Linux and Chrome OS.

2016-07-20 06:00 Blair Hanley www.itworld.com

23 5 tips to avoid summer's plummeting productivity Investment in employee education and learning increases engagement and makes employees more productive. If you find your workload is a bit light during the summer months, consider sitting down with your manager to identify existing professional development programs or courses to add to your skill set, Battles says. If you can't physically attend courses, take advantage of virtual training tools and online massive open online courses. Feeling grumpy because you're stuck inside on a glorious summer day? Vitamin D can do wonders for your mood and your productivity; see if you can take your work outside for a bit, Battles says. "Consider holding your next weekly meeting at a nearby park. If you have access to Wi-Fi, connect with other offices via video conferencing and make them jealous of the nice weather you're having! " he says. [ Related story: IT pros stress is low, but so is job satisfaction ] Summer's certainly vacation season, but it can also be a great time to get ahead so you're not overwhelmed during the busy holiday season, Battles says. "This tip may not be the most popular, but it has merit. If you tend to feel overwhelmed for much of the year, see what you can do in the slower summer months to make your workload in the fall and winter a little easier to manage. You also can proactively develop new project ideas or research new business opportunities. Your manager will surely appreciate the effort, which will go a long way in your next performance review," Battles says. [ Related story: 5 ways to beef up your resume over the summer ] Don't miss out on trips to the beach, family reunions or other activities; check with your manager to see if you can arrange a flexible or remote work schedule during the summer, Battles says. "Tools like Skype for Business and Citrix GoToMeeting can enable effective virtual meetings no matter where you are; see if you can take advantage of technology to work remotely. This compromise will ensure you can meet your project goals while making new memories with friends and family," Battles says. One of the simplest morale-boosting techniques is allowing your workforce to adopt a summer dress code. If your office typically has a formal, business-attire-required atmosphere, a summer dress code that relaxes the rules and allows for more comfort and freedom can break up the monotony, make everyone more comfortable and boost productivity, Battles says.

2016-07-20 05:04 Sharon Florentine www.itnews.com

24 24 Scrivener for iOS review: A sophisticated writing and research app for on-the-go Use commas to separate multiple email addresses Your message has been sent. There was an error emailing this page. By Séamus Bellamy Macworld | Jul 20, 2016 4:40 AM PT There’s no shortage of word processing software in the world, but few have the cult following that Scrivener does. Long available for OS X and Windows, it’s finally ready to be downloaded by anyone who owns an iOS device for $20. Scrivener for iOS ( iTunes Store link ) does just about everything you could ever need in order to research, plot, and write a short story, doctoral thesis, novel, or a review like the one you’re reading right now. To get started with Scrivener for iOS (or its desktop counterpart), you’ll be asked to create a new project. Each project can store a wide variety of file types, including audio, video, web archives, PDFs, images, and text files. These individual files can be imported into the project from cloud services like iCloud and Dropbox, and iOS apps like Pages, PDF Expert, or Printer Pro. These files are organized into a Binder that contains an editable nested file system. Files can be viewed one-by-one or reviewed, by the folder, en masse. Once you’ve got all your ducks in a row on the research side of things, it’s time to start writing. Scrivener for iOS comes with a robust word processor that makes use of common iOS keyboard shortcuts. It provides a large number of formatting tools—fonts, styles, lists, and the like—but not so many that you’ll waste hours tweaking your work when you should be writing. When using it on an iPad, Scrivener’s Quick Reference feature makes it possible to view your research and what you’re writing side-by-side, streamlining your workflow. It’s also possible to sub-divide your writing into multiple documents in a single project, making it easy to find and work on a particular draft or chunk of text. Once you’re satisfied that your writing is ready for prime-time, your work can be compiled into a single document and output as a PDF, Microsoft Word file, RTF, or plain text. When you’re done typing for the day, projects can be saved locally or synced between multiple computers, iPhones, and iPads using Dropbox (iCloud compatibility may be added at a future date), or by pushing project files from device-to-device using iTunes. If all of this sounds a little intimidating, don’t worry: Scrivener for iOS comes with a comprehensive tutorial file to help you get up to speed. And if you’re a seasoned user of Scrivener’s desktop incarnation, you’ll find that the iOS version uses a similar interface design, making for a comfortable transition to mobile. While a universal app, iPhone users don’t have access to the Quick Reference view that’s available on iPad, as it was omitted due to usability issues. I was disappointed to find that while you can view offline web archives in a project, it’s not possible to create them using Scrivener for iOS. Finally, Scrivener for iOS costs $20. In a world where 99-cent apps are the norm, its steep price could deter some frugal iOS users from discovering one of the most powerful, flexible productivity tools to ever hit the App Store. No matter what you’re writing, whether you plan on using it to compliment its desktop counterpart or want to use it solely on your iPad or iPhone, Scrivener for iOS is a robust, flexible writing tool that will serve you well. This story, "Scrivener for iOS review: A sophisticated writing and research app for on-the-go" was originally published by Macworld . Séamus Bellamy Has a malware infection taken your PC hostage? Here's how to clean it out and restore your PC to a... It's super-easy to reinstall Windows 10 or 8, and not much more difficult to reinstall Windows 7. Use... Our top picks show off the best tech advances in portable PCs, from new CPUs and GPUs to new materials. Oracle has released a new batch of security updates for over 80 products from its software portfolio in... Skype is leaving behind its peer-to-peer roots and going all in on the cloud. While the popular... Federal authorities have shut down several alleged tech support scammers working out of Florida, Iowa,...

2016-07-20 04:40 Séamus Bellamy www.itnews.com

25 Microsoft steps up legal pressure against Windows 10 pirates Microsoft last week continued its campaign to quash software pirates when it filed the fifth lawsuit in as many months accusing unidentified individuals with illegally activating more than 1,000 copies of Windows, including the newest Windows 10, and Office. The suit was filed in a Seattle court last Thursday. It was almost identical to others submitted since February, when Microsoft started a string of cases targeting numerous "John Does. " "Microsoft’s cyberforensics have identified over one thousand activations of Microsoft software originating from IP address 69.92.99.109 ('the IP Address'), which is presently assigned to Cable One, Inc.," Microsoft's complaint read. Microsoft did not identify the culprits, but tagged them as "John Doe" 1 through 10. "Defendants have activated and attempted to active [sic] copies of 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Office 2013, Office 2010, and Windows Server 2008," Microsoft charged. As with the previous four John Doe cases of 2016, Microsoft asserted that it tracked the allegedly illegal activations to the IP address, and that the number and pattern of those activations "make it more likely than not" that they were using stolen product keys or abusing legitimate keys. The 25-character alphanumeric key codes are a core component of Microsoft's anti-piracy technology. Although the software can be copied an unlimited number of times, the keys individually lock a license to a device. Minus a legitimate key and thus activation, Microsoft's software retreats to a hobbled or even crippled mode. In a related filing for the same case, Microsoft requested that the latest be assigned to the same federal judge who is overseeing the four others initiated this year because they "are substantially related. " Altogether, Microsoft has filed 13 anti-piracy lawsuits since November 2014 with the Seattle court. Microsoft has been given permission in two of the 2016 cases -- both filed in early June -- to serve subpoenas to internet service providers (ISPs) Comcast and EarthLink. Those subpoenas have demanded that the ISPs identify the alleged software pirates who have been assigned the IP addresses Microsoft had fingered.

2016-07-20 04:15 Gregg Keizer www.infoworld.com

26 New HIPAA guidance addresses ransomware The guidance recommends that organizations identify the risks facing their patient information, create a plan to address those links, set up procedures to protect systems from malware, train users to spot malware, limit access to sensitive information to just the people who need it most, and have a disaster recovery plan that includes frequent data backups. "The new guidance, to a great extent reiterates what has already been in place, but is a bit more specific," said Dana Simberkoff, Chief Compliance and Risk Officer at Jersey City, NJ-based AvePoint Inc. "The emphasis is on education, which is a good component of a good data protection program. " Ransomware typically gets onto a system through malicious email attachments or links to malicious websites, both of which can be addressed to some degree with employee education. "The second mistake organizations make is granting too much access to people who don't need access to that information," she said. "Organizations should focus on providing the least access possible for employees to do their jobs. " Understaffed IT departments, however, often err on the side of too much access, she said. "By giving people more access than they need, they avoid having those folks come back every time they need something," she said. However, limiting the access rights of individual users means that if those users get effective, there's less data that the malware can get to. The new guidance is a summary of industry best practices, which organizations should already have been doing, she said. "The only thing that's surprising about the guidance s that it's a little bit late," she said. In addition to providing recommendations for organizations to help them defend against ransomware, the new guidance also clarifies that a ransomware attack does, in fact, count as a breach because "unauthorized individuals have taken possession or control of the information. " "When electronic protected health information is encrypted as the result of a ransomware attack, a breach has occurred," the HHS guidance said. One exception, however, is if the data had already been encrypted by the organization itself, and the hackers who got access to it would not have been able to do anything with it. But it depends on the type of encryption. For example, if a cybercriminal gets access to a laptop with full disk encryption, and the laptop is powered down, the that would be unreadable to the attacker. That's not the case if the laptop was powered up, however, and the user was logged in. "If the ransomware accesses the file containing the PHI, the file containing the PHI will be transparently decrypted by the full disk encryption solution and access permitted with the same access levels granted to the user," the guidance said.

2016-07-20 04:00 Maria Korolov www.itnews.com

27 Ten must-know tips for mastering Android TV Android TV is the lesser known of Google’s living room ambitions. Chromecast gets all the attention since it’s easy to set up, has millions of users, and comes at an impulse buy price of $35. But Android TV is worth getting to know a little better. Despite the death of the Nexus Player, the platform is slowly making some strides as it serves as the interface for many new televisions. And for gamers or those who’s cut the cord, the best hardware available is the Nvidia Shield Android TV. The console-style gaming and smart remote bring the best of Google’s power and impressive hardware into a package that can easily rule your living room. Google did a good job at making the Android TV interface straightforward, but there are some knobs and dials worth turning in order to eek out the best experience. After just a little time, you’ll wonder how you ever lived with just a dumb cable box. Android TV is all about creating a personalized television experience by learning more about you. This manifests in a carousel that puts personalized recommendations for videos, music, TV shows, and movies up front. The more you use YouTube, Google Play, and other apps, you should see better suggestions over time. As you scroll through these choices, notice that the background matches up with the current selection, which makes the interface feel more alive instead of being just a boring grid. Unfortunately there's no way to dismiss or offer feedback on what Google tosses up, though the more you use the company's services, the better it should get at picking things you like. The voice search feature on Android TV isn’t just for tracking down a new movie or YouTube video to watch (though it does those, and many other searches, very well). It also works much the same as voice commands on an Android phone or tablet, giving you quick answers to general queries. To launch a voice search, press the the dedicated microphone button, which is found on the Nexus Player and Nvidia Shield remote, or the smartphone app (more on that later). Then do the same voice query you would on your phone, like “ Giants score” or “the capital of Jakarta” or "Oscar movie winners 2014. " You’ll get a dedicated card with the answer, along with a deep search into related apps that may offer content worth watching. This feature is one of those fun capabiliites to play around with when you first get an Android TV, and may impress friends and family who aren't up to speed with technology. Another nice perk of Android TV is that it also doubles as a Chromecast. The core technology behind the platform, Google Cast, is built into your Android TV set-top box or television. In your desktop version of Chrome you'll need to have the Google Cast extension (although Google is working to build this natively into Chrome). Then you just cast a tab as you normally would and it will appear on the TV screen. So you don’t have to pick between Chromecast or Android TV, as you get the former as one of the perks. Your phone is probably in your hand anyway, you may as well use it as a remote. The Android TV remote control app will handle all the core functions as the physical remote, though there are a few tricks to learn. The app offers two interface options: a d-pad or touch pad. The former puts a standard, four-way control on your screen while the latter lets you swipe on the phone to control the interface. Both have a handy Google search button to fire up a voice command. There’s also an Android Wear app, which turns your watch face into a directional pad. It’s helpful for a quick flip between screens, but it’s not something I’d rely on for most use cases. No, with Daydream we're not talking about Google’s upcoming virtual reality platform. Instead, the Daydream feature on Android TV puts a pleasant screensaver on your televison after a predetermined length of inactivity. By default it's set for five minutes of activity, but you can bump that up longer or even launch the feature right away if you want to glance at some elegant photography. From this location, found in Settings > Display , you can also set up when the Android TV goes to sleep, which out of the box is scheduled for one hour and 30 minute of inactivity. You can also set the TV to stay awake if you're streaming music so your rock session doesn't die off. Being a cord cutter can be tough. So many networks like ESPN and HGTV put their app behind a paywall, only granting access to those with a valid cable subscription. So unless you have some type of workaround in mind (ahem), be prepared to go through the authentication process every time you launch one of your favorite network apps. The major downside is that your cable provider may not be supported, as happened to me since the HGTV app doesn’t play yet with Comcast. It’s a reminder why people cut the cord in the first place, as they get sick of the nonsense. For apps that do work with your provider, however, you’ll see a lot of choices for on-demand titles. It will make going back to a standard grid of channel listings feel antiquated. Google Play has a growing catalogue of games that are ready for some button mashing with an actual controller. So pay attention to the “Gamepad required” notice on the game’s description when you’re browsing the Play Store. There ought to be a prominent icon for this, but as of now you’ll just have to look on each app’s description page. If you have an Nvidia Shield Android TV, there’s a dedicated gaming hub that features many of these titles, so you may want to start there if you want to put that controller to use. Some streaming apps offer a background listening feature, so you can still catch the news, sports, or other broadcast while doing something else. You'll know you have one if you press the home button and the app heads back to the main carousel with an audio icon. This works great with CBSN , for example, an online streaming network from CBS News. This way you can browse through the Play Store or for another video to watch while finishing up a broadcast. OK, so updating your apps isn’t the most exciting feature of your Android TV. Yet it’s essential, because you don’t want to be without those new features or bug fixes. Fortunately, there’s an easy “set it and forget it” option found “set it and forget it” method for making this happen. In the Google Play Store, head to the slide-out menu and and ensure that that the auto- update apps screen is selected. If you do have apps that require an update, you can update when from Google Play Store > My Apps. Much of the promise of Android TV surrounds how it can function as a viable gaming platform. It's been more promise than delivery so far, but there are still some good titles to be found if you're willing to do some exploration. Head to Settings > Remote & accessories > Add accessory to bring aboard a new controller if you want to try games that require or function better with better hardware. Repeat this procedure if you have several controllers to join in, as multi-player games get a lot more fun with, well, multiple players.

2016-07-20 04:00 Derek Walter www.itnews.com

28 28 Roon Labs' audiophile music server now streams tunes from Linux-powered NAS boxes As I write this, I’m using Roon Server to play "Blue Moon" about my room, soon after noon. If you’re reading that, then by some miracle, all my editors laughed instead of cringed, and I can now safely relate to you what Roon Server is all about, and why you might want it. (Right after I have a macaroon.) You can read our full review here . Crumbs swept aside…. Roon is the Stradavarius or Guarnerius of audio streaming, cataloging, and transcoding. Think of it as iTunes and Windows Media Player on steroids. Until recently, however, you had to keep a PC (or Mac, or Linux box) running 24/7 as a Roon server if you wanted to listen to your tunes any time you felt the urge. Now you can use a far more convenient-for-the-task NAS box. Why is NAS more convenient for Roon than a PC? First off, NAS boxes are actually small PCs that are optimized for storage and file access. They differ from that concept in that they're generally headless--meaning you don't connect a monitor to them; instead, you administer a NAS box remotely from another computer via a web browser. NAS boxes are also comparatively small. Easy remote access and small size make them pretty much the perfect, hide-and-forget media-streaming devices. The QNAP HS-251 NAS box I used to test Roon Server. Note that most NAS boxes are more box-like in appearance. Christopher Rieke, self-avowed technology tinkerer, obviously shares that opinion. It was he who packaged the Linux version of Roon Server 1.2 for Synology and QNAP NAS boxes. This is a very cool development if you already own one of these multi-use workhorses. It’s an expensive proposition if you don’t, especially if you go for Roon’s recommended configuration of a Core i3/i5 with 4GB of system memory. In that case, you’re talking about a budget of at least $1000, and that’s before you populate the box with drives. Why the need for so much horsepower? Serving audio normally isn’t particularly CPU-intensive, but Roon Server does things no similar software else does. Things such as streaming DSD256 (Direct Stream Digital, the audio format from the SACD platform) and 24-bit/384kHz PCM wave files, as well as decoding all sorts of compressed file types to CD-quality 44.1kHz. Multiply that by the number of devices being streamed to, and Roon can tax the lightweight hardware found in many NAS boxes. Despite Roon’s hefty hardware recommendations, Roon server performed just fine on the $400 ARM-based QNAP HS-251 I used. Admittedly, I never streamed to more than two devices simultaneously, but I never felt I was waiting unduly, if at all, nor was there any interruption of the streams. This was all done via gigabit ethernet and 802.11ac (2.4Ghz band). Installing Roon Server onto a Synology or QNAP NAS box isn’t the difficult proposition that the uninitiated might think. First off, the interfaces on both brand’s boxes, accessed via your browser, mimic a full-blown desktop OS. If you haven’t seen them, they’re impressive, and their development has a lot to do with the high price of the hardware. Here’s a screenshot: QNAP’s windowed OS in a browser. Synolgy’s user interface is similar. Once logged onto the NAS box, you create a shared folder called RoonServer for the music database and other elements, download the installation package from Christopher Rieke’s Web site using your PC, open a manual installation dialog in the NAS box’s App Center (QNAP’s is shown above), browse to the file’s location, and click install. Easy. About the only thing you need to configure initially is where Roon Server looks for your music files. Configuration and control of the QNAP/Synology Roon Server is done not via the NAS browser interface, but remotely from the Roon client on a Windows, OS X, Android, or iOS device. The only thing you absolutely must do to begin with is point the server towards your music repositories; e.g., MyNas\MyShares\MyMusic. Ideally, to reduce input latency (the time it takes to input), these should be on the NAS box that Roon Server is running on, but they can be anywhere on your network. It seems that since our review of last year , Roon has splintered into its component parts: core (the server) and the control/player app. This allows for a trimmer package and smaller hardware footprints, and it's part of the reason the Linux version can now be installed on NAS boxes. I was pretty much blown away by Roon’s sound and capabilities. Running the server on a QNAP HS-251, I streamed audio test files to a number of locations: Windows PCs, Macs, and iPads. The PC Roon player supports ASIO (Asynchronous Input/Output) for my external USB audio interface. Very cool. But I was a little disappointed that Roon wouldn’t play WMA, APE, and Opus files. Roon’s other pages, where music is grouped by artists, albums, etc. and art work is displayed are more attractive than the plain-Jane tracks page I favor. On the other hand, it handled FLAC, OGG, MP3, Windows Lossless (a bit strange given the lack of WMA support), and all of Apple’s formats flawlessly. And as I alluded to earlier, Roon plays.dff files ripped from SACDs. It’s the only program that I’m aware of that will do that without considerable hoop-jumping. Listening side-by-side with iTunes, Windows Multimedia Player, VLC, Media Player Classic - Home Cinema, and PowerDVD 16, there was a punch to Roon’s output when it played compressed files that was lacking in the others. I found it so pronounced, that I queried the company about any subtle enhancement that might be taking place. They said there is none, just really good conversion to the 44.1kHz used on CDs. I did a lot of comparing over several days due to my deep skepticism about boutique audio products—I continued to hear a difference. If that weren’t enough, when I say that Roon will play a 192kHz file (actually I said 384kHz, but I don’t have any files or devices that support that), I mean it plays it at 192kHz, assuming your audio interface or device supports it. Most players re-sample to the current audio setting, while Roon will actually set the audio device to the proper sample rate if it supports it and the driver allows switching. In case you were wondering, my setup is a Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) , normally set to 24-bit/96kHz, outputting to an Onkyo TX-8211 receiver and Boston Acoustics CR6 speakers. Occasionally I switch to the larger CR7s for a bit more oomph. That equipment is relatively budget priced--it can all be had for less than one of the audiophile products that are sold as Roon-Ready--but it's the best-sounding rig I’ve ever listened to at low volume levels. While Roon will operate just fine using its default settings, there are all sorts of tweaks, including DSD-to-PCM filter settings; DSD gain fixed volume, or volume by DSP, or volume by driver; and more. Then there’s the whole reference to the Core and Zones (grouping output devices according to areas of your domicile, etc.). There are also settings for library maintenance and behavior. I mention all this because some of it might seem daunting at first, if you’re not familiar with the technologies or concepts involved. A system of tool tips or some such might be in order. Some of Roon’s settings will seem obscure to non-audiophiles. Unfortunately, I had a couple of issues with the Roon Windows 10 client. Whenever minimized, or hidden behind another window, the client wouldn’t redraw, leaving only a blank, white window. Restarting was required to clear the issue. The Roon forums blamed this on a bug in Intel HD graphics drivers. Some drivers for newer discrete GPUs have been fixed; some, like the one for my HD 4000 graphics, have not. Roon also froze once, though I am testing a beta driver for Focusrite at the moment. That might have been the culprit, though no other media player has suffered that issue. The only issue I experienced with the Roon Server was its refusal to recognize or list a plain-Jane 128Kbps MP3 file of the Marcels singing, yes, "Blue Moon. " Just the one file, out of the 70 or 80 I tried. Go figure. Hopefully these issues will be resolved soon. Okay, the average consumer isn’t going to pay $10 a month (or $500 for a lifetime subscription) just to stream their own music when there are numerous free ways to do it. But I, a complete and utter skeptic when it comes to “hearing a difference,” heard a difference between the free players and Roon with compressed formats. And nothing else seamlessly supports DSD or streams at the fastest sample rate of your device. If you’re super-serious about audio, you need to check it out. If you have the cash, like what you hear, and your computer isn’t affected by the graphics bug, get the service and the NAS box, which is a heck of a lot more convenient for implementing Roon than a normal computer. You might want to wait for until a new version of the Roon Server for Linux/NAS boxes that fixes the issues I experienced, but then you can let Roon croon until you swoon. Sorry, had to.

2016-07-20 03:00 Jon L www.itnews.com

29 LG Action Cam LTE Launches in Korea Your job's a joke, you're broke, and you're love life's DOA—but the LG Action Cam LTE will be there for you. The LG G5's newest "Friend" companion device —a rugged GoPro rival powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor —launched this week in . Unveiled in May , the shooter boasts built-in LTE connectivity, making it easy to download and save images and videos to a paired smartphone. It also connects to the Internet via 3G and Wi-Fi, and to a handset or computer via USB Type-C and Bluetooth. Dust- and sand-proof, the Action Cam can be immersed in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes. It also boasts up to three hours of full HD recording, and doubles as a CCTV monitor for the home. Users can record in 4K at 30fps, full HD in 30 or 60 fps, and regular HD at 30, 60, or 120fps. Live streaming is limited to 30fps. Videos and stills captured by the 12.3-megapixel camera can be written to a microSD card (up to 2TB); the gadget's 4GB of onboard memory is entirely reserved for its operating system. LG's Action Cam requires separate service from a wireless carrier at an additional cost, but should nevertheless appeal to hardcore adventurers who want to leave their handsets at home. There is no word on when the device will hit North American or European shelves, or which wireless carriers will support it. Pricing and exact launch dates will be announced locally.

2016-07-20 00:00 By feedproxy.google.com

30 Ford wants to make cars with Jose Cuervo tequila (and not just Fiestas) Ford is teaming up with tequila specialist Jose Cuervo. But the material could very well end up in wiring harnesses, storage bins or other components of Ford cars of the future. Ford already uses soy foam, castor oil, wheat straw, kenaf fiber, cellulose, wood, coconut fiber and rice hulls in its cars, cutting down on the use of petrochemical products like plastic. Sounds like good news, but remember combining alcohol and driving isn't otherwise a good idea. Please don't drink and drive, folks.

2016-07-20 00:00 Richard Trenholm www.cnet.com

31 31 Pokemon Go Hackers Mark August 1st On Calendar For Next DDOS Takedown The same hacking group that claimed responsibility for ticking off every Pokemon Go player on the planet by overwhelming the game's servers with a DDoS attack last weekend is planning another attack. Poodle Corp, as the hacker group calls itself, issued a notice on Twitter that the next barrage on Pokemon Go's servers will take place August 1. Pokemon Go, for those of you who've taken residence under a rock, is a wildly popular mobile game that uses augmented reality. It's really a glorified scavenger hunt, tasking players with catching Pokemon characters by flinging Poke balls at them. The twist here is that the game uses your phone's built-in camera to see Pokemon characters in the real world, even allowing you to take photos with them in the snapshot. Everyone and their uncle is playing Pokemon Go, as you might have noticed if you've stepped outside in the past couple of weeks. The unprecedented interest in a mobile game is directly responsible for driving Nintendo's stock up and more than doubling the company's market capitalization to 4.5 trillion yen ($42.5 billion) since it launched two weeks ago. So what's Poodle Corp's beef with Pokemon Go? "We take the servers offline because it is popular right now and nobody can stop us," a member of the group is quoted as saying. "We do it because we can, nobody can stop us and we just like to cause chaos. We chose August 1 so we have time to relax and not care about doing anything. "Whether or not Poodle Corp goes through with the attack remains to be seen. However, you may want to think about what you used to do before Pokemon Go became a thing and consider revisiting it on August 1, just in case.

2016-07-20 00:00 Paul Lilly hothardware.com

32 iPhone 7 latest news: Apple files trademark for AirPods The iPhone 7 is expected to launch in early September this year, possibly accompanied by the iPhone 7 Plus. Here we round up all the latest news on the iPhone 7 release date, price and features ahead of its official launch. Jump to: 20/07/2016: Apple may well be working on Bluetooth- based wireless earphones that would work without a headphone jack. The wireless headset could be unveiled alongside the iPhone 7 in September. According to a trademark submission to the US PTO filed in September last year, a company called Entertainment in Flight LLC, with a manager named Jonathan Brown, made a bid for the name. A recent amendment to the application appears to now link Apple to proceedings. According to MacRumors , Apple also employs an attorney named Jonathan Brown. According to MacRumors , the original company bore all the hallmarks of a shell company run by Apple in the background. Apple has form in the area with previous product names such as iPad and CarPlay. The report said that additional documents provided to the US PTO had been submitted and describe the earphones as “audio speakers; earphones; headphones; microphones; voice recording and recognition apparatus”. Numerous reports suggest that the next iPhone will not have a 3.5mm headphone jack as the device looks to get even thinner while still packing in more features. 18/07/2016: More images have emerged of what could possibly be the iPhone 7. Once again, Steve Hemmerstoffer of OnLeaks and NowhereElse tweeted photos of what look like the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 7 Pro, giving credence to the rumour that Apple will release three new models this year. One picture shows the back of an iPhone 7, the device appears with the “s” suffix, which normally is associated with the speed bump iPhones get every other year. The picture also shows a larger camera lens and a slight change to the positioning of the antennae. Another tweet shows the device from more angles, and once more the pictures suggest that the headphone jack is to go from the iPhone. A later tweet also showed a small video of the device, although this failed to shed any further light on the handset. 15/07/2016: The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus could sport Apple’s new A10 chipset which would give the device iPad Pro levels of performance. According to IT Pro’s sister publication Know Your Mobile , leaked details of a benchmark of the forthcoming processor topped 3000 inside GeekBench, nearly 500 more that the A9. The A10 is thought to be dual core, so real-life performance may well be higher than this. News of the benchmark was leaked to TechTastic via a Weibo user in China. IT is also rumoured that chip maker TSMC will exclusively manufacture the iPhone 7. The new iPhone 7 has also been alleged to be have been caught on camera. According to The Week , a video has been released showing the Apple handset without the headphone jack and a speaker grill in its place. 14/07/2016: Fresh leaks from Italian publication macitynet.it have seemingly put paid to rumours of a 'Space Black' iPhone 7. A picture published on the site yesterday showed a selection of four different iPhone 7 models, including Gold, Gold, Silver and Space Gray. A black model was noticeably absent, despite rumours that Apple was going to reintroduce the colour as an option after its absence from the company's last three generations of iPhone. The photo also adds further confirmation to rumours of a larger camera lens and repositioned antenna bands. There also doesn't appear to be a headphone port, but the picture quality and camera angle make it impossible to say for sure. According to Steve Hemmerstoffer of OnLeaks and NowhereElse , reliable sources have also indicated that the iPhone 7 could sport a 1960mAh battery, as opposed to the 1715mAh battery seen on the iPhone 6s. 13/07/2016: The forthcoming iPhone 7 may ditch the mute switch, according to images on Chinese social media. A picture of what is thought to be the iPhone 7 Plus has surfaced without this toggle. Up until now, it has generally been accepted that the new iPhone will lose the headphone jack, but the latest rumour lends credence to the theory that the new iPhone will be waterproof because fewer physical buttons mean less seepage into the device’s insides. This plays well with the rumour that Apple is trying to remove as many physical buttons as possible. Apple is also said to be planning to replace the Home button with something else that uses the iPhone’s Force Touch technology. The removal of the mute button would bring the device into line with its latest iPad, which has also lost that button. Users will still be able to mute sound by sliding up the on-screen Control Centre and using a dedicated toggle. 11/07/2016: New photos from reliable leakster Steve Hemmerstoffer appear to have confirmed some long-standing rumours regarding the iPhone 7's design. Hemmerstoffer, also known as OnLeaks, tweeted pictures showing the rear of the new device. According to the images, the phone's appearance remains unchanged, aside from a few tweaks. The principal change is that the camera housing is now larger, to accommodate a larger aperture. This will most likely translate to better photos in low-light conditions, although it does mean that the protruding camera bump will be sticking around. There are two cutouts next to the camera housing. One of them is almost certainly the flash, but the smaller one could be some form of laser autofocus or a similar technology. The photos also confirm that the plastic antenna bands - which help the phone communicate with cellular networks - have changed position. Instead of running across the back of the device, they have now been moved to the device's top and bottom edge. As always, these are unconfirmed leaks, and should be taken with a pinch of salt. That said, however, Hemmerstoffer has repeatedly proven his reliability, so we're reasonably confident that these photos present an accurate picture. 04/07/2016: Apple’s next iPhone has reportedly had some last-minute tweaks ahead of its launch. Rumours about the removal of the headphone jack and changes to the colour variants have gained fresh evidence, with the consensus now appearing to be that Apple will avoid a major redesign this year in favour of a smaller revision to its iPhone 6s model. The Wall Street Journal has run a number of reports, via sources familiar with Apple’s iPhone plans, that suggested the 2017 iPhone will be a radical redesign. For the iPhone 7 this year, the WSJ reiterated that “the biggest planned change in this year’s phones is the removal of the headphone plug, which will make the phone thinner and improve its water resistance, said people familiar with the matter”. Apple is also thought to be bringing back its black colour variant. Japanese news site MacOtakara and 9to5Mac mention sources who claim Apple is bringing back its ‘Space Black’ handset colour, which has not been used since the 2013 iPhone 5s. This colour is expected to exist alongside Apple’s other variants for its iPhone 6s: Gold, Rose Gold, Silver and Space Gray. Finally, Apple is believed to be scrapping its 64GB storage tier to make way for a new mid-level tier. A page found on Chinese site Weibo (translated via Google Translate ) show a new entry-level tier of 32GB (instead of the 16GB tier), a 128GB mid-range tier, and a 256GB top-end tier. The iPhone 7 is thought to be in manufacturing now, in preparation for its September debut. 30/06/2016: A new patent granted to Apple could prevent people filming concerts on the iPhone 7. The patent, which was filed in 2011 but only awarded on 28 June, describes a camera with the ability to detect infrared signals, as well as visible light. The camera sensor will receive two infra-red inputs and one visible- spectrum input and, by decoding these signals, can display additional information on the user's screen. "For example, an infrared emitter can be located near an object and generate infrared signals with encoded data that includes information about that object," the patent reads (PDF). "In some embodiments, a device can, based on received infrared data, disable a function of the device. For example, an infrared emitter can be located in areas where picture or video capture is prohibited, and the emitter can generate infrared signals with encoded data that includes commands to disable the recording functions of devices. " One of the illustrations accompanying the patent specifically gives the example of a smartphone with its recording function disabled while trying to film a band, whereas another shows how the technology could be used to provide more information about a historical artefact. What is clear from all of this, however, is that the camera would not be able to do any of this by itself, but would require the owner of the object or venue in question to buy and install the infrared transmitters. As ever, though, just because a patent has been granted, doesn't mean it will be used. As 9to5Mac points out, infrared as a method of relaying information has largely been made redundant by newer technologies, so this camera may, in fact, never see the light of day. 27/06/2016: The iPhone 7 might sport a larger camera than ever before if a new leak is to be believed (via Forbes ). A photo claiming to show the rear casing of Apple’s new flagship phone has surfaced on Chinese social media site Weibo, with the camera hole significantly larger than it is in the iPhone 6s. (Credit: Rock Fix/Weibo) Rock Fix, a repair company behind the social media post, claims the larger opening would support a camera with a bigger CMOS sensor. The image is not the only one doing the rounds, with Nowhereelse.fr carrying a similar picture. 23/06/2016: Apple’s successor to the iPhone 7 may have a curved edge design for its OLED screen, the Wall Street Journal reports. For 2017, the iPhone’s 10th anniversary, Apple is believed to be working on a major redesign for its smartphone, which will include an edge-to-edge OLED screen, people familiar with the matter told the WSJ. On top of this, the 2017 iPhone is also expected to eliminate the home button by building the fingerprint sensor right into the display. Rumours about the removal of the headphone jack in the iPhone 7 may, in fact, apply to this iteration instead, following new leaks about the iPhone 7 matching the iPhone 6S. These features for the 2017 iPhone – tentatively known as the ‘iPhone 8’, rather than the iPhone 7S – have been suggested by Apple watchers this year. According to WSJ , the reason Apple is holding off from including these improvements in its forthcoming iPhone 7 is because the pipeline will take time to implement: “People familiar with the matter said some features that Apple hopes to integrate into iPhones, such as curved screens, weren’t ready for this year’s models.” Apple is late to curved screen trend. Samsung has explored the form, and has its Galaxy S7 phone already, with the forthcoming Galaxy Note 6 to come later this year. 21/06/2016: The iPhone 7 will have a 3.5mm headphone jack according to a Chinese leakster, despite previous rumours saying there won't be one. Chinese smartphone repair shop Rock Fix has posted pictures of what it says are iPhone 7 replacement parts and the device's Lightning assembly still has the 3.5mm jack attached to it. Other pictures shared by the company include dual SIM trays, although we think it's pretty unlikely the iPhone 7 will support two SIM cards. The dubious component pictures continue, including memory chips toting storage capacities of 256GB and a dual lens camera part, which would make Apple one of the first to offer such technologies in its smartphones, after Huawei. However, this last revelation has caused a lot of controversy on Chinese social network Weibo. One apparent Foxconn employee said Apple wasn't going to be offering a dual lens on its next smartphone because the technology wasn't quite ready for the mainstream, while another commenter, who also claimed to be involved in the manufacture of the iPhone 7, said the parts have already been made and it's too late to turn back now. This source did reveal that other smartphone manufacturers including Samsung, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi are also looking at making smartphones with dual lens cameras, but it's not clear whether the component would be exactly the same or unique to Apple and the iPhone 7. 17/05/2016: Pictures of what is claimed to be an iPhone 7 box have appeared on Chinese social network Weibo, alongside some alleged specifications. One of the pictures shows the side of the cellophane-wrapped box, marked "iPhone 7" in grey or silver, while the other is a shot of the rear of the box, which appears to show the device has 256GB of storage, supports CDMA, GSM, UMTS, TD-SCDMA and LTE connectivity and comes with EarPods and a Lightning to USB cable in the box. But before anyone gets too excited: it's a fraud. We have several reasons to suspect this. Firstly, there's the timing. "Packaging [is] the very last step in the whole process," Steve Hemmerstoffer of Nowhereelse and something of an expert in the veracity or otherwise of leaked images, told IT Pro. "So there [are] two possibilities: the packaging is real, [which] would mean iPhone 7 will be unveiled in a few weeks, or the packaging is fake, 'cause it would be unveiled in September... You guess... " he added. Some analysis of our own points the same way - below is a photo of a real iPhone SE case. Compare it with the ones above and you will see a couple of major differences, the most immediately obvious of which is there is no Apple logo next to the lettering. This is common to most packaging on official Apple products: the largest face of the box has a picture of the device it contains and sometimes the name of the product. If the name of the device isn't printed with the picture, it is on the longest side edges, with the Apple logo appearing on two of the shorter or thinner edges. Some basic tinkering to look for signs of image manipulation did not turn up anything immediately obvious, but the specs sticker is just that - a sticker - and therefore not hard to fake. There are certain things that do not appear to be quite worded properly, such as "Apple Lightning to USB Cable" rather than "Lightning to USB Cable", as well as the order of connectivity. Of course, there is no way to 100 per cent verify, but all the evidence points to this iPhone 7 packaging being fake. 15/06/2016: Apple has been granted a patent for a 'consumer electronic product [which] includes at least a transparent housing and a flexible display', indicating that we could be getting an Apple device with a wraparound curved display at some point in the future. The patent was granted today, reports 9to5Mac , but was first submitted back in 2011, meaning the accompanying image shows a 30-pin connector rather than a Lightning connector. The drawing shows a display that wraps around the front, rear and sides of the device, with the site theorising that the edges and rear would not have touch sensors in order to make it possible to hold the device. The phone would have a Touch ID sensor embedded into the display in place of a traditional physical Home button. Image via Patently Apple . 14/06/2016: Apple’s iPhone 7 could feature handwriting support, allowing people to use the Apple Pencil to write directly into the Messages app. Rumours about the feature are mounting after the tech giant revealed that its forthcoming operating system, iOS 10, will include an overhauled Messages app that supports handwriting. On Apple’s website previewing iOS 10 , it says: “Write it yourself. Send a message in your own handwriting. Your friends will see it animate, just as ink flows on paper.” Its own example, below, hints that people can handwrite replies in iMessages. While people could just write using their fingers, the company’s own stylus, dubbed the Apple Pencil, could help them do a far better job on a small device screen. IT Pro wrote in its iPad Pro review that the Pencil, first released alongside the iPad Pro, “ Apple almost certainly wants to emphasise that the Pencil isn’t a necessity - iOS as a whole is still best navigated and controlled using your fingers. "It is brilliant for sketching, drawing and painting though, thanks to tilt, pressure and orientation sensors built into both the Pencil and the iPad Pro’s screen”. 13/06/2016: Two identical leaks seem to confirm many of the previously rumoured details about the iPhone 7. Both Forbes and MacRumours were contacted by two different Apple accessory makers, which shared with them prototypes of the iPhone 7 case. It would seem from the bottom of the case that the headphone jack is definitely being removed and replaces with a second speaker. The lightning port remains in place in the centre, with rumours suggesting this will now double as the headphone input via a special adaptor. One slight contradiction to this is the fact that the iPhone SE has dual speakers on its bottom edge as well as a headphone jack. The cases would also suggest that the iPhone 7 will not have a dual rear camera , as had previously been rumoured, but will instead have a much larger sensor. Rumours remain, however, that the iPhone 7 Plus will still have a dual rear camera - technology that has already been seen on the Huawei P9. In terms of the iPhone 7's size and general design, it would seem that it will be pretty much identical to the iPhone 6s and, contrary to some rumours, it will not have a curved edge like the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge as the case fully covers all sides evenly. 10/06/2016: Apple may drop its Space Gray casing colour for a new variant, according to a report. The tech giant is planning to switch up its colour line-up with the arrival of the iPhone 7, Japanese news site Mac Otakara (via Softpedia ) reports, and the Space Gray variant will be replaced with a new Deep Blue version. Space Gray was first introduced in 2013, with the launch of the iPhone 5s and its iPod siblings. Sources in the supply chain told Mac Otakara about the news, saying the iPhone 7 line-up will consist of Silver, Gold, Rose Gold and Deep Blue versions of both of its 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models. The Space Gray colour variant is also currently offered for the latest versions of the iPhone, iPad and 2015 21in retina MacBook. 06/06/2016: The iPhone 7 will reportedly have 3GB RAM and a 256GB storage, according to a recent report from market intelligence firm TrendForce. The report chimes with previous rumours about the phone's storage options, after device leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer posted an alleged iPhone 7 Plus/Pro hardware photo that showed a dual-camera module and a 256GB storage module (via Forbes ). Additionally, IHS Technology's Kevin Wang announced that the tech giant's supply chain investigations found that the iPhone 7 will have 32GB of entry- level storage – an important feature seeing as the 16GB entry level that has been around since the iPhone 5 in 2012 does not meet today's storage demands. TrendForce also reported that the 64GB storage option may be replaced with 128GB, but that decision has not been finalised yet. “Steep drop in NAND Flash prices since the second half of 2015 has encouraged smartphone brands to use storage capacity as a selling point for their products. The storage specs competition has been especially intense in the high-end market. In the case of iPhone 7, the 5.5-inch model will need a larger storage for the high-quality photos and videos that its dual-camera can take,” said TrendForce in a press release. 03/06/2016: New images allegedly depicting cases for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have surfaced online. The cases, though similar to what previous rumours have suggested, do sport a dual camera system on the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus, reports 9to5mac. In the images, the two iris holes are shown side by side with a gap between them, and the camera flash and rear microphone are positioned horizontally. As rumoured, the images also indicate that the iPhone 7 will feature a 3-pin Smart Connector on its back, which has previously been present on the iPad Pro in order for keyboards and other accessories to be connected. The case also doesn't feature space for a 3.5mm headphone jack, which seemingly confirms its absence in future Apple devices. 31/05/2016: The base model for the iPhone 7 will have 32 GB of storage, according to an IHS Technology analyst, with Apple planning to drop the lower 16 GB model from its future lineup. For US customers the 32 GB phone will be priced at $199, reports 9to5mac. The move is likely in response to complaints that the 16GB is far too small for use on newer models which, for example, allow users to record large 4K videos. There is currently no 32GB model for any iPhone line-up, with the iPhone 6s jumping from 16 GB to 64 GB, then 128 GB. It was rumoured in February that Apple was planning to introduce a 256 GB option, which also led to speculation 16GB iPhones could be a thing of the past. The analyst also claimed that the iPhone 7 will sport 2 GB of RAM, which matches the iPhone 6s. 24/05/2016: Apple has ordered 78 million new iPhone units, despite demand for the device plummeting, it is claimed. Between 72 million and 78 million iPhone 7 devices will be built to cater for demand, according to a new report (via Daily Mail ) that claims it is 10 million more than expected. New leaks about the latest iPhone model suggest the camera bump will stay, but the headphone jack will be replaced by Bluetooth-enabled headphones that can also plug into the charging socket, according to 9to5Mac . Apple sold just 51 million iPhones between January and March 2016, an annual drop of 18 per cent, earning the firm $33 billion in revenue. 23/05/2016: New leaked images of the iPhone 7 have emerged showing the device with four speakers and a much bigger camera lens. The pictures, which were first published by French site Nowhereelse , are allegedly of a prototype case taken from a promotional video created by an Italian manufacturer of iPhone accessories. The website notes that several of the details on the supposed iPhone 7 case are similar to those that have appeared in other leaks and rumours, notably the much more discreet antenna bands and larger camera lens that also protrudes slightly less than that on the iPhone 6 and 6s ranges. The four speakers would be totally new for an iPhone although this was a flagship feature on both the iPad Pro 12.9in and iPad Pro 9.7in. Nowhereelse does sound a note of scepticism, however, with regard to the location of one of the speakers directly above the camera. On the iPad Pros, this speaker is located slightly more towards the centre of the device's top edge, with the power button sitting above the lens. Another notable feature in this leak is the colour of the purported case - purple. It has been repeatedly suggested that Apple will expand the colour range of its flagship phone with the release of the iPhone 7, although we would also caution against taking this rumour too seriously, as it did the rounds ahead of the launch of the iPhone SE and iPhone 6s, but in the end came to nothing. 20/05/2016: Reports suggest Apple could switch to a glass casing for some models of the upcoming iPhone 7. According to a report on Nikkei , rumours have suggested Apple will shift from metal cases supplied largely by Catcher Technology to glass designs from the companies that supply its glass screen cover. After an annual shareholder meeting, Catcher CEO Allen Horng said his company wasn't losing all of its Apple business. "As far as I know, only one [iPhone] model will adopt glass casing next year," he was quoted as saying. The shift from metal to glass wouldn't affect the cost, he suggested, but Apple may make the move to update the iPhone's look and help differentiate it from other phones. The report has sparked speculation that the shift to glass may come in 2017, or could be a "Pro" model with an edge-to-edge display. 18/05/2016: Images of what is rumoured to be the new iPhone 7 have appeared on Chinese microblogging website Weibo. The images show that the next iPhone will be similar, if not identical in size to the current iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. The only difference appears to be the removal of antenna lines at the top and bottom edges. The image doesn't give any clues to the rumour that the 3.5mm headphone jack will be removed in the next iteration of the iPhone. The picture ties in with images released by Steve Hemmerstoffer of OnLeaks fame. 17/05/2016: Two of Apple's major suppliers for the iPhone are hiring large numbers of staff ahead of the launch of the iPhone 7 in September. Adverts for a number of low-level workers have appeared on the websites of Foxconn and Pegatron, according to CNBC , and they seem to be filling up quite fast. The website also references a report in 's Economic Daily News , which claimed that while the two companies do take on extra staff each year to deal with the initial iPhone rush, the reason for the even bigger mass hirings this year is because the iPhone 7 is much more complicated to produce than any of its predecessors, including the iPhone 6s , iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone SE. It is also notable that the recruitment drive is taking place much earlier in the production cycle than normal, which is said to be because workers will need more training than in previous years. While the iPhone 7 isn't expected to launch before this autumn, fans can satiate their appetite for all things Apple with WWDC 2016, which will be held from 13-17 June. More information about the event, including latest news, rumours and what to expect, can be found here. 13/05/2016: Suppliers are predicting lower than usual demand for the iPhone 7, attributing the drop in interest to a supposed lack of innovation. Some of Apple's oversea suppliers, such as LCD supplier Display, are feeling the after-effects of the company's decline in iPhone sales year on year, reports Mac Rumours, with that decline set to continue for the rest of the year. A source quoted by Nikkei said: "Suppliers are saying that they are getting fewer orders for the second half of this year compared with the year-ago period. The traditional peak season this year will not be able to compare to the past few years. " The report goes in to say that the decline in orders from suppliers such as TSMC - Apple's primary chip source - is down to a lack of innovative features expected from the iPhone 7, as well as saturation of the smartphone market and increased competition. 12/05/2016: Apple's next-generation 5.5in iPhone, likely to be called the iPhone 7 Plus, will have a two lens camera on the back, according to KGI Securities' Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Despite earlier rumours that Apple would likely offer a single lens camera version of its large model as well a dual lens camera model, the latest report from 9to5Mac says Kuo has now revised his previous prediction and claims all iPhone 7 Plus models will feature two cameras on the back. Kuo also stated that the 5.5in model of the net gen iPhone will come with 3GB of RAM to handle the image-processing requirements, suggesting that the smaller 5in device will not see an upgrade from the 2GB the iPhone 6S has currently. The analyst noted that shipments of the dual lens models from Sony and LG will soon be high enough to cover demand for the larger iPhone 7 Plus: "We estimate total shipments of iPhone dual-camera module from Sony (JP) and LG Innotek (KR-TW) at 20- 30mn units in 2016F, sufficient to cover demand from the new 5.5in iPhone," said Kuo. However, he predicts that due to constraints of form factor design, optical zoom capability may be limited as "the result of Linx algorithm performance is uncertain". Dual lens rear cameras have seen relative success in the Android market, with the likes of Huawei and LG adopting the feature, which can combine images from two separate cameras to deliver far sharper zoomed-in photographs. But Kuo isn't so sure Apple fans will take so well to the feature. "We believe market response to the performance of iPhone dual-camera remains to be seen," he added. Continue reading to find out the iPhone 7's release date and price

2016-07-20 00:00 Adam Shepherd www.itpro.co.uk

33 FBI confirms that it may (or may not) tap Amazon Echo devices AMAZON ECHO is being wiretapped by the FBI... is what we would say if we knew, but the FBI and Amazon aren't saying. The US Department of Justice stated after a Freedom of Information request filed by Gizmondo's Matt Novak that it could neither confirm nor deny the existence of such records, and that to do so would disclose information that could be used to circumvent the law. Sounds like a veiled 'yes'. The idea of an 'always on' listening device is a vital part of the next generation of internet-connected devices. But yet again, the rules on acceptable behaviour by the authorities in relation to them is still being worked out. Amazon Echo has yet to launch in the UK, but there are already three million units out there, always on, always listening, always ready if you run out of laundry detergent. This means that there are already three million households in the US that can be instantly eavesdropped on using equipment that the owners have willingly installed. These aren't George Orwell's telescreens, these are people volunteering to be tapped, just as they were when smartphones started using GPS chips. Amazon claimed that Echo will start listening only when it hears certain keywords. This may well be true, but a competent hacker with government resources could easily override this. Google's Assistant will be with us before Christmas using similar technology and equally at risk of civil rights abuses. Of course, Echo is the thin end of the wedge. Almost every device we own is capable of this behaviour to one extent or another but it's the lack of clarity that creeps out many. In reality, there's a very easy way to find out. Get your Amazon Echo. Put it down next to a radio. Tune into Radio Sputnik. Go to bed. The next morning, check your recommendations on the Amazon homepage. If suddenly they're all for Stolichnaya and signed photos of a bald man with no clothes on wrestling a bear, it's time to put the Echo in a hole in the ground. µ

2016-07-20 00:00 www.theinquirer.net

34 Ordnance Survey wants to fund the next Pokémon Go The Ordnance Survey is offering funding to start-ups to build the next Pokémon Go. The mapping agency’s Geovation programme is aimed at developers, entrepreneurs and innovators to take their ideas and build them into real businesses. It will work with teams and invest funding, resources and developer time to help them build their businesses until they are ready for market. It also provides a hub with a range of resources such as desk space, coaching and mentorship, access to OS and partner data, developer support, access to software, legal and professional support and other services that can be hard to secure when first starting out. The programme is divided into four phases. Phases one to three are over a period of six months, where programme members receive a total of £10,000 in funding. If a prototype is successfully delivered at the end of this phase four kicks in, which is a further six months on the programme with an additional £10,000 in funding. For those who are successful in getting to phase four, the Geovation team helps to secure further funding and provide go-to-market support to launch the product and make it a commercial success. “There are a lot of places for start-ups to get support in London, but it’s vital to find a programme that offers the focused support a business needs,” said Alex Wrottesley, head of Geovation. “By focusing on our area of expertise we’re able to offer deep industry and technical knowledge which is unique. Providing dedicated development resource is something very few places offer and it means the businesses we select can get things started faster and they can move further than they otherwise would have been able to. To the start-up community, in general, the Geovation Hub adds a new dimension. " Applications must be submitted by 17 August via this website.

2016-07-20 00:00 Rene Millman www.itpro.co.uk

35 Gigabyte launches RX 480 G1 Gaming graphics cards Gigabyte has officially launched its RX 480 G1 Gaming graphics cards, with both 4GB and 8GB SKUs available. Gigabyte has today announced the launch of its Radeon RX 480 G1 Gaming graphics cards, and has confirmed that both 4GB and 8GB SKUs will be available. While the reference RX 480 launched at the end of June, non-reference models from AMD's board partners have been hard to come by. They're slowly cropping up, however, and Gigabyte is one such board partner looking to entice users away from the reference design with extra features and cooling. For example, its RX 480 G1 Gaming cards will use GPUs cherry picked through its GPU Gauntlet Sorting process, which seeks out GPUs with specific power switching and thermal efficiency characteristics. The GPUs are fed by a 6+2 power phase design to further enhance overclocking potential, and Gigabyte says it has installed a smart power indicator to bring any power abnormalities to the user's attention. Gigabyte has also fitted a custom cooling solution to the cards. The Windforce 2X cooler uses a pair of 90mm fans with unique fan blades designed to reduce turbulence. The heatsink is fed by three copper heat pipes that make direct contact with the GPU. The cooler is able to operate semi-passively too, with the fans switching off completely when the card is below a certain temperature threshold - a fan stop indicator is used to display the current status of the fans. The cooler is wrapped in an angular shroud with orange highlights, and for further aesthetic jazz Gigabyte has kitted the cards out with RGB LEDs, which users can tune to any RGB colour and program to one of ' numerous ' effects. A metal backplate for added rigidity and protection completes the package. Physically, both cards are identical - it's just the amount of memory that separates them. They are 232mm long, 116mm tall and 40mm deep. They each have a dual-link DVI-D connection in addition to the reference display outputs - a trio of DisplayPort 1.4 headers and one HDMI 2.0b port. Gigabyte has also upgraded the cards' power input from a 6-pin PCI-E header to an 8-pin one. Complementing the cards is Gigabyte's redesigned Xtreme Engine software, offering monitoring and control of clock speeds, voltages, fan profiles, the RGB lighting and more. It also offers one-click overclocking with the OC Mode button. The cards will both be overclocked, but core and memory speeds have yet to be confirmed by Gigabyte. The company also hasn't provided official MSRPs, but the both the 4GB and 8GB cards are already on pre-order at Overclockers UK for £215.99 and £259.99 (including VAT) respectively.

2016-07-20 00:00 Matthew Lambert feedproxy.google.com

36 Race Report: We can't win for losing, off-road in the Mojave Desert I zipped up my fireproof Nomex racesuit and immediately started sweating. It was late afternoon in Barstow, California and over 100 degrees. I still had my fireproof shoes and gloves, kidney belt and helmet to put on, and 125 miles of desert to conquer. It didn't work out quite as planned. Desert racing puts all classes out on the same course at the same time, so I was sharing the 36-mile track with everything from high-powered trucks to nimble side-by-sides, or UTVs. All these race cars means all kinds of dust. I was glad to have a front amber light to help cut through the haze. Beside me sat my newest co-driver, Chad. His job was to read the GPS, keep me on course, keep an eye out for anything coming up behind me and give me pep talks. This was his first race and he seemed calm, yet excited. Poor guy didn't know what he was in for. As soon as we got the green flag, the engine started to sputter a bit. My immediate thought was that the foam in the fuel cell had migrated to the fuel line. Or maybe a bug had stuffed the fuel line with chewed up leaves (it happened to me before). But before I could really worry about it, she caught and we were off like a bat out of hell. Our course took us on narrow razorbacks, over rough and rocky cross-grain sections and through high-speed washes. At one point we came down off a mountain on a track barely wide enough for my small class 1600, never mind the wider trucks. Down the middle of this track was a washout, so I had to place my tires very accurately, all while in the dust of another vehicle. Chad saw the rock a split second before I did and called it out, but it was too late. Boom! We went right over it, smacking the side plate hard enough to gouge a hole in the 1/4-inch aluminum. As we completed our first lap, Chad hit the horn in celebration. Except, no beep sounded. All I could think was, "Oh great...one more thing to fix. " Then, a few miles later, the GPS flickered out. "Never mind," I said. "We've been around once and the course is marked. We'll just have to remember the turns. " The second lap proceeded cleanly and I employed my race strategy of JFF, or Just Fucking Finish. There were sections I knew I could take faster, but with the added risk of wadding up the car or breaking down. I don't have the money for a new car, so I play it safe. JFF, baby. JFF. We started lap 3, after which I was to give my car over to Mark and Steve, my clean-up driving team to finish up the remaining three laps. At race mile 2 of this third lap the engine really started sputtering. My right foot was mashed to the floor, all my energy coursing through my leg, willing my car to go faster. She would catch, then sputter, catch then sputter. We came around a turn that led to a steep uphill. I already had lost momentum and there, stopped in the middle of the track, was a truck. This is not unusual and drivers always try to move off the course when broken, but sometimes it's not possible. I swerved right, putting the car sideways on a hill, then dumped us back on the track. We were already in first gear and floored. There was nothing more I could do. Chad and I chanted together, "Come on, come on, come on," but it was not to be. We stalled three quarters of the way up the next hill. The larger truck had gotten running again so I backed down the hill and pushed my starter button. Nothing. No crank, no click, just silence. Now we were in the middle of the track, primed to be hit by the next competitor. Fortunately, a MORE safety vehicle was right there to tow us off the track. He gave us a jump and we were able to get to a safer location before 1617 died for good. Diagnosis: bad alternator. It all made sense. The engine sputter, the electronics going out...we were running on pure battery and she finally gave up the ghost. We had made only 80 of the 216 required race miles. As I watched the sunset, waiting for my team to come rescue us, I felt proud to have made it that far, but disappointed that I didn't get to face my fear of racing at night. But mostly, I was glad that I got to spend time with my family and friends, all united for a common goal. It's an amazing feeling when everyone has your back. Mitchell Alsup took first place, while season points-leader Wheeler Morgan earned second. 70-year-old Bob Scott took third, on his birthday, missing second by 19 hundredths of a second. I'll have to live with Did Not Finish next to my name.

2016-07-20 00:00 Emme Hall www.cnet.com

37 Gotta catch l'amour: Pokemon Go gets a dating site It was inevitable: there's a dating site for Pokemon Go. New service PokeDates promises to match you with fellow players of the phenomenally popular game to "meet your Ash or Misty". Answer some questions about yourself and your Pokemon preferences, and the site will match you with a fellow player. You'll then be sent to a gym or pokestop to meet your potential PokeParamour. Whether you win your date's heart is up to you -- you'll just have to turn on the Charmander.

2016-07-20 00:00 Richard Trenholm www.cnet.com

38 Dell Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet review Specifications Processor Dual core 1.2GHz Intel Core M-5Y71 RAM 8GB Dimensions 24x312x203 mm Weight 1.6kg Screen size 11.6in Screen resolution 1366x768 Graphics adaptor Intel HD 5300 Total storage 128GB SSD Operating system Windows 8.1 Parts and labour warranty 3 years ProSupport + Next Business Day on-site service Details http://www.dell.com/uk/business/p/latitude-7202-tablet/pd Part number R720216202

2016-07-20 00:00 Adam Shepherd www.itpro.co.uk

39 Razer Teases Chat Client for Pokemon Go There are many things you need for a marathon Pokemon Go session, from a portable charger to combat the app's battery-killing tendencies to a hat and sunglasses to guard against sunburn—after all, this is a game best played outdoors. But among the stuff you'd like to have, one thing was noticeably absent until Razer introduced it today: an easy way to chat with your teammates. The RazerGo chat messenger allows users to discover and chat with fellow Pokemon trainers in a scalable radius, from around town to 600 miles away. Users can toggle between public, team, or "whisper" chat modes and can identify themselves with their team's color. The chat interface is integrated into the Pokemon Go Android and iOS apps, so there's no cumbersome switching between apps. The apps will be available as soon as Google and Apple approve them, which Razer expects to happen by July 25. A Web version of the chat interface is already live on Razer's website. To help launch the new platforms, Razer is hosting a Pokemon Go crawl in San Francisco today, with multiple routes around the newly opened Razer retail store at Market and 5th Streets. Expect special lures only available for RazerGo chat users during the crawl. The Pokecrawl kicks off at 6 p.m. and RazerStore festivities begin at 7 p.m. Routes will be announced soon, but players can get updates on Razer's website and social channels: Facebook , Twitter and SnapChat. Razer is a gaming company best known for its peripherals and gaming laptops, like the light and powerful Blade and Blade Stealth. But the Pokemon Go chat client isn't the first time the company has branched out into messaging platforms. Three years ago, Razer introduced an Android app version of its Razer Comms voice-messaging service, providing gamers the ability to reply to text messages or reject calls from their phones within the PC client so they don't have to look at their devices during the heat of gameplay.

2016-07-20 00:00 By feedproxy.google.com

40 Deezer Launches Free Music Trial in US On-demand service Deezer is now available to all music lovers in the US. After a 30-day trial, consumers must shell out $9.99 per month to continuing listening to favorite tracks and personalized radio stations. Unlike rival Spotify , Deezer does not offer a free tier once the trial ends. US consumers got their first taste of Deezer in the fall of 2014, when the music-streaming program launched on the Sonos Wireless HiFi System, offering access to millions of tracks in high-definition audio. Later that year, the French company acquired radio app Stitcher and its catalog of 35,000 radio shows from 40 countries. In 2015, Deezer also partnered with Cricket Wireless , opening its library to US mobile subscribers for the first time. Now it's open to everyone. Though Deezer isn't a local household name like Spotify or Apple Music , it has 16 million monthly users in more than 180 countries to Apple's 13 million and Spotify's 30 million. But behind the scenes, the Parisian corporation is going through some growing pains. As reported by TechCrunch , US CEO Tyler Goldman left the company "a few months ago," and a new North American head is due to start soon. Deezer did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.

2016-07-20 00:00 By feedproxy.google.com

41 BT restores power after thousands of customers’ internet access crashed BT’s broadband network crashed for thousands of users across the UK this morning, with Plusnet also going down. People were affected in cities including London, Liverpool, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Leeds, and Nottingham, with recording 5,397 reports of problems at around 9am. BT tweeted: “Some BT Broadband customers have reported problems accessing websites this morning. Sorry, we're aware of a problem & working to fix asap. At around 11am it added: “Sorry for problems accessing some internet services today, this was caused by power issues at a partner's site. We're restoring services now.” A BT spokeswoman separately confirmed to IT Pro that the power issues at a partner site in London meant that 10 per cent of BT internet users’ attempts to access websites would fail. Only websites whose traffic was routed through this partner site were affected. Customers expressed their anger on Twitter, with CharlieMFC tweeting BT Care: “No backup power at Harbour Exchange for resiliency like any normal company should have? Let alone a major UK network...” Gareth Brown added: “I find it poor and alarming that "power issues" from a "partner" can cause an outage on your network to this scale.” The problems started at 8.07am and BT engineers fixed the issue at the partner site at around 12.10pm. The spokeswoman said in a statement to IT Pro : ““We’re sorry that some BT and Plusnet customers experienced problems accessing some internet services this morning. Around 10 per cent of customers’ internet usage was affected following power issues at one of our internet connection partners’ sites in London. The issue has now been fixed and services have been restored.”

2016-07-20 00:00 Joe Curtis www.itpro.co.uk

42 Collecting phone data is only legal in a few cases ECJ says The European Court of Justice has ruled that bulk phone and email data can only be retained if it relates to serious crimes and should not be collected otherwise. The findings come after ex-backbench Tory David Davis, and Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader brought a claim to the court, saying it was unjust for the GCHQ, or any other organisation claiming to need access for legal issues to collect such sensitive information in bulk. However, Davis withdrew his complaint after he was appointed to the cabinet, evidently not wanting to upset his peers. “Solely the fight against serious crime is an objective in the general interest that is capable of justifying a general obligation to retain data, whereas combating ordinary offences and the smooth conduct of proceedings other than criminal proceedings … are not," The ECJ’s advocate general Henrik Saugmandsgaard said. This opinion brings the European Union's stance closer to the regulations set out in the UK's Investigatory Powers Bill, which could come into question when the UK exits the EU. “This legal opinion shows the prime minister was wrong to pass legislation when she was home secretary that allows the state to access huge amounts of personal data without evidence of criminality or wrongdoing," Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader said. “Labour has already secured important concessions, but I hope the government she leads will now revisit it. The opinion makes it clear that information including browsing history and phone data should not be made available to the security services and other state bodies without independent authorisation. The security services have an important job to do, but judicial oversight is vital if we are to maintain the right balance between civil liberties and state power.” The European Court of Justice will come to a final decision about a course of action in the next few months.

2016-07-20 00:00 Clare Hopping www.itpro.co.uk

43 Twitter admits troll failings after Ghostbusters abuse Twitter admitted today that it has failed to deal with trolls on its platform, after a star of the new Ghostbusters film quit amid a torrent of abuse directed at her. A spokesman for the social network told IT Pro : "We know many people believe we have not done enough to curb this type of behavior on Twitter. We agree. " The company outlined plans to introduce a range of new measures after Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones closed her account yesterday after trolls targeted her with racist abuse. Right-wing Breitbart journalist and political commentator Milo Yiannopoulos was also permanently banned from the platform, amid claims that he exacerbated the situation. Yiannopoulos and his followers have seen this as an attack on freedom of speech, with Yiannopoulos blasting the suspension as "cowardly". But Twitter's spokesman said: "People should be able to express diverse opinions and beliefs on Twitter. But no one deserves to be subjected to targeted abuse online and our rules prohibit inciting or engaging in the targeted abuse or harassment of others. Over the past 48 hours in particular, we’ve seen an uptick in the number of accounts violating these policies and have taken enforcement actions against these accounts, ranging from warnings that also require the deletion of Tweets violating our policies to permanent suspension. " The social network said it will shortly announce new reporting tools and a revised hateful conduct policy to combat harassment on its platform, after releasing some new abuse reporting tools in April. "We are continuing to invest heavily in improving our tools and enforcement systems to better allow us to identify and take faster action on abuse as it's happening and prevent repeat offenders," the spokesman said. "We have been in the process of reviewing our hateful conduct policy to prohibit additional types of abusive behaviour and allow more types of reporting, with the goal of reducing the burden on the person being targeted. We’ll provide more details on those changes in the coming weeks. " The incoming changes follow numerous cases of abuse on the platform, including campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez and Labour MP Stella Creasy being targeted with rape and death threats after launching a campaign for Jane Austen to feature on a UK bank note - two trolls were subsequently jailed. Twitter also announced that it will open up its verification process to the general public, allowing anyone to apply for a 'blue tick'. This designation - which is seen by some as a badge of honour - is currently open only to select brands and individuals. The tick allows users to filter their mentions, and also requires that those who request verification submit large amounts of personal information - potentially making it easier to identify prolific trolls.

2016-07-20 00:00 Adam Shepherd www.itpro.co.uk

44 EVO 2016 was a huge moment for It wasn’t always this way, however. Back when the UFC looked like it might fold, they did a reality show called The Ultimate Fighter. Due to the fact that reality TV was enjoying a boom period in America, it did well. The finale, where the top two fights were set to face off for a UFC contract, was shown on basic cable—not pay-per-view, as UFC had been in the past. At this point the UFC was a niche product, but this was going to be different. Anyone flicking through cable channels could stumble across this. The Street Fighter V top 8 from EVO 2016 this past weekend was broadcast on ESPN 2, a channel that anyone in America can access. This is a channel that bars show on the screens, a channel that is associated with ‘real sports’, like the NBA and NFL. ESPN is part of American TV culture, the first stop when looking for sports on TV. This weekend was a big deal. This was Street Fighter’s coming out party. It wasn’t looking good as the top 8 began to finalize towards the end of Saturday evening in . Most of the big name Japanese ‘legends’ had been knocked out. , Momochi, Mago and even had fallen. All of the European players had been eliminated. America’s supposed best hope, all-timer , had also dropped out early. In fact, the only American left in the tournament was Joe ‘L. I. Joe’ Ciaramelli, a player who wasn’t even on the Pro Tour leaderboard at this point and was about to face off against Kazunoku, the current reigning winner. The upset, however, was on, and Joe managed to take his place—and the only American—in the top 8. You could hear Capcom and ESPN bosses breathing a sigh of relief. L. I. Joe was the hero they needed. A well-spoken, intelligent and respectful competitor who clearly has considerable skill, he carries his fightstick in a bright pink backpack as a tribute to his late mother, who sadly died of cancer. ESPN decided to double down on Joe and fly his father in to attend the event. For those in the know, Joe had already far outdone expectations simply by making it to the top 8 alongside these elite players, but for the casual viewer, he couldn’t choke in the first match with all of this hype build up around his appearance. The match was against top Japanese Ken player, Eita. This was a true test of skill for both competitors, a closely-fought battle where both players looked like they could win it at any point. It went right down to the final set, when Joe managed to pull off the win of his fighting game career on the biggest stage of them all. This is exactly what EVO’s TV debut needed. It was the Bonnar/Griffin of fighting games. It’s hard to imagine anyone watching this broadcast not getting into this fight. Hearing Mike Ross on ESPN shouting “he’s poppin’ off! He’s poppin’ off!” as Joe celebrated his win, the TV broadcast cutting to Joe’s father in the crowd losing his mind—this moment is likely to be remembered as a milestone in the growth of competitive fighting games. Joe was eliminated by Yukadon in the next round, which knocked a bit of the wind out of the sails of the rest of the event. It wasn’t a wash: he was extremely competitive and delivered another moment that will be remembered for the longest time, when both LI Joe and his father were filmed with their heads in their hands due to how tense the match had become. Joe’s elimination didn’t matter, however. He’d provided a hero that people both hardcore and casual viewers of the broadcast could get behind and then delivered a post-elimination interview that really put over the remaining competitors as worth sticking around to watch. And they really were—the night continued with some exceptional Street Fighter. Anyone who stuck around to see Infiltration come back from an early setback to defeat in the Grand Finals would have had a hard time being unimpressed by the action. We don’t know the ESPN viewer numbers yet: they could be horrible, for all we know. Even so, Capcom, EVO and ESPN themselves have done everything possible to make this event a success. They had a great commentary and announcer team, the action was exceptional and, in L. I. Joe and Infiltration, the event showcased two players that fans can get behind. This was fighting games Ultimate Fighter finale, and if those numbers turned out to have been strong then it’s going to be interesting to see how many of those viewers stick around. Dota 2 and League of Legends are huge , but Street Fighter has major mainstream crossover potential due to the nature of the game and the fact that , Ken and pals have been part of pop culture for the longest time. It took the UFC a long time to grow to the point where it could be sold for that insane sum, but the TUF finale was the start. It’s hard to see EVO 2016 as any less of a catalyst.

2016-07-19 19:00 By Andi www.pcgamer.com

45 Hearthstone 'test server' code appears in latest Battle.net update Public Test Realms, or PTRs, are restricted but publicly-available servers that companies like, say, Blizzard, use to test updates to their online games before rolling them out to the world at large. It's like an open beta clubhouse: In exchange for accepting the risk that things may go sideways from time to time, players can get an advance look at the latest changes coming to their online game of choice. There are PTRs for World of Warcraft , Diablo 3 , and Heroes of the Storm , just to name a few chosen entirely at random, and soon, based on data dug up by Hearthpwn , there may be one for Hearthstone. The site said that an update to Battle.net that was pushed out last night contained encrypted data for a Hearthstone Test Client. That doesn't necessarily mean that a Hearthstone PTR is on the way, and in fact Lead Designer Bed Brode said last month that there would be “real downsides” to setting one up, because new cards would be “fully spoiled” long before being released to the public. But as Hearthpwn points out, a PTR could serve a number of useful functions without spoiling anything, like testing bug fixes and balance tweaks for existing cards. I've reached out to Blizzard for more information, and I'll update if and when I receive a reply. Given that World of Warcraft, Diablo III, StarCraft II, and Overwatch all have PTRs, it's certainly at least possible that Hearthstone is joining the bunch, if not probable.

2016-07-19 18:43 Andy Chalk www.pcgamer.com

Total 45 articles. Created at 2016-07-20 18:00