Dc5m United States IT in English Created at 2016-11-11 00:03

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DC5m United States IT in english 54 articles, created at 2016-11-11 00:03 articles set mostly positive rate 6.2

1 0.0 Google Daydream VR on sale in the UK for £69 But you'll need a Pixel device to use it,Peripherals,Mobile ,virtual reality,Google

(1.02/2) 2016-11-10 15:54 2KB www.computing.co.uk

2 3.3 Watch out for the iPhone’s 911 bug Don’t click on strange links is the new don’t talk to strangers 2016-11-10 18:01 2KB feedproxy.google.com

3 6.0 Top 50 best free games you should play today Because gaming can be pricey, the PC's best free games 2016-11-10 17:27 36KB feedproxy.google.com

4 0.6 : Prevent a failed Windows update installing Windows updates can be annoying but we show you how to take control of them in the latest version of Windows 10 Anniversary Update, as well as the previous November update. 2016-11-10 17:27 2KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

5 1.8 : How to track a phone - locate a lost Android, lost iPhone or lost Windows Phone If you've lost your phone it's not necessarily gone forever. But don't wait until you lose your phone to prepare: you'll need to configure it now to enable you to find a lost Android, iPhone or Windows Phone. Here's how to... 2016-11-10 17:18 6KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

6 0.0 | How to play Dishonored 2 at midnight tonight: Dishonored 2 to be released tomorrow, new trailer launched Here's all we know about Dishonored 2 and its official release date, plus the pre-order pricing, platforms, gameplay rumours and an official trailer and screenshots. 2016-11-10 17:17 5KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

7 14.3 A new smartphone brand has launched a £40 handset Ideal for globetrotters 2016-11-10 17:09 1KB feedproxy.google.com

8 0.0 Samsung Galaxy X: the story of Samsung’s foldable phone so far

More than just a concept 2016-11-10 17:06 6KB feedproxy.google.com 9 0.0 : 4K video and advanced safety features makes it a great option for drone pilots, but a poor quality VR headset lets it down With drones becoming more high-tech than ever, it was only a matter of time until a company created one that comes with its own VR headset, allowing users to ‘see’ through the camera of the drone. The recently announced EHANG Ghost Drone 2.0 VR does... 2016-11-10 17:05 6KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

10 1.7 | PlayStation 4 Pro UK price and specs: Sony officially releases PS4 Pro, enabling 4K gaming around the world Those of us eagerly awaiting the PS5 might be surprised to learn that the next console to come from Sony will in fact be the 4K PlayStation 4 Pro, which is due to be released in November. We delve into the latest PS4 Pro news including PS4 Pro... 2016-11-10 17:02 8KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

11 1.9 Get Secure Online Access with Mobile Connect; Innovative Multi-factor Authentication Eliminating Password Problems Last week we discussed Multi-factor authentication, secure online access, and its benefits. This week we will speak about how TELUS has approached 2016-11-10 16:58 5KB www.itworldcanada.com

12 0.0 SAP takes step forward in agile IT support SAP SE has announced the next generation of its in-memory computing platform SAP Hana lineup: SAP Hana 2. The platform will deliver 2016-11-10 16:58 2KB www.itworldcanada.com

13 6.7 Microsoft’s supercharged Surface Book has arrived Surface Dial pre-orders have also gone live in the US 2016-11-10 16:36 2KB feedproxy.google.com

14 1.7 : Premium, secure and finally for the consumer as well as businesses Reports that BlackBerry is out the smartphone game are misleading – outsourcing design doesn’t mean the company is down and out. The DTEK60 proves the brand can still turn out a high-end, secure phone. Here is our BlackBerry DTEK60 review. 2016-11-10 16:30 14KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk 15 1.9 UNFPA Launches Innovation Accelerator Focused On Empowering Youth To Address Sexual And Reproductive Health Bottlenecks UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, in collaboration with Outbox, a local business incubator, today launched a health-based innovation accelerator dubbed ‘Up Accelerate.’ This innovative program is part of a regional initiative by UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office, with funding from... 2016-11-10 16:23 3KB pctechmag.com

16 3.1 GDPR will require 75,000 DPOs worldwide, study shows The GDPR is likely to help boost the data protection profession, with 75,000 data protection officers needed worldwide for organisations to comply with the new EU data protection rules 2016-11-10 16:18 2KB www.computerweekly.com

17 14.3 The best free office software 2016 Free Microsoft Office alternatives 2016-11-10 16:08 6KB feedproxy.google.com

18 1.9 Government calls for input on inclusive smart energy policy The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has launched a new consultation on the future of the smart energy sector 2016-11-10 16:07 3KB www.computerweekly.com

19 1.3 : The 20 best headphones you can buy in the UK today - best wired and wireless headphone reviews We review the top headphones you can buy in the UK in 2016/2017. Get the most for your money with our best headphones for your smartphone or tablet - best in ear, on ear and over ear headphones. Wireless and noise cancelling. 2016-11-10 16:00 3KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

20 2.7 Best iPhone 7 cases & iPhone 7 Plus cases They may have only just launched, but Apple’s new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have already got plenty of cases available to keep them safe. These are the best iPhone 7 cases and best iPhone 7 Plus cases we’ve seen so far. 2016-11-10 16:00 5KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

21 4.3 Apple, Microsoft, Box and others react to Trump victory The Donald has tech leaders in a tizz,Strategy,Supplier ,Silicon Valley,Leadership,in- depth,Apple,Microsoft,Facebook 2016-11-10 15:54 3KB www.computing.co.uk 22 0.0 Open Rights Group: Donald Trump presidency is bad news for UK surveillance Privacy group is worried new US president will abuse his national security powers,Privacy ,NSA,GCHQ,Privacy,Surveillance,Cloud Computing,Donald Trump 2016-11-10 15:54 2KB www.computing.co.uk

23 3.1 : Use the Silent Site Sound Blocker extension to mute tabs in Chrome A simple extension can prevent all or selected Chrome tabs to be muted, here's how to get the extension and how to use it. 2016-11-10 15:54 2KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

24 2.6 : a home security camera that's easy to use but could be better. Now comes with 24 hours of free storage Canary is a home security camera which has a few extras you don't usually see, such as a siren and sensors for measuring air quality. Here's our Canary review. 2016-11-10 15:37 10KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

25 0.4 Surface Book review roundup: great GPU performance and battery life, but it doesn't come cheap The new Surface Book scores big points for improved GPU performance and even better battery life, but older components, high prices, limited CPU improvements, and Microsoft's decision not to sell the Performance Base separately from the primary system were all considered negatives by various reviewers. 2016-11-10 15:36 5KB www.extremetech.com

26 1.4 The Xbox App's Holiday Update aims to connect its 'millions' of Windows 10 users better than ever

Exclusive: how the big update will impact gaming on Windows 2016-11-10 15:16 7KB feedproxy.google.com

27 2.0 Vodafone reveals a digital first approach aimed at Ugandan youth and SMEs Vodafone Uganda, has today announced a commitment to support the youth and entrepreneurs in Uganda. During a press conference held at Kampala International University, the next generation operator announced that going forward it will be more focused on the youth and Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs in... 2016-11-10 15:15 2KB pctechmag.com

28 2.9 Best Android Phones With the holiday shopping frenzy fast approaching, we’re here with our Q4 2016 Best Android Smartphones guide. Perhaps the biggest news since we... 2016-11-10 15:15 11KB www.anandtech.com 29 1.2 Centrica deal reveals deep cuts into the IT outsourcing sector Centrica's move to Office 365 is further evidence of how the cloud is forcing the IT services sector to transform 2016-11-10 15:15 2KB www.computerweekly.com

30 7.1 Download of the day: EaseUS Todo Backup Free The EaseUS way to safeguard your data 2016-11-10 14:57 1KB feedproxy.google.com

31 5.6 Hyperloop will move you at 700mph for a price you can afford

Please keep your arms and legs inside the loop 2016-11-10 14:53 2KB feedproxy.google.com

32 14.3 Garmin is bringing Strava’s location-tracking safety features to its wearables

Peace of mind 2016-11-10 14:43 2KB feedproxy.google.com

33 1.5 : Faster screen and better Pencil support coming in March 2017 Will the iPad Pro 2 simply match the specs of the current 9.7in model or will we get more? We round up the rumours about the iPad Pro 2. 2016-11-10 14:37 6KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

34 2.2 : When is The Grand Tour starting? Some say Top Gear will never be the same without Clarkson, Hammond and May. Some say The Grand Tour will be the awesome auto show we know and love. In this article we explain how to watch The Grand Tour, plus when The Grand Tour is starting. 2016-11-10 14:36 2KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

35 1.1 Blockchain Technology And IoT: What It Is And How It's Driving Development Of New Smart Systems - Page: 1 Solution providers need to be up to speed on emerging technologies as they relate to the Internet of Things. Here's a guide to blockchain technology and why it matters to solution providers. 2016-11-10 14:25 1KB www.crn.com

36 2.6 Insurance brokers fume as SSP Worldwide suffers new cloud outage Insurance brokers outline dismay at fresh round of service problems so soon after September's two-week cloud outage 2016-11-10 14:00 2KB www.computerweekly.com 37 3.1 Turbonomic Grabs Former HP COO Bill Veghte As New Top Exec - Page: 1 Veghte becomes executive chairman of the application performance management company formerly known as VMturbo as it reports its 25th consecutive quarter of revenue growth. 2016-11-10 13:56 3KB www.crn.com

38 1.9 How to convert DVD to MP4 in Windows 10 or macOS Sierra In this sponsored post, the makers of WinX DVD Ripper Platinum explain how to use their tool,Cloud and Infrastructure,Product ,Cloud 2016-11-10 13:48 3KB www.computing.co.uk

39 5.9 At DevOps Enterprise Summit, automation is the key Conference brings together life-cycle, agile and provisioning vendors to discuss ways to go faster 2016-11-10 13:30 3KB sdtimes.com

40 0.6 CRN Exclusive: Lenovo Channel Chief Kinlaw On Evolution Of PC Market, Data Center Battle With Dell EMC And HPE - Page: 1 Sammy Kinlaw says Lenovo's data center strategy, which revolves around partnerships with Nutanix, Cloudian and Nimble Storage, will not change as executives figure out how to drive those products into large accounts and keep prices low. 2016-11-10 13:30 2KB www.crn.com

41 1.9 Samsung to Launch the Galaxy Blue Coral S7 Edge in South Korea Samsung Corp. on Thursday announced it will launch the Galaxy S7 Edge in Blue Coral colors on Friday in its home country of South Korea. The widely-praised color variation was first applied to the Galaxy Note 7, which the company ended for good on October due... 2016-11-10 13:14 1KB pctechmag.com

42 2.1 Google's Urs Holzle: Moore's Law Is Ending Google's Urs Holzle says cloud suppliers won't be able to bank the gains of Moore's Law much longer and will have to eke out advances elsewhere. 2016-11-10 13:05 5KB www.informationweek.com

43 0.5 Yahoo admits data breach may affect Verizon acquisition In its latest SEC filing, Yahoo admits some people knew of the 2014 breach shortly after, that the true cost of the breach is still unknown, and that the breach could affect its deal with Verizon 2016-11-10 13:00 3KB www.computerweekly.com 44 1.4 : Anniversary iPhone to get OLED screen Forget the iPhone 7, it's the iPhone 8 which you'll be more interested in. Set for a 2017 release date to celebrate the iPhone's 10th anniversary, here's what the rumours say about the iPhone 8 UK release date, features and specs. 2016-11-10 12:55 12KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

45 1.0 : Excellent Bluetooth headphones which are just a little pricey B&W’s P7 headphones have been around for several years, and now the company has cut the cord to make the P7 Wireless. Here’s our B&W P7 Wireless review. 2016-11-10 12:53 6KB www.pcadvisor.co.uk

46 0.0 A CIO rejects, for now, university’s IT offshoring plan There are reservations within the University of California system about a plan to move IT work offshore and lay off employees. 2016-11-10 12:52 5KB www.itnews.com

47 0.3 In Trump, an M&A watchdog with more bite Brenon Daly, research director, Financials at 451 Research, argues that foreign takeovers of US tech companies will be placed under greater scrutiny after Donald Trump takes the Oval Office,Cloud and Infrastructure,Government,Mergers and Acquisitions ,Cloud,Government,Acquisition 2016-11-10 12:50 987Bytes www.computing.co.uk

48 4.5 IBM Watson, Topcoder bring AI capabilities to more than 1 million developers IBM announced a partnership with Topcoder to allow a greater community of developers can tap into Watson technology 2016-11-10 12:44 3KB sdtimes.com

49 2.6 The best messaging apps with end-to-end encryption If you want to keep prying eyes away from your conversations, then these are the apps that you need to get. 2016-11-10 12:27 5KB www.computerworld.com

50 1.7 40-plus eye-popping Black Friday 2016 tech deals Walmart, Best Buy, Target and other big retailers are slashing prices left and right for Black Friday 2016 on electronics from Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and others. 2016-11-10 12:24 9KB www.itnews.com

51 3.5 Suspected Russian hackers target U. S. think tanks after election Hours after Donald Trump won the presidential election, a suspected Russian cyberespionage team was blamed for targeting several U. S. think tanks with phishing emails designed to fool victims into installing malware. 2016-11-10 12:18 3KB www.computerworld.com 52 2.7 Government must tread carefully on AI ethics Science advisor Mark Walport has raised concerns around transparency, accountability, and personal security with regard to the use of artificial intelligence by the government 2016-11-10 12:15 2KB www.computerweekly.com

53 3.8 Enermax Ostrog Lite joins the compact-ATX party Enermax has expanded its Ostrog line of budget-friendly cases with the Ostrog Lite , a steel mid-tower case designed to swallow up... 2016-11-10 12:08 1KB techreport.com

54 1.5 ConnectWise CEO: MSPs Have Become Sort Of 'Complacent,' Must Get Into Managed Security - Page: 1 MSPs should work to monetize their security offerings since customers will turn to them first in the event of a security breach, Arnie Bellini tells IT Nation 2016 attendees. 2016-11-10 12:07 3KB www.crn.com Articles

DC5m United States IT in english 54 articles, created at 2016-11-11 00:03

1 /54 (1.02/2) 0.0 Google Daydream VR on sale in the UK for £69 Google's Daydream View virtual reality (VR) headset is now available on the UK high street in time for the Christmas rush. Currently compatible only with the Google Pixel and Pixel XL , the device is also now on sale in the US, Canada, Germany and Australia.

The headset costs £69 in the UK and can be picked up from Google Play and Carphone Warehouse. EE will also sell the fabric-coated wearable.

"With Daydream View and a Daydream-ready phone like Pixel you'll be able to kick back in your personal cinema, explore new worlds and get in the game like never before," Google said.

The Daydream View is 30 per cent lighter than other smartphone-powered VR headsets, according to Google, and is easier to use. The handset automatically switches to VR mode when the latch is opened and a Daydream-compatible phone is inserted.

Once you've strapped the Daydream View to your face, you can navigate around Google's Daydream platform, which offers content from the likes of The New York Times , CNN, IMAX and developers Electronic Arts and Ubisoft, which you'll find at the firm's Oculus-style VR marketplace.

Google's latest post touted Hulu VR, YouTube VR, Google Play Movies and Street View as some of the apps coming to Daydream in the next few weeks.

Daydream View, which follows the success of the firm's Cardboard viewer, also comes with a Wii-style handheld controller for more immersive experiences, which fits inside the headset so you don't lose it.

The Google Daydream View will launch initially in a 'Slate' model, and 'Snow' (white) and 'Crimson' (red) models will arrive later this year. : Hands-on with the new Google VR headset, now on sale in the UK pcadvisor.co.uk

2016-11-10 15:54 Carly Page www.computing.co.uk

2 /54 3.3 Watch out for the iPhone’s 911 bug A security researcher has discovered a bug in the iOS WebView that will allow an attacker to force an iPhone to dial any number and lock the phone’s interface so that the outgoing call can’t be cancelled.

The issue has been raised by Collin Mulliner , who encountered a similar bug in the Safari browser in 2008 which was then fixed in the iOS 3 update. Mulliner decided to look back into the bug, he said, after reading a news story about a teenager who was arrested for apparently inadvertently exploiting a similar bug to flood 911 call centers across the US with calls.

Mulliner found that the bug is slightly different to the one he uncovered in 2008 but believes he’s discovered how it works.

The bug is first initiated when an iPhone user clicks a malicious link posted within apps such as Twitter and LinkedIn, which use the iOS WebView component to open an in-app web page rather than an external browser like Safari or Chrome.

The link takes the user to a webpage which forces the iPhone to dial the number embedded there and the page repeatedly reloads, freezing the device and making it impossible to cancel the call.

The reason the iPhone is forced to dial the number is because the links in these apps are opened by WebView which auto-dials embedded numbers, unlike Safari which solved the previous iteration of the bug by asking the user via a pop up if they want to dial a number first.

Exploiting the bug to DoS 911 call centers is certainly terrible, but Mulliner warns its not the only possible use of it, suggesting that such links could also take users to webpages embedded with expensive 900 numbers which would allow attackers to make money from victims.

He even theorizes that a stalker could send a link embedded with their own number to their victim in order to force a call which would then provide the stalker with the victim’s number.

In a blog post, Mulliner states he’s reported the bug to Apple but has also contacted LinkedIn and Twitter with his findings as he believes that app developers at that very least can review their use of WebView until Apple is able to change its default behavior. We hope they issue a patch quickly, it doesn't sound like this cloud has any silver linings.

Mulliner has posted a video of the bug in action, which you can watch below:

2016-11-10 18:01 Emma Boyle feedproxy.google.com

3 /54 6.0 Top 50 best free games you should play today Building a PC designed to challenge the limits of the latest consoles can be next to impossible while still maintaining a modest budget. By the time you’ve invested all you can in hardware, the games themselves may be financially out of reach. Then again, who says the best things in life aren’t free?

It’s 2016, and though full-price triple-A games resting on the shelves of your local game shop are not a rare find, you don’t have to break the bank to experience the latest from major publishers like EA and even Ubisoft. Plenty of games are free-to-play (albeit chock-full of microtransactions) while others, such as Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon for the time being, avoid charging altogether.

On our list, though, it isn't just newly released games that made the cut. In fact, we've arranged a variety of distinct gaming titles, covering everything from Team Fortress 2 to Runescape. As we've patiently managed to decide, here's our selection of the best free games money can’t buy. Two years before Destiny, back in 2012, we had Planetside 2. It's an epic, all-out first-person battle so impressive, you'll give yourself a quick pinch every time you remember it's completely free. There are in-game purchases of course, but you can still dive into gaming's biggest ever battlefield and be useful with just default gear.

There's simply nothing like taking part in a massed assault on an enemy base and coming out on top, or living in a world where an enemy convoy could appear on the horizon at any second. If you need any proof that 'free' doesn't mean uninspired, Planetside 2 will provide it.

The Dota universe may have derived from a Wacraft 3 mod, but Dota 2 is very much its own entity, not to mention one of the most popular free-to-play games.

This top-down arena battler is incredibly active, attracting multi-million dollar prize funds for serious tournament players. It's not just for obsessives, though. A brief tutorial now points out the ropes, with the Steam Community stepping in to provide guides to the original MOBA. Don't expect a warm welcome or easy learning curve from its sophisticated gameplay mechanics, but bring a few friends and Dota 2 will have you hooked on one of the biggest crazes in PC history.

There's only one thing you can count on in life apart from death and taxes: jetpacks rule. And Tribes: Ascend is the world's premiere online jetpack shooter. Don your jetpack and launch into battle across huge maps, with weapons that take real skill just to land a hit – never mind a kill.

Tribes: Ascend is fast, furious, and absolutely brilliant, and there's no reason to spend any money in the in-game shop if you simply want to hold your own in battle. Though there's plenty of stuff to buy if you do fancy splashing some cash…

You can pay to unlock more classes, weapons and perks, but if you're going to keep it casual you can still have loads of fun with Tribes: Ascend.

In the style of Diablo III, Path of Exile is a dungeon crawler a bit different from most free-to-play games out there. It's not just about whacking real life people until they scream at you in shrill pubescent tones through their Skype headsets.

It's more of a slow-burner than a multiplayer blaster, but give it time and you may well fall in love with this free-to-play loot-gathering hit. There are hidden depths that you only uncover after playing for hours (and hours), and a huge skill tree to slowly pick away at. There are no game- ruining things like real money auction houses here, either.

Instead, even basic loot can be useful because there's always an opportunity to enhance even the simplest weapon with magic. If you got tired of the grind of Diablo III, it's a good one to check out.

Pick your champion and head into battle in this amazing free-to-play game from the creators of Dota. League of Legends' automated matchmaking, range of characters and excellent maps have made it a multiplayer star over the last year, and one well worth a play.

It's a very aggressive game to play, but one that rewards good teamwork and careful tactics. Don't expect to master it overnight, but it won't be long before you're having fun.

Like Dota 2, League of Legends attracts many high-end players, and the top tournaments offer prize pools of over £1,000,000. The weird world of e-sports, eh?

Ever played Magic the Gathering, the card game? Hearthstone is Blizzard's attempt at making an online free-to-play alternative to it.

And in typical Blizzard fashion, it's excellent. It's immediately inviting, lacking the terrifying learning curve you might expect from an online fantasy card game. Hearthstone plays quickly, boasts a very casual visual approach, and benefits from a basic rule set, all of which adds up to a very accessible card battler that will give you hours of enjoyment.

Despite being accessible, it's still quite challenging as well, especially if you're up against an opponent that plays their cards right.

There's one other alternative to Hearthstone we need to mention, too, and that's Might & Magic: Duel of Champions. It initially seems a bit less approachable, with a less glossy look and feel that resembles card battling's roots, but there's actually a bit less grind involved in the game.

That means a bit less of the casino-effect visual hit when you win, but it won't sap your time in quite the same way either. Unless that's what you're after.

Where's the official Magic: The Gathering take on the fantasy card battler? There is one, called Magic Online, but as there's real money involved it's anything but free.

Taking over from the original Star Wars MMORPG Star Wars Galaxies in 2011, Star Wars: The Old Republic was not free at release at first. But it has since, like so many games of this kind, adopted the free-to-play model. If you want to get Sith kicks, this is the best way to get them for free.

However, subscriptions are still available, giving you more in-game potential. All the story missions are available without a sub – they just might take you that bit longer.

It's worth the download simply to experience the Star Wars universe from different perspectives, like the hyper-professional Imperial Agent and Bounty Hunter. If you want to go with the dull option and just have a generic Jedi Knight, though, that's fine too.

When Xbox head Phil Spencer said he was going to bring the console's best franchises to the PC, he wasn't joking around. Among these notable series is Forza Motorsport.

Shunned by autosport enthusiasts and embraced by gamers, Forza Motorsport may seem like an arcadey offshoot of its biggest rival on PlayStation, but it consistently looks and feels superb nonetheless.

Forza Apex in particular, while not a complete game due to its prominently displayed Beta status in the Windows 10 Store, is a free-to-play dilution of its Xbox One counterpart. But, with a 4K- ready gaming PC, this is more like a revolution than a dilution.

Rare's classic fighting series Killer Instinct may not be the household name it once was, but the ability to play one character for free is enticing nonetheless.

What's more, characters can be purchased a la carte as downloadable content, which means you don't have to shell out a wad of cash unnecessarily for characters you'll never play. And, for the Xbox fans out there, this game is essentially Microsoft's equivalent of Super Smash Bros. and PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale since you can pick up numerous Xbox mascots. These include Arbiter (Halo), Rash (Battletoads) and General RAAM (Gears of War) in addition to a growing catalog of Killer Instinct-specific characters.

While Killer Instinct isn't as popular with the Fighting Game Community, there is a certain novelty of being able to control these classic Xbox-derived characters, and on PC at that.

World of Tanks is a different kind of MMO – the clue being in the title. Team-based, massively multiplayer action with a huge range of war machines to drive into battle awaits, with new players able to join the action immediately.

An upgrade system adds a sense of personalisation, while being surrounded by a whole army constantly reminds you that loners don't do well on the battlefield. Get sucked in, though, and you may find you end up spending a chunk of your wages on great big chunks of virtual metal. While some premium tanks cost just a few pounds, others tip above £30. You can see where maker Wargaming is going to earn some cash from World of Tanks enthusiasts.

Think World of Tanks is a bit too arcade-like for your tastes? You need to try out War Thunder. Despite being lesser-known, it's a great alternative to that tank battler. And for an extra sweetener, it throws airplanes into the mix too. As you might expect, they're a great deal of fun.

With a fast enough PC, War Thunder offers visual quality you don't see too often in free-to-play games. You will need to pay some cash to get hold of the more interesting planes and tanks early on, but getting Battlefield-like play for free sounds like a good deal to us.

There are arcade and historical battles on offer – the former is great for a more casual blast while historical battles are more for players with a few hours on their flight card.

Though its future was briefly uncertain after the sale of Sony's online entertainment division in February 2015, Everquest has returned better than ever with new expansion packs and continued support by Daybreak Game Company.

The first of its kind to commercially succeed with a 3D game engine, EverQuest was released in 1999 as an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) and has since been documented as one of the most important games in the medium's history.

Featuring consistently released expansion packs (quite massive in scale, at least early on) with vast new areas, races and classes, EverQuest brings to the table just about everything you would expect from an MMO – plus it's notably better at handling co-op than its alternatives.

While it's no World of Warcraft in terms of whether your friends are still playing it, Rift had its moment – and it's still having it depending on who you ask. It added innovation in a genre that was experiencing little, letting you change your class whenever you feel like it.

The whole game is focused on separating giant boss battles and events that occupy entire zones. It's ambitious, exciting and huge with a dozen inter-dimensional rifts that keep things fresh and unique from other games in the genre. The flood of enemies unleashed by these almost unceasingly are what prevent Rift from ever truly getting stale.

Plus, holy shit, you can ride on a landshark.

Runescape is one of the biggest free-to-play MMOs out there, and now would be a good time to take a look. In 2013 it entered its third reboot – this is actually 'Runescape 3', although just jumping in now you might not appreciate it has been around in one form or another for more than 10 years.

It's certainly not the shiniest MMO in the world despite the revamp, but hanging onto this many players shows it's doing something right. The big change introduced in Runescape 3 that made it appear a lot more modern was the ability to see much further – in Runescape 2 the horizon quickly gave way to fog. Not so now.

You can download the game or run it in your browser using Java, making it much more convenient than most other online role-players of this epic scale.

If the bleak appearance typically associated with MMORPGs is a turn-off for you, you'll be delighted to see that Maplestory takes the traditional art style of the genre and turns it on its head. Described by its developer as the original 2D side-scrolling MMO, Nexon's Maplestory takes the age-old Dungeon & Dragons-inspired genre and makes it kawaii.

The customization and lighter tone of Maplestory makes it feel more like a Harvest Moon MMO than something like Rift or World of Warcraft. It's also more focused on improving cosmetics than many other MMOs, giving players distinct control over their character's look and style.

There are even in-game weddings and dinosaurs that play guitar. Honestly the only thing we're missing here is a soundtrack composed by Oasis.

If you're into third-person co-operative shooters, Warfarme is one of the best free games out there. After joining one of three factions: Tenno, Grineer or Corpos, your soldier is decked out in a Crysis-styled exosuit and equipped with guns or melee weapons. Better looking than your average free-to-play shooter, much fun can be had in Warframe's player-vs-enemy raids — so much so that some gamers see it as, "The Destiny that never was". High praise indeed.

Gods from around the world get together to battle it out in a Dota/MOBA inspired clash of divine vengeance in this effort. Despite Smite's obvious inspirations, it comes from the same developer that made FPS smash Tribes Ascend – a completely different beast.

The camera is behind the characters this time, making for a more direct connection to the action than simply guiding your lord around with a mouse, but the premise will be either familiar if you've played its inspirations, or a way to get the feel for the style if you haven't. Gods include Zeus, Thor, Kali, Artemis and... Cupid? Well, at least he has his own bow…

Many MMOs are being launched or relaunched as free-to-play at the moment, but Lord of the Rings Online is one of the titles that most warrants a second look. Not only is it an excellent game in its own right, it's one of the more mature MMOs out there.

You will likely have to pay eventually, if only to unlock adventure packs, but there's no subscription fee and nothing to buy up-front. If you missed it at launch, it's time to give it a try.

Without seeing more than a few screenshots, you might think Wildstar is a new IP from Ratchet & Clank developer Insomniac Games. It's colorful and cartoony enough to sit alongside the same catalog as Spyro, but this is no casual free-to-play MMO, which may be the reason it didn't do as well as expected sales-wise.

If you like Blizzard games, such as World of Warcraft, Wildstar will undoubtedly quench your thirst since many of its developers at Carbine Studios came from the beloved Activision Blizzard subsidiary. Despite not landing as "the next evolution of the modern MMORPG," according to its IGN review, Wildstar holds its own as a traditional MMO that, before going free-to-play, had a unique subscription method based on actual player progress along with some colorfully stylized graphics.

The officially licensed Battlestar Galactica MMO is dope, not only because it's among the most visually pleasing browser games, but it's also entirely free to play. Now, we know what you're thinking: usually the words 'free-to-play' are accompanied by a game that, in reality, is pay to win. And, while there are optional in-game purchases to be had here, they're just that – optional. The story in this rendition of Battlestar Galactica is simple. The Galactica and the Cylons have been shot into an unfamiliar part of space by some unknown piece of tech. With both factions engaging in combat over outposts and control points, you can play as either one. The gameplay itself, on the other hand, requires both navigation around ships and an abundance of mouse- based space combat and mining.

Blacklight: Retribution may not be as free as it was before it arrived on PS4 , but it's still a damn fun and affordable way to play an FPS. Almost like a free-to-play Titanfall, Blacklight: Retribution has no single-player mode to offer and takes place in a futuristic Cyberpunk setting complete with fan-favorite modes like Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Domination, King of the Hill and Kill Confirmed.

Featuring customizable weapons and mechs, of course, Blacklight: Retribution is a fun, free and safe way to let off steam after that 9 to 5. Plus, with over 1 million registered players and counting, there's bound to me no shortage of teammates (and rivals) to join up with.

As it's been in beta since 2012 with little to no marketing push, you may have forgotten about Hawken or were unfamiliar with it in the first place. Most notably, Hawken is a game about mechs. But, not just any mechs – fast mechs. These are your average slow, lumbering tanks of MechWarrior Online. These are more comparable to the Exoskeletons of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.

Of course, being a free-to-play game, you can expect to pay for upgrades to your starter mech. However, you can still get a taste for Hawken without spending a dime. Plus, attach an Oculus Rift and you can see for yourself what VR games have in store for you. Admit it, you've wanted to know what it's feels like to power a mech for yourself since Pacific Rim came out.

Although it quickly fell off the face of the Earth, Evolve was removed from Steam and re-released back into beta a year and a half after its initial release. It was then that the follow-up from Left 4 Dead developer Turtle Rock was slashed by 100 percent with a new name: Evolve Stage 2.

Despite going free-to-play, the game's core structure remains intact. It's a game of humans vs. zombies, err, monsters, a new twist on a beloved pastime. A team of four players, called hunters, is pitted up against a single monster, with each hunter assigned their own class. Of course, with four players taking on one, there is a unique catch: hence the game's title, monsters start out at a basic level but evolve over time by killing and consuming wildlife in nearby areas.

Evolve cost $40 before, so rest assured you'll get access to a game that looks triple-A, even if much of the content is locked behind a paywall. Nevertheless you can give it a shot for yourself for the nominal cost of $0 on Steam.

Played Skyrim or Oblivion? You should at least give the classic The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall a nod. This 1990s RPG is a precursor to those incredibly popular RPGs, and is a bit of a classic in its own right.

Its game world is many times the size of any of its successors, and indeed it's the size of a continent, one absolutely packed with atmosphere. You might not all be able to stomach the old- fashioned visuals, but it's worth investigating if you want to see where Skyrim came from.

It's available direct from Bethesda. The publisher started offering it for free to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the game. As if we didn't feel old enough already.

Marvel Heroes is quite obviously Gazillion Entertainment's response to DC Universe Online. It's a 2-in-1 experience, blending elements of both MMOs and RPGs and featuring characters from a wide range of Marvel franchises. According to its Steam description, you can play as characters from the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-men "and more" with villains such as Dr. Doom, Loki and Magneto present at the helm.

If, after seeing the latest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you want to revisit these characters interactively, the Marvel Heroes MMO-ARPG is the way to go, packing PvP, weapon and armor crafting and just about everything else you would expect from the genre at this point. It even features Blizzard talent, like from David Brevik, creator of the original Diablo and its sequel.

Keep in mind while playing, though, that while Wolfenstein 3D was impressive for its time, it's probably not what you would expect from a first-person shooter of today's standards. Nonetheless, it's an easy and free way to experience game history in an old-school World War II game rich with narrative about, well, shooting Nazis in the face. Don't expect to be blown away by the story in the same way as the Wolfenstein franchise's more recent entries.

Though maybe not as loose on the rules as Dan Marshall's Behold the Kickmen , Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 myClub makes the soccer/football sim experience of the popular PES series more accessible than ever. At the click of a mouse, PES 2016 myClub can be installed via Steam with no hassle. Although stripped of its online components, the free-to-play edition of PES 2016 pairs offline Exhibition Match and Training modes.

The game is upgradeable to a full version of PES 2016 if you're so inclined, but you can get a taste of the realistic sports sim at a nominal cost. Though it may not be up to par with FIFA in terms of content, Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 myClub is visually and mechanically impressive in its own right, making it one of the best free-to-play sports games on the market.

It may be an old vet in gaming terms, but nothing offers so much crazy fun as Team Fortress 2. Unlike most shooters of its age, players are still there to have a good time rather than hurl abuse at newcomers, and there's no shortage of cool toys to have fun with. Endlessly silly and amazingly fresh, it's still one of the shooter genre's kings, free-to-play or not.

As you might guess, there are some micro-transactions involved. You can buy additional items, often used to customise your character. You can create your own. It's fun, and gets you even more involved in TF2. Those cheeky devils at Valve know what they're doing.

Like OlliOlli meets Journey with the art style of Monument Valley, Alto's Adventure is still an underground treat well after its February 2015 release date on iOS and Android. The Windows 10 version, however, is stacked with Xbox achievements allowing you to boost your Gamerscore without the need to exert a great deal of energy.

On the surface, Alto's Adventure is a 2D endless snowboarder with an elegant art style and a charming musical score. If it weren't for the video ads interrupting nearly every time you make a mistake, it would be an unceasingly relaxing adventure too. Unfortunately, though, it doesn't look like you can opt out of the pestering Gameloft trailers playing intermittently between falls, even if you don't mind shelling out a few bucks.

Nevertheless, between the luscious environments and the impressive day/night sequences, Alto's Adventure is an undeniably lethargic experience. Even if you find that you're constantly stumbling at the hand of your board, the frustration is more of a slight nuisance than a deal- breaker considering everything else Alto's Adventure has to offer.

Another title in Ubisoft's growing catalog of free-to-play titles, The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot is exactly what it sounds like – "Diablo meets Dungeon Keeper," according to our friends at PC Gamer.

Designed to take advantage of looting systems popularized by other games in the ARPG hack- and-slash genre, Mighty Quest has players rushing to be the best. Have the best armor, the best weapons, monsters, traps, potions and skills. While, for this reason, MQFEL has been criticized for being a pay-to-win game under the guise of an addictive Diablo clone.

Regardless, as long as you're responsible enough with your wallet, The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot is worth at least trying out. Who knows, maybe you'll enjoy the challenge of getting the best loot without handing over a small fortune.

Magic: The Gathering is fun, right? But what if you could play it from the comfort of your PC? Fortunately, that's possible thanks to Magic Duels. Whether you're a first-time player or a 20-year vet, Duels lets you do everything the card game does and more. While over 300 new cards are advertised as being attainable throughout the game, there's also a unique story mode where you can experience Magic like never before.

If narrative in your card games isn't your cup of tea, there's also a Battle Mode in which you can challenge your friends, a four-player Two-Headed Giant battle and even an offline solo mode you can use for practice against AI.

Though it's yet another free-to-play MMO on this list, DC Universe Online takes characters like Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and more into a massive (and shared) public world. Choose whether you want to be a member of the Hero or Villain faction then customize your character and you'll be sent out into the world of DC Universe Online at the hands of Daybreak Game Company.

After some training, the game assigns you a position as either a member of the Justice League or The Society depending on your choice of hero or villain. Unlike other MMOs on this list and outside it, DC Universe Online is designed to be much more interactive while still retaining traditional MMORPG elements such as leveling, raiding, inventories and post-game progression. Favorably, it's not difficult to play without using real-world currency too.

It’s not hard to see why Paladins catches a lot of flack for its resemblance to Overwatch. At the same time, the team-based shooter bears many distinctions from that of Blizzard’s. Abilities are upgraded based on a collectible card system, which can completely change the way each character plays.

What’s more, unlike Overwatch, Paladins is completely free-to-play. While cosmetic items are available to buy using real-world currency, everything else can be unlocked simply by playing the game. For instance, you’ll start Paladins with a single deck of basic cards, and from there, more dramatically impactful decks can be unlocked.

Regardless of how you choose to play Paladins, you’ll get XP as you play. As long as you’re completing the daily quests and achievements featured in the game, you’ll be rewarded with Radiant Chests and Gold. These can be used to purchase more cards, costumes and weapon skins to make your characters more unique and skillful on the battlefield.

Described as a "Free-to-Play AAA MMO Shooter" by its developer Red 5 Studios, Firefall draws heavy influence from shooters and open-world MMOs alike. The game downloads complete with five different character classes and both PvP (player versus player) and PvE (player versus environment) modes. You can now get Spelunky on all sorts of platforms – it's pretty high-profile for an indie title. But it began its life PC-exclusive, and its original 'non HD' Classic version you can still get for free today.

The catch is that every time you play, the entire game is randomized. In one game you'll stumble through screen after screen of spiked horrors and swarming monsters; in the next, the software will bend over backwards to give you gold and help you on your way.

You learn how each randomized world ticks and which equipment will give you a fighting chance. And then you'll die some more. And scream. And restart. Again.

As an MMO, Neverwinter sets a high standard for itself as it's based on perhaps the most iconic role-playing game of all-time, Dungeons & Dragons. Like everything else in the Dungeons and Dragons universe, the game takes place in Forgotten Realms, specifically, as the name suggests, in Neverwinter.

Featuring eight character classes with groups of up to five players supported, Neverwinter is based on the fourth-generation rules of Dungeons & Dragons. However, the rules are slightly modified, letting players heal their allies in addition to allowing for the use of special abilities in combat after racking up enough action points. And, if you'd rather play on a console, you'll be pleased to know Neverwinter is currently out on Xbox One with a PS4 release slated for Summer 2016.

Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun got a bad rap at its original release back in 1999. It was too slow and buggy, people said, but many of the issues were patched out. If you remember turning your nose up, it's time to take another look.

EA made the game freeware to celebrate the release of Command & Conquer 4 back in 2010. It didn't work too well – C&C 4 hardly resurrected the brand.

In standard EA fashion, Tiberian Sun is no longer widely available from Origin, the EA Steam equivalent, but you can still find the freeware installer package for the game and its expansion online .

For years now, developers have tried and failed to adapt multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games for the TV. Now, however, if you're one of many with a computer tucked under your living room entertainment setup, Paragon may be the MOBA you've been searching for.

Also available on the PlayStation 4, Paragon takes what League of Legends and Dota players have enjoyed for years and optimizes it for consoles and entertainment rigs by rotating the camera behind your character. By inciting the illusion of a traditional third-person competitive shooter, Paragon aims to broaden the appeal of not only MOBAs, but eSports as a whole.

The asymmetrical maps, team-based base destruction and "hero" system are all intact. Paragon is a MOBA for newcomers, and best of all, it's free-to-play.

Most MMOs let you say what you want in your own native tongue. Not Puzzle Pirates. This adorably decorated MMO, like its title suggests, is about solving puzzles as a pirate. And, rather than asking your first mate, "What's up? ", you're encouraged to use phrases like "Yarr, matey! " Otherwise, you might end up walking the plank.

In the game, you can join a crew, improve your rank and more all while speaking pirate lingo and developing new relationships. Fundamentally, you're on the search for currency from enemy ships known as "pieces of eight. " However, less expected is that in order to achieve that, you'll need to solve puzzles in order to sail and protect your crew's ship.

To be over thirteen years old, Puzzle Pirates still holds up… unless you want it on iPad, as the developer (Three Rings Design) announced back in 2013 that it would stop supporting Apple's tablet platform. Now you can get the multiplayer portion of Puzzle Pirates for free on Steam; a single-player mode no longer exists because of the discontinuation of the CD-ROM version of the game. Nevertheless, at least there's no reason to pirate it.

The question of whether games are art or not is a dull debate that has raged on for years. But making you terrified from one minute to the next is an art in itself. An art Slender has down.

Although it's just a simple 3D exploration jaunt where you look for eight pages seemingly scribbled by the Slender Man's victims, this game is terrifying. Our monster in this little slice of horror is a tall faceless man who stalks you, hunts you.

Set in a dark forest with nothing but a flashlight to keep you company, if this doesn't give you chills, nothing else on this list will. Once you've completed the Eight Pages, you can also check out the slightly beefier horror-adventure Slender: The Arrival. It's not free, but is a good way to test your nerve.

Inspiring the creation of Minecraft was no small feat for 2D sandbox game Dwarf Fortress. Dubbed a construction and management simulator, Dwarf Fortress takes simple text-based graphics into a more modern, 2006 piece of software. The game is often classified as a cult classic because of its open-ended nature and serving as one of the most iconic examples of a procedurally generated roguelike.

This means Dwarf Fortress both randomizes its environments and makes the game's permadeath system a much more difficult problem to avoid. This led to the unofficial slogan for the game "Losing is fun," which was either ironic or an accurate description of what happens in the game. Tough to say either way.

One thing's for sure, though. If you want to experience an important part of games history, Dwarf Fortress is a solid start, as it was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City back in 2013. Can't say that for a lot of free-to-play games.

Remember the excitement of logging into your first BBS? What if you'd found something more than just files and chatter and naked pictures of assorted Star Trek actresses?

To explain Digital: A Love Story would be giving away too much, so let's just say that it's a great nostalgia trip with a bit of future-gazing thrown in for free. Played out entirely on 1988-style bulletin boards, it starts when you respond to an email from a lonely sounding girl called Emilia.

The relationship plays out as a hacker's romance as you jump between BBS systems to uncover a conspiracy, mostly interacting by firing off emails to the characters. You never get to see what you've said, only the responses, which adds an unusual but effective disconnect to the conversations.

It's not a long game – only an hour or so of action at most – but it's a testament to the writing that you quickly get sucked into what is basically just typing out a lot of phone numbers. The authentic sounding music and sound effects help: the sweet siren song of a modem connecting still sends a chill down the spine.

If you're more interested in the property management systems of Fallout 4 rather than the overwhelming majority of the role-playing game's content, Fallout Shelter is a great place to start. Up until recently, the simulation game was limited to mobile platforms Android and iOS. However, with the introduction of Quests in version 1.6 of Fallout Shelter, Bethesda Softworks also felt the need to port the game to PC by way of the Bethesda.net client .

All in all, Fallout Shelter doesn't feel much different on PC, and that's undoubtedly a good thing. Mouse controls work well in place of a touchscreen, graphics are optimized even for low-end hardware and with windowed mode enabled by default, it's easy to find yourself caring after your vault residents during your downtime at work. With an indisputably manageable price point (free), Fallout Shelter could very well become the next Solitaire in your office or at school.

Sure, if you like what you play in the first episode, you'll have to pay money for the remaining four, but Life Is Strange is undeniably a game worth experiencing. Full disclosure, it's not exactly a game in the traditional sense, but rather it's more of an interactive movie. The game's outcomes are the result of the choices you make as Max Caulfield, a high school photography student who discovers she has the ability to alter time.

Along the way, you'll become deeply entrenched in Max's social life, specifically in her relationship with her childhood best friend (and blue-haired punk) Chloe Price as well as movie nerd Warren Graham and criminal prep Nathan Prescott. There's nothing like a solid cast of characters to get you hooked on a point-and-click adventure game, but any more said about Life Is Strange would border spoiler territory. In other words, play the first episode and get a taste for it yourself, absolutely free of charge.

Old Game Boy games port extremely well to browsers and the building blocks game of yesteryear is no exception. Tetris works on the same premise as its much older sibling albeit with a splash of colour and you'll surprise yourself by how easy it still is.

That's until the blocks start stacking up and before you know it, it's game over. There's no elaborate back story to Tetris except that it's about making sure you eliminate the bricks before they stack up. Surely there's metaphor in there somewhere?

Where Nintendo GameBoy games do well online, the same can be said for the ones that used to be magically built into tables like Asteroids. Nothing has changed from the old version of Asteroids to this one with the aim still to break up the pieces of rock using your spacecraft and to avoid being destroyed by UFOs.

The arrow keys make it even easier to play than with a sticky joystick and buttons that have been scarred by years of spilled beers.

Crazy golf doesn't just have to be something reserved for seaside outings thanks to the quirky 18 Hole Crazy Golf .

The levels start off very easy but get progressively harder so that you're attempting to get past all manner of obstacles including bunkers with nothing more than a trusty putter and golf ball. There's really nothing more to it than that.

Makes no bones about it. The original Mortal Kombat set a standard along with Street Fighter for the fighting genre and it's the fully old school version of Mortal Kombat that you will find here. Anyone that played Mortal Kombat way back when will recognise the soundtrack and the character names of Scorpion, Sub Zero et al. No fancy graphics have been added at all and the game feels slightly slow these days but nostalgia-wise this title still holds significant value.

Real-time Strategy (RTS) games don't come much grander than those in the Total War series, and the latest entrant, Battles Kingdom, is free-to-play. Currently in open beta on the PC, it's also available to play on iOS and Android, so you can pick up where you left off when you're away from your battlestation. Set at the turn of the 10th Century, Battles Kingdom combines army management with kingdom building to deliver a bite-sized RTS game you can pick up and play anywhere, anytime.

2016-11-10 17:27 By feedproxy.google.com

4 /54 0.6 : Prevent a failed Windows update installing Although Windows updates can bring good things, they can be really annoying - and can even prevent you from using your computer if they fail to install. Here's how to stop updates in Windows 10.

If, like most people, your computer runs Windows 10 Home, then you have less control over updates. However, Microsoft has realised the error of its ways and in the latest version of Windows 10 you can prevent restarts during your 'Active Hours'. To set these, choose Settings from the Start menu, then Update and Security, then Change Active Hours.

Of course, simply setting Active Hours isn't sufficient to prevent Windows updates getting installed. One of the issues with the forced and automatic updates in Windows 10 is that - on occasion - a broken update will be included and fail to install. When this happens, Windows will try to download and install it each time you shut down or start your PC.

The good news is that you can download an optional tool for Windows 10 called the Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter. There are two versions, one for the Anniversary Update, and one for computers running the November (2015) update.

You install this like any other program after downloading it, by clicking on the downloaded file in your browser, or heading to your downloads folder and double-clicking it.

The troubleshooter should start and show a welcome screen. Click Next to perform a scan and find out which updates can be (temporarily) stopped from installing.

Then, you can click on Hide updates and you'll see a list of the updates which you can stop. Tick the box next to each one you want to stop. It's best to use Google to try to find out which is the troublesome update rather than simply checking them all. The updates bring not only bug fixes and new features but important security patches. Without the latest updates your PC may be left vulnerable.

Click Next and the troubleshooter will do its thing and hopefully show a screen like the one below showing that it has successfully suppressed the update(s).

It's a good idea to keep tabs on when MIcrosoft has fixed the broken update so that you can use the same tool to unhide the update so it can install. The process is the same, as you'd expect. Just use the Show hidden updates option, and select those you want to un-hide:

2016-11-10 17:27 Chris Martin www.pcadvisor.co.uk

5 /54 1.8 : How to track a phone - locate a lost Android, lost iPhone or lost Windows Phone If you've lost your phone it's not necessarily gone forever. But don't wait until you lose it to prepare: you'll need to configure it now to enable you to find a lost Android , iPhone or Windows Phone. Here's how to set up phone tracking and how to find your phone.

Note that the solutions offered in this tutorial will require your phone to be switched on in order to give you an accurate idea of its location, and to access options to remotely lock or wipe it. If your battery runs out or your phone is stolen and switched off, you may be out of luck.

For that reason it's imperative that you back up everything now, just in case you can't get it back. Follow our advice on how to back up Android , how to back up an iPhone and how to back up Windows Phone.

Below we'll consider the options built into each major mobile operating system to explain how to track your lost or stolen phone. For each of these you will need to be signed into either your Google, Apple or Windows account on the phone before you begin.

Some third-party options are also available. Prey is a particularly popular option, available not only for mobile devices but also Windows, OS X and Ubuntu laptops. If you have several devices spanning multiple platforms, it's worth considering an option such as this that lets you track them all from a single interface. Read up on how to track lost laptops and smartphones with Prey.

Updated 10 November 2016 with Find My iPhone updates. Device Manager offers the easiest way to track an Android phone. You don't need to have the app installed on your phone to use it, but you do need to check that your settings are correctly configured before you lose it.

To start using Device Manager, open the Google Settings app (not the phone's own Settings app) and tap on Security. Under Device Manager ensure the options to 'Remotely locate this device' and 'Allow remote lock and erase' are enabled.

Location access also needs to be switched on for Device Manager to work. Once again open the Google Settings app, but this time choose Location. On the next screen tap 'Google Location History' under Location Services, then ensure it's switched on.

You now have two ways of tracking a lost Android phone.

If the phone is switched on and has a signal you'll be able to track it in Device Manager - head to android.com/devicemanager on another device and sign into your Google account. It should automatically find your device and report its location on a map. Also in Device Manager you'll find options to make the phone ring, lock out a suspected thief or wipe its contents.

There is also an Android Device Manager app , which is useful if you have several Android devices to track. It's free from Google Play.

Another option, if your phone is switched off, is to check your location history to find its last reported location. You can do this by visiting google.com/settings/accounthistory and tapping on Manage History under Places you go.

You'll now see a map of all the places in which your device has reported its location during a time period that you specify. The last known location is where Google last saw it before the battery died, and if your luck's in it may still be there.

Note that location history uses Wi-Fi- and mobile signals rather than GPS, so it won't be as accurate as Android Device Manager.

To locate a lost Apple device you need Find My iPhone - but before you lose your iPhone you'll need to ensure it's set up on your device. Just tap on Settings, iCloud, then scroll down to and enable Find My iPhone. Also turn on the option below, which sends your last known location just before your battery dies.

Find My iPhone requires location services to be active, too, which you'll find under Settings, Privacy, Location Services.

Having set up Find My iPhone, you have two ways to track a lost device. Firstly, you can use the free Find My iPhone app on another Apple device to track your phone.

Alternatively, you can sign into your account on a desktop browser at iCloud.com , then tap Find My iPhone.

If you have multiple Apple devices select the one that's been misplaced.

Having selected your phone, Find My iPhone will show you on a map its last known location, and offer options to sound an alarm, lock it or erase its contents.

For a more thorough guide to Find My iPhone see our sister site Macworld: How to use Find My iPhone .

Note: It was recently discovered by CNBC that Apple has filed a patent in order to allow you to remotely switch on a stolen or lost iPhone. Normally, you'll find that you cannot locate your iPhone due to it being switched off, which is often the case when your phone is stolen.

This new technology would allow your phone to remotely be switched on, if it has enough power to transmit GPS location data before it dies of low-power. On the plus side, if a thief wants to factory reset your iPhone they'll need to switch it on, connect it to a computer and in-turn charge the device - allowing you to locate it. The feature hasn't been yet released by Apple, but the prospects are positive in reducing stolen phones being lost forever.

Windows Phone also has its own built-in phone tracker feature. From the home screen swipe to the right to open the apps list, then scroll down to and select Settings.

Scroll down the Settings pane until you find the Privacy section. Here you'll find options for Location and Find my phone. The first should be turned on by default; open the Find my phone option and enable the option to 'Save my phone's location periodically and before the battery runs out to make it easier to find'.

To later find a lost Windows Phone, all you need do is log into your Windows account at account.microsoft.com/devices. Hit 'Find my phone' under the device you're looking to locate.

You'll now see a map onscreen showing you the last place your Windows Phone reported its location. As with Android Device Manager, also here are options to Ring, Lock and Erase.

Follow Marie Brewis on Twitter .

2016-11-10 17:18 Marie Brewis www.pcadvisor.co.uk

6 /54 0.0 | How to play Dishonored 2 at midnight tonight: Dishonored 2 to be released tomorrow, new trailer launched The long awaited sequel to Bethesda's hit 2012 game Dishonored is almost here. Announced at E3 2015, Dishonored 2 is expected this year. Here's what you need to know about the Dishonored 2 release date, price, platforms and more. Plus: new Dishonored 2 screenshots.

Bethesda announced various games at E3 2015 , including Fallout Shelter, Elder Scrolls Legends and Battlecry but Dishonored 2 was undoubtedly one of the biggest announcements of the night. It represented the first time Bethesda had ever held a press conference at E3, and it went down a treat with gamers. Read on to find out more.

You'll also like: 26 most anticipated games of 2016

During the Bethesda E3 2015 press conference, the company announced that Dishonored 2 would arrive in 'Spring 2016' which matched the new Doom release window, too. However, Spring 2016 has come and gone and yet there is no sign of Dishonored 2 - that's because the game has suffered from the same fate as many other blockbuster games and has had its release date pushed back.

Luckily, Bethesda has confirmed that Dishonored 2 will be hitting shelves in the UK (and the rest of the world) tomorrow, 11 November 2016. Dishonored 2 will be available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

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2016-11-10 17:05 Lewis Painter www.pcadvisor.co.uk

10 /54 1.7 | PlayStation 4 Pro UK price and specs: Sony officially releases PS4 Pro, enabling 4K gaming around the world Those of us eagerly awaiting the PS5 might be surprised to learn that the next console to come from Sony will in fact be the 4K PlayStation 4 Pro, which is now available to buy. We delve into the latest PS4 Pro news, which is a mid-generation upgrade offering enhanced graphics performance and 4K output. See also: Best games consoles 2016.

Sony confirmed that the PlayStation 4 Pro was real only days before it was due to take the stage at E3 2016, while also confirming that we wouldn't catch a glimpse of it at E3 2016. Sony Interactive president Andrew House told The Financial Times "It is intended to sit alongside and compliment the standard PS4" and that "we will be selling both [versions] through the life cycle. " The PS4 Pro will offer a full 4K output and offer increased graphical power, and will be compatible with current PS4 games, with most upcoming PS4 games supporting the upgraded console going forward. Not all games will be 4K-enabled though, as it's down to developers to decide how to use the extra computing power. It costs more than the current machine costs, but not as much as previously speculated.

Check out the new Xbox One S , the PS4 Pro's main rival, unveiled during Microsoft's E3 2016 presentation. There's also Microsoft's high-end console, currently named Project Scorpio , due for release in 2017. Don't miss: Best PS4 deals.

While release date rumours about Sony's PlayStation Pro were claiming that it'd be ready to buy before PlayStation VR launches in October, it isn't actually the case. Confirmed by Sony at its PlayStation event on 7 September, the PlayStation 4 Pro wouldn't hit the shelves before PSVR. In fact, the upgraded PlayStation 4 wasn't due to be released until almost a month later, on 10 November 2016. It's now available to buy in the UK via a number of retailers.

But how much does it cost? While many had assumed prior to announcement that the PlayStation 4 Pro, or 'NEO' as it was referred to, would set back high-end gamers more than £500, the reality is that it's more affordable than many expected. How much exactly? The PlayStation 4 Pro will set users back £349 in the UK, and is available to order right now, although orders are backdated at the time of writing.

Where can you order it? Well for those of us in the UK, we have only two options (at the time of writing, anyway!). Excited gamers can head over to GAME right now and order the PS4 Pro for £349.99, or alternatively you can head to Amazon and order the console for the exact same price.

The next console coming from Sony will be the 4K PlayStation 4 Pro, not the PS5 as originally thought. The PS4 Pro is more suited to graphics-heavy games and the likes of VR, with better performance and 4K support. We assume that the upgraded internals of the mid-generation upgrade will negate the need for the secondary box to power the PlayStation VR headset, a requirement for current PS4 owners, although this is yet to be confirmed.

The PS4 Pro can output not only 4K, but also HDR video, both possible thanks to the upgraded GPU featured in the high-end console. The 4K capabilities stretch beyond gameplay, as the likes of Netflix and YouTube are developing 4K-enabled apps for the Pro console, although Blu- Ray UHD discs won't be supported. The graphics provided by the PS4 Pro are fairly impressive when compared to the standard PS4, as the company showcased footage from games inlcuding Spider-Man and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided during its announcement.

However, Sony has confirmed that not all the games will support native 4K resolution. In fact, Sony boss Andrew House told Digital Spy that "I would say the majority will be upscaled – at least based on the game portfolio I have seen to date. "

Microsoft has also weighed in on the lack of a Blu-ray drive with senior Xbox director, Albert Pinello, saying "I would say it's one of the more surprising decisions that they made, given their history with being on the forefront of media transitions like they have. " in an interview with TechRadar.

Update (24/10/2016): Speaking at Sony's San Mateo HQ, PlayStation architect Mark Cerny explained that providing enhanced graphics and increased resolution would mean the hardware had to be doubled. Literally. According to Cerny, the PS4 Pro sports not one but two chips, and when running standard PS4 games, the Pro would only make use of a single chip. However, once a Pro-supported game is opened, the two chips will work in tangent.

“ That gives us an extremely clean way to support the existing 700 titles. We just turn off half the GPU and run it at something quite close to the original GPU.” he said during the presentation. Cerny went into more detail about the PS4 Pro, which can be found in the Digital Foundry write up.

Sony has also boosted the clock rate for the new PS4 Pro, providing gamers with a much more powerful console than is currently available. It also features a larger 1TB hard drive, double the amount of stoage when compared to the standard 500GB PlayStation 4.

Those interested in buying a PlayStation 4 Pro will also benefit from an enhanced PlayStation VR experience, offering cripser scenes, higher frame rates and a generally better virual reality experience than the one provided by the standard PlayStation 4 console.

Weeks before the release of the PS4 Pro, Tripwire Interactive has showcased gameplay from upcoming PS4 game Killing Floor 2 running on the PS4 Pro. The game, already available for PC, is coming to the PS4 with a range of enhancements specifically for the PS4, providing users with an enhanced framerate, graphics and increased resolution. The below video gives fans an idea about the kind of improvements the PS4 Pro will offer when compared to the standard PS4 console:

Fortunately for those who don't want to upgrade to the PS4 Pro, the console will not be getting its own games or exclusive features. From October 2016, every PS4 game will come with a "base" mode and a "Pro" mode, making it compatible with either console. Players will be able to keep the games bought on PS4, and although the Pro supports 4K, the games won't have to.

The good news is that all games that feature a Pro mode will have the above logo, reminiscent of the "Only on PlayStation" badges on PlayStation-only games. The icon, either on the box art or on the PlayStation Store, indicates that the game features enhanced graphics, higher resolution or an improved frame rate. But what about existing games? Sony has confirmed that a number of existing games including Naughty Dog's Uncharted 4 will receive updates in the future enabling support for the PS4 Pro, and while some worried that these updates will be kept behind a paywall, Sony has released a statement claiming that all Pro patches will be free.

Interestingly, the rival Xbox One S console also boasts a 4K output, but it doesn't relate to 4K games - instead, the console is set to offer 4K video playback and nothing more.

Speaking via the PlayStation Blog, Sony has announced that there will be 30 games that take advantage of the beefed-up PlayStation 4 Pro on launch day, with more updates coming before the end of 2016. This means that users will be able to take advantage of the upped resolution, high-definition textures and more as soon as they receive the console once it's released. You can find the list of launch games below:

Follow Lewis Painter on Twitter. 2016-11-10 17:02 Lewis Painter www.pcadvisor.co.uk

11 /54 1.9 Get Secure Online Access with Mobile Connect; Innovative Multi-factor Authentication Eliminating Password Problems Last week we discussed Multi-factor authentication, secure online access, and its benefits. This week we will speak about how TELUS has approached password problems with an exciting new technology – Mobile Connect.

Mobile Connect is a simple single- sign-on technology, intended to give you secure online access to any number of online services using a single digital ID based on your mobile phone. So imagine being unshackled from the burden of having to remember all your different usernames and passwords, and instead being able to use a single way of logging in to your most used sites, with enhanced levels of security and privacy.

This is a global initiative of the GSM Association , which is the industry body representing nearly 800 mobile network operators globally. Successful deployments of this technology around the world, including in France, Spain and Switzerland, have helped ensure the ease of use, compatibility, security and privacy of access to online services.

How will Mobile Connect make a difference to me?

Convenience: Imagine freedom from forgotten username & password situations! Mobile Connect uses your mobile phone number as the login mechanism, combined with a PIN or a biometric. The fact that it is designed as a single way to let you log in to multiple online services means that you don’t have to deal with the pain of remembering different passwords for every single online website.

Privacy: Unlike a username/password system where you could be sharing your email address and opening yourself up to spam and email breaches, you do not share ANY personal information with third parties when using this login method, not even your phone number.

Even the website you are logging into will never see the phone number, and your PIN or biometric will never leave your device.

Security: This technology offers the security elements similar to what you use with your Canadian bank access card, but for the digital world. Even if the worst were to happen and someone stole your phone and tried to use Mobile Connect to access your accounts, they would be denied, as they would need to know your PIN, or replicate your biometric. Many people may know your phone number, but they cannot use that to gain access to your account. If you call your mobile carrier and report your phone stolen or lost, Mobile Connect will immediately cease to work on your stolen or lost phone. You can simply recover your account on a new device and continue to steer clear of password problems without missing a beat. Multi- factor authentication helps ensure that no one will gain backdoor access using “ old hacking strategies.

Control: Mobile Connect allows you to maintain complete control over which online accounts can be accessed using it. For example, if you use it to access your bank account, your utility company account and your insurance company account, you can change your mind at any time and disable the connection between the app and any of those service providers.

Multi-Factor Authentication: Traditional 2 factor authentication relies on the fact you have your mobile device (factor #1-something I have), and that you know your PIN or provide your fingerprint (factor #2-something I know or something I am). Mobile Connect relies on the account status (e.g. active, stolen, lost, etc.) of your phone number as an additional security measure, due to the fact that many consumers tend to notice that their phone is missing quicker than if their wallet was missing.

How can I learn more about this exciting new technology?

TELUS is the first to pilot Mobile Connect in Canada. The pilot allows anyone with a TELUS My Account to log in to the TELUS site to view their account information using Mobile Connect. We are searching for 500 participants to try this technology out and provide their feedback. As a way of saying thanks, we will offer the first 250 participants who use Mobile Connect to successfully log into TELUS.com and complete a short survey at the end of the pilot, a free $20 Starbucks gift card. All questions, suggestions, and forum discussions are welcome, and certainly invaluable. We look forward to hearing from you!

Click here to participate in the Mobile Connect Pilot

This article is one in a series sponsored by TELUS to provide advice and expertise on digital identity management for organizations. For more information, please email [email protected] .

2016-11-10 16:58 www.itworldcanada.com

12 /54 0.0 SAP takes step forward in agile IT support SAP SE has announced the next generation of its in-memory computing platform SAP Hana lineup: SAP Hana 2. The platform will deliver technology updates twice a year in order to support agile IT.

SAP Hana 2 is scheduled to release to customs on Nov. 30, with an express edition available for delivery shortly after. It features four key new features: database management, data management, analytical intelligence, and application development.

With the new database management features, IT organizations can provide business continuity with high availability, security, workload management, and administration enhancements. A new active/active read-enabled option provides IT with secondary systems to off-load read-intensive workloads. In order to combat the growing business needs of handling large chunks of data , SAP Hana 2 uses data management that provides updates to enterprise modeling, data integration, data quality, and tiered storage. This is powered by the SAP enterprise architecture designer web application to manage complex information architectures, and show the potential impact of new technologies before they are implemented.

Analytical intelligence allows developers to use analytical processing engines for text, spatial, graph, and streaming data to embed insight into applications. The predictive analytics library is a new tool for data scientists to use so they can discover new patterns of machine learning. New algorithms in the library include: classification, association, time series, and regression.

With SAP Hana 2, developers will have new functions for application servers, development tools, and languages at their fingertips when building and deploying next-generation applications in application development. This includes a new file processor API for extracting text and metadata.

Additionally, SAP Hana microservices in the cloud are now available through SAP Hybris-as-a- service. New features include text analysis entity extraction, fact extraction, and linguistic analysis to use text data processing in the cloud for application enhancement.

A few months ago, SAP revealed that it would be using SAP Hana to push data warehousing into the cloud .

2016-11-10 16:58 Alex Radu www.itworldcanada.com

13 /54 6.7 Microsoft’s supercharged Surface Book has arrived Microsoft has announced that its new Surface Book with Performance Base is now on sale over in the US, with prices starting at $2,399 (around £1,920, AU$3,160) – plus the Surface Dial has seen pre-orders go live with the accessory costing $100 (around £80, AU$130).

You can purchase the new supercharged Surface Book – which is twice as fast as the original in terms of graphics performance – from Microsoft’s online store or from select Best Buy outlets in the US and Canada.

As mentioned, the base model starts at $2,399 (around £1,920, AU$3,160), coming with a Skylake Core i7 CPU, a discrete GeForce GTX 965M GPU (with 2GB of GDDR5 RAM), 8GB of system memory plus 256GB of storage.

That’s a fairly hefty price of course, and ups the stakes considerably from the original version of the Surface Book which starts at $1,499 (around £1,200, AU$1,980).

If you’ve got the necessary wad of notes to go beyond the basic model, the Surface Book with Performance Base offers a mid-range version that doubles up the system memory and SSD to 16GB/512GB, which will set you back $2,799 (around £2,240, AU$3,690).

And the top-end model keeps the same amount of RAM but doubles the storage again to 1TB, pushing up the price beyond the three grand mark to hit $3,299 (around £2,640, AU$4,350). Note that this last version isn’t actually on sale yet, with its shipping date set for November 28. You can purchase both the other models right now, though, at least in the US (at the time of writing). As to when they’ll hit the UK, well, folks could be in for a bit of a wait (again).

Aside from the extra GPU grunt compared to the original, Microsoft’s other big boasts about this new version of the hybrid are that it benefits from a complete thermal redesign internally for better cooling, and that it offers 16 hours of battery life.

While it’s only the base that’s actually different, unfortunately you can’t buy that on its own to use with your existing Surface Book display.

Also note that as we already mentioned, the Surface Dial accessory can now be pre-ordered from the Microsoft store for $100 (around £80, AU$130), with a ship date of December 15. Although that could move further out, as Microsoft is talking about strong demand for the circular device.

The Surface Dial is, essentially, a peripheral you can place on the touchscreen, turning it like a dial (strangely enough) to do things like choose colors in a paint palette. It was unveiled alongside the company’s Surface Studio all-in-one PC , but is also compatible with the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4.

2016-11-10 16:36 By feedproxy.google.com

14 /54 1.7 : Premium, secure and finally for the consumer as well as businesses By

Henry Burrell | 38 mins ago See full specs

£475

Price comparision from , and manufacturers

When BlackBerry released the DTEK50, its second Android smartphone, in August 2016, it called it ‘the world’s most secure Android smartphone’. What, then, does that make this, the higher-spec DTEK60, BlackBerry’s most premium smartphone to date? Pretty darn secure, as it happens. This phone is that and a surprising amount more, and proof that the company now outsourcing its hardware design isn’t all that bad.

This is a flagship smartphone aimed, as ever, at the enterprise and business, but thankfully one we can recommend to you as a consumer also. Here’s our BlackBerry DTEK60 review.

The DTEK60 is available now from Amazon or direct from BlackBerry in the UK for £475. It is also on sale for the same price, SIM free and unlocked from Carphone Warehouse. We should all accept this is a smartphone from BlackBerry Mk 2. While it still sells three smartphones with physical keyboards at the time of writing, the company is now moving to become better positioned in the Android market and away from its roots. This move started with the Priv , moved into full touchscreen with the DTEK50 and now arrives at this, the slick, business-like DTEK60.

While BlackBerry might struggle with product names these days the DTEK60 is an attractively designed smartphone. Because BlackBerry has handed over design to its partner TCL, the phone bears incredibly close resemblance to both the Alcatel Idol 4s and the Vodafone Smart Platinum 7. It’s futile to be annoyed by this; it’s a solid, slim and uniform smartphone design that will appeal to many in its own understated way, with the familiar silver BlackBerry logo sitting beneath the hard see-through plastic back. Plastic it may be, but premium it remains.

The phone is an ideal weight for an oft-unwieldy 5.5in screen size of smartphone, at 165g (for comparison, that’s 18g heavier than an iPhone 6s ). The screen has thin bezels on the left and right sides, but the slightly protruding silver edges of the device mean it isn’t hard to hold. The left edge has the power/lock button just above the SIM and microSD card tray, while the right side has the volume rocker and BlackBerry’s convenience key, which we will discuss later.

Although not too large a phone to hold at 153.9 x 75.4 x 7mm, what makes it slippery and droppable is its shiny back. It feels like glass but is actually a hardened plastic, and we dropped the device once thanks to this, scratching it somewhat. You’ll probably want a case.

The silver edging on the DTEK60 is attractive, broken only on the top for the headphone jack and the USB-C port and mic on the bottom. Also at the top and bottom are the excellently subtle front facing speakers that also allow sound out from the back, stopping the chassis rattling at louder volumes. The camera bump on the rear protrudes just above a circular fingerprint sensor. This means the device is a pleasing step up in build quality compared to the plastic and rubber of the DTEK50. It represents BlackBerry aspiring to produce a product that is as premium as its classic phones of old while embracing a full touch, Android operating system. Where the DTEK50 felt like an Android pretending to be a BlackBerry, the DTEK60’s high end materials remind us of the glory days of the Bold and the Curve while simultaneously being unmistakably Android.

The DTEK60 improves on the DTEK50 in specs as well as looks. It has Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor, the same one found in the US Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and the OnePlus 3. It pairs that with 4GB RAM and an Adreno 30 GPU. It runs very smoothly, but still a touch slower than those two phones.

Frustratingly, despite our best efforts, we could not run our usual Geekbench and GFXBench benchmark tests on the handset, presented as we were with error messages after many attempts. However we can confidently say that while this is a flagship phone with excellent performance, it isn’t as zippy in every day use when compared to the S7 edge, OnePlus 3 or iPhone 7. Sometimes with many apps open, the transitions slow down slightly between screens and app load times are longer. It’s not a major problem, but it is noticeable.

On board storage is set at 32GB but the microSD card slot allows up to 256GB. This can be done relatively cheaply with the best microSD cards on the market. With that boost it’ll be more than enough to carry around your entire music collection on the integrated Google Play Music or another service like Spotify. We welcome an Android BlackBerry with high-end specs; it feels long overdue in this form factor, although the Priv’s Snapdragon 808 processor when it was released in November 2015 was acceptably high-end. It’s enough to satisfy the BlackBerry users among us who were resistant to the transition to an all-touch handset (we do love a good physical keyboard).

The screen is a 5.5in scratch and smudge resistant quad HD AMOLED display. The smudge resistant part is actually accurate too; although this is a slippy phone, we weren’t too put off by inevitable fingerprints when compared to other glass phones – but you’ll still notice them from time to time. The pixel density of the 2560 x 1440 resolution display is 534ppi.

In real world terms, it looks really good and only the pickiest of techies will have any complaints. As it is AMOLED, black colours display very nicely and actually use less battery power. Colours don’t stand out quite as vividly as on handsets like the OnePlus 3 (which also has an AMOLED display) but the DTEK60 actually reproduces onscreen colours more accurately in this way.

When we first started using the DTEK60 we felt like the screen was almost too sensitive. Often we would scroll through the app tray and accidentally select an app. Oddly, this didn’t happen much after the first two days and we had no complaints.

This is the first ever BlackBerry handset to feature a fingerprint scanner, which is welcome given it has been three years since the iPhone 5s popularised the feature. It’s on the back of the phone below the camera, where BlackBerry claims (as do other manufacturers) that your finger naturally falls when you pick up the device. This isn’t entirely accurate and it’s down to personal preference, but we still think having the sensor on the bottom front of the phone is more convenient. You might want to give it a go in store before you buy, but we found it to be quite accurate, unlocking first time most of the time. It is also important for the secure minded DTEK60 to have added this extra layer of security to the hardware.

Like the recent DTEK50, there’s a so-called convenience key on the right edge of the phone that you can assign one specific task to, for example new text message, camera, settings and so on. We still think it’s a tad odd to have such a feature given all of the options are an app tap away, but you might find a use for it.

BlackBerry claims you’ll get 24 hours of mixed use from the 3,000mAh non-removable battery. We can say reasonably confidently that this is an over-estimate, which is a shame given BlackBerry’s good track record for battery life. What is welcome here is Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging with the included wall charger, a happy side effect of the USB-C port. It can charge the DTEK60 in just over an hour from very low battery and is very convenient.

We used the phone constantly one day after taking it off charge at 12pm, using the camera, Google Maps, Trip Advisor and other GPS based apps while on holiday in Poland. The battery was dead by 1am, so it gave us a good 13 hours under quite heavy use. This will be adequate for most during a full working day, but obviously it is well below 24 hours.

The rear camera of the DTEK60 boasts a 21Mp auto-focus lens with f.2/0 aperture and a dual- LED flash. It can also record video at many different levels including 4K at up to 30fps. We used the camera extensively in Poland with some pleasing results; images are sharp and the lens copes well in low light, though the images produced from the Samsung Galaxy S7 are still best in class.

The front facing camera is a modest 8Mp, but it’s good to see an LED flash for those selfie- inclined, or if you want to shoot a Blair Witch Project-style monologue. It’s not always the case that we have to concentrate so much on the software section of a review, but this is an exception. The DTEK60 ships with Android Marshmallow 6.0, with no clear indication as to if and when the update to Nougat 7.0 will be available. The decision here to with basically stock Android is welcome to us; unless you prefer the skins of the Samsung Galaxy or Sony Xperia series, we think you’ll enjoy it too. Much like the HTC 10 before it, the DTEK60 eschews its own photo gallery for Google Photos, and Google software is front and centre, from Gmail to the prompt to open Google Play Music when you plug in your headphones (you get in- ear ‘phones included in the box).

There are small differences to the Android experience but they are changeable. For example, we found the text displayed quite small compared to other devices, but you can make it bigger (up to ‘Huge’ in fact), and the recent apps by default display in a confusing mosaic but you can put it to the regular Rolodex mode in Settings.

What we also like is the inclusion of BlackBerry Hub, an app carried over to this Android version from BlackBerry’s BB10 OS. It groups all your notifications in one place and is a portal to all those apps. It’s great to help you blast through email or different social posts, but we like the little touches like pinching the exhaustive list of notifications to just display the unread ones. Little tweaks like this help you get stuff done and are echoes of the productivity-minded BlackBerry handsets of the last fifteen years.

Speaking of productivity, there’s even an optional productivity tab, an (if on) ever-present thin grey tab on the right of the screen. Swipe it to the left, and it gives you your calendar, messages, tasks and contacts. It’s really useful, but we kept forgetting it was there. One issue too is that on certain webpages it covers text that reaches the edge of the page – if this happens though, you can change the transparency of the slim bar. It’s little touches like this that show that BlackBerry has thought long and hard about the use cases for this phone for the consumer and the business user, and the balance it manages to strike is spot on.

The BlackBerry Intelligent Keyboard is also part of the software, with various intelligent gestures to select predictive text, delete words and more. However, this is a port of the touch sensitive physical keyboard of the BlackBerry Passport , and it simply works better on that phone. We prefer the also pre-installed Google Keyboard. Here are some Android keyboard alternatives.

Where the DTEK60 tries to differentiate is in the security of the device. Pleasingly, there is little for the user to do to implement these features. The Android software here has access to quicker security patching, with BlackBerry promising the latest security updates to your phone before anyone else, and at increased regularity. We received an update while using the phone, so this claim seems legitimate.

It’s more aimed at the enterprise user, but BlackBerry also impressively offers securer options for file sharing ( WatchDox ), email and collaboration ( Good Work ) and VPN access on top of its encrypted BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service. BBM is a consumer service and the others are available to download as an individual, but their full power and use is intended for IT managers who wish to supply their employees with (BlackBerry hopes) a fleet of DTEK60s.

But, whether a consumer or a business user, your DTEK60 establishes a hardware root of trust the first time you boot up the phone. This automatically adds security keys to the processor of your device that then track and verify its use to better encrypt your data. BlackBerry doesn’t explain exactly how this happens in the marketing materials, but as a consumer this is undoubtedly the most secure Android phone you can get. And if that’s important to you, it’s one of the few hardware manufacturers that are putting a focus on it as opposed to the usual software security focus of secure messaging apps like Signal.

The DTEK name is present in its own app as well, and is the most accessible way to take a broad view of your device's security. You get see a gauge of how secure your phone is, and the app prompts you on how to improve it, from adding a fingerprint unlock to editing the permissions of certain third party apps. It’s a bit fiddly at times and the learning curve could be steep depending on your existing knowledge, but if security is important to you its one of the best apps out there. Unlike other BlackBerry apps, this is only available on Android-running BlackBerry hardware.

For the first time in a while, this is a BlackBerry we can recommend to the individual consumer. It is also a business device, but the flexibility of Android means it is versatile enough to be moulded to the needs of both. It marries the Android operating system with robust, easy to use security features and slick design, all for under £500.

It doesn’t have the brand clout of an iPhone or the curved edges of a Samsung Galaxy, but with its admittedly quite straight-faced take on the modern smartphone BlackBerry has just – just – turned a corner. This is an excellent smartphone.

Price comparision from , and manufacturers

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2016-11-10 16:30 Henry Burrell www.pcadvisor.co.uk

15 /54 1.9 UNFPA Launches Innovation Accelerator Focused On Empowering Youth To Address Sexual And Reproductive Health Bottlenecks UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, in collaboration with Outbox, a local business incubator, today launched a health-based innovation accelerator dubbed ‘Up Accelerate.’

This innovative program is part of a regional initiative by UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office, with funding from UKAID.

Up Accelerate seeks to explore new and engaging ways to tackle pressing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges in Uganda while promoting social entrepreneurship among young people.

“To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and further UNFPA’s mandate, we need to test new approaches and improve on those already in use. Innovation and the active engagement of young people in our work can be catalyzers of significant change, and help achieve the demographic dividend in Uganda,” said Ms. Miranda Tabifor, UNFPA Representative a.i.

The demographic dividend can be reaped if Uganda simultaneously prioritizes enhancing the quality of its human capital, empowering of women and their partners to reduce fertility, and reforming the economy to increase productivity and create jobs.

Up Accelerate calls on young people to realize their desire to learn about and contribute to the challenges faced by the country in regards to improving access to, and the planning, availability and quality of SRH information, services and programmes.

Investing in a healthier and more educated population and enabling young people to access opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship, will provide young Ugandans with a favorable environment to thrive in business and private life, and to make informed and safe decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health.

“Working with UNFPA as an institutional partner contributes to our mission of building innovative infrastructure that leads to development of inclusive communities. It is these kinds of unusual productive partnerships that create an enabling environment where young entrepreneurs can learn about problems worth solving and leverage industry networks to quickly go to market,” said Richard Zulu, Founder of Outbox.

The UNFPA – Outbox – Up Accelerate project is set to run from November 2016 through to October 2017. Eight youth-led innovations will be picked to join the two acceleration cycles.

These entail two months of training, mentoring and assistance for fine-tuning their solutions and business models, and two months of support in going to market, for which training, mentorship and seed funding of up to USD 10,000 will be provided based on achievement of pre-agreed business milestones. Interested participants can apply at Up Accelerate.

2016-11-10 16:23 Nathan Ernest pctechmag.com

16 /54 3.1 GDPR will require 75,000 DPOs worldwide, study shows New European Union data protection rules will require the appointment of at least 75,000 data protection officers (DPOs) in the next two years, a study has revealed.

Even though the final version of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires only public authorities and other entities engaged in profiling to appoint a DPO, the staffing impact will be substantial, according to the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) study.

The DPO requirement is borrowed from a similar programme in Germany, which has been in place for a decade. But it is a new concept almost everywhere else and is bound to generate some confusion, the IAPP warned.

An earlier study revealed that by the time the GDPR comes into force in May 2018, European firms outside Germany, and US firms that do business in the EU, will have to hire, appoint or contract around 28,000 data protection officers for the first time to ensure they comply with the new regulation.

At least 47,000 more DPOs will be required by firms outside of the EU and the US because of the global reach of the GDPR, the latest study found.

“The data protection profession has been growing steadily for many years. We expect to see even more growth as result of the GDPR mandate,” said Trevor Hughes, president and CEO of the IAPP.

“But good business is also a major driver; organisations today simply must address privacy concerns to succeed in the information economy,” he said.

Under its own terms, the GDPR governs the privacy practices of any company handling EU citizens’ data, whether or not that company is located in the EU. The EU represents the world’s largest economy and the top trading partner for 80 countries, and, as a result, many companies around the globe trade with EU citizens and are thus subject to the GDPR.

Article 37 of the GDPR requires all controllers and processors of personal information of EU citizens to designate a data protection officer when the processing is carried out by a public authority or when “core activities” require “regular and systematic monitoring of data subjects on a large scale” or consist of “processing on a large scale of special categories of data”.

2016-11-10 16:18 Security Editor www.computerweekly.com

17 /54 14.3 The best free office software 2016 If you work with people who use Microsoft Office and rely on its collaborative functions every day, the convenience of using those programs yourself may well justify the price. For the rest of us, there are lots of excellent free alternatives to consider. Here are our picks of the best free office apps in 2016. Have we missed your preferred suite? Let us know in the comments below.

Remember, when you install any of this free office software you'll be asked if you want to associate particular file formats with the newly installed programs. We recommend deselecting these options at first, then changing your defaults once you're satisfied that you'll be using the new suite in the long term.

LibreOffice is a fork of the OpenOffice.org project, and it's available for Windows, OS X and Linux (it's the office software you'll find on most popular Linux distros). The main draw is that it's OpenOffice but fast-tracked, with far more frequent updates than its parent suite.

Like OpenOffice, LibreOffice is designed around the standard Open Document Format with Microsoft Office importing and exporting, and its six apps cover just about everything you could need from a productivity suite:

Unlike Microsoft Office there's no email client - likely because there are so many excellent options already available, developing another would be redundant. See our guide to the best free email clients 2016. LibreOffice 's apps have a clear format reminiscent of older versions of Microsoft Office. It's not as sleek as Office 2016 or 365, but features are represented by large, clear icons rather than being hidden behind menus and ribbons. See our guide to getting started with LibreOffice.

If its standard offering isn't enough, the LibreOffice community has created hundreds of templates and extensions to add new features to the free office software and improve existing ones - all available to download and use completely free. With so much power and flexibility, there can be no doubt that LibreOffice is the best free office software for Windows.

Download here: LibreOffice

LibreOffice does everything Apache OpenOffice does and gets updates more quickly, so why would you consider its less action-packed parent? The short answer is stability: a faster update cycle can mean the potential to introduce new bugs.

OpenOffice contains the same six core apps as LibreOffice (Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Math and Base) and its interface is very similar. It lacks some of the features of LibreOffice (such as live word counts in Writer), but the two suites share so much of the same code, such differences are few and far between. LibreOffice, however, benefits from superior documentation.

A portable version is available for use from a removable USB device or cloud storage service.

Download here: Apache OpenOffice

SoftMaker FreeOffice is available for Windows and Linux (and there's a companion app for Android) and offers effortless editing of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. It can also export files in EPUB and PDF export.

FreeOffice contains three apps delivering the familiar combination of word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. While the feature set isn't quite as extensive as LibreOffice - it lacks mail merging, and the spreadsheet charts aren't as spectacular - it's faster, can open password-protected Office and WordPerfect documents (provided you know the password) and covers the office software basics very well.

As with LibreOffice and OpenOffice, SoftMaker provides a portable version of FreeOffice for Linux and Windows.

Download here: SoftMaker FreeOffice

WPS Office , also known as Kingsoft Office, is one of the best Microsoft Office-a-likes, but the free version does include some important caveats. The free office software for Windows begins with a 30-day trial of the Premium version (it reverts to the free version if you don't open your wallet at the end of the month) and printed documents are watermarked.

It's available for Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, and includes apps for word processing, presentations and spreadsheets (hence the name WPS).

It borrows the ribbon interface from newer versions of Microsoft Office, so you'll be up and running in no time, but the drawbacks of the free edition might be enough to put you off.

Download here: WPS Office If you're looking for a serious Office rival, Google Docs should be towards the top of your list. What started life as a free but basic cloud-based Office suite has evolved into something that's deceptively powerful, and even the weakest app, PowerPoint alternative Slides, is rather good these days.

Google Docs is particularly good for teamwork, with excellent multi-user support and change tracking, and the companion mobile apps cover iOS as well as Android. If you're in the kind of environment where documents, spreadsheets or presentations are pinged back and forth, with comments and tracked changes, Google Docs' cloud-based office software suite will make your life simpler.

Try it online here: Google Docs

Zoho Docs is used by the likes of the BBC, Coca-Cola and ITV, and its free service gives up to 25 users 5GB of storage each.

Its office software package includes three cloud-based apps - the usual spread of word processing, spreadsheet and presentations - as well as document versioning and desktop syncing.

There are companion apps for iOS and Android, as well as integration with other services such as Dropbox and Google Drive. That makes it particularly attractive to small businesses, although it's important to note that some of the more advanced features such as password-protected sharing aren't available in the free version.

Don't plump for Google Docs without checking out Zoho first.

Try it online here: Zoho Docs

2016-11-10 16:08 Gary Marshall feedproxy.google.com

18 /54 1.9 Government calls for input on inclusive smart energy policy The recently created Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has kicked off a consultation seeking input into how to go about building a smart, flexible energy system.

The consultation comes ahead of a full plan that BEIS expects to publish in spring 2017, setting out actions it plans to take to remove barriers, improve pricing, enable innovation, and shape both roles and responsibilities as the UK’s energy market evolves towards a more efficient, flexible model.

BEIS said both the government and energy regulator Ofgem were committed to ensuring the energy system works for people and businesses, and that a smarter and more flexible system would offer significant benefits for consumers and the economy, helping ensure the UK has a secure, affordable and clean energy system. It believes a comprehensive smart energy system could save users between £3bn and £8bn per annum.

However, it acknowledged that the transition towards smart meters , smart internet of things (IoT) appliances and smart energy systems “could feel as radical for consumers as the changes they have experienced in how they buy and use telecoms”, and emphasised the need to ensure that nobody was left out.

Studies conducted with the help of a consumer panel have shown more interest in smart meters among young people and higher socio-economic grades , suggesting a substantial number of people will need help adjusting to this new environment, particularly when it came to replacing familiar appliances – such as fridges, dishwashers or washing machines – that have not fundamentally changed in some time.

In addition, it said, the UK’s energy system was already getting smarter through smart meters, grids, interconnectors and so on, all making it possible for the electricity system to operate more efficiently. But it argued this was potentially disruptive and could require deep-rooted structural change in how the industry works.

“New business models could challenge incumbents and how they operate. Where these could bring overall benefits to consumers, we should allow them to do so,” wrote the authors of the consultation brief.

“Government and Ofgem have a role to ensure that this transformation happens in the right way – to make sure new technologies can compete and consumers are both empowered and protected.”

To this end, it set out a number of policy ambitions: to ensure effective markets and competition; to secure a low-cost energy supply; to encourage technological innovation; and to partner with industry, including the technology sector, to achieve its goals.

BEIS called for input on a number of questions relating both to general energy policy and to how the IoT will fit within it, including regulation and interoperability of smart appliances , and the possible impact on the grid of increased uptake of electric vehicles.

The consultation will run until 12 January 2017 ......

2016-11-10 16:07 Networking Editor www.computerweekly.com

19 /54 1.3 : The 20 best headphones you can buy in the UK today - best wired and wireless headphone reviews We review the best headphones you can buy in the UK in 2016/2017. Get the most for your money with our top headphones for your smartphone or tablet, including best in-ear headphones, best on-ear headphones and best over-ear headphones. Also see: Best budget headphones | Best wireless headphones | Best headphones for kids

Also see: Best Black Friday Headphones Deals

Apple has now announced the iPhone 7 and it, as rumoured, doesn't have the headphone jack. Do not fear because the headphones below are still relevant. Apple supplies the phone with a Lightning to headphone jack adapter and you can also use wireless headphones, of course.

Walk the streets of any town or city and you will see myriad people locked in to their own world, listening intently to headphones plugged in to smartphone, tablet or even - surely not - an MP3 player. The digital audio revolution has happened, and I can't be the only person who travels to work in a train carriage silent to the outside world as my fellow travellers concentrate on music, podcasts, audiobooks and video to make the commute more fun (endurable).

Also read: How to stop earphone cables getting tangled or twisted

Headphones are more than just a functional device. Like the display on your PC they are the crucial part in the link between you and your favourite portable device. As such it is worth investing in a good set of headphones. Moreover not all headphones are made equal: you can spend a lot of money on something that looks - rather than sounds - good. And for some people that is the key thing.

Even within the realm of good audio fidelity there is choice. We may wrinkle our noses at the bassy stylings of Beats by Dre Studio headphones, but we know plenty of DJs who swear by them. And that's before you get into questions of on-ear, in-ear or over ear. Which type of headphones you prefer will depend on your physical shape, your needs, your musical taste, and the size of your wallet.

If you really are strapped for cash, check out our best budget headphones group test where all entries are under £50.

The types of headphones on offer are fairly self-explanatorybut in-ears are small earbuds which you put into your ear canal, on-ear headphones have a headband but the cup sits on your ear while over-ear have larger cups so encompass your ear. Most headphones are wired but you can also get ones with Bluetooth to get a wire-free experience.

Regardless, here are the pick of all the headphones we have reviewed that are on the market right now. Best headphones for value, best headphones for audio, best headphones for exercise, best Bluetooth wireless headphones, and so on. We've got a wide range of headphones covering a broad set of prices so we hope you find something that fits your needs.

There are so many pairs of headphones on the market that we'd need to spend all our collective time, and then some, to review them all. So do bear in mind that these are the best of what we've had through the lab, not every pair ever made! We will be regularly updating this article as we review more headphones, so stay tuned.

2016-11-10 16:00 Chris Martin www.pcadvisor.co.uk

20 /54 2.7 Best iPhone 7 cases & iPhone 7 Plus cases If you’re planning to buy the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus , you’ll be pleased to hear that there are already lots of cases to choose from. Here, we’ve got a round-up of the best iPhone 7 cases we’ve seen so far.

Also see: Best Black Friday Gadget Deals

Keep the back and sides of your iPhone 7 safe with the two layers of protection provided by the Caseology Envoy. Made with a layer of TPU and a layer of polycarbonate, this case offers a sturdy fit with a carbon fibre design that is nice and grippy. This case is available to buy from Mobile Fun for £20 now.

Read on for more iPhone 7 cases and iPhone 7 Plus cases.

Nothing better to craft an iPhone 7 case with than finest cowhide - so enter Snakehive. This is a lovely looking wallet case, particularly in this red and black hue.

Three card slots and a folding back mean this is a great stand for video viewing too, while the inside of the case is a soft leather to protect that ever-crackable screen.

Spigen’s flexible TPU case with carbon fibre and Air Cushion tech is a good choice for the clumsier among us. With easy click buttons and a raised lip, you’ll also find that this case protects the sides and front of your iPhone, but there is a cutout to allow the Apple logo to shine through.

Griffin's cases are always popular, so this new offering for the iPhone 7 is no exception. It has space for cards and cash, hence the 'Wallet' in its name, and the back is made with a clear polycarbonate to allow the colour of your iPhone to shine through (hence the 'Clear'). A great case with a low price tag.

Proporta's gorgeous aluminium lined stand case for iPhone 7 comes in various colours, including our favourite: Berry/Rose Gold (shown here).

It is both stylish and heavy-duty, and the stand functionality adds practicality into the mix too. All that, and the price tag is a very reasonable £28.

Dutch luxury Apple case designers Mujjo have been quick to adapt their waxed vegetable- tanned leather iPhone cases for the latest versions. Each features Moulded Edge Technology for added durability at the phone weakest points. You don't want to damage your precious new phone, but the ways these cases look mean you'll be wary of spoiling them too. Even the insides are lined with suede to nestle your iPhone 7 in comfort.

There are ten contemporary Mujjo leather cases for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, starting with the simple €39.90 Leather Case for iPhone 7 in Tan and Black for both models.

The €49.90 Leather Wallet Case for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus adds storage space for two or three bank or ID cards at the back of the case. They are each available in Tan, Black and Grey. Buy direct from the Mujjo store. Other Mujjo cases are also available from Amazon, so watch out for the iPhone 7 cases there soon.

Another dual layer option is Snugg’s, also made with TPU and polycarbonate. This one has a nice pop of colour that some will prefer, and even comes with a lifetime guarantee that means you’ll be able to get the case replaced should something go wrong with it.

A cheap but cheerful option comes from Terrapin, with its TPU gel case made to be durable and shock absorbent. It comes in various different colours and will fit perfectly onto the back of the iPhone 7 and will cover the sides too.

We also really like Terrapin’s Leather Wallet, which is stylish and modern, but practical too, with space for cards and a stand functionality. It’s super-cheap at under £10, too, and comes in a variety of colours.

This simple case is ideal for anyone looking to protect their iPhone without adding too much bulk or hiding the colour and design of the phone itself. It’s available in Clear or Smoke, with AirShock technology and raised corners to protect your iPhone 7 from impacts. It's also available for the iPhone 7 Plus.

X-Doria’s Defense Lux for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus combines extreme protection with stylish design, and we really like the results. It’s made with anodized aluminium with a soft inner rubber layer. The rear is covered in either carbon fibre, soft leather or croc skin, depending on the design you choose. There’s also a raised lip to provide protection from the screen.

Available for both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, this classic FlexiShield cases has been popular since the early days of the iPhone. It’s cheap, at under £10, and protects the iPhone whilst adding a pop of colour if you want it. The rubbery gel material lets the iPhone’s design shine through whilst protecting it from scratches and absorbing shocks too.

2016-11-10 16:00 Ashleigh Allsopp www.pcadvisor.co.uk

21 /54 4.3 Apple, Microsoft, Box and others react to Trump victory The prospect of Donald Trump setting up home in the White House has sent shockwaves through the technology community, with Apple, Microsoft and Box among those to react to the Republican's victory over Hillary Clinton.

The statements are notable in that they make no, or only passing, reference to Trump by name, and make it plain that the companies do not agree with many of the statements and policy ideas Trump outlined during his campaign. Apple CEO Tim Cook sent a letter to staff, seen by Buzzfeed , stating that the firm remains proud of its “very diverse team of employees” and that all are welcome at the company.

“Our company is open to all, and we celebrate the diversity of our team here in the US and around the world, regardless of what they look like, where they come from, how they worship or who they love,” he wrote.

Microsoft chief legal officer Brad Smith also touched on this, noting the diversity of the firm’s employee base.

“Over a third of our engineers have come from other countries. 157 countries, in fact. We have employees from every race, ethnic background and religion. If there’s a language spoken on the planet, there’s a good chance that it’s spoken by an employee at Microsoft,” he said.

“And we’re committed to promoting not just diversity among all the men and women who work here, but the type of inclusive culture that will enable people to do their best work and pursue rewarding careers.”

This sentiment was echoed by Box CEO Aaron Levie , who sent an email to staff that he also published online stating that the firm remains committed to welcoming all people to its business.

“Rest assured that, in this upcoming administration, we’ll be a major advocate for all issues that affect our employees and our values as a company (LGBTQ rights, fair immigration policies, racial and gender equality etc),” he said.

Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg took to Facebook to share his thoughts on the outcome, choosing instead to focus on why he believes the future of the planet will not depend on the president of the US, but on the wider world and its goals.

"Last night was [Zuckerberg's daughter] Max's first election. She's got a lot of election nights ahead of her. Holding Max, I thought about all the work ahead of us to create the world we want for our children. This work is bigger than any presidency, and progress does not move in a straight line," he wrote.

“The most important opportunities of Max's generation - like curing all disease, improving education, connecting everyone and promoting equal opportunity - will take long-term focus and finding new ways for all of us to work together, sometimes over decades.”

Meanwhile, rights group the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said that it will retain its focus on fighting for civil liberties regardless of what the future holds.

“At this critical moment, we want digital civil liberties supporters worldwide to feel confident that the EFF remains steadfast in its mission and method: to use law and technology to champion civil liberties and provide a potent check against overreach," the organisation said.

2016-11-10 15:54 Dan Worth www.computing.co.uk

22 /54 0.0 Open Rights Group: Donald Trump presidency is bad news for UK surveillance Privacy campaigners at the Open Rights Group (ORG) have warned that Donald Trump running the US National Security Agency (NSA), and therefore working closely with GCHQ, could spell trouble for UK surveillance.

The ORG, which regularly challenges GCHQ's actions , is worried that Trump will abuse his national security powers.

"The US election has massive implications for the British public as both countries' intelligence agencies are so closely integrated," said ORG executive director Jim Killock.

"The Snowden leaks showed us how GCHQ carries out work for the NSA and how the latter's operatives can access GCHQ surveillance programmes.

"The integration of the NSA and GCHQ puts into question the UK's ability to have proper oversight of the surveillance of its citizens.

"The UK is dependent on US technology and data to such an extent that it is unlikely that we could separate our intelligence capabilities even if we wanted to. "

Killock added that the UK is likely to be the subservient partner in the 'special relationship'. "Whilst the ‘special relationship' has always been perceived to be in the UK's interests, our politicians need to consider its implications in the age of bulk data collection and surveillance," he added.

The ORG has urged people to join the organisation and get more involved in the protection of their own rights.

The ORG isn't the only outfit to share its views over the newly-elected US president, with tech firms including Box, Apple and Facebook also having spoke out about Trum p.

2016-11-10 15:54 Dave Neal www.computing.co.uk

23 /54 3.1 : Use the Silent Site Sound Blocker extension to mute tabs in Chrome In Google Chrome you can mute individual tabs, a useful feature that's available at your disposal. You will also see a handy speaker icon, indicating if audio is playing.

This handy feature is great if you only have a few tabs open, but if you have multiple tabs open at the same time muting each individual tab can be tiresome - the free Silent Site Sound Blocker extension solves this and also makes it easier to manage sites that are a nuisance. See all internet tutorials.

First you will need to grab the free extension from the Chrome web store and add it to your Chrome browser.

Once added, you'll see a yellow speaker at the top right-hand side of your browser window. If you right-click on the icon, you'll be presented with several options:

Within the extension's options you will be able to toggle through settings and decide when audio should play - you can also add websites directly to your white or black list.

The extension works flawlessly on all open tabs and windows (as long as you're logged into the account where you added the extension). It also is a great way to manage websites that cause you nuisance. if for any reason the extension doesn't work, type (or copy and paste) 'chrome://flags/#enable- tab-audio-muting' into your address bar - thanks to our colleagues in the US at PCWorld for the tip. Also see: How to stop autoplaying ads, videos and media on web pages

2016-11-10 15:54 Christopher Minasians www.pcadvisor.co.uk

24 /54 2.6 : a home security camera that's easy to use but could be better. Now comes with 24 hours of free storage By

Luc Borg

| 30 mins ago

£159 inc VAT

Price comparision from , and manufacturers

There has never been a bigger choice of home security cameras and the majority can be set up in less than 15 minutes. The Canary is no exception: a plug-and-play unit that took me less than 10 minutes to install. Once connected to Wi-Fi, I had a 147-degree view of my living room in 1080p full HD as well as an overview of my home's 'health' including air quality, temperature and humidity. Is it the right camera for your home? Read my Canary review to find out.

Update 10 November: Canary has now increased its free cloud storage to 24 hours, which matches the Spotcam Eva. Here's the rest of our original review, written in February 2016: So what could you use the camera for? Well its most obvious use is to monitor what's going on at home from a security point of view, but I was also interested in keeping an eye on my dogs Axl and Izzy while my wife and I were away from home. The Canary was perfect for both, as it has a microphone that registers unusual sounds such as glass breaking or a dog barking and motion detectors that monitor movement in the close vicinity, both of which trigger the camera to start recording.

All recordings are saved to the Canary’s cloud storage and the most basic package is free and stores footage of events captured in the last 12 hours (now 24 hours). There is of course a range of packages providing additional cloud storage for events up to 30 days ago if you're willing to pay.

The Canary is controlled using its dedicated iOS and Android app and I have to say I could not have been more impressed with how easy this was to use. The app allows you to view recorded footage, all nicely presented in a chronological timeline. Naturally, you can also watch a live stream at the touch of a button on the app's home screen.

The Canary is available to buy for £159 directly from the manufacturer at store-uk.canary.is or from UK retailers including John Lewis, Amazon , Apple, Maplin and PC World.

This is the same price as the Nest Cam , but a little more than the Y-Cam HomeMonitor HD , which you can buy from Amazon for less than £140.

The Canary is a standalone device and is available in a choice of three colours: white, black and silver. Also included is a microUSB power adaptor and an unusual secure setup cable that plugged directly into my iPhone's headphone socket during installation.

Connecting the camera to broadband can be done using either Wi-Fi or via an Ethernet cable to your router, if it's close by or you use powerline adaptors .

The camera measures 152 x 76.2mm weighs just 396g. Build quality is excellent and it has a contemporary design that means it looks like a modern home accessory that can be colour- coordinated with your home. There's no hint of traditional CCTV or surveillance camera.

Image quality is very clear with full 1080p high definition footage and automatic night vision. Plus the 147 degree wide-angle lens meant I could monitor activity within a large open-plan kitchen and living room using a single device.

Audio quality is equally as good from the built-in microphone, which is also used to begin recording as soon as an unusual sound is heard.

The device also begins recording as soon a movement is recorded using the camera and and 3- axis accelerometer. Annoyingly, there's no option to specify an area within the field of view to monitor for movement. Movement which occurs anywhere will trigger an alert. There is a sensitivity slider which you can ajust to receive fewer alerts, and the algorithms learn (with your feedback) when movement is due to a pet, moving light or shadows, and will - over time - stop notifiying you of these events.

The Canary is also fitted with a loud siren which you can sound using the iOS or Anroid app. This is intended for warning or deter an intruder of course, not for playing pranks on your family. There's no speaker for two-way communication as the Nest Cam - and some other cameras - have.

In addition to the home security features, the Canary it is also equipped with sensors which monitor air quality, humidity and temperature. Specifically, it can detect ISO Butane, Carbon Monoxide, hydrogen, ethanol and cigarette smoke.

You'll be notified of any abrupt changes and, while the CO detection is particularly useful, the canary isn't quite the equivalent of Nest's Protect which is a dedicated smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, which works independently of (but can talk to) the Nest Cam and Nest thermostat.

By contrast, the Canary is unfriendly to most other smart home kit. There's no IFTTT support, either, so you can't get around the lack of official third-party support. The only integration is with Wink smart home kit , but this isn't available in the UK - just the US.

The Canary app works with the iPhone 4s or newer and on Android devices with version 4.0 or newer.

I tested the Canary using an iPhone 6s and could not have been more impressed with the app, which began by guiding me through the hardware setup before registering me as a Canary user and allowing me to invite my wife to register too. The app supports Force Touch and lets you press hard on the icon to choose between multiple cameras before launching the app, and also Peek to preview the live view or an event, and Pop to go to the full-screen view.

With both the app and the hardware installed I had a host of options including setting the Canary to detect when I’m at home (using the location of my phone) and to automatically arming and disarming recording depending on my location and the privacy I required.

In armed mode, the Canary is constantly monitoring for motion and sounds and will alert me to either with a push notification.

When disarmed, the Canary still monitors and records activity but will not send a notification.

Privacy mode disables both the camera and microphone to ensure that footage is not recorded when you don’t want it to be. Privacy mode can be activated automatically whenever I or another registered user return home. There's also the option to activate any of the settings manually through the app.

The camera is equipped with an LED which highlights which mode is selected through a green ambient light for armed, a yellow light for disarmed and the light is switched off when in privacy mode.

When motion or sound is detected, you get a notification when footage is available on the app to allow you to review the video clip - and put your mind at rest taht your home is secure and that everyone is safe. All footage is recorded to the Canary’s cloud storage, which means it would be available even if the device was stolen during a burglary. The app also lets you tag video clips to identify what activity was contained in each piece of footage, bookmark a clip to make it easy to locate in the future and download a clip to save for future reference.

It is also possible to watch live footage in all modes other than privacy mode by simply pressing the 'watch live' button on the app’s home screen. You can zoom in (digitally) on all footage both live and recorded using a simple pinch gesture on the iPhone. Here's the wide-angle view: And this is the 2x digital zoom:

If you were to see an intruder you have two options: 1: sound the 90+dB alarm or 2: call a preset emergency services number to report an intrusion or a fire.

Accessing the app also feels particularly secure, as there's the option of signing in using either a password, PIN or fingerprint recognition via the iPhone’s Touch ID.

It is also possible to manage multiple Canary cameras from the app, additional devices could either be placed elsewhere in the same home or in a separate location that you may want to monitor such as a business address, or elderly relative.

In addition to the smartphone app, you can also was also arm and disarm using the Canary app on an Apple Watch as well as receive notifications when any activity was recorded. I loved this feature as it allows me to have piece of mind that my home and pets are safe without the need to be constantly reaching for my phone.

One of my few reservations about the Canary is that you cannot access footage or live feeds on a desktop computer: it's only available on the app which may leave you exposed if a strong network connection or Wi-Fi is not available.

Overall I was impressed with the Canary. The camera itself looks good and it allowed me to monitor a large room in my home with a single unit which was sensitive to both movement and unusual sounds.

Setting the hardware up could not have been easier, and the app is well designed and incredibly easy to use. The Apple Watch app was also very useful for notifications, as well as allowing me to arm and disarm the Canary.

The HomeHealth feature is a bonus, and not typically found in a security camera, so that's a handy extra which makes the Canary better value. I'd like to see the free cloud storage extended to 24 hours, as 12 hours isn't really enough. For anyone after a security camera and like the extras of the siren and air quality measurements, the Canary is a great choice.

Best of all, the device has only alerted me to genuine situations that require my attention and appears to have the right balance between privacy and security.

The only thing I would suggest for the next device would be that footage is made available to me on my laptop or desktop.

Price comparision from , and manufacturers

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25 /54 0.4 Surface Book review roundup: great GPU performance and battery life, but it doesn't come cheap Microsoft and Apple have pursued very different strategies for their new platform refreshes this year. Apple opted to make the MacBook Pro thinner, lighter, and to use just a single set of ports (Thunderbolt 3 via USB-C) for all peripherals. Microsoft, on the other hand, made its new Surface Book slightly thicker, slightly heavier, and added a new Performance Base option that dramatically improves GPU performance over last year’s model. We’ve rounded up reviews from Ars Technica, CNET, PCMag, and PC World to get a sense of how reviewers think the new hardware fares.

First, the basics. All of the Core i5 models from last year are still on sale, at least for now, so you can still jump into the Surface Book ecosystem at $1,500. All of the new Surface Books start at $2,000+ ($2,099 for the cheapest variant), and they pack Core i7 processors and new discrete GPUs from Nvidia. The new design isn’t quite as svelte as the old, but the added horsepower makes up for it.

I normally keep review roundups free from commentary, since the point here is talk about what other reviewers think, but I’m going to say just one thing here. Dear Microsoft, Apple, Dell, Lenovo, and whatever other manufacturers are considering adopting this consumer-hostile policy: Stop refusing to disclose which CPUs you use. It is utterly absurd that in 2016 I can pull up an entire list of detailed specifications on every other aspect of the system, but you want to hide the chip. It’s bullshit, it’s asinine, and consumers deserve to know the specifications on the hardware they are purchasing from the manufacturer, on the manufacturer’s own website. If you’re too embarrassed to disclose even the clock speeds of the chips you use, get out of the hardware manufacturing business. Apple at least publishes clock speeds, from which their processor models can be derived.

For the record: The Surface Book With Performance Base uses a Core i7-6600U with a 2.6GHz base clock and a 3.4GHz Turbo. Last years’ Core i5-6300U had a 2.4GHz base frequency and a 3GHz top clock.

The general review consensus on the Surface Book With Performance Base is that this update dramatically improves GPU performance, but offers comparatively little improvement in CPU performance. Not much changes much about the styling or design at all. Ports are still the same (two USB 3.0 and an SD slot on the left, mini-DisplayPort on the right). The hinge, outer styling, and screen are all identical. The limited improvement to CPU performance is presumably because the system is already running close to thermal thresholds already. The Core i7 CPU included in the new systems may offer higher burst performance, but it likely can’t sustain its frequencies over long periods of time. And the problem with the new Performance Base Microsoft designed is you can’t buy one separately from the rest of the system. The fact that the two base generations are perfectly backwards and forwards compatible only makes this more frustrating. If you want a faster Surface Book for the GPU, you have to buy the entire system — despite how the CPU doesn’t get a performance upgrade in any sustained tests.

This data, from PC World, shows that the Surface Book’s new GeForce GPU is more than capable of delivering basic gaming performance, though it can’t drive titles at the 3000×2000 resolution (well, it can’t drive modern titles; you could probably play Quake 3 just fine). But where the Surface Book excels is battery life; PC Mag reports 19 hours, 16 minutes, compared with 15 hours, 41 minutes for the previous model. This suggests that power management has improved substantially, and is particularly impressive given that the GeForce 965M is a substantial upgrade compared with previous chips.

Multiple reviewers were less than thrilled with Microsoft’s decision to re-use Skylake instead of Kaby Lake, and several thought the system could have offered at least one USB-C port. Consensus seems to be that Microsoft wanted a quick refresh cycle without making changes to the underlying hardware, and multiple reviewers noted that Microsoft had so many problems fixing hinge-and-docking related problems on last year’s Surface Book, it may actually be a blessing that the company stuck with what worked rather than trying to rollout a new design.

Finally, be advised that the new hardware prices aren’t remotely in line with what you can buy from other laptop manufacturers. You’re paying a huge premium for a detachable 2-in-1 and a nice GPU with great battery life. Some will find that premium attractive, and the new Surface Book’s 19 hour run time is amazing. Others will find better value in a more conventional machine from a different manufacturer.

Now read: The best laptops for engineers and engineering students: when work requires a real workstation

2016-11-10 15:36 Joel Hruska www.extremetech.com

26 /54 1.4 The Xbox App's Holiday Update aims to connect its 'millions' of Windows 10 users better than ever For many PC gamers, DirectX 12 was the main thing that drove them to install Windows 10 on their gaming rigs, and we can't blame them. But, with the Xbox Summer Update months past and now the newly-launched Holiday Update, it's clear Microsoft doesn't intend to rest on those laurels.

Of course, that's the attitude we want to see, because according to Microsoft Xbox & Windows Gaming Platform Lead Mike Ybarra, things are on the up-and-up for the Xbox App on Windows 10 .

"We’re happy with the growth level, but we don’t announce usage numbers per se – it’s in the millions," Ybarra tells us when asked how adoption of the app is going. "We have a lot of high engagement there. We’re happy with it and we continue to invest in it. " This Holiday Update – rolling out to Xbox One and Windows 10 now – brings plenty of new features to the Xbox One, like the Clubs tool to join groups of friends together in cross- game chat, the Looking For Group feature that lets players post essentially help-wanted ads for their mutliplayer pursuits and neat additions like group messaging, Achievement rarity listings and a Gamerscore leader board.

"It’s important for us as we bring new features cross-platform that we make it as consistent as we can," Ybarra says. "Sure, there are going to be some differences, but in general that base-level familiarity is a goal that we have when we design the features. "

Let's take the Clubs feature, for instance.

Clubs is basically what Microsoft is calling its group-based chat system. In short, it allows players to create custom groups with support for both voice and text chat.

From within a Club, players can organize in real time, say, which game they're going to play next. Players can share content from within the group, too, with one player being designated the admin.

The idea here is to bring the same sort of asynchronous and real-time coordination tools that many have found on Facebook or other social apps to be useful for this sort of thing – guilty as charged: we used to use Facebook to organize World of Wacraft raids – right into the Xbox interface.

The key point here for PC gamers, though, is that this feature works not only on both Xbox One and in the Xbox App on Windows 10, but across the two. Club members on both platforms can chat either via voice or text in real time.

Of course, this will be a boon for the games that support play between Xbox One and Windows 10, but what about the myriad games that don't?

"I expect users to check-in on their Club, chat with their Club friends, manage their Club and also schedule a Club Looking for Group from their Windows 10 PC or [any smartphone]," Ybarra says. "Our early data shows a lot of Preview members engaging with Clubs both on the console and off – it’s really great to see. "

Who knows, maybe it's features like this that will inspire more developers to pursue Xbox One and Windows 10 cross-play in their games. But, what if you don't have an Xbox One or play with friends that do?

Anyone who has played an MMO within the past decade should be familiar with the term "Looking For Group," or LFG for short. Aiming to be the de facto home for PC gamers on Windows 10, Microsoft named its best chance at that goal as such.

LFG essentially lets players post help wanted ads to a publicly accessible message board for each supported game. If you have some missions you want to complete in Destiny, but, say your Club isn't online right now, this is where you should go to find help.

Of course, on Xbox One, every game that supports Xbox Live will now deeply integrate this feature, but it's not far off on the Xbox App on PC.

"I love the fact that, in the Xbox App, I can create a LFG for almost any game on Windows," Ybarra gushes. "If I want to create an LFG for League of Legends, which has nothing to do with Xbox or Xbox Live, I can go create that LFG. So, we definitely want to open it up and make it easier for gaming in general. "

The wide support for this feature was made possible through Microsoft's Summer Update, which introduced Game Hubs for the top 500-plus PC games, without any input needed on the developer’s end. (That number seems to have scaled back a bit from the "thousands" figure we were told when first introduced to the Summer Update, mind.)

This means that PC gamers on Windows 10 can find groups with fellow like-minded players regardless of whether their game of choice offers such a tool or one as specific as this. Of course, it has to be one of those 500 games supported by the Xbox App.

The tool allows players to both post and browse LFG requests for specific games, each with specific expectations listed, like "Want players with microphones," or "Want players Level 100 and above. " Once enough players accept someone's LFG request, the host can easily invite them to voice chat from within the Xbox App.

“When we get out of preview, I think you’ll see big audiences – even Overwatch on the PC is absolutely on that list of the top [500] games,” Ybarra says. “The developer doesn’t have to do anything there. Their users can use the Xbox App to go to those games and set up LFGs and find people to accomplish those tasks.”

However, said players will have to coordinate forming said group within that specific game’s interface, despite the Xbox App getting them together in the first place. If you're to use this tool with a Play Anywhere game built on Microsoft's Universal Windows Platform, like Gears of War 4 , that becomes a lot easier.

"It’s a pretty magical and special moment when we can bring those people together across different platforms but in the same multiplayer framework under LFG to accomplish something," Ybarra says.

While LFG stands to unite PC gamers in a way that competing networks can't right now, Microsoft's homebrew competition system, Arena, has a little more work to do on the PC much less Xbox One – still in beta on both platforms.

On Xbox One, this deep competition integration will be much easier, since making your game compatible with Xbox Live will come part and parcel with this feature, should the developer wish.

We’re told that, on the PC, the only game currently testing the Arena feature is Killer Instinct, though Ybarra tells us that Microsoft is working with several third-party partners and on first-party games to implement the feature when it lands later this season.

“I think eSports and competitive play in general is a very hot area that a lot of companies are investing in,” Ybarra says. “And, at the platform level, there are many opportunities that we can open up for them and make it just easier if they develop their game on Windows 10 over Xbox Live or on Xbox One for it to be more turnkey than it is today in terms of the investment they have to make.”

Regardless, two of the most interesting bits of the new Xbox Hoilday Update – Clubs and Looking For Group – are rolling out to Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs right now. That’s before you even consider group messaging cross-platform on Xbox Live, Achievements ranked by rarity, a Gamerscore leaderboard and emojis (!!!) on the Xbox One virtual keyboard.

If you want to learn more about the Holiday Update in even more granular detail, check out Microsoft’s own announcement right here .

2016-11-10 15:16 Joe Osborne feedproxy.google.com

27 /54 2.0 Vodafone reveals a digital first approach aimed at Ugandan youth and SMEs Vodafone Uganda, has today announced a commitment to support the youth and entrepreneurs in Uganda.

During a press conference held at Kampala International University, the next generation operator announced that going forward it will be more focused on the youth and Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs in order to empower them to harness their potential.

Speaking during the conference, John Ndego, the Chief Executive Officer Vodafone Uganda, said the major focus for Vodafone Uganda will be on digital, using the power of internet to tap into the younger generations’ potential and help them build their tomorrow today.

“The biggest way that we can support Uganda is to provide technology and data services that support the growth of young entrepreneurs in this country,” said Ndego. “We are helping them access global education resources using 4G technology.

Uganda is the youngest and most entrepreneurial country in the world. According to the 2014 census statistics by Uganda Bureau of Statistics the youth, that is, persons below 30 years constitute 78% of the population. These numbers, according to Ndego, represent a huge potential for the country to turn a tide in technology and innovation and Vodafone Uganda would like to be part of this journey. As part of the youth focus, the 4G operator will be offering internship and work experience opportunities to students in various universities in the country. The youth program, that is targeting both the students and graduates is geared towards supporting career growth and technology innovation for the students. Over 250 youths are expected to benefit from this program annually.

Through the #ICreateTomorrow digital campaign, Vodafone is empowering the youth by helping them take charge of their tomorrow by giving them an opportunity to experience what their peers are doing with technology in other countries.

“We are committed to nurturing and developing young talent in Uganda,” noted Jackie Namara, Vodafone Uganda Head of Marketing. “We shall soon be introducing an online platform and community called JUMP that will transform how the youth, professionals and SMEs learn, share and interact in a digital world.”

In order to enhance customer experience Vodafone has also launched the following solutions;

2016-11-10 15:15 Jeddy Genrwot pctechmag.com

28 /54 2.9 Best Android Phones With the holiday shopping frenzy fast approaching, we’re here with our Q4 2016 Best Android Smartphones guide. Perhaps the biggest news since we updated our guide last quarter is the demise of Samsung’s Galaxy Note7. After an alarming number of phones caught fire early-on, Samsung initiated a global recall and exchange program, believing it isolated the problem to a single battery supplier. Unfortunately, the supposedly safe replacements started catching fire too. Unable to determine the root cause behind the phone’s battery fires, Samsung decided to halt production and sales of its flagship phablet permanently. RIP Note7.

Over the past month or so, we’ve taken a close look at several new Android phones. Huawei’s Honor 8 and Motorola’s Moto Z Play Droid both cost around $400 and provide some competition for the OnePlus 3, our mid-range selection in Q3. We also reviewed the Pixel XL , the larger of Google’s two new Pixel phones, and while it has an excellent camera; a smooth, pristine Google software experience, which includes the new Pixel Launcher and Google Assistant; and the promise of timely software updates, we were disappointed by its performance and lack of features considering its steep price; however, if your priorities are different than ours, you may find it holds a higher value.

Keeping in mind that our guide only includes phones that we’ve reviewed, and that we do not have the bandwidth to review every phone that’s available, here are the Android phones we currently like.

There’s a lot of options to choose from when shopping for a phablet considering the disproportionate number of Android phones having a screen size of 5.5-inches or larger. A number of these fall into the mid-range category, which we cover below. For people living outside of North America there are even more, usually less-expensive, options to consider too. But for this pick, we’re sticking with globally-available flagships.

Our previous pick, Samsung’s Galaxy Note5, is still the top of the Note range because of the Note7’s early retirement. Despite its age, it’s still a great phone. Its 5.7-inch 2560x1440 SAMOLED display is still one of the best available, with excellent black levels, reasonably good brightness, and several different display modes ranging from a very accurate sRGB mode to a couple of wider gamut modes with more vivid colors. Its 16MP rear camera with PDAF and OIS is also very good. The Note5’s Exynos 7420 SoC may not top the performance charts anymore, but it’s still plenty quick, and the 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM gives Samsung’s memory hungry TouchWiz UI some extra room to work.

Speaking of TouchWiz, it still has some questionable design elements, and it suffers from some performance hiccups that make the UI feel less fluid, but it does include some useful phablet features, including the ability to shrink the whole screen by pressing the home button three times, the option to use a smaller keyboard for one-handed thumb typing, and the two-pane Multi Window feature that allows you to work in two apps at the same time. There’s also the S- Pen and the additional functionality it provides, just do not stick it back into its silo backwards or you’ll have to break the phone to get it back out.

For those looking for a more modern choice, or who want a slightly smaller phone, there’s Samsung’s Galaxy S7 edge, with its 5.5-inch 2560x1440 SAMOLED display that’s every bit as good as the Note5’s. Its 12MP rear camera with OIS and an f/1.7 aperture captures great pictures, especially in low-light, and the improved phase detect autofocus (PDAF) is the best available. Battery life is also quite good thanks to a 3600mAh battery. The rest of its hardware and features are shared with the smaller Galaxy S7, including IP68 dust and water protection and wireless charging.

Earlier this year, Samsung released its seventh generation Galaxy S series. The Galaxy S7 improves upon the design and features of the popular Galaxy S6. The design is very similar, but Samsung has tweaked the curvature of the back, edges, and cover glass to make the phone significantly more ergonomic. The chassis does get thicker and heavier, but this allows for a significant reduction to the camera hump and an increase in battery capacity.

As far as specs go, the Galaxy S7 comes in two versions. Both have 5.1-inch 2560x1440 SAMOLED displays, 32GB or 64GB of UFS 2.0 NAND, 4GB of LPDDR4 memory, a 12MP Sony IMX260 camera with a f/1.7 aperture, and a 3000mAh battery. Depending on where you live you'll either get Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 or Samsung's Exynos 8890 SoC, both of which use custom ARM CPU cores. More specifically, the US, Japan, and China versions receive Snapdragon 820, while the rest of the world gets Exynos 8890.

Regardless of which Galaxy S7 you get, you'll be getting the best hardware that Samsung has to offer. The Galaxy S6 was a good phone, but it was not perfect. The S7 addresses several of these shortcomings with a more ergonomic design, a larger battery, support for microSD cards, and the return of IP68 dust and water protection.

The other phone worth discussing at the high end is the HTC 10, which manages to best the Galaxy S7 in at least a few areas. In terms of audio quality, design, OEM UI, and other areas like perceptual latency I would argue that HTC is just clearly ahead of Samsung. HTC also has proper USB 3.1 and USB-C support, which does make the device more future-proof than the Galaxy S7’s microUSB connector in that regard. The front facing camera is also just clearly better on the basis of having OIS and optics that can actually focus on a subject instead of being set to infinity at all times.

However, Samsung is clearly ahead in display and its camera is clearly the fastest I’ve ever seen in any phone, bar none. Samsung is also just clearly shipping better WiFi implementations right now in terms of antenna sensitivity and software implementation, along with IP68 water resistance and magstripe payments for the US and South Korea.

To further muddy the waters, there are areas where HTC and Samsung trade blows. While Samsung’s camera is clearly faster, HTC often has better detail in their images, especially at the center of the frame, but the Galaxy S7 has better detail at the edge of the frame. Noise reduction tends to be a bit less heavy-handed and sharpening artifacts are not nearly as strong as they are on the Galaxy S7. HTC’s larger sensor also means that it’s possible to get actual dSLR-like bokeh with macro shots, which is honestly something that I’ve never seen before in any smartphone camera.

Overall, I think it’s pretty fair to say that the HTC 10 is a solid choice. If I had to pick between the two I would probably lean towards the HTC 10, but this is based upon personal priorities. I don’t think you can really go wrong between the two. The HTC 10 with 32 GB of internal storage is currently $699 USD when bought unlocked through HTC and comes in Carbon Gray and Glacial Silver.

The OnePlus 3, with its list of impressive hardware at a reasonable price, is still our (upper) mid- range choice. The Motorola Moto Z Play Droid is about the same price and includes a nice display, a good camera, and a large battery—not to mention support for Moto Mods such as the Hasselblad True Zoom Mod —but its eight Cortex-A53 CPU cores and Adreno 506 GPU cannot offer the same level of performance as the OnePlus 3’s Snapdragon 820 SoC. The Moto Z Play Droid also comes with less RAM (3GB), less internal storage (32GB), and lacks 802.11ac Wi-Fi. Its little brother, the Moto G4 Plus costs less than the OnePlus 3—$299 for 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal NAND—but again falls short of the OnePlus 3’s overall user experience.

Huawei’s Honor 8 is another contender that costs the same as the OnePlus 3 and is available in the US and internationally. It also has a smaller 5.2-inch display, giving it a smaller footprint than the OnePlus 3, although its heavily blue-tinted screen may turn some people off. General system performance is on par with the OnePlus 3, but its Mali-T880MP4 GPU cannot match the Adreno 530’s peak performance in the OnePlus 3. The OnePlus 3’s OxygenOS also does not stray as far from stock Android as the Honor 8’s EMUI skin, resulting in a very different user experience between the two phones, although which approach is better comes down to user preference.

When we first looked at the OnePlus 3, Brandon discovered that the display’s grayscale and color accuracy were quite poor, its video quality was subpar, and it evicted apps from RAM too aggressively, especially considering that it comes with 6GB of LPDDR4; however, in subsequent software updates OnePlus has either fixed or improved each of these issues.

The build quality of the OnePlus 3 is excellent, its 16MP rear camera with PDAF and OIS takes nice photos, and its Snapdragon 820 SoC delivers good performance. It also includes 64GB of internal UFS 2.0 NAND storage but no microSD slot, and the usual array of wireless connectivity options including NFC—something the OnePlus 2 lacked. The OnePlus 3 comes in only one configuration and costs $399. With a 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED display, it could also serve as a less-expensive option for our phablet category, along with the Moto Z Play Droid.

While the rest of the planet is awash with lower-cost phones containing decent hardware, it’s difficult to recommend a budget smartphone for the US market. Take the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro, for example. Its Snapdragon 650 SoC contains two high-performance Cortex-A72 CPU cores running at up to 1.8GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores at up to 1.4GHz, which easily outperforms the standard octa-core A53 SoCs common at this price point. Its performance is really quite remarkable, rivaling some upper mid-range and flagship devices. The Adreno 510 GPU supports the latest graphics APIs, including support for tessellation, and is fast enough to play most games currently available. Battery life is excellent too, thanks in part to a large 4050 mAh battery. There’s even an infrared blaster and support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi and FM radio.

Of course some sacrifices need to be made to reach such a low price. The Redmi Note 3 Pro’s weakest component is its 5.5-inch 1080p IPS display, whose poor black level and inaccurate white point and gamma calibration hurt image quality. The panel’s backlight does not fully cover the sRGB gamut, which further reduces color accuracy. While not perfect, it clearly moves the bar higher in this segment and raises our expectations for future lower-cost phones.

Unfortunately, the Redmi Note 3 Pro, like most phones made by Chinese OEMs, is not sold in the US and does not support the LTE frequencies used by US carriers. Instead US consumers must choose from a number of underwhelming phones such as the LG X Power and its Snapdragon 212 SoC that uses four Cortex-A7 CPU cores—not even A53s—and 1.5GB of RAM. The Huawei Honor 5X cannot match the Redmi Note 3 Pro’s performance or photo quality, but it remains a solid option for the US despite being almost a year old. Even the recently released Moto G4 and G4 Play really do not bring anything new. The Honor 5X recently received a long awaited update to Android 6.0 and EMUI 4.0 and is still available for about $200.

2016-11-10 15:15 Matt Humrick www.anandtech.com

29 /54 1.2 Centrica deal reveals deep cuts into the IT outsourcing sector When Fujitsu took the desktop services contract at Centrica from T- Systems in 2011, it was a clear sign to the sector that suppliers providing commoditised services required scale to be able to compete. However, the next iteration of this contract reveals that even large services provides that have scale can’t compete.

The contract, which saw Fujitsu use its size and economies of scale to price T-Systems out, was evidence that commoditisation desktop services might mean the big suppliers will start replacing more niche players.

When T-Systems lost the contract, it retained work on Centrica’s SAP in the cloud and worked on the development of smart grid technologies.

More than five years later and that work is being switched to the cloud with Microsoft Office 365, with Fujitsu now playing a peripheral role wrapping services around Office 365. Interim CIO David Cooper told Computer Weekly the company is part way through migrating to Office 365, which is a big change in the contract.

“We won’t have dedicated email servers with Fujitsu, and we won’t be using Fujitsu datacenters. This is a big change as we have a lot of users and applications,” said Cooper.

“But Fujitsu will still be part of this, as it will provide services that wrap around Office 365, such as the IT service desk,” he added.

This is further hard evidence of how technology advancement and the cloud in particular is shaking up the outsourcing sector. You only need to look at a company such as NetSuite to understand how cloud is encroaching on the enterprise sector. The software-as-a-service (SaaS) supplier grew fast, boasts an impressive customer list and has been acquired by Oracle for $9.3bn .

However, adoption is going beyond the SaaS model. Almost every renewal contract today involves some cloud element. With nearly 3,000 IT outsourcing contracts worth more than $5m – representing a combined total value of more than $270bn (£175bn), coming up for renewal between 2016 and 2019, according to ISG – that’s a lot of cloud elements.

2016-11-10 15:15 Services Editor www.computerweekly.com

30 /54 7.1 Download of the day: EaseUS Todo Backup Free We like to think EaseUS took its name from the sound of somebody realising they didn’t have a backup as their hard disk fails. “EaseUS! The computer’s borked!” We’re probably wrong.

What EaseUS Todo Backup Free does is make backing up important files as simple as possible. You can use it to backup to external drives or to make a clone of your hard disk so you can migrate to an SSD (and if you haven’t done that, here’s a word to describe it: wheeeeeeeeeee!).

It works with Windows versions from XP to Windows 10 and it’s multi-lingual too.

Things fall apart, the center cannot hold and mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. In other words, stuff breaks - and if that stuff has your irreplaceable collection of family photographs, Minecraft parodies or Miley Cyrus memes, you might not be able to get your data back.

By taking regular backups you can be confident that if disaster strikes, you won’t lose your data. EaseUS Todo Backup may not have the fancy-dan features of its paid-for rivals, but then it doesn’t have a price tag either. All you need to provide is a little bit of your time. Download here: EaseUS Todo Backup Free

The best free PC backup software 2016

2016-11-10 14:57 Gary Marshall feedproxy.google.com

31 /54 5.6 Hyperloop will move you at 700mph for a price you can afford Hyperloop sounds too good to be true. A superfast personal transportation network which moves you hundreds of miles in a matter of minutes. And it'll pick you up and drop you off at your door.

It's a service that seems up there with first class plane travel, but speaking at Web Summit 2016 co-founder of Hyperloop One, Josh Giegel revealed quite the opposite when TechRadar posed the question of fares.

"We want to make Hyperloop affordable to all. 'Joe Everyman' will be able to travel on it. "

Giegel went on to explain that he hopes to partner with firms such as Uber, and claims software updates to certain autonomous vehicles could make them Hyperloop enabled.

These autonomous vehicles will pick you up, take you to the Hyperloop station and drive directly onto a Hyperloop craft - which then fires you along at 1,100kph (680mph).

In next to no time you'll be at the other end of the steel tube and the vehicle will drive off and take you to your final destination.

A Hyperloop track will be built between Abu Dhabi and Dubai with the capability to move you between the two cities in just 12 minutes. If you were to drive the same 124km (77 miles) route it would take you around two hours.

Hyperloop One made the announcement earlier with week with a YouTube teaser of the technology - but it won't necessarily be the first in the world.

Giegel wouldn't be drawn on when the Middle East loop would be ready to roll, although he did reveal Hyperloop One is working to a 2020 time scale for the first proof of operations facility.

This 15-20km track could be in Dubai, but both Finland and the Netherlands have also expressed interest in the technology. The firm also has a short test track in the Nevada desert in the US which gives it a fourth option to choose from.

The US based test track will be ready to demonstrate the technology with people on board by the end of Q1 2017, so if you're desperate to check it out you may want to book tickets to Las Vegas.

For those wondering whether your body is going to take a pummeling, there were some words of comfort from Shervin Pishevar, co-founder of Hyperloop One.

“Hyperloop is grandma friendly, dog friendly and vomit free. It’s also impervious to weather as you travel in a steel tube, which means no delays or cancellations due to adverse conditions. " 2016-11-10 14:53 John McCann feedproxy.google.com

32 /54 14.3 Garmin is bringing Strava’s location-tracking safety features to its wearables Strava, the world’s biggest social media service designed just for athletes, has announced that its location-tracking safety feature Beacon is to be integrated into select models of Garmin’s fitness trackers.

Earlier this year, Strava created Beacon and launched it on standalone iOS and Android apps for its premium paying members. If you haven’t encountered it before, Beacon is a feature which allows cyclists and runners who exercise for long periods outdoors to easily share their location to friends and family and give them peace of mind.

To use Beacon, members simply have to select up to three safety contacts who are sent a text message containing a unique URL when the athlete starts their exercise session. These contacts can then click on the URL which will take them to a map through which they can track the location of the athlete in real time as well as view the battery power on their phone.

Safety contacts don’t have to be a member of Strava themselves to access the map, which makes it easy for athletes to go out on long distance runs or cycles and know that someone is watching to make sure they’re safe. It also offers peace of mind to family and friends who won’t immediately panic when they can’t contact their friend on their phone.

By integrating Beacon into Garmin’s LiveTrack it’ll make it much easier for users to keep all their fitness-focused apps in one place. It should also take the pressure off an athlete's mobile phone battery so they can be certain they’ll remain contactable for the entire time they’re gone.

So far, Beacon is only compatible with a handful of Garmin devices including the Edge 520, Edge 820, Edge 1000, Edge Explore 820, Forerunner 230, Forerunner 235, Forerunner 630, Forerunner 735XT, and Fenix 3. To use the feature Garmin owners will also still have to own a premium Strava membership.

2016-11-10 14:43 Emma Boyle feedproxy.google.com

33 /54 1.5 : Faster screen and better Pencil support coming in March 2017 There are plenty of rumours that there will be a sucessor to the 12.9in iPad Pro, but when will it happen? Apple is reportedly planning to launch three new iPads in 2017, one of which should be the iPad Pro 2. In March 2016 Apple launched the iPad Pro 9.7in when few people were expecting a new tablet. As there has been no mention of iPads at Apple launch events since then, we're expecting a launch in March 2017. See: Best new tablets coming 2017.

It doesn't take a genius to foresee what Apple will upgrade for the iPad Pro 2. The putative tablet should get improved cameras and a True Tone screen which the 9.7in iPad Pro currently lauds over its bigger brother. The tablet might not be called the iPad Pro 2, of course. It could be simply the 'new iPad Pro' - Apple has used that naming convention in the past for the iPad. Here we take a look at the rumoured iPad Pro 2 release date and specs.

Well-known industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted there will be three new iPads launching in 2017. He says there will be a new 12.9in iPad Pro - the iPad Pro 2 - and also a new model with a 10.5in screen, which should appeal to businesses and schools as well as consumers. The new tablets (as you'd expect) will have a faster processor, probably called the A10X. The report also talks about "revolutionary" changes to the iPad range in 2018, which some are taking to mean radical changes such as a flexible AMOLED display.

The latest iPad Pro 2 rumour (which isn't even that recent any more) says Apple is working on adding better support into iOS for the Apple Pencil, the optional stylus which works with only select apps on the iPad Pro models. Apple might add the enhanced support when it launches the new iPads in 2017 as an update to iOS 10. However, it may wait and introduce them in iOS 11. The improvements are unclear, but it could be possible to use the Pencil to annotate in many more stock apps including Mail, Messages, Safari and others. The Pencil should work with the upcoming 10.5in iPad Pro and this would leave only the iPad mini with no stylus support.

The rumours also say that the iPad Pro 2 " will include faster display technology that allows for smoother zooming, panning and scrolling". Reported by MacRumours , iPad Pro 2 expected release date: March 2017

Apple unveiled iOS 10 , back in June and it was thought it might launch new iPads when it also released the new version of its mobile operating system in September. However, it didn't mention even a new iPad mini or an iPad Air 3 , let alone the iPad Pro 2.

The original iPad Pro , reviewed, launched in September 2015 and the 9.7in arrived in March 2016. That's why an iPad Pro 2 reveal was expected, but it didn't happen. The latest rumours and predictions all seem to be pointing to a 2017 launch.

In fact, Apple may have to wait until early 2017 before it can release an iPad Pro 2 with any screen size. The current A9X chip - which is used by both iPad Pro models - is based on the 16nm FinFET process, the same used by the new generation of graphics cards from nVidia and AMD. In order to produce a chip with significantly faster performance without high power consumption, Apple will have to wait until chip manufacturers are ready to move down to 10nm, which is rumoured to be late in 2016.

When it launched, the original iPad Pro didn't come in a 256GB storage capacity but Apple add it to the line-up at the same time as the introduction of the iPad Pro 9.7. We expect the iPad Pro 2 to come in the same storage options which are currently available.

The iPad Pro 2 is sure to come in Rose Gold which is now available in most of Apple's other products including the iPhone and MacBook.

It's fairly easy to predict that Apple will bring the specs of the iPad Pro 2 to at least match the 9.7in model. That means adding the True Tone display which automatically adjusts the white balance for a more realistic experience, the 12Mp iSight camera with Live Photos and 4K video recording and the 5Mp front FaceTime HD camera with a Retina Flash.

Those changes would make the iPad Pro 2 level with the current 2016 iPad Pro but it wouldn't be Apple if there weren't some features not seen before on an iPad. This could simply come in the form of a new processor but we hope for more since the current A9X is more than dependable.

We expect that Apple will keep prices the same as for the current iPad Pro 12.9:

If you're after Wi-Fi + Cellular prices, the current prices are as follows:

It would be nice, though, if the base model came with 64GB rather than 32GB.

This is all speculation on our part, but as rumours emerge we'll add them here. We are perhaps a little too far away from the launch for anything juicy so check back soon.

There have been very few leaks. AppleInsider posted an image which supposedly shows a prototype of the iPad Pro 2.

In the image, the Settings app is open and reveals the model number of the device - " MH1C2CD/F ". This doesn't match any existing models of iPad and, although it follows Apple's numbering covention, it is fairly easy to spoof this information.

It's also interesting to note that both iPads apparently have only 12GB of storage - this could be due to the prototype status, as Apple may not want to use 128GB of storage for a prototype.

Either way, these iPads are definitely not existing iPad Pro units. However with that being said, it's not confirmation that these are photos of prototype second-generation iPad Pros, as the images could still have been doctored. Unfortunately, there are no images of the sides or rear of the device so there's no hint at what hardware the iPad Pro 2 could feature, but we imagine the iPad Pro 2 leaks will become more common as time goes on and we'll be updating this article regularly.

2016-11-10 14:37 Chris Martin www.pcadvisor.co.uk

34 /54 34 /54 2.2 : When is The Grand Tour starting? Some say Top Gear will never be the same without Clarkson, Hammond and May. Some say The Grand Tour will be the awesome auto show we know and love. In this article we explain how to watch The Grand Tour, plus when The Grand Tour is starting.

Also see: How to watch new Top Gear

The first studio recording of The Grand Tour will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa on 17 July 2016. The presenters have signed up for 36 episodes spanning three years, which will be broadcast every Friday from 18 November 2016.

The Grand Tour is an Amazon exclusive, so to watch it (legally) you will need to be an Amazon Prime member. Signing up for Amazon’s Prime Instant Video streaming service will also net you more benefits, such as free one-day delivery on eligible items, Prime Photos for unlimited photo storage, Prime Music for unlimited music streaming and more. We’ve detailed these benefits in our complete guide to Amazon Prime.

If you’re interested in signing up for Amazon Prime only to watch The Grand Tour, however, we’d recommend signing up for a 30-day free trial and then continuing only if you like what you see ( you can cancel at any time ).

Amazon Prime will otherwise cost you £79 per year, which works out at £6.58 per month (cheaper than Netflix and with added benefits - see Netflix vs Amazon Prime ).

Also see: How to watch Amazon Prime video offline .

Follow Marie Brewis on Twitter.

2016-11-10 14:36 Marie Brewis www.pcadvisor.co.uk

35 /54 1.1 Blockchain Technology And IoT: What It Is And How It's Driving Development Of New Smart Systems - Page: 1 Blockchain And IoT

As solution providers look to capitalize on Internet of Things opportunities, a new term may soon need to be raised in conversations with customers: blockchain technology.

Blockchain technology is the decentralized ledger of all transactions across a peer-to-peer network – meaning that participants can confirm transactions without the need for a central certifying authority.

Blockchain came into the spotlight in 2009 after the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, was launched. But the technology has a variety of other applications and, as the Internet of Things market grows, there will be more opportunities surrounding it. Following are five things that solution providers need to know about blockchain technology as it relates to the Internet of Things.

2016-11-10 14:25 Lindsey O www.crn.com

36 /54 2.6 Insurance brokers fume as SSP Worldwide suffers new cloud outage SSP Worldwide is suffering another service outage that is preventing insurance brokers from accessing its cloud-based Pure Broking platform, it has emerged.

According to social media reports , users of the insurance software house’s service have been unable to log on to the system since morning (Thursday 10 November 2016), and have received no indication as to when it will be up and running again.

The latter point is of utmost concern to many brokers, who are still dealing with the fallout from SSP Worldwide’s two-week outage in September 2016 , during which around 300 insurance brokers were left struggling to trade.

“I wonder how long we will be off for this time? Has anyone got back in yet?” one of the brokers tweeted .

“No system all morning and promised update is late,” remarked another. “Once is unfortunate, but twice is crossing a line and completely unacceptable.”

In a statement to Computer Weekly, SSP confirmed the outage and said it is working on restoring services to those affected.

“We are aware of a disruption to service affecting our Pure Broking customers today, and we’re working to resolve the problem. We are keeping our customers up to date with progress,” a company spokesperson said.

Computer Weekly asked the company for details about how many customers are likely to have been affected by the outage, and what may have caused it, but no further details were forthcoming.

The September 2016 outage was initially caused by power supply problems at SSP’s Solihull datacentre, which is in the process of being decommissioned. However, delays in migrating the infrastructure used to host Pure Broking to an alternative site meant the downtime lasted longer than expected.

As previously reported by Computer Weekly , SSP offered to compensate users for the downtime by giving them a four-week rebate on their service fees, which a number of brokers are known to have rejected outright.

2016-11-10 14:00 Datacentre Editor www.computerweekly.com

37 /54 3.1 Turbonomic Grabs Former HP COO Bill Veghte As New Top Exec - Page: 1 Bill Veghte

Former Hewlett-Packard executive Bill Veghte has joined Turbonomic, an application performance management developer and Hewlett Packard Enterprise strategic technology partner, as its full-time executive chairman.

Turbonomic, which until August was known as VMTurbo , Thursday unveiled the appointment along with the news that the privately held company has closed its 25th consecutive quarter of revenue growth.

Veghte until June 2015 served as COO of HP before the company's split into HPE and HP Inc., and at one time was considered a potential successor to HP CEO Meg Whitman.

[Related: CRN Exclusive: VMTurbo Asked To Cancel VMworld Speaking Engagement, Set To Change Its Name To Ease Clash With VMware ]

Veghte brings additional executive experience to Turbonomic, having served as CEO of SurveyMonkey for about one and a half years. He has also been chairman of the technical advisory board of Boston-based Turbonomic since January 2015.

Veghte steps into his new role as Turbonomic is set to continue growing in one of the hottest part of the IT market, said Scott Miller, director of the data center business at World Wide Technology, a St. Louis, Mo.-based solution provider and Turbonomic channel partner.

Application performance management is the next "hot space," Miller wrote to CRN. "Essentially [application performance management] data is going to feed the automation tools to self- remediate issues in the data center," he wrote.

Turbonomic and HPE are no strangers to each other. The two in August said Turbonomic had joined the HPE Composable Ecosystem partner program as a way to showcase its autonomic performance control system together with the HPE OneView IT infrastructure management and automation platform.

Turbonomic CEO Ben Nye said in a prepared statement that he is "thrilled" to welcome Veghte to the company.

"Bill brings enormous industry experience, an incredible wealth of operating expertise in product, sales, marketing and services, coupled with great people leadership. Bill sees the opportunity that the customer momentum and Turbonomic platform afford, and will be a great addition to help us scale," Nye wrote.

Turbonomic was not immediately available Thursday to comment further on Veghte's new role.

2016-11-10 13:56 Joseph F www.crn.com

38 /54 1.9 How to convert DVD to MP4 in Windows 10 or macOS Sierra Sponsored Post

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What's WinX DVD Ripper Platinum biggest advantage? Speed! Built-in Super Encode Engine, Hyper-threading Tech and Multi-core utility (up to 8 depending on your processor) accelerate transcoding. Compare this WinX DVD ripper with another two famed DVD rippers, HandBrake and Freemake Video Converter, the data tells everything.

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Convert DVD to MP4 with WinX DVD Ripper Platinum

At the start, you should download a free copy of WinX DVD Ripper Platinum from its official site. What operation system are you using now? Choose the correct version please. After the.exe or .dmg file is completely downloaded to hard drive, double click it to install.

All preparations are done. Launch WinX DVD Ripper Platinum and follow the steps to convert.

Step 1. Load DVD Disc Pick out one disc from your DVD collection and insert it into DVD driver of your computer.

Click DVD Disc button located at navigation bar of WinX DVD Ripper Platinum interface after opening. A dialogue box appears which asks you to choose DVD source. Generally, DVD will be automatically detected and selected. Afterwards, click OK.

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Meanwhile, the Output Profile window pops up. The left column lists several categories of output profiles, including General Profiles, DVD Backup Profile, Device Profile, Web Video Profile, Music Profile and more.

Tap on General Profiles to access formats contained in this category. Next, select MP4 Video and click OK.

Step 3. Run to Convert DVD to MP4 At the bottom of WinX DVD Ripper Platinum interface, destination folder path can be changed through Browse button. Simply click the big blue RUN button to convert your DVD to MP4 video file.

What's more, WinX DVD Ripper Platinum embeds basic DVD video editing options which enable you to crop image, trim segments, merge titles, enable/disable original subtitles and add external SRT subtitles.

Adjustable parameters allow you to reassign bit rate, resolution, aspect ratio, frame rate, sample rate, channel for video and audio.

2016-11-10 13:48 www.computing.co.uk

39 /54 5.9 At DevOps Enterprise Summit, automation is the key Automation—of networking, provisioning, management and data—is top of mind for attendees, speakers and vendors at the DevOps Enterprise Summit in San Francisco this week.

For Yariv Tabac, CEO and cofounder of DBMaestro, the road to automation also includes the database. While databases traditionally have been treated like sacred objects with their own specialized monks and nuns, DBMaestro automates the mundane life-cycle tasks associated with building and publishing software.

“We are providing a source control to the database, which is on the database, not copied,” said Tabac. “We are integrating it to the task-based ticketing systems like JIRA. We start to accumulate all the changes the developers are doing and save it in our repository or the organization’s repository. When you’re looking at the database, there is one single source of truth because the version control and the database are always synced.”

(Related: CollabNet works on DevOps )

Tabac went on to explain that automation at the data layer is essential to moving faster in development. He talked about release automation capabilities in DBMaestro. “We have scripts of all the development environments, and we merge them and generate them. We are using three-way comparison analysis,” he said.

Automating the database is just one aspect of the overall automation puzzle, but it is a piece that is often left alone in favor of automated builds and deployment of the application as a whole. Tabac said that automating the database and its various tasks can speed up deployments and help track changes when they happen to stored procedures.

Elsewhere at the show, automation is a major part of the story when it comes to provisioning and deploying software. Talks from Chef and Puppeteer engineers, as well as those from Red Hat’s Ansible, were well attended by the crowd that came from around the world.

Stepping down one layer in the stack, another topic at the show was OpenStack: specifically the increasing need for OpenStack to operate as a hybrid cloud, bridging the deployment gap between enterprise systems and popular clouds from Amazon and Microsoft.

Sirish Raghuram, CEO of Platform9, said that customers are increasingly interested in automation tools that can help with that hybridization of internal enterprise clouds.

While DevOps still has an array of meanings, the automation aspects of the movement and practice were of top priority for many attendees.

“The conversation we have most often as an organization is somewhere in the life cycle of continuous integration,” said Raghuram. “They tend to have two or three common problems with that: One is how do I automate my test process, and two is how do I automate that with the ability to provision and automate infrastructure.”

2016-11-10 13:30 Alex Handy sdtimes.com

40 /54 0.6 CRN Exclusive: Lenovo Channel Chief Kinlaw On Evolution Of PC Market, Data Center Battle With Dell EMC And HPE - Page: 1 What's Next For Lenovo's Channel?

Channel Chief Sammy Kinlaw says Lenovo's business with small- and midsize-business-focused solution providers grew 40 percent in the second quarter, and the company is getting ready to ramp up new programs designed to push partners into selling services and to establish its own PC-as-a-service business.

Lenovo rolled out its "Partner Sold, Partner Delivered" services program to partners in the spring, and Kinlaw said success with the 21 partners in the pilot means the program will be offered more widely beginning in January.

The global PC company's data center strategy, which revolves around partnerships with hot software vendors like Nutanix, Cloudian and Nimble Storage, will not change as executives figure out how to drive those products into large accounts and keep prices low enough to compete with Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Dell EMC.

Kinlaw spoke with CRN after Lenovo reported second-quarter sales declines across its business units and revealed another round of changes to its executive ranks, moving former Data Center Group chief Gerry Smith into a role as executive vice president of the PC and Smart Device Business Group and hiring former Intel executive Kirk Skaugen to head the Data Center Group.

Here's what Kinlaw had to say about Lenovo's position in the PC market, as well as the evolution of the company's data center battle plan.

2016-11-10 13:30 Matt Brown www.crn.com

41 /54 1.9 Samsung to Launch the Galaxy Blue Coral S7 Edge in South Korea Samsung Corp. on Thursday announced it will launch the Galaxy S7 Edge in Blue Coral colors on Friday in its home country of South Korea.

The widely-praised color variation was first applied to the Galaxy Note 7, which the company ended for good on October due to battery explosions.

The Galaxy S7 Edge Blue Coral version has blue shades in the front and back glasses, a blue back cover, and rose gold rims. It will come in both 32GB and 64GB models.

The new phone will be available from all three local telcos, SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus. It is expected to be available in the US on November 18.

Samsung has been promoting the S7 and S7 Edge to offset as much as possible the huge loss from ending the Note 7. The company’s mobile division’s fortune will depend on the upcoming Galaxy S8 that is expected early next year, which will have Samsung’s own AI assistant on it.

The South Korean tech giant last month acquired Viv, which was founded by members who made Apple’s voice assistant Siri.

Samsung also confirmed that it intends to launch a Galaxy Note 8, and continue that line of phablets despite the recent fiasco.

In the local market, rivals Apple and LG saw some sales bump immediately after the end of the Note 7, but sales have not stabilized, an official from local telcos said. source: ZDNet

2016-11-10 13:14 Nathan Ernest pctechmag.com

42 /54 2.1 Google's Urs Holzle: Moore's Law Is Ending The cloud is currently an assembly of commodity technologies organized on a massive scale. However, it is on its way to becoming a mix of commodity and advanced, specialized technologies in order to sustain its ability to offer leading-edge performance.

The cloud needs more advanced, specialized technologies because Moore's Law is running out of steam, according to Google's Urs Holzle, the company's senior vice president for technical infrastructure and Google Fellow. The demise of Moore's Law, which once decreed that the number of transistors on a chip would double every 18 months, will occur sometime in 2021, according to the IEEE's Spectrum publication.

The growth in CPU power since Gordon Moore first announced his law in 1965 is what's allowed Google and other handlers of big data to continually improve performance.

However, that free ride cannot be relied upon forever.

If the growth curve of computing begins to level off, neither Google nor enterprise IT can allow data to keep increasing two to five times a year without experiencing increasing costs. If anything, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and business analytics will require a constantly expanding availability of compute without a matching increase in cost.

That was a vision that Holzle tried to convey to an audience at the Structure 2016 event, held Nov. 8 and 9 in San Francisco. Holzle, the first guest speaker at the conference, discussed the issue with Nicole Hemsoth, co-editor of The Next Platform , an online news source about high- performance computing.

"A surprising number of customers have a need for large-scale computation," he said. Suppliers, such as Google's Compute Platform, need to evolve to ensure that that capability is available, without the changes proving disruptive to end-users. The cloud supplier is in a better position to weave in new technology than every enterprise that's trying to solve an issue by itself.

"In the cloud, it's easier to insert new technology," he said. Some of the gains Google is considering will increase performance by 30%, instead of the 100% achieved by Moore's Law. But Holzle said Google must take the gains where it can find them.

"Infrastructure is one of those things, if you do it right, nobody cares about it," said Holzle. But getting it right, as the significance of Moore's Law fades, will be increasingly a challenge.

"Moore's Law is a problem for IT as well," he noted. IT inevitably has a growing amount of data and workloads. If the bill to process them grows at the same rate as the workloads, it will risk putting many enterprises out of business. "That gets people in trouble. "

Greater use of flash memory and using the data movement within a server allowed by the OpenCAPI standard are two ways by which cloud suppliers will keep expanding the ability to run compute-intensive workloads.

The Open Coherent Processor Interface sits atop the PCI Express bus and moves data within the server at a speed of 25 Gbps. Its privileged position allows it to operate at the speed of random access memory, so expanding the capacity and speed of operation of the server.

Dell, HP Enterprise, IBM, and Google are all backers of the new standard. Google and Rackspace have expressed interest in buying next-generation Power9 chips that support the OpenCAPI standard for their cloud operations. Servers equipped with graphical processing units and CPUs could sit on the PCI Express bus and move data around the server at high rates of speed.

Whether Google and Rackspace would use them for general purpose infrastructure or for data- intensive workloads isn't known at this time. IBM is designing servers around Power9 that are due out sometime in 2017. It sold its Power chipmaking business to GlobalFoundries in 2014.

[Want to see how AWS relies on software-defined networking? Read Google's Infrastructure Chief Talks SDN .]

Also at Structure 2016, Facebook's Jay Parikh said the social media company has contributed the plans for its Backpack switch to the Open Compute Project. Backpack is a modular design that combines switch "elements" to scales from 40 Gbs up to 100 Gbs. It is considered a second generation in Open Compute's switch-creation effort.

"The Open Compute Foundation has received the Backpack specification," said Jay Parikh, Facebook's vice president of engineering, at the event Nov. 9. Facebook has used its Wedge and other switch designs in the construction of its own data centers. Equinix has also started adopting OpenCompute switches in its carrier-neutral cloud data centers.

The Open Compute Project makes hardware specifications available for anyone to use. Several large financial services firms, such as Goldman Sachs and CapitalOne, have been equipping their data centers with servers, racks, and switches that follow its specifications.

2016-11-10 13:05 Charles Babcock www.informationweek.com

43 /54 0.5 Yahoo admits data breach may affect Verizon acquisition Yahoo has for the first time admitted that staff knew about the data breach two years before it was confirmed publicly, and that the incident could affect the $4.83bn sale deal with Verizon.

The internet firm confirmed the breach that is believed to have affected at least 500 million user accounts on 22 September 2016, claiming it first discovered the breach in August 2016, a month after the deal with Verizon.

But now, in a US Securities and Exchange Committee (SEC) filing , Yahoo has admitted that some staff knew that a state-sponsored hacker had accessed its network shortly after an attack in 2014.

“An Independent Committee of the Board, advised by independent counsel and a forensic expert, is investigating, among other things, the scope of knowledge [about the breach] in the company in 2014 and thereafter,” the company said in its filing.

“In addition, the forensic experts are currently investigating certain evidence and activity that indicates an intruder, believed to be the same state-sponsored actor responsible for the security incident, created cookies that could have enabled such intruders to bypass the need for a password to access certain users’ accounts or account information.”

The Yahoo breach is believed to be the biggest publicly reported breach of its type to date, overtaking the previous record of just more than 359 million user details exposed in a 2008 breach at MySpace. Confirmation of the breach by Yahoo led to market speculation about whether the news would scupper the deal with Verizon or at least result in a call by the telecoms group for a reduction in price.

Although Yahoo has consistently maintained that it is confident in the company’s value and is working towards integration with Verizon, the SEC filing indicates that the company admits that in a worst-case scenario, the breach could affect the acquisition deal.

The risks and uncertainties around the pending Verizon listed in the SEC filing include that: “Verizon may assert, or threaten to assert, rights or claims with respect to the stock purchase agreement as a result of facts relating to the security incident, and may seek to terminate the stock purchase agreement or renegotiate the terms of the sale transaction on that basis.”

Commentators said while this does not necessarily mean Yahoo sees this as an immediate risk, it is interesting that Yahoo has now mentioned the possibility for the first time.

2016-11-10 13:00 Security Editor www.computerweekly.com

44 /54 1.4 : Anniversary iPhone to get OLED screen The iPhone 7 has only recently been announced, but all we seem to be hearing are rumours about the iPhone 8. We think Apple might well be holding back some major updates and improvements for the iPhone 8, which will be launched on the 10th anniverary of the first iPhone. Here we round up the rumours about the iPhone 8 release date, features and specifications. See also: Best phones 2016.

Hang on a minute, shouldn't the next iPhone be the iPhone 7s? Well, technically, yes. But this one is said to be such a big and important upgrade that we can't see Apple giving it anything other than a new number. There are some rumours the next iPhone could even be called simply The iPhone, or iPhone Pro, but for now we'll stick to calling the 2017 iPhone the iPhone 8.

Latest update: There's more rumours suggesting the iPhone 8 will get wireless charging - read more. And an OLED screen - read more.

It's a bit early to talk about the iPhone 8 release date. It's not necessarily even going to be called that. However, for now that's the name we're using to keep things simple and the iPhone 8 will be the new flagship smartphone for Apple in 2017.

If tradition continues, the iPhone 8 release date will be in September 2017.

However, the release date isn't quite as easy to predict as normal. 2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the original iPhone launch, so we wouldn't be too surprised if Apple mixed things up a bit.

It seems the name may have been confirmed with an Apple employee referring to the new device by the name 'iPhone 8' unprompted when speaking to Business Insider .

As we've mentioned, the iPhone for 2017 is unpredictable because it will mark a big anniversary for the smartphone.

The Wall Street Journal says: "Apple plans bigger design changes for 2017, the 10th anniversary of the original iPhone. Those changes could include an edge-to-edge organic light- emitting diode, or OLED, screen and eliminating the home button by building the fingerprint sensor into the display, according to people familiar with the matter.

"At a meeting with an Apple executive, one of the company’s China-based engineers asked why this year’s model [the iPhone 7] lacked a major design change in keeping with Apple’s usual two-year cycle. The answer, one person at the meeting recalled, was that the new technology in 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," it added.

If Apple follows the usual pattern, the iPhone 7 that launched this year will be followed by the iPhone 7S in 2017. The fact that it's 10 years since the original iPhone means this could all go out the window. Apple will want to do something special to celebrate the occasion so an 'S' model, which usually just brings small tweaks, won't suffice.

It's pretty much anyone's guess at the moment, hence, we're calling the 2017 model the iPhone 8 at the moment but it's perfectly plausible that the new phone won't conform to the traditional naming system at all. The iPhone SE (special edition) is already a thing, so perhaps Apple will go with 'iPhone Pro', iPhone Anniversary Edition' or even just 'iPhone' - although naming the iPad 3 as 'the new iPad' didn't go down too well.

A report from Nikkei suggested that in 2017 there would be three new iPhone models. It sounded as though we were in for the usual 4.7- and 5.5in models (the regular and Plus), plus a third new 'Pro' model with a 5.5in or above curved screen. Its source said the screen would be "bent on the two sides" making it sound like a Galaxy Note 7 rival. Of course, this didn't happen with the iPhone 7, though it doesn't mean we won't see a curved-screen iPhone 8.

Vote in our poll to let us know what you think Apple will name the iPhone next year.

We're speculating for now, of course, as the iPhone 7 has only recently gone on sale. Whether Apple will introduce a price increase for the potentially special iPhone 8 is anyone's guess. However, the iPhone 7 price jumped up to £599 in the UK thanks to Brexit and we hope that it will stay the same with next year's anniversary model.

If Apple does indeed do something special for the iPhone's 10th anniversary, which seems likely based on iPhone 7 rumours, the iPhone 8 will be one which fans will no doubt want to upgrade to on launch day. Could we see the biggest queues ever?

A combination of design and hardware changes will make the iPhone 8 the most radical new iPhone to date, if we are to go by the rumours and leaks. Update 10 November: There is yet more weight to the possibility of the iPhone 8 getting an OLED screen. M ultinational banking company JP Morgan has come across a purchase order in Apple's most recent Securities and Exchange Commission which is thought to be for OLED panels. The order extends for a year and is valued at around $4bn.

We wanted to bring your attention to a phone which might provide a glimpse of what the iPhone 8. Xiaomi has announced the Mi Mix which is, let's face it, a stunning device. It looks like the first of a new category of phones with it's 91.3 percent screen-to-body ratio, according to the firm.

A Facebook post by Robert Scoble - a well-known tech strategist - reveals new details about the next iPhone. In the lengthy post Scoble claims to have been told that it will be "a clear piece of glass... which will put holograms on top of the real world like Microsoft HoloLens does". He also says the phone will have an OLED screen and that Apple has 600 engineers working on a next- generation 3D sensor and that the phone will have eye sensors. These will bring "a new kind of interface". He also says that you'll " pop it into a headset which has eye sensors on it, which enables the next iPhone to have a higher apparent frame rate and polygon count than a PC with a Nvidia 1080 card in it. "

Plus, he says that new sources revealed we can "expect battery and antennas to be hidden around the edges of the screen, which explains how Apple will fit in some of the pieces even while most of the chips that make up a phone are in a pack/strip at the bottom of the phone. "

These sound like ridiculous predictions, especially the part about the phone being transparent - battery tech is not yet good enough to make one small enough to "hide" - but if true, the iPhone 8 will be a revolution rather than the evolution we've seen with the iPhone 7 this year. We'll continue to update this article as new information appears, but here's how things stand right now.

Jony Ive has wanted to introduce an iPhone which resembles a single sheet of glass for a long time and the 2017 anniversary iPhone could be the one. It's rumoured that at least one iPhone in 2017 will use a glass body, according to Apple supplier Catcher Technology. Glass on the front and back would make it like a hugely updated version of the iPhone 4S.

This, combined with the rumour that the iPhone 8 will sport an edge-to-edge OLED screen makes things rather interesting. And we're not just talking the side edges, as Apple may even go as far as to do away with the top and bottom bezels. The physical home button would be gone and the TouchID fingerprint scanner would be housed within the screen.

A patent filed back in March 2015 states: "The man-machine interface device comprises an electronic display apparatus that is capable of presenting graphic text, images, icons, and other data typically shown on a screen, while further including a transparent finger touch sensor region that is seated above the display apparatus. "

A patent has now been awarded for a 'c apacitive fingerprint sensor including an electrostatic lens'. This gets around the problem of an all-glass display and no physical home button with capacitive sensing technology working through gaps in space allowing a Touch ID component to operate below the iPhone's screen.

The concept video shown below is from DeepMind and shows what an iPhone would look like with an edge-to-edge display. And it looks pretty cool.

Another concept image of an iPhone with an edge-to-edge display emerged in early 2016 from iPhone-Tricks.com. It's a bit out-there and is unlikely to be quite accurate, but it also shows what iOS 10 might look like including an interesting idea that some of the icons could be bigger in a 'widget' style familiar to Android users.

Using a flexible OLED display technology will allow the iPhone 8 to be thinner and give a similar effect to the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. It should also consume less power while offering better contrast and colour reproduction. Apple already uses an OLED display for the Apple Watch.

Reports say Samsung Display is currently working on a new flexible OLED for the iPhone and is set to invest billions in a new factory to keep up with demand and meet Apple's order of up to 45,000 panels per month.

This concept image via ConceptsiPhone shows what an edge-to-edge OLED display iPhone might look like:

A new patent award to Apple is further indication, some might say proof, that the iPhone 8 will ditch the home button for a system which placed the fingerprint sensing technology underneath the screen. Named a 'c apacitive fingerprint sensor including an electrostatic lens', it means Apple is looking into a fingerprint sensor which can work through various layers of the display.

Another patent, via Apple Insider , shows that we the iPhone 8 might actually look like the ambitous concept above. With not only the home button moving to the screen, Apple will also need to tackle the light sensor. Well the below patent called 'Electronic Devices With Display- Integrated Light Sensors' will do exactly that.

The patent explains that having a light sensor can result in an increase in the size and weight of the device so "it would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved electronic devices with light sensors and displays. "

As pointed out by Patently Apple , the firm has filed and been granted patents which may well be used on the 2017 iPhone. They suggest a curved-glass design and also that the sides of the phone could be used for virtual active buttons. For example, this could be used for certain controls when the camera app is in use. If true, the phone would rival Samsung's edge screen features.

There were also some rumours we heard about the iPhone 7's screen that never made it to fruition. It's possible that they could see daylight with the iPhone 8.

Economic Daily News speculated that the iPhone 7 could feature a 3D display, and one that doesn't require the use of those annoying 3D glasses. The website claimed at the time that Apple supply chain partner TPK is working on a project that could produce a glasses-free 3D display, though we're not holding out much hope for this as its been done before (remember the LG Optimus 3D?) and has never done well.

There were also some rumours to suggest that the iPhone 7 could have a sidewall display, similar to that found on the Galaxy S7 edge and Note 7. This came from an Apple patent that was published in 2015. The patent hints at a future iPhone with a display that extends onto the sides of the device, providing interactive or touch sensitive portions that give access to slide-to- unlock functionality, music player controls, messaging readout, called ID, system controls and more.

Above concept by Michael Shanks 2016-11-10 12:55 Chris Martin www.pcadvisor.co.uk

45 /54 1.0 : Excellent Bluetooth headphones which are just a little pricey By

Jim Martin | 114 mins ago

See full specs

£319.99 inc VAT

Price comparision from , and manufacturers

B&W makes top-quality headphones, and the P7 is widely regarded as a good over-ear choice if you have around £300 to spend. The P7 Wireless is essentially the same headphone but with Bluetooth and a built-in battery. See also: Best headphones to buy

They’re larger than the P5 Wireless, reviewed, being over-ear rather than on-ear, and are also a bit heavier.

Like the P5, you have the option of connecting the included cable so you can listen when the battery has run out, or if the audio source doesn’t have Bluetooth.

You can buy the P7 Wireless for £319.99 from B&W’s website as well as from John Lewis and various other retailers. This is a lot for a pair of headphones, but it’s roughly the same price as the P5 Wireless (at launch) – you can now pick up those headphones for £229.99 from John Lewis

If you already know the P7, or any of B&W’s other headphones, you’ll find the same premium build quality on the P7 Wireless. There’s lots of (great-smelling) sheep leather, high-quality stitching and aluminium cups with embossed Bowers & Wilkins lettering.

The headband is adjustable and has plenty of padding. Memory foam is used for the ear cups – said to be different from that in the original P7 – and we found them comfortable from the off.

Like the P5, the fit is quite tight, and long periods of listening can lead to discomfort, especially if you wear glasses as the arms are pushed into your head.

A good seal forms around the headphones which helps to isolate the outside world and improve sound quality, but unlike the Bose QuietComfort 35, there’s no active noise cancelling.

Pairing with a phone is easy: slide the power button, then hold it down for two seconds. The first paired device becomes the primary one, but the headphones can also remember seven secondary devices. B&W quotes 17 hours of battery life and we’ve no reason to doubt that. They didn’t need charging during our testing, but when they do, it’s a simple case of attaching a microUSB cable. No mains charger is included, but it’s very likely you already have one.

To attach the included 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable you prise the cover off the left earcup: strong magnets hold them in place. The recessed jack means you can’t accidentally disconnect the wire when it gets tugged.

On the back of the right earcup are three buttons, just like the P5 Wireless. The outer ones control volume, while the middle one is used to pause and skip tracks. They’re made of plastic and feel a little out of place on a headphone this expensive. Some people found their placement awkward, while others (including this reviewer) was perfectly happy with it.

There’s also a built-in microphone so you can make or receive a phone call, and you can even hold the middle button down to call Siri on an iPhone.

Hinges allow the P7 Wireless to fold up – a bit – and you get a soft carry case in the box.

Thanks to the inclusion of aptX, sound quality is excellent considering it’s a wireless connection. You’ll notice the warm, chunky bass straight away: only the most discerning listeners will be able to tell the difference between these and the wired P7s.

As is B&W’s signature, bass is pronounced – almost overwhelming in some tracks, especially busy songs with lots of instruments and singers. Don’t buy these expecting reference-quality audio. If anything it’s worth seeing if you can try out of pair before you buy, just to make sure you’re happy with the warmth of the sound.

Vocals come over loud and clear, and there’s a wonderful clarity to instruments which you simply don’t hear on most cheap headphones, so if you’re upgrading from a basic pair of in-ear buds, you’ll be blown away.

Whether it’s the brushes of a jazz drummer, the finger picking of a guitar riff or a breathy vocal, the P7 Wireless delivers every last detail. But again, when tracks get loud and energetic things can get a little muddy.

If you have an iPhone, you won’t benefit from aptX as Apple doesn’t licence Qualcomm’s technology. And it’s worth pointing out that the P7 Wireless doesn’t have an Apple W1 chip which Apple uses in its AirPods (and new Beats wireless headphones). This uses its own wireless streaming standard (over Bluetooth) and adds extra functionality.

Despite this, we can’t imagine that many people will be disappointed with the quality of the P7 Wireless when used with an iPhone. We couldn’t really tell the difference between an aptX connection on a compatible Android phone to the iPhone 7 that we mainly used for testing.

We were impressed with the Bluetooth connection – more so than we were with the P5 Wireless. It’s rock solid and cuts out only when you walk more than about 20m from your phone. Of course, if you introduce walls or other obstacles, this range is reduced, but in general, you won’t have any issues.

Pairing and re-pairing was flawless, and we liked that we could easily resume listening to a track after turning on the headphones by pressing the middle button. If you’re specifically after wireless headphones, the P7 Wireless are some of the best around. They’re not cheap, but they’re reliable, look great and – overall – sound great. They’ll suit those who like heavy bass, but don’t forget about the Bose QuietComfort 35, which may not sound quite as good, but has active noise cancelling and is 30 cheaper.

Price comparision from , and manufacturers

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2016-11-10 12:53 Jim Martin www.pcadvisor.co.uk

46 /54 0.0 A CIO rejects, for now, university’s IT offshoring plan There are reservations within the University of California system about a plan to move IT work offshore and lay off employees.

After Computerworld wrote in September about the layoff plan at the university's San Francisco campus, Larry Conrad, the associate vice chancellor for IT and CIO at the Berkeley campus, wrote a memo to IT staff about it.

He noted that some on his IT staff had seen the story and he wanted to respond.

"The UCSF effort is indeed an ambitious undertaking," wrote Conrad in a memo obtained by Computerworld. "Candidly, I am not aware of any major university in the country which has successfully implemented such a substantive IT outsourcing initiative. "

The San Francisco campus, which includes a medical center, has hired India-based HCL under a five-year contract valued at $50 million. As part the move, the university is laying off 49 permanent IT employees and cutting about 30 contractors. Some of the IT workers say they expect to be training H-1B-visa-holding foreign replacements.

A protest outside UCSF IT offices in San Francisco is set for Nov. 15, and is being organized by Sara Blackwell, a Florida attorney representing Disney workers who lost their jobs after Disney offshored some IT work. The University of California is a public institution and its offshoring plan has drawn protest from a number of lawmakers, including Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee. "It is clear that the university is seeking to replace American workers with lower-cost foreign workers abroad and potentially also in the United States," wrote Grassley, in a letter to Janet Napolitano, the president of the University of California system.

The contract that UCSF negotiated with HCL can be used by any of the campuses in the massive University of California system.

"We have no plans to follow UCSF's path," wrote Conrad, who said he's aware of UCSF contract and "will look at the results. "

"The IT business is constantly changing. What made sense 20 years ago doesn't make sense today. What makes sense today likely won't make sense in another 20 years," wrote Conrad. "Business applications are a good example: 20 years ago we wrote most of our major systems. Today those are mostly purchased systems, with the integration of cloud-based solutions a growing trend.

"It's difficult to overstate the changes I've seen in technology and management over the span of my career," he said in the memo. "But the one thing that hasn't changed is the need to provide excellent, informed, and responsive service to our customers. The value-add local IT has always had is the ability to understand the business, understand our customers, and help them solve their problems and transform their business. "

Still, Conrad didn't completely rule out outsourcing, and said it "does need to be considered as part of the overall portfolio of services we or any other university (or any other business) provides. "

In a follow-up email in response to questions, Conrad said the school does do some outsourcing and "will continue to look at those options on a case-by-case basis. But we do not presently have plans to outsource big chunks of our IT operations. "

Computerworld also asked Conrad whether the use of "use of offshore workers -- often on temporary visas -- is appropriate in an academic environment? Particularly one that is training people for occupations in IT? "

"In regards to offshore workers, UC Berkeley, like many other institutions, has been hit very hard by the systemic disinvestment in public higher education by state governments," Conrad replied. "Historically, public higher education was viewed as a public good... and in places like the Bay area that 'bargain' has paid off over decades in dramatic ways that have literally transformed our world. However, today that bargain with state government -- that investing in the education of state students benefits the state economy and society -- seems to be fundamentally broken and replaced with a prevailing belief in state governments across the country that higher education is a private good, benefitting the individual, and should not be a priority for state investment. That certainly seems to have become the case here in California. "

Conrad said that the "central IT budget here at Berkeley has been cut to the bone to a point where all we can do is keep the metaphorical lights on and nothing else. No resources for innovation or even extending existing services. "

"Consequently, we will continue to look at options to reduce our expenses while not jeopardizing our ability to support the campus. In some cases, that does involve offshore workers and we will continue to assess the efficacy of that on a case-by-case basis," he wrote.

2016-11-10 12:52 Patrick Thibodeau www.itnews.com

47 /54 0.3 In Trump, an M&A watchdog with more bite Regardless of how individuals voted there are still deals to be done. There might not be as many of them, as has certainly been the case in the run-up to the election with monthly transaction volume dropping...

2016-11-10 12:50 Brenon Daly www.computing.co.uk

48 /54 4.5 IBM Watson, Topcoder bring AI capabilities to more than 1 million developers In order to help developers tap into the true potential of artificial intelligence and cognitive computing capabilities, Topcoder (a global software development community) and IBM are partnering to allow a larger number of developers to have access to Watson services and speech APIs.

Specifically, this partnership allows IBM to expand the number of developers working with Watson and cognitive computing by more than 1 million, according to IBM chief developer advocate Willie Tejada.

Through Topcoder’s hackathons and coding challenges, developers will be able to access a range of Watson services such as Conversation, Sentiment Analysis or speech APIs, so they can build new AI solutions. Additionally, developers can show off and monetize their creations on the IBM Marketplace, said Tejada. (Related: IBM adds tools for Watson )

Topcoder has been primarily focused on data, data science development and design, said Dave Messinger, vice president of product architecture and global developer community director for Topcoder. Adding cognitive learning capabilities will be a welcome addition, especially for the developers that love algorithms and Big Data problems, he said.

Currently, about 90% of the code from Topcoder’s coding challenges goes into production applications, Messinger said. With the addition of cognitive computing technologies, its member base will be able to be on the “cutting edge” of enterprise applications moving forward, he said.

“I think, personally, we are very excited about cognitive computing in general and the amount of work that’s going to be coming out of the pipe,” said Messinger. “We are excited to get more opportunities for our community, and I think cognitive is going to be one of the big areas.”

As for Watson’s technology, IBM traditionally has made it available to its enterprise clients. But today, its combination of cognitive and cloud technology makes it widely accessible, Tejada said. Watson’s capabilities go beyond machine learning, and developers can tap into external data to impact industries like healthcare, shopping, weather, banking services, and more, he said.

“Developers are creating a variety of solutions to improve performance and customer service, and to drive innovation and revenue,” said Tejada. “For example, Geico developers are using Watson to assist in filling out insurance forms, and developers at travel startup WayBlazer are leveraging Watson to create customized travel plans.”

By tapping into machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies, developers can continue to evolve from the role of an influencer to a decision-maker, since “the systems of the future will be managed by the developer,” according to Tejada.

“As we advance in cognitive computing technologies, the developer will code what needs to be learned into the machine, and the machine will learn what needs to be coded. Now more than ever, developers have a greater ability to help people change the world and businesses make smarter, more informed decisions.”

2016-11-10 12:44 Madison Moore sdtimes.com

49 /54 2.6 The best messaging apps with end-to-end encryption There is a growing desire to keep one’s messages private. Some users are concerned about hackers, or worry about foreign or domestic government surveillance, but most people just agree with the general principle that what you say in your chat conversations ought to stay between you and the people you chat with.

It’s not a pleasant idea to think that your messages could be archived for perpetuity on a large company’s server or analyzed by some algorithm. The quest for privacy has birthed a whole generation of apps that promise to give you exactly that. Services like Telegram and Signal have turned the phrase “end-to-end encryption” into a popular discussion. We’re here to help you figure out what this is all about and which apps to try.

The services we’re looking at here all feature end-to-end encryption. One of the most popular apps in this space is Telegram. It’s been a pretty hot app for a couple of years, which is like 20 years in app time.

The most painstaking part is you need to invite all of your contacts into your new, secret chat world through the app’s navigation menu. It’s the biggest problem with using over-the- top services, as it doesn’t have the ubiquity of SMS messaging.

Telegram lets you create private or public channels for groups that you want to stay connected to.

Once you’ve done this, you can message people individually or create group channels for talking with an unlimited number of other users. The upside here is you can escape the limitations of MMS messaging that usually caps you at a particular number of people. Your group can even be public, giving you a mini social network without all the trolls that plague the likes of Facebook and Twitter.

The interface is a little barren, but Telegram makes the list for its robust privacy and offering native apps for iOS, Mac, Windows, the web, and of course Android.

Signal’s claim to fame is that it’s the preferred messaging application of Edward Snowden. It’s among the easiest to set up, as it automatically authenticates your number and can even be used as your default SMS app.

As with Whisper, you can create a group for private banter with an unlimited number of other users. Signal also makes phone calls, which I found to be very clear when testing it out in a couple of different cases.

Signal offers a lot of different features and can serve as your main messaging app.

Signal isn’t optimized for tablets, but the company says that’s on the product roadmap. The design is no-frills with color variation for different contacts to help you from sending the wrong chat to an incorrect contact.

Wire offers a chat bot and a number of different ways to get your message across.

You can optionally create an account with your phone number, which makes setup and account deletion easy. Wire is great for one-on-one chats if you would prefer conversations with someone be off the record. But it doesn’t have the same type of social or group features found with some of the other offerings here.

You also can’t forget about the uber-popular WhatsApp. Like the others on this list, it promises end-to-end encryption so your messages stay private. The biggest advantage is that the service, which is owned by Facebook, has more than a billion users. There’s a very good chance you won’t have to convince all your friends and family to download the app.

WhatsApp is a popular messaging app throughout the world. That shouldn’t be discounted, as one of the pains of moving to a messaging service is convincing everybody to jump aboard. However, WhatsApp is now owned by Facebook, a connection that could make some wary, especially since the social network recently announced it’d be using some account information , including phone numbers, from WhatsApp. If your goal is a high threshold of privacy, then it’s worth keeping an eye on.

If you want to see messages disappear before your eyes, then Dust (formerly Cyber Dust) is the way to go. The brainchild of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, the messages can disappear in 24 hours or as soon as they’re read, based on your preferences.

Dust (formerly Cyber Dust) makes your messages disappear and offers an interesting social element.

The company spells out its encryption policy , and includes a couple other features to ease your mind like chats that don’t show usernames, so even if someone took a screenshot it couldn’t necessarily be attributed to you.

The best app for you is going to depend upon your needs. Secure messaging is a huge and growing area of consumer interest, but it’s worth the effort if staying secure is what you’re after.

2016-11-10 12:27 Derek Walter www.computerworld.com

50 /54 1.7 40-plus eye-popping Black Friday 2016 tech deals Some have begun referring to this month as Black November since Black Friday sales have stretched far beyond Thanksgiving Day and Nov. 25. But who’s complaining when hundreds of dollars are being lopped off the prices of the hottest smartphones, tablets, PCs and gaming systems. Here’s a look at some of the best deals.

Websites such as BFads.net , BlackFriday.com and BestBlackFriday.com have all been helpful in collecting this information.

LOOK BACK: 40-plus eye-popping Black Friday 2015 tech deals

This model of the Apple MacBook Air is powered with an Intel i5 processor, has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of flash storage. Best Buy is cutting $200 off the regular price to sell it for $800.

You can get this Windows tablet with a 12.3-inch screen, signature type cover and Intel Core m3 processor for $600 ($400 off). Note that the pen is sold separately.

Verizon is offering phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S7, Pixel Phone from Google and Moto Z Droid for $10/month for 24 months, 0% APR, which is a savings of up to $400 on these devices.

Blanket your home with Wi-Fi coverage via a three-pack of these 802.11ac dual-band APs from eero for $400 ($100 off)

This Windows 10 Home 64 gaming system, marked down from $1,800 to $1,300, cranks via an Intel Core i7-6700 CPU (four cores), an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card, 8MB shared cache, 16GB of memory and 1TB of storage.

The retailer is lopping $200 off the price of this LED set, for a final price of $600.

Shopko’s Black Friday sales start online the day before Thanksgiving and online at 4pm Thanksgiving Day. Among the deals, this 7-inch Android tablet for $70, which is $60 off the regular price. It comes with 8GB of storage and can be expanded via a 32GB microSD card.

Even the arts/crafts supply retailer is getting the VR bug, offering this viewer, which it claims works with most smartphones. The gadget usually sells for $50, but comes in at $20 for Black Friday shoppers, and even less if you grab one of the 25% to 50% coupons Michael’s is making available over the Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend.

Perhaps not the first name the comes to mind for tablets, but yes, Polaroid makes this 10-inch system featuring Android 6.0 and comes with a Bluetooth keyboard in this bundle for $60 ($140 off the regular price). Boasts 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM. Loving the promo language on the Shopko website about “Keep yourself nice and occupied by purchasing this…”

This 4x4 802.11ac Wi-Fi router, marked down from $120 to $80, pumps data at up to 1733Mbps and is powered by a 1.4GHz dual-core CPU. Includes 4 Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 and eSATA/USB2.0 ports. Sam’s Club deals run from Nov. 25-27.

BJ’s is offering this 7-inch Android tablet with 16GB of storage, plus a bonus 16GB microSD card, for $90, which is $50 off the regular price. BJ’s is offering this deal from Nov. 18 through Nov. 29, though stores are closed on Thanksgiving.

Staples, which opens its doors on Black Friday at 6am but is closed on Thanksgiving, is axing the price of this tablet from $130 to $80.

Lop $220 off the price of this bundle to come in at $500 for the package. The machine boasts 1TB of storage, 8GB of memory and an Intel Core i7 processor.

Dell is marking down this flexible laptop/tablet from $350 to $200 online for Black Friday. The machine, which weighs in at just over 3 pounds, boasts Windows 10 Home, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive.

This glow-in-the-dark hovering machine, which is 2.4GHz WiFi-enabled and can record video to your smartphone/tablet, is being marked down by 40% to $70. The drone can be used indoors/outdoors, and weighs in at 3 pounds. For True Value, “Black Friday” extends from Nov. 16-29.

This compact desktop will run you just $100 (!), half off of Dell’s usual price (though we’ve seen it listed for as much as $350 too). The machine runs Windows 10 Home, has 4GB of memory and a 1TB hard drive. It’s powered by a 6 th generation Intel Core i36100 processor. Apple and Kohl’s have buddied up so that the retailer better known for its clothing sales will be adding Apple Watches to the accessories it sells. The Series 1 & 2 watches will sell for $269 and $369, respectively, which is no bargain, but Kohl’s sweetens the deal for holiday shoppers by including $105 in Kohl’s cash for Series 2 buyers and $75 in Kohl’s cash for Series 1 buyers.

Okay, this isn’t exactly an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive setup, but if you aren’t ready to pull the trigger on one of those advanced virtual reality systems, you could get a taste of VR for $10 with this deal (half price). The promo on the JCPenney website says “ready for most phones,” but that would seem to be limited to Android ones.

Get this TV – regularly $350 -- for $250, plus get $75 in Kohl’s cash to spend on whatever later. Sale starts on Black Friday at 1pm and is good while supply lasts online/in store.

This 15-inch touch-optional Windows 10 laptop is powered by an Intel i7 processor, has 6GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Regularly priced at $830, HP is selling it for $600 starting on Thanksgiving Day.

This pharmacy isn’t exactly a treasure trove for high tech items, but if you happen to be at one, these $6 Philips Earbuds ($10 off, plus you get $6 in Plenti Points for their reward system) with soft rubberized caps make for a nice stocking stuffer.

This 12-inch touch display tablet/laptop combo usually starts at more than $2,000, but the price has been slashed nearly in half for HP’s Black Friday sale. The system runs Windows 10 Pro 64 and boasts a 6 th generation Intel Core m processor and Intel HD Graphics 515 processor. It has 4GB of memory and 180GB of storage.

This high-end tablet is going for $800 at Staples on Black Friday, down from the usual price of $1,000. This Intel Core i5 processor-powered tablet has a 12.3-inch display and runs Windows 10. It includes 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Keep in mind that while this tablet comes with a Surface Pen, it doesn’t include a detachable keyboard – that’ll run you another $100 or so.

The store is offering 50% off the usual 3-month Microsoft Xbox Gold Membership card, listed at $25.

This could be a big seller during the holdays, and Sears is cutting the price from $180 to $140. Too lazy to look up the weather on your phone or look outside? Want a more mobile music system for the house? Echo could be for you (though let’s see how Amazon prices it too this holiday season).

Put $0 and sign up for a 24-month installment plan ($36 for 128GB Plus, $31 for 128GB iPhone 7) and you’ll get a $250 Target gift card

Sears has plenty of TVs on its sales list this holiday season, and among them is this 1080p HDTV set marked down from $400 to $250.

This Android device with 8GB of storage regularly goes for $150, but Kmart is selling it for $100 and including $50 of Shop Your Way Reward points to use at a later time.

Get either gaming bundle for $250 ($50 off the regular price) plus a $40 Target gift card

Get the big Apple iPad with 128GB of storage for $450, which is about $150 off via this deal. Supports 802.11ac Wi-Fi and LTE cellular connectivity. Harbor Freight is knocking $80 off this this 4-channel security system and 2 cameras, which will sell for $200 as a Black Friday deal. Keep track of entrances and exits using a 7-inch monitor screen, which displays video from up to 4 cameras and records video using an optional 32GB SD card.

Hours of amusement, we’re sure. And 25% off at $30 for the Star Wars fan who has everything.

Nintendo announced two special-edition models, one white and one black featuring Mushroom Kingdom characters/imagery, for $100, at least $50 off what the 3DS usually goes for. Gaming system provides 3D-like effects without the dorky glasses.

Perhaps not household names, but might one of these make it into your household for $225?

Best Buy is cutting $30 off the price of the Amazon Fire 8-inch tablet with 16GB of storage to $60, and is shaving about $17 off the price of a 7-inch Amazon Fire tablet with 8GB of storage for a final price of $33.33 (will be interesting to see how Amazon marks these tablets down itself).

This model of the Apple MacBook Air is powered with an Intel i5 processor, has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of flash storage. Best Buy is cutting $200 off the regular price to sell it for $800.

Go high-end with the Dji model, marked down from about $500 to $370, or the more affordable Promark, which zooms in at $99 ($49 off) boasts an Intel i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM, 1TB of storage and comes in at $450, or $400 off the usual price. Note that other HP systems from Office Depot/Office Max can also be had for $270 and $330 with less powerful processors.

Walmart is making the price on this pretty mini, by cutting $70 off the usual $270 price for this 32GB model.

You’ll be able to get this Celeron dual-core processor-powered laptop with 16GB of storage (expandable to 2TB!?)

This dual-band 802.11ac wireless router has been slashed from $150 to $90 for Black Friday by Office Depot/Office Max. Features 3 external dual-band antennas, a high-power amplifier 4 Gigabit LAN ports and 1 Gigabit WAN port.

Best Buy will sweeten the purchase of a new Android phone, which costs about $28 per month for 24 months under an installment plan, by tossing in a $250 store gift card PLUS A Samsung Gear VR viewer.

2016-11-10 12:24 Bob Brown www.itnews.com

51 /54 3.5 Suspected Russian hackers target U. S. think tanks after election Hours after Donald Trump won the presidential election, a suspected Russian cyberespionage team was blamed for targeting several U. S. think tanks with phishing emails designed to fool victims into installing malware.

On Wednesday, the phishing emails landed in the inboxes of dozens of targets associated with U. S. think tanks and non- governmental organizations, said security firm Volexity.

A hacking group called APT 29 or Cozy Bear was behind the attack, according to Volexity. This is one of the same groups that security experts say was also responsible for hacking the Democratic National Committee and is allegedly tied to the Russian government.

Wednesday’s attack involved five waves of phishing emails that targeted groups and individuals in the national security, international affairs, and public policy sectors, among other groups, Volexity said in a blog post .

To entice the victims to open the emails, the messages were titled with subject lines about election rigging in the U. S. and how the system was flawed. Other emails pretended to come from the Clinton Foundation. However, all of the messages were meant to trick victims into opening download links or attachments to install malware.

A copy of one of the phishing emails.

That malware is designed to examine and control whatever system it infects. It can also secretly download additional malicious files and evade detection from antivirus products.

Volexity is blaming the attack on the Cozy Bear group partly because of the malware used; it contains coding that's been found in other hacking techniques tied to the elite hacking team, company founder Steven Adair said.

In addition, Wednesday's attack matches similar methods used in phishing email campaigns that occurred in August and also targeted think tanks and NGOs.

In this case, the malicious emails came from a mix of Google Gmail accounts and possibly hacked emails accounts from Harvard’s arts and sciences faculty.

Harvard didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Volexity declined to name which think tanks were targeted. But Adam Segal, a China expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Maeve Whelan-Wuest, a researcher at the Brookings Institution, said on Twitter they had both received the phishing emails.

Why these institutions were targeted isn't clear. But "folks at think tanks have a lot of contacts and relationships with different government officials and people in the political space," Adair said.

"My guess it's access to what these people are saying and potentially leveraging knowledge about them to further target them," he said.

Security firm Crowdstrike has claimed the hacking team Cozy Bear has previously infiltrated networks belonging to the White House, U. S. State Department, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Although security experts and the U. S. government have linked the Cozy Bear group with Russia, the country's government has denied any involvement in state-sponsored hacking.

2016-11-10 12:18 Michael Kan www.computerworld.com

52 /54 2.7 Government must tread carefully on AI ethics The UK government stands to benefit from incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and related data science techniques into its processes, but must tread carefully when it comes to accountability and transparency, according to the government’s chief scientific advisor Mark Walport.

This is according to the recent report, Artificial intelligence: opportunities and implications for the future of decision making , produced by Walport and Home Office permanent secretary Mark Sedwill, which grew out of a British Academy seminar on the ethical and legal issues surrounding AI.

Walport said there were clear examples for using AI in UK government, including to make services more efficient by anticipating demand and maximising available resources; to make it easier for government officials to use more data to inform their decisions; to make these decisions more transparent; and to help departments improve service delivery by better understanding the users they serve.

However, he said, government has more obligations around transparency, due process and citizen accountability that do not necessarily always fall on private businesses.

For example, he wrote, AI has a clear role to play in making decision-support systems more effective. However, these systems would always need to have a human somewhere in the loop prepared and able to provide oversight and question or go against the advice given by the AI system if needed, such as in the case of decisions made with relevance to benefit claimants.

“As with any advisor, the influence of these systems on decision-makers will be questioned, and departments will need to be transparent about the role played by AI in their decisions,” wrote Walport.

2016-11-10 12:15 Networking Editor www.computerweekly.com

53 /54 3.8 Enermax Ostrog Lite joins the compact-ATX party Enermax has expanded its Ostrog line of budget-friendly cases with the Ostrog Lite , a steel mid- tower case designed to swallow up ATX motherboards. This enclosure packs features usually reserved for more expensive chassis, like a power supply shroud and both top and bottom magnetic dust filters.

Enermax says the Ostrog Lite was designed to accomodate power supplies as long as 7" (or 18 cm), graphics cards up to 15.3" (39 cm) in length, and CPU coolers as tall as 5.9" (15cm). The case comes with three 120-mm fans installed, and it can hold two such spinners in the front, two more in the top, and one in the back. Liquid-cooling enthusiast also have room for 120-mm radiators. A 92-mm fan fits in the power supply shroud in exchange for giving up a 3.5" drive mount.

Digital pack rats will enjoy mounting locations for two 2.5" drives, three 3.5" drives, and a pair of external-facing 5.25" bays. The case also includes an adapter to cosset a 3.5" drive in one of the 5.25" external bays. To top it off, two of the 3.5" bays can be converted to hold 2.5" drives.

Power and reset buttons are mounted on the top panel, along with audio jacks, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, and a single USB 3.0 port. The front panel is made of plastic with a "hairline" brushed metal finish in one of two available grayscale colors. Buyers can keep an eye on all that hardware through a tinted acrylic side panel. The chassis' external dimensions ring in at 17.3" x 7.6" x 18.1" (44 cm x 19.4 cm x 46 cm). Enermax says the Ostrog Lite should be available now.

2016-11-10 12:08 by Wayne techreport.com

54 /54 1.5 ConnectWise CEO: MSPs Have Become Sort Of 'Complacent,' Must Get Into Managed Security - Page: 1 ConnectWise CEO Arnie Bellini says MSPs must create a new revenue stream and better protect customers by adding security services around encryption and penetration testing.

Security is center stage in every boardroom and presents MSPs with as big of an opportunity as cloud services, Bellini told the roughly 3,000 attendees of IT Nation 2016. But he said too many ConnectWise partners haven't even thought about establishing a managed security practice.

"You've sort of become complacent," Bellini said Thursday at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. "You've built your monthly recurring revenue and you're happy with that, but you're going to have to evolve. "

[Related: ConnectWise Aims To Charm The Channel With New, Unified UI And Four Newly Named Products ]

Some forward-thinking partners no longer include security as part of their basic managed services contract, Bellini said. Instead, Bellini said they add a 20 percent upcharge to the basic contract in exchange for providing customers with comprehensive security protection.

Those MSPs have been able to establish an entirely new revenue stream, Bellini said, with customers paying for both a 150-hour up-front assessment and as much as $2,500 per month for managed security services. MSPs should work to monetize their security offerings, Bellini said, since clients will turn to them first in the event of a security breach. "You really have to add security to your managed services practice," Bellini said. "If you're selling managed services without managed security, it's like selling a hot dog without a bun. "

The table stakes for any managed security practice are virus detection, malware detection and firewall intrusion detection, Bellini said, and all three of those are commonly offered by MSPs today.

But to truly add value around security, Bellini said MSPs must add penetration testing, disk encryption and network encryption to their line card, as well as an SSL for traffic coming from the outside.

"Security breaches are happening inside the office," Bellini said. "You've got to protect the network from the inside as well. "

The most difficult part about providing true managed security, though, is creating an operations manual that documents how each individual client does all of its IT functions and processes, Bellini said. This should be done as roughly a 150-hour project up front, Bellini said, and billed to customers separately.

2016-11-10 12:07 Michael Novinson www.crn.com

Total 54 articles.

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Created at 2016-11-11 00:03