Thursday, November 30, 2017
TechRadar's free downloads advent calendar starts tomorrow
The holidays are an expensive time, so we’re bringing you a special treat: a full, free Windows program to download every day until Christmas.
Each day, we’ll open a door on our advent calendar to reveal a new app, ready to download and enjoy completely free. From free VPNs to website builders and song downloaders, there's always something brilliant to look forward to.
Check back tomorrow for your first free festive download!
Downloads provided by ASCOMP, Steganos, Ashampoo, Incomedia, Abelssoft, Apowersoft and IObit.
- Can't wait? Download some fantastic free software right now
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Wednesday, November 29, 2017
The best free and premium CD rippers 2017
When you want to archive your CD collection, you can just rip the tracks using Windows Explorer or your regular media player. However, the quality of those files will never be as good as the original discs due to errors when data is read, and compression when it’s encoded. That's why you need a dedicated CD ripper.
Ideally, archived audio files should be as close to the original CD as possible, with complete and accurate metadata, encoded in a lossless format (usually Free Lossless Audio Codec, or FLAC). This requires a lot of space, the cost of which would once have been prohibitive, but the plummeting price of storage makes it feasible to keep those files as a backup, and make copies for everyday use. You can also encode copies using lossy codecs for playback on devices with limited storage.
A 'secure' CD ripper ensures audio files are free from errors by reading each sector of the disc several times, and comparing the results with data collected from other users. There aren’t many of these tools around, and here we’ve picked the CD rippers we’d trust with our own tunes.
Are CD rippers legal?
Although every Windows PC comes with software for backing up CDs, it's not legal everywhere. For example, in 2014, UK copyright law was changed to make legalize personal backups, but that decision was overturned by the High Court in 2015. Make sure you check out intellectual property law in your country before you start ripping.
1. Exact Audio Copy
The best free CD ripper for Windows if you have time to invest in the setup
Usually we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to software, with dozens of programs approaching the same task from different angles. When it comes to CD rippers, however, there are only two programs we recommend – one free, and one premium (but still reasonably priced).
Exact Audio Copy is the free option, and it's so good, many audiophiles prefer it to its paid-for counterpart. It takes a while to set up, so we've put together a full guide to get you started.
EAC employs a technology called AccurateRip, which uses data from users around the world to detect whether your rips are totally free from errors. No CD or DVD drive is perfect, and many will insert periods of silence into audio tracks where errors occur, so this verification is essential for making 1:1 copies of your discs.
EAC can also find metadata for your music from four different sources (complete with album art), rename files automatically, and normalize audio as it's processed. If you have the time to invest, you couldn't wish for more.
Download here: Exact Audio Copy
2. dbPowerAmp
A premium CD ripper that makes archiving and encoding music a breeze
dBpoweramp is a premium CD ripper (a license costs £32/US$39/AU$39 for a single PC), but you can try it free for 21 days to make sure it's the tool for you before buying.
dBpoweramp's main advantage over Exact Audio Copy is its clear interface, which helps simplify the process of ripping your discs. Otherwise, it’s very similar; it uses the same AccurateRip technology to ensure your files are as close as possible to the original CD, scanning and re-scanning for errors, and comparing the results with data from other users.
dBpoweramp uses all your CPU cores simultaneously for the fastest possible encoding, and can encode to multiple formats at once, saving you the effort of converting files for playback on other devices.
dBpoweramp also includes an audio converter, with batch support for encoding files en masse – very useful if you need copies in a different format for a new device, or your everyday playback files have become lost or damaged.
Buy or download trial here: dBpoweramp
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Samsung hired ‘The Piano’ composer to write a score for a movie about a washing machine
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Why the YouTube of AR won’t be YouTube
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macOS High Sierra security flaw gives anyone full admin access – no password needed
A Turkish software developer has publicly revealed via Twitter that he has uncovered a massive security bug in macOS High Sierra, Apple’s latest operating system.
The flaw grants anyone using a Mac machine admin access by just clicking ‘other’ on the login screen and using ‘root’ as the username, no password needed.
In fact, access to the computer can also be achieved using the username ‘root’ via System Preferences where, to change essential settings on locked Mac devices, users would normally need to enter their login details.
This bug seems to present in macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 – the current version – as well as in the macOS 10.13.2 beta, but does not affect older versions of macOS, like Sierra or El Capitan.
This doesn’t bode well for users on the latest release of macOS – leaving a Mac unattended could make anyone system administrator without any authentication, even when accessed remotely, revealing sensitive information.
Apple has confirmed that it is aware of the bug and is “working on a software update to address the issue.” The Cupertino-based giant released a statement describing how users can, in the meantime, temporarily fix the vulnerability by enabling the root user with a password.
- How to download and instal macOS 10.13 High Sierra right now
- Already running macOS High Sierra and facing problems? Here’s how you can fix them.
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Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Samsung buys another AI company as it continues to build out Bixby
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Monday, November 27, 2017
Cyber Monday’s best tech bets
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Chromebooks finally get a free version of Microsoft Office
You can now use what’s effectively a freebie version of Microsoft Office on a Chromebook – or at least one of Google’s Chrome OS-powered notebooks which will run Android apps.
Yes, after a long wait, the Office Android apps have arrived for such Chromebooks, the software being available to download from the Google Play store for every Chromebook out there.
So Chrome Unboxed reports, having tested the Office apps across a number of different Chromebooks, and also taking into account widespread reports across the net. Note that Microsoft hasn’t made an official announcement about this.
Rocky road
This has been a rocky road ever since compatibility with Android apps was brought to the first Chromebooks, because while Microsoft promised that the productivity suite would be available across all these notebooks, previously it has only showed up for a small number of models.
But any frustration users have experienced has now come to an end, and the full arrival of Microsoft Office Android apps will certainly be welcomed by many.
Even those who aren’t that bothered about Office, and are happy with G Suite (Google’s online productivity suite) anyway, may still find the apps useful when it comes to compatibility with the occasional Office file they’re sent.
Another thing Chromebook users can look forward to is Google Assistant arriving on the notebooks.
- One Chromebook makes the cut for our best laptops list
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Sunday, November 26, 2017
Buy Windows 10: the cheapest deals on Cyber Monday 2017
The deadline to get a free upgrade to Windows 10 has sadly now passed. Not to worry though as you can rely on TechRadar to help you buy Windows 10 for the best price. Windows 10 is generally seen as an improvement over Windows 8 - yes, the Start button is back!
So, if you're building a brand new system or want to upgrade to Windows 10 on an older device, you're going to need to buy a copy. Don't worry though, because we check the prices of Windows 10 every day to make sure you get the best deals.
Buy Windows 10 Home deals
The perfect version of Windows for home users
Windows 10 Home is the version that most people will need. It's for home use and includes game streaming from Xbox One and other consumer features like Cortana, as well as Windows Hello for logging into your PC via a fingerprint scanner or your face. If Windows 8 was the steepest learning curve imaginable, Windows 10 is like meeting a great friend you once knew again - it's just that they've bought some new clothes of which you really do approve.
Buy Windows 10 Pro deals
Go Pro if you think it's worth paying more for the Pro features
Windows 10 Pro comes with security and management improvements over the Home version above. It includes Hyper-V for virtualisation, BitLocker whole disk encryption, enterprise mode IE, Remote Desktop, a version of the Windows Store for your own business and assigned access (which locks a PC to running only one modern application, to use like a kiosk). Network admins can also schedule updates so they don't happen at important times.
Buy Windows 7 deals
Windows 7 - because we fear change
What's this? Windows 7 deals on a page that advertises Windows 10? We understand some of you really want to stick with Windows 7, maybe even on a new machine. Don't worry, we totally get it. Maybe it's because you have some hardware/software that works better on the old OS or it just feels better. Or maybe it's because you've no time for the ridiculousness of the tiles format. Windows 7, the classic choice of the PC connoisseur?
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The best paid anti-ransomware software 2017
Every antivirus package claims it can protect you from ransomware, but that might not always mean what you think. Detecting and blocking a threat is a good start, for instance, but can your antivirus also recover anything the infection managed to encrypt? If not, you could be in trouble.
There are also no guarantees that your antivirus behavior monitoring will spot an undiscovered threat. And if it doesn't, your problems will get even worse.
If you're particularly concerned about ransomware, switching antivirus could help. Some packages track malicious file changes, allowing them to recover lost data. Others allow only trusted applications to access your files, a smart approach which should block both known and undiscovered threats.
The other option is to run a second malware detector alongside your existing antivirus. This should improve the chance of detecting an infection, and may help you recover any damaged data afterwards.
There are a range of free anti-ransomware tools which could help, but commercial products often have more features and a better track record. Here are five great examples of paid products which could help you keep ransomware at bay.
- We’ve also picked out the very best antivirus software
AppCheck Pro is a special anti-ransomware app which aims to detect and block even the latest undiscovered threats.
The program runs alongside your antivirus, watching all running processes for ransomware-like behavior. AppCheck's sophisticated engine keeps an eye on your MBR (Master Boot Record) and GPT (GUID Partition Table) as well as your files. Malware is blocked as soon as it's spotted, and can be automatically removed.
Many antivirus apps can do much the same, but AppCheck goes further. It tracks changes made to key files, helping you restore files that were encrypted before the ransomware was stopped. And even if it can't block the threat, that doesn't have to be a problem – AppCheck can back up files in real-time as they're modified, an extra layer of protection that (almost) guarantees your data safety.
Sounds great, but can the program live up to its promises? To find out, we tested it with known ransomware and a brand-new ransomware simulator we wrote ourselves. AppCheck performed well, spotting and disabling both threats and recovering the small number of files our malware managed to encrypt. Both incidents were cleaned up within seconds without us losing any data at all.
A successful anti-ransomware strategy needs a capable antivirus engine to detect threats on sight, and Bitdefender is one of the best packages around. It regularly tops the rankings at the independent testing labs, for example blocking 100% of threats in each of the last four AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection Tests (July to October 2017).
Bitdefender offers a second layer of protection through its behavior monitoring engine, which looks out for ransomware-like actions and tries to stop threats before they can do any harm. We're unsure whether this is quite as powerful as some of the best specialist anti-ransomware apps, but it's still worth having.
Bitdefender's key anti-ransomware selling point is its Safe Files feature. This acts something like a firewall for your file system, preventing unauthorized programs changing any files in protected folders. By default this shields your major user profile folders – Documents, Pictures, Music and so on – and you can add others as required.
Safe Files is a powerful tool which really could save your data in the event of an attack, but it can sometimes cause issues with legitimate programs which need to write to protected folders. Run the trial version of Bitdefender Antivirus Plus before you buy to see how the system works for you.
Panda Internet Security's antivirus engine provides a strong first line of protection, blocking most ransomware before it can do any harm. No need to take our, or the company's, word for it – AV Comparatives Real-World Protection Tests show Panda blocking 100% of threats in each of the last four tests (July to October 2017).
An additional Data Shield tries to keep you safe from even brand new and undiscovered threats by allowing only trusted applications to access or change specific file types.
By default Data Shield protects Office documents, images, audio and video files, and automatically allows access to some common applications (Office, Windows Media Player, Paint, Notepad and so on). If that's not enough you can customize the settings to add new file types or trusted programs.
This is a smart idea which should block most ransomware, both now and in the future, but it does have problems of its own. As with all similar technologies, it can cause conflicts with legitimate applications which need to access protected files. This could be a hassle, particularly for users who are always installing and trying new software.
Although they look very different, most of the top anti-ransomware choices work in the same way. The assumption is that you're running an antivirus as a first line of protection, while they specialize in detecting ransomware only. This can work very well, but it's not your only option.
As you'll guess from the name, Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus doesn't just protect you from ransomware – it's a full-strength antivirus tool. Install it alongside your existing antivirus and if one of the packages misses any type of threat, there's a chance it'll be caught by the other.
Forget the rule about ‘not installing two antivirus packages’; that doesn't apply here. Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus is designed to run alongside other security software without causing conflicts. And the app is so fast and small that it won't slow you down. You'll barely know it's there.
Opting for a general antivirus tool doesn't mean you're missing out on ransomware protection, either. Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus has a very handy extra in its ability to track file changes made by malware. Even if you do run into something nasty and it encrypts a few files before being stopped, Webroot will often be able to undo the changes and recover your original data.
ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware is an easy-to-use tool which can run alongside any antivirus to keep your system ransomware-free.
The program doesn't use signatures, and so won't waste your bandwidth by downloading regular updates. Instead ZoneAlarm monitors processes to check for suspect actions, allowing it to spot even brand new, previously unknown threats.
Our tests found ZoneAlarm performed very well with known ransomware, watching their activities, jumping into action when necessary, and restoring any encrypted files to ensure no data was lost.
The program failed a second test when it allowed our own simulated ransomware to encrypt thousands of files. While that's a concern, our test package wasn't real malware, so we can't penalize ZoneAlarm too heavily for ignoring it – especially when it killed the genuine ransomware with such ease.
- Remember that a VPN is also a key ingredient of online security these days
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Friday, November 24, 2017
Lightworks Pro premium video editing software is half price for Black Friday
EditShare has slashed 50% off the price off its premium video editing suite, LightWorks Pro in a special Black Friday deal. A lifetime outright license is down from US$437.99/£249.99 to US$218.99/£124.99 using the voucher code BLACK_FRIDAY_2017_OUTRIGHT. How to use your voucher.
Lightworks Pro is easy to use and packed with powerful tools including primary and secondary color correction, blurs, mattes and masks. Rendering, import and export all take place in the background so you can keep working on your video masterpiece, and there's unmatched format support.
If that's not enough, the lifetime outright license also includes the BorisFX and Boris Graffiti plugin packages, worth US$299 each.
Lightworks is an industry-leading video editor, and was used to produce box office hits including Shutter Island, Pulp Fiction, The Departed, 28 Days Later and Mission Impossible. Now it's your turn.
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Thursday, November 23, 2017
Get 70% off Bitdefender security software this Black Friday
Bitdefender has slashed 70% off its home security software – perfect if you've picked up a new laptop, desktop or mobile device this Black Friday.
Bitdefender came top in our roundup of this year's best antivirus software, and there's never been a better time to get top quality protection from viruses, malware, ransomware and other online threats.
There are three levels of security to choose from:
- Bitdefender Antivirus Plus – all-round protection for Windows PCs
- Bitdefender Total Security – comprehensive security for desktop and mobile
- Bitdefender Internet Security – a full suite for safer browsing on Windows
Whichever you choose, you'll get 70% off in this special Black Friday deal, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Check out the best Macbook and laptop deals this Black Friday
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Get 50% off our favorite email client
If you struggle to manage multiple email accounts and want a secure way to keep them all in order, eM Client is the perfect solution – and there's 50% off the unlimited premium edition this Black Friday.
Importing your messages is incredibly easy, with support for Gmail, Microsoft Exchange and all the other major email providers. Transferring mail from other email clients is easy too, with one-click import from Outlook, Windows Mail, Thunderbird and many more.
There's super-fast search to help you find the messages you want in seconds, a built-in translator, advanced email rules management, mass mail, delayed send and secure encryption.
Put simply, whatever frustrates you about your existing email setup, eM Client has a solution. Save yourself some serious headaches and grab it today.
Take a look at the rest of this year's best Black Friday deals
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Get $199 off professional video editing suite HitFilm Studio this Black Friday
There's never been a better time to snap up a great deal on premium video editing software, and this Black Friday you can snap up the brand new HitFilm Studio suite for just $398 – a massive saving of $199.
HitFilm Studio includes the brand new version of professional video editor HitFilm Pro, plus powerful plugin toolkit Ignite Pro. You'll also get the brand new motion building software Action Pro, released today.
HitFilm Pro combines video editing, video effects and 3D compositing into one product, packed with advanced animation tools, a powerful particle simulator, and over 800 customizable visual effects and presets.
Ignite Pro is an enormous set of over 150 plugins to boost HitFilm Pro even further, including professional green screen tools, procedural fire, heat distortion, lightning, warping and many more.
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Get 20% off Adobe Creative Cloud this Black Friday
For Black Friday, Adobe is slashing 20% off Creative Cloud subscriptions. The deal applies to annual plans, which are discounted to $39.99/£39.95 per month, or $479.88/£476.98 pre-paid.
A Creative Cloud subscription gives you the entire collection of over 20 creative desktop and mobile apps, including Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and Premiere Pro – everything you could possibly need.
It's all connected via the cloudso moving your work between applications is effortless, and your subscription includes 100GB storage, your own portfolio site, premium fonts and social media tools.
This deal won't last long, so sign up while you can.
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The best VPNs for torrents and torrenting in 2017
Torrents are a popular way of downloading things – legal things, and of course in some cases, not-so-legal things (of course we don’t condone any copyright- trampling activities here at TechRadar) – whereby many users share small bits of a larger file with each other to enable some potentially very fast download speeds.
Of course, the downside on the privacy front is that all these other online folks you’re sharing with can clearly see your IP address, so if you want to avoid that, obviously one of the best VPNs will ensure that your details stay private. Providing the Virtual Private Network in question supports torrents, of course.
How to choose the best VPN for torrenting
Because not every VPN supports torrent downloading, so you need to be careful when picking one out – this is clearly your prime concern when selecting a client for this purpose. Download speeds are important, too, as are privacy and security.
- Check out the best VPN services of 2017 and visit thebestvpnfor.me to get the best VPN deals on the market
You should look for a VPN with a clearly laid out privacy policy, and one that has a ‘no logging’ guarantee. You want the best security possible with strong encryption (although any decent VPN worth its salt should offer that, anyway), and a service that is watertight from DNS leaks and has a kill switch (which shuts down the internet connection if the VPN falls over, thus preventing your true IP from being exposed).
Finally, you want a VPN which offers fast download speeds to keep those files coming quickly, and a service which doesn’t throttle bandwidth. So with that in mind, let’s move on to look at the five best VPN services for torrenting.
[57% Off] IPVanish (Official Promotion) - Get up to 57% Off TechRadar's #1 Rated VPN Service with IPVanish's top-tier network delivering some of the fastest speeds in our tests. Zero logs gives you total privacy.
IPVanish routinely stands out as one of the top VPN providers and for good reason. It offers impressive download speeds, wide global coverage, unlimited P2P traffic and great clients that work well across different platforms (although we found that the Windows client may be prone to the odd network issue).
The no logs policy and strong encryption via OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP/IPsec protocols, along with an automatic kill switch make for a genuinely private and secure experience.
However, the price might be the one fly in the VPN ointment. The service doesn’t come with the benefit of a free trial, but you do get a 7-day money-back guarantee. The 1-year subscription is the most popular choice, and the best one in our books. The packages available are:
When talking about VPN security, NordVPN is one of the first names that springs to mind. You get an ultra-secure connection with support for IKEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP protocols, plus there’s a certain number of ‘Double VPN’ servers which actually pass your data through two separate VPN servers for extra security.
The service offers ample server coverage, an automatic kill-switch, a good client and great performance levels with steady download speeds. There’s a no log policy, too, although a slight weak spot here is that the policy on session logging isn’t clear.
NordVPN has very reasonable pricing – save for the monthly plan, which is one of the more expensive offerings around – and there's a free 3-day trial (hidden away here). You have three plans available plus a special 2-year plan (which won’t be around forever), all with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The latter plan is clearly the best choice in terms of pure value for money. The packages available are:
- [$11.95 a month] 1-month
- [$7.00 a month] 6-months - $42.00
- [$5.75 a month] 1-year - $69.00
- [$3.29 a month] 2-years - $79.00
The company’s boast that it’s the ‘world’s fastest VPN’ isn’t an idle one, as Hide.me offers some truly impressive performance levels, actually slightly improving upon our regular download speeds. The client is well-designed and simple to use, automatically selecting the fastest server available at the time. There is also a strict ‘no logging, ever’ policy in place, with the service boasting OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP, IPsec, SoftEther and SSTP protocols.
Another big plus point of Hide.me is the 2GB per month free plan which offers a good preview of the service. You’ll need it as the Premium plan with unlimited data is expensive, so you can use the freebie to be sure before you commit. Your best bet is the Plus plan if you don’t mind its restrictions (75GB data transfer limit, no port forwarding, among other restrictions). The packages available are:
Torrenting demands high download speeds and this Hungarian-based provider certainly delivers in this department. In our testing, Buffered VPN achieved very consistent performance levels with speeds nearly matching our usual rates with the VPN service turned off.
One downside, however, is that there are no native mobile clients, so you’ll have to set up everything manually on your phone or tablet. In terms of security, you get 256-bit Blowfish encryption, and Buffered VPN promises that it doesn’t log any of your online activities so there should be no worries about privacy. The firm’s customer service is available 24/7, too.
Another highlight of the service is a rather generous refund policy. If you’re not satisfied, you can still get a refund after up to 10 hours of usage or 100 sessions or 10GB of bandwidth – whichever comes first. This will come in handy, however, as the service is far from cheap. The yearly plan is the best option for the moment, even if it’s still a pricey subscription compared to rival VPNs. The packages available are:
As the name suggests, TorGuard is a VPN designed for torrent users. It offers a vast selection of servers, all mainstream protocol support, unlimited bandwidth and 24/7 customer support.
Furthermore, expert users will have a field day with the client as it offers loads of configuration options not commonly found in VPN software, along with the necessary stuff like a kill switch and DNS leak prevention. The company doesn't store or log any online activity, either.
Things are more wobbly on the performance front, though, and when we tested things out latency was high, although download and upload speeds were reasonable, if a little varied. Overall, we’d describe the service as acceptable in this department.
There’s no free trial of this VPN, but there is a refund available if requested within 7-days from the date of purchase. TorGuard has four price plans and generally speaking, it’s about average value-for-money (with possible additional customisations). The 6-month plan offers the best value (seeing as a year-long or two-year subscription doesn’t get you a cheaper monthly rate). The packages available are:
- [$9.99 a month] 1-month
- [$6.66 a month] 3-months - $19.99
- [$5 a month] 6-months - $29.99
- [$5 a month] 12-months - $59.99
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Wednesday, November 22, 2017
CyberLink slashes up to £184 off its premium video software
The multimedia experts at CyberLink are offering huge discounts on video and photo software for Black Friday.
You can snap up CyberLink PowerDVD 17 Ultra for just £39.99 until Friday. In addition to the feature-packed multimedia suite, you'll also get video conversion and burning tool Power2Go 11 Platinum (normal price £54.99) thrown in for free. Plus there's 30GB of free CyberLink Cloud storage (normal price £23.99) in this bundle, bringing the total saving to an amazing £168.47.
PowerDVD 17 Ultra plays and streams videos from just about any source, including Ultra-HD Blu-Rays and 4K YouTube clips, and can stream content throughout your home via Roku, Chomecast and Apple TV devices. There's Oculus Rift and HTC Vive support, plus TrueTheater HDR to make videos look better than ever.
If you're more interested in making your own videos, CyberLink PowerDirector 16 is discounted to £54.99. With 25GB of cloud storage, extra templates and the full AudioDirector sound editing studio thrown in too, that's a colossal saving of £184.98.
PowerDirector 16's intuitive storyboard mode makes it simple to piece together video clips, photos and audio files by dragging and dropping. Intelligent color correction adjust lighting, hue and saturation to achieve a consistent look throughout your video, and there are professional color grading tools too.
PowerDirector 16 also makes it easy to combine and switch between footage shot with multiple cameras, transforming them one synced video – no matter what devices they were shot on. There's also support for 360-degree video, creative video blending, motion tracking, image stabilization and much more.
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Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Get up to 99% off Mailbird Pro this Black Friday
Mailbird Pro, our favorite premium email client, is available for as little as £0.39/$0.69 in a special deal for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Everyone will receive a discount of at least 50%, and you can ‘gamble’ for a better deal by sharing it on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn – up to a maximum of 99% off the usual price. You have four chances to spin the wheels and get a better random discount.
Click here to save up to 99% on Mailbird Pro
Not only does Mailbird Pro let you connect an unlimited number of accounts and collate your messages in a unified inbox, it also links to just about every social network and chat service you can name.
The offer applies to Mailbird Pro Lifetime only.
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The best free PC optimization software 2017
Is your Windows PC running a little slowly? It's not your imagination: over time hard drives accumulate all kinds of things that slow things down. PC optimization software can't solve obsolescence – if your computer is struggling to meet the system requirements for your OS or apps that's a job for more RAM or the addition of an SSD – but if the slowdown is software-related, it can really help.
It's worth noting that you can do much of what these PC optimization apps do yourself using Windows' built-in system maintenance tools, but that's time consuming; what's really being sold here is convenience.
1. Iolo System Mechanic
Enjoy a faster, cleaner PC with the best free PC optimization tool around
Iolo System Mechanic removes junk files and unwanted apps, blocks bloatware and unwanted auto-run settings, clears out RAM and wipes various logs, browser histories and caches. Not only does this free up key system resources, it also eliminates traces of your browsing activity to protect your privacy.
It's PC optimization toolkit really does make a difference; whenever we've tested System Mechanic we've found a significant speed improvement, especially at startup. The free edition is excellent, but the premium version is well worth considering if you find yourself using it regularly: it also includes a file recovery tool, and for US$40 (about £30, AU$50) you're entitled to use it on as many home PCs as you like.
The genuine performance boost we saw after running System Mechanic made it our favorite system optimization tool. Read on for four more of the best apps around for speeding up your Windows PC.
2. IObit Advanced SystemCare
A hands-off approach to optimization that's ideal for novice users
IObit Advanced SystemCare comes in two forms: a free edition version that covers basic house cleaning, and a Pro version that adds internet speed-boosting, real-time optimization, privacy protection, deep registry cleaning and 24/7 technical support. That's US$20 (about £15, AU$25) for a year, and the license covers three PCs.
Whichever edition you choose, IObit Advanced SystemCare's interface is well designed, easy to use and unlikely to frighten even the newest PC user. We'd deduct points for an installer that wants to add additional programs - that's hardly in keeping with the philosophy of keeping unwanted stuff off your computer - but they're easy to avoid if you choose a custom installation.
Like most of the free PC optimization software here, it cleans up files and folders you don't need, neatens up the Windows registry and corrects errors on your hard drive – all via a simple, slick dashboard.
3. Piriform CCleaner
Eliminate unnecessary files, clean the registry and manage programs
Piriform CCleaner has been around for a long time, and part of the reason for its ongoing popularity is that it cleans the parts of your PC that many other free system optimization tools don't.
There's a paid-for version of the optimization toolkit that adds real time protection and cleanup scheduling, but the free edition of CCleaner covers the important stuff such as removing temporary files, getting rid of browser caches, removing unwanted cookies while keeping the useful ones and so on.
If your PC just feels sluggish then this is the app to try first. It doesn't have all the advanced features of apps like System Mechanic, but the stuff it does clear is famous for slowing down PCs.
4. The PC Decrapifier
Just bought a new PC? Clear out the bloatware to improve its performance
The PC Decrapifier is a PC optimization tool that's particularly useful on brand new PCs, which are often either full of exciting opportunities to discover new apps or stuffed to the gills with a load of useless junk, depending on your point of view.
If you tend to the latter then then this free app is well worth a look. It analyses your system, shows you the apps it thinks you should get rid of – based not just on its developers' opinions but on other users' feedback – and then removes the ones you choose. It's so focused on cleaning PCs, it doesn't even install itself.
5. Razer Cortex: Game Booster
Designed to help gamers wring extra performance from their PCs
If your system struggles when you're trying to get your game on, Razer Cortex: Game Booster could well be the answer. This free PC optimization software suspends unnecessary system processes, clears out memory and defrags your system to get the very best game performance possible.
Razer Cortex: Game Booster is available for Windows 7, 8 and 10, and while the differences won't make you jump up and down in astonishment - for most people the results will mean slightly smoother visuals rather than astonishing performance improvements - it does automate the fiddly process of turning off unnecessary software and services when it's time to play.
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Monday, November 20, 2017
The best free cloud storage service 2017
Free cloud storage has really taken off thanks to fast, reliable internet connections. The appeal is understandable: you can store your files online and then access them from any device that's connected to the internet, including desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones.
You can also back up important files to a remote location (essential in case your own hardware is damaged or stolen), and share files with friends, family and colleagues by simply sending them a link.
The only problem is choice. There are so many free cloud storage services to choose from, it can be hard to decide which is right for you.
Size isn't everything, so as well as capacity, we've also considered the security offered by each service, multi-platform support, ease of use, and any limitations on file size or bandwidth. On with the evaluation.
1. Google Drive
Free storage allowance: 15GB (expandable)
If you're a Google user, you already benefit from Google Drive integration, such as the ability to save email attachments from Gmail. However, everyone is free to sign up for the free cloud storage, even if they don't use the rest of the company's sprawling ecosystem.
With 15GB of space for new users, Google Drive is one of the more generous cloud offerings, and there are various ways to boost this space free of charge (by registering an Android phone, for example).
Mobile apps are available to allow for easy access for iOS and Android users, and the recently release Backup and Sync desktop app allows you to synchronize files from your computer to the cloud. Google Drive includes online office tools that can be collaborated on with others, and sharing files with others is effortless.
2. pCloud
Free storage allowance: 10GB (expandable)
You might not recognize the name, but if you're looking for a decent chunk of cloud storage free of charge, pCloud could be just what you're looking for. To kick things off, you're given a fairly generous 10GB to play with, and there's a bandwidth allowance of 50GB per month.
While we're primarily interested in the free version of pCloud, you can upgrade to 500GB of space for a one-time payment of US$125/£110.99 (about AU$170) or 2TB for US$249.98/£220.99 (about AU$330) – great deals for lifetime storage.
New users are given 10GB of space free, which you can double by referring friends, and pCloud offers well designed desktop and mobile apps that supplement the website.
With no limit on file sizes, and simple sharing options, pCloud is a great way to send large files to friends and colleague – it's even possible to share with people who aren't using the service themselves. Add decent streaming options and a neat online interface, and pCloud is well worth a look.
3. Microsoft OneDrive
Free storage allowance: 5GB
Coming from Microsoft – a company with plenty of money to throw at the cloud – it's a little disappointing to find that OneDrive doesn’t include more space free of charge. Free users get a mere 5GB of space, although it's relatively inexpensive to increase this to 50GB.
If you have Office 365, you'll automatically get boosted to 1TB of storage, but not everyone wants an Office subscription.
Like Google Drive's appeal to Google users, OneDrive will appeal more to anyone who is committed to using Microsoft's services. There's neat integration with Outlook.com, for instance. OneDrive also ties in nicely with Windows 10, and there is a selection of reasonable mobile apps to facilitate access on the move.
It's possible to share files with other people even if they aren't OneDrive users (complete with customizable permissions), and the ability to edit files online without downloading them is a welcome touch.
4. Dropbox
Free storage allowance: 2GB (expandable)
Dropbox is a stalwart of the free cloud storage world. Its web interface underwent a makeover recently, but little has changed under the hood.
Despite its popularity, DropBox actually has one of the least generous free packages for new users (just 2GB), but there are various ways to boost this space without paying, including inviting friends to join (500MB per referral), completing the Getting Started guide (250MB) and contributing to the Dropbox forum (500MB per 'Mighty Answer').
DropBox really comes into its own when you start delving into its extra features. There's a great collaborative working tool called DropBox Paper, you can restore files you've deleted, and – if you install the desktop app – you can back up photos automatically.
There are desktop apps for Windows, Mac and Linux. This gives DropBox broad appeal, as does the support for third-party apps and services.
The web version of DropBox lets you edit files without the need to download them, and really the only thing that counts against the free cloud storage service is that most alternatives offer more space.
5. MediaFire
Free storage allowance: 10GB (expandable)
MediaFire has in fact been around for about a decade, and those years of experience really show. You're given 10GB of free space initially, but you can boost this by an extra 40GB through activities like referring friends and following MediaFire's social media accounts. Few people would disagree that 50GB of free cloud storage is impressive. Free accounts carry ads, but this is a small sacrifice.
There's support for very large apps, and the sharing options are very impressive, even allowing sharing with non-users.
The web-based interface is excellent too, and MediaFire offers mobile apps for convenient uploading and downloading via iOS and Android. These make it easy to access files you're storing in the cloud, and include convenient features such as automatic photo syncing.
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The best free word processor 2017
A good word processor is one of the few pieces of software you simply can't live without. You might be able to manage without a spreadsheet tool or something for making slideshows, but text documents are unavoidable. Thankfully, you don't need to splash out on a full Microsoft Office subscription; there are some superb word processors available to download and use completely free.
Here we’re looking at the very best word processors that can be used offline (particularly useful for distraction-free writing), but there are also several excellent browser-based tools to consider if you'd rather do your writing online.
Google Docs is the most obvious choice, and has the advantage of saving your work automatically so you don’t have to worry if your connection fails. It’s also a good choice for collaborative working, and means you don’t have to upload work to a separate cloud storage service. However, it has a limited selection of templates, there’s no way to import content from other Google applications, and any online tool is going to be surrounded by distractions like social media.
If you'd prefer an offline word processor, read on – the perfect one is only a click away.
If you’ve used a modern version of Microsoft Word, there’ll be no learning curve when you switch to Writer – the word processing component of WPS Office Free.
This free word processor looks and behaves almost exactly like its premium counterpart, and even has its own equivalent of OneDrive, offering 1GB free cloud storage.
Its selection of pre-installed templates gives you everything you need for common document types, and you can easily create your own for bespoke tasks. It’s compatible with every text file format you can think of, including current and legacy versions of Microsoft Word dating back to Office 97.
WPS Office Writer is supported by discrete ads, which can be removed by upgrading to the premium version, but they’re barely noticeable and no features are locked behind a paywall. Overall, WPS Writer is very impressive, and in our opinion it’s the best free word processor available to download today.
WPS recently launched a free PDF to Word converter as well, which is a great companion to its word processor.
LibreOffice is a fork of Apache OpenOffice, and although there are some differences between the two suites (LibreOffice receives more frequent updates, for example, and has a more lively userbase), their word processing components are so similar, we’re listing them together.
Both versions of Writer are feature-packed analogs of Microsoft Word, packed with all the features you could possibly need for any text-based work.
The two versions of Writer include wizards and templates for common document types, such as invoices and letters, and it’s easy to create your own templates for future use as well. The word processors also work together with the other office software in their respective suites – so you can use Base to create a bibliography, for example.
Both word processors support all the most popular file formats, and can export documents to PDF without the need for additional software. If you’re looking for a word processor that can stand in for Microsoft Word, either of these two will be a perfect candidate.
If you simply want to hammer out some words without worrying about formatting, you could just use Windows’ built-in Notepad app, but FocusWriter is full of clever tools that will help you maximize productivity without ever getting in the way.
As the name implies, FocusWriter blocks out all distractions so you can give that all-important first draft your full attention. In normal use, all you see is a blank page – toolbars are only visible if you move your mouse pointer to the edge of the screen – but there’s a killer feature in Focused Text, which fades everything into the background except the current paragraph or sentence.
FocusWriter also features alerts that are triggered at certain times, or when you’ve reached a predefined word count, so you don’t need to worry about watching a counter (as you would in Microsoft Word). This also makes FocusWriter a good tool to use in tandem with the Pomodoro Technique, which involves working hard for a period of time that’s long enough for you to work productively, but not so long that you become fatigued.
It’s not suitable for editing, but for productivity, FocusWriter is hard to beat.
TextMaker – the word processing element of SoftMaker FreeOffice – is good looking, and comes with several handy templates for creating letters and other everyday documents. The selection isn’t as extensive as some of its rivals’, but you can also make new designs for future use and save them in TMV format.
All the features you’d expect from a modern word processor are present and correct, including advanced formatting options, the ability to create databases for managing bibliographies and footnotes, and a function for tracking changes to collaborative projects.
The only real drawback of TextMaker is its inability to save your work in DOCX format (though you can open and edit these files with no difficulty). This feature is limited to the premium version of SoftMaker Office, which retails for £48.20 (about US$60, AU$75).
WriteMonkey is another no-frills word processor designed to help you maximize your output without fussing with editing and formatting. It’s not intended for documents like letters or CVs, but is great for committing early ideas to paper (or screen) so you have the raw material to develop later.
Unlike FocusWriter, which is compatible with all the most common text formats (including Microsoft’s DOC and DOCX), WriteMonkey only works with TXT files, so you’ll have to convert any works in progress before opening them. WriteMonkey’s hidden controls are tricker to navigate, too – everything is accessed via a large right-click menu, or a vast collection of keyboard shortcuts.
That said, if you’re happy to commit those shortcuts to memory, you’ll find WriteMonkey faster to use than toolbar-based alternatives.
We also like the ability to look words up in Wikipedia, Google Images, Poetry.com, Answers.com, and many others without opening a browser winder manually and leaving yourself open to the temptations of Twitter and Facebook.
WriteMonkey is a portable app, so there’s no need to install it – just extract all the downloaded files to a removable drive or cloud storage service and fire it up by running the file WriteMonkey.exe.
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