Monday, April 30, 2018

NHS switches to Windows 10 to beat the next WannaCry-style cyber-attack

The government has announced that the NHS will be upgrading its PCs to Windows 10, and that £150 million will be spent in the next three years to beef up NHS cybersecurity in general.

In a press statement, the Department of Health and Social Care stressed that all health and care organisations will be using Windows 10 with ‘up-to-date security settings’ to better defend against major cyber-attacks like WannaCry, which hit the NHS hard a year ago.

As well as the change in operating system, the plan is to set up a new digital security operations centre to respond to security incidents more swiftly, and allow threats to be detected and isolated before they spread.

Trusty toolkit

Other measures include a data security toolkit requiring health and care organisations to meet 10 security standards, plus £21 million spent on upgrading firewalls and network infrastructure at major trauma centre hospitals and ambulance trusts, alongside £39 million to be funnelled to NHS trusts to help address security weaknesses in infrastructure.

A new text messaging alert system will also be set up that will allow trusts to maintain access to accurate information should internet services go down.

Jeremy Hunt, Health and Social Care Secretary, commented: “We know cyber-attacks are a growing threat, so it is vital our health and care organisations have secure systems which patients trust.

“We have been building the capability of NHS systems over a number of years, but there is always more to do to future-proof our NHS against this threat. This new technology will ensure the NHS can use the latest and most resilient software available – something the public rightly expect.”



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Microsoft releases preview of Office 2019

Microsoft is now rolling out a free preview of Office 2019 for businesses, including new versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.

Office 365 subscribers already have all the new features – continuous updates are one of the main benefits of the cloud service – but it’s the first perpetual release since 2016.

New features in Office 2019 include the ability to manage icons, vector graphics and 3D images in PowerPoint; funnel charts and 2D maps in Excel; Office 365 groups for Outlook; and a chic black theme for Word.

Cloud first

A preview of Office 2019 for Mac will arrive in the coming months, but Microsoft has already announced that the PC version will be exclusively for Windows 10, pushing businesses still using Windows 7 to upgrade their licenses.

Microsoft is also cagey about the future perpetual version of Office, saying only that: "As standard practice, Microsoft will continue evaluating customer needs and industry trends to determine a plan for future versions of our products and services." By 2022, it might have decided that the future lies wholly in the cloud.

Sadly, the Office 2019 preview isn’t available for home users – only businesses with volume licenses for Office 2016 that are planning to upgrade when the suite launches later this year. Everyone else will have to wait a little longer.



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Best antivirus for Windows 10 in 2018

April 2018 update for Windows 10 will be available to download later today

From today, Windows 10 users will be able to download the free April 2018 update for the operating system, with an official rollout to PCs around the world scheduled to commence on May 8, 2018.

Announced via a blog post by Microsoft's corporate vice president Yusuf Mehdi, the update promises a host of new features, many of which are said to streamline your Windows experience and save you time while working.

The new Timeline feature allows users to send their PCs back in time up to 30 days in order to find missing files, documents or projects, meaning you'll be able to return to what you were doing weeks ago in an instant via automatic save states or by search. 

Best of all, the Timeline feature will work across your iOS or Android devices while using Microsoft Edge or Office 365.

Also introduced with the update is the new Focus Assist feature, which will provide users with a detailed summary of what they missed while they were goofing off on social media, including emails, notifications or updates. 

Focus Assist can be switched on when necessary, or set up for specific times if you're looking to get some work done without any distractions. 

Microsoft Edge has also been updated, with the browser receiving a variety of new features, including the ability to mute (or unmute) individual tabs by simply clicking on the tab's audio icon. It also has the ability to view books, PDFs and reading pages in full-screen, autofill options on web payment forms, and even a built-in Grammar Tools button to aid in reading comprehension. 

If you've been meaning to take advantage of Windows 10's voice assistant Cortana, you're in luck – the update's new Dictation feature makes it easier to capture your thoughts in a quick and accurate manner. 

To start Dictation mode, set your cursor in a text field, then press Win+H and start talking, then watch your words appear on screen. 

Of course, these are just some of the new features set to arrive in the latest Windows 10 update, with simplified IT management tools for enterprise users, new creative features for Photos, 3D and Windows Mixed Reality and new security enhancements also on the agenda.



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Saturday, April 28, 2018

Best free antivirus for Android in 2018

Pop OS 18.04 bursts onto the Linux scene

macOS 10.13 High Sierra release date, news and features

It may seem like WWDC 2017 just ended, but WWDC 2018 is just six weeks away. So, that makes today the best time to dive into all the things macOS High Sierra has to offer, especially with rumors about macOS 10.14 floating around.

Sure, macOS has seen its fair share of issues, like password vulnerabilities and other security problems, but those have mostly been fixed by Apple, and your time with High Sierra has been mostly positive. Even the few problems that gave us pause with macOS High Sierra have been fixed by Apple as of this writing. And, with the new file system and built-in photo-editing tools, Apple has more than made up for any issues.

However, macOS High Sierra is also victim to the same issue that plagued OS X Mountain Lion as it followed Lion: it introduces a bunch of new features, but fails to innovate in a tangible way. We won’t know until June what’s next for Apple, but we’ve seen numerous reports of iOS apps making their way to macOS.

In the meantime, here is everything you need to know about today’s macOS High Sierra.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The 2017 edition of Apple’s Mac operating system, macOS
  • When is it out? Available to install now
  • What will it cost? macOS High Sierra is free to download

macOS 10.13 High Sierra release date

Apple revealed macOS 10.13 High Sierra at the WWDC 2017 keynote, which is no surprise, given Apple’s tradition of announcing the latest version of its Mac software at its annual developer event.

Yet, it wasn’t until September 12 that Apple revealed that the full release of High Sierra would launch little more than a week later, on September 25. There was a developer version of the operating system you could enroll in leading to the final release, but luckily that’s no longer required to take advantage of the latest features found in macOS 10.13.

However, if you’re interested in testing out new features before the rest of the public, Apple has carried over the beta program post-release, which is now on version 10.13.5. Now in its fifth beta, this version reintroduces Messages on iCloud, which was pulled from macOS 10.13.4 before its public release.

At the same time, it now uploads all Messages to the cloud and replaces iBooks with the newly rebranded ‘Books’ app. There’s also been a sweet smoke cloud wallpaper added across all systems that was formerly available only on the iMac Pro

For everyone else, the newest rendition of macOS as a whole is still 10.13.4 High Sierra, as we await the much-anticipated macOS 10.14.

macOS 10.13 High Sierra features

Beyond the Hackintosh users being reasonably worried about the newly enforced security checks on EFI firmware automatically implemented each week, Apple has revealed a number of awesome new features with macOS 10.13 High Sierra. 

These include improvements to Safari – which will now stop ad-tracking and auto-playing videos in their tracks – and a more expansive Spotlight Search in the Mail App. Additionally, when you’re composing emails, the app now allows split view for the compose window – and, to make matters better, it uses up to 35% less disk space.

The Photos app has been updated in macOS 10.13 High Sierra as well, with a better sorting tool to boot. All of this is accompanied by a new layout, better facial recognition thanks to neural networks, and improved syncing across all Apple devices.

Editing tools, too, have seen improvements, in turn making it easier than ever to enhance the quality of your photos without learning the ins and outs of Photoshop or Camera RAW. And of course, you can count on Instagram-like filters being a part of this.

One of the biggest changes that comes with macOS High Sierra is with the file system. It’s ditching the HFS – which Apple has used for around 30 years, and is now using the Apple File System (APFS) instead. 

Every Mac that has been upgraded to macOS High Sierra will receive these file system updates automatically with the exception of those sporting Fusion Drives and older HDDs. Similarly, all new Macs will ship pre-formatted for APFS.

To be exact, APFS is a 64-bit file system that supports native encryption and faster metadata operation. This may all sound a bit techy, but the bottom line is that this will make your Mac feel a lot faster, while also being more secure and more transparent about the nature of your files and folder contents. Unfortunately, this comes with the caveat of Apple’s confirmation that 32-bit apps will be discontinued in later versions of macOS High Sierra.

The update also brings HEVC, or H.265, video compression to the Mac. Apple claims that this new standard can compress video files 40% more than the previous-generation H.264 standard. The end result will be faster video streams at higher resolutions – ahem, 4K – and smaller video files sizes when stored locally.

VR finally comes to the Mac

One of the biggest bits of news surrounding macOS High Sierra is that it will finally bring support for virtual reality headsets officially. Namely, the HTC Vive and Steam VR will work with Macs running the new OS this autumn.

However, to use such a device, you'll need at least a 5K iMac or MacBook Pro – or, any Mac that can run the new OS with an external graphics card box attached via Thunderbolt 3. Support for such devices comes part and parcel with macOS High Sierra, but won't be an active function until spring 2018.

The good news is that macOS High Sierra comes with a helping of refinements to its graphics API that make up for the scarce GPU support. Metal was a step forward for hardware-accelerated 3D graphics, but with Metal 2, Apple promises less strain on the CPU as well as proper machine learning and better Xcode profiling/debugging in macOS High Sierra.

Perhaps more important, though, is the fact that MoltenVK was recently brought to Mac by Khronos Group. An implementation of the open-source Vulkan API, it’s said to bring frame rate gains of up to 50% in Dota 2. As it’s cross-platform, too – being supported by Windows and Linux as well as Apple’s devices – MoltenVK is likely to be more widely adopted by creators.

macOS 10.13 High Sierra compatibility

Fortunately, in the act of creating a macOS iteration that only moderately shakes things up, the barrier to entry didn’t change at all. As long as you’re rocking one of the following Mac models, you’ll be good to go with macOS High Sierra on day one:

Bear in mind that if you want to take advantage of the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) benefits posed by macOS High Sierra, you’ll need a Mac donning – at the very least – an Intel sixth-generation Skylake processor. Unfortunately, that discounts everything released prior to 2015, but on the bright side, everything else macOS High Sierra brings to the table is fair game.

Joe Osborne and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this report



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Best Mac apps: the best macOS apps for your Apple computer

As likely as it is that Apple will bring iOS apps over to the Mac later this year, there’s still a lot to love about the existing catalog of utilities available for the platform today. At the end of the day, it’s the Mac software – more than anything – that keeps brand loyalists coming back to the Jony Ive-designed hardware being cranked out behind the doors of Apple Park.

The best Mac apps on the App Store come in every shape and size, so some of them might not be up your alley, especially compared to something like Evernote, which is the best note-taking app you can download right now – by far.

While not all of the best Mac apps can be found on the official Mac App Store, they’re all worth a look. So, without further delay, keep reading on to the next slide for the best Mac apps you can download today. From free apps to more expensive options, these are the apps that will breathe new life into your MacBook or Mac desktop in 2018. 

Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article

No brand of computer is without its annoyances. For so long now, it’s been impossible to use our MacBooks – unbound by the chains of a power adapter – while video outputs to an external monitor. As we all know here at TechRadar, Apple’s laptops automatically enter sleep mode whenever the lid is closed. For the lot of us, this can be a huge inconvenience should you prefer the sheer magnitude of a monitor as opposed to a 12- or 13- or 15-inch laptop screen.

Fortunately, Amphetamine allows you to continue using your MacBook while closed. Before, you could do this by using a similar app called Caffeine, but we prefer the UI features you get with this freebie. Not only does it fit in naturally with the rest of your Menu Bar items, but Amphetamine also supports hotkey commands as well as deactivation reminders – not to mention there are no annoying ads in sight.

  • Get it from: App Store
  • Price: $9.99 (£7.99 or around AUS$14)

While you’ve been able to snap programs to the edge of the screen in Windows since Windows 7, Apple didn’t have a solution until OS X El Capitan. What’s more, even then it lacked some of the comprehensiveness of Microsoft’s alternative. Luckily, HyperDock gives us that full-fledged functionality we so desperately crave, allowing anyone with a Mac to apply it to both the app Dock and windows.

In Windows, you can drag an app to the left or right edges of the screen (or the corners) and it’ll automatically fill that space. This makes it much easier to be productive on the desktop without wasting time dragging windows from the corners. For the Dock, hovering over apps activates something close to Windows 7’s thumbnail previews, giving an overview of the window that can be accessed by a click or closed directly from the preview. Useful.

  • Get it from: Parallels
  • Price: $79.99/year (Home & Student) Around £60 or AUS$100)

If you've bought a Mac and miss some of your old Windows programs, don't worry - Parallels Desktop 13 can bring them back. Instead of having to dual-boot your Mac into a Windows partition, Parallels Desktop 13 allows Windows and macOS Sierra to co-exist side-by-side, and you can even run Microsoft-only programs such as Visual Studio 2015, or the Windows versions of the company's Office 365 apps, alongside your native macOS ones.

All you need is a Windows 10 license – so prepare to buy one if you haven't already. Or, alternatively, you can use Parallels to try a handful of free operating systems including Chromium (a free distribution of Chrome OS) or Linux Debian. The latest version of Parallels in particular has seen improvements such as Touch Bar support, better resolution scaling for Retina displays and picture-in-picture for using other operating systems in conjunction with macOS.

  • Get it from: App Store
  • Price: £14.99 (around $20 or AUS$25)

If you're anything like us, you'll hate working with one monitor or screen. Portable monitors are still fairly expensive (and not to mention bulky), and luckily you can use an iPad instead using a nifty app called Duet. Developed by ex-Apple engineers, it works by tethering your iPad to your Mac using one of Apple's Lightning cables and firing up the app on both devices.

You can then drag windows and apps onto your iPad's display just like you can a second monitor, and if you have a more recent iPad with a Retina display then you'll get the full benefit of all those pixels. Just know that the bandwidth isn't quite what you would get with a proper monitor, so it can be a bit laggy when you notch the quality up. But it's still more than usable for reading websites, typing up documents and watching videos.

  • Get it from: Atom
  • Price: Free

Atom is a text editor that's primarily designed for coders, but its flexibility and customization options make it a viable option for many different types of users. That's because of two reasons: first, you can download a number of different Packages - effectively plug-ins - to make it bend to your will. It can be transformed into a Markdown editor for writing blog posts, for example, or you can hook it up to Evernote for storing notes in the cloud.

There's at least 10 different word counters out there, and you can even add typewriter sound effects as you hammer out your delicious prose. Atom is also infinitely customizable on the visual side thanks to an editable back-end, allowing you to do anything from changing the font size, line height and colors to giving the caret Word 2016-like elasticity.

  • Get it from: App Store
  • Price: £149.99 (around $195 or AUS$255)

Whether you’re a superstar DJ or you’re locking yourself in a room doing five beats a day for three summers, Logic Pro X is one of the best music creation apps on the Mac. Developed by Apple itself its accessible interface hides a ton of advanced functionality. The latest version also comes with a slick new design, 64-bit architecture and new session drummer that will save you from having to drop more cash on a drum machine.

It also works in natural harmony with iPads, providing a touch-based alternative method of creating song structures to dragging and dropping blocks in the main visual editor. Whether you're a seasoned producer already (Sia used the app to record her hit song 'Chandelier') or are looking to upgrade from Garageband, Logic Pro X likely has what you need.

A simple app but an important one, to-do app Wunderlist's strength lies in its cross-device functionality. It's available on Mac, PC and Android and iOS, allowing you to pick up where you left off wherever you are using macOS's Handoff feature.

Once you've created a list you can schedule reminders, add notes and embed it into the macOS Notification Centre using a widget. Team-based features are unlocked by signing up to Wunderlist's Pro option for a yearly fee, and you can add files of any size without running into limits.

Evernote has morphed into a mighty note-taking app over the years. While some people will say that it's too bloated, the sheer number of things that you can do with it still makes it best-in-class. You can type up notes, obviously, organizing them using a combination of folders and tags. You can even embed Google Drive documents, which are accessible in a click.

There's also the ability to set reminders, share notes with friends, find information related to notes using Evernote's 'Context' feature, create lists, and favorite notes that you frequently return to. Better yet, all of your notes are synchronized using the company's servers, making them accessible on nearly any PC (through a browser or the native Evernote app) or mobile device in the world. The paid version lets you use Evernote with more than two devices while upping the amount of data you can sync each month.

GIMP (standing for GNU Image Manipulation) is one of the best free image editing apps out there. It's a great alternative to Adobe Photoshop and comes with a massive array of professional-quality functions that let you tweak existing images saved in a range of formats or create fresh ones from scratch. Features include layers, highly customizable brushes, automatic image-enhancing tools and filters. You can do even more with it using plug-ins, which are available to download from the GIMP Plugin Registry.

  • Get it from: App Store
  • Price: £34.99 (around $45/AUS$60)

Ulysses is one of the best ‘distraction-free’ markdown editors you can download in 2018, balancing features with simplicity and beautiful design. Unlike Word 2016, or even Apple’s own Pages, Ulysses barely even has an interface. This allows you to get on with writing without being distracted by superfluous buttons and menus. The app uses its own brand of Markdown – a type of text formatting engine – that allows you to highlight your writing in a way that makes organization easier, and a vast number of export styles formats it in an attractive way once you’re finished.

There's a handy attachments bar on the right-hand side that features an attractive word counter and lets you write notes to assist you in your writing. Notes can be accessed anywhere thanks to iCloud support, so you can pick up your iPad and carry on where you left off using macOS's Handoff feature.

Sometimes you want to play your Xbox One, but you can’t because your roommate has decided to use the living room TV for watching the whole run of Ugly Delicious in one sitting. Now, you could technically stream Halo 5 or Sea of Thieves if you had a Windows PC. However, you just have a Mac.

That’s where OneCast comes in, a third-party work of reverse engineering performed by an independent developer to bring Xbox One game streaming to macOS. It works as easily as connecting both your Mac and Xbox One to the same network and subsequently logging in to Xbox Live. It works pretty well in our experience, though you should have both systems connected to your modem via ethernet if possible.

  • Get it from: Website
  • Price: Free

If you’re a gamer who takes pride in the fact that you use a Mac, whether for work, school or leisure, Nvidia GeForce Now will silence your biggest critics. Since the dawn of time itself, it’s seemed as though PC gamers have shut down the prospect of using a Mac to play triple-A video games. The graphics weren’t there, and neither was the library. 

Nowadays, we live in the era of streaming. You don’t have to download your TVs and movies – you can stream them on Netflix or Amazon Prime. Why should games be any different? Well, with GeForce Now, they’re not. You can stream PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Overwatch and more at the highest settings from the comfort of your MacBook or Mac computer.

It’s simple and not at all essential in the grand scheme of things, but DeskCover is a free and easy way to stay focused when you need to. 

For those working on larger monitors over 20 inches, full-screen apps are bound to strain your peripheral vision, and so you’ll have no other option but to resort to smaller windows. Of course, in doing so, your desktop background is going to get distracting, which is where DeskCover comes in handy. Allowing you to easily blur your desktop and lower the opacity, DeskCover puts the task at hand front and center so that nothing else gets in the way. 

In other words, DeskCover is basically a free version of Hazeover, which we’re not complaining about. What’s more, your options aren’t limited to manipulation of your existing wallpaper alone. You can also temporarily replace your background with something a little more plain, blocking it out with a solid color of your choosing. Best of all, DeskCover is compatible with hotkeys, thereby minimizing the distraction possibilities of the app itself.

The marketplace of disk cleanup apps is neither desolate nor particularly exciting, especially on a Mac, where Apple does a commendable job of optimizing storage on its own. However, for a program that’s more intuitive and user friendly than, say, the built-in Macintosh HD storage management software, your best bet is to turn your head to Dr. Cleaner. This app splits all of your data into easily digestible file categories that would otherwise be obtuse.

Rather than listing 30GB of documents and 10GB of iOS files you don’t know what to do with, Dr. Cleaner divvies up the junk on your computer into groupings such as ‘Junk Files’ and ‘Big Files.’ Then, you can take a look at the file names themselves and decide whether they’re or not they’re worth keeping. You can also use Dr. Cleaner to monitor CPU, network and RAM usage as well, for the sake of putting some pep in your aging Mac’s step.

  • Get it from: Website
  • Price: Free

While it’s more like three apps than only one of the best Mac apps, SoftMaker Office 2018 takes all of the key features of Microsoft Office and puts them into an interface that tailors to your needs. It comes with a group of programs called TextMaker, PlanMaker and Presentations 2018 that are similar enough to Office 365 without the rolling subscription. 

Whether you want a word processor that’s easy to use or a spreadsheet or slideshow creator of equal accessibility, SoftMaker Office has what you need. Better yet, it’s completely free for the time being. As it’s still in beta on the Mac, you can get a complimentary, albeit temporary, license over email should you be interested in trying it out. Otherwise, there is a permanent version of the software called SoftMaker FreeOffice that’s only available for Windows, Android and Linux.

  • Get it from: App Store
  • Price: $9.99 (about £7.19, AU$12.82)

Since you’re clearly going to install all of the other apps we’ve mentioned since you’re still reading to this point, you’re going to need at least utility that makes your desktop less chaotic. Unclutter is the solution you’re looking for whether you’re a frivolous notetaker or a temporary file hoarder like we are. It’s designed to keep your memos, documents and pasteboard clips in one place instead of scattered across several folders.

It’s a clever idea made even cleverer by the fact that it can be configured for use with gesture controls. At any given point, you can swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers on the trackpad (or one on the mouse) to reveal a triumvirate of windows that can be concealed and re-summoned at your authoritative disposal. 

  • Get it from: Website
  • Price: Free

When you’re out there hustling every day, it’s easy to lose track of messages. With so many social media companies, SMS platforms and instant messaging services to choose from, most of us also have a number of different accounts used to administer to all of those messages. But what if you only had to log into one?

That’s the idea explored by Franz, a messaging app that allows you to view and send messages in WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Slack, HipChat and more. It lets you seamlessly switch between any of these apps as easily as you can toggle between Slack workspaces. Best of all, there is no limit to the amount of services you can use at once. That way, even if you have 10 Facebook accounts for whatever reason, all of your messages can be visible in the same place.



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Friday, April 27, 2018

Best tax software of 2018

The best paid anti-ransomware software 2018

If you're serious about protecting your important files from malicious users, then you'll want to make sure you invest in one of our choices for the best paid anti-ransomware software of 2018.

You may already have an antivirus suite installed on your machine, and while many of them claim to include ransomware protection, that's not always the full story. Many will detect and block ransomware threats, which is a good start, but they often don't come with the tools to help you if ransomware has managed to infect your machine.

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, and if you're working with data that is irreplaceable, then investing in the best paid anti-ransomware software is essential. Here are five great examples of paid products which could help you keep ransomware at bay.

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.



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The best free anti-ransomware software 2018

Ransomware attacks are particularly nasty things that hold your data hostage and demand money - but before you reach for your wallet to save your files you should make sure you check out this list of the best free anti-ransomware software.

Many of the big names in PC security provides tools that will release your PC from ransomware and don’t charge for the privilege, and in this guide we show you the best anti-ransomware software that can be had for free. There are also dedicated tools to prevent programs that behaves like known ransomware from running on your PC at all.

Before you get started, it's useful to recognize that there are two main types of ransomware: the kind that encrypts your files and threatens to delete them unless you pay a fee (like WannaCry), and the kind that locks you out completely by preventing you reaching your desktop. Thankfully, there are free tools to combat both types.

If you haven't yet fallen victim to a ransomware attack and want to protect your PC proactively, consider a dedicated prevention tool like ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware, which uses behavioral analysis to identify processes that act like ransomware – even if it's not yet a specific known threat – and automatically backs up your files if it detects anything. It carries a subscription fee, so we haven't included it in our main roundup, but $1.99 per month for one PC is a modest fee compared to the ransoms charged by criminals.

Not all ransomware encrypts data in the same way, so security software providers have to create specific solutions as new threats emerge. At the time of writing, the security experts at Avast have developed Free Ransomware Decryption Tools to tackle 21 different strains of file-locking ransomware.

To help you work out which one you need, Avast has provided a detailed description of how each form of ransomware works, what extension you’ll see on the encrypted files, and an example of the type of message the virus creators have prepared for their victims. 

Once you’ve downloaded the appropriate tool, it will guide you through the process of wiping out the ransomware without paying the criminals. You’ll need to provide two versions of the same file – an encrypted one, and the original.

This will be easiest if you made a backup before the infection, but Avast also suggests locations where you might be able to find unaffected original files. The  tool will then compare the two and use the results to determine the password.

Download here: Avast Free Ransomware Decryption Tools

Trend Micro Ransomware File Decryptor is updated regularly with new ransomware definitions, and at the time of writing it can release files locked by 27 different types of ransomware and their variants.

Unlike Avast, Trend Micro bundles all its decryption tools into one bundle, but you still need to tell it what form of ransomware it’s dealing with. Trend Micro’s site provides information to help you identify your particular infection, plus contact details for its technical support department if you’re not sure.

Once that’s done, provide a sample file for the Decryptor to analyze, and it will get to work. Decryption can take anything from a couple of minutes to several hours, depending on the type of encryption used. 

The File Decryptor Tool isn’t perfect – some forms of ransomware are particularly tricky, and can only be partially decrypted – but the company is constantly working to improve it, and it’s an excellent tool for use in an emergency.  

Download here: Trend Micro Ransomware File Decryptor Tool

There are two Trend Micro Ransomware Screen Unlocker Tools – one for PCs that are locked so you can’t log into Normal Mode, but you can access Safe Mode with Networking via the BIOS menu, and another for situations where both mode are blocked.

The first of these can be downloaded directly on the affected PC in Safe Mode with Networking. Once it’s installed, reboot the PC into Normal Mode (with the locked screen) and tap [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[T]+[I] to scan for ransomware and remove it, 

The other version of the tool has to be downloaded using an uninfected computer and saved to a USB stick. You can then use to boot the locked machine. Once initiated, the unlocker will perform a scan, then remove any ransomware it detects, releasing your PC.

Like Trend Micro’s File Decryptor, the two versions of Screen Unlocker benefit from regular updates to combat new forms of ransomware.

Download here: Trend Micro Ransomware Screen Unlocker Tools

There are lots of superb free antivirus programs around, but not all offer dedicated protection against ransomware. If your you’re concerned about the risk, Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware is a handy supplemental security tool that runs alongside your usual security software to protect against some of the most common forms of ransomware and their offshoots.

Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware currently protects against VTB-Locker, Locky, Petya and TeslaCrypt, and starts defending your PC from these threats immediately. However, it’s only a preventative measure; if your computer has already been infected with one of these malicious programs, you’ll need to use one of the tools mentioned above instead.

If you currently use Bitdefender Antivirus, the Anti-Ransomware module is already installed.

Download here: Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware

Ransomware on your home computer is bad enough, but an infection that locks you out of your business PCs could be an absolute disaster. Your accounts, customer data, client information and work could all be encrypted – and it could affect multiple machines on the same network. 

Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware Tool for Business is designed to help small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) protect their data from such a catastrophe. Like Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware, it’s a preventative tool designed to prevent infection in the first place rather than decrypt files or unlock your desktop.

Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware Tool runs happily alongside your regular security suite, monitoring network activity for anything that matches known ransomware behavior. Its threat database is stored on Kaspersky’s cloud servers, so updates are pushed out to all users immediately 

Download here: Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware Tool for Business



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How to protect your enterprise systems & data

Even the sturdiest of organisations host a probability of being sabotaged by the tiniest of cyber-attacks. An unforeseen virus slips through the impressive yet not fool-proof defences, infects the core, and the whole system comes running down. 

And what lies at the heart of today’s organisations? Information. It is the key element which builds or breaks a firm, depending on who’s controlling it. Especially in the present scenario, it is absolutely crucial to protect information assets.

You can never be too meticulous when it comes to cyber-security. So, in order to meet these cyber-attacks on your organisation heads on, you need to come up with an effective security strategy and a methodical safety framework.

Double-check everything, then make adjustments

Heading to the basics, and gathering information about the particular functionalities of the organisation’s online operation is the elementary step in protecting it. You need to list everything, right from the number of hosts attached on the company’s network to the location of servers through which sensitive data is passed, and see if all are working in their assigned positions. Making this inventory, using standard protocols like SNMP, will greatly help you to see where you currently stand, and how you can improve the overall system.

Once recounting, reviewing and cataloguing of the organisation’s infrastructure is done, you can move towards customisation. With a few tweaks here and a few adjustments there, you can create the perfect, safety-oriented balance. 

If certain drivers or servers, working on more-than-enough locations, take up extra space, time and resources, then you can minimise them to bring in the efficiency factor. If you feel that wear-and-tear has settled in your hardware, or that your software has become redundant, then you can upgrade it to increase the safety-success rate. After all, modified structures will offer better resistance to cyber-attacks. 

Tackle potential risks

It’s absolutely paramount to keep up with the fast-moving, technological times. There’s just no scope for remaining grounded in old techniques. 

Organisations that stand the test of high waters, know how vital it is to stay up to date with the latest tech-inventions. They continue to append their structures with the state-of-the-art tech-gear, but in this constant modification process, they seem to overlook the subtly moving cyber-threats that dial-up the risk factor. 

What you can do is identify the potential risks, assess their impact, calibrate the security controls, and neutralise the possible threats.

Unify security controls

You simply cannot afford to be haphazard in the deployment of cyber-security. Distraction is the last thing you need.

Time is an irreversible factor, and in the protection of an organisation’s systems and data against all sorts of cyber-crimes, every second counts. So, it’s better to unify security components and controls by bringing them on to one platform, a central command. This orchestration of tools and tasks, and the smooth running of workflow will enable you to manage your defences far more efficiently, and maybe even cost-effectively. Plus, you will not lose focus because of dispersion.

Employ the latest defences

With each passing minute, cyber-criminals redefine and perfect their attack strategies, come up with nastier malware, and get their hands on a more sophisticated hacking technology. Why? To hole through your defences, which fall as meek in front of their high-powered drills. What should be done in this case? Effective reinforcement of your organisation’s armour with the following safety-enhancements, that’s what!

  • DNS Protection: A contaminated domain might greatly threaten and injure your network and all the proceedings done over it. To counter it, DNS protective services stand guard.
  • Decentered Sentries: Wouldn’t it be great if your defences were spread out as far as possible and thus covered more ground, rather than staying in one position? It would surely be tactical to set sentries at decentralised locations.
  • Gateway Keepers: Like intelligent cell walls, the gatekeepers of your organisation’s network carefully check and sift the data traffic that passes through them. If they sense anything near suspicious, they filter it over the mainstream traffic, single it out and then tackle it efficiently.
  • Secure Software: When you get the flu, what’s the corrective measure that’s heavily insisted upon? A shot. Why? Because it goes directly into your bloodstream, catches the threatening virus, and eliminates it.

PC security image

Get automated help

Humans are prone to err, no matter how careful they are. And when bundles upon bundles of data logs are forced upon their heads for reviewing, they can’t help but err. However, in the protection of an organisation’s online operations, given the horde of cyber-attacks, there’s no gap for error. Any slight misreading could backfire and result in devastation. Perfection comes only with automation. So, you should hand over the task of reviewing and processing to the automated help, and this way, ensure a far more efficient deployment of cyber-security.

Chris Albert is IT & Security Specialist at Charter Spectrum



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Windows 10 April 2018 Update news, features and release date

Microsoft has officially announced that the Windows 10 April 2018 Update will be made available on Monday April 30, so read on to find out why this new update is worth getting excited about.

In a lot of ways, Microsoft crafted one of the best operating systems it’s ever made with Windows 10. One of the reasons it’s so popular is the way Microsoft continues to support it with free major overhauls, like the Windows 10 April 2018 Update.

As with any major update for Windows 10, the April 2018 Update (which was previously called the Spring Creators Update) will bring a ton of exciting new features to the operating system, and we’ll gather up everything we know about the upcoming update and dump it right here in this article.

It is now also available to Windows Insiders, and we have a guide on how to download and install the Windows 10 2018 April Update right now.

We were looking forward to the April 2018 Creators Update launching on April 10, but it was delayed due to some reliability issues leading to frequent BSODs on some PCs. Thankfully, it looks like those problems have been patched out and it will be making its way to Windows 10 devices around the world imminently.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The next major update for Windows 10
  • When is it out? It will release April 30
  • What will it cost? As with previous major Windows 10 updates, it will be free

Windows 10 April 2018 Update release date

We now know that the official release date for the Windows 10 April 2018 Update is April 30. This will be the day when people can manually download and install the update.

However, if you want to wait until the Windows 10 April 2018 Update becomes available to download automatically, then it should start appearing from May 8, as previous rumors suggested.

This update is the product of over a year’s work, with features that were first tested by Windows Insiders, a group of testers who try out early versions of Windows 10, back in early 2017.

It was thought that the then-named Spring Creators Update would be releasing on April 10. Everything was pointing towards that date being real, until a major bug pushed Redstone 4 back. At least we don't have to wait any longer.

Windows 10 Redstone 4 name

Redstone 4 is just the codename for the next major update to Windows 10, so expect it to have a catchier name closer to release. Previous major Redstone updates were called ‘Anniversary Update’, ‘Creators Update’ and ‘Fall Creators Update’.

Earlier this yeah, It looked like Microsoft let slip what it will finally call Windows 10 Redstone 4, with a reference found in its Feedback Hub to ‘Spring Creators Update’.

Microsoft quickly removed the reference, but not before people were able to take screenshots, like the one shown in the tweet below:

For a while, we were pretty convinced that Windows 10 Redstone 4 would be called Spring Creators Update. For a start, Microsoft’s haste in removing the reference maked us pretty suspicious, and it follows the naming convention of previous Redstone updates.

Another leak again showed that Microsoft will likely call Windows 10 Redstone 4 the Spring Creators Update, this time from infamous Microsoft leaker WalkingCat. The reference to Spring Creators Update was found in the code for the update, pretty much confirming the name.

However, since the delay of the update, it looks like it could be getting a new name. On the Edge browser landing page there was references to the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, which now appears to be the name Microsoft is going to use.

Windows 10 April 2018 Update confirmed features

Because of the extensive testing process of the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, we have a good idea of some – but not all – of the features that are coming.

Timeline

The Timeline feature was supposed to arrive with last year’s Fall Creators Update, but Microsoft didn't feel it was ready, so it was cut from the release. Now, after months of testing, it looks like it will debut in Redstone 4.

It shows a visual timeline of the desktop, allowing the user to jump right back into what they were doing on another device – and that includes Android and iOS handsets.

As well as allowing for this seamless transition when switching between different devices, it will also let the user revisit a desktop state from an earlier time. A bit like a Windows version of macOS Time Machine.

It could prove to be a really useful feature, so fingers crossed it’s ready in time.

User interface improvements

The way Windows 10 looks will get a big overhaul with Windows 10 April 2018 Update, with the ‘Fluent Design’ look giving making the operating system look better than ever when the Spring Creators Update arrives.

Many windows and menus you’re used to seeing will get a fresh lick of paint, and not only will Windows 10 look nicer, the operating system will be easier to use as well.

Near Share

Microsoft is looking to make wirelessly sharing files between devices easier than ever in Windows 10 April 2018 Update thanks to its new Near Share feature.

With Bluetooth and Near Share turned on (from the Action Center), you can quickly share documents and more by pressing the ‘Share’ button in apps (or in Windows Explorer) – which will then display nearby devices you can send the file to.

Quick Bluetooth pairing

Connecting your Windows 10-powered device to Bluetooth peripherals is also set to be much quicker and easier in Windows 10 April 2018 Update thanks to the new quick pair feature. When a device in pairing mode is within range of your Windows 10 device running the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, a notification will appear prompting you to pair it. Click on it, and it will be accessible to your Windows 10 device, without having to go into Settings.

At the moment this only works with Microsoft peripherals, but hopefully we’ll see devices from other manufacturers make use of it when Windows 10 April 2018 Update officially releases.

Progressive web apps

The Microsoft Store and Microsoft’s Edge browser will also be getting some new features in the Windows 10 April 2018 Update. Most noticeably, you’ll be able to run Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) from within Edge, and these can be installed though the Microsoft Store.

PWAs work like regular Windows apps, but being web-based means they're lightweight and many don't need to be installed. By making them searchable in the Microsoft Store, Microsoft is giving them equal billing as full Windows 10 apps, as well as giving users more apps to choose from.

Edge improvements

The Edge web browser is also getting a hefty amount of updates with the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, as Microsoft continues to improve its software to compete with Chrome and Firefox.

A new-look menu grants you quick access to your bookmarks, history and other essential parts of the browser, and you can now quickly pin eBooks to the Start Menu when reading them in Edge.

Edge will also be better at automatically filling in forms with your information as well, making it easier to sign up for websites and the like. It will remember your payment card details as well (but not the security code on the back), making it easier to pay online. It’s good to see these new features, which Edge’s competitors have had for a while. Better late than never.

If you’re sick of websites blaring out sounds and music when you’re browsing, then the new ability to right-click on a tab and mute it will be a blessing, and InPrivate mode can now run certain extensions if you want it to.

Printing has also been improved thanks to the ‘Clutter Free’ option that removes the unnecessary text, images and more from pages when you print out websites, making them look nicer and saving on ink.

Edge will also get an updated look to match the Fluent Design theme of Windows 10.

Mixed Reality updates

We’ve also recently heard that Microsoft is adding a range of new features to its Mixed Reality platform with the Windows 10 April 2018 Update.

Heading up the list of improvements is a brand-new virtual environment for users to wander around. As well as the existing Cliff House, folks can now enjoy the Skyloft with its impressive city view (as opposed to the former’s ocean outlook). Think modern super-posh penthouse apartment, basically.

Other important changes have been implemented on the SteamVR front, including the introduction of haptic feedback for the motion controllers in SteamVR games. Also, general performance levels have been improved in these games, with Microsoft managing to tune things to use a ‘significantly lower’ amount of video RAM.

You’ll also be able to take screenshots in Mixed Reality apps easily with the controllers, and video performance in apps is improved as well.

These are all welcome additions that should make Mixed Reality even more competitive compared to the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

 

Windows 10 S Mode

For the longest time, Windows 10 S and Windows 10 existed independently of one another. If you wanted to move on from the closed nature of the S-branded OS, you’d have to cough up a fee to upgrade to a full-fat version of windows. 

Now, with the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, that’s a thing of the past, and you’ll be able to simply hit a button that’ll take you out of (or into) Windows 10 S mode and let you use the full-fat Windows 10 free of charge. 

Windows 10 April 2018 Update: what we want to see

So, while we’re getting an ever-clearer idea of what new features the Windows 10 April 2018 Update will bring, we’ve still got a list of things we’d like to see come to Windows 10.

Fewer annoying updates

While Microsoft has been making Windows 10 less annoying when it needs to restart to install an update, it’s still not perfect, and we know a few people who have lost work due to Windows 10 restarting itself without warning.

Fewer windows for changing settings

There are a few instances in Windows 10 that still make it feel like two separate operating systems mashed together – something many people hated about Windows 8. One of the most egregious examples of this is that to change certain settings you need to use the Settings app, while others require you to use the traditional Control Panel.

Not only does this feel a bit clunky, it’s also confusing for users. Putting all the settings into one place would be a fantastic addition.

Stop apps and windows auto opening on restart

Microsoft brought a new feature to the Fall Creators Update which reopened any apps, windows and websites you had open when you last shut down your PC.

While this feature does have its uses (and mirrors a feature that’s been in Apple’s macOS operating system for years), rather frustratingly, Microsoft didn't include an option to disable the feature. This means that anyone who likes a fresh, empty desktop each time they start up Windows 10 needs to make sure everything is closed manually each time they want to turn off the PC.

What we’d like to see is an easy-to-use toggle that lets us choose if we want this option to be on or off. That’s not too much to ask, is it?



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Windows 10 April 2018 Update will be available to download on Monday April 30

It looks like Microsoft has finally revealed both the final name and release date of its highly anticipated update to Windows 10, announcing that the Windows 10 April 2018 Update will be made available to download manually on Monday April 30.

Of course, that’s cutting it a bit fine for an update with ‘April’ in the name, and it’s still expected that the majority of users (who won’t download and install the Windows 10 April 2018 Update manually) will start seeing the update from May 8, as we reported a few days ago.

After being delayed earlier this month due to the discovery of a critical bug, it was rumored that Microsoft would be changing the name from Spring Creators Update, with April Update being the most likely candidate.

Nick of time

However, as the end of April loomed, we were wondering if that name would stick. Now it appears that Microsoft will indeed make the update available in April – just about – and it’s added the year to the name as well.

We’ve been looking forward to this update regardless of what it’s called, as it will be adding some innovative new features such as Timeline and improvements to how Windows 10 looks and feels.

If you want to grab it when it launches, check out our guide on how to download and install the Windows 10 April 2018 update right now.



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Best free antivirus for Mac in 2018

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Windows 10 April Update isn’t here yet, but at least Microsoft has honed its rollout process

The speed that big updates for Windows 10 roll out – with phased deployment over a number of months – has been notoriously sluggish in the past, but some new figures show that Microsoft has quickened things considerably.

The latest statistics from AdDuplex show that on the verge of the next big update (supposedly called the April Update), Microsoft has now delivered the previous upgrade – Fall Creators Update – to 92.1% of Windows 10 systems.

That’s the vast majority of Windows 10 PCs, and it’s particularly interesting when you compare it to the speed that the Creators Update (which arrived last spring) rolled out – something like a quarter of Windows 10 users didn’t have this by the time the Fall Creators Update emerged, as Betanews reports.

So, judging from the pace of the Fall Creators Update rollout, Microsoft has managed to learn from any errors which slowed the previous upgrade down (and made it something of a painful waiting process for some folks).

Bug bashing

Of course, the current imminent Windows 10 April Update has rather stalled before it has even begun, thanks to the emergence of an apparently nasty bug, and subsequent efforts to fix this.

Although, perhaps Microsoft has learned from previous updates in this respect too. It’s better to take the time to fully hone an update, rather than rushing to release it, and running the risk of having another Anniversary Update debacle (that particular effort was famously hit by numerous bugs).

It's now rumored that the April Update will be released in May – which, of course, would be a very good reason not to change the name from Spring Creators Update (the previous alleged moniker).



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The controversial Ubuntu 18.04 LTS is now available to download

Canonical has released its latest Long Term Support (LTS) version of its popular Ubuntu Linux distribution, and it continues Canoncial’s habit of giving releases an alliterative animal-based name, with the distro also known as Bionic Beaver.

Ubuntu 18.04 LTS comes with plenty of new features, while building upon the changes that we brought in last year’s Ubuntu 17.10, and this means that Canonical’s own Unity desktop environment is no longer used, in favour of GNOME. 

This switch, which debuted in Ubuntu 17.10, has been a long time coming. Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Canoncial, the company behind Ubuntu, last year confirmed on his personal Google+ account that Canonical “will invest in Ubuntu GNOME with the intent of delivering a fantastic all-GNOME desktop”, which put paid to Canoncial’s aim of getting Ubuntu on phones and mobile devices as well.

Another big change, which will surely stoke controversy, is that that Canoncial is no longer providing 32-bit installer images of Ubuntu. Again, this change was first seen with Ubuntu 17.10, and now it has arrived in the LTS version. For people relying on long term support for their older 32-bit machines, this could cause problems.

However, it follows similar moves by other distros that have dropped 32-bit support, as the industry moves away from older hardware to embrace 64-bit. For example, Tails Linux and Arch Linux have ditched 32-bit support in the past year.

Data collection

The most controversial change with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, however, is the fact that Canonical will now be collecting system usage data, something that’s sure to rile up privacy-conscious Linux users who have dismissed operating systems such as Windows 10 for similar reasons.

This means Canonical receives data on the version of Ubuntu installed, the manufacturer of the machine you’re running it on, CPU model, desktop environment, packages installed and more.

This data collection is turned on by default, but to Canonical’s credit it appears to be pretty easy to switch off, and the company insists that the data it collects will not be enough to identify users or machines.

The data will also be made publicly available, which could give us a better idea of how popular certain flavors of Ubuntu and its software are, and how it is used. The data could also be used to help improve future versions of Ubuntu, but it remains to be seen if this is enough to appease Ubuntu users who value their privacy.

Bionic beavering away

But, let’s get back to the positive changes brought with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. It comes with the latest Linux kernel (4.15), hardware acceleration for Nvidia graphics cards for the cloud version of 18.04, faster boot times and a new Hyper-V optimised image for improved performance when running Ubuntu 18.04 LTS on a virtual machine inside Windows 10.

This last feature was worked on in conjunction with Microsoft. Craig Wilhite, Program Manager, Microsoft, has said that “In our upcoming OS release this spring, Hyper-V’s Quick Create VM Gallery will now include an image for the latest Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, officially stamped straight from Canonical”.

We assume by upcoming OS release this spring Wilhite is talking about the upcoming Windows 10 April Update, which has been delayed but should be coming out soon.

For more information about what’s coming in Ubuntu 18.04 LTS – both good and bad – you can check out the official release announcement, and make sure you read our in-depth interview with Canonical about this divisive new release.



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iTunes arrives on the Microsoft Store – at last

iTunes has finally landed in the Microsoft Store. The launch comes three months after eagle-eyed Apple fans noticed small tweaks to the desktop software suggesting a Windows app was in the works, and almost a year after it was announced at Microsoft's Build 2017 conference.

This makes iTunes available to users of Windows 10 S (or S Mode, as it will soon become), who are unable to install software from outside the Windows Store.

We’d expected the app to arrive alongside the Windows 10 Spring Creators Update (or Redstone 4, or April Creators Update), but with that launch still in purgatory, it seems Microsoft has relented and let Apple go ahead.

Apple juice

iTunes for Windows is a straight port of the existing desktop software, but packaged in a way that enabled distribution via the Microsoft Store. The old desktop software won’t update to the new app automatically though; when you install the app, the installer will offer to remove the legacy version for you. Your music library won’t be affected.

Don’t expect a Google Play Music app to arrive in the Microsoft Store any time soon – Google had a cheeky try at smuggling a Chrome installer into the Microsoft Store, which Microsoft swiftly removed, citing security issues. We doubt it'll be opening the doors to other Alphabet apps any time soon.

Via Ars Technica

  • If iTunes isn’t your groove, you can also find our favorite free music app MusicBee in the Microsoft Store


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The best way to convert disc to digital: WinX DVD Ripper vs Vudu

When it comes to digitizing your DVD collection in 2018, there are two main options: Vudu’s Disc to Digital service and WinX DVD Ripper Platinum. But which is the right one for you?

WinX DVD Ripper Platinum vs Vudu

Vudu, by Wal-Mart, allows you to convert discs to digital using a smartphone. To use it, install the mobile app, scan a UPC (universal product code) and you’re ready watch the movie on your device. 

The process is straightforward, but it has some disadvantages. Firstly, it requires permission to your camera and GPS, as well as your billing info must be up-to-date in your profile. Although the app itself is free, it costs $2 to convert a movie. If you have a large DVD collection, that quickly adds up. Vudu can’t convert all DVDs to digital, either. It offers a good range of new movies from most of the big studios, but that doesn’t help if you want to convert the discs you already own. That’s where WinX DVD Ripper Platinum comes in. 

WinX DVD Ripper Platinum is a desktop disc to digital software which converts any disc –old or new– to all the most popular video formats, including MP4, AVI, MP3, H.264, WMV, FLV,MOV and more for further editing, compressing, social sharing, NAS streaming, etc. It gives best possible picture and sound quality while ensures smallest possible output file size. It also creates files that you can play on play on any device: iPhone, iPad, Andriod, tablet, gaming consoles, HDTV, etc. (Optional, a DVD Ripper for Mac is available if you are running OS X)

WinX DVD Ripper Platinum charges for a one-off lifetime license fee, after which you won’t pay another penny for future upgrade. Best of all, you can use it to convert any DVD at all to digital – old/scratched/commercial/workout/new/99-title DVDs , ISO images, DVD folders, and even very rare ones or home recordings (wedding videos, for example).

Free download WinX DVD Ripper Platinum for Windows >>

Obtain a trial license key, enjoy full features freely >>

Why is WinX DVD Ripper Platinum so fast?

WinX DVD Ripper Platinum is the only DVD ripper around that uses level-3 hardware acceleration technology. That means it uses hardware encoding, hardware decoding and hardware processing to spread the load between your CPU and GPU, giving incredibly fast results – even on low-powered laptops. 

It uses Intel Quick Sync Video (QSV) – Intel’s dedicated video encoding and decoding hardware core – to process videos incredibly quickly and free up the processor to complete other tasks, such as watch movies, play games, etc.

WinX DVD Ripper Platinum can also make the most of Nvidia CUDA and NVENC hardware encoders to deliver very fast, high quality encoding and decoding. 

Developer's test – convert disc to digital with level-3 hardware acceleration tech

DVD: a new disc 2018; size: 7.16GB; length: 1:32:12

Computer configuration: Windows 10 (64 bit); Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3470; Nvidia GeForce GTX 750

Result: The ripping process was completed in 4:54 minutes, reaching 300-500 FPS. 

Note: The result may vary under different computer configurations.

How to Convert Disc to Digital (MP4) Copies With This Hardware Accelerated DVD Ripper?

1. Set up hardware acceleration

Converting your discs to digital with WinX DVD Ripper Platinum is incredibly easy. To get started, insert the disc in your drive and launch the software. The Hardware encoder( Intel/nVIDIA) will be automatically clicked if your PC supports it. You may select the CPU Core (Up to eight) to accelerate the disc to digital conversion process.

Set up hardware acceleration

2. Load your disc

Click the ‘Disc’ button and make sure the right source DVD is selected if you have more than one disc drive. Leave the DVD disc file system type as ‘Auto detect’ and click ‘OK’.  (Also support ISO images and DVD folders).

Load your disc

 3. Choose a format

Now you’ll see a choice of output profiles. DVD to MP4 is the default option, and is the best choice for playback on most devices. You can use the slider at the top right to choose to rip your discs in high quality (which takes longer) or lower quality (which is faster). We recommend leaving the slider in the middle, which gives the best balance of speed and picture quality. When you’re happy, click ‘OK’. WinX DVD Ripper Platinum will analyze your disc to see whether it’s protected by DRM. It will also detect the DVD main title, enabling you to convert just the movie itself, without any annoying ads or trailers.

Choose a format

4. Start disc to digital conversion

Take a look at the list of titles. WinX DVD Ripper Platinum will have selected the longest one automatically. If your disc has subtitles, you can include them in the converted video by clicking ‘Subtitle disabled’ and choosing a language option. Choose a destination folder for the converted video (your Videos directory is selected by default) and click ‘Run’.

Start disc to digital conversion

5. Enjoy your movie

With hardware acceleration enabled, you’ll be amazed how quickly your disc is converted, and your disc drive won’t even get hot. Once it’s done, your destination folder will open, and the finished MP4 file will be there, ready to play. It really is that easy!

Enjoy your movie

Download WinX DVD Ripper Platinum > 



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Zomato Gold will become invite only starting April 28

Food and Restaurant aggregator Zomato has announced that its premium service, Zomato Gold will now be invite only. Zomato Gold allows customers to get complimentary food and drinks from over 2,100 restaurants across Pune, Hyderabad, Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Bangalore.

Zomato had launched the Zomato Gold paid service back in November last year with a launch price of Rs. 999 for a year for the first 10,000 customers. The subscription price has been increased from Rs. 999 to Rs. 2,399 for a year. Zomato has said that the subscription price of Rs. 2,399 will be increased further, once the service goes invite-only.

What is Zomato Gold?

Zomato Gold is a paid service from Zomato that allows customers with Gold membership get complimentary food and drinks while ordering from partner restaurants and bars. 

Zomato Gold service is limited to dine-in orders only and not available for deliveries.

Earlier, Zomato Gold subscription was available in a flash sale model and it was available for purchase in limited numbers every week. However, from April 28 the subscription will be available in an invite-only model and only existing members will be able to invite new users using the app. April 27 is the last day for open membership.

Deepinder Goyal, founder and CEO of Zomato has announced that Zomato will soon be expanding to more cities and soon launch in Chandigarh, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chennai. Additionally, Zomato is working on adding more benefits to the Gold program.

Anand Sinha, Global Business Head, Zomato Gold said, “There are so many things in store for our Zomato Gold members. We will have new kinds of events, food festivals, and we also have exclusive menus (we are calling them secret menus) at participating restaurants. So naturally, we want to keep our membership club tight and restricted to the most discerning set of customers.”

Zomato Gold subscription offers

Zomato has announced a 20% discount offer for users who want to purchase the Gold service on April 27. Users can use the code – Early20 to get a 20% discount, however this is limited to selected users only.



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