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Software

macOS 10.13 High Sierra release date, news and features

January 28, 2018 By discountbonus_sd3n3h


The follow-up to macOS 10.12 Sierra, macOS High Sierra 10.13 has been readily available since September 2017, four months ago at the time of writing. Seeing as it’s evolved ever so subtly over the course of its lifespan, we’re as curious as you are to find out what’s next.

Currently, there is a great deal of conversation taking place that centers around the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities infecting the vast majority of Apple’s laptops and desktops that run macOS High Sierra. The latter security flaw was apparently addressed in the supplemental macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 update, which has since been followed-up with 10.13.3.

As such, hopefully by the time you’re reading this, the few issues we were experiencing with macOS High Sierra will be sorted out. Aside from a handful of minor setbacks, it’s a decent operating system with a steady flow of sustenance from its creators.

While it does introduce a selection of more comprehensive photo editing tools, a completely overhauled file system and the promise of eventual VR support, most users will continue to use their Macs without noticing much of a difference.

In the meantime, here is everything you need to know about 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 unveiled macOS 10.13 High Sierra at the WWDC 2017 keynote event, which came as little surprise, given that it’s traditional for Apple to announce 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 version of High Sierra would release just a week and a half later, on September 25. There was a developer version of the operating system you could enroll in leading into the final release, but fortunately that’s no longer necessary to take advantage of the latest features found in macOS 10.13.

Since then, macOS High Sierra has received numerous updates, the latest of which is version 10.13.3. In it, you can expect the usual stability improvements in addition to a fix to a Messages bug that was previously showing texts out of order. Not only that, but for those experiencing a glitch that allowed App Store system preferences to be unlocked without a password, that too should have disappeared in macOS High Sierra 10.13.3.

macOS 10.13 High Sierra features

Despite some Hackintosh users being rightfully worried about the newly enforced security checks on EFI firmware automatically deployed every week, Apple has introduced a number of exciting new features with macOS 10.13 High Sierra.

These include improvements to Safari – which will now thwart ad-tracking and auto-playing videos – and a more comprehensive Spotlight Search in the Mail App. Moreover, when you’re writing 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 complemented by a new layout, better facial recognition thanks to neural networks, and better 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’s upgraded to macOS High Sierra will make this files system change automatically with the exception of those sporting Fusion Drives and older HDDs. Likewise, 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.

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 will come part and parcel with macOS High Sierra, but won’t be an active function until spring 2018.

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:

  • Late 2009 iMac or newer
  • Late 2009 MacBook/MacBook (Retina) or newer
  • Mid-2010 MacBook Pro or newer
  • Late 2010 MacBook Air or newer
  • Mid-2010 Mac Mini or newer
  • Mid-2010 Mac Pro or newer
  • 2017 iMac Pro

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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Filed Under: Software

The best free video editor 2018

January 28, 2018 By discountbonus_sd3n3h


Video editing software doesn’t have to be expensive. Whether you’re an experienced home videographer or making your first foray into filmmaking, some of the best video editing software is yours to download and use completely free.

If you just want to cut a clip to size or add a new soundtrack, there are lightweight editors that will help you get the job done in seconds, and export the video in a format suitable for uploading online, or playing on any desktop or mobile device.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for more advanced tools like chroma keying and color grading, there are also advanced programs that offer everything you’d expect to find in premium software – except the price tag.

However, not all videos editors are created equal. Some prevent you exporting projects longer than a couple of minutes, offer a very small selection of editing tools, or add unsightly watermarks to your finished work. Here we’ve rounded up only the software that delivers on its promises, making video editing easy and fun, with no compromises.

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Lightworks
Lightworks is the most powerful free video editor around. It’s much more than just a replacement for Windows Movie Maker, and can help you achieve professional results at home

 

Lightworks is an incredible tool that’s published free with the noble aim of making professional quality video editing software available to everyone.

Lightworks is far more than a simple application for combining video clips and applying filters; it’s been used to produce Hollywood movies including The King’s Speech and Road to Perdition.

 

TechRadar editor's choice award: Lightworks

 

As you would expect for such a powerful video editor, you won’t be able to master it overnight, but that’s certainly not something you could hold against it.

Lightworks is described as the professional video editor for everyone, and we reckon that’s a fair summary. Despite its power, it will run well on fairly modest hardware, and it handles video capture and advanced editing with aplomb.

If you’ve tried other free video editors you’ll probably find that the interface is a little different to anything you’re used to, but you can arrange the various controls and windows to create something that suits your way of working.

The free license has everything you need to make amazing videos, but TechRadar readers can also get 40% off a monthly Lightworks Pro license using the special discount code TECHRADAR_LW_PRO_MONTH_2017. Lightworks Pro adds the ability to export in formats other than MPEG, publish 4K video directly to YouTube, and export 3D videos. Find out how to use your discount voucher.

  • Lightworks review
  • Download Lightworks

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Hitfilm Express
Hitfilm Express is a very powerful free video editor, and can be expanded with premium extensions if your needs outgrow its standard features

 

Hitfilm Express is another video editor that promises pro-level features for free – and it delivers. The basic editor is very impressive, with advanced cutting tools, a great set of audio and video filters, layers and masking, compositing options, and chroma keying for creating green screen effects.

Additional tools are available for a fee, starting at £8.85 (about US$10, AU$15) for a pack featuring color-correction, exposure adjustment, split screen masking, and various creative filters.

The downside of all this power is that Hitfilm Express is much more demanding than either Lightworks or Shotcut, which is the main reason it’s dropped to third place. Make sure you check the technical requirements before downloading it to avoid disappointment.

  • Hitfilm Express review
  • Download Hitfilm Express

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DaVinci Resolve screen grab
Like Lightworks, DaVinci Resolve is used for professional TV and movie post-production

 

DaVinci Resolve is a free version of a premium video editing suite, but as with Lightworks, it’s so feature-packed you probably won’t miss the few tools it lacks.

DaVinci Resolve is a professional-grade video editor, with intuitive interfaces for editing, color correction, audio mastering and exporting. There’s the usual multi-track timeline for arranging video and audio clips, plus context-sensitive trimming, and a vast collection of filters and effects.

Color correction is one of DaVinci Resolve’s standout features, whether you want to adjust a whole video or just a selected part. There’s HDR support, and you can work on raw files directly from your camera.

A few of the filters are exclusive to the premium DaVinci Resolve Studio, and there’s a maximum export resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, but those are the only limitations. It’s overkill if you just want to trim a video and upload it to YouTube, but for bigger projects DaVinci Resolve is hard to beat.

  • Download DaVinci Resolve

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Shotcut
Shotcut is a superb free video editor that lets you layer filters and effects on top of one another, and adjust each one individually

 

Shotcut is another professional-feeling free video editor that requires a little patience if you are achieve the results it is so capable of delivering. The slightly unusual interface can be put down to the fact that this started life as a Linux application, and little has changed in its conversion to Windows.

To start with, the interface may seem a little stark. You will need to not only load a video, but also choose which editing mode you would like to work in and which tools you’d like to use.

There’s no getting away from the fact that Shotcut has a steep learning curve. It’s possible to achieve some impressive results by simply applying one of its many filters to your video, but the real rewards will only be reaped by those willing to invest the time and energy in fully getting to grips with what’s on offer.

  • Shotcut review
  • Download Shotcut

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VSDC Free Video Editor
VSDC Free Video Editor is wonderfully flexible, giving you full control over the clips, photos and audio files you’ve pieced together to make your project

 

VSDC Free Video Editor provides a huge array of effects and filters to enhance your footage, with both wizards and manual options to suit beginners or more advanced users.

VSDC is highly capable, and can yield superb results. As a non-linear editor, it works in rather a different way to many other similar tools, letting you position  clips and other elements on the timeline wherever you like and edit them there.

With the ability to not only work with multiple scenes and transitions, but also to add sprites and text to videos, you can create a professional-quality movie if you’re willing to stick with VSDC’s slightly odd way of working and unusual interface.

The latest version of VSDC adds extra artistic effects, including smoke. There’s also a dedicated Instagram export profile and automatic image stabilization. It’s noticeably faster, too. An excellent choice for creative video projects.

  • VSDC Free Video Editor review
  • Download VSDC Free Video Editor
  • Check out our guide to the best free video converters

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Filed Under: Software

UK PM Theresa May: social networks must take responsibility for their content

January 28, 2018 By discountbonus_sd3n3h


UK prime minister Theresa May says social networks must stop being “passive hosts” for extremism, and all illegal content should be removed automatically.

“These companies have some of the best brains in the world,” May told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “They must focus their brightest and best on meeting these fundamental social responsibilities.”

At a time when social media companies are under intense scrutiny for their behaviour, May also urged tech investors to vote with their wallets and consider the social impact of the companies they support.

These companies have some of the best brains in the world. They must focus their brightest and best on meeting these fundamental social responsibilities

Theresa May

She cited an example from earlier this year when shareholders asked both Twitter and Facebook for detailed reports on abuse, electoral interference, threats of violence and hate speech on their platforms.

May’s speech comes shortly after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a new year’s resolution to crack down on abuse, hate speech and political interference on the site.

“We won’t prevent all mistakes or abuse,” Zuckerberg said in a public post, “but we currently make too many errors enforcing our policies and preventing misuse of our tools. If we’re successful this year then we’ll end 2018 on a much better trajectory.”

AI in the UK

May also set out the UK government’s plans for supporting development of AI. She suggested the technology could be used to make transport infrastructure safer and stop the spread of disease, and said the government would put particular emphasis on supporting new businesses.

“We have seen a new AI start-up created in the UK every week for the last three years, she said. “And we are investing in the skills these start-ups need, spending £45 million to support additional PhDs in AI and related disciplines and creating at least 200 extra places a year by 2020-21.”

AI and robotics are among the key themes at this year’s conference, with other topics including the ethics of self-driving cars and robots in the workplace.

What’s the WEF?

The World Economic Forum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to “improving the state of the world.” It holds events throughout the year, but its annual meeting at Davos is by far the biggest, bringing together politicians, business leaders, economists, religious leaders and other high-profile figures to discuss global issues.

Delegates at the 2018 World Economic Forum experience a VR presentation
Delegates at this year’s conference were invited to experience a virtual reality presentation on cyber warfare

Each year’s conference has a theme, 2018’s being “Creating a shared future in a fractured world”. Other themes discussed so far have included climate change, energy generation and public health.

  • Read an overview of this year’s WEF conference

The event closes on January 26 with a session on cyber warfare, and a closing address by US president Donald Trump

  • The 10 most important breakthroughs in artificial intelligence

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The best Linux training providers and online courses 2018

January 28, 2018 By discountbonus_sd3n3h


Linux is no longer an obscure operating system only installed on email servers and tech boffin’s laptops – rather it has become a flexible and powerful alternative to paid-for operating systems like Windows and macOS.

Even IT professionals who routinely use Microsoft and Apple products in the workplace can benefit from a basic knowledge of Linux commands, given its prevalence on servers and the fact it’s available to download free of charge.

In this article, we’re going to list 10 of the best courses offered by various training providers, all of which are designed to familiarise you with Linux. Some of these are self-guided and can be completed in a few days whereas others can only be undertaken in a classroom, or over a period of weeks.

Wherever possible, we have tried to find courses which are suitable for newcomers to Linux and offer the best possible value-for-money. So forge on and take a look at the various options here – you’ll almost certainly find something suitable which meets your needs in terms of an introduction to Linux.

  • 10 best Linux distros for privacy fiends and security buffs in 2017
  • 7 best Linux distros: which one is right for you?
  • 5 of the most popular Linux gaming distros
  • 10 of the most popular lightweight Linux distros

 

 

Udemy is an online learning platform for those willing to develop their professional skills. And what better way to do this than with Jason Cannon’s Linux for Beginners course.

As the course is offered on the Udemy platform, you benefit from a detailed course overview and can find out a little bit more about your instructor.

The only course requirements are basic IT literacy and a willingness to learn. Linux for Beginners also covers setting up Linux in a virtual machine, so you can experiment without interfering with your current system setup.

The course is delivered via a series of self-paced online videos which take around six hours to complete. Linux for Beginners covers all the basics and another major boon is that it’s a highly inexpensive option.

The course is usually £95 – but only £10.99 when you click through from this article!

  • You can sign up for Linux for Beginners here

 

 

The Linux Academy is an online platform offering access to dozens of Linux-related courses. Registration requires a valid credit card and will give you a free 7-day trial to take any Linux Academy course including Linux Essentials. After this your card is billed $449 (£315) per year.

That’s very expensive if you only want to take this course, although as Linux Essentials can be completed in around six hours, you could undertake it during the 7-day trial period, then cancel your subscription.

The course is authored and delivered by systems engineer Kenny Armstrong who narrates the 66 videos over five main topic areas. The stated aim is to give you a basic knowledge of Linux-compatible hardware, the concepts behind open source, as well as looking at how to navigate the Linux desktop and command line.

You can even connect to the Linux Academy’s servers to do practice exercises, although this may be tricky for someone with no experience of networking.

  • You can sign up for Linux Essentials here

 

 

The Lynda.com platform, which is owned by business networking website LinkedIn, hosts dozens of Linux-related courses including this one, which has the full title of Linux Foundation Certified System: Essential Commands (Ubuntu).

The course focuses on mastery of the basic commands involving administration of the Ubuntu OS, one of the most popular flavours of Linux. Essential Commands (Ubuntu) is authored by Scott Simpson, who has also designed a number of Linux-related courses.

To access this course, you must first subscribe to Lynda. There’s a basic and premium price plan – premium subscribers can store course materials offline, as well as download practice materials. Whichever option you choose, there’s a 30-day free trial.

The course focuses specifically on Ubuntu, which is wise as it’s one of the most popular distributions for beginners, and this focus allows for a greater level of detail than the more generic courses we’ve looked at. This said, some of the instructions are a little vague in places, such as the part dedicated to setting up Ubuntu in a virtual machine.

  • You can sign up for Linux Essential Commands (Ubuntu) here

 

 

The Linux Professional Institute (LPI) provides accredited certification for IT professionals who want to master Linux. The LPIC-1 course is the first step to proving you can administer Linux systems.

Firebrand’s course is different in that unlike other Linux training, you pay to stay at an exam centre for an intense six day period, at the end of which you’ll take the exam. Learning is classroom-based with a dedicated instructor and lessons which last 12 hours a day.

Your accommodation, meals, tuition, study materials and certificates are included in the fee, which explains why it’s so high. Firebrand also offers a chance to resit the course free of charge if you fail the first time round, though you need to cover accommodation and other expenses.

Although the Firebrand website doesn’t detail the exact LPIC-1 syllabus, you can find details of this on the LPI website. The course itself is divided into three parts, covering system architecture, the Linux boot process, and finally booting to the console.

  • You can sign up for LPIC-1 Junior Level Linux Certification here

 

 

CBT Nuggets is an online learning platform hosting dozens of training courses from big players like Cisco. Payment of a monthly fee gives you access to all CBT courses – plus there’s also a free 7-day trial to give the system a whirl.

There are no prerequisites for tackling the Ubuntu Linux course, although if you’re entirely unfamiliar with Linux, you’re probably best off doing the Linux Essentials course which can also be accessed on the CBT platform.

Unlike other training providers CBT also allows you to watch training videos on its mobile app, which is available for Apple, Amazon and Android devices.

Topic areas include initial setup, some basic Linux commands, and a look at networking. There’s even a dedicated section on securing Linux.

The instructor has a wonderful flair for making boring concepts entertaining. On one occasion he uses his video lecture tool to draw a picture of a puppy as he launches into a detailed diatribe on software repositories.

If you are willing to pay the subscription fee for CBT Nuggets, there are further training courses you can take for Linux and other platforms.

  • You can sign up for Ubuntu Linux here

 

 

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (often shortened to RHEL) is a commercially developed version of Linux mainly used in big businesses. Red Hat offers comprehensive training courses for those interested in becoming a Red Hat Certified Systems Administrator.

Red Hat System Administration part one is the initial step in this journey and is designed for those who may be familiar with Linux, but haven’t used it in depth. Unlike other training providers, Red Hat offers a variety of ways to undertake the course at different costs.

For instance, you can opt to take it online over 90 days for £1,862 ($2,515). Alternatively you can train via a remote classroom for £2,190 ($2,960). These prices include VAT. Red Hat even hosts on-site training over five days if you’re near one of its centres.

The training is regularly punctuated with practical exercises which test your knowledge. Each exercise will tell you whether to access your ‘server’ or ‘desktop’ virtual machine, both of which are set up for you, so you can start training right away.

This training course has been devised by the very same company that developed Red Hat Enterprise Linux, an obvious strong point because it means that all course materials come straight from the horse’s mouth.

  • You can sign up for Red Hat System Administration I here

 

 

The Linux Foundation offers a number of online courses via the edX platform including this Introduction to Linux. One very attractive feature of these courses is that they are free to take, although there is an additional fee of $99 (£75) if you want a formal ‘certificate of completion’.

Introduction to Linux has been prepared by Jerry Cooperstein, the Training Program Director for the Linux Foundation, and there’s even a short welcome message from the creator of the Linux kernel, Linus Torvalds himself; so it’s safe to say you’re in good hands.

The course is designed as a series of learning videos to help people who have basic IT skills to become familiar with Linux, both using a graphical interface and the command line.

Introduction to Linux is more than just text and videos, however. There are a number of ‘try it yourself’ activities, too, which allow you to perform tasks such as working with files.

Although the images and diagrams used in the videos are rather simplistic, this course is very popular on edX (being rated at 4/5 stars) and is an excellent way to familiarise yourself with the essentials of Linux.

  • You can sign up for Introduction to Linux (Linux Foundation) here

 

 

QA has been around for 30 years and offers a tremendous amount of courses for professionals to gain certification and new skills. Its website includes eight Linux courses, including Linux System Fundamentals, which is aimed at IT pros with little or no experience of the OS.

All training is guided by an instructor at one of the QA training centres around the UK, or alternatively you can remotely attend a course. After contacting QA for clarification, we found the course fee is the same, regardless of which method you choose. At the time of writing, however, the ‘Attend from Anywhere’ option is currently unavailable for this course.

Linux System Fundamentals lives up to its name in that the course focuses strongly on helping you master the Linux command line. The desktop environment and graphical editors are discussed towards the end of the training, however. This means it’s truly cross-platform, as you can use whichever Linux distribution you prefer to train with.

  • You can sign up for Linux System Fundamentals here

 

 

Reed.co.uk is best known as a recruitment website, but it also hosts a number of online courses including Ubuntu Linux for Beginners. These are in fact designed by third parties, as is the case with this course which comes from the good people at Skill Success.

Ubuntu Linux for Beginners is available as a series of video lectures, allowing you to learn at your own pace. The training itself is divided into 11 topics, covering areas such as installing Ubuntu on a virtual machine, getting started with the Ubuntu desktop and command line, setting up your own web server, basic programming and connecting via SSH.

Some of the sections are overly detailed and not really suitable for beginners to Linux, but you can always skip past these and return to them at a later date. The course currently offers excellent value-for-money, although note that the heavy discount seen at the time of writing isn’t always available (although the good news is it seems to be a recurring affair).

  • You can sign up for Ubuntu Linux for Beginners here

 

 

VTC is an online learning platform specifically geared to help trainees improve their software skills. The Introduction to Linux course is designed to welcome newcomers to Linux and provide them with some basic knowledge of the operating system.

Unlike many of the other courses we’ve looked at, this one offers the first three chapters free of charge to visitors. This represents an excellent sneak preview and allows you to become accustomed to navigating the course outline.

After the third chapter, you can choose to pay a one-time fee of $39 (£30) to access the rest of the course online, or for an additional $39 (£30), you can download the entire course for offline viewing.

Introduction to Linux covers basic knowledge such as using the command line, hardware, networking and the X Window manager.

The course overview itself is easy to navigate and you can go back and replay videos as you wish. There’s no section provided on the web page for taking notes, though, so you’ll need your own text editor for this.

  • You can sign up for Introduction to Linux (VTC) here
  • Install Linux on the excellent Dell XPS 13 today

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Microsoft is building a lightweight version of Windows 10 called Polaris

January 28, 2018 By discountbonus_sd3n3h


It appears that Microsoft is working on a revolutionary version of Windows 10, codenamed Polaris, that will ditch traditional desktop applications and take a modular approach to computing.

According to a report by Windows Central, Polaris will be a version of Windows 10 built on Windows Core OS, a modular version of the operating system that can be adapted by Microsoft to suit various needs and environments.

Sources close to Windows Central have described how Microsoft is building Polaris to be a version of Windows 10 that can run on desktop, laptop and 2-in-1 devices, and it will be tied entirely to UWP (Universal Windows Platform) apps from the Microsoft Store, rather than classic desktop applications.

UWP? LOL!

If a version of Windows 10 that only runs UWP apps sounds familiar, it’s because Microsoft has already attempted that with Windows 10 S. However, Windows 10 S was a bit of a half-hearted step, as it used the full Windows 10 code, and merely limited users to running UWP apps.

Because it used the full code, users could upgrade to the full Windows 10 Pro operating system – which many did.

However, it appears that Polaris, like other versions of Windows 10 built on Windows Core OS, will feature CShell, an entirely new graphical user interface. The current Windows shell has been in use in some form since Windows 95, and so has features and elements that are no longer used, or don’t apply to modern devices.

Switching to CShell will allow Microsoft to scale Windows 10 to a variety of devices, such as smartphones, tablets and 2-in-1 PCs, while stripping out redundant features, allowing for a lighter, and faster operating system.

This does mean that many legacy applications will no longer work. By keeping to UWP apps, Windows 10 Polaris should be more secure, less resource intensive, and should mean batteries on mobile devices running the operating system won’t run out so fast either.

Goodbye Paint?

Switching to CShell will also mean users won’t be able to upgrade from Polaris to the full version of Windows 10 Pro, but Windows Central’s sources suggest that Microsoft is looking into ways of bringing legacy desktop applications to the new operating system via ‘remote virtualization’ – essentially running full applications in an emulation container.

This should mean that your old programs may still be able to be run in Polaris without the operating system having to include the bloated legacy code.

Windows Central suggests we’ll see Polaris in 2019, and while we’ve not been entirely convinced by Windows 10 S, which feels like it has too many compromises that mean it doesn’t satisfy everyone, we’re keen to see how Microsoft evolves Windows 10 to keep pace with modern devices.

  • Check out our collection of how to use Windows 10 tutorials

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Microsoft’s Photos app can now build a slightly spooky custom video all about you

January 28, 2018 By discountbonus_sd3n3h

Microsoft had added a new feature to the Photos app for Windows 10, and it’s ever so slightly creepy.

The new tool, called Choose a Star, lets you upload a collection of photos and videos, then pick a particular person to focus on. The app then uses facial recognition to hunt this person down in your uploaded media and build a presentation around them, even zooming in on their face at times.

To give it a try, type ‘photos’ into the search bar and launch Microsoft Photos (it’s bundled with the recent Fall Creator’s Update, but you can also download it separately from the Windows Store).

Click the ‘Create’ button, select ‘Automatic video with music’ and pick the media to include from your OneDrive account. Click ‘Create’ again, give your masterpiece a name and select ‘Create video’.

Click ‘Remix’ until you’re happy with the way the app has ordered your pictures and clips, then select ‘Choose a star’ to decide who should be the focus of attention. The resulting presentations are impressive, though it might be a good idea to inform your ‘star’ before sharing them online.

  • Learn how to use the Windows 10 Photos app

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Microsoft’s new Ink to Code app turns sketches into interfaces

January 28, 2018 By discountbonus_sd3n3h

Microsoft has released a new tool that takes the hassle out of designing apps by turning sketches into useable code.

Designing apps usually involves drawing them by hand, then coding them from scatch. Microsoft Ink to Code lets developers skip this step by drawing using a mouse or touchscreen, then turning the sketch into a working prototype.

Ink to Code uses AI to automatically tidy up hand-drawn designs, resizing and aligning elements to create a neat wireframe.

Ink to Code is only a prototype at the moment, but it’s available to download free from the Windows Store.

Space to hack

Ink to Code is the latest experimental app to emerge from Microsoft Garage – a space for the company’s employees to hack technology and explore new ideas.

Other projects currently in the Garage include Holographic Photo Project, which uses HoloLens mixed reality to project 3D models into the world around you; Dictate, a speech-recognition add-on for Microsoft Office that uses the same tech as Cortana; and Color Binoculars, which replaces tricky color combinations with shades that are easier for people with color blindness to differentiate.

Via ZDNet

  • The best iPhone apps to download in 2018

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