macOS 11 Ventura is the operating system Apple should be making

The latest version of macOS  -- 10.15 Catalina -- was released just a month ago, and introduced some big changes, including the break-up of iTunes, and dropping support for 32-bit apps, which unfortunately meant some popular third-party software stopped working.

It might not happen any time soon, but if Apple does eventually make the jump to macOS 11, it’s fair to say the operating system will get a fairly major overhaul at that point. If you’d like to see how it should look, we’ve got this stunning video to wow you.

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Google Pixel 4 is oh so awesome [Review]

I'm an Apple iPhone user -- a rather satisfied one at that. More specifically, my regular day-to-day smartphone is the iPhone 8 Plus. Why haven't I upgraded to a newer model? Well, I didn't want to give up the Touch ID fingerprint reader, and I am not a fan of the notch. Not to mention, the iPhone 8 Plus is a great device that is still receiving updates. And so, I have been sitting on the sidelines, waiting for Apple to convince me to upgrade -- the company has yet to do so.

When I got the opportunity to test Google's Pixel 4 smartphone, I was excited, but also, rather concerned. While I was glad the Pixel 4 didn't have a notch, I was worried about it not having a fingerprint reader. The more glaring issue, however, was the operating system -- moving from the iPhone 8 Plus to the Pixel 4 would be quite the culture shock.

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Microsoft Surface Duo shows Linux is the future -- not Windows

Microsoft Surface Duo

Windows is a massive failure -- in the mobile world, at least. Microsoft should have been a dominant force in smartphones and tablets, but no, it let Apple and Google eat its lunch with iPhone and Android. While Windows 10 is still a decent enough desktop operating system that keeps chugging along, Windows Phone died a bloody death -- consumers barely paid attention to it. Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile were utter embarrassments for Microsoft.

What can Microsoft do to save its mobile dreams? Turn to Linux, of course. Yes, with the upcoming Surface Duo smartphone (you can read about the dual-screen device here), Microsoft will be using the Linux-based Android operating system. This is a smart business move, but it must be absolute hell for the Microsoft faithful -- if Bill Gates was dead, he would be spinning in his grave.

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Education is top target for cyberattacks

teacher and students

The education sector has become one of the most sought after targets for cybercriminals, according to the latest report from Malwarebytes Labs.

In the first half of 2019, the top three largest categories of threats identified among education institutions' devices are adware (43 percent), Trojans (25 percent) and backdoors (three percent). However, ransomware dropped to less than one percent in this period -- though it was higher both before and after the study.

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Don't you touch my Lappy! -- 'True' confessions of a PC anti-vaxxer

I have a confession to make: I’m a PC anti-vaxxer. I just don’t trust all those patches and security "fixes" software companies want to foist upon my innocent little laptop. I mean, how do I know one of those updates won’t harm it? Most software platforms are now so complex, it’s nearly impossible to tell the impact a new library or DLL might have.

What if a patch makes my PC slower? I’ve heard about at least one "fix" -- to some made-up sounding bugaboo called "Spectre" -- that caused PCs to lose compute cycles. My little laptop struggles to handle daily life as it is. The thought of further handicapping it by compromising its processing speed seems downright cruel.

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Preparing for the rise of AI in the workforce

robot call center

Primary schools, universities, companies and even all the rest of us have a role to play in preparing for the rise of AI in the workforce. So what can we do to make sure people are still employable as AI starts becoming more common in business settings?

Let's take a look at the work ahead of us.

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Why digital transformation must be optimized for speed and success [Q&A]

digital transformation

Companies worldwide across all industries are enacting digital transformation (DX) initiatives -- and for good reason. If completed successfully, modern technology implementation drives competitive advantage and makes business operations much more real-time.

However, the journey to the DX finish line is unfortunately sometimes much more of sprint than a marathon, as speed is the currency for organizations to complete the process.

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The best new features in Visual Studio 2019 (and Visual Studio 2019 for Mac)

Visual Studio is not only one of the oldest IDEs around, having launched in the late-1990s, but it is also one of the most popular. Chances are, if you ask developers what they use, Visual Studio will be among the top answers. And, for good reasons: it is a mature, powerful and versatile IDE that is used across the globe to create websites, desktop software, mobile apps and games in a number of popular programming languages, like C# and C++.

And, every couple of years, Microsoft gives it a major update to add new features, refine existing ones and make it look more modern. This year is no different, as it introduces Visual Studio 2019 -- and, for the first time, a Mac version is ready to go from the start as well. Here are the biggest changes that are coming with it.

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How to enable the secret, hidden dark mode in Facebook Messenger [UPDATED]

Facebook Messenger dark mode

The love of dark mode options in apps and operating systems shows no sign of waning. While a large number of big-names have added dark modes, there are still plenty that need to jump on the bandwagon. One app that has held out is Facebook Messenger, but there is secret dark mode option that you can enable.

Probes into the Facebook Messenger app had already revealed that Facebook was working on darker hues, and it even rolled out to small number of users in the latter part of last year -- but not everyone. Now you can use a little trick to access dark mode in the Android and iOS versions of Messenger for yourself.

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Windows 10 has a built-in free screen recorder that you might not know about

Windows 10 screen recorder

You've very probably been using Windows 10 for a long time now, but that doesn't mean that you've discovered everything it has to offer. The operating system is packed with features, but there are some that are hidden away to the extent that they could be considered secrets.

One such gem is the screen recording tool. What? You didn't know that Windows 10 could record videos of on-screen activity? You're not alone. The screen recorder is built into the Game bar and you may well not have seen it. If you've ever wondered how to make video of what you're doing in Windows, this is precisely the utility you need. Here's how to access and use it -- including details of a secret keyboard shortcut.

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Forget buggy Windows 10, Windows 11 is the operating system we want

Windows 10 is a very good operating system, but the October 2018 Update has left a bad taste in many users' mouths. It caused a multitude of problems, got pulled, and even after it was made available again, new issues surfaced. The April 2018 Update rolled out to users at lightning speed, but the October 2018 Update has only been installed on about 3 percent of systems to date. Ouch.

Microsoft has said previously that Windows 10 will be the "last version of Windows", but is it time to rethink that idea and give users an operating system that goes up to 11? Take a look and make up your own mind.

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Google Store sent me kicking and screaming back to Apple

Part 1 of three. Google Store's bureaucratic ineptitude is beyond belief. My recent, unresolved customer crisis is an experience in artificial unintelligence. For a parent company whose core competency is supposed to be indexing, crunching, and disseminating information, it's inconceivable that something so simple as fixing a single order error could escalate into a tragically comic Catch-22. I should have abandoned all efforts long before reaching the point of penning this post and looking back to the Apple Way.

To summarize: I received the wrong Pixel phone nearly a month ago. Google Store struggled to process a return authorization, because the device in hand didn't match the one in the order. I eventually agreed to keep the thang, so long as the retailer could transfer the extended warranty -- so-called "Preferred Care" -- that I had paid for. But the process proved to be complicated, then necessity, after I unexpectedly needed to file a damage claim. You'll have to read on for the sordid punchline, but suffice to say it all ends in a comedy of compounding errors.

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Windows 10 -- 1990s edition is the retro operating system we want

Windows 10 is a great operating system, but it’s not without its problems from time to time. That said, it’s still a huge leap forward from past Microsoft offerings, like Windows 95 and 98.

If you’ve ever wondered what Windows 10 would be like if it had been released at the end of the last century, then take a look at Windows 10 -- 1990s Edition. Who needs Cortana when you can have Clippy helping you out?

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Chrome has a secret Material Design mode -- here's how to enable it

Chrome security

With the launch of Chrome 68 a few days ago, Google changed the way it handled non-HTTPS websites. But the browser update also hides a secret -- a Material Design mode that you can enable by tinkering with the relevant hidden settings.

The new look is currently available on the desktop and in the iOS version of Chrome, and it gives the browser a much cleaner, fresher look and a bit of a UI rejig.

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Avast is ruining CCleaner -- malware, bundled software, popup ads... what's next?

Security software firm Avast acquired Piriform -- the maker of several popular system utilities, including CCleaner -- last year. Things didn’t go too well from the off however, as shortly afterwards, it was revealed that CCleaner had been hacked and a dangerously modified version had been available to download for a number of weeks.

Avast was quick to point out Piriform’s IT systems were breached before it acquired the company, but it was still in charge when the infected build was released. That sort of thing is very unfortunate -- and even more embarrassing given the business Avast is in -- but it could be forgiven. Unfortunately, since then Avast seems to be working hard to alienate CCleaner’s devoted userbase.

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