How to enlarge images without loss of quality
Any photo editor -- be it on the desktop, or on the web -- can reduce an image’s size. You can shrink images down as little or as much as you like.
However, making an image bigger, well that’s a whole different matter. When you blow up a picture you can introduce all manner of problems, including blurring, general loss of sharpness, and jagged edges. That said, it is possible to increase a picture’s size without introducing these problems, if you know how.
Best Windows 10 apps this week
Two-hundred-and-forty-six in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Windows Store in the past seven days.
Microsoft released a number of new Insider Preview builds this week: build 16275, build 16278, and build 16353.
Oracle upgrades Internet of Things service with artificial intelligence and machine learning
Oracle has revealed a major upgrade to its IoT cloud offering that it says will help businesses get more value out of the platform.
The company has revealed it will be imbuing its IoT Cloud with built-in artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities which will be able to provide businesses with more detailed data than ever before.
Novabench 4.0 offers quick and dirty benchmark solution for PC and Mac
Novawave Inc has released Novabench 4.0, a major new update for its Windows and Mac benchmarking tool. Version 4.0 unveils new and updated benchmarks, plus an interface redesign.
The tool opens with updated CPU tests to support the latest processor features, and debuts new graphics tests -- a cross-platform OpenCL GPU compute test, plus Direct3D 11 (Windows) and Metal (OS X) tests. There’s also a new disk read speed test.
This is Moto X4
The smartphone market has been a bit boring lately, but things are starting to heat up. Manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of design, as we see with the beautiful Essential Phone, Samsung Galaxy Note8, and leaks of the upcoming iPhone 8. Now is an exciting time to be buying a new smartphone.
The Moto Android smartphones have long been forward-thinking in design, and today, Lenovo unveils its latest such device, which runs version 7.1 of the operating system -- not Oreo. The "Moto X4," as it is called, features a 2.2 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 3,000mAh battery, 32GB of on-board storage (expandable with microSD), and a 5.2-inch 1080p display. It has a fingerprint reader for security and IP68-rated waterproofing too. It even features Amazon Alexa integration! Photographers will be excited for the upgraded cameras, including a new dual-lens rear shooter.
Nest Thermostat E is a more affordable way to control your home's temperature
Earlier this year, my local energy company emailed me with an offer I couldn't refuse -- a big discount on a Nest Thermostat. While I had never really cared much about such a product -- I was OK getting up from my chair to control my home's temperature -- the price was too enticing. And so, I installed the product and linked it to my Amazon Echo. With the power of my voice, I can now control both my air conditioning and heating. It is amazing. The energy company has even issued me a check for allowing them to control it during a few weeks in the summer. Yeah, Nest is actually making me money!
Understandably, not everyone wants to spend an arm and a leg to get an energy-saving "smart" thermostat. Thankfully, today, the Google-owned Nest announces a new lower-priced "E" model. This affordable variant should be attractive to more thrifty spenders. It features a "frosted" screen, which could look even more classy than the pricier model, although that will ultimately be a matter of personal preference.
Where can blockchain add value?
Blockchains and their use cases have evolved significantly since the advent of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. And for a few good reasons. The fully decentralized system lowers transaction costs, improves record-keeping and enables complete transactional traceability. These benefits make blockchains ideally suited for the hyperconnected digital era -- one in which trust boundaries between devices, networks, applications and users are being constantly redefined.
But what makes blockchains credible? A blockchain’s network participants are bound by certain rules, which are continuously validated by peers. Several built-in mechanisms, including proof-of-work, proof-of-stake and consensus-based decisions ensure trust is maintained and strengthened. The transaction ledger is open to participants for analysis and auditing purposes at any time, with data being replicated across multiple participants. Blockchains eliminate the need for a central or federated trusted entity -- the middleman -- which results in the democratization of trust. This is why blockchain has been dubbed the Trust Machine.
The biggest challenges in mobile security
In the past 20 years, we have seen a boom in mobile adoption and the arrival of the Internet of Things, but recently these advancements have been overshadowed by cybersecurity attacks which have targeted celebrities, the NHS and even the CIA. As a result, concerns for our online and mobile security have sky rocketed for both B2B and B2C customers.
These hackers’ skills are forever evolving, and our ability to stay one step ahead is becoming increasingly difficult, with providers embarking on a never-ending search for ways to stop these attacks. So, what are the current challenges facing the world of mobile security and how can telecoms and Mobile Service Providers (MSPs) overcome them?
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Redstone 4 Insider Preview Build 16353 for PC
I've faced a bit of criticism for claiming the Windows Insiders program was getting confusing and convoluted. Yeah, for some of you, the program is totally clear -- I get it. Please understand, however, that not all Insiders have their lives revolving around Windows 10 like maybe you do. And that's a good thing. When collecting data, you want to have varying degrees of knowledge and understanding, as that provides more diverse feedback.
Today, Dona Sarkar legitimizes my concerns by acknowledging that things are getting a tad confusing. While announcing a new RS4 build for the "Skip Ahead" folks -- Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16353 for PC -- Sarkar clarified some aspects of the Insiders program; she also included a helpful graphic. This is a good sign for the Insiders program, as it reaffirms the company is willing to listen and improve.
Sony's new Xperia XZ1 flagship ships with Android 8.0 Oreo
It's been a while since Sony came up with a flagship smartphone I wanted to talk about. The new Xperia XZ1 is an interesting proposition in the high-end segment, mainly because it comes with the latest and greatest version of Android out of the box, less than two weeks after Google announced Oreo.
I expected Sony to be late to the party, but this time around it managed to get ahead of the likes of LG and Samsung, which is impressive. What is not is the fact that the Xperia XZ1, just like its smaller Xperia XZ1 Compact brother, looks very similar to the Xperia Z1 from four years ago.
JBL unveils Boombox Bluetooth speaker
Back in the day, when people wanted portable music, it usually meant using a giant boombox loaded with C or D batteries. These devices offered the ability to play AM/FM radio, cassette, and later on, CD too. The included carry handle allowed the owner to easily take it to places like the park or the beach. Heck, some people walked around with it on their shoulder blasting music on the go.
Nowadays, boomboxes have largely been replaced by small Bluetooth speakers and smartphones. JBL seems keen on resurrecting this product type, however, with its all-new "Boombox." This is a very large Bluetooth speaker with integrated carry handle, that promises exceptional bass. There are no C or D batteries here, however, as it has a massive rechargeable 20,000mAh battery which can provide up to 24 hours of music playback! That large battery can be used to charge other devices too, such as smartphones and tablets. You can even pair two Bluetooth devices simultaneously.
The difference in lighting today
It's been a long time since Thomas Edison gave us that little gift that slowly took candles from necessity to decoration. We've since come a long way, from gas lights through incandescent and on to compact fluorescent and now LED.
Each iteration has brought improvements in terms of such things as energy use and longevity. Today's, LED bulbs have a lifespan of roughly twenty years so changing them is almost unheard of. They are also full bright when you switch them on which is a big step up from the compact fluorescents we'd just grown used to. Those were almost like watching a sunrise.
SanDisk unveils record-breaking 400GB Ultra microSDXC card
For a while, many Android device manufacturers were removing microSD card slots from their products. With the explosion of cloud storage, this sort of made sense. Not to mention, from a privacy perspective, removable storage can be seen as a weakness. Many consumers and tech reviewers spoke out against this trend, and, nowadays, plenty of Android smartphones continue to have expandable storage -- just look at the the Samsung Galaxy Note8 for example.
Today, SanDisk unveils a record-breaking microSDXC card. This new "Ultra" card features a massive 400GB capacity. Prior to it, the largest capacity for a microSD card was 256GB. This card will not only benefit Android users, but owners of other hardware too, such as cameras, drones, and more.
LG takes the wraps off V30 flagship
The G6 is a nice high-end smartphone, but it cannot hold its own against Apple's next iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy S8. LG's new V30, however, might just have what it takes to level the playing field.
LG is well aware that it cannot win a battle against the heavyweights in this market if it does not bring its A game, which is why the V30 comes with everything that you expect a flagship to have in this part of 2017 -- and more. It's actually the first LG-made flagship in years that I would want to buy.
New blockchain platform helps cut online ad fraud
While digital advertising is increasingly popular, it suffers from a lack of trust due to fraud and, despite predictive technology, has relatively low accuracy. As a result, a high percentage of spend gets wasted.
Advertising ecosystem Papyrus, launching today, aims to bring together users, publishers, advertisers and developers of decentralized applications in a new way that permits them to interact in an environment with built-in fraud prevention and which offers an unprecedented level of control.
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