IObit's Smart Defrag 4 adds Game Defrag, new engine
IObit has announced the release of Smart Defrag 4.0, a major update for its freeware PC maintenance app.
A new Game Defrag mode brings program-specific speedups. Just point Smart Defrag at a shortcut or executable -- it doesn’t have to be a game, any bulky application could benefit -- and the program will optimize it for you.
Tether unlocks your Mac when your iPhone's nearby
Having to type in a password every time to unlock your Mac is recommended practice, but it is also a nuisance. Since ditching the password is a bad idea, from a security standpoint, you are not left with many options to make life easier. But, there is a way you can have your cake and eat it too.
You can set up your Mac to automatically unlock when it detects your iPhone nearby. You still get to enjoy the benefits that come from having a password, but without having to put any effort into it. And you can do that using Tether, touted to be "the wireless leash to your Mac".
Microsoft reports the progress of its Superfish hunt
The hubbub surrounding Superfish has died down in the news now, but that doesn't mean the problem has been eradicated. Not only has the fiasco hurt consumers it has eroded the reputation of computer maker Lenovo. To its credit the company acted quickly, working with Microsoft and Superfish to alleviate the problem and attempt to regain consumer trust.
Microsoft aided on the Superfishing trip by adding the Win32/CompromisedCert to its Malicious Software Removal Tool, which is included in all modern versions of Windows. Many customers likely don't even know this tool is there, as there is no icon for it. It will run on its own in the background, but a manual launch can be accomplished by accessing "Run" and typing "MRT".
Dropbox SDK vulnerability puts billions of Office files at risk
A flaw in the Dropbox SDK for Android could potentially put large numbers of MS Office files stored in the cloud at risk.
IBM's X-Force Application Security Research team has discovered a severe vulnerability in Dropbox's software development kit (SDK) used by Android app developers to connect to Dropbox so users can tap into their files via an app.
Developing apps for Apple Watch was like 'walking in the dark'
The Apple Watch was announced just a couple of days ago, and the focus has been very much on the hardware so far. But battery life and the amount of storage aside, this is an Apple product, and that means apps are central to its success. Just like the iPhone and iPad, the Apple Watch is a platform on which developers can work their magic.
One such developer is Christoph Burgdorfer, the man behind -- amongst other things -- WhereAreYou App (Locate a friend), a free app that does very much what it says on the tin. It started life as an iPhone and Android app, but the emergence of Apple Watch opens up another possibility. I caught up with Christoph to chat about what it was like to develop for an unreleased product, and whether Apple got it right with the Apple Watch.
Opera 28 debuts bookmark sync, updates bundled themes
It’s been a feature of Firefox and Chrome for a while, but bookmark sync finally makes it way across to Opera FINAL 28, giving users of the Norwegian browser a convenient way to keep their bookmarks refreshed across all their devices.
The new feature isn’t restricted to desktop browsers either, with support for mobile platforms via Opera Mini for iOS as well as Android also implemented.
Apple Watch storage is rubbish just like the battery
We've had a little time to digest the announcement about the Apple Watch. Many people will be disappointed to learn about the battery life of Apple's first smartwatch, but there's still room for a little more dissatisfaction. Turn your attention, if you will, to storage.
At the Apple Watch launch event, Apple said nothing about the device's storage. Perhaps with good reason. iPhone owners have already complained that their devices do not have enough storage space, and this is a complaint that could be levelled at the Apple Watch as well. There's just 8GB of storage. If this sounds like it makes the device somewhat inflexible, there's worse news. Apple also places restrictions on how you can use this space.
Microsoft is taking you back to school -- free online courses through edX!
Higher education is damn expensive -- yes, damn. Many young people in America are taking out massive student loans to fund their education. As bad as the debt problem is, I stand by the fact that your education is the best investment you can make. It may sound like a cliche, but knowledge is power. You should strive to learn as much as you can. Unfortunately, many people go to college for the degree and not necessarily for the knowledge. This is understandable, as many employers just want to see that you have a degree.
Lately, however, I have been very intrigued by MOOCs. If you are not familiar, it stands for massive open online courses. Essentially, the courses are for the most part free, enabling people of all backgrounds, the opportunity to learn. I am currently taking one with edX -- one of the most popular providers of these open courses. Today, I am pleased to find out that Microsoft is partnering with edX to offer courses taught by its employees and experts. The best part? Most of them are free!
Fedora 22 reaches Alpha -- Linux fans, download it now!
While the world oohs and ahhs over the latest Apple hardware, the open-source community just keeps on trucking along. Rather than take out a mortgage for the new MacBook running OS X, Linux fans can take solace knowing that their favorite distros remain free and run great on less expensive hardware. In other words, the Linux community doesn't get fancy keynote addresses, but what it does get are solid products in both the kernel and associated operating systems.
My favorite Linux distro is Fedora, because it is free -- both in cost and ideology. The operating system ships without restricted or closed-source software; it is pure, modern and well-supported. Today, Fedora 22 achieves Alpha status, meaning the final version inches ever so closer. Will you give the pre-release operating system a try?
Pricing and HBO NOW may finally have sold me an Apple TV
As a cord-cutter for almost a year now I've learned to live with certain limitations. My TV viewing is sparse, so this wasn't difficult and Hulu Plus and Amazon Prime have done an admirable job of filling the void. Both work great on my Roku 3 and Amazon Fire TV. There's a Google TV here as well, though it's long been disconnected and I haven't got around to purchasing an Android TV, much as the Nexus Player intrigues me.
One set-top box that has failed to get my attention is Apple TV. That's largely because I don't live in the Apple ecosystem. I'm not an iTunes customer and it seems fairly limited compared to what I have. That may soon change.
Google Calendar for iPhone released
Google has announced the release of its Google Calendar app for iPhone, an iOS version of the Android app released late last year.
Both editions are strong on scheduling, taking gmails like flight bookings and hotel reservations and automatically turning them into calendar events.
Microsoft catches March Madness -- Bing is ultimate NCAA basketball bracketology tool
While I did graduate from the world-renowned Stony Brook University, it took me longer than usual. Sadly, I was what you would call a "higher education adult learner", meaning I was older than most of the students and only went part-time because I had to work a job. This wasn't a bad thing from a learning perspective, but I did not get to participate in the full college experience. In other words, I was working while the younger students were participating in clubs and watching sporting events. Truth be told, I am a huge basketball fan, and I regret not going to any games while attending.
Luckily, my alma mater is only one win away from going to the big tournament for the first time ever. Yes, if the Stony Brook Seawolves defeat Albany on Sunday, we get to experience the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Even if they don't make it, I can still enjoy watching the games, but more importantly I can enjoy building my brackets. If you aren't familiar, this means picking the teams that will win and advance in the tournament. For some, picking winners (and gambling) is more fun than the actual sport! This year, Microsoft has partnered with the NCAA to make Bing the official bracket data partner. Will the search-engine pick winners?
Understanding the potential of watch apps
I have been a bit of a wearables skeptic ever since Android Wear was unveiled at Google I/O last year. Following that, Apple's original announcement of the Apple Watch just added to my list of questions about the category. Hoping to find some answers, I watched yesterday's Apple Watch keynote with great interest. Curiously, what I found were more questions.
Before jumping in, I have to say that I really enjoyed the recent debate around the Apple Watch (for completely non-analytical reasons). The certainty with which some have predicted the imminent success or failure of the product has been very amusing. Unfortunately, my powers of clairvoyance aren't nearly as evolved, so all I have are questions. That said, it could be worth studying some of the arguments put forward in these debates.
Motorola brings personalization to Android Wear watches with Moto Maker
Motorola introduced Moto Maker as a way to let customers personalize phones with all sorts of adventurous designs from wood to pigskin and all manner of other things. However, the company was also among the first to jump into the Android Wear space, bringing the new smartwatch platform to everyone. Now the two are combining.
Today the company announces that the same sort of customization is arriving for your smartwatch -- providing, of course, that it's Motorola branded. You'll get three cases and nine bands to choose from as you walk through the process. Motorola also points out that you can "complete your design by choosing one of 11 watch faces. Once you get your watch, it’s easy to swap watch faces from our collection or through Google Play".
New Windows 10 build could come this week -- as could a 'Ludicrous Speed' ring!
When it was announced that Microsoft was making Windows 10 available as a public preview, there were promises of frequent build updates. There have now been a number of builds of Windows 10 Technical Preview, but as it has now been more than a month since the last update, the natives are starting to get restless. We've had to keep our interest piqued with screenshot leaks.
Gabe Aul has taken to the official Windows blog to explain why builds seem to be taking longer to be released. He goes on to reveal that we could see a new build this week or next week. So what's been going on?
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