Latest Technology News

Great news: Downloadcrew Giveaway is back! We’re providing a number of free serial codes for the latest software -- all you have to do is enter and you might win one! Winners are picked at random by the system after the giveaway promotion expires. Closer to Christmas we also hope to offer a number of full, unrestricted downloads too.

The current offer is Kaspersky Internet Security 2014, worth $59.95. We have 10 licenses to give away. Hurry as this offer ends midday (GMT) Wednesday.

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Yesterday, Microsoft did what many of us have expected -- the company removed the native YouTube app from Windows Phone Store and replaced it with the all-too-familiar version that links to the mobile site.

The latest update for the native YouTube app was released in mid-August, but it was blocked shortly after by Google on the grounds that the app "violates [YouTube's] Terms of Service". As a result, Microsoft had no other option but to remove the latest native version from Windows Phone Store because the app was practically rendered useless. I have reached out to Microsoft for a comment on the matter and here is the software giant's response.

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We have a tendency to take access to the internet for granted, but for people in many countries it is a luxury that is prohibitively expensive. This is something that the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) wants to change, aiming to drive down the cost of web access worldwide so that it works out to less than 5 percent of monthly income. A4AI is a consortium of tech companies and other organizations which has the backing of Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the web.

Membership includes such names as Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Facebook and Intel, and the alliance wants to do something about the fact that around two thirds of the world's population is not online. The coalition cites figures from the International Telecommunication Union that shows that while internet access in developed countries can cost as little as 2 percent of household income, in other parts of the world this can spiral up to around a third.

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San Francisco-based Nitro Software has launched Nitro Pro 9.0, a major new update of its award-winning "Acrobat alternative" tool for creating, editing and converting PDFs in Windows.

The headline new feature in version 9, also available in 64-bit form, is integration with Nitro Cloud. It also shows off a refreshed look in keeping with the recent Microsoft Office 2013 release along with a number of new and enhanced features, including PDF compare and measurement tools.

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If you’re always being asked to troubleshoot other people’s PCs then you’ll know that it can be, well, a very lengthy process. Just browsing various Control Panel and other applets to identify the problem can take quite some time, and that’s before you begin downloading your favorite tools to try and deal with it.

There is an easier way, though, and it’s called d7. The program doesn’t claim to troubleshoot problems itself -- you’ll still need plenty of Windows knowledge and experience -- but it does provide an array of powerful tools which will make your life considerably easier.

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In response to an increasingly competitive digital marketplace, companies all over the world are moving their operations from local servers to the cloud. The ubiquitous access offered by cloud computing allows employees to access their files when and where they need, and lets businesses focus on what they do best, instead of devoting precious resources to IT maintenance.

But what about your business? Is making the transition to cloud computing right for you?

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Microsoft has announced a number of new products to help companies embrace cloud computing. Windows Server 2012 R2 and System Center 2012 R2 will be released on October 18. These will use Hyper-V for high-scale virtualization, offer high-performance storage at dramatically lower costs, have built-in, software-defined networking and hybrid business continuity. The new Windows Azure Pack runs on top of Windows Server and System Center, enabling enterprises and service providers to deliver self-service infrastructure and platforms from their data centers.

Visual Studio 2013 and .NET 4.5.1 will launch at the same time allowing enterprises to take advantage of the new platforms. Recognizing that customers may want to take a hybrid approach to introducing cloud services, from November 1, Microsoft will offer Enterprise Agreement customers access to discounted Windows Azure prices, regardless of upfront commitment, without overuse penalties and with the flexibility of annual payments.

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In the CEO's annual letter to shareholders, Steve Ballmer writes how Microsoft has changed the world. The letter, which will be Ballmer's last, has a reflective tone as he looks back over Microsoft's achievements while he was at the helm. He explains the reasoning behind some of the changes that were made at Microsoft over the last year including the restructuring that has taken place, but also looks forward.

The "last shareholder letter I will write as the CEO of the company I love" is studded with personal references, starting off with a heartfelt explanation for why he loves his role: "We have always believed that technology will unleash human potential and that is why I have come to work every day with a heart full of passion for more than 30 years".

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With not long to go now until the general availability of Windows 8.1 on 18 October, Microsoft is attempting to get potential upgraders excited by highlighting the new operating system’s apps and services in a blog series called "Right from the Start".

The latest post covers Internet Explorer 11, and there’s lots of new and improved features in the updated veteran browser. "We are proud of the new Internet Explorer and how far the browser has come and we know that users will be impressed, too!" enthuses Ryan Gavin, General Manager, Microsoft Apps & Services.

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In the middle of a pissing match between the President and Congressional leadership it’s good to remember that the United States isn’t the only government that seems to have lost touch with reality. I was reminded of that today when I read this story about the contaminated water problem at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. Now here’s a government that is truly paralyzed!

The story from Japan Times, if you choose to read it, says Japanese Prime Minister Abe is reaching out to foreign experts in an attempt to deal with the problem of radioactive cooling water that is accumulating in hundreds of makeshift tanks that are now beginning to leak. “We want your expertise!” Abe proclaimed in a speech given in English.

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A new survey from tech analysts Juniper Research shows that 80 percent of smartphones will remain unprotected throughout 2013 despite growing consumer awareness of mobile security products.

Juniper reckons that the low level of take up is down to a number of factors, including poor consumer awareness about online attacks on mobile devices and a widespread consumer perception that the price of security products is too high.

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HBO original programming has become some of the most popular content on the small screen these days, including Game of Thrones, which holds the distinction of being the most downloaded show in BitTorrent history. Fortunately for the premium network, there are legal and profitable ways for viewers to obtain its shows.

Today, there is one more outlet being added to the mix -- Google Play. The search giant tweets that HBO is now a part of its app store, bringing along a number of its popular TV Series' to Android and Google TV customers.

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When I can get a good deal, I take it. Given the opportunity, I always try to leverage sites like Groupon and Livingsocial to save money on dinners, entertainment and even Christmas shopping. However, managing and remembering the deals you buy can be problematic. I have had Groupon deals expire before I have the chance to use them. Luckily, Microsoft has people like me in mind and announces the new Bing Offers Card-Linked program.

In a blog post that reads as if it's been translated from a foreign language, Microsoft says: "Since we launched the program [Bing Offers] we have been committed to exploring ways to make as easy as possible for you to find and redeem great offer. You told us to that one thing you didn't like having to pre-purchase deals that they might forget or not use due to inflexible redemption options. Also people didn't like the added hassle of having to print up coupons or display QR codes to redeem savings".

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When Yahoo announced plans to recycle inactive email addresses, concerns were raised about the possibility of the new address owner getting emails intended for the previous occupant. It turned out to be a valid fear as my own experience shows.

But Yahoo is not alone in recycling email addresses. According to a report from PC World, Microsoft is quietly doing the exact same thing with Outlook.com email accounts. A spokesman for the software giant told Webwereld, a Dutch IDG publication, "the email account is automatically queued for deletion from our servers. Then, after a total of 360 days, the email account name is made available again".

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Whenever I watch TV, my tablet is with me. I am often tweeting, instant messaging and playing games while "watching" TV. Because I am so distracted, I must use the term "watching" loosely and apparently, I am not alone. You see, tweeting while watching television is so prevalent, that Nielsen and Twitter teamed-up to establish a social TV rating last year.

At the time, Twitter said "as the experience of TV viewing continues to evolve, our TV partners have consistently asked for one common benchmark from which to measure the engagement of their programming. This new metric is intended to answer that request, and to act as a complement and companion to the Nielsen TV rating". Today, almost a year later, the results of the agreement have come to fruition.

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