Software : Gmail is about to become more secure than ever

Gmail is about to become more secure than ever

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Gmail will soon become more secure than ever, Google says, as it introduces its most comprehensive encryption yet.

All Gmail emails will now be encrypted with HTTPS as they move between you and Gmail's servers, as well as when they move among Gmail's data centers internally, the company wrote in a blog post.

Google said that internal security became especially important "after last summer's revelations," presumably referring to the Gmail privacy concerns that cropped up in August 2013.

Google says it's supported HTTPS since day one, and in 2010 it made it the default encryption option. But now 100% of Gmail messages will be encrypted with HTTPS.

Speaking of percentages

Google also reported that Gmail was available to users for 99.978% of 2013, amounting to less than two hours of downtime for each individual user.t

Google is also working to improve reliability and security whenever possible, the company pointed out.

"Your email is important to you, and making sure it stays safe and always available is important to us," Gmail Security Engineering Lead Nicolas Lidzborski wrote in the blog post.

He continued, "As you go about your day reading, writing, and checking messages, there are tons of security measures running behind the scenes to keep your email safe, secure and there whenever you need it."

Security had better be a priority when it comes to Google Glass

Roundup: The best 64-bit apps for your PC

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While 32-bit applications will run quite happily on a 64-bit operating system, only true 64-bit programs will take full advantage of it. They don't suffer the same memory restrictions and application performance usually gets a small speed boost as a result.

But where can you find 64-bit apps to go with your 64-bit OS? Look no further. We've put together a top 10 list of 64-bit apps, ranging from media players to web browsers, each one optimised for 64-bit systems. Check out our recommendations and see if any of your software needs an upgrade...

VLC Media Player

VLC

This is the media player that can play anything – DVDs and video CDs, MP3, MOV and FLV files, DivX and H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC video, even Cinepak, Theora and Real Video.

In its 64-bit incarnation, VLC Media Player looks just as scruffy as the 32-bit original. But there's no better multimedia all-rounder, a Swiss Army Knife for media playback that beats switching between standalone Windows Media Player, QuickTime and DivX software.

Internet Explorer 10

Once the king of web browsers, Microsoft's Internet Explorer has suffered as the popularity of rival software (Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome) has grown. But with IE 10, Microsoft has got back into the game, improving the speed of its web engine.

It has also made the browser more secure by isolating tabs from each other – which also means that if one crashes then it shouldn't take down the rest. The 64-bit edition arguably offers the best version and it's noticeably faster than Internet Explorer 9.

WinRAR

If you've used the compression option baked into Windows, you'll know that it offers handy but basic file-shrinking functionality at best. A better option is the venerable WinRAR application. Launched back in 1993, this capable data squeezer can create compact RAR archives and open a wide array of other file types, including ZIP, CAB, ARJ, LZH, TAR, GZIP, ISO and 7-ZIP.

Recently updated with a new, more efficient algorithm plus 256-bit AES encryption, WinRAR is an essential app and is available in 32- and 64-bit versions.

Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Edition

Paragon

This 64-bit app answers the question: "How do I transfer the contents of my computer to another hard drive in the easiest way possible?" Paragon Backup & Recovery Free Edition speedily copies every directory and every file on a specified hard disk, including your operating system (so there's no need to reinstall it if you're upgrading your primary HDD).

The latest version of the software features full support for Windows 8 and embraces USB 3.0, solid-state storage and hard drives with over 2TB of space.

Microsoft Office 2013 - Professional Plus

Office 2013

If you use your computer for business, then it's difficult to work without a copy of Microsoft Office installed. Like it or not, the world relies on Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and while there are some good alternatives (OpenOffice and Google Drive spring to mind), compatibility is ensured and formatting is retained when you work with Microsoft's software.

Still not sure? Take the 64-bit version of Microsoft Office 2013 for a test drive by downloading the 60-day demo.

iTunes 11

iTunes

While Apple's iTunes software isn't the slickest media player/manager available (in fact, you could argue it's downright clunky), it's the gateway to an unparalleled digital store filled with the latest music and movies, TV shows, books, apps and podcasts.

If you're running a 64-bit system, you might not know that there's a dedicated 64-bit version of iTunes available. It doesn't improve the ageing look and feel, but it does give Apple's software a little speed boost.

TeamSpeak 3

TeamSpeak

This clever communications system enables multiple users to talk to each other via VoIP chat – the online equivalent of a conference call. TeamSpeak 3 is aimed primarily at gamers, who can use it to maintain a group voice connection when playing tactical multiplayer games.

But businesses and home users can also take advantage of its powerful features. Best used with a headset and microphone, TeamSpeak has been rewritten to support 64-bit systems and features new codecs, automatic microphone adjustment and advanced noise reduction to ensure clear connectivity. Version 3 also comes with a more modern look, improved security and privacy controls.

GIMP

There are basic image editors and then there is GIMP. This full-fat image manipulation software gives you Photoshop levels of control over your images for free, ranging from simple image resizing and photo retouching, to more advanced features such as gradient brushes, tileable textures and colour curves.

If there's a catch, it's that GIMP has a reputation for being fiddly to use, and getting to grips with it as a beginner can be difficult. But because GIMP is open source, it is widely supported and there are a ton of tutorials online, covering everything from text effects to animation.

PDFSam

Previously known as PDF Split and Merge, PDFSam is a free and open source piece of software that can separate a large PDF into smaller chunks or merge several PDFs into one bigger file. It's a time-saving piece of software, enabling you to manipulate PDFs with a few mouse clicks rather than recreate them. Both 32- and 64-bit versions of the software are available.

Adobe Flash Player

Although the future of the web animation points squarely to HTML5, much of today's top internet content still relies on the presence of Adobe Flash and requires the Adobe Flash Player. As Adobe points out, Facebook games won't work without its Flash Player and many video sites (including YouTube) still use Flash.

To make sure that you're not missing out on any web content when using either the Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer browsers, check that your version of the Adobe Flash Player is bang up to date. Version 11 of the Adobe Flash Player introduced a 64-bit version, which should improve performance on 64-bit systems.

For more free software downloads, visit techradar.com/downloads.

Yahuui Blog

Friday, March 21, 2014