Yahuui Blog: September 2014

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

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iCloud Drive users, careful with that iOS 8 reset button

Apple's rocky iOS 8 launch apparently isn't quite over yet, as a number of users are reporting a "Reset All Settings" option appears to be living up to its name, effectively wiping out valuable iCloud Drive data it's not supposed to.

MacRumors reported Monday that multiple readers on their forums have been bitten by an undocumented iOS 8 bug capable of purging documents from a connected iCloud Drive account, despite assurances from Apple that "no data or media will be deleted."

The problem appears to only be affecting iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users who have first upgraded to iCloud Drive, which offers a more robust method for saving documents and other data, which can then be accessed from other synced devices.

Selecting the "Reset All Settings" option found under the General > Reset menu of the Settings app is intended as a troubleshooting measure, but as the screenshot above shows, should always leave connected iCloud account data intact.

iWork at risk

Affected users claim the bug targets only documents saved to the cloud from Apple's own iWork suite, which is includes Microsoft Office alternatives Pages, Numbers and Keynote, while leaving data from third-party apps intact.

MacRumors was able to test the apparent bug on its own hardware, noting iCloud Drive data purged from a reset iPhone also removed all iWork documents from the iCloud.com web app as well as a Mac running the latest beta of OS X Yosemite 10.10.

While OS X users have been successful at restoring lost documents from backup folders or Apple's Time Machine software, the report recommends iOS 8 users who have already upgraded to iCloud Drive refrain from resetting their devices until a permanent fix can be found.

Apple has yet to acknowledge the glitch, although at least one user has had their iCloud account placed into troubleshooting mode as engineers worked to investigate the problem.

Go big or go home with our review of Apple's iPhone 6 Plus!

Apple releases Bash bug patch for Mac OS X

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Apple has released an OS X patch addressing the Bash bug, also called Shellshock.

The bug, discovered last week, could affect UNIX-based operating systems, Mac OS X included, potentially letting hackers overtake vulnerable operating systems.

Though Apple said last week that the vast majority of OS X users were safe by default, it assured it was working on a security patch for more advanced UNIX users. That fix has arrived today.

Downloads of the patch are available for Mavericks, Mountain Lion and Lion. Note you'll need to download the Bash update for whatever system you're using as the updates with the fix are system-specific.

According to 9to5Mac, Apple will likely issue a patch through the built-in OS X Software Update tool before long. There is no patch for anyone running OS X Yosemite.

Want to learn more about Bash? We've got you covered

New Retina iMacs said to be in late testing phase, October launch likely

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Next month we could see all-new iMacs from Apple sporting OS X Yosemite and a higher-resolution Retina display.

9to5 Mac reports Apple is in the last stages of testing these machines, designed to be the future of Apple's desktop computers.

As for the exact resolution of the new iMacs, rumors from September 12 pointed to a 27-inch model with a 5K screen. Meanwhile, code found in the OS X Yosemite beta refers to new display resolutions, specifically 6400 x 3600, 5760 x 3240 and 4096 x 2304.

Purportedly these beyond HD resolutions will help media creators on OS X product 4K-footage in the newly improved versions of iMovie and Final Cut Pro.

Apple picking season

Evidence of a new Retina iMac is mounting weeks before Apple's expected October event. Following the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch reveal, we're anticipate Apple will put on yet another product launch brimming with new devices.

Early reports have suggested we will see the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 alongside with OS X Yosemite. This pairing will most likely allow Apple to show off its new Hand-Off feature, which allows for seamless communication between iOS 8 mobile devices and OS X Yosemite desktops.

Along with these newly rumored iMacs, rumor has it the Cupertino company will also launch a new Mac Mini.

Whatever Apple has planned stay tuned to this space for the latest updates.

The iPhone 6 Plus is large and in charge

Software : iCloud Drive users, careful with that iOS 8 reset button

iCloud Drive users, careful with that iOS 8 reset button
Bye bye Bing: Microsoft swaps to MSN branding for Windows Phone
New Retina iMacs said to be in late testing phase, October launch likely
Chromebooks finally welcomed into the Photoshop family

iCloud Drive users, careful with that iOS 8 reset button

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iWork at risk

Apple has yet to acknowledge the glitch, although at least one user has had their iCloud account placed into troubleshooting mode as engineers worked to investigate the problem.

Go big or go home with our review of Apple's iPhone 6 Plus!

Bye bye Bing: Microsoft swaps to MSN branding for Windows Phone

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Microsoft has quietly begun shelving its Bing branding in favour of MSN when it comes to apps on the Windows Phone platform.

Former stalwarts like Money, Maps, Travel, Sports and Weather have all been relabelled MSN to coincide with Microsoft's overhaul of the platform. The descriptions and title bar on each app now use the MSN name - the actual performance of the apps remain unchanged.

It continues a move away from Bing that Microsoft has been pursuing during the course of this year. While the mobile updates are taking place today, only Bing Finance has been changed on Windows 8.1. It's now called MSN Money.

Via Phonearena.com

Meanwhile, Windows 9 is just around the corner, here's what to expect.

New Retina iMacs said to be in late testing phase, October launch likely

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Next month we could see all-new iMacs from Apple sporting OS X Yosemite and a higher-resolution Retina display.

9to5 Mac reports Apple is in the last stages of testing these machines, designed to be the future of Apple's desktop computers.

Purportedly these beyond HD resolutions will help media creators on OS X product 4K-footage in the newly improved versions of iMovie and Final Cut Pro.

Apple picking season

Along with these newly rumored iMacs, rumor has it the Cupertino company will also launch a new Mac Mini.

Whatever Apple has planned stay tuned to this space for the latest updates.

The iPhone 6 Plus is large and in charge

Chromebooks finally welcomed into the Photoshop family

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For an operating system that lives mostly on the cloud, Chrome OS provides users with just about everything they need, from working on documents to streaming video. But one crucial omission has always been a decent image editor - that is, until now.

Adobe is working with Google on a special beta called Project Photoshop Streaming. As the name suggests, users will be able to stream Adobe Photoshop on their Chromebooks to edit images when the arguably best app available on the platform so far has been the Pixlr editor.

This special streaming version of the Photoshop has been designed to work from the cloud. Users will also be able to tweak files stored on Google Drive without needing to download and re-upload files.

Adobe also notes users will be able to access Photoshop with the Chrome browser on Windows as well.

Head in the cloud

Initially Photoshop on Chrome OS will only be available to US-based Adobe education customers with a paid Creative Cloud membership. What's more, this trial program also requires eligible users to sign-up for the beta.

While the beta is limited for now, the image application maker promises that streaming access to Photoshop will expand soon.

Aside from gaming, photo-editing applications have been a gaping hole in Chrome OS ecosystem. With the recent addition of Android apps on Chrome OS, it looks like Google is making moves to fill in the missing pieces in its cloud-based operating system.

You can also use Adobe Lightroom Mobile on your iPad Air

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Software : Industry voice: A look at the key trends in application development

Industry voice: A look at the key trends in application development

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Having recently attended Enterprise Apps World, I thought I would share my key takeaways from the show. It's clear that most organisations are looking at the implications of going mobile and are considering how enterprise apps will work within their mobile strategy. IT teams are working to increase the productivity of their developers to build enterprise apps faster and more cost effectively, ensuring that they are multi-channel and that they are built for mobile.

As a result, agile development is now a reality and as an industry we have started to move away from the old 'waterfall' development days when very big projects included long delivery times. Now businesses are looking for rapid response to change and incremental releases as well as a time-boxed development approach.

Getting agile

There was also quite a lot of discussion at the show around how you achieve an agile approach and whether high-productivity tools and platforms can help complement or accelerate an agile methodology.

In the past, the challenge with agile has been connecting enterprise apps to multiple systems and a large and complex infrastructure. For complex systems to integrate and work seamlessly together careful planning is needed and IT teams from various parts of the business all need to cooperate. More recently however, this has changed with new tools and platforms that allow developers to build enterprise software faster, tackling it in smaller chunks.

The traditional way of building software required time to be spent on what we call the 'plumbing', creating lots of underlying infrastructure before a developer can get to the useful part of the software, which needs to be extracted so developers can work on the real business functionality.

Two methods

There are two ways of doing this. One is by using a high-productivity platform that does all the plumbing for you and lets you focus on creating business functionality. The other way is the organisation builds its own platform. However in my experience this is rare, very resource intensive, and expensive.

When we've talked to our customers who are doing their first project sometimes they have approached the project with an old-fashioned 'waterfall' mind set, not really realising the capability of a visual modelling environment.

However, when they see and experience this visual approach, more often than not, they open their minds as they explore, learn and understand how a high-productivity platform can help them. In my experience, once you use a high-productivity platform it actually helps you to become more agile because the shortened development and release lifecycle make it easy to obtain feedback and respond to changes.

Mobile matters

So how does the debate around development methodology translate for organisations looking to go mobile? Analysts firms currently estimate that approximately 50% of enterprise apps today can benefit from going mobile. However, when enterprise apps are taken mobile, their numbers multiply by a factor of five to ten. Current mobile app dev approaches, whether that be hand-coding and/or waterfall, simply will not scale to this magnitude.

Coming away from the event it is now apparent that there is broad consensus around which approach and tools are most appropriate for the different methods of mobile application development. For example, you could go down the native route, you can take a web-based (HTML5) approach, or you could take a hybrid approach.

Here is where and how the industry believes these tools and methodologies should be applied:

• Native Applications: When building highly specialised consumer apps, the native approach is generally the one that organisations believe they should take. Native apps are mobile applications that are written in the sometimes-proprietary language(s) prescribed or allowed by the mobile OS manufacturer. Usually these apps provide a very rich user experience, because they are built specifically for a particular device's hardware.

On the downside, for each device to be supported, you'll need to build a specific version of your app. This approach tends to carry with it specific teams dedicated to each platform because of the uniqueness of each language and device or outsourcing to companies that specialise in this.

• Mobile Web Applications: For enterprises whose aim is to rapidly build apps that increase staff and business productivity, utilising a web-based (HTML5) development approach helps. HTML5 is not device specific and you can develop once and deploy across multiple platforms – so it is great for mobile. HTML5 is also good for developing enterprise applications where changes need to be made often and immediately.

Rapid advances in HTML5 mean that web apps can now do most of the things that native apps can do with much less overhead in terms of development and maintenance resources. The web app approach enables IT teams to use what they already have, as opposed to the native approach, which requires new skills to be learnt.

• Hybrid Applications: The main goal of a hybrid application is to leverage the power of native and the simplicity of mobile web. This is achieved by building a thin native shell around a mobile web application or applications. Companies frequently use this technique to get the mobile app listed on a variety of app stores or do device-level integrations. Hybrid is becoming very popular when you need to combine elements from the native approach but you want all the benefits of web.

It is quite likely that the approach you ultimately take in mobile won't be native, mobile web, OR hybrid - it will be native, mobile web, AND hybrid. We have customers using our application platform to develop and deliver all three application types as different situations always call for different approaches.

A recent Forrester report addresses the growing need for new low-code development platforms that accelerate app delivery and help enterprise organisations deliver mobile and multi-channel apps. There is no doubt that mobile app development is a key priority for organisations going forward and the faster IT teams can accommodate new mobile projects into their workload, the more responsive IT will be to meeting business needs.

Andrew Burgess is a solutions engineer at OutSystems UK.

Friday, September 26, 2014

Apple : Apple: majority of OS X users are safe from Bash bug

Apple: majority of OS X users are safe from Bash bug

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Earlier this week, we reported on a newly-discovered security vulnerability, nicknamed 'Shellshock', that could affect UNIX-based operating systems including Linux, Mac OSX and Android - potentially even letting hackers overtake an operating system.

People have been calling it "worse than Heartbleed", but Apple has spoken up to reassure OS X users who are concerned that they might be under threat, and promised that it's working on a fix right now.

"The vast majority of OS X users are not at risk to recently reported bash vulnerabilities," a spokesperson for Apple told TechRadar in a statement.

"Bash, a UNIX command shell and language included in OS X, has a weakness that could allow unauthorized users to remotely gain control of vulnerable systems. With OS X, systems are safe by default and not exposed to remote exploits of bash unless users configure advanced UNIX services. We are working to quickly provide a software update for our advanced UNIX users."

Quickly, quickly!

If you are in the minority of vulnerable folks that Apple refers to, the advice would be to switch off any of the advance UNIX services for now and hold out for a patch.

Bash has been present in every UNIX system since its introduction in 1989, which obviously means that the extent of the damage is potentially massive.

Which is why we're crossing our fingers that Apple and other can patch the problem quickly, before the flaw is abused.

Bash vulnerability: everything you need to know

Apple expected to launch new Mac Mini at October event

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October is likely to be the most compelling month of the year when it comes to tech. Not only will we finally see the Windows 9 story unravel, there's also the likelihood of witnessing a new Mac Mini model popping up alongside new Apple iPad tablets and OS X Yosemite.

Unidentified sources have told MacRumors that Apple is planning to refresh its diminutive Mac computer, one that will probably ship with the latest iteration of Apple's operating system.

No details about what exactly a refresh will entail but if past models serve as an indication we could see the new Intel Core M appear in one of those.

Not a priority for Apple?

The 2012 model (which were reviewed here) ran on Intel's Ivy Bridge processors and currently costs £499 (about $799, AU$899). Its tiny form factor and versatility means that it is also very popular as a server.

The Mac Mini is ideally suited for those who already have an existing monitor, mouse and keyboard.

However the new Apple iMac which adds a better processor, improved graphics and a 21.5-inch display for an additional £200 (when compared to an equivalent Mac Mini) is probably a better buy for those looking for a new system.

Software : Instagram Hyperlapse adds 'selfielapse,' which is exactly what it sounds like

Instagram Hyperlapse adds 'selfielapse,' which is exactly what it sounds like

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Instagram's new standalone cinematic timelapse creation tool, Hyperlapse , has been incredibly popular. Now, the camera app maker has introduced a crucial feature with its latest app update - selfie timelapses or "selfielapses," if you will.

Ugh.

The Hyperlapse app can now access the front-facing camera on iOS devices, letting users create timelapse videos of themselves. (We're still lacking Hyperlapse for Android, folks.)

It could be a neat artistic tool, letting users keep the camera fixated on their face while people and surroundings whizz by. The developers behind the Hyperlapse apps also suggested users could document self-transformations with the new feature, such as getting a haircut or putting on makeup.

Self-loving art

Just like shooting hyperlapses with the rear camera, the app will smooth out camera shake, a particularly useful feature for users with wobbly hands.

Users will also be to share their short motion clips on Facebook, Instagram and save them to their phone's camera roll.

Looking past the self-centered nature of selfies, the new Hyperlapse app update could lead to a creative new set of short motion clips. Just please no selfielapses showing the difference between duck and sparrow face.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus also have their own built-in timelapse camera mode

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Apple : Buying Guide: Best laptops for students: top 5 picks

Buying Guide: Best laptops for students: top 5 picks

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Even for those who feel at home with their nose in a textbook, the end of summer break is a bummer. But as much as it's a return to school and schedules, it's an opportunity. This is a fine excuse to invest in some fresh tech to make the coming academia-addled year a little more bearable.

If you're still reliant on a desktop, or if your laptop winces at the sight of a high-definition video lecture, it's time to look into an upgrade. And thankfully if you know where to look, it's possible to get a sleek and impressive notebook without blowing through your savings (or student loans).

We've pored through our laptop reviews from the past several months and picked out five laptops for school (with a few honorable mentions) that range from bag-sized little options for classroom note-taking to more powerful selections that'll do better around a dorm room for a variety of budgets.

Toshiba Chromebook

Best laptops for students

For the undeclared or liberal arts student that's strapped for cash (i.e. most students these days), it's hard to go wrong with a Chromebook. And Toshiba's entry just so happens to be one of the best. One of the few models available with a 13.3-inch screen, the Toshiba Chromebook (starting at $279, £207, AU$440) will get you through any term paper or assignment that you'd otherwise use Microsoft Office for.

However, this is neither the most powerful machine around nor the most supported in terms of apps. So, don't be surprised if your professor's online class tool of choice won't work on your Chromebook.

That said, app support is only growing as Chromebooks invade schools of all levels. If you've yet to declare a major or don't have much need for very specific apps or hardware, this is no doubt the way to save a few hundred bucks.

Read our full Toshiba Chromebook review

Dell Inspiron 15 7000

Best laptops for students

Looking for a general use machine for the dorm with that premium feel and performance to match, without the primo price tag? Then look no further than the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Series (starting at $649, £629, AU$1,899).

With an aluminum finish, excellently snappy keyboard and trackpad, this multimedia laptop will not steer you wrong while typing away in your dorm or the local library. However, be warned that this unit errs on the heavy side. Commuters: prepare your backs.

But that's one of very few caveats to attain something close to that Apple look and feel without paying through the nose for it. If you need a general use laptop that both looks and feels powerful for less, this should be your first stop.

Read our full Dell Inspiron 15 7000 review

Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga

Best laptops for students

Let's say you're attending the business school within your college of choice, but want to both impress your professors (and your peers), but want a machine that can have fun, too. The Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga (starting at $949, £851, AU$1,399) offers both, with its trademark ThinkPad looks, power and sensibilities and Yoga-inspired versatility.

While it's tough to find many concrete uses for such features – like several touch-focused use modes – in the business, they make more sense for the student. Take notes and churn through spreadsheets while looking like a pro, and prop up the device in tent mode while winding down with a Netflix binge in the dorm.

The ThinkPad Yoga is positioned as a business tablet with a penchant for leisure, with so-so results. But Lenovo might have missed this notebook's true calling: the MBA candidate.

Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga review

Dell Precision M3800

Best laptops for students

If you're working toward a career in film editing or post-production, 3D modeling and design, or some hardcore data crunching, this mobile workstation is all you. The Dell Precision M3800 (starting at $2,570, £1,756, AU$3,299) is by no means cheap, but is designed to handle the most intense computing tasks with ease.

With Nvidia Quadro graphics and an optional 3,200 x 1,800 15.6-inch screen, you'll be able to get work done fast and see more of what you're doing. Not to mention that the machine also looks super slick, with an aluminum lid and soft-touch plastic finish.

This is one of the ultimate MacBook Pro competitors if there ever was one, from its internals to its dashing good looks. The Precsion M3800 is proof that not all mobile workstations need be backbreakers or harsh on the eyes.

Read our full Dell Precision M3800 review

13-inch MacBook Air

Best laptops for students

Now now, before you start, this has way less to do with being with the "in" crowd than it does with unparalleled battery life and an operating system that's ramping up in popularity in a number fields, namely media. If you're after a degree in anything from design to advertising to editorial (and more), chances are those companies are running on Mac OS.

Therefore, it's best to get intimately familiar with the de facto flagship OS of the media world now for an extra résumé mention than to spend the first few weeks of your first internship learning an all-new system. Plus, the 13-inch MacBook Air (starting at $999, £849, AU$1,199) is cheaper and more powerful than ever.

Finally, the MacBook Air is one of the thinnest, lightest and longest-lasting laptops available today. Windows laptops is just now catching up in these categories. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better technological investment for breaking into the media world.

Read our full 13-inch MacBook Air review

Originally contributed by Chris Thornett

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Software : First look: Mailbox for Mac

First look: Mailbox for Mac
Adobe Elements 13 introduces new features for novice Photoshop users
Microsoft's answer to Chromecast is a less attractive, more expensive dongle
In Depth: Salesforce: 'Brands must focus on planning, personalization and optimization'

First look: Mailbox for Mac

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As someone who emails regularly, having a working email client is essential. Over the years I have tried multiple mail clients, from Sparrow on Mac, through a myriad on Windows 8 to Yahoo's mail app on Android.

All have offered solid experiences – the ability to reply, search, place into a folder, and so forth – but none have offered the ability to properly categorise email messages based on one important factor: time.

Time is of the essence

An email assignment from TechRadar may need to be dealt with in a week, by which time the message has disappeared fifty emails down my inbox and requires searching to find, or in the worst case scenario, has been deleted.

An email from a friend received during a working day may need to be replied to in the evening, by which time I have forgotten and have moved onto other matters.

Promotional emails from online stores offering discounts need to be brought back after payday, by which time they have been mercilessly buried. Luckily, Mailbox provides a solution.

First appearing on the iPhone, Mailbox offered an easy way to dismiss emails and have them return at a later date. By swiping one way or another on an email, a message could be hidden until an hour's time, a day's time, a week's time and so on, upon which point it would return to the top of the inbox ready for action.

mailbox for mac sign-in

Dropbox backing

Mailbox, the company, was then snapped up by Dropbox for around $100 million (around £61 million, AU$113 million), offering greater resources but keeping the service separate. Under Dropbox's ownership, Mailbox expanded to include an iPad client, and now, a Mac client which is currently in beta.

The actual visual experience with the Mac software is incredibly close to the Windows 8 mail app, with a clean white interface and sliding effects when anything happens. Unlike the mail app on OS X, which can appear cluttered and busy, Mailbox always looks serene even when emails are pouring in.

When you first sign in – Mailbox only supports iCloud or Google emails, with Yahoo mail support being removed due to a technical issue – all of your emails appear instantly. Sent items synced to the cloud (I signed in with my iCloud email account) swiftly and correctly, as did deleted and archived items.

As I mentioned, the app is still in beta, and has all of the associated instabilities, including refusing to write a new message on multiple occasions. These issues will likely be ironed out in the final release and can be solved by deleting and then reinstalling the app (a process I undertook several times).

Zero priority

Recently, there has been a large movement towards "inbox zero", the idea that people who use email heavily want to reduce their unread email count to zero. Mailbox helps with this goal greatly.

By filing emails away, the number of emails that are left unread reduces rapidly. In the past, I've left emails unread in order to find them again quickly. This solution is far from perfect and is negated by Mailbox.

Now, I simply tell Mailbox to remind me of the email in a few days when I am ready to act upon it. Workflow-wise, Mailbox quickly becomes an essential element and you'll actively start noticing yourself chiding other email apps for not including Mailbox-like features.

To actually get hold of the app, a "beta coin" must be used. Signing up for a beta coin on the Mailbox website took about three or four days to generate one, but a quick search of Twitter offered more results with people actively giving away unused beta coins. The system is novel and prevents novice users from downloading and using Mailbox in its current state.

When I asked Mailbox about their final plans to roll out the service, they said the app would be paid but wouldn't specify how much a single license would cost.

Currently Mailbox integrates rather loosely with Dropbox, with images and files attached to emails in Mailbox being hosted by Dropbox and not much else. Dropbox's infrastructure is likely supporting Mailbox, however – or likely will be soon. Mailbox said in July 2013 that the service was "processing" over 60 million emails a day, a number that could only have gone up.

On launch, Mailbox had to ask customers to wait before gaining access to the service. With Dropbox behind it, this is unlikely to happen again.

mailbox for mac

Security is paramount

As a company that is becoming increasingly involved in enterprise, and the security concerns that follow, Dropbox will have the infrastructure and talent in place to deal with any security risks associated with Mailbox's rather unorthodox way of dealing with email.

Unlike a regular mail client, which simply serves emails off the server of whichever provider is being used – be it Microsoft, Apple, Google, etc. – Mailbox processes all the emails that it delivers to its various clients on its own servers.

Anyone who gained access to the Mailbox servers would then have access to millions upon millions of emails, an unappealing idea especially to the technology-savvy customers who are likely to download Mailbox.

Mailbox offers a new take on email; a view that includes "inbox zero", an idea adopted predominantly by journalists and those who work with heavy amounts of email.

The idea is, essentially, to reduce the total volume of unread, or un-acted-upon, emails in your inbox to zero. Mailbox's time-based categorisation tools allow this, leading some to call it the "inbox zero client".

For most users, however, just being able to file emails away for a later date will be the primary function of Mailbox, and this it does very well.

Adobe Elements 13 introduces new features for novice Photoshop users

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Adobe has introduced a new version of its consumer-level photo editing software: Adobe Photoshop Elements 13, which includes a variety of new features designed to appeal to the beginner user.

As before, the new software draws on aspects Adobe's full Photoshop suite but has three different modes that offer Quick, Guided and Expert editing functionality.

In the Quick mode there are simple editing functions, such as crop, while the Guide mode walks you through series of steps to produce different looks. The Expert mode is similar in many ways to the full Photoshop software and includes access to editing tools such as Levels.

For the latest version Adobe has added new effects, there are now 50 different ones to choose from, including Black and White, Cross Process and Toy Camera.

Adobe's research indicates that the most popular editing task most users carry out is cropping an image for better composition, and it's with this in mind that the company has introduced its new Crop Suggestion tool. This analyses an image and looks for faces, horizon lines and so on, and applies rules of classic composition, with several at its disposal. You can also override/revert any changes that the tool makes.

Inspiration

A new section of the program called Elements Live draws together inspiration, tips and tutorials from around the web. There's also still the Elements Organiser to help you maintain an overview of your image collection.

Other new features include a new slideshow tool and a way to make a Facebook profile and cover photo match up – you can then upload the cropped images directly to the social network.

Adobe has also added a 64-bit version with high DPI support for Windows and Retina display support for Mac, making the most of high resolution screens.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 13 will be priced at $99, and is also available in a bundle with Premiere Elements video editing software for $149. If you already own any previous version of the software, you can upgrade for $79.

Microsoft's answer to Chromecast is a less attractive, more expensive dongle

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It's easier and cheaper than ever to beam content from desktops, laptops or mobile devices to an HDTV, which is what makes Microsoft's new entry into the space something of a head-scratcher.

Microsoft announced pre-order availability for the clumsily named Wireless Display Adapter, which appears to be Redmond's take on Chromecast. It is, however, limited to Miracast-enabled devices such as Windows 8.1 PCs and tablets.

Priced at $59.95 (about UK£37, AU$68), the dongle is nearly twice the cost of Google's own solution, and a tad more cumbersome, thanks to a longer, more squarish design with a built-in USB cable protruding from the opposite end.

On the plus side, the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter isn't limited to compatible apps, and can be used to either mirror a device screen or even extend it onto any HDMI-equipped display.

Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter

Android friendly

One unique feature of the Wireless Display Adapter is its ability to project the screen from a Windows Phone 8.1 device such as the Nokia Lumia 1520 to the big screen, although Microsoft pointed out that the dongle wasn't limited to just one platform.

Although Apple's iOS devices are left out of the party, Miracast-supported Android devices can also get in on the action, great for catching up on favorite TV shows while at a hotel room or checking out photos from the family vacation while you're still on it.

With the higher price tag, Microsoft appears to be focusing sales of the Wireless Display Adapter to enterprise customers, although the dongle will be offered at Best Buy retail locations in addition to the Microsoft website or brick-and-mortar stores.

The Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter is now available online from the Microsoft Store or BestBuy.com, and is expected to become "generally available" in October.

Take in our exhaustive review of the Nokia Lumia 530 smartphone!

In Depth: Salesforce: 'Brands must focus on planning, personalization and optimization'

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TechRadar Pro sat down with Kyle Lacy, Senior Manager of Content Marketing & Research for Salesforce ExactTarget, to discuss the company's new Journey Builder for Apps tool and why he thinks it can simplify the task of the IT department and improve customer service, sales and marketing.

TechRadar Pro: This morning, Salesforce and ExactTarget introduced Journey Builder for Apps. What can Journey Builder clients expect to receive from this addition to the tool?

Kyle Lacy: As Marc [Benioff] said during his keynote: The billion connected devices [in the world] equals a trillion connections. For apps it is about mobilizing every company. Every company is an app, every company is a software company, every company is a digital company. Journey Builder for apps is just one part of that. For example: Stanley Black and Decker has completely mobilized a lot of their hand and power tools. By using Journey Builder, they are able to connect every different channel in one system.

TRP: It's incredibly important that enterprise tech companies capitalize on the Internet of Things. Salesforce in particular has done a good job of taking esoteric concepts and making them sound practical. Why is that important?

KL: The practical part of it is the human behind all of these devices. The Internet of Things breeds an Internet of Customers. We're personalizing a lot of this information. It makes it relevant for all of our brands. When a device is connected to a human being it's about the data shooting back for the brand to become more personalized. When we're using that data effectively we're being seamless [and providing seamless experiences]. Stanley Black and Decker says "Helping is the new selling." When you look at the customer journey, customer service, sales and marketing, they are really all in one.

TRP: How does Journey Builder, and more specifically Journey Builder for Apps, simplify the life of an IT professional that's tasked to work with marketing to build out these kinds of campaign tools?

KL: As Marc said earlier, you can literally run a business from your phone. We're doing business at the speed of light. If you're riding in a car, you have to do your business from your phone. For example: Trunk Club provides me with a stylist, takes information from me and sends me a box of clothes to look good because I can't dress myself [laughs]. I can order a trunk from my phone and my stylist can set up my trunk from her mobile app, all while we're not sitting together in the same room.

TRP: How does Journey Builder help the CRM planning process, which is so crucial to the roots of Salesforce?

KL: The whole idea of Journey Builder is PPO: planning, personalizing and optimizing. As you manage all these customer journeys, whether it's 50 customers or 100 million customers, you can plan, personalize, deliver and optimize via those analytics. The marketing cloud adds to that. A full suite of products that deliver every single experience: email, mobile, social, web. We're the number one CRM platform in the world, we can use that data more effectively to feed that information.

TRP: What's next for Journey Builder? What can we expect from the tool in the future?

KL: Mobile is where our focus will be. Once you have the ability to deliver that seamless experience it's about planning. Whether it's about geo-fencing, email, push personalization, it's about managing that entire process. It's about building out innovation behind that idea.

Which are the 10 CRM systems you should know?

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Apple : Adobe Elements 13 introduces new features for novice Photoshop users

Adobe Elements 13 introduces new features for novice Photoshop users

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Adobe has introduced a new version of its consumer-level photo editing software: Adobe Photoshop Elements 13, which includes a variety of new features designed to appeal to the beginner user.

As before, the new software draws on aspects Adobe's full Photoshop suite but has three different modes that offer Quick, Guided and Expert editing functionality.

For the latest version Adobe has added new effects, there are now 50 different ones to choose from, including Black and White, Cross Process and Toy Camera.

Inspiration

Other new features include a new slideshow tool and a way to make a Facebook profile and cover photo match up – you can then upload the cropped images directly to the social network.

Adobe has also added a 64-bit version with high DPI support for Windows and Retina display support for Mac, making the most of high resolution screens.

Fanless 12-inch MacBook Air said to arrive with reversible USB port

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Where notebook computers are concerned, is there such a thing as too thin? Rumored for next year, Apple's slenderest Mac to date may wind up slimming down so much, a traditional USB port might wind up being too chubby to fit.

Jack March (via 9to5Mac) offered new details on what Apple might have in store for mobile warriors with next year's MacBook Air refresh. This follows last week's rumor the ultra-thin notebook might adopt the familiar color scheme found on iOS devices.

Expected in mid-2015, the 12-inch MacBook Air is described as featuring "a noticeably thinner design" that may have forced Apple to abandon the traditional USB port in favor of the forthcoming reversible USB Type-C connector.

Unfortunately, such a plan would likely require the use of an adapter (which Apple may or may not include in the box) to connect existing USB peripherals, but the benefits would seem to outweigh any potential downsides.

One port to rule them all

Coincidentally, one of the uses for the new USB Type-C connector will be using it to jack into DisplayPort-compatible monitors, which the Video Electronics Standards Association confirmed in a press release, detailing how DisplayPort Alternate Mode promises to make life easier for all.

Speaking of ports, the report also ominously suggests Apple could be looking beyond the current MagSafe charging solution beloved by MacBook owners, opting for "a different way" yet to be detailed.

Internally, the 12-inch MacBook Air is rumored to operate without a ventilation fan of any kind, presumably yet another sacrifice being made to slim down the chassis, while also keeping it quieter than ever.

Last but not least, the MacBook Air is said to be on track for a Retina Display with a "noticeably thinner" bezel along the lines of the MacBook Pro with Retina display, as well as a speaker placed "above the keyboard and visible," rather than on the sides.

Check out our review of the current 13-inch MacBook Air!