Software : Download of the day: CrystalDiskInfo |
- Download of the day: CrystalDiskInfo
- Work better today: The best free PC productivity tools
- Download of the day: TeamViewer
- Valve investigating Steam bug that could evaporate your entire hard drive
- Best Apple Watch apps 2015
- Best Android Wear smartwatch apps 2015
| Download of the day: CrystalDiskInfo Posted:  Get to the bottom of any problems ailing your computer with CrystalDiskInfo, which shows you exactly what's wrong in an easy to use interface. Why you need itIf there's something wrong with your computer, it's not always obvious what the problem is. Even experienced PC users can be stumped by a faulty computer, which makes CrystalDiskInfo such a useful program. Get it up and running and it displays the S.M.A.R.T. information of your PC – that stands for Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology, and it lets you see exactly what's ailing your computer. CrystalDiskInfo breaks this down and makes it easy to know exactly whether a drive is too hot or whether your computer is in general good health or is about to lay down and die. Even better, this useful little app can automatically send you alerts if a problem arises, meaning you can quickly address the problem before any serious damage is caused. Key features
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| Work better today: The best free PC productivity tools Posted:  Work can be engrossing. Enthralling. A platform where you learn more about the world, and yourself. But let's be realistic: most of the time it's just a chore which you'd like to complete just as quickly as possible. Good productivity tools can really help – and we've found 10 of the best. Whether you want to generate more ideas, plan a project, work better with others, minimise distractions or just make the best possible use of your time, there's something for you here. 1. XMindIf you're having trouble starting your project, give XMind a try. This comprehensive mind mapping tool helps you to express, structure and organise your ideas, then present them in attractive, professional diagrams.
The program is surprisingly versatile. Click File > New and you're presented with templates for To Do lists, flow charts, timelines, cause and effect diagrams, project plans, org charts, plus even more personal projects like weight-loss programs or travel plans. Once you've finished, there are options to export your work as images or HTML files, and you can even save the project to Evernote for easy access anywhere. 2. WunderlistWhether you're shopping for groceries, planning a wedding or building an airport, you'll probably start the same way: with a list. Wunderlist makes this easy. Type items and press Enter to add them, click a checkbox when they're done.
But you can also highlight important items and give them due dates or reminders. Lists may be shared with family and friends, and a persistent text chat feature acts like a simple web forum, allowing everyone to make comments and give advice on your various list items. Factor in real-time syncing of lists across all your devices and the ability to make lists public with one click, and this is one powerful tool. Go download it immediately. 3. LibreOfficeEveryone needs a good Office suite, and LibreOffice is one of the best – and it's totally free. With a powerful word processor, spreadsheet, presentation tool, database, drawing and flowcharting application, there's something here for almost every need. Whatever you're doing, tools like a chart builder and mathematical formula editor help to produce professional, top-quality results.
The program can open and save all Microsoft Office file types – Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations or Visio drawings – allowing you to collaborate on projects with friends or colleagues. Better still, regular updates mean LibreOffice is improving all the time. For example, presentations don't have to be boring flat slides – they can now include animated 3D models. 4. Cold TurkeyFacebook, Twitter, YouTube – it's hard to get work done when there are so many online distractions, but Cold Turkey may be able to help. Just give this clever free tool a list of the most tempting websites and it'll block access to them all for the time period you specify.
Whatever browser you're using, the results are the same – enter one of the forbidden URLs before the time is up and you'll be told that the site is unavailable. The terminally lazy could still browse from their phones, of course, but Cold Turkey is still a useful way to remove common PC temptations. 5. GanttProjectTime is money, especially for large-scale and business projects, so if you're taking on a complex task then it's important to use the right software. GanttProject is an industrial-strength cross-platform (Windows, OS X, Linux) project manager that provides everything you need to stay in control. Create and organise tasks, add milestones, set priorities and costs, allocate resources, monitor your colleague's workload: it's all here.
Well-presented Gantt and PERT charts keep you fully up-to-date with progress. Optional cloud storage makes it easier for others to work on the project, while capable PDF reporting helps you share the current situation with the rest of your team. 6. TeamViewerNo matter how well organised you are, sometimes you'll be in one place and the files or people you need will be somewhere else. And that's where TeamViewer comes in. Once set up, this amazingly powerful free-for-private-use tool allows you to access and use remote PCs as though you were sitting in front of them.
You can hold web meetings with audio, video and text chat, a whiteboard, file sharing and more (meetings can even be recorded for reference later). Best of all, you can do this from almost any device. TeamViewer has clients for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone and iPad, and you can attend meetings through your web browser without installing any software at all. 7. LaunchyWindows has given us Explorer, the taskbar, Start Menu and the Start Screen, yet it can still take an age to find the files you need. Launchy aims to change all that by indexing your core files and allowing you to launch them with a few keystrokes.
To use the program, press Alt+Space and start typing whatever you're looking for: an application, file, folder, document or bookmark. As you type each key, Launchy displays its best match; press Enter when this is correct and the application, file or folder will be launched right away. The program also includes a simple calculator (try typing 2+2=), and a range of plugins provides even more power. 8. Mozilla LightningMozilla's Thunderbird isn't just a great email client. Add Lightning's comprehensive scheduler and it becomes an open-source Outlook, a powerful tool for getting your life in order. At Lightning's heart is a well-designed calendar. Add one-off or recurring events, set up reminders, even invite friends or family to join in.
It's just as easy to set up tasks, attach web pages or documents and set a priority or status to help manage your activities. Working with others? Lightning can import and export calendars in the popular ICS format, or you can publish your calendar for everyone to view in a couple of clicks. 9. EvernoteProductivity isn't just about getting more done at your desk. Ideas and inspiration can happen anywhere, which is why you need Evernote to tie them all together. Whether it's a quick to-do list or a lengthy essay, you can add it to your Evernote workspace. Grab photos, screenshots, links, the interesting bits of a web article – anything that can help with your current projects.
Any note can have a "reminder" attached, optionally sending an email alert for important tasks. Smart search tools scour everything you've collected to find the details you need. And Notebooks can be synced across all your devices as required, enabling you to view and work on them anywhere. 10. PhraseExpressHow much time do you waste typing the same words and phrases over and over and over again? The free (for personal use) PhraseExpress saves keystrokes by expanding abbreviations into full text snippets. "ADR" could expand to your address, "SIG" might be your email signature, "RPLY" could become "Dear customer, Thank you very much for contacting us". Snippets may include formatting, pictures, tables and more, and you're able to paste them into almost any application.
That's great – but it's just the start. PhraseExpress also learns and automatically auto-completes full sentences on demand. There's a system-wide spellchecker, a clipboard manager, calculator, program launcher and much, much more. |
| Download of the day: TeamViewer Posted:  Never worry about forgetting important files again thanks to TeamViewer, which lets you remotely access your computer and much, much more. Why you need itSimple put, TeamViewer can be a life saver. Because if you've ever left for work and realised your left that vital file at home, TeamViewer can be the vital solution that saves your day. You see, it allows you to remotely access your home computer as if you were sitting in front of it. And this isn't just useful for grabbing files that you left at home. Remote access can be useful if you need to help someone with their computer but you aren't there to take them through it. By accessing their computer, you can demonstrate what they need to do on their computer and take them through every step – much better than trying to explain the process in an email. You can also send files this way, so if someone needs a driver, you can just send it to them through TeamViewer. There are some pretty nifty business uses, too. You can hold meetings using video, audio or text chat, or show presentations to clients. Setting up a meeting or presentation takes only a couple of clicks, making simple to discuss business with colleagues or prospective clients. With a range of uses like this all available for free, TeamViewer is a brilliant app that can really get you out of a sticky situation. Key features
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| Valve investigating Steam bug that could evaporate your entire hard drive Posted:  Valve is investigating a particularly nasty bug affecting Steam for Linux that's capable of wiping out both personal PC data and files stored on external storage drives. As detailed by users on Valve's GitHutb Steam for Linux page, it stems from a line of code in steam.sh, which reads 'rm -rf "$STEAMROOT/". Normally the command is used when you choose to refresh Steam files -- something that can help solve game installation and other problems -- but users have discovered that it is also triggered when the Steam installation directory has been moved. Doing so removes the directory part of the code, which then becomes 'rm -rf "/'". With no Steam folder specified, opening the app causes the deletion of every file on the machine and any connected external drives. Valve told PC World that the bug had affected a "handful of users", adding that it has been unable to replicate the problem itself and is "adding some additional checks to ensure this is not possible while we continue to investigate". Wiped outOne of the users on Valve's GitHub for Linux page reported losing all system data, in addition to files stored on a 3TB external drive -- many of which was, luckily for them, backed up to the cloud. The message is pretty clear: unless you want to risk losing your personal files in a Steam-shaped black hole, it's best to leave the Steam installation directory where it is until Valve has done a bit more investigating. |
| Posted:  Apple Watch apps: 1-7Announced back in September 2014, Apple Watch is set to launch somewhere between "soon" and "fairly soon". We already know about its crown-packing hardware, and the perception is that it'll galvanise the wearable and smartwatch sectors by its very presence, with analysts rubbing their hands with glee and saying things like "30 million sales in the first year". We'll see about that, but one thing's for sure: there will be apps. Here are 14 we are certain you'll see on launch day, whether from the Watch App Store from third parties, or preloaded (and irksomely impossible to remove), from Apple. Can't wait for your smartwatch software fix? For a roundup of our favourite Android Wear apps you can actually buy right now, head here.
1 Apple HealthOne of the main reasons for Watch is for Apple to corner the health market, hence the Watch's miscellany of sensors including infrared LEDs, photo sensors, gyroscope and accelerometer. It'll be hoovering your heartbeat, activity and steps, to shout at you to get active, stand up and walk to McDonalds and then even have words with your doctor about your poor regime, if Apple's plans come to fruition.
2 FacebookIf they can figure out how to streamline sending check-ins and status updates from wrists that isn't a counterintuitive chore, Facebook should fly on the Watch. Zuckerberg and co are getting pretty good at making their app work on mobile platforms, and we expect this to be no different on the Watch. Imagine how much money they're currently throwing at this particular UI challenge. Excellent. Now double it.
3 MusicAnother no brainer, one of the first things you'll do when you fire up your Watch loudly and ostentatiously in the pub, is control your tunes from your wrist, and pausing, fast forwarding and scrolling through playlists will be one of the most fingerprint-collecting tasks this thing will be performing. Make it your friend immediately.
4 Twitter140 characters is a fine number of characters for a screen so small. Almost a perfect number of characters for a screen so small. Micro blogging will do well on the Watch, with any attached pictures supplying backgrounds to Tweets and retweeting, dismissing or – the poor man's passive/aggressive like – favouriting all done with one, triumphant finger.
5 PassbookThis won't just be Passbook as you know it, even though that's already a hugely handy app for things such as boarding passes and... erm, well boarding passes. Passbook will also hold Pay, Apple's contactless means of paying for stuff with just a tap of your watch. Visa have committed to bringing Pay to iPhones in "early 2015" so it should be a formality to extend this to Watch, which is also due in "early 2015".
6 WhatsappWith news that Whatsapp has passed SMS in terms of traffic, statistically the way you'll most probably pick up messages is a discreet buzz to the wrist and a Whatsapp notification glance. Because who needs privacy anyway when you can send LOLs, ROFLings and BAEs free?
7 InstagramAs we saw from the demo, this will boast thumbnails of picture slideshows scale so small, only peregrine falcons can see them on the small screen, but the 42mm window is perfect for Instagram's speedy peak into what Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are taking photos of this morning. We'd expect remote control of your iPhone's camera too, on this and all other photo-related apps.
Apple Watch apps: 8-148 Google mapsThe small screen will make searching similar to needles in haystacks, but fire up a route on your phone, and you should be able to stride off, confident that you'll be able to navigate to your destination via a combination of on-screen map directions and wrist buzzes (one for left, two for right, maybe?) with consummate ease, sharing your location with chums along the way.
9 BMW iAt CES 2015, BMW demonstrated an app which, at the touch of a button, tells your i3 electric car to run along and park itself. That's a wee while away, but BMW will have a companion app for their leccy motor which will communicate your car's charge remaining, time to full charge, available range, lock and unlock the doors and navigate you to where it's currently sitting. We'd expect similar apps from Hyundai, Audi and the rest of the CarPlay brigade.
10 The GuardianAlready a big hit on Android Wear, if this isn't an Apple Watch launch app we'll smash our iPhones with hammers*. The Guardian is pleasingly and dependably tech savvy, and that's reflected in this app, which throws up a breaking news "glance" as stories happen, which you can then investigate on your iPhone if you want, or dismiss if it's not a new iPhone 7 rumour. (*No we won't really).
11 FlashlightThe Android Wear incarnation of this hardy smartphone perennial is currently sitting on a rock solid four-star review (via 677 reviewers, not just the developer and his mum). If the Apple Watch is a tenth as bright as the retina-burning, seen-from-orbit Moto 360, a flashlight app will be an obvious early app.
12 Jawbone UpJawbone's excellent fitness tracking app, only without the Up fitness tracker. It's already available as an iOS app, and the Apple Watch has more sensors than the fitness band packs, so this will be Up, only uppier. Incorporates a "smart coach" (how could being told off by an app ever get old?), links to diet and calorie counting apps and also plays nice with Apple Health. We'd anticipate all the big fitness-tracking players (Fitbit, Withings, Runtastic, Nike et al) to be joining Jawbone in the App Store, too.
13 Domino's Pizza TrackerAlternatively, forget the above and order your Mighty Meaty, Chicken Strippers, cheesy garlic bread, Potato Wedges, 'slaw and full fat Coke and get a buzzy update every time your meal passes a delivery milestone. Pair with HealthKit apps to make sure you're not overdoing it…
14 PipesNews aggregating app uses a bespoke algorithm to edit better than human editors, summarising "pipes" (news feeds of your choice: Man United, iPhone 7, Star Wars etc) that you've set up, with a pic and a few, choice words. Dismiss or save for later as is your wont. "Know less and more at the same time," the devs say, enigmatically. |
| Best Android Wear smartwatch apps 2015 Posted:  Android Wear apps 1-5Launched less than a year ago, Android Wear is now coming into its early golden age with devices such as Sony's Smart Watch 3, LG's G Watch R, Motorola's Moto 360 and more. There are now several hundred apps available for the OS, augmenting your Android Wearable's powers beyond the standard notifications 'n' fitness realm. Here are 20 of your favourites, in no particular order…
1. UhrArt WearFacesFree One of the simplest yet key USPs of a smartwatch is being able to customise the display. This app lets you pick from a packed gallery of round or square faces from the WearFace community - http://wearfaces.com/featured/ - and you can also create and share your own designs. An essential first purchase for any new Android Wear user.
2. Wear Mini LauncherFree Opening and using an app on an Android Wear device can be fiddly; this takes the hassle away by letting you quickly launch any app without heaps of scrolling and swiping. It also helps you quickly access settings, such as brightness, Wi-Fi and ringtones for your smartphone, while granting access to loads of customisation options. Hundreds of thousands of downloads can't be wrong.
3. TinderFree You know the deal: swipe right to like, left to pass, like a horny modern day Roman Emperor. But what you might not know is that the phenomenon that is Tinder and Android Wear is a match made in heaven. Just say "Start Tinder" to start swiping, send messages and view profiles all from the privacy of your wrist.
4. IFTTTFree Named as one of Google's best apps of 2014, IFTTT stands for "If This Then That" and lets you link your 'Channels' - i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Gmail etc - by creating 'Recipes'. So, for instance, you can set things up so when you like an Instagram photo it's instantly saved to your Dropbox. You can do this, get alerts and more straight from your Wear device.
5. Flopsy DroidFree Billed on Google Play as "an experimental game inspired by a certain other Bird-based game", the graphical style and aim of this side-scrolling title will probably ring some bells (hint: it's Flappy Bird). Fine tuned for Android Wear devices, you must navigate a floppily limbed droid through a series of pipes to rack up the points. So long, social life, we hardly knew ye. Android Wear apps 6-10
6. GlympseFree Over a million Android users swear by this location-tracking app, which lets you keep in touch with friends and family, helping you safely find and notify of your exact whereabouts. The Android Wear optimisation lets you view any active Glympse simply by swiping, and you can easily send info to social media accounts and to your contacts without touching your phone.
7. EvernoteFree The hugely popular productivity app lets you view all those notes and checklists while your phone stays pocketed. Create new notes using voice commands, tick off completed tasks by simply tapping, find entries by speaking the text you're searching for and receive calendar event alerts on your display. Your very own digital secretary right at your fingertips.
8. WearCalcFree Harking back to the mathematical Casio wristwear of yore, which what many of us would consider our first foray into the world of the 'smartwatch', WearCalc lifts the burden of complex sums and restaurant tip calculations from your phone and gifts the responsibility to your timepiece, complete with a stylish, clean design. 9. DuolingoFree Another of Google's picks for best apps of 2014, Duolingo on Android Wear lets you learn another language on the go, for free. You basically earn achievements by answering linguistic conundrums correctly in fun, bite-size lessons. The Android Wear application keeps it simple, displaying flashcards for you to have a go at when you're, say, on the bus. Take enough bus rides and one day you'll realise you're fluent in French.
10. Advanced Wear Visualizer£1.49 Designed purely for aesthetic fun, this app features 42 different music visualizers that bounce and twist along to your tunes, to mesmerise and celebrate your smartwatch's vibrant screen. Simply swipe left or right to switch the pattern and swipe vertically to increase or decrease the sensitivity. Yes, it's a simple premise, but sometimes they're the best. Try the 8-visualizer free version for size first. Android Wear apps 11-15
11. Golfshot: Gold GPSFree Placing aerial flyovers, precise yardages and statistics to more than 40,000 golf courses onto your wrist, it's no wonder that golfers around the world rely on Golfshot to improve their handicap. Android Wear support means you don't have to hold your phone while you take your swing, something we find improved our game immeasurably.
12. PixtoCam£1.20 This apps lets you view and control front and rear cameras from your watch to take snaps and videos, regardless of whether your phone is on or off. Just voice command "start viewfinder" to launch, double tap to zoom and easily set flash, light torch or activate the self-timer. It's also "Spy Ready", so no shutter sound or phone notifications when in use.
13. Runtastic Pro£4.99 A clearly laid-out, easy to read running app for joggers who don't like fiddling with their phone but who also don't like the complication that some dedicated running watches present. Features include one-tap operation, start and stop with voice commands and easily viewable time, distance and calorie stats. Over 40 million registered users are ready to be out-healthed by you.
14. Find My PhoneFree Just because you may not always need your phone these days, you still want it nearby at all times. Stray too far from it and, thanks to this app, your Wear watch will start buzzing. Tap "tap to find!" and, even when on silent, your phone will launch into the alarm and visual signals you've set it up with, leading you quickly back into its metallic, cold embrace.
15. Android Wear 2048Free One of the most popular Android apps of last year, the Android Wear version brings a simpler 4x4 square interface to this highly addictive puzzler. Swipe to move the tiles; when two tiles with the same number touch, they merge into one. The aim is to get higher sums and when a 2048 tile is created, the game is won. Double tap to display your current score. Android Wear apps 16-20
16. Wear Tip CalculatorFree If you're exacting enough to want to work out the precise 12.5% of your bill, but polite enough not to want to go waving your phone around the table, the Wear Tip Calculator offers a discreet alternative. Just type in your bill, then the tip percentage, et voila, the total amount you need to pay. And everyone thought you were just checking the time.
17. InstaWeather for Android WearFree Choose from multiple attractive weather faces, satellite view (visible and infrared) and have 24-hour forecasts a wrist lift away. Receive notifications if a shower's heading your way, with distance details included. There's also the option to run in low power mode so your obsession with meteorology doesn't drain your battery.
18. Google FitFree If you want to become generally a bit more active without having to wear a secondary tracker or fitness band, Google Fit - now compatible with all Android Wear devices, as you'd expect - can provide just the motivation you need. Set daily goals for over 100 activities and control them from your watch. It'll connect to third-party apps to keep all your data in one place.
19. Task Manager for Android WearFree It's easy to lose track of what's running on a relatively small screen. Task Manager cleanly lists all programmes and processes running on your watch, helping you stop tasks easily and quickly, saving you potentially hours of battery life. Just say "Start Task Manager"and take it from there. You can even close all opened tabs with one tap of the "Close all" button.
20. TetroCrateFree An addictive falling bricks game, TetroCrate (sounds familiar…) challenges you to drag blocks around, spin them and land them to fill spaces without leaving gaps. Guess what happens when you create a gap-free line? Yep, bye bye line, hello points. A old-school concept for a cutting edge device, and - partly because it's attached to our arm - we can't put it down. |
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