Software : Editor's pick: Download BlueStacks App Player to play Pokémon Go on Windows

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• Editor's pick: Download BlueStacks App Player to play Pokémon Go on Windows
• Roundup: The best free firewall 2016
• In Depth: Scarier than death: How virtual reality is tackling the fear of public speaking

Editor's pick: Download BlueStacks App Player to play Pokémon Go on Windows Posted: Play Pokémon Go on Windows Play Pokémon Go on Windows with BlueStacks BlueStacks simulates an Android smartphone on your Windows PC, enabling you to play mobile games on your desktop - including Pokémon Go. You don't even need to leave your desk. Before we get started, remember that the game's developer Niantic is cracking down on apps that let you play Pokémon Go in non-standard ways, and there's a risk that your account could be blocked temporarily or even permanently. It's best to create a new account specifically for playing on the desktop, and not make any in-app purchases. First, download and install BlueStacks. You'll be prompted to give it access to the Google Play Store - do this. Pokémon Go uses GPS data from Google Maps, but that won't be a problem because Bluestacks includes a tool that can spoof your location using Google Maps. Click the location icon in the left-hand menu, then search for a postcode and double-click to mark a point on the map. Once you're happy, click the Play button in the bottom right. Now click the 'Android' tab at the top and wait a moment for it to load. If you can't see Pokémon Go under Trending Apps, you can search for it instead. The app might take a while to load, particularly during peak times, but be patient - it's not frozen. Log in or create a new account, then enter your date of birth and click through the introduction. Set up your character and you're ready to go. You can navigate using the WASD keys and hold the Shift key while moving to run (bearing in mind that the game might assume you're driving). Clicking your mouse is the equivalent of tapping the screen. You'll want to turn off the camera, since you're not actually exploring outside, which can sometimes cause the app to freeze. If this happens, close Bluestacks and search your PC for REGEDIT. You might be nervous about editing the Windows registry, but it's a very small change that will only affect BlueStacks. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlueStacks\Guests\Android\Config, then click 'Camera' and change the '1' to '0'. Click 'OK', close REGEDIT and re-open BlueStacks. You'll now be able to turn off the camera option without the program freezing and catch your first creature. BlueStacks is a great tool for trying new apps without downloading them to your phone. It doesn't support everything in the Google Play store, but it's updated frequently and more are added daily.

Roundup: The best free firewall 2016 Posted: The best free firewall 2016 Protect your connection from new threats In the 1990s, Microsoft had a problem: Windows seemed to suffer from endless security problems that hackers and other online villains were quick to exploit. One way to fight back was to install a firewall - an app that blocked malicious and/or unwanted network traffic and that could ensure that dodgy software couldn't sneak onto your PC. Microsoft began building its own firewall into Windows and that's still the case today, but attacks still happen and additional software can make your system even more secure. These are the firewall apps we think you should consider using no matter which version of Windows you're running. If we've missed your favorite firewall - whether it's a standalone program or built into a full online security suite - let us know in the comments below. ZoneAlarm Free Firewall 2016 Real-time protection from new threats and special features for wireless connections For many of us, ZoneAlarm was the app that introduced us to firewalls in the first place, and it was a must-have app in the days when Windows effectively told the internet "Hack me! I'm easy!" The current version hides open ports, identifies potentially dodgy traffic, disables malicious programs and connects to DefenseNet, which provides real-time security updates as new threats are detected. It also protects your computer on public Wi-Fi networks. The only downside is that it doesn't play nice with anti-malware software other than Windows Defender, and warns of potential stability and performance problems if you don't uninstall other anti-malware software. Comodo Firewall Blocks over two million known threats, with more added every day If you don't like firewalls with lots of pop-up notifications then Comodo Firewall probably isn't for you: it's one of the more vocal firewall apps around, but that's because it's also one of the most comprehensive. It runs on Windows 7 or later, monitors your network, system and apps, and it has a blocklist of more than two million bad apps that it won't let anywhere near your PC. It also connects to a cloud-based system that's updated instantly as new threats arrive, and that offers a whitelist of reputable files and vendors too. PeerBlock Protection designed specifically for regular filesharers Many firewalls use multiple forms of protection, but PeerBlock is designed to protect just one kind of problem: traffic from IP addresses that you don't trust. That narrow focus means it does its one job very well without requiring much in the way of system resources or intervention from you. When you install it it asks you to choose the kind of websites you want to block - such as adware networks, spyware, known villains and organizations such as anti-P2P groups - and it automatically updates its block lists every day to keep those IP addresses away from your PC. TinyWall Prefer to use Windows' own firewall? TinyWall will give you full control TinyWall is better known for what it doesn't do than what it does: unlike some products it doesn't interrupt you with pop-up warnings about what seems to be every second bit of data. It's designed to improve Windows' own firewall features without requiring any expert knowledge, and while it offers the same whitelisting features as other packages - to ensure that the apps you use can get online without any difficulty - it does it through hotkeys or lists rather than pop-ups. TinyWall only takes up about 1MB on your hard drive, and is a very useful addition if you decide to stick with Windows' built-in security tool. OpenDNS Customizable filters to protect your most personal data at router level OpenDNS isn't a download; it's a change you can make to your router's settings so it connects to the internet via OpenDNS's servers. That means the protection applies to any device on your network, which is useful in today's hyper-connected homes and businesses. OpenDNS Home automatically blocks known offenders and offers a range of content filtering options to keep the kids away from filth too. The service is free, and there are full set-up instructions for every kind of device. Anti NetCut3 Secure your connection when using risky public networks If you've ever wondered "who spoof my connection", Anti NetCut3 has the answer. Ropey interface translations aside, the app is designed to block attempts to cut or manipulate your internet connection when you're using potentially compromised networks such as public Wi-Fi hotspots, which are relatively easy to mess with. All you need to do is specify the network adapter it should be monitoring - your wireless adapter or your ethernet adapter if you're connecting to a wired network - and it'll take care of the rest.

In Depth: Scarier than death: How virtual reality is tackling the fear of public speaking Posted: Speech Center VR The forest is on fire. Flames lick at the trees surrounding me, pouring smoke into the atmosphere. I look for an escape, but I'm trapped. There are three rows of people sitting around me, with hands in their laps, patiently waiting. Don't they see the flames? I whip around and there's a huge screen in front of me with a PowerPoint presentation that I'm supposed to give. I begin speaking, ignoring the burning forest. Soon, the trees and fire become irrelevant. My unflinching audience becomes irrelevant. I'm nailing this presentation. Being trapped in a fiery forest is just one of the scenarios used to simulate a high-stress environment in Speech Center VR, a Samsung Gear VR exclusive. You can choose to practice public speaking in more typical settings too, such as a lecture hall or boardroom, but perhaps a burning forest is the most effective at inducing anxiety. Developed by virtual reality startup Cerevrum, Speech Center VR aims to help people conquer their fear of public speaking with lessons, practice, and interaction. But why tackle public speaking first, as opposed to any other phobia? "We were shocked that knowing the greatest fear is the fear of public speaking. It's greater than [the fear of] death," Olga Peshe, chief operating officer at Cerevrum, tells TechRadar during a recent demonstration of the app. Americans' biggest phobia is in fact the fear of public speaking, according to the Chapman University Survey on American Fears (via The Washington Post), with 25.3% of participants saying they feared speaking in front of a crowd. More Americans are afraid of public speaking than they are of heights, bugs, or even drowning. The fear of public speaking, also known as glossophobia, is so widespread because of how much it's required in our jobs and daily lives. From sales reps introducing a product to students giving a presentation in the classroom, just about everyone relies on their public speaking skills. Speech Center VR hopes to help people overcome glossophobia as their first venture into VR therapy and education since it's such a universal fear. "We're trying to make this as pragmatic as possible and to solve business problems," says Zach Henry, Cerevrum's chief growth officer. YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ob4qN4TFBQ From the boardroom to a candle-lit dinner The business world may be the most obvious place for Cerevrum's tech, but the company thinks Speech Center VR's killer utility will be as a dating course. "We want to help people be more confident," says Peshe, and the app will include virtual environments like a candle-lit dinner table in a restaurant to do just that. While Speech Center VR's visuals are quite basic, it didn't stop me from feeling like I was in the settings I saw. The avatars in the app look sort-of like characters you'd find in The Sims, with brightly colored eyes and an empty stare. More realistic graphics would surely help Speech Center VR feel more immersive, but it'd require much more powerful hardware than a mobile phone can provide, at least right now. "We're in love with mobile VR," Peshe says, noting it gives people the chance to train wherever they go. Speech Center VR is only available on the Samsung Gear VR, which is a shame as I think the more accurate tracking of the Oculus Rift - and its future hand controller support - would elevate its immersion. I also think that eye tracking technology would go along way for training eye contact, something that none of the VR headsets on the market offer just yet. Speech Center VR works around this limitation by having the avatars start browsing on their phones and looking bored if you face away from them for too long. Real-world connections While the app's environments are virtual, you'll also be able to interact with real humans using the app. I got to sit down in a virtual conference room with my fiancée, who was physically in another room, to have a serious business negotiation about where we were going for lunch. Audio was loud and clear using headphones, and the latency was minimal. I was surprised at how real it all felt. Having a virtual environment to meet in made the conversation feel a lot more natural than a simple phone or video call. I found myself instinctively wanting to wave to my fiancée since the interaction felt so natural, but, alas, the Gear VR doesn't offer hand tracking. Instead, I tapped on the back button on my headset to bring up a menu to select from a series of pre-configured reactions, such as laughing and smiling. May I have your undivided attention? One of the reasons Speech Center VR is so compelling is that it requires your full attention. While students in a real lecture hall can browse Facebook or text, you can only concentrate on practicing and learning to be more confident. Cerevrum hopes to have certified speech trainers give public speaking courses to Speech Center VR users starting this September. The app can support up to 1,000 people at a time for a massive open online course. One of the app's neatest features is its ability to record your presentations and upload them to the cloud, so you can listen and share with people in your company. "In some cases, the senior staff is so busy that they don't have time to listen to a pitch deck," says Henry. "So one of the functions [is] a junior staffer can record their deck in VR and forward that to senior staff to watch later. Nothing can replace person-to-person contact, but there's certainly room to use VR to ease the pain of road warriors." In my demo, the audio recorded from Speech Center VR played clearly from the cloud - I cringed as I heard my own voice giving a mock presentation. Cerevrum hopes to monetize Speech Center VR by offering courses, more environments, and online storage for presentations. The company hasn't nailed down the app's pricing yet, so time will tell if it's affordable. Fears overcome? Virtual reality therapy isn't anything new. Its first trials were documented in the mid-1990s with the US Army's financial support. Even though VR technologies from 20 years ago pale in comparison to what we have today, studies showed that VR therapy was 90% successful in helping participants get over their fear of heights. More recently, a 2006 study performed by professors from the University College London and King's College London showed that low fidelity visuals were still effective in generating anxiety from patients. Speech Center VR's visual are definitely low fidelity when compared to the visuals of PC-driven VR games, but that didn't make the experience any less effective. Although I still felt some nervousness presenting in front of a room full of virtual avatars, I would've probably felt more nervous in front of a live audience. This will change with the introduction of live classes as well as one-on-one training with a speech trainer as you'll know real people are listening and ready to provide feedback and criticism. Even without a live audience, I felt more comfortable giving my mock presentation at the end of my hour-long demo than I did at the start. There isn't a lot of new research on the merits of virtual therapy, but that'll start to change now that VR is much more accessible. With Speech Center VR, anyone with a Samsung Galaxy phone and Gear VR headset can tackle glossophobia from the comfort of home, or even on the road. Sure, the experience could be a lot more immersive, but having the ability to take these speech courses wherever you are is invaluable. Games and entertainment are just the beginning for virtual reality, and Speech Center VR proves that virtual reality can be a powerful platform for education and therapy. Top phone credit: Cerevrum Our 5-star review of the HTC Vive This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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