Why you should (or shouldn’t) root (a.k.a hack) your Android device

<div class="content"> <span id="intelliTXT" name="intellitxt"><img alt="root" class="attachment-full wp-post-image" height="353" src="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/root-640x353.jpg" width="640" /><div class="photo"> <div class="box2"> <br /></div> </div> Android is based on the Linux kernel, so right from the start, tinkerers and power users were interested in gaining root access to make changes and graft on new features. In the early days, this was a fairly simple procedure on most devices. There were several apps and tools that could root almost any <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/tag/android">Android</a> phone or tablet, and you’d be ready to truly master your device in mere minutes. As Android became more capable, the allure of rooting has diminished somewhat — and it’s also much harder than it used to be.<br /> So what are the advantages and risks of rooting these days, and why are some devices resistant to rooting? Let’s see if we can’t figure it out.<br /> <h3> <b>The advantages of rooting</b></h3> Gaining root access on Android is akin to running Windows as an administrator. You have full access to the system directory and can make changes to the way the OS operates. As part of rooting, you install usage manager (SuperSU is the main one right now). These tools are basically the gatekeeper of root access on your phone. When an app requests root, you have to approve it using the root manager.<br /> So what can you do with root specifically? Let’s say there’s a system app that you really don’t like seeing, but it can’t be disabled through the standard method. With root you can run an app like Titanium Backup to delete or permanently hide the app. Titanium can also be used to manually back up all the data for an app or game so you can restore it to another phone. Want to remotely access and control your phone? That’s another thing you need root to do. Ad-blocking software on Android also needs root access, as it modifies the Android hosts file to block known ad servers.<br /> <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/unnamed.png"><img alt="supersu" class="size-large wp-image-211316 aligncenter" height="480" src="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/unnamed-640x480.png" width="640" /></a><br /> Then there’s the multi-headed beast known as the Xposed Framework. Root access is needed to deploy Xposed in the system, but from that point forward Xposed doesn’t need to ask for root to do things like modify the UI and add new system-level features. It took a little time to get Xposed working on Lollipop, but the developer has finally produced some mostly stable builds.<br /> <h3> <b>The risks of rooting</b></h3> Rooting your phone or tablet gives you complete control over the system, and that power can be misused if you’re not careful. Android is designed in such a way that it’s hard to break things with a limited user profile. A superuser, however, can really trash things by installing the wrong app or making changes to system files. The <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/tag/security">security</a> model of Android is also compromised to a certain degree, as root apps have much more access to your system. Again, you need to be careful what you install.<br /> <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AndroidRedTriangle.jpeg"><img alt="AndroidRedTriangle" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-211318" height="264" src="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AndroidRedTriangle-300x264.jpeg" width="300" /></a>Root methods are sometimes messy and dangerous in their own right. You might brick your device simply trying to root it, and you’ve probably (technically) voided your warranty doing so. Depending on the company, you might still be able to get a device repaired if you damage it attempting a root, but that’s not a guarantee.<br /> As of Android 5.0 Lollipop, Nexus device system updates will only work on completely stock unrooted devices. This is because of a change to the way Android processes the OTA file. Updates now patch the entire system directory as a single blob, so any changes or extra files (i.e. root) will throw off the verification and the update will abort.<br /> On other phones and tablets, virtually every OTA update you get will wipe out root and block the method from working again. If having root access is really important to you, you might be left waiting on older buggy software while you beg for a new root method or a modded OS update.<br /> <h3> <b>Why is rooting so much harder than it used to be?</b></h3> If you’ve been using Android for a while, you’ve probably noticed gaining root access on most devices is much harder than it once was. There were exploits years back that could root almost any Android device in a few minutes, but that’s much less common now. The last essentially universal exploit was Towelroot in mid-2014, but Google patched that rather quickly.<br /> The reason these exploits are patched so quickly now is that having active exploits on your system is actually a bad thing for most users. These are security holes that can be utilized by malware to take over a device remotely and steal data. <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/tag/google">Google</a> and the device makers are being responsible when they shut down root methods after they are disclosed.<br /> <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/uaslrskq4tnmlg5sfxuj.jpg"><img alt="uaslrskq4tnmlg5sfxuj" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-211319" height="358" src="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/uaslrskq4tnmlg5sfxuj.jpg" width="636" /></a><br /> Android is more secure, and it takes more work to break that security in a way that can grant root access. As a result of this cat-and-mouse game, root exploits are often pretty involved. You might have to push files to your device over USB, enter terminal commands, and flash modified files.<br /> The effort needed to find, test, and develop exploits of this nature is a big part of the reason some popular devices (like the Galaxy S6, for example) don’t even have root right now. That’s not to say there aren’t exploits in these devices, but they’re far too valuable to be given away freely to the community. If you peruse XDA, you might come across one of the many root bounty threads where users pledge thousands of dollars to anyone who can offer a working root method for a phone. This works sometimes, but it’s notoriously hard to collect on these bounties and a few thousand dollars isn’t actually terribly much for a solid exploit.<br /> Anyone who does security testing and research on Android will tell you there’s real demand for non-public exploits among security and forensics firms. A modder could make several times the theoretical value of a root bounty on XDA by selling an exploit to one of these companies. A universal exploit like we had back in the day could be worth tens of thousands easily. Most people just won’t give that away for a pittance.<br /> <h3> <b>So should you do it?</b></h3> If you’re primarily interested in Android because you want to tinker, you should figure that in when you choose a phone. Don’t get something hoping that root method will be released, because you might be waiting a long time for a messy exploit that gets patched right away. There are some devices that are relatively friendly to rooting like Nexus phones and tablets. They have unlockable bootloaders and can be rooted with almost no legwork. They also have system images that can be used to restore the device in case something goes wrong. The usual warning about using care installing apps still applies, though.<br /> If you’re not familiar with Android’s tools and how to fix issues with a command line, you might want to give this some thought. Root can be a lot of fun to play around with, but it can also lead to plenty of frustration as you try to fix errors caused by overzealous modding.</span></div>

Why you should (or shouldn’t) root (a.k.a hack) your Android device

Android is based on the Linux kernel, so right from the start, tinkerers and power users were interested in gaining root access to ...

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Remote-control device releases drugs right into the brain

<div class="content"> <span id="intelliTXT" name="intellitxt"><img alt="Microfluidic device" class="attachment-full wp-post-image" height="353" src="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Microfluidic-device-640x353.jpg" width="640" /></span><br /> <div class="photo"> <div class="box2"> <span id="intelliTXT" name="intellitxt"><br /></span></div> </div> <span id="intelliTXT" name="intellitxt"> Rarely has an invention with a subtext so directly from one of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldous_Huxley">Aldous Huxley</a>‘s dystopian futures appeared in the pages of an academic journal. In a study featured in the journal <i>Cell</i>, Washington University associate professor Dr. Michael R. Bruchas has led a team of researchers in developing a device for releasing drugs directly into the brain via remote control.<br /> For those not familiar with the epic science fiction <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brave_New_World">Brave New World</a>,</i> it lays out a future in which the citizenry are kept in a state stupefied pleasure through a universally endorsed drug – soma. While the <i>Cell</i> article focuses on the therapeutic uses for the device, for instance in treating intractable depression, it isn’t difficult to imagine <i>Brave New World-</i>type scenarios in which giving people access to the pleasure and pain centers of their brains via remote control opens up a whole Pandora’s box of dystopian horrors.<br /> Before delving into these morally hazardous subplots, let’s look at the science behind the device. For years researchers have been struggling with an effective means for delivering drugs to the brain. One of the main issues is that the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood%E2%80%93brain_barrier">blood brain barrier</a> prevents most substances from ever reaching their targets within our gray matter. Another problem is in getting the dosage right. People metabolize drugs differently, so knowing exactly how much of a drug to administer to create the desired effect can be tricky. Creating a device the delivers drugs wirelessly to the brain via remote control has the potential to solve both issues at once.<br /> The effectiveness of the device was ascertained in an experiment on laboratory mice. The rodents in question had been trained to react to stimulation by secreting a dopamine-releasing protein whenever they were exposed to light. The researchers interfered with the animals’ light-sensitive reaction using a remote control to release a drug that counteracted the effects of the dopamine. If this sounds familiar, dopamine is the same neurotransmitter in humans that controls risk-taking behavior like gambling.<br /> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_210654" style="width: 310px;"> <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/mouse_brainb.jpg"><img alt="Pictured is a mouse wearing the implantable device.Source: Jeong JW, McCall JG, et al. Wireless optofluidic systems for programmable in vivo pharmacology and optogenetics. Cell, published online July 16, 2015." class="size-medium wp-image-210654" height="166" src="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/mouse_brainb-300x166.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /> <div class="wp-caption-text"> Pictured is a mouse wearing the implantable device.Source: Jeong JW, McCall JG, et al. Wireless optofluidic systems for programmable in vivo pharmacology and optogenetics. Cell, published online July 16, 2015.</div> </div> In another eerie sounding proof of principle, the laboratory mice were made to run in a circle by deploying a drug to one side of their brain using the wireless remote. That we may be approaching an era of remote-controlled pets is indicated by another technology which uses Bluetooth transmitters to <a href="https://backyardbrains.com/products/roboroach">steer cockroaches</a>.<br /> While the benefits this device will have in helping patients with intractable mental disease are real and formidable, to blithely ignore the potential moral ambiguities raised by turning animals into remote-controlled drones and handing people a device to dial down unwanted feeling at the push of a button could have lasting repercussions.<br /> There’s little doubt that most in the scientific community would pale at the idea of using this kind of technology for terrorist purposes or too keep a population subjugated. It’s harder to say if the likes of Kim Jung Un and other brutal dictators don’t get a twinkle in their eye when scientific papers like this come tumbling out of academic institutions free of charge.</span></div> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1zoUVjtBO1E" width="640"></iframe>

Remote-control device releases drugs right into the brain

Rarely has an invention with a subtext so directly from one of Aldous Huxley ‘s dystopian futures appeared in the pages of an academi...

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NASA has discovered the closest super-Earth exoplanet yet

<div class="content"> <span id="intelliTXT" name="intellitxt"><img alt="hd-219134b-illustration" class="attachment-full wp-post-image" height="360" src="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/hd-219134b-illustration-640x360.jpg" width="640" /><div class="photo"> <div class="box2"> <br /></div> </div> Astronomers have found more than a thousand planets outside our solar system, but most of them are large compared to Earth. Of those thought to be small and rocky, they’ve all been incredibly far away, even by interstellar standards. Now <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/tag/nasa">NASA</a> is reporting the discovery of a new <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/tag/exoplanets">exoplanet</a> just several times larger than Earth (a so-called super Earth) that is only 21 light years away. This could make it a fantastic target for future study.<br /> The alien planet is called HD 219134b and was detected by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. The planet is roughly 4.5 times more massive than Earth, but only 1.6 times as wide. That means it’s most likely rocky. That’s what the “super Earth” distinction is based on, that it’s too small and dense to be a gas giant. We don’t know much else about the surface, though.<br /> HD 219134b was detected via the transit method of exoplanet detection, which is the technique also used by NASA’s crippled Kepler telescope that <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/196199-after-lengthy-hiatus-nasas-kepler-has-found-another-planet-a-super-earth">regularly spots dozens of potential exoplanets</a>. The transit method looks for small dips in the light output of a star, indicating that something is passing between it and our location on Earth. By watching for recurring dips, we can locate planets and partially characterize them.<br /> It didn’t take long for Spitzer to confirm the existence of HD 219134b. It whips around its parent star once every three days. It also obits extremely closely to the star. This is a smaller, cooler Type K orange star, but the surface of HD 219134b is still far too hot for life as we know it to exist.<br /> <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/black-spot-ttar.jpg"><img alt="transit" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-211427" height="360" src="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/black-spot-ttar-640x360.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /> There are three other planets in the HD 219134 system, but we don’t know as much about them yet. There is one that is <i>at least</i> 2.7 times as massive as Earth, but it could be much larger. Its orbital period is 6.8 days. There’s also a Neptune-sized planet that orbits once every 47 days, and a planet 62 times larger than Earth that orbits once every 1190 days.<br /> Astronomers are excited to find HD 219134b not only because it’s a super Earth, but because it’s the <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasas-spitzer-confirms-closest-rocky-exoplanet">closest transiting world yet</a>. The closest exoplanet we know of is about 14 light years away, but it doesn’t transit its star. We can learn much more about the nature of an exoplanet when it passes in front of a star like this one does.<br /> The James Webb Space Telescope is currently scheduled to launch in 2018, and you can bet it’s going to be pointed at HD 219134b quickly. This instrument will be able to directly image some exoplanets and perform detailed spectroscopic analyses of their atmospheres.</span></div>

NASA has discovered the closest super-Earth exoplanet yet

Astronomers have found more than a thousand planets outside our solar system, but most of them are large compared to Earth. Of those...

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Mozilla blasts Microsoft for overriding user choice in Windows 10

<div class="content"> <span id="intelliTXT" name="intellitxt"><img alt="Mozilla-vs-IE" class="attachment-full wp-post-image" height="353" src="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Mozilla-vs-IE-640x353.jpg" width="640" /><div class="photo"> <div class="box2"> <br /></div> </div> Windows 10 dropped this week with a promise of a free upgrade for anyone using Windows 7 or 8, but it turns out there’s a fly in that ointment. If you previously used Chrome or Firefox as your browser of choice, that choice is wiped away with the Windows 10 upgrade. Instead of new versions of Chrome or Firefox, you get Microsoft Edge as your default selection. This is the kind of maneuver that could land Microsoft in hot water with the EU, which has previously mandated that the Redmond-based company must offer a selection of alternative browsers to its own Internet Explorer when users first set up a Windows machine.<br /> Mozilla has taken exception to this new policy and issued <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2015/07/30/an-open-letter-to-microsofts-ceo-dont-roll-back-the-clock-on-choice-and-control/">an open letter</a> to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, as well as a new tutorial on how to restore your original browser preferences using Windows 10. According to Mozilla’s CEO, Chris Beard, the non-profit foundation has known about Microsoft’s personal preference overrides for months and has previously attempted to work with the company to reach some sort of solution. His letter states that this conversation “didn’t result in any meaningful progress.” Mozilla also claims that it now takes more than twice the number of mouse clicks and additional technical sophistication to change default settings in Windows 10 as compared to Windows 7.<br /> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_211439" style="width: 650px;"> <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/W10-System.jpg"><img alt="W10-System" class="wp-image-211439 size-large" height="535" src="http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/W10-System-640x535.jpg" width="640" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text"> Microsoft’s new Settings menu and the default app selection screen.</div> </div> As far as measuring the clicks required to change applications after you’ve set up the operating system, Beard is wrong. By our count it takes six actions to change your web browser in the new Settings menu, in the older Control Panel (Windows 10) and in the Control Panel that shipped with Windows 7. Ars Technica points out, however, that Beard has a point when it comes to Microsoft’s initial Windows 10 upgrade screens. While it’s technically possible to change your app selection, you must first click on Customize Settings, then click on a small, low-context text field several pages later in order to avoid installing Microsoft’s application choices by default. All in all, it’s not the best solution.<br /> <h3> The hole in Microsoft’s defense</h3> Beard claims that Microsoft’s new approach to default settings with no notification that defaults have been changed is “purposefully designed to throw away the choices its customers have made about the Internet experience they want, and replace it with the Internet experience Microsoft wants them to have.” There’s good evidence he’s right — and ironically, it comes from Microsoft itself.<br /> Microsoft’s <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-specifications">Windows 10 specification page</a> states that the upgrade assistant will scan your system and determine if your installed software is compatible with the new operating system. It then states:<br /> <div style="padding-left: 30px;"> <em>“For antimalware applications, Windows will check to see if your antimalware subscription is current (not expired) and compatible during the upgrade.”</em></div> <div style="padding-left: 30px;"> <em>“If the antimalware application is compatible and current, your application will be preserved during the upgrade to Windows 10. If the antimalware application is incompatible, Windows will uninstall your application while preserving your settings. After upgrade is complete, if your antimalware provider has informed Microsoft that it has made a compatible version available for your active subscription, Windows will notify you to install the latest version available with the settings that were set prior to upgrade.”</em></div> <div style="padding-left: 30px;"> <em>“If your antimalware subscription is not current (expired), Windows will uninstall your application and enable Windows Defender.”</em></div> In other words, when it comes to something as critical as malware protection, Microsoft can scan your application, uninstall it if it isn’t compatible, notify you when a compatible version is available, and import your up-to-date AV license from your old OS install directly to the new one. But when it comes to your browser choice, well, that’s just not possible.<br /> <h3> The power of defaults</h3> Psychologists and sociologists have long known that default options have a profound effect on user behavior. The majority of people <em>never</em> change a default setting. An extensive survey from Firefox a few years back found that the highest rate of default change for users who had agreed to test pre-release Firefox nightly builds was just over 11%. That means that 89% of testers, who were presumably both passionate about Firefox and more likely to know how to crawl under the hood, simply never changed the default options.<br /> A different example, albeit one that still involves Mozilla, is the deal the browser developer cut with Yahoo late last year to make Yahoo the default search engine. VentureBeat reported in April that Yahoo’s share of search results had improved by 2.8% to 13% total in just five months. Considering that Mozilla is just one browser and that not everyone upgrades immediately and would not have received the Yahoo default update, that’s impressive growth. Defaults work.<br /> And Microsoft knows it. This new trend of overriding user preference fits neatly in the general pattern of <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/211208-windows-10s-default-privacy-settings-and-controls-leave-much-to-be-desired">using Windows 10 to gather more data on end-users</a> than any previous version of the operating system.</span></div>

Mozilla blasts Microsoft for overriding user choice in Windows 10

Windows 10 dropped this week with a promise of a free upgrade for anyone using Windows 7 or 8, but it turns out there’s a fly in tha...

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Watch (Terminator Genisys)

http://viooz.ac/movies/27229-terminator-genisys-2015.html

Watch (Terminator Genisys)

http://viooz.ac/movies/27229-terminator-genisys-2015.html

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10 Incredible Plug-ins to Enhance Your Photoshop Experience

<div class="article-content c"> <div class="img_preview left"> <a class="g" href="http://art-u3.infcdn.net/articles_uploads/2/2393/10%20Incredible%20Plug-ins%20to%20Enhance%20Your%20Photoshop%20Experience.jpg" rel="g" title="10 Incredible Plug-ins to Enhance Your Photoshop Experience"><img alt="" src="http://art-u2.infcdn.net/articles_uploads/2/2393/thumb/10%20Incredible%20Plug-ins%20to%20Enhance%20Your%20Photoshop%20Experience-665x.jpg" title="10 Incredible Plug-ins to Enhance Your Photoshop Experience" width="420" /></a> <span>10 Incredible Plug-ins to Enhance Your Photoshop Experience</span> </div> No doubt, Adobe Photoshop is one of the most well-known professional image editing programs. But even though with each new release Photoshop becomes more powerful and acquires fresh capabilities, it might still have its limitations. If you can't find the needed tool in Photoshop, don’t worry – there's a whole pile of available plugins that will extend your creativity and speed up your workflow. We've rounded up 10 awesome Adobe Photoshop extensions to help you make the most out of the program.<br /> <h2> Filter Forge</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2393/Filter%20Forge%20effects.jpg" rel="g" title="Filter Forge effects"><img alt="Filter Forge effects" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2393/thumb/Filter%20Forge%20effects-665x.jpg" /></a><span>Filter Forge effects</span></strong></div> Filter Forge puts at your disposal literally a myriad of textures and filter effects. Moreover, this Photoshop plug-in lets you create your own effects and submit them to the Filter Forge library. If your filter gets popular among other users, you are awarded with a free copy of the tool. <br /><em>Price: $79, offers a 30-day trial</em><br /> <h2> Perfect Resize</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2393/Perfect%20Resize.jpg" rel="g" title="Perfect Resize"><img alt="Perfect Resize" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2393/thumb/Perfect%20Resize-665x.jpg" /></a><span>Perfect Resize</span></strong></div> With Perfect Resize, you can enlarge your photos in Photoshop without losing details. The tool comes with the patented Genuine Fractals technology that helps you increase the resolution of your images or scale medium-resolution photos to achieve print-quality output. Perfect Resize is also good for cropping and straightening pictures.<br /><em>Price: $79,95, offers a 30-day trial</em><br /> <h2> Exposure 7</h2> Exposure 7 provides you with a wide array of creative focus, lens simulation, vintage, and light effects. The most incredible option that this extension offers is an extensive range of effects that will add the look of famous film emulsions to your photos.<br /><em>Price: $149, offers a trial</em><br /> <em></em><br /> <h2> Velositey</h2> Velositey is a free Photoshop extension with over 60 templates you can use to create your website. The tool is designed to speed up your working process by performing all the “boring” job for you and letting you focus on more creative work while making the website.<br /><em>Price: freeware</em><br /> <h2> Kubota Texture Tools Industrial Pak</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2393/Kubota%20Texture%20Tools%20Industrial%20Pak%20filters.jpg" rel="g" title="Kubota Texture Tools Industrial Pak"><img alt="Kubota Texture Tools Industrial Pak" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2393/thumb/Kubota%20Texture%20Tools%20Industrial%20Pak%20filters-665x.jpg" /></a><span>Kubota Texture Tools Industrial Pak</span></strong></div> Kubota Texture Tools Industrial Pak delivers a vast variety of textures, borders, and templates to apply techno-industrial style to your photos. The plug-in also allows you to manipulate your images using the rotation, changing opacity, tone down color, or changing the size of the textures options.<br /><em>Price: $69, offers a 14-day trial</em><br /> <h2> Topaz Adjust</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2393/Topaz%20Adjust.jpg" rel="g" title="Topaz Adjust"><img alt="Topaz Adjust" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2393/thumb/Topaz%20Adjust-665x.jpg" /></a><span>Topaz Adjust</span></strong></div> Topaz Adjust will help you create incredible detailed HDR-like images from a single shot. The add-in offers plenty of amazing effects to make your photos much more vibrant, bright, and colorful.<br /><em>Price: $49.99, offers a 30-day trial</em><br /> <h2> Photomatix Pro</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2393/Photomatix-Pro%205.jpg" rel="g" title="Photomatix Pro"><img alt="Photomatix Pro" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2393/thumb/Photomatix-Pro%205-665x.jpg" /></a><span>Photomatix Pro</span></strong></div> Photomatix Pro provides an easy way to create stunning HDR images from three or more differently exposed photos. In addition, it includes two very handy options: selective deghosting that helps you get rid of so called ghosts in dynamic scenes and batch processing that will let you apply the same effect to multiple images.<br /><em>Price: $99, offers a trial</em><br /> <h2> virtualPhotographer</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2393/VirtualPhotographer%20Interface.jpg" rel="g" title="VirtualPhotographer"><img alt="VirtualPhotographer" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2393/thumb/VirtualPhotographer%20Interface-665x.jpg" /></a><span>VirtualPhotographer</span></strong></div> virtualPhotographer comes with a plethora of photo presets. The plug-in lets you tweak film grain, color, B/W, soft focus, high contrast, and more to achieve the best look of your photo. There is also a great split screen preview that lets you compare before and after results of a photo effect.<br /><em>Price: freeware</em><br /> <h2> WebZap</h2> WebZap is an awesome Photoshop plugin that helps web designers increase their workflow. Using the tool, you can create your layout based on a 960 grid system. In addition, WebZap is able to generate other common user interface elements in various styles and colors.<br /><em>Price: $19</em><br /> <em></em><br /> <h2> Renamy</h2> Renamy is another functional tool that is designed to help you select and instantly rename multiple layers. The plugin also lets you use its handy autocomplete feature and simple text to find and replace layer names.<br /><em>Price: $14.99, offers a free demo version</em><br /> </div>

10 Incredible Plug-ins to Enhance Your Photoshop Experience

10 Incredible Plug-ins to Enhance Your Photoshop Experience No doubt, Adobe Photoshop is one of the most well-known professi...

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Best Add-ons To Reduce Firefox's Resource Consumption

<div class="article-content c"> <div class="img_preview left"> <a class="g" href="http://art-u1.infcdn.net/articles_uploads/2/2378/main.png" rel="g" title="Best Add-ons To Reduce Firefox's Resource Consumption"><img alt="" src="http://art-u2.infcdn.net/articles_uploads/2/2378/thumb/main-665x.png" title="Best Add-ons To Reduce Firefox's Resource Consumption" width="420" /></a> <span>Best Add-ons To Reduce Firefox's Resource Consumption</span> </div> Today's web browsers have a whole bunch of handy features that make your experience on the Internet a lot more convenient. Unfortunately, this means that they also require a lot of your system's resources, and on low or even medium-end PCs this has a visible effect on the overall system performance. Although Google's Chrome is by far the most resource-hogging browser among the popular ones, Mozilla's Firefox can also slow down your computer. Here are a few browser add-ons that will help you reduce Firefox's system resources consumption.<br /> <h2> Memory Fox</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/MemoryFox.png" rel="g" title="Memory Fox"><img alt="Memory Fox" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/thumb/MemoryFox-665x.png" /></a><span>Memory Fox</span></strong></div> <a href="http://articles.informer.com/go/?go=https%3A%2F%2Faddons.mozilla.org%2Fen-US%2Ffirefox%2Faddon%2Fmemory-fox%2F" target="_blank">Memory Fox</a> is one of the best Firefox add-ons you can find. This tool will attempt to reduce both the browser's and the Flash RAM usage. In my experience, the extension has a visible positive impact on your overall performance, as when I first launched it, Firefox's memory usage dropped by almost 50%. But be warned: if you have a 64-bit operating system, you need to use version 1.3.2.0 instead of the latest one. (On a 32-bit system, the latest version works fine.)<br /> <h2> Duplicate Tab Closer</h2> <div class="img_preview left"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/Duplicat%20Tab%20Closer.png" rel="g" title="Duplicate Tab Closer"><img alt="Duplicate Tab Closer" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/thumb/Duplicat%20Tab%20Closer-665x.png" /></a><span>Duplicate Tab Closer</span></strong></div> In case if you're like me and open <em>a million</em> different tabs so that you don't forget where you found a specific bit of information, <a href="http://articles.informer.com/go/?go=https%3A%2F%2Faddons.mozilla.org%2Fen-US%2Ffirefox%2Faddon%2Fduplicate-tab-closer%2F" target="_blank">Duplicate Tab Closer </a>might prove to be useful. As I'm sure you guessed from its name, this add-on will check if you've opened the same web page in multiple tabs and, in case you did, automatically close the duplicate one. However, keep in mind that any running add-on will add to your browser's resource consumption, so don't install it unless you actually need it.<br /> <h2> Tab Utilities</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/Tab%20Utillities.png" rel="g" title="Tab Utilities"><img alt="Tab Utilities" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/thumb/Tab%20Utillities-665x.png" /></a><span>Tab Utilities</span></strong></div> <a href="http://articles.informer.com/go/?go=https%3A%2F%2Faddons.mozilla.org%2Fen-US%2Ffirefox%2Faddon%2Ftab-utilities%2F%3Fsrc%3Dcollection%26amp%3Bcollection_id%3D534c7891-700f-40e9-8cfa-ba02d483241c" target="_blank">Tab Utilities</a> is an interesting add-on which offers some really cool extra functionality. Although not specifically designed to help improve overall performance, this tool is capable of automatically unloading tabs you haven't clicked on in a while, thus stopping them from taking up memory space. Additionally, this extension will automatically close blank tabs that you didn't mean to open, provide an undo button for when you accidentally close tabs, as well as allow you to select multiple tabs at once, etc.<br /> <h2> Unload Tab</h2> <div class="img_preview left"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/unload%20tab.png" rel="g" title="Unload Tab"><img alt="Unload Tab" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/thumb/unload%20tab-665x.png" /></a><span>Unload Tab</span></strong></div> In case you prefer a hands-on approach, <a href="http://articles.informer.com/go/?go=https%3A%2F%2Faddons.mozilla.org%2Fen-Us%2Ffirefox%2Faddon%2Funloadtab%2F%3Fsrc%3Dcollection%26amp%3Bcollection_id%3D534c7891-700f-40e9-8cfa-ba02d483241c" target="_blank">Unload Tab</a> is a handy add-on which allows you to manually unload any tab you want and keep it suspended until you are ready to use it. Basically, this tool is the Firefox version of Chrome's Great Suspender extension. Furthermore, you can instruct the add-on to automatically unload certain tabs, create an exclusion list for tabs that you never wish to suspend and control the way Firefox loads your tabs at start-up.<br /> <h2> Tab Scope</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/Tab%20Scope.png" rel="g" title="Tab Scope"><img alt="Tab Scope" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/thumb/Tab%20Scope-665x.png" /></a><span>Tab Scope</span></strong></div> Being totally honest, <a href="http://articles.informer.com/go/?go=https%3A%2F%2Faddons.mozilla.org%2Fen-US%2Ffirefox%2Faddon%2Ftab-scope%2F%3Fsrc%3Dcollection%26amp%3Bcollection_id%3D9c098dfd-d353-0183-46c0-f124fc245e12" target="_blank">Tab Scope</a> won't drastically improve your browser's overall performance, but it could prove to be really useful in certain situations. This add-on will allow you to preview open but inactive tabs by hovering your mouse over them. This means that, if all you need is a quick peak to a webpage you've already opened, you can now do so without making the tab active, thus saving precious time. Furthermore, if the website that you're just previewing (instead of actually clicking on it) uses resource-consuming plug-ins, the overall performance will be less affected.<br /> <h2> Tab Data (+Memory usage)</h2> <div class="img_preview left"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/Tab%20Data.png" rel="g" title="Tab Data"><img alt="Tab Data" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/thumb/Tab%20Data-665x.png" /></a><span>Tab Data</span></strong></div> In case if you're interested in finding out which of your tabs take up most resources, <a href="http://articles.informer.com/go/?go=https%3A%2F%2Faddons.mozilla.org%2FEn-us%2Ffirefox%2Faddon%2Ftab-data%2F" target="_blank">Tab Data</a> is the solution you need. This tool is capable of showing you exactly how much RAM each of your tabs requires, highlights your top 5 resource consumers and provides detailed statistics of your recent and current browsing. Moreover, the add-on is capable of performing a <em>garbage collection</em> which will clear out some of the needlessly occupied space and memory.<br /> <h2> FlashBlock</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/Flashblock.png" rel="g" title="FlashBlock"><img alt="FlashBlock" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/thumb/Flashblock-665x.png" /></a><span>FlashBlock</span></strong></div> If you've tried out the previously mentioned add-on, than you've probably noticed that websites with Flash content take up a whole lot of resources. (Furthermore, the Flash plug-in isn't exactly safe as I've mentioned in a recently written <a href="http://articles.informer.com/the-flash-player-revolution.html" target="_blank">article</a>). <a href="http://articles.informer.com/go/?go=https%3A%2F%2Faddons.mozilla.org%2Fen-us%2Ffirefox%2Faddon%2Fflashblock%2F%3Fsrc%3Dcollection%26amp%3Bcollection_id%3D534c7891-700f-40e9-8cfa-ba02d483241c" target="_blank">FlashBlock</a> is a Firefox add-on that automatically stops any Flash-related content from the websites that you open. HTML5 content still goes through, so you will be able to watch videos if they're using the right plug-in. In case you actually want to see a Flash video, simply click on it, and it will be unblocked.<br /> <h2> Click&Clean</h2> <div class="img_preview left"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/click%20and%20clean.png" rel="g" title="Click and Clean"><img alt="Click and Clean" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/thumb/click%20and%20clean-665x.png" /></a><span>Click and Clean</span></strong></div> If you've been using Firefox long enough, you might not actually realize the how much trash that has piled up from your previous browsing sessions. <a href="http://articles.informer.com/go/?go=https%3A%2F%2Faddons.mozilla.org%2Fen-US%2Ffirefox%2Faddon%2Fclickclean%2F%3Fsrc%3Dcollection%26amp%3Bcollection_id%3D534c7891-700f-40e9-8cfa-ba02d483241c" target="_blank">Click&Clean</a> is an effective add-on which is capable of automatically deleting your browser's history, cache and stored cookies, removing Flash Local Shared Objects and clearing your private data each time you close the browser. Additionally, this tool has secure deletion capabilities, so that the data it destroys could not be recovered.<br /> <h2> Memory Restart</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/Memory%20restart.png" rel="g" title="Memory Restart"><img alt="Memory Restart" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2378/thumb/Memory%20restart-665x.png" /></a><span>Memory Restart</span></strong></div> <a href="http://articles.informer.com/go/?go=https%3A%2F%2Faddons.mozilla.org%2Fen-Us%2Ffirefox%2Faddon%2Fmemory-restart%2F%3Fsrc%3Dcollection%26amp%3Bcollection_id%3D534c7891-700f-40e9-8cfa-ba02d483241c" target="_blank">Memory Restart</a> is an add-on which keeps an eye on Firefox's memory consumption and gives you a quick way to restart the browser if the resource usage gets too high. This tool ads a button next to your address bar which displays the browser's current memory usage. If a specified threshold has been reached, the button turns red (it's green otherwise), and clicking on it will quickly restart Firefox. The add-on is also capable of automatically restarting the browser (when a certain memory limit has been reached) and can help reduce memory usage.<br /> <h2> Conclusion</h2> While all of the tools on this list will help reduce Firefox's resource-usage, you should always keep in mind that the add-ons you install also require resources to run. This means that you should look through the available solutions and only download the ones that you really need. Installing and running all of them at the same time could make your browser and PC actually move slower than they did before you tried to make things better. In case if you're looking for ways to make Google Chrome take up less of your system's resources, check out <a href="http://articles.informer.com/" target="_blank">this article</a>.<br /> </div>

Best Add-ons To Reduce Firefox's Resource Consumption

Best Add-ons To Reduce Firefox's Resource Consumption Today's web browsers have a whole bunch of handy features that...

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Free Alternatives to Acrobat Reader for Mac

<div class="article-content c"> <div class="img_preview left"> <a class="g" href="http://art-u3.infcdn.net/articles_uploads/2/2398/maine.png" rel="g" title="Free Alternatives to Acrobat Reader for Mac"><img alt="" src="http://art-u2.infcdn.net/articles_uploads/2/2398/thumb/maine-665x.png" title="Free Alternatives to Acrobat Reader for Mac" width="420" /></a> <span>Free Alternatives to Acrobat Reader for Mac</span> </div> Adobe's Acrobat Reader is a really great solution for viewing and editing PDF documents, but the company has a nasty habit of overpricing its products, which can be quite annoying. The good news is that if you don't want to, you don't have to pay. In case you're willing to try them out, there are quite a few free alternative solutions that you can use. Of course, starting with OS X Lion, the native Mac PDF viewer also offers some basic editing functions, but if you're looking for something different, here are some of the best free alternatives you can find.<br /> <h2> PDF Escape</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2398/PDF%20Escape.png" rel="g" title="PDF Escape"><img alt="PDF Escape" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2398/thumb/PDF%20Escape-665x.png" /></a><span>PDF Escape</span></strong></div> Let's start things off with a great alternative that you don't even need to install. <a href="http://articles.informer.com/go/?go=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pdfescape.com%2F" target="_blank">PDF Escape</a> is a web-based tool which allows you to perform a wide variety of changes to your PDF files. This service allows adding texts, images, drawings or links to your documents and highlight or place sticky notes on the fragments which are important to you. Additionally, you can also rotate, crop or deskew any page from the PDF. As far as disadvantages go, there is no undo option (the only thing you can do is clear all the changes) and you can't copy-paste the text from your document. You should also keep in mind that the free version of the service limits you to 100 MB or 100 pages and will 'forget' your document after 7 days.<br /> <h2> PDFsam</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2398/PDFSam.png" rel="g" title="PDFsam"><img alt="PDFsam" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2398/thumb/PDFSam-665x.png" /></a><span>PDFsam</span></strong></div> <a href="http://macdownload.informer.com/pdfsam1/" target="_blank">PDFsam</a> (short for PDF Split and Merge) is an open-source tool which provides you with a great solution for dealing with large documents. This application will help you split your PDFs into chapters or single pages, extract sections from your documents into a single file and merge multiple files or sections into a single PDF. Another cool thing is that PDFsam helps you reorganize your documents by allowing you to reorder their pages. Last, but not least, this tool can also be successfully used to create a mix (with the important bits) from multiple PDF documents.<br /> <h2> PDF Assistant Lite</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2398/PDF%20Assistant%20Lite.png" rel="g" title="PDF Assistant Lite"><img alt="PDF Assistant Lite" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2398/thumb/PDF%20Assistant%20Lite-665x.png" /></a><span>PDF Assistant Lite</span></strong></div> While technically just a PDF reader, <a href="http://macdownload.informer.com/pdfassistantlite/" target="_blank">PDF Assistant Lite</a> also embeds some handy editing functions, such as the ability to add notes, underline or highlight important text fragments, create bookmarks, insert hyperlinks and rotate or crop documents. The tool offers text-to-speech features, page flipping animations and a wide range of customization options to make your reading environment as pleasant as possible. If that's not enough, the application also has a paid version which offers additional functions, such as the ability to add drawings and shapes into the PDF.<br /> <h2> Skim</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2398/Skim.png" rel="g" title="Skim"><img alt="Skim" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2398/thumb/Skim-665x.png" /></a><span>Skim</span></strong></div> <a href="http://macdownload.informer.com/pdf-skim1/" target="_blank">Skim</a> is an open-source application perfect for those who need to read PDF documents and take notes. This tool allows you to make annotations, highlight text fragments, add bookmarks and crop sections from your file. Additional advantages include convenient navigation options, reading bars (good for those who have problems focusing), the ability to make 'snapshots' and embedded transitions which will help you deliver powerful presentations.<br /> <h2> PDF Reader Pro Free - All-in-One PDF Office</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2398/PDF%20Reader%20Pro.png" rel="g" title="PDF Reader Pro Free"><img alt="PDF Reader Pro Free" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2398/thumb/PDF%20Reader%20Pro-665x.png" /></a><span>PDF Reader Pro Free</span></strong></div> <a href="http://macdownload.informer.com/pdf-reader-pro-free/" target="_blank">PDF Reader Pro Free</a> is one of the most complete free PDF management tools that you can find on the market. As its (long) name states, this application provides an all-in-one solution to most of your PDF related problems. PDF Reader Pro lets you annotate your document, fill forms, create bookmarks, and it can merge, split, rotate, crop or delete pages. Furthermore, the application will help you secure your files with passwords, compress them in case they're too large and easily share them via Dropbox or email. A feature that you will really like is the tool's ability to convert your documents into a wide array of other formats such as DOC, JPG, HTML, etc.<br /> To be totally honest, none of the products from the list actually compare to Adobe Acrobat and, in case PDF documents are an important part of your job, you should pay for a professional solution. However, if you're an average user on the prowl for a quick and cheap PDF managing solution, then these tools should provide you with everything you need.<br /> </div>

Free Alternatives to Acrobat Reader for Mac

Free Alternatives to Acrobat Reader for Mac Adobe's Acrobat Reader is a really great solution for viewing and editing P...

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Best Tools to Boost Your File Copying Speed

<div class="article-content c"> <div class="img_preview left"> <a class="g" href="http://art-u1.infcdn.net/articles_uploads/2/2366/Main.png" rel="g" title="Best Tools to Boost Your File Copying Speed"><img alt="" src="http://art-u2.infcdn.net/articles_uploads/2/2366/thumb/Main-665x.png" title="Best Tools to Boost Your File Copying Speed" width="420" /></a> <span>Best Tools to Boost Your File Copying Speed</span> </div> Windows Explorer allows you to copy and paste files, but the speed that you get isn't always the greatest. Especially when you're copying a large number of small files, the time it takes for Microsoft's default utility to complete the process takes longer than it should. Furthermore, depending on your hardware, you probably can't do much else while copying files (if you are to maintain maximum speed), and the standard Windows function doesn't have a pause button, which can be quite frustrating. Here you will find a few tools that provide you with better options and faster speeds for copying files on Windows PCs.<br /> <h2> TeraCopy</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2366/teracopy.png" rel="g" title="TeraCopy"><img alt="TeraCopy" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2366/thumb/teracopy-665x.png" /></a><span>TeraCopy</span></strong></div> <a href="http://teracopy.software.informer.com/" target="_blank">TeraCopy</a> is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the best file copying utilities you can find. Even though you have to pay to enjoy all its features (free version only offers basic functions), this tool is worth it. Unlike most of the other similar applications, this one actually has clean, well-designed interface and offers a ton of features that will simplify many of your tasks. The tool integrates itself into your Windows Shell, so it will be easily accessible at any time.<br /> TeraCopy will test if the location you've selected has enough free space for all your files, recover after errors, verify the integrity of copied data and keep a log of all the files it failed to transfer. Moreover, you can allow or disallow the application to use your system's write cache. The only thing that could use a bit more work is the copying speed, which, although is an improvement over the Windows default one, it's still not as good as the one offered by other tools of the kind. (Despite the warning on our website, the application is completely clean according to the VirusTotal service.)<br /> <h2> FastCopy</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2366/FastCopy.png" rel="g" title="FastCopy"><img alt="FastCopy" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2366/thumb/FastCopy-665x.png" /></a><span>FastCopy</span></strong></div> As its name suggests, <a href="http://fastcopy1.software.informer.com/" target="_blank">FastCopy</a> is a tool that will significantly boost your file-copying speed (in my experience, it's the fastest one available). This tool can work without installation on PC; it can integrate itself into Windows Shell and verify the integrity of your files before wrapping up the copying process. Additionally, the application also embeds a file-wiping utility which makes the data you remove with its help irretrievable.<br /> Unfortunately, there are also several drawbacks to using FastCopy, such as a somewhat poorly designed interface or the lack of the pause / resume functionality for the copying process. However, what's worse is that getting rid of this application can be a bit difficult, especially for beginners.<br /> <h2> KillCopy</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2366/Killcopy.png" rel="g" title=""><img alt="" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2366/thumb/Killcopy-665x.png" /></a></strong></div> <a href="http://killcopy.software.informer.com/" target="_blank">KillCopy</a> is a swift solution for copying your files which offers a few interesting features, including the ability to resume copying after a crash, detailed logs of the files it copies or the capability to verify the files it transfers. Additionally, the tool's settings help you boost reading or writing speeds and reserve disk space for the important files in case you're worried you won't have enough for all your tasks. As far as disadvantages go, although it integrates in the Windows right-click menu, KillCopy has a completely unattractive interface which makes things a bit awkward.<br /> <h2> RichCopy</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2366/RichCopy.png" rel="g" title="RichCopy"><img alt="RichCopy" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2366/thumb/RichCopy-665x.png" /></a><span>RichCopy</span></strong></div> If you're interested in copying files over your network, then<a href="http://microsoft-richcopy.software.informer.com/" target="_blank"> RichCopy</a> is probably the best solution you can choose. Developed by a Microsoft engineer, this tool may look a bit outdated, but it's lightning fast when it comes to LAN file transfers. Additionally, the application offers pause and resume functionality, can continue copying files from where it left off even if the network connection went down during the process, and it is capable of parallel copying. The only things I didn't like about RichCopy is that it's quite slow if you use it locally, and for some reason, you need to go through two separate installers before actually being able to use it.<br /> <h2> Unstoppable Copier</h2> <div class="img_preview right"> <strong><a class="g" href="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2366/UnstopableCopier.png" rel="g" title="Unstopable Copier"><img alt="Unstopable Copier" src="http://articles.informer.com/articles_uploads/2/2366/thumb/UnstopableCopier-665x.png" /></a><span>Unstoppable Copier</span></strong></div> Last on our list is <a href="http://roadkil-s-unstoppable-copier.software.informer.com/" target="_blank">Unstoppable Copier</a>, the right tool to have at your disposal when you're dealing with corrupt files. If you've recovered bulk data from a hard-disk or a DVD and need a way to copy them, this application can help you out. Moreover, the program offers a few additional features, such as the ability to automatically shut down the PC after all the files have been copied or the capability to prioritize undamaged files. The only inconvenience is that Unstoppable Copier offers a slow copying speed when compared to all the previously mentioned tools.<br /> </div>

Best Tools to Boost Your File Copying Speed

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Scientists to launch hunt for alien life on Jupiter's moons

<img src="http://www.hindustantimes.com//images/2015/5/9ddab621-b8be-4ee2-9e54-4fee56996b04wallpaper1.jpg" /> <br /> After a last week's successful mission to Pluto, scientists are preparing to launch a probe to search for life on the icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter, according to media reports.<br /> Earlier this week, the European Space Agency announced that it would collaborate with aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus to launch a space probe in 2022 to look for extra-terrestrial existence on the four icy moons -- Titan, Saturn's largest moon and the ocean-bearing worlds of Europa, Ganymede and Callisto of Jupiter, the Telegraph newspaper reported on Saturday.<br /> Dubbed as the "Juice" (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) spacecraft, the mission will look whether the frozen worlds that surround the two giant gaseous planets could support extra-terrestrial life.<br /> "All our current exciting and fascinating space missions have been dealing with either understanding the origins of life and our Solar System or finding exoplanets (planets that revolve around a star other than the Sun) that might host Earth-like planets," Daniel Brown, an astronomy expert from Nottingham Trent University, was quoted as saying.<br /> "But, life doesn't have to exist on planets like Earth, it could also have developed in oceans within icy moons around Jupiter like gas giants," he added.<br /> It is hoped that micro-organisms or even fish-like creatures may be present in deep-water hydrothermal vents, known as 'black smokers', which are known to harbour life on Earth.<br /> "Juice will be exploring the Titan and three Galilean moons of Jupiter thought to harbour oceans under their surface. It will give us a much better understanding what lies beneath the icy crust and how it could offer an environment for life to develop."<br /> The probe will be launched on an Ariane 5 rocket which would spend seven and a half years slingshotting around Earth, Mars and Venus to pick up enough speed to get to the Jupiter system with as little fuel as possible.<br /> For three and a half years, the spacecraft will sweep around the giant planet, exploring its turbulent atmosphere, enormous magnetosphere, and tenuous set of dark rings, as well as studying the icy moons -- Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto.<br /> The probe will start with Callisto before making two fly-bys of Europa, where it will study the icy surface.

Scientists to launch hunt for alien life on Jupiter's moons

After a last week's successful mission to Pluto, scientists are preparing to launch a probe to search for life on the icy moons of S...

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Microsoft presses 'Send': a new mobile app for quick office communications

<div id="drr-container" itemprop="articleBody"> Email may still be the dominant tool for office communications in many companies today, but Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled a mobile-minded alternative that's focused primarily on short, quick messages.<br /> Dubbed Send, the new tool aims to deliver a simple experience much like that offered by text messaging or instant messaging software, but without the need to know a co-worker's mobile number or username. Instead, Send lets users quickly fire off a message to any co-worker using just their email address; no subject line, salutations or signatures are required.<br /> <aside class="fakesidebar"><strong>[ Digital Spotlight: <a href="http://www.infoworld.com/resources/16298/mobile-device-management/digital-spotlight-enterprise-mobile-app-strategies#tk.ifw-infsb">Enterprise mobile app strategies that work</a>. | Keep up on key mobile developments and insights with the <a href="http://www.infoworld.com/newsletters/signup.html#tk.ifw-infsb">Mobile Computing newsletter</a>. ]</strong></aside>"On my way," might be one example, or "Are you in the office today?"<br /> The app connects to Office 365 business and school email accounts to find frequent and recent contacts; users need only tap on one to start a conversation. A "Quick Reply" option allows for speedy responses.<br /> <aside class="nativo-promo smartphone " id="insert-module-1515"> </aside>That Office 365 connection, meanwhile, also means conversations are synced with Outlook, letting users continue them from anywhere. Messages sent using Send are treated internally like any other work email and comply with an organization's email compliance policies, Microsoft said.<br /> Send is now available free for iPhone <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/garage/#app-send" target="new">through the Microsoft Garage</a> in the United States and Canada; versions for Windows Phone and Android are coming soon, as are additional IT controls. Currently the app works with Office 365 business and school email accounts, but Microsoft plans to make it more broadly available in the coming months, it said.<br /> </div>

Microsoft presses 'Send': a new mobile app for quick office communications

Email may still be the dominant tool for office communications in many companies today, but Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled a mobil...

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Microsoft aims to reboot connections with Windows 10

 <img src="http://www.hindustantimes.com//images/2015/3/189444c2-a10a-4e51-984e-df7e8f688944wallpaper1.jpg" /><br /> <br /> Microsoft is aiming to build lasting relationships with Windows 10, the operating system to be launched on Wednesday and seen as critical to reviving the fortunes of the once-dominant tech giant.<br /> For the first time, Microsoft is making a major new version of Windows available free as an upgrade to anyone using either of the prior two generations of the system.<br /> The goal is to swiftly have Windows 10 powering a billion devices, creating a gigantic audience to induce developers to crank out must-have apps for the platform.<br /> Microsoft hopes to break the cycle in which consumers shun Windows for mobile because it lacks the large catalog of applications found on rival platforms, thus discouraging app makers from creating Windows versions.<br /> Hit apps could ramp up popularity of Windows-driven hardware made by Microsoft and its partners, and increase opportunities for the company to make money from online activities such as search, shopping and software as services in the Internet cloud.<br /> "This is all in the direction of building a relationship, being connected with you," Forrester Research analyst Frank Gillett said of Windows 10.<br /> "They make it free so developers make good stuff. And then create an ongoing relationship instead of just a transaction, which is how Microsoft has operated in the past."<br /> Microsoft has built its empire on packaged software sold to computer users and makers.<br /> Windows remains the leading operating system for personal computers but has failed to gain traction on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, dominated by Google's Android and Apple's iOS.<br /><br /><strong>'Aggressive' move</strong><br /><br />Special events are planned in 13 cities around the world in tribute to the more than five million "insiders"  who took part in a Windows 10 test period.<br /> The operating system will come as a free upgrade to people who already use Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 and will be available in 190 countries.<br /> Microsoft is not making Windows 10 free to computer makers, which is where it has historically gotten the bulk of its revenue from the operating system.<br /> "The piece that is given away free is a piece that nobody was buying anyway," Gartner analyst Stephen Kleynhans told AFP.<br /> "You can think of the free upgrade almost as being a teaser -- a free sample of the new operating system."<br /> Microsoft has also made Windows available free to makers of small-screen gadgets such as smartphones or tablets to gain traction in the mobile market.<br /> Windows 10 will come pre-installed on Microsoft-compatible computers and tablets from July 29 and will be available for purchase later in the year.<br /> The move marks a major launch for Microsoft, after the lukewarm response to Windows 8, which was rolled out in 2013. <br /> To mark the shift, Microsoft skipped directly from Windows 8 to Windows 10.<br /> "This the first time they have gone two generations back and said you are getting it free. It is pretty aggressive," said independent technology analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group.<br /> "They are doing it because Windows 8 bounced. They have to move the Windows 7 and 8 users and do it en masse."<br /><br /><strong>High hopes</strong><br /><br />Microsoft has high hopes for Windows 10, which it wants to see installed in a billion devices around the world by 2018. Some 1.5 billion machines run on earlier versions of the operating system.<br /> Windows 10 boasts a common base on which developers will be able to build apps that work on smartphones, tablets, PCs and desktops, and even Xbox. It will also feature virtual assistant Cortana.<br /> The new operating system is critical for Microsoft as the PC market has been shrinking while smartphone sales have boomed. <br /> And even in PCs, the longtime Microsoft bastion is under siege by devices such as Android or Apple tablets and Google Chromebooks.<br /> "The hope is to pull the application guys over, particularly on the phone side where Microsoft has struggled, and give users a common experience on phone, tablet, and PC," Enderle said.<br /> "Microsoft phones are still strategic."<br /> Early this month, Microsoft said it will cut 7,800 jobs and wrote down the value of the struggling mobile phone division it acquired last year from Nokia by some $7.6 billion.<br /> The announcement represented the second major round of layoffs in a year for Microsoft, which cut some 18,000 jobs a year ago as part of its effort to integrate the Finnish-based phone group.<br /> Microsoft said that it would "restructure the company's phone hardware business to better focus and align resources."<br /> Satya Nadella, who became chief executive in 2014, is seeking to reinvigorate a company that had been the world's largest but which has lost the leadership of the tech sector in recent years.<br /> Gillett predicted that Microsoft will shift from doing major Windows releases to routinely honing the software and adding features.<br /> "The dramatic idea is that this is Windows as an ongoing service experience that evolves with you," the Forrester analyst said.<br /> Microsoft's efforts to adapt to modern Internet trends have included making popular productivity programs available as cloud services and as applications on mobile devices powered by Apple or Android software.<br /> "They really are focused on delivering a range of cloud services, and in a lot of cases it won't just be on Microsoft's platforms," said Gartner analyst Kleynhans.<br />"It's a good strategy."

Microsoft aims to reboot connections with Windows 10

  Microsoft is aiming to build lasting relationships with Windows 10, the operating system to be launched on Wednesday and seen as critic...

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