Nokia N1 unboxing and preview (Video)

A few months ago, I wrote an editorial questioning why so many people wanted a Nokia N1 tablet. Importantly, though,  I also said that I found the potential of the N1 alluring, and wanted badly to experience it for myself. While we did briefly catch up with the N1 at MWC 2015 in Barcelona, I wasn’t on that side of the show floor that morning … so I had to wait for today to see what all the fuss was about.

From what I can see so far, some of said fuss is totally justified.The Nokia N1 is notable in part for its specs, which include a 6.9mm-thick aluminum chassis, a 7.9″ 2048×1536 IPS display, and a 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 processor clocked at 2.3 GHz and backed up by 2GB of RAM. Its most striking feature, though, has no numbers in it at all: it’s the “NOKIA” brand name stamped onto the back cover, signifying that this sucker comes right out of Finland (by way of Foxconn). It was designed by the slice of the company that didn’t head over to Microsoft with the rest of the Windows Phone acquisition, and accordingly, it’s not running anything resembling Windows. Instead, the Nokia Z Launcher sits atop an AOSP Lollipop build, beckoning you to start tracing out app titles within seconds of booting it up.

The tablet feels very nice in the hand. Its aluminum casing has been sandblasted for a satin-y finish, which combines with the wide-radius corners to make for a very comfortable first heft. It’s significantly smaller than both the Nexus 9 and the iPad Air. And like both of those devices, the N1’s screen sports a 4:3 aspect ratio – still a rarity for the Android tablet world, which remains dominated by 16:9 and 16:10 devices.I’m looking forward to getting to know this little tablet. The battery has a capacity of 5300 mAh and the Atom processor is just begging to be stress-tested by some high-intensity games. The speakers on the bottom are half a watt each and they surround a USB Type-C port, notable for its reversible charging connector. And maybe there’s something to Nokia’s Z Launcher, some evanescent quality that I missed on my first hands-on. But more than all this, the Nokia N1 just feels so high-quality and compact that I can’t help but be excited. The Android tablet world doesn’t have an abundance of superstars, and the top-notch build and legendary brand name make the Nokia N1 an almost instant contender. We’ll find out just how well it stacks up in our full review, coming soon.Our Nokia N1 unboxing and review unit comes to us from the fine folks at 28Mobile, bringing you the most sought-after mobile devices in the world, no matter where in the world you are. To get a Nokia N1 of your own, pay ‘em a visit at 28mobile.com – and tell ‘em Tech Mew sent you.

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch

With its combination of design, ports, performance and

price, the 13-inch MacBook Air is the most well-rounded

of Apple's offerings. Starting at $999 (for a Core i5

 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD), the 13-inch 

Air lasted more than 12 hours on our battery test, which 

is well above the ultraportable laptop average. We wish

 its resolution were higher than 1440 x 900 pixels, but 

overall, this is our top pick.

iPad Plus rumors continue, this time with case renders

For a minute there, we thought that the launch of Apple’s new MacBook would be the end of the iPad Pro/Plus rumors that we’ve been talking about for months. We only had one Cupertino product with a 12-inch display in our radar, and that ended up matching some of the specs of Apple’s new notebook. What’s interesting is that rumors for this larger iPad continue, and this time we hear of design changes.

Case manufacturers are rarely wrong with case designs, and today we land some new leaks that show us the case for a larger iPad Plus or iPad Pro, and probably the most striking difference of this product with existing iPads, is that there seems to be a new speaker design. If you notice closely, you’ll find four cutouts for what we assume to be speaker grills. This will definitely address some of the existing complaints with how bad iPad sound can be, but given the fact that these aren’t front firing, we doubt this will make the amount of difference consumers need.

Apple is also famous for prototyping products it doesn’t launch, so keep these rumors with a big “may not happen” note on top. We’ll keep you posted if more data emerges.

Aorus X3 Plus v3 Review

The Pros

Attractive, lightweight chassis; Excellent graphics and overall performance; Solid battery life; Blisteringly fast transfer speeds

The Cons

Lackluster audio quality; Jumpy cursor; Runs hot during gaming

Verdict

The Aorus X3 Plus v3 combines the power of Nvidia's top-end GeForce GTX 970M GPU with a slim aluminum chassis.

- See more at: http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/aorus-x3-plus-v3#sthash.MpZWKOSv.dpuf

Tech Mew's offcial Facebook Page

Yes, After waiting for 2 days 3 hours 17 seconds, Tech Mew's Facebook page is now done. Below is the link to it. Make sure you vsit it and Like for more exciting newss..

https://www.facebook.com/techmew1?ref=hl

HP Spectre x360 Review

The Pros

Long battery life; Stylish design; Sturdy hinges; Bright display

The Cons

Uncomfortable to hold as tablet; Bottom runs warm

Verdict

The HP Spectre x360 is a sleek aluminum convertible laptop with swift performance, long battery life and a rich, full-HD touch screen.

- See more at: http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/hp-spectre-x360-13t#sthash.VUtqbRPX.dpuf

Google may revamp its Photos and Auto-Backup services soon

Google has gained a lot of fame for many of its services, but Google+ is definitely not one of them. Some of us still debate the need for another social network, and even with how useful Google+ can be for backing up your photos, not everyone likes the idea. Google seems to have noticed this particular pattern in users, and reports claim that this is the main reason why things might change soon.

It seems that some code buried within an update to the Photos app points to a new update to come, which might change the dynamics of how the app works. The rumors are that now you won’t be forced to use Google+ as your backup source, and that Google might shift things to Google Drive instead, which makes far more logical sense. At this point it’s hard to predict if Google will provide users with more storage options given the amount of space that photos can take from your Google Drive account. We might even see the Photos app separated from Google+, but time will tell.

The source claims that we might see these changes as early as this week, so stay tuned.

MSI GT80 Titan SLI Review

The Pros

Elegant, yet imposing design; Comfortable mechanical keyboard; Bright, vibrant display; Digital touchpad transforms into number pad; Removable top panel lets you upgrade components

The Cons

Poor battery life, even for a gaming notebook; Speakers could use more bass

Verdict

With its face-melting performance, a fantastic mechanical keyboard and upgrade-friendly chassis, the MSI GT80 Titan SLI is the gaming laptop to beat.

- See more at: http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/msi-gt80-titan-sli-gaming-laptop#sthash.ijGBzJDd.dpuf

iPad Plus rumors continue, this time with case renders

For a minute there, we thought that the launch of Apple’s new MacBook would be the end of the iPad Pro/Plus rumors that we’ve been talking about for months. We only had one Cupertino product with a 12-inch display in our radar, and that ended up matching some of the specs of Apple’s new notebook. What’s interesting is that rumors for this larger iPad continue, and this time we hear of design changes.

Case manufacturers are rarely wrong with case designs, and today we land some new leaks that show us the case for a larger iPad Plus or iPad Pro, and probably the most striking difference of this product with existing iPads, is that there seems to be a new speaker design. If you notice closely, you’ll find four cutouts for what we assume to be speaker grills. This will definitely address some of the existing complaints with how bad iPad sound can be, but given the fact that these aren’t front firing, we doubt this will make the amount of difference consumers need.

Apple is also famous for prototyping products it doesn’t launch, so keep these rumors with a big “may not happen” note on top. We’ll keep you posted if more data emerges.

Galaxy S6 won’t fight you on removing pre-loaded apps

In the months leading up to Samsung’s launch of the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, we fielded dozens and dozens of rumors, covering everything from the design of these handsets, to the silicon powering them, to the software they’d run. And on that latter point we were told to expect some significant changes from TouchWiz, as Samsung pared down its custom UI to help distance itself from a reputation as a laggy, bloated add-on. One of the ways we heard Samsung could accomplish this is by changing the way pre-loaded apps were installed, no longer forcing quite so many down the user’s throat. Now as early phones make their way out to the hands of testers we’re getting some new reports on the full extent of what we’re dealing with, and besides shipping these phones with fewer pre-loaded titles, Samsung’s also making it a breeze to remove many of those that are there by default.

From Samsung’s own S-titles, to Google’s core apps, and even some Microsoft offerings like Skype, a large swath of pre-loaded software can be selectively removed by the user.

To be fair, we don’t have quite the full story just yet – the source behind these shots doesn’t clarify which programs can be full-on deleted and which are only just disabled (but retained in device memory – an important distinction). Still, it’s a promising start, and we’ll be curious to look into this further as we get our own hands on a GS6 for a full review.

Beyond this insight into app removal we also find out how much free space the GS6 should ship with, with the 64GB GS6 Edge arriving with 54.3GB remaining.

New MacBook Is Too Ahead of Its Time

There are a lot of shocking things about the new 12-inch MacBook. One is how light it is. Two pounds! Another is that the Force Touch trackpad provides a clicking sensation without moving at all. Taptic magic! But the most shocking thing is what’s missing.

You won’t find an SD Card slot, multiple USB ports, or a dedicated DisplayPort or HDMI port on this $1,299 slice of the future. There’s only a single USB Type-C port. That’s it?! Yes. Apple says that this port puts “just about everything you need in one place.” This new standard can deliver power to the laptop, charge gadgets, handle data transfer and feed video to external displays.

The problem is that the MacBook’s port can’t do more than one of the above tasks at once without help. Here’s what I mean.

Scenario 1: Charging your iPhone or connecting your camera

Say you want to charge your iPhone with the 12-inch MacBook while you’re out and about. You can, but only if you buy the USB-C to USB adapter ($19), which plugs into the USB-C port. It’s yet another thing you’ll need to carry. Dongles for everyone! Keep in mind, too, that this accessory won’t let you charge your MacBook and iPhone at once, just the latter. (There’s another add-on for juicing both at the same timeSee below.)

Want to transfer pics from your camera to the MacBook and enjoy them on the lush 2,304 x 1,440-pixel Retina display? You’ll need to pack both the USB cable for your camera and a USB-C adapter. In general, I much prefer using an SD Card slot. No cables required.

It’s clear that members of the target audience for the new MacBook will be using their iPhones to take most of their pics, which will get uploaded to iCloud, or will use a digital camera with Wi-Fi built in.

MORE: New 12-inch Retina MacBook Hands-on: Pros and Cons

Scenario 2: Using an external monitor

Although the 1.1-GHz Core M processor inside the new MacBook isn’t as fast as a Core i5 CPU, it should still be capable enough to handle most computing chores. But no one wants to use just a 12-inch display at his or her desk. To connect to a larger monitor, you’ll need to spring for a different accessory.

The $79 USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter includes three ports: HDMI for displays, USB-C for charging and a regular USB port for charging. If you’re old school and need to connect to 

There are a lot of shocking things about the new 12-inch MacBook. One is how light it is. Two pounds! Another is that the Force Touch trackpad provides a clicking sensation without moving at all. Taptic magic! But the most shocking thing is what’s missing.

You won’t find an SD Card slot, multiple USB ports, or a dedicated DisplayPort or HDMI port on this $1,299 slice of the future. There’s only a single USB Type-C port. That’s it?! Yes. Apple says that this port puts “just about everything you need in one place.” This new standard can deliver power to the laptop, charge gadgets, handle data transfer and feed video to external displays.

The problem is that the MacBook’s port can’t do more than one of the above tasks at once without help. Here’s what I mean.

Scenario 3: Connecting to wired networksWhen I’m back at my desk, I use my MacBook Pro to connect to the office network. It’s just more reliable than Wi-Fi. But to do that I need to plug in Apple’s Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter ($29). The MacBook doesn’t have a Thunderbolt port, though. That means that if you prefer a fast, wired connection, you’ll have to get a third-party USB 3 to Ethernet adapter ($19) and plug that into Apple’s $79 Multiport Adapter.

To be fair, the new MacBook is designed to be wireless, and it supports the fastest 802.11ac standard. But you will have to find workarounds if you want to go the wired route. Your IT guy will not like this notebook.

MORE: USB Type-C FAQ: Everything You Need to Know

Way Ahead of the Curve

Who is the new MacBook for? That’s the $1,299 question. I don’t believe it’s for folks who just want to surf the Web on the sofa or get work done at the coffee shop. There are much less expensiveUltrabooks, Chromebooks and (yes) MacBook Airs for that.

The 12-inch MacBook also isn’t ideal for road warriors like me who tend to carry multiple gadgets that need to be juiced. (I could maybe live without an SD Card slot, but the MacBook could really use an extra USB 3 port.) This machine is really for those who want to make a statement and cut ties to the computing past while still getting close to a full PC experience. Think people who have been trying to use an iPad on the road with a keyboard — and hating it. I’m just not in this crowd, at least not yet.

Keep in mind that I also didn’t love the first MacBook Air in 2008, which was radical for its time because it lacked Ethernet and an optical drive. It had a single USB port and no memory card slot, and the battery life was too short. But the line got better over time, becoming one of the top sellers because Apple improved upon its bold bet and listened to user feedback, adding additional ports and vastly improving endurance. I expect history to repeat itself.

Microsoft enables Windows 10 on Android-powered Xiaomi Mi4

The Xiaomi Mi4 is an Android phone, in case you didn’t know. And, judging by our own tests and conclusions, it’s a pretty good Android phone. That, until Microsoft decided to work on a ROM that will allow Mi4 users to boot into Windows 10. Before anyone reads more into it, Xiaomi emphasized that this is not a partnership, but more like the OEM offering assistance to Microsoft with the trial.

While there are no details about the software being trialled, TechCrunch believes, based on its sources, that the Microsoft ROM allows users to bypass Android and boot into a fully working version of Windows 10, complete with Microsoft services, basically turning the Mi4 into a Windows Phone.

We’ve already seen the same hardware being capable of running both Android and Windows Phone, with the HTC One M8, but this is something different. Whether we’ll see this certain Microsoft ROM available for other devices as well is yet unknown. However, here’s the statement detailing some of the aspects:

“As part of the Windows Insider Program, Microsoft will partner with Xiaomi to offer Windows 10 free downloads to a select group of Xiaomi Mi4 users. Xiaomi Mi4 users will get the ability to flash their phones with the new Windows 10 OS and provide feedback to Xiaomi and Microsoft on their experience. This partnership will allow Xiaomi and Microsoft to get direct user feedback and continue to improve the experience for China. Microsoft is thrilled to see Xiaomi embracing Windows 10 and offering this great value to their customers. We’re excited to see the feedback we receive from this audience.

Xiaomi is a leading phone manufacturer in China undergoing significant global expansion. We are excited to partner with them in China and jointly gather feedback from Chinese users on their experience with Windows 10 to jointly collaborate on product and services development for the platform.

Availability will be announced in the months to come.”

Best Gaming Laptop 2015

With all the blockbuster games arriving this year, the gamer in your life is going to need a souped-up rig to handle the onslaught. But which laptop to get? Do you go for extreme portability, face-melting power or find that ever-elusive best-of-both-worlds machine? To help with your gifting decisions -- and what to get for yourself -- here are our top picks for gaming laptops for  2015. - 

MSI GT80 Titan SLI

MSI packed a whole lot of win into the GT80 Titan SLI's imposing 9.9-pound frame. It's one of the first gaming laptops to feature a mechanical keyboard, which delivers speed and accuracy whether you're gaming or typing. In case you need a number pad to help you dole out the beat down, the digital trackpad transforms into a numpad with a quick touch of the button. But the Titan is more than its keyboard. Equipped with a powerful Intel Core i7 CPU and two Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M GPUs in SLI configuration, it's double the power, double the fun. Best of all, the chassis allows you to upgrade the GPU, hard drive and RAM, future-proofing your purchase.

Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch Retina Display (2015) Review -

The Pros

Bright display; Fast hard drive speed; Innovative Force Touch trackpad; Very long battery life

The Cons

Not as thin and light as competition; SD Card sticks out

Verdict

Blazing speed, an innovative new touchpad and super-long battery life put the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro in a class of its own.

- See more at: http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/apple-macbook-pro-13-inch-retina-2015#sthash.CuVhsA6y.dpuf

Samsung is bundling Microsoft's Office apps on some Android tablets

Samsung is expanding on its recent partnership with Microsoft to preinstall Office on select Android tablets. The move follows a similar bundling on Samsung’s Galaxy S6 handsets, with Microsoft's Skype, OneDrive, and OneNote apps preinstalled in a special "Microsoft Apps" folder that is pinned on the homescreen. Samsung will start preinstalling Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive, and Skype on "select Android tablets" in the first half of this year, with plans to offer Microsoft’s Office 365 service to businesses that opt for Samsung devices.

"Our partnership with Samsung is emblematic of our efforts to bring the best of Microsoft's productivity services to everyone, on every device, so people can be productive wherever, however and whenever they want," explains Peggy Johnson, Microsoft’s head of business development. While the partnership clearly backs up Microsoft’s plans to have Office everywhere, it comes just over a month after Samsung and Microsoft ended a bitter Android royalties dispute. Both companies announced the end of their contract dispute in a join statement last month, but kept the fresh deal terms confidential. Part of the court case revealed that Microsoft earned $1 billion from Samsung in the form of patent-licensing loyalties during 2013.

Select Google Store purchases can net you $50 in Play credit

In case you’ve been on the edge about whether or not to purchase one of Google’s recent devices, now may just be the perfect time to act. The company, to commemorate the launch of its brand-new Google Store, has started up a new offer to help sweeten the deal when buying select devices – this Google Store purchase deal will let you get $50 in credit that can be applied across the entire Google Play software store.

To be eligible to the offer, you must purchase a Nexus 6, Nexus 9, or any Android Wear watch, and your order must be completed through the Store. The deal will be available through March 31, and it’s open now; to take advantage, simply order one of the eligible devices through your Google account, and a promo code will be emailed to you with the Play credit available as a redemption code. And while we’re on the topic of redemption, you’ll have to redeem the $50 by April 20 and use it by September 1 in order to not miss out on the entirety of the offer.

While this is slightly bittersweet given the restriction, $50 is $50, and there likely hasn’t been a better time to buy yourself a Google product.

Got a Chromecast? Google has a free movie rental for you

Do you count yourself among the millions of Chromecast users out there? The Google dongle has emerged as one of the most convenient ways to get online content onto your television, and even with its two-year birthday coming up, it’s still running strong. Google’s making investments in keeping users happy with their Chromecasts not just by bringing Chromecast support to more and more apps, but also by hooking users up with some free offers. Last month we shared with you news of a free Play Store credit for Chromecast users, and this month Google’s back with a similar offer.

Last time around, the intention was for you to redeem the six dollars Google was handing out on a romantic Valentine’s Day film rental. A nice idea, sure, but you could just as easily drop those six bucks on a couple new games. This time, Google’s dead-set on you renting a film, and this latest promotion offers you a free shot at doing just that.

Instead of a Play Store credit, following the redemption link from the Chromecast app or the Chrome browser on your PC will take you to the Play Store, from which you choose the title you’d like to rent. Google will comp your rental fee when you go to check out, after which you’re free to start watching. With lots of new titles to choose from, we’re sure you’ll be able to find one to keep you entertained this weekend.

Alienware, MSI and Origin weigh in on the age of upgradable laptops

Unlike desktops, notebooks are notorious for being disposable. Buying a notebook usually comes with the expectation you'll toss after a few years in favor of something newer, complete with a faster processor, beefier graphics card or more storage. But as this year's crop of gaming laptops shows, this throw-it-away mentality isn't necessarily the case anymore.

Just look at MSI, which will replace mobile graphics cards on its bulkiest gaming laptops after a user has owned the machine for some time. Meanwhile, Origin has fitted its latest EON15-X and EON17-X gaming laptops with desktop processors, complete with a socketed connection for easily swappable components. In the last few months, we've seen two GPU boxes from Alienware and MSI that allow hardware tweakers to plug in a desktop graphics card, potentially opening up their system to years of upgrades.Easy upgradability has been a hallmark of desktop computers, but now it's starting to spill over to gaming laptops. To get a handle on this modular movement, we talked to the top notebook manufacturers about the advantages of an upgradable laptop, and take a look at why it hasn't come to more consumer machines - yet.

Under the hood

The MSI GT80 Titan is better known as one of the most insane gaming laptops thanks to its built-in mechanical keyboard, but hardcore PC gamers are equally drawn to its simple upgradability. Undo two screws and the entire front top pops off, giving you access to the flash storage, memory, hard drive and optical drive.

What's more, users can send their laptop back to MSI for a hot new graphics card. Typically servicing your laptop means fixing a problem, but for the last few years the Taiwanese computer maker has offered GPU upgrades for users who want to keep their systems up to date.

MSI's Clifford Chun told TechRadar that a lot of users buy new laptops when the next generation of graphics cards comes out. However, with this upgrade path, users keep using their machines for longer and stretching their dollars in the process."That way they're not spending $2,000 for one year, they're actually spending it for three years or longer," Chun said.

Rather than permanently soldering the graphics card to the laptops logic board, MSI has employed an MXM card connection that it can easily unplug and replace.

"It's very easy to just pull out the fan [and] the thermal modules and the MXM card will just slide out, letting you put in a new one," Chun said.

Putting the desktop in laptop

MSI isn't the only company to offer MXM card-based GPU upgrades. Origin provides the same service and now it's taking the modular concept of laptops to an even higher level with a desktop processor inside its latest EON15-X and EON17-X gaming machines.Origin Marketing Manager Eddy Piedra said it's exactly the same CPU you would find in a full-size desktop from the part to the LGA 1150 socket it plugs into. This in turn means the processor is not soldered to the motherboard, allowing users to send their laptop back to the manufacturer for an easy processor replacement.

Piedra explained that the desktop processor is more beneficial for users who edit video and use other processor-heavy pro applications. At the same time, the beefier CPU is useful for games with lots of artificial intelligence-driven characters such as Elder Scrolls Skyrim and Civilization V.

There are more advantages than just performance as Piedra told us: "the [Intel] 4790K processor is half the price of the extreme mobile processor, so just overall the system is cheaper to begin with and we have really good overclocking abilities [too]."This isn't the first time Origin has made a gaming laptop with a desktop processor humming inside. Three years ago, the boutique computer maker came out with an EON17-X, based on the Clevo P570WM, rocking an Intel Sandy Bridge processor.

"On the old unit [it] had a desktop processor and it was an SLI system, so you used to have dual 300-watt AC adapter to power it," Tony Berry, Origin's mobile product manager, said. "These notebooks now with the single GPU and desktop processor use a 230-watt, really slim AC adapter. It's kind of crazy how things have changed in just a few years."

Despite running with a desktop processor again, Origin says it's worked closely with Clevo to develop a compact system. The new EON17-X is 37% thinner and 30% lighter compared to the older model. This is thanks to Origin dumping the optical drive and creating a unified cooling system with one big heat sink for both the CPU and GPU.

3 best Linux distros: Which one is right for you?

1. Ubuntu:

While not the first distro designed for inexperienced Linux desktop users, Ubuntu has established itself as one of the most well-known.

The distro features the home-grown Unity desktop, one of the most polarising desktop environments in the Linux ecosystem. But that's about the extent of the project's missteps. For the most part, the distro remains incredibly polished and sophisticated for all manner of users, but especially new converts.

Ubuntu has one of the easiest installation mechanisms. It doesn't include proprietary codecs by default, but you can include them during installation simply by clicking a checkbox. This distro is released twice a year with regular Long Term Support (LTS) releases that are supported for five years.

One of the most exciting new features of version 14.10 is user-level container control. This allows for greater security as users can run containers with superuser privileges. The latest release also features support for OpenStack Juno, which is a feature more relevant to experienced users than newbies.

Tools for browsing the web, accessing emails, playing multimedia files and working with office documents are available out of the box. The distro also boasts of one the largest software repositories that you can easily mine for additional apps, and Ubuntu Software Centre remains one of the best software management tools that has inspired various clones.

Verdict: This is a sterling distro which is very polished and sophisticated, and remains a great choice for those new to the world of Linux.
Rating:9/10

2. OpenSUSE 13.2:

One of the most popular RPM-based distros, OpenSUSE, has shunned its KDE preference and now looks consistent across desktops. However, it remains one of the leading users of (and contributors to) the KDE desktop.

Its all-in-one management tool YaST (Yet another Setup Tool) can handle software installation as well as system configuration and administration. It can be used to configure just about every aspect of the system, from appearance to hardware. While it's convenient to have all these settings in one place, it can seem a bit overwhelming and intimidating, especially to new Linux users.

Taking a cue from distros that feature a straightforward installer, the latest release of OpenSUSE features a very simple installer. Almost all the advanced options, such as setting up a printer and configuring LDAP, are no longer a part of the installer, making the process quick and more appealing to new users.

One of OpenSUSE's most popular features is the ability to revert between two snapshots. A snapshot is created every time you make changes to the system with the YaST configuration tool. With the Snapper tool, you can then compare the changes and also revert to the previous snapshot of the system.

Another innovative feature aimed at new users is the one-click install system which makes installation of packages a breeze.

Verdict: OpenSUSE has taken major steps to be more appealing to new users. Everything from installation to software management is easier with the latest release.
Rating: 8/10

3. Fedora:

One of the oldest Linux distros, Fedora can trace its origins back to the 1990s and Red Hat Linux. Fedora came into being when Red Hat decided to split its Red Hat Linux distribution into Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora Project in 2003.

The distro aims to provide a completely free software system and has traditionally been pitched as an alternative to Ubuntu. Due to its focus on providing bleeding edge software and server-centric features, this RPM-based distro has often been described as suitable for advanced users.

Fedora's ease of use has diminished since the introduction of the Gnome 3 desktop, a phenomenal departure from the traditional desktop metaphor. The Gnome project, however, has worked tirelessly to provide a better user experience to new users and this is evident in the latest releases.

Fedora has traditionally lacked a decent software management tool despite several attempts at providing a suitable alternative to the popular Synaptic Package Manager. Perhaps it will have better luck with Gnome Software, the continuously improving Ubuntu Software Centre lookalike.

The project aims for a new release roughly every six months. With the next release, Fedora will begin offering three variants: Cloud, Server and Workstation. Each of these will be built upon the same base, with other components added on to suit the target user base.

Verdict: A very capable distro for an experienced Linux user, and one that's trying to reinvent itself.Rating: 7/10

Best free MP3 software: Top 3 programs for playing and managing your music!

In these days of Spotify streaming, an MP3 collection may seem like a throwback – but managing your own music means you never need to worry about it disappearing, being unable to get on the internet or hearing it in lower quality than you'd like. While Windows Media Player and Windows 8's music player do their best, there are better apps to play, organise and sort out your collection. These are our favourites.

1. Winamp

For many of us, Winamp is the only music player worth mentioning: it's been around since the earliest days of digital music, and while various ownership issues mean development has been halted for a while as lawyers fight each other, it remains a fantastic and very flexible music player.In addition to supporting every audio format you can possibly imagine, Winamp supports skins to change its appearance and plugins that add new features – equalisers, audio processors, visualisations and more. As its slogan goes, "it really kicks the llama's butt" – we can't wait to see what the new version in 2015 will bring.

2. MediaMonkey

MediaMonkey is a great app for organising and playing music libraries of any size. It can automatically rename your MP3s and sort out the way your music files are organised; it can fix broken ID3 tags and tell you if tracks have been duplicated, and it makes it easy to share your music with other devices, including Apple and Android kit, Smart TVs, DNLA-compatible Blu-ray players and so on.Some of the advanced features are limited to the paid-for Gold version, but the free version delivers an awful lot of bang for zero bucks.

3. iTunes

If you've got an iPod touch, iPhone or iPad then Apple really, really wants you to use iTunes, and while it's not everybody's favourite, it remains the best way to get music onto Apple devices.The latest version introduces an improved user interface, Family Sharing (which enables you to share purchases with other members of your family without having to share your account details or passwords), better playlist editing and performance improvements. If you find it runs a little slowly, delete the Smart Playlists and disable the Genius feature: they seem to have a big impact on iTunes' performance.

Panasonic is the first to bring Freeview Play to your living room

You may remember that Freeview Play was announced a little while back, with the intention of upsetting the YouView applecart somewhat.

Today, Panasonic has announced that it will be producing TVs that use the new service, making it the first manufacturer to do so.

 

The service will come to some of its 2015 range of Viera TVs. This is a distinct change from Sony moving to include YouView in its 2015 range of TVs, so that battle continues, even if it is a very weak and slightly dull battle.

Flexibility

Crucially, of course, it's a free service that brings a much more flexible EPG (electronic program guide) with it. Somewhat mimicking the YouView EPG in that it allows you to scroll backwards through the EPG and select programmes you want to watch via catch-up.

The service also offers the advantage of a branded and simplified EPG for manufacturers who don't want to build their own.

Catch-up services will include all the terrestrial players, including Channel 5 and the ubiquitous BBC iPlayer. Channel 4 will be renaming its 4oD too, and it will soon be known as All 4.

HTC One M9 vs HTC One M8 (Video)

If you’ve got an HTC One M9 question not answered by our stunningly dense 4000-word review and accompanying 11-minute review video, your needs might be getting a little intense. I mean, c’mon. Right?

But I know how it is. Sometimes, you don’t have time for the full review treatment. Sometimes, you’re just interested in seeing what’s changed over the past twelve months. Or you already own last year’s HTC flagship and you want to see if this year’s is worth your trouble. Or you just want to find out how different two products that look nigh-on identical could possibly be.

For that, friends, we have comparison videos.

“But wait!” you wail, verging on tears, “didn’t you already do one of those in Barcelona? Didn’t you even call it ‘HTC One M9 vs HTC One M8?’ What in blazes is going on here?!”

SEE THE VIDEO TO KNOW MORE:

What if the Apple Watch price drives people from iOS?

Last weekend on the debate, we examined the price of the Apple Watch. The cheapest Apple watch came in at 33% greater than the most expensive competition, the Pebble Time Steel. Whether or not the price is too high isn’t the question this week. What we’re going to examine this week is whether or not the Apple Watch price will help or hinder the platform in general. After that, I promise we won’t talk about money.

Here’s the part where I say that pricing for all of these devices varies by region, so we’re going to concentrate of US pricing for the sake of consistency. Consider for a moment, you are in the smartphone market. You want to go out and get a brand new smartphone and smart watch. Looking at the options out there, is the Apple watch still a viable entity? The “Apple tax” isn’t really there for phones. Flagship pricing for both iOS and Android are comparable to each other. So let’s dispel that notion right off the bat.

Variety is the spice of life

If you’re in the market for an Android Phone and an Android watch, then you have a pretty wide variety of choices. Of course there are a ton of flagship Android phones out there, but there are a lot of respectable mid-range phones as well, including the Nexus 5, Moto G, Moto X, HTC Desire Eye and others. So right off the bat, you’re saving some money over Apple which offers the iPhone 5c, iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. It could be argued that the iPhone 5 flavors of phones are the “midrange” offerings for Apple, but I’m sorry. I just have a hard time taking that screen size seriously – and so should you.

So Android’s variety offers Android an advantage in this arena. The cost of entry is significantly cheaper than it is for Apple. Could this actually drive iPhone customers to Android? It may very well do that, but that’s harder to imaging considering in that scenario, the user already has an iPhone, and the Apple Watch is the only thing on the wish list, as opposed to phone and watch for Android. But for the user whose contract is up, or is in the market to buy an new phone and watch, the advantage clearly falls to Android.

And yet…

Consider not just the device, but also the software behind the device. We are talking about apps, and media of course. Many people have put a lot of money into the iOS ecosystem and might be hesitant to leave. Putting aside the savings in (potentially) the phone and (definitely) the watch, there’s a lot of replacement that would have to happen. It’s not necessarily the cost of the replacement. Honestly, that probably wouldn’t even come close to erasing the monetary savings. What I’m referring to is more the annoyance factor in replacing an entire ecosystem. A user would have to dig in and find apps that replaced the apps already on the other phone, they’d have to buy them, set them up, and it’s really just a major pain.

Selling power

Plus, let’s not forget that we’re talking about Apple. I promise this is the last time I will say this, but if there is any company that can sell an overpriced smartwatch, it’s Apple. Apple has bred a culture of people who don’t mind spending more for perceived (or, let’s be honest, sometimes actual) superiority over other offerings. Apple can price the Apple Watch anywhere it wants and chances are the darn thing will sell. So this alone will not turn away people en masse. Sure, some people may be turned away from the entire platform because of the price of the watch, but realistically those will be the exceptions, not the rules.

What do you think? Will the price of the Apple Watch drive people away from the platform? Is the price enough to make people switch away to a platform with more affordable options? If you were in the market for a smartphone/smartwatch, would price be a major determining factor? Or is it just a matter of sticking with what you know because that’s what works for you? If you had to pick between Apple and Android, or even between Windows Phone (and the Microsoft Band) and Apple, who is going to be getting your hard-earned greenbacks? Sound off below in the comments and let’s see if we can figure this out.

Best buy: Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Price: about £1499/US$1699 body only, £1878/US$2049 with 18-135mm lens |Sensor: APS-C CMOS | Megapixels: 20.2 | Lens mount: Canon EF-S | Screen: 3-inch, 1,040,000 dots | Continuous shooting speed: 10fps | Max video resolution: 1080p

Canon fans had to wait a long time for a replacement for the EOS 7D, the company's top APS-C format digital SLR. The original 7D was ahead of its time, with a powerful AF system (for the time), high-speed continuous shooting and full HD movie capability.

But the 7D Mark II is a big step forward in every way. It's designed for enthusiast photographers who want to shoot a bit of everything and need a versatile camera that can cope with a wide range of subjects and conditions – and the EOS 7D Mark II's weatherproofing means that it can be used in harsher conditions than all of Canon's other current DSLRs apart from the pro-level EOS-1DX.

Its state-of-the-art 65-point autofocus system (all cross type) copes well with moving subjects as they move around the frame or towards/away from the camera.

The metering system with its new 150,000-pixel RGB and infrared sensor is also extremely capable and delivers correctly exposed images in a wide range of conditions. Noise is controlled well, colours good and images have an impressive amount of detail for the camera's pixel count.

The 7D Mark II is an excellent camera, indeed it's Canon's best APS-C format model to date. It's not often that we recommend making a direct upgrade from a previous model, but the 7D Mark II is such an improvement over the 7D that it's worth it.

Unfortunately, it's also the most expensive enthusiasts camera, though this may change when it's been out for a little longer and prices start to fall.

• Canon EOS 7D Mark II review
• Page 2: Cheaper mid-range alternatives