5 Features Windows 10 Should Borrow From Mac OS X Yosemite

Apple’s OS X and Microsoft’s Windows operating systems have always fought for being acclaimed as the most awesome and productive OS in the global markets, and the picture hasn’t changed yet! Sometimes, users might comment that OS X series is quite costly and unaffordable while Windows offer better features and tools at a cheaper price. In a reply, Apple users always defend by saying that the OS X’s features are premium and are more advanced. Well, the battle can’t be won easily as Mac OS X had come with the latest features years ago, and Windows follows the same or improves the existing features later on. Researchers have found that many of the Windows 10’s best features like virtual desktops, expose-like window management, and a notification center was introduced by Apple ages ago. 

Since, users don’t bother about who invented what first, Microsoft should borrow these 5 top features from Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite for its Windows 10:

1.    Offering free upgrades

 

This feature got introduced first with the Mavericks 10.9 in 2013. By accessing this, all the existing Mac users were allowed to upgrade to the latest version of Mac OS X for free. Tech experts suggested that Microsoft should also do this for at least all the Windows 8 users and allow them to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. If Microsoft will support this feature, then all the developers could easily target Windows 10. Normal users can easily use the updated Windows version for accessing those new ‘universal apps’ and improved DirectX 12 for boosting gaming performance. It necessarily means that Microsoft should make Windows updates free, and it can still charge Windows licensing fees.

2.    Allow streamline support for desktop App Store

Yosemite comes with a desktop Mac App Store that allows all Apple device users to download and install desktop apps on the device easily. Windows 10 would work amazingly if it agrees to do the same because allowing desktop apps into the Windows Store will ensure easy installation and excellent connectivity. On a Mac, users can easily get apps from outside the Mac App Store and install them after agreeing to a warning, but Microsoft doesn’t support this. By allowing this on Windows Store too, Microsoft can prevent side loading and force ‘universal apps’ to avoid scams out of its Windows Store.

3.    Window translucency to enhance OS appeal

 

Yosemite includes more transparency, technically referred as translucency, to keep the user engaged and impressed by its transparent windows appeal. Windows 7’s Aero Glass look offered the same approach. However, Microsoft totally removed it with the release of Windows 8. But, Windows 10 is smarter about this and offers drop shadows on the desktop and excellent visual depth. Microsoft should look forward to adding Windows Aero-like transparency back to the OS as the feature doesn’t put any impact on battery life.

4.    Continuity is the future

Continuity simply deals with making your laptop or desktop work better, when paired with your Smartphone or tablet. Apple’s Yosemite supports this feature amazingly by letting you handle an email you’re writing between your Smartphone and laptop, and by receiving phone calls on your laptop. Not only Apple, but Google’s Chrome OS is also gaining some similar features to make it work better with all the paired Android devices. Windows 10 can also think of adopting this feature at least with the Windows Phone.

 5.    New Icons and a Visual Redesign

 Yosemite has undergone a big visual redesign, and it now features a lot of new, updated, and modern-looking icons. Windows is following the same icons and appeal since ages therefore it desperately needs a change. Windows 8 still contains many icons and interface factors that date back to Windows XP or older versions. As Microsoft enjoys a good market position, the company should hire an artist to create some modern and exciting icons to impart Windows 10 with cohesive and fresh look.

Conclusion

All of the above mentioned changes should be adopted by Microsoft to make an entirely new version of Windows with added and interesting features. Windows users have been watching the same age-old appeal and icon since ages, thus, the OS now strives for a change towards betterment. It’s a high time that the company should forget its patchwork approach of updating some of the elements and ignoring others. Experts recommend that the developers should also consider the mode of operations while designing an OS as Mac OS X always knows that it’s a desktop operating system. The Preview version of Windows 10 is already out, hopefully, the company will consider these points and come up with something refreshing!

Try Out These IT Security Tips for Your Small Business Success

For online scam authors, nothing is impossible, and nothing is too small to be a target. Malware authors engage in designing programs and malicious codes that can break your IT security and steal your business information for fraudulent purposes. Loss or leak of financial information, business strategies and plans, employee information, and other useful information can become dangerous for the success of the business if computer security gets hampered. The newly-launched cloud computing services offer a protective and secure environment to store your business data and files, but it is also not completely hack-proof. Some of the cloud platforms may offer enterprise-grade threat protection as the platform doesn’t only deal with offering protection against malware, but also provide security against network intrusions and data leakage.

 

Since not many businesses hold interest in storing and safeguarding their crucial data online, here are some of the best business security tips to combat today's threat landscape.

 1.       Take Advantage of the Next Generation Firewall

 

Firewall is an essential security layer that blocks uncertain threats, tech issues, and computer security flaws from hitting or entering into your device. Windows Firewall works as an effective protection layer while stopping viruses, malware, Trojans, and other security threats from affecting the speed, security, and performance of the device. It could be a serious problem if you’ve set-and-forget your small business router password, files, servers, and other computing peripherals. It is recommended to change Wi-Fi passwords, router settings, DNS server and other security related features on a regular basis to ensure enhanced user, as well as business protection.

The features work as an effective gatekeeper against hackers, identity thieves, malware and automated attempts to compromise your network security. The protective shield will detect and put an end to suspected traffic and illegitimate activities that may result in severe financial, personal and business losses. 

2.       Use Advanced Threat Protection and Top Antivirus Solutions

 

It is fine to consider top antivirus solutions to be on the priority while designing an efficient business protection plan, but it is also important to look out for other preventive measures. Banking solely on antivirus software to keep attackers at bay may result in severe hacking attempts and illegitimate access to your device, network, or business. Since, cyber attacks are becoming multi-pronged and sophisticated, it becomes important to detect all the possible gateways and block all of them to offer an enhanced security.

A hacker may use spam email, malicious URLs or even Facebook links to drop innocuous-looking code into your device that can skip off from the anti-malware alerts. So, to prevent your business from hackers always deploy other solutions and bring safe browsing and email practices to keep an eye on multiple avenues of attacks.

3.       Secure Your Wireless Connection

 

You’re on the top of the hacker’s attack list if you still use WEP or Wired Equivalency Protection or no encryption on your wireless connections and devices. With the ever-growing results of data compromise and data theft or corruption, major tech geeks recommend business houses to use high standards of encryption. Encryption makes the content, files, folders, and other stuff out of the reach of illegitimate access and protecting your wireless communication detects and blocks suspicious traffic. By doing this, you can intelligently avoid uncertain attacks and put your data into a more protective and secure place.

4.       Avoid Data Leak with Optimal Protection Strategy 

 

The business data doesn't have any special features, alarms, or intimation signals to inform that it’s getting compromised or shared with illegitimate users. Therefore, it becomes highly important to add an extra security layer to such files to reduce the chances of its compromise. With the ever-growing advent of computer viruses, malicious codes, and illegitimate network activities, computer security is becoming a great challenge for business as well as normal users. Many a times, standard firewalls and antivirus software treat some data sharing activities as legitimate traffic, but it is not the same.

Business houses will have to look out for solutions that can act as an automated smart protection to prevent the illegitimate data access. The protective shield should have features to detect or block the sensitive data, leading to fraud and identity theft. Solutions having data-leak protection capabilities should become active and alert you if sensitive information is being emailed, shared or transferred to an unknown server, without your consent.

Conclusion

By applying all of the above-mentioned strategies, you can install an additional security layer to your business, operational plans, employees, and devices as well as networks. Since hackers are becoming smarter day by day, it becomes essential for small businesses owners to assume their strengths and design IT security policies to fight against such threats. Business owners can put a security check on every activity and files that are shared amongst organization, both internally and externally. Some of the important business properties like credit card details, future business plans, profit  earning sheets and databases of a major retailer are quite valuable and worth protecting. So maximize your profits and minimize the risks by properly securing a small business network by acquiring, deploying and managing the most advanced and secure IT technology!

Best 5 Android Apps to Create Animated GIFs

Over social networking sites, you might have come across blogs that talk about certain interesting things and make use of images with some animation. These are called GIF or Graphics Interchange Format. These pictures are not static images like JPEG; rather these are movable images. The 3 or 4 seconds long animation of these pictures add more clarity and humor.

We all would agree to “A picture is worth a thousand words” as an image clearly explains the opinion and context of the words to the readers. A GIF image is better than a static image as an animation in these images add more clarity and humor. 

You must have come across interesting and humorous GIFs in many websites. Do you know that you can create GIF with your camera or images in your gallery? If used with suitable text, GIFs can be humorous and thus you can best portray your opinion and reaction. These animated images are usable as comments on others’ Facebook status. In fact, to post JPEG images of GIF image is a highly popular trend these days.

There are some interesting Android apps through which you can create your GIF. Following  are five such apps.

Fixie GIF Camera

 

Fixie GIF is a Camera app through which you can easily create your Graphics Interchange Format. The app lets you create short GIFs, and you can instantly share these with your friends. Using this app, you can add various elements to the images such as you can create rough animations, add funky borders, change color styles, etc. These GIFs are of 1 or 2 seconds in duration and then they continue repeating themselves to maintain the flow of the animation. It’s a free app and available in Google Play store.

GifBoom: Animated GIF Camera

 

If you are willing to create high-quality GIFs, then GifBoom is a great app. You need to do certain setting arrangement, and once you get this done, you will hardly take a minute to create your animated picture. Using this app, you can capture the GIF using two modes Auto and Manual. After choosing one mode out of two, you need to select whether you want to create GIF from videos, pictures or existing GIFs.

After selecting one option, add your text to make it funnier and then change its speed, and then rotate it. You can try out various other available options in the app to make your GIF look more amazing. It’s a free Android app and available in Google Play store.

Gif Me! Camera

   

If you have liked the Instagram feature that lets you add filters to your photos, then you will also like Gif Me! Camera. Through this app, you can add filters to your GIFs. Another unique feature of this app is that it lets you create a GIF of 14 seconds, which is long as compared to what many other apps are offering. Using these 14 seconds, you will be able to better narrate your story through an image. This Android app is available in the Google Play store at no cost.

Animation Camera Animated GIF

 

For a clutter free interface, you can try using the Animation Camera Animated GIF app. This app lets you create GIFs without compromising on other important features. There are numerous features available in the app that let you create an animated picture very quickly and easily. Moreover, it lets you instantly share the pictures with your friends. The app supports landscape as well as portrait mode.

Moreover, as the app supports both the front and back camera so you can go very creative while shooting as well, especially with your front camera. Animation Camera Animated GIFis a free app, and it's available in the Google Play store.

GIF Maker

 

Using GIF Maker, you can create GIFs out of your existing images. There are different features available through which you can add creativity to your GIF and make it as unique as creative you can go. Using the app, you can add various creative elements to your GIFs, such as shapes, icons and so on. This app is unique because apart from letting you play around with the tools and features available, it also lets you add your creativity. This way your GIFs will stand out in the crowd. It is again a free app and will be available in the Google Play store.

Conclusion

There is no dearth of situations or occasions, where you will prefer posting a GIF. You can share these with friends through WatsApp or other instant messages, or can post them on Facebook or use them in your personal blogs. The aforementioned apps will be highly helpful to you in creating GIFs.