The rise of low-code could soon see it topple more "traditional" forms of operations, new research has claimed.
Mendix's 2022 State of Low-Code found a rise in low-code adoption from 77% in 2021 to 94% this year, with four in 10 businesses now using low-code for mission-critical solutions in their business operations.
The report cites a Gartner projection which places low-code or no-code applications at 70% by 2025, up from 25% in 2020.
Should I use low-code?
Mendix outlined several benefits of low-code, many of which were most notable at the height of the pandemic.
When business ground to a halt and economies froze, many businesses were faced with incredibly tough decisions. One in nine businesses surveyed said that they would have had to face reputational damage or look at cost-cutting measures like rising prices or losing staff had they not adopted low-code.
As such, 69% saw no-code evolving from a crisis technology to a core technology that they intend to integrate into their businesses in order to obtain greater control over things like cost. Key areas for low-code include IT, production engineering, product design, and quality control.
Beyond the fintech and insurtech adoption of low-code, public sector entities have been seen to embrace the technology, too. The Mendix research indicates that “improved, centralized, and standarized citizen ID authentication; improved access to services; and improved planning and management of budget and physical resources” have all played out as part of low-code, the effects of which can ripple onto other businesses that have dealings with the public sector.
Traditionally an in-person experience, retail has been digitized, largely due to the pandemic. Developing the right software can be timely and costly, however some retailers have used low-code to develop things like digital shopping pickup which has allowed them to adapt more quickly and remain competitive.
“The way we run our businesses has fundamentally changed in the last two years," noted Mendix CEO Tim Srock. "It is now absolutely critical to digitalize operations and engage with customers and employees through different modalities and touchpoints”. In summary, low- and no-code solutions have enabled established companies to evolve, and for younger companies to step up to the table, which are all crucial steps in a time of economic pressure.
Twitter has finally begun rolling out its long-awaited edit button after months of beta testing.
The new feature, which gives users the ability to edit their own published tweets within a 30-minute window, is limited to Twitter Blue subscribers for now.
Twitter’s premium subscription service is currently only available in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – at a monthly cost of $4.99 / AU$4.49 – but is expected to launch in more countries in the near future.
Although the new edit button gives Twitter Blue users the option to rectify embarrassing mistakes, regular Twitter users can identify edited tweets through a handy ‘last edited’ label (which itself appears next to a bold pencil icon).
hellothis is a test to make sure the edit button works, we’ll let you know how it goesSeptember 29, 2022
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By clicking on this ‘last edited’ label, anyone can see a tweet’s edit history (i.e. what changes have been made, and when), which is presumably Twitter’s solution for maintaining transparency between paying and non-paying users.
The first edited tweet (see above) was sent by the company’s official Twitter Blue account. The original tweet read “this is a test to make sure the edit button works”, but was later edited to read “this is a test to make sure the edit button works, we’ll let you know how it goes”.
The former version of the tweet now bears a label reading “There’s a new version of this Tweet. See the latest Tweet” for clarity.
In addition to editable tweets, Twitter Blue offers subscribers more UI customization options, ad-free articles and the ability to undo tweets via a 60-second countdown timer.
Full spoilers for The Rings of Power episode 6 follow. You've been warned.
The Rings of Power has officially arrived. Sure, the high fantasy Prime Video show actually launched on September 2, but it's needed a hugely significant episode to truly announce itself on the prestige TV stage.
Unsurprisingly, a lot of work went into designing and crafting episode 6's shock ending. And, as co-showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne told TechRadar at an exclusive preview screening, the episode's final moments were planned as season 1's tentpole moment as far back as 2018.
The Rings of Power's creators knew episode 6 would be a key turning point in the series' overarching narrative.(Image credit: Matt Grace/Prime Video)
"[It took] four years," McKay says. "We've known about that sequence for that long."
"When we were blocking out season 1, we had a whiteboard of character arcs for Galadriel, Elendil, Isildur, Arondir, Bronwyn – all the main characters in this episode," Payne adds. "All of those journeys were leading to this point when we finally introduce Mordor."
That's right, The Rings of Power episode 6 shows us how Mordor – and its iconic volcano, aka Mount Doom – were ultimately created.
Viewers had already speculated that Mordor's introduction wasn't too far away, with previous season 1 episodes teasing as much. In episode 3, Galadriel and Elendil pour over some old Middle-earth maps, which show that the region known as the Southlands sits right on top of where Mordor exists in J.R.R. Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings novels. Adar's orc army is based in this location throughout season 1 – an area where they've dug tunnels and deforested large swathes of land – which had lent further proof to Mordor's eventual arrival.
What audiences didn't expect is that Mordor and Mount Doom would be born this early in the series. However, those familiar with Lord of the Rings' extensive history would've been able to work out that this iconic location would be part of episode 6. Its official title – Udûn – is also the name of a barren valley situated in northwest Mordor, so it wouldn't have taken much for diehard Tolkien fans to make the connection.
Still, for casual Lord of the Rings fans and general audiences, the birth of Mordor and Mount Doom in The Rings of Power is a truly shocking and visually spectacular moment. So, how was the sequence developed?
The eruption of an idea
The Rings of Power's sixth episode is the series' most defining entry yet.(Image credit: Matt Grace/Prime Video)
Udûn's finale was a seismic undertaking for everyone involved in The Rings of Power. The explosive sequence's final edit comprises multiple VFX shots, complete with a huge volcanic eruption, searingly hot rocks raining down from the sky, a storm-fuelled ash cloud, and fires breaking out as the Southlands and its inhabitants are consumed by the cataclysmic event.
Before its visually arresting effects could be added in post, The Rings of Power's chief creative team had to make sure that events preceding the eruption could lead to the mountain – that becomes Mount Doom – violently blowing its top. After all, such a move is only possible via the collision of its vast lava pit with water from Ostilith's deep reservoir. That happens after Southland turncoat Waldreg uses the sword hilt, which Adar reacquires from the Southlanders in episode 6, as a key to unlock part of Ostilith's dam. It's a move that allows a deluge of water to rush through numerous tunnels – dug by the orcs – and snake its way to the ice covered mountain, which becomes Mount Doom.
All of those journeys were leading to this point
J.D. Payne, Rings of Power co-creator
Could a combination of an expansive volume of water and a giant pool of lava, then, cause such an explosive eruption? According to real-world science, yes.
"One of our writers knows a geologist," Payne explains. "So we asked them if water and lava could unite to create this gigantic explosion, and it could. They said 'if you have enough steam pressure that builds up in a confined space, the entropy inside the volcano will increase, eventually causing it to blow."
"We painstakingly studied what actually happens in volcanic eruptions," VFX producer Ron Ames adds. "We looked at photographs and we read historical documents on Pompeii so we had a clearer idea of the scale of these naturally occurring explosions."
The Rings of Power episode 6's finale combined real-world footage with CGI elements.(Image credit: Prime Video)
Buoyed by the backing of real-life science, The Rings of Power's huge crew set about creating a finale that would herald the show's epic arrival on the world stage. Typical pre-production work, such as concept art, storyboards, and location scouting were carried out well in advance of principal photography. Once those elements were in place, multiple camera crews set out to film external shots – wide and sweeping landscape, as well as close-ups – to use during the sequence.
"It was important to us to use real world locations," Ames reveals. "The actual mountain itself is based on a real location. The cliff that Ostilith sits on is an actual location. We went to those areas and shot backgrounds using helicopters. We also landed in those areas and took photographs and plates. Even the water you see in the final sequence is real – it's just mixed in with some CGI elements to aid the flow of this massive deluge as it careens down the valley."
Heating up in post
The Rings of Power looked at historical volcanic events to bring authenticity to Mount Doom's eurption.(Image credit: Prime Video)
With pre-production and principal photography in the can, the lengthy post-production process could begin.
Like many of The Rings of Power's VFX-laden sequences, episode 6's finale was developed by multiple animation studios. Weta Digital, who worked on Peter Jackson's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movie trilogies, produced the Ostilith cliffside-based portion. Lucasfilm's Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) crafted the underground sequence, which leads to the violent explosion. Meanwhile, Australian-based studio Rising Sun were tasked with creating the post-eruption scene, including the spewed lava rocks and rapidly traveling ash cloud.
"Once all the vendors mixed each part together, you can't tell where one shot starts and another ends," Ames says. "It's all seamlessly connected and I couldn't be more proud of the teams that worked together to compose and knit it together. It's one of my favorite sequences in the whole show."
Crunching has become a hot topic of conversation in the film and TV industries, with big-budget projects – including She-Hulk: Attorney at Law on Disney Plus – and studios coming under fire over employees' working conditions.
We looked at photographs and we read historical documents on Pompeii
Ron Amex, Rings of Power VFX producer
Given the scale of this sequence and 9,500 other VFX-based shots in season 1, it seems inevitable that The Rings of Power's backstage crew would have to crunch at some point. Ames, though, was adamant that no one under his supervision would be forced to work longer – at the cost of their physical and mental wellbeing – to ensure sequences like the Mount Doom one were completed in time.
"Having seen the film business change and being an advocate for technology, I would say mindfulness and and an approach to sharing the load is extremely important," Ames says. "Largely, we didn't work more than 12-hour days. In some instances, I had to send crew members home to sleep and shower – they all worked extremely hard, but everyone got to go home, to see their families, to attend weddings, and do all the things humans need to do. I think the future of filmmaking requires us to look at mindfulness in the workplace and how to move forward in a balanced way to get the most creativity out of our artists."
Udûn's final sequence is a visually striking sight to behold. It's the brainchild of multiple creators and studios, all of whom worked diligently to collaborate on The Rings of Power's most harrowing spectacle to date. "It was ILM VFX supervisor Jason Smith's creation," Ames says, but the countless artists, animators, renderers, and other crew members deserve as much praise for creating such a devastatingly beautiful moment in Middle-earth's history.
With two more episodes to come in season 1 – not to mention four more seasons' worth of storytelling to come – The Rings of Power will contain more shocking, big-budget sequences like episode 6's finale. Right now, though, Udûn is the explosive show-defining entry that the Prime Video series required – and it'll take something truly amazing to usurp it.
The Rings of Power's first six episodes are available to stream on Prime Video now.
Windows 11 22H2 is embroiled in a fresh bug controversy, with the big feature update causing trouble with printers.
Microsoft updated its support document on known issues with 22H2 to explain more about a fresh bug which means that some printers are being forced back to their default settings (as Neowin flagged up).
The affected printers are those using the Microsoft IPP Class Driver or Universal Print Class Driver, and are having connectivity issues to the device. In other words, with no connectivity, the printer is set up with default settings – and once connectivity returns, the bug means that the device could stay at those defaults.
That’s unfortunate because certain features may not work in that case, for example duplex printing, access to higher resolutions for printing, and even color, so you’ll be stuck in a mono world.
Due to this flaw, Microsoft has blocked the Windows 11 22H2 update from PCs which are using the aforementioned printer drivers to ensure that folks don’t encounter this problem.
If you want to upgrade to 22H2, then you need to remove the relevant printer(s) from your device, and the compatibility block will be lifted so you can go ahead.
For those already stuck with a printer that is bound to its default settings with no apparent way around that, you’ll have to remove said printer, and then reinstall it.
Microsoft says it’s working on a fix for this problem and that it’ll give us an update in an upcoming release, so stay tuned for that.
A further recent printer issue (also spotted by Neowin) caused by Windows 11 22H2 is that some network printers have gone missing after the upgrade, thanks to a wonky printer policy introduced by the update. There is a workaround for this, as detailed on Twitter here.
Analysis: Printing nightmares continue for Microsoft
Microsoft has experienced a lot of woes around printers with Windows 10 in the past, and it seems that this is a continuing theme with Windows 11, sadly. The fact that a pair of gremlins have popped up simultaneously is not good, and businesses who rely on their printer and have been affected will obviously not have much love for the fresh update.
They wouldn’t be alone either, as we’ve seen a number of problems cropping up with Windows 11 22H2. Recall the Nvidia GPU bug that has frustrated gamers with choppy frame rates, and the thorny issue with Intel Rocket Lake CPUs causing Blue Screen of Death lockups.
All in all, there have been a fair few problems with 22H2, and considering Microsoft has had a long time to work on this particular update – what with abandoning twice-yearly upgrades in favor of an annual cadence – it’s not a great look.
Still, any large update for a complex system like an OS is bound to have its share of bugs, and if you’ve run into trouble recently, check out our comprehensive guide on how to fix common issues with Windows 11.
While File Explorer will finally be gaining tabs in the next update to Windows 11, now that the first major 2022 update for it is available, PowerToys is also bringing in a useful update to see what's using your files as it's slowing down your PC.
PowerToys is an app that has a collection of tools to help improve your PC or laptop, from putting a spotlight on your mouse to easily find it, or adding some additional tools to File Explorer, which is where this latest update comes in.
According to Windows Latest, this upcoming update to PowerToys enables you to right-click, and in the context menu, select an option to find out exactly which processes are using the file in question.
Called 'File Locksmith', this could be very useful if you've been coming across moments where some files have been selected, and they've slowed down your PC for a long period of time.
A Locksmith at the ready
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(Image credit: TechRadar)
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(Image credit: TechRadar)
In an update on GitHub, developer ivanstosic-janea explains the feature in more detail, where a window will pop up, showing which processes are using the file, and you can 'kill' these to stop the file using these.
This can be useful in a bunch of ways, as you can more quickly find out why your PC is slowing down, and stop the file in question instead of restarting your PC completely.
The feature is still in testing and not available to users as yet, but in the meantime, we do recommend installing PowerToys regardless, as it can easily cut down some steps in renaming a bunch of files at once for example.
At Amazon's big September 2022 event, the company unveiled the first QLED Fire TVs made under its own Omni brand. The initial info sounded incredibly well specced for the price – we're talking a direct full array backlight with local dimming, Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive HDR, the wider colors of QLED, 4K resolution, a nearly bezel-free design, and 65-inch and 75-inch size options, all for $799 for the 65-inch, or $1,099 for the 75-inch. (The sets are not currently planned for launch outside the US.)
Amazon has now confirmed more details of the new Omni QLED TVs, including surprisingly good gaming support to rival cheaper options in our guide to the best gaming TVs. Specifically, there's support for HDMI 2.1, including Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).
ALLM means that the TV will automatically switch to its gaming mode when your PS5 or Xbox Series X tells it that you're gaming, while VRR support means that games can add more graphics effects without any danger of framerate dips causing screen tearing.
However, despite the HDMI 2.1 support, you won't be able to play in 4K 120Hz here – the panel itself is only 60Hz. But for the price, we'd have been astonished to see a 120Hz screen here, so we've no complaints about the gaming support here overall.
No built-in Dolby Atmos, though
(Image credit: Amazon)
However, while the gaming support is a pleasant surprise, Amazon also confirmed something more disappointing: there's no built-in Dolby Atmos audio support.
In many cases, that will actually be okay, because the TV can pass through the encoded Dolby Atmos data to a Dolby Atmos soundbar, which can then decode the Atmos track and still give you the best quality.
However, in our experience, TVs passing through Dolby Atmos successfully can be hit and miss – it's usually fine from built-in apps, but may not happen from external boxes, such as a streaming stick or 4K Blu-ray player. We haven't tested the new Amazon TV yet, so obviously we don't know how well it'll work in this case, but that's one reason we like TVs to have Atmos support – then there's no question.
There's no DTS audio support either, and Amazon only said the TV can pass through Dolby-encoded audio.
We'll aim to test the new QLED Omni TVs as soon as we're able – if the performance lives up to the specs, they could be some of the best TVs of the year for sheer value.
A tsunami of new features is slated to crash onto Zoom, which will expand certain services and make some existing ones easier to use in order to, ideally, foster better communication.
Two weeks prior to this announcement, Zoom implemented a new suite of features for the Team Chat tool while hinting at more. We thought the second round would've been revealed at the Zoomtopia event on November 8, but it looks like the company decided to do it now. Given the sheer number of features in this update, it’ll be close to impossible to give every single one their time in the limelight so we’re only going to focus on the biggest changes. At the time of this writing, it’s unknown when anything in this wave will make its way to users.
Zoom One's new tools
The bulk of the features will be going to Zoom One, a service platform that brings together “a variety of [company] tools” into one package. Starting with Zoom Meetings, there will be a new designation for Sign Language Interpretation. A host can select multiple participants in a meeting to speak through a sign language interpreter for those who need it. In turn, people can select which of the interpreters they want to watch.
Apple CarPlay will now be supported on Zoom, allowing people to hop into meetings while driving via the CallKit controls or look at their schedule for the day. Although, we strongly recommend not checking your itinerary mid-drive; please wait until you're parked.
Regarding phone calls, Zoom Phone will have new ways to manage audio files via an expanded Asset Library. This is a centralized hub where hosts can upload and share audio files “including greetings, music on hold, [and] prompts,” according to Zoom. Administrators of groups can set up an emergency call system by mapping out numbers to external teams or third-party systems. Plus, they can activate the new Survivability tool in order to provide basic phone functionality during an outage.
And the final major update to Zoom One is Zoom Whiteboard Plus. The base version of the tool allows participants to draw on a digital whiteboard to share ideas with each other. Whiteboard Plus adds three new features: Tables to help organize a team’s thoughts, Mind Map for creating flow charts to further organization, and @mentions to tag people outside of the meeting.
Quality-of-life changes
The more minor changes are focused on quality-of-life changes. Zoom Rooms, in particular, will have a different user interface. It'll sport “larger fonts, sharper colors, and a better layout” to make certain aspects, like the meeting schedule, easier to see. Displays in a Rooms meeting will be redesigned to have a better layout so that notifications and the in-meeting chat window aren’t blocking the view.
Originally exclusive to the desktop app, Workspace Reservation will be making its way to iOS and Android devices. With this tool, you’ll be able to book on-site work resources and spaces. It appears all of the original desktop tools will be present on mobile including personalized suggestions for locations from an AI and user questionnaires.
Looking at everything, it’s hard to imagine what will be revealed at the Zoomtopia event. This avalanche of features already feels like a major event, so it'll be interesting to see what Zoom is hiding up its proverbial sleeve.
Oracle NetSuite is unconcerned about chasing the leaders of the pack in sub-markets like CRM, despite its stake in these areas, the firm’s GVP of Strategy has said.
In conversation with TechRadar Pro at SuiteWorld 2022, Jason Cowan answered questions around the company’s ability to compete with Salesforce in the CRM market, as well as single-product vendors in other segments covered by its platform.
“At the end of the day, the core to Salesforce is CRM and the core to NetSuite is the ERP financials,” he told us. “I don’t think that means we need to chase Salesforce, to create a best-of-breed CRM. We can have a very compelling offering for a lot of industries, without saying we have to win in every market.”
Greatness in ‘suiteness’
Although NetSuite is a powerhouse in the ERP market, it plays second fiddle to Salesforce in CRM specifically. Equally, Salesforce is fast expanding outwards beyond CRM - into areas like ecommerce, analytics and so forth - in such a way that may have implications for NetSuite.
However, Cowan is confident that, by leaning into its heritage in finance, its strength in the cloud and relationship with Oracle from an infrastructure perspective, NetSuite will continue to grow its market share.
At SuiteWorld, NetSuite has still been eager to highlight its recent investment in CRM. In particular, the firm launched a new CPQ service designed to make it simpler to configure, price and quote products to a high degree of accuracy. But the real emphasis is on finance and accounting.
“We’ve invested in our CRM, with new sales dashboards and additions like CPQ, which is probably one of the largest CRM upgrades we’ve made. [But our primary focus] is on empowering finance teams by improving visibility and insight into cash flow, spend and profitability.”
The same message was echoed earlier in the week by James Chisham, VP International Product, who explained that NetSuite “couldn’t possibly do everything”.
“We can’t be all things to all people. That’s very difficult to achieve,” he told TechRadar Pro. “If we look at financials as the backbone of what we do for our customers, building on that is super important. It’s about improving those processes, taking away some of the pain and manual effort.”
Both executives also suggested that NetSuite derives a significant advantage from the interconnectedness of its product suite, an attribute described by the company as “suiteness”.
“What we’ve always tried to do is use the power of our suite in a joined up way. And separately, we’ve always been happy to have a rich ecosystem of partners that fills any gaps for us, covering off areas we don’t cover,” added Chisham.
The key to deepening this value proposition, according to Cowan, will be to lean into themes like data visibility, machine learning and UI enhancement in the months ahead. Although he was unable to supply us with specifics, the suggestion was that NetSuite has a few tricks up its sleeve yet.
Google Chrome extensions are set to see another year of support for enterprise use following the company’s decision to postpone their deletion from the Chrome Web Store until January 2024.
The announcement on the Google Chrome Developers blog offers a stay of execution for sweeping changes to the Chromium engine that privacy advocates say will neuter web browser extensions designed to block advertisements.
But no such reprieve is being offered to personal Chrome users, who Google say will be subject to extensions built on the existing Manifest V2 (MV2) API being temporarily phased out in a series of “experiments” next year.
Google Chrome’s phased API changes
Though the new enterprise policy will give businesses more time with extensions critical to their workflow, Google Chrome extension developers have less time to adapt to the browser’s adoption of the Manifest V3 (MV3) API.
From January 2023, Google says that it will no longer highlight MV2 extensions on the Chrome Web Store, as it looks to “raise the security bar” on the platform.
Then from June 2023, MV2 extensions will no longer be able to be published with their visibility set to public. Extensions already public on the store will become “Unlisted”. This is an especially egregious change, as it means they’ll be undiscoverable to new users, while still being functional for enterprises.
Google is also warning developers that their MV2 extensions may still stop working at “any time” following the release of new Chrome versions next year.
January 2022 will also see Chrome 112 allow a gradual phase-out of Manifest V2 in Canary, Dev, and Beta versions of the browser. While in June, Chrome 115 will allow this phasing out of MV2 to occur in Stable versions of Chrome - the version with the largest consumer user base.
Central to the controversy is WebRequest, an API critical to blocking web content such as advertisements, and which Chrome’s implementation of MV3 will remove.
“Content blocking is one of the most important use cases for extensions, and we are committed to ensuring that Firefox users have access to the best privacy tools available,” Mozilla said.
Spotify is mysteriously installing itself onto Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs, appearing in the Taskbar when you start up your PC – and I've had the pleasure of experiencing this myself.
Starting up my PC this week, I found Spotify's icon glowing in my Taskbar as other apps were also starting up. It's an app I use on my iPhone and Mac daily, but it's never been on my PC as it's only used for games.
It was the quickest uninstall I've done in recent years, as it's not just a bug, but a potential security flaw. I didn't allow this app to be installed onto my PC, and while I've reached out to Microsoft for comment, it's made me wonder why this has happened without notice.
We've been here before, but it was with a heads-up
Another situation that springs to mind is when Apple and U2 made an agreement to make the band's album, 'Songs of Innocence', available for users as a giveaway, to mark the release of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models in 2014.
Users weren't happy then, either, as some would have a mix of Euro-Dance albums and U2's new release – which would be a good ice breaker on one end of the spectrum, and an awkward conversation on the other.
However, this could be a feature. The Microsoft Store has been known to install apps on its own, with games and other Microsoft utilities appearing on your Taskbar. But the company hasn't notified its Windows users of Spotify being available through the Store this week, so the only reaction that myself and other users are experiencing from this is annoyance.
Hopefully, Microsoft will respond to this strange appearance of a third-party app soon, as it could be a PR disaster waiting to happen.
Adobe has launched Photoshop Elements 2023 and Premiere Elements 2023, introducing a slew of simple, streamlined editing effects to bring images and movies to life.
In a massive update to both programs, the subscription-free photo editor and video editor for Windows and Mac have been further infused with the power of Adobe Sensei, the company’s ubiquitous AI.
The company says its goal is to make video and photo manipulation more efficient, whatever the user’s skill level.
What’s new in Photoshop Elements 2023 & Premiere Elements 2023?
As with Photoshop and Premiere Pro, artificial intelligence runs deep in the latest editions in the Elements family. Adobe clearly believes AI is key to making their toolstack accessible to all.
Turning static images into moving photos is one of the most eye-catching examples of AI-at-work in the new Photoshop Elements 2023.
At a virtual press briefing attended by TechRadar Pro, Adobe showed how adding moving features to still images is a simple process. When selecting Sky or Background, Adobe Sensei automatically adds the appropriate effect. But by manually selecting an area, users can set travel speed and direction. AI will handle the rest. In Adobe’s example, it took less than a minute to recreate a gushing waterfall in a static image. Results can be exported in MP4 or social media-friendly GIFs.
(Image credit: Adobe)
Guided edits have long been a part of the Adobe Elements software, effectively guiding users looking to make simple edits to their media. In the 2023 edition, a new Guided edit allows users to add “natural and realistic” peek-through overlays to add depth to images. It’s not quite as impressive as creating the effect in Photoshop, but it certainly appears to be easier.
For those looking to create dramatic images, new patterns, backgrounds, and even skies can also be added with apparent ease.
In Premiere Elements 2023, one of the best alternatives to Premiere Pro, the roll-out of artistic effects continues to blur the distinction between editing photos and videos. These are essentially filters inspired by legendary artists, artwork, and art-styles. Already a core feature of Photoshop Elements, this effect can now be applied to users’ videos.
(Image credit: Adobe)
And, again, Adobe highlights how simple this process can be. Users need only add a video, select an effect, and let the artificial intelligence manage the output. New music samples have also been added from the Adobe Stock library.
But it’s the under-the-hood improvements that are likely to catch the eye of many. Lighter than previous iterations, Adobe says installs are now 35% faster and programs launch 50% faster. With full Apple M1 support, the company estimates performance gains of up to 70% on Macs.
Adobe has also announced the launch of a three-way ‘connected experience’. Releasing web and mobile apps for iOS and Android - both currently in beta - users will be able to view and share media on their phones, or create basic edits and effects from their browser. These also include a free 2GB of cloud storage for photos and videos.
“We believe everyone should be able to create anything they imagine. With Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements, anyone can bring their creative visions to life in new ways with AI-powered editing, hands-on learning content, and the flexibility to enjoy their creative content from any location,” said Ashley Still, Senior Vice President of Digital Media Marketing, Strategy & Global Partnerships at Adobe.
Adobe Premiere Elements 2023 and Photoshop Elements 2023 are available now. The company has confirmed there is no change to the existing pricing plans, meaning individual programs are $99.99 / £86.56 or $79.99 / £70.91 to upgrade. The Adobe Elements bundle runs to $149.99 / £130.36; the upgrade is $119.99 / £107.41
Lionsgate-owned streaming service Starzplay has been officially rebranded to Lionsgate Plus (stylized as Lionsgate+) in 35 global territories.
The platform will keep its existing Starz title in the US and Canada – and remain as Starzplay Arabia and Lionsgate Play in Arabic countries and Southeast Asia, respectively – though these versions will likewise benefit from new design elements and an updated graphics package.
Despite rumors suggesting that Lionsgate is looking to sell off stakes in Starz, the company says the move to rebrand Starzplay internationally comes in a bid to help differentiate the service in a crowded streaming market.
Welcome to LIONSGATE+ 😏 #LionsgatePlus pic.twitter.com/M1CL39hkSuSeptember 28, 2022
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“Operating under Lionsgate Plus internationally brings a distinct and differentiated identity in an increasingly crowded international marketplace, and builds on the brand equity in the Lionsgate name that our extensive research has proven is strong around the world,” Jeffrey Hirsch, president and CEO of Starz, said in a statement.
“Even with the separation of Starz and the Lionsgate studio business, the Lionsgate brand will continue to be valuable to the ongoing success of our international platform.”
Following the rebrand, Lionsgate Plus joins several other major streaming services now bearing the ‘Plus’ affix: Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus and Paramount Plus to name the three biggest.
Evidently, Lionsgate believes its mission to bring “a distinct and differentiated identity” to its streaming service is better served by the Lionsgate Plus name, as opposed to Starzplay, although some consumers have expressed confusion towards the move:
Me: "Starzplay". What an awful name for a streaming service, "Starzplay". They genuinely couldn't come up with a worse name than that.Starzplay: pic.twitter.com/YcZ99q0zbXSeptember 28, 2022
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Granted, Starzplay wasn’t a great name to begin with – but while Lionsgate Plus is certainly a more uniform title (by virtue of its competition), it’s not exactly "distinct and differentiated" in 2022.
The rebrand also risks leaving those not in-the-know thinking that Lionsgate Plus is an entirely separate entity to Starz – despite the two platforms sharing the same content slate (which includes shows like Outlander, Power and Gaslit).
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episode 7 – The Retreat – has smashed its way onto Disney Plus. And, while viewers are still waiting for Daredevil's arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) – it's coming, we promise – we were introduced to some new and unusual characters in the Marvel TV show's latest entry.
The MCU Phase 4 project has done a delightful job of introducing minor Marvel characters to a wider audience and She-Hulk episode 7 is no exception. In it, four new individuals are shown to exist in the MCU – Man-Bull, El Aguila, Porcupine, and Saracen.
Who are these characters, though? What do their Marvel comics histories tell us about them? And could we see them crop up in the MCU again?
Below, we'll explain who this new quartet is and whether they'll reappear in the MCU in the Disney Plus show again, in Marvel Phase 5 productions, or even beyond that.
She-Hulk's Man-Bull explained: who is the minotaur-like Marvel character?
Man-Bull is traditionally a villain in Marvel comics.(Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)
A supervillain by trade, Man-Bull is a minotaur-like Marvel character who made his comic debut in July 1971. Interestingly, Man-Bull's first comic book appearance was in Daredevil #78 – another tie into the Man Without Fear's forthcoming appearance in She-Hulk's TV series. He's also crossed paths with Hulk, She-Hulk, and other superheroes in the comics. Additionally, he's run into the anti-hero/supervillain team known as the Thunderbolts, so maybe he'll reappear in the MCU's Thunderbolts movie. It's highly unlikely, but never say never.
Real name William 'Bill' Taurens, Man-Bull acquired his abilities – and his signature horns – after he was used as a guinea pig for an experimental serum derived from bulls. Subsequently, Man-Bull was imbued with traditional superpowers, such as superhuman strength, stamina, durability, and speed. Oh, and he has the ability to empathize with cows. Go figure.
In She-Hulk, he's less animalistic – in his appearance anyway – and comes across as more of a sympathetic villain/anti-hero who is trying to turn his life around. He's played by Nathan Hurd (Legion, Elementary) in the MCU TV show.
She-Hulk's El Aguila explained: who is the Matador-style mutant?
El Aguila is Spanish for 'The Eagle'.(Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)
El Aguila takes that number to four. In the comics, El Aguila is a human mutant who possesses the ability to generate electricity, as well as being an expert close-quarters combatant and skilled fencer.
Debuting in August 1979, El Aguila was introduced as a morally gray vigilante who aided Iron Fist and Luke Cage – the latter called Power Man at the time – in taking down drug lords and other criminals. However, he's also occasionally operated as an anti-hero, with El Aguila locking horns with Hawkeye during one comic storyline.
Given his matador-like appearance, which was chiefly inspired by Zorro, it's surprising to see El Aguila and Man-Bull form a close bond in She-Hulk episode 7. Still, the pair's unlikely friendship makes for a fun side narrative. El Aguila, whose real name is Alejandro Montoya, is portrayed by Joseph Castillo-Midyett (The Equalizer, Fear The Walking Dead). Don't expect him to appear outside of She-Hulk's show, unless Iron Fist and Luke Cage make their way into the MCU.
She-Hulk's Saracan explained: who is the MCU's first vampire?
It seems the MCU's version of Saracen is a mash-up of two comic characters.(Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)
Blade might be the most recognizable vampire in Marvel's superhero/anti-hero roster, but that doesn't mean other bloodsuckers don't exist in the comics or the MCU.
While Marvel Studios' Blade movie is seemingly trapped in development hell, Saracen's appearance in She-Hulk episode 7 means that there's at least one vampire in the MCU. Well, that's if you believe Saracen anyway. The other attendees at Emil Blonsky's meditation retreat don't believe he really is a vampire, but there is evidence in the comics to suggest that he's telling the truth.
The group's confusion likely stems from the fact that there are two Saracen characters in Marvel comics. One of those, who goes by the name Muzzafar Lambert, is a globe-trotting mercenary who has regularly duked it out with The Punisher. The other Saracen, whose name is unknown, made his comic debut in Blade: Vampire Hunter #1 in October 1999. Little is known about this vampiric Saracen, though, outside of the fact that he's one of the most long-lived monsters in Marvel comics history.
It seems that She-Hulk's writers have used the latter for Saracen's first MCU appearance. The Retreat's credits list Terrence Clowe (The Harder They Fall, Dopesick) as playing Saracen, but don't mention Lambert. Unless Marvel has combined the two characters to avoid confusion, it's likely that the vampiric Saracen is the one who turns up in She-Hulk episode 7. Could he make a cameo appearance in Blade? Here's hoping.
She-Hulk's Porcupine explained: who is the masked Marvel character?
Marvel fans had previously seen Porcupine in a She-Hulk TV spot.(Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)
Real name Alexander Gentry, Porcupine is a Marvel supervillain who usually clashes with Ant-Man and the Wasp in the comics. He made his literary debut in Tales to Atonish #48 in October 1963, making him one of the oldest Marvel villains ever. Like Man-Bull, he's crossed paths wit the Thunderbolts, so could he show up in that superhero film, too? Again, don't count on it.
A scientist who designed weapons for the US military, Gentry creates a porcupine-style super suit, which has the ability to shoot quills, gases, flames, or chemicals at those who the wearer deems to be a threat. Gentry, though, believes that the US government won't pay him for this creation – a move that sees him keep the suit for himself and uses it to start robbing banks and other establishments.
Two other Marvel characters have also assumed the identity of Porcupine. The first was Billy Bates, another mutant character who first appeared in August 2005's District X #13. Unlike Gentry, Bates is the owner of the X-gene, the DNA strand that grants its host superpowers when they come of age. Unfortunately for Bates, he acquired the abilities of an actual porcupine. He's able to grow and fire porcupine-like quills at his foes, as well as distorting his left arm into a long, deformed limb with serrated claws at his fingertips.
The final person to assume the mantle was Roger Docking, who made his comic debut in May 2006's Daughters of the Dragon #3. He also wore the suit, although his creation had different abilities to Gentry's, such as jet boots for flight purposes and night vision goggles.
Based on his more realistic MCU appearance, it isn't the Bates version of Porcupine who appears in She-Hulk episode 7. Instead, it's either Gentry or Docking. However, The Retreat's credits don't specify which individual this is – we only know Porcupine is played by Jordan Aaron Ford.
With the holiday shopping season fast approaching, we've seen big product launch events from the likes of Apple, Samsung, and plenty others. Amazon announced a slew of products covering a wide range of product categories throughout the home. Unlike the others, Amazon didn't open this event to the public, but we were invited to watch the announcement and check out details on all of the new products.
Amazon launched a few entirely new devices, starting with a long-requested Kindle you can write upon! The Kindle Scribe is a huge reading tablet that also includes a stylus for note taking. The Halo family of health-conscious gadgets got a bedside clock, the Halo Rise. The budget-friendly Amazon Fire TV brand of television sets took a step toward the upper echelons with a set that uses quantum dot QLED tech.
A number of existing Amazon products got a yearly refresh, including new Echo Dots, with some new kid-friendly characters, as well as a new Echo Auto contraption. There is an upgraded Fire TV Cube that comes with a spanking new Amazon Alexa remote control. Ring and Blink home security gear also got some fresh new kit additions.
Finally, some of Amazon's existing products can do new things. The Amazon Astro robot, with its massive waiting list of buyers, can now detect pets and other objects around the house. The Echo Studio speaker sounds better with a new upgrade, and the Echo Show 15 can display new content.
What's all new?
Kindle Scribe
Halo Rise
Fire TV Omni QLED
What's a new version?
Echo Dot (5th Gen)
Echo Auto (2nd Gen)
Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) and Alexa Voice Remote Pro
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro and Alarm Panic Button
What does new things?
Astro can detect pets and call the cops
Echo devices extend your Wi-Fi network
Echo Show 15 gets Fire TV
(Image credit: Amazon)
Kindle Scribe - Finally a pen for our Kindle
Amazon has finally given us a Kindle you can write on. The Kindle Scribe comes with its own stylus and lets you draw and take notes directly on the screen. You can annotate books directly, or write freestyle journal entries. The Scribe will let you write on PDF documents as well, and Amazon says it will add support for Microsoft Word in the future.
Like the S Pen used on the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (and the old Galaxy Note phones), the Kindle Scribe does not need to charge its stylus. The pen is included with the device, but an advanced pen with eraser and highlighting features will be available separately.
The Kindle Scribe is a huge e-reader, with a 10.2-inch display, making it by far the largest Kindle you can buy and closer to an iPad in size. It will use a 300dpi e-ink screen, making it just as sharp as other Kindle readers.
The Scribe will be expensive, starting at £339.99 / $339.99 for a 16GB model and going up for 32GB or 64GB of storage. That price gets you four months of Kindle Unlimited books.
In the realm of sleep-tracking, we’ve seen some recent advancements but nothing like the Halo Rise, part of Amazon’s Halo family of fitness devices. The Halo Rise uses sensors that detect your body position while you sleep to monitor your breathing and respiration movements.
The device’s main feature is a large light that will help wake you up at the time Halo deems most appropriate, based on your sleep patterns. There is a digital clock at the center of the LEDs, in addition to a small alarm speaker.
Halo Rise will be mostly automated. It will detect when you lie down so you don’t need to tell it you started sleeping. It can detect when you get up and start a number of Alexa-based routines to help you start your day.
The new bedside clock and light will cost $139.99 (regional prices TBA) and will come with six months of Amazon’s Halo health and fitness services. Presumably the light will still work if you don’t keep paying for service.
Fire TV Omni QLED - A step closer to the cutting edge
Amazon Fire television sets have never been known for cutting edge picture quality and technology. They’ve been a bargain TV with full access to Amazon’s suite of Prime and Alexa services. Focused on Quantum Dot technology, the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED series gives you the color sharpness of QLED with other advanced features like full-array local dimming.
Amazon’s new TVs also support Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive, which, along with the local dimming, should improve black levels and contrast on the set, healing one of our biggest complaints about previous Amazon Fire TV Omni sets.
The Omni Fire TV QLED series comes in two sizes. You can preorder today the 65-inch for $799 or the 75-inch for $1099 (regional prices and availability TBA).
Echo Dot with a clock - Don’t skip the purple dinosaur
Amazon has improved the sound quality on its latest fifth generation of Echo Dot, which the company says will distort 50% less (whatever that means), and will deliver twice the bass (now we’re talking). There is a plain flavor of Dot and new Echo Dot with Clock that uses a dot matrix display that can side-scroll information, including track info about whatever music you’re hearing.
What’s most important are the new Echo Dot 5th Gen Kids Edition speakers, which feature a purple dragon character or a somewhat adorable owl. If you’d rather your kids speak to cartoons than Alexa, Amazon has you covered, as well as your Echo Dots.
(Image credit: Amazon)
In addition to the Echo Dot, Echo Studio owners will find their devices sound a bit better thanks to upgrades Amazon has made to the speaker’s spatial audio processing. Amazon says everything will sound “closer to the listener,” with improved sound quality across the board.
The Echo Dot will cost $49.99 / £54.99, while the Echo Dot with Clock or Echo Dot Kids will cost $59.99 / £64.99.
The Echo Auto device is getting an update with an entirely new look and a new adhesive mount so you can stick it wherever you want Alexa to live in your car. The Echo Auto has five microphones to eliminate all of the ambient noise a car ride creates.
You can set up Echo Auto to control your music and make calls, and you can yell for roadside assistance if you need. Amazon will send someone to change a tire or fill your car with gas if you manage to strand yourself, in addition to other services.
We’re not sure when the new device will be available, but the updated Echo Auto 2 will cost $55 when it’s launched. The roadside assistance does not require a subscription, you simply pay for services as you demand them.
(Image credit: Amazon)
Fire TV Cube and Alexa Voice Remote Pro – Talk to things and they talk back
The Fire TV Cube (3rd generation) gets serious about performance, especially if you’re streaming content in the highest resolution possible. It adds support for Wi-Fi 6E and an Ethernet port so you can connect to faster home networks, giving you the bandwidth you need.
There’s also a new HDMI input, and when you plug a device into the Fire TV Cube it will let you use Alexa voice commands to control whatever you’ve connected. You can control a cable box or a video game console this way.
The new Alexa Voice Remote Pro comes with a built in speaker, and you can locate it by calling out “Alexa, find my remote,” or by using the Fire TV app. The remote speaker will ring so you can find it.
The Fire TV Cube and the Alexa Voice Remote Pro are available for pre-order today. The Cube is $139.99 and the Remote Pro is $34.99.
Ring Spotlight Cam and Ring Alarm Panic Button – Radar for the home
Ring has stepped up its light-augmented security camera offerings with a new Ring Spotlight Cam Pro and a mid-range Spotlight Cam Plus. The new Pro model adds RADAR capabilities to the home security lineup, in addition to the standard motion sensor and very loud siren. Using radar tracking, the Spotlight Cam Pro can work with your other RIng devices to map an intruder’s path across your property.
The Ring Spotlight Cam Plus doesn’t upgrade the feature set of the original Spotlight Cam, but it does package everything in a much nicer bundle. The sleek new light still features two-way talk, color night vision, and other Ring Spotlight features.
Both the Spotlight Cam Plus and Cam Pro are available with a variety of power options, including a solar kit. The Spotlight Cam Pro costs $229.99 / £199.99 for the battery or plug-in version, and $249.99 (UK pricing to come later) for the solar kit. The Spotlight Cam Plus will start at $199.99 / £179.99 for the battery or plug-in.
If you want to set off every alarm in your house, the Ring Alarm Panic Button (2nd Gen) will show intruders just how many security devices you own. For $29.99 / £29.99 you can install a Panic Button that will also call your emergency contacts and even request emergency assistance from first responders.
Astro – Understanding your home and its inhabitants
It may be hard to get your hands on an Amazon Astro robot, but Amazon is plugging ahead with upgrades that make the little thing more useful as a security device and a home companion. The robot can now recognize doors and windows and can check whether they are open or closed. For businesses, it can investigate an incident while a professional monitors its camera, then call the authorities if needed.
At home, Astro can now recognize pets. It won’t take your dog for a walk or shoot a laser pointer for your cat to chase, but it will take short videos of your pets and send them to you. If it's cute, you can do nothing, but if it’s destructive you can call the authorities, if needed.
Amazon is constantly updating Astro, and it is learning how to recognize your furniture, and also how to check the level of your pet’s food. The Astro robot costs $999.99, though Amazon will eventually jack the price up to $1499.99. Astro is available by invitation only.
(Image credit: Amazon)
Eero in Echo – Your Echo devices form a net
Amazon owns Eero, a company that makes Wi-Fi extender and Wi-Fi mesh devices. Now it is bringing some of those features to its Echo speakers, both new and old. The new Echo Dot (5th Gen), the current Amazon Echo (2020) and the previous Echo Dot (2020) can now work together to boost the Wi-Fi signal around your house.
This is an exciting new feature, and a great way to take advantage of the Wi-Fi capabilities already on board the Echo Dot. We love Wi-Fi mesh networking as a way to boost signal, and we know that Echo Dot devices often see a price cut for Prime Day, making this a great target for bargain tech shopping.
(Image credit: Amazon)
Fire TV on Echo Show 15 – An old school kitchen TV
The Echo Show 15 is a nice smart display to have in the kitchen or around the house. It could already play Amazon Prime video, and Amazon says this was a very popular way to use the device. Now owners will be able to use the full suite of Fire TV features, including an expanded list of streaming channels, on the Echo Show 15, making it much more like the small, old school TV we used to gather around for dinner time in the days of sitcoms and network TV.
Evan Goldberg, founder and EVP of Oracle NetSuite, has dismissed the threat posed by smaller specialists that operate in overlapping markets.
During a press conference at SuiteWorld 2022, Goldberg was asked whether he is concerned about the potential for NetSuite to be outmanoeuvred by more agile players that focus more closely on a single solution.
“I’m not worried about [smaller players] because of the vast capabilities we have, the depth of the suite, and how we can scale,” he responded. “We’ve made enormous investments over the course of 23 years, so I’m not concerned about being outflanked.”
“However, we’ve got to make sure that customers aren’t losing anything when they come to us, and that they continue to get all the benefits they had with their small business package.”
NetSuite ERP
The NetSuite ERP platform offers a wide range of functionality, spanning accounting, CRM, HR, ecommerce and more. The idea is that users are able to complete critical business processes from within a single platform, instead of having to wrestle with tens of different applications.
However, as was highlighted during the press conference, it could be argued that vendors that specialize in a single category (e.g. QuickBooks) are better equipped to deliver cutting-edge features within their niche.
Although Goldberg was willing to entertain the concept, he said he is nonetheless confident in the NetSuite approach, which draws an advantage from the tight relationships between the components of the portfolio.
Goldberg also suggested that NetSuite services a slightly different customer demographic than the point solution vendors, made up predominantly of mid-sized, high-growth companies.
"Our customer-base is biased towards people who are growing, companies that have outgrown their existing accounting solutions. We try to set these companies up for success as they scale,” he explained.
“Customers get the most out of NetSuite when they use the full suite. That’s been the idea since the beginning. What’s stifling companies is that they’re mired in many different systems. As customers adopt more of the suite, they benefit from exponential value.”
Linux machines have been plagued by Windows-centric hardware management since 2002, but this could be about to change.
Sophisticated interfaces between a machine’s operating system and its hardware, such as the chips that have been slowing down your Linux machine, have long been required in order to ensure that processors with billions of transistors maintain efficiency.
Although the latest ACPI standard replaced the outgoing APM standard in 1996, however even more than a quarter of a century ago, it still had one key flaw.
Slower performance
Computer engineers carry out most of their testing on the industry-standard operating system, which for a long time has been Windows, which leaves Linux distros and macOS mostly unthought-for when they use third-party chips like AMD processors.
With the introduction of its own silicon, Apple has found one way to boost performance all-round with the processors it uses in its computers. The company’s M-series chips are now in their second generation, though this is a costly solution that is simply out of reach for the Linux Foundation.
Linux poor performance
The report continues to reminisce about Linux creator Linus Torvalds’ thoughts when it came to the updated ACPI standard, when in 2003 he said:
“ACPI is a complete design disaster in every way. But we're kind of stuck with it. If any Intel people are listening to this and you had anything to do with ACPI, shoot yourself now, before you reproduce.”
The problem came to light when troubled machines were taking a while to respond to STPCLK# signals, which determine whether a core should idle. This saw power efficiency reduce, which saw some dummy I/O instructions introduced as a workaround.
While this is no longer a problem, AMD engineer K Prateek Nayak found that Linux machines are still following the dummy instructions on his company’s processors. In the meantime, The Register reports a “hasty patch” by Intel’s Dave Hansen, which limits the workaround to only be present on Intel chips, which will be unaffected owing to the different method they use for idling a core. As a result, minimum throughput is said to have increased by around 14 times, and the mean throughput is also said to have increased by just over half.
Ultimately, even as we move into the 2020s, much of the third-party hardware we see on the market continues to be developed primarily with Windows in mind, and it’s likely that tweaks from eagle-eyed engineers will continue to drive improvements for less popular operating systems as time progresses.
