Windows 10 Creators Update will let you control which apps can be installed

Why it matters to you

Microsoft’s already-secure Windows 10 will be even more safe starting with Creators Update, which will let you limit which apps can be installed.

Being able to install any application from anywhere is one of the main benefits of using a full desktop operating system. It’s also a potential source of security issues, which is one of the reasons why some systems, such as iOS, lock app installation to an app store or, like MacOS, provide an option to customize how applications can be installed.

Some recent information indicated that Microsoft planned to offer a version of Windows 10, called Windows 10 “Cloud” edition, that would lock down application installation to only the Windows Store. Now, it appears that Microsoft is turning on that feature for all Windows 10 versions starting with Creators Update, Windows Central reports.

More: An early build of Windows 10 Cloud has leaked, proving the new OS is no myth

The feature is managed in the Settings app, specifically in the Apps section that appeared in more recent Windows Insider preview builds. The latest build has a new setting that allows the user to allow apps to be installed from anywhere, to “prefer apps” from the Windows Store but allow apps to be installed from anywhere, and to only allow apps from the Windows Store.

If you turn on the second, less restrictive option, then you will be presented with a dialog asking if you’re sure you want to install a non-Windows Store app. If you have the more restrictive option turned on, then you won’t be able to install a non-Windows Store app. This limits the system to running only Universal Windows Apps, or desktop apps that have been converted to installing via the Windows Store.

Zac Bowden/Windows Central

The feature requires administrator rights to change and so a user with a standard account could be restricted to only installing Windows Store apps. Even for administrative accounts, however, the feature would provide a security benefit by ensuring that only the more security-conscious Windows Store apps can be installed and thus remove one vector of attack.

Note that existing desktop apps that have already been installed prior to changing the setting will still run. If you want to limit your Windows 10 machine from installing potentially less secure apps, but want to be able to install certain apps that you’re certain are safe, then you can simply toggle the setting, reboot, install your app, and then toggle the safeguard back on.

Is your mouse causing wrist pain? Try the Anker wireless vertical mouse ($16)

The standard desktop mouse was introduced decades ago and has not changed much since then. Although there are many newer models with a dazzling array of buttons, lights, and DPI settings, the traditional shape which places the user’s hand in a palm-down position has remained the same. This can cause wrist strain and has led some people in recent years to try more ergonomic designs like the inexpensive Anker wireless vertical mouse, which is now available for just $16 on Amazon.

Unlike traditional horizontally-oriented designs, the Anker ergonomic mouse features a vertical housing that puts the user’s wrist into a more natural “handshake” alignment. This reduces hand and arm strain by preventing the wrist from being twisted inward for extended periods of time. The Anker ergonomic mouse is also large enough to fill the palm, mitigating the need to use a tiring “claw” grip that is sometimes necessary when holding smaller models.

More: Now just $60, the NZXT S340 mid tower is a budget-friendly case for your PC build

The Anker ergonomic mouse offers DPI settings of 800, 1,200, and 1,600, letting you change your sensitivity level to suit your current task. Along with the standard right/left buttons and scrolling wheel, two forward and back buttons allow for convenient web browsing and give you some additional inputs for gaming. The 2.4G USB wireless receiver — compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux — is low-profile and can be stored inside the rubberized housing when not in use. The unit runs on two AAA batteries, and after eight minutes of non-use the mouse automatically powers off to save energy and increase battery life.

Normally $30, the Anker wireless vertical mouse is available on Amazon for 47 percent off, which brings the price down to $16. Anker provides an 18-month warranty on the device as well. If traditional mouses aren’t giving you the comfort you need, then this is an affordable way to try out a more ergonomic design if you haven’t already.

$16 on Amazon

Open Garden’s internet connectivity solution targets emerging markets

Why it matters to you

Not every country has internet as reliable and robust as developed nations. Open Garden’s MeshKit provides a reliable, peer-to-peer alternative that also lets users download apps even when they’re offline.

Cellular internet may be a plentiful commodity in developed nations, but in emerging Asian, African, and Latin American markets, it’s a luxury — and typically an unreliable one. In India, for example, only 6.9 percent of the country’s citizens are registered internet users, and they experience speeds on average of 772 kbps — about half of the average U.S. internet connection speeds.To compound things, building the infrastructure necessary to deliver high-speed data can be a pricey proposition.

That’s why Open Garden, a San Francisco-based connectivity company, is taking a decentralized approach to connectivity with MeshKit.

More: Why 2017 will be the year of blisteringly fast Wi-Fi

MeshKit, which Open Garden announced at the Mobile World Congress convention in Barcelona, Spain, this week, is a peer-to-peer network framework that leverages a combination of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to supply internet in regions of the world where it would otherwise be inaccessible. App developers and digital businesses can enable offline transactions, for instance, and media companies can distribute news and entertainment to customers who aren’t online.

All the more impressive, MeshKit allows mobile developers to distribute their applications offline. Users who have tapped into Open Garden’s ad hoc network don’t need an internet connection to update or download apps and games.

That’s crucial for developers in countries like India, which has the fastest growth rate of registered Internet users of any other country — and the fastest-growing middle class. Apps and websites that are reliably accessible stand a better chance at establishing a foothold in a market fast becoming lucrative.

“Offline is the new frontier. The impossible is now possible with MeshKit: Reach people on their smartphones even when they are offline,” Paul Hainsworth, CEO of Open Garden, said in a press release. “App developers worldwide can now reach audiences even when they are disconnected from the internet to share rich media, enable offline transactions, and grow the number of their users in an unprecedented way.”

Sol Studio, Latin America’s largest music app publisher, is the first company to take advantage of MeshKit’s capabilities. It will employ the service to distribute it’s library of apps, including Palco MP3, the sixth-most downloaded music service in the world; Cifra Club, a music learning platform; and lyric archive Letras.mus.br.

“Studio Sol has always been a digital pioneer,” Samuel Vignoli, co-founder and CEO at Studio Sol, said in a statement. “We’re excited to deploy Open Garden’s innovative technology to reach even more people across Brazil and let them discover new music even when they are offline.”

Check out Google Assistant running on a variety of Android smartphones

Why it matters to you

Google Assistant is now the default voice assistant on millions of devices, thanks to an update to the Google app.

If you’ve been dying to use Google Assistant, you may be in luck. Google is currently rolling out a big update to its app that enables Google Assistant on smartphones running Android version 6.0 Marshmallow or higher.

Considering there are more than a billion activated Android devices, a rough estimation makes that likely more than 300 million smartphones and tablets — minus devices with less than 1.5GB of RAM or a non-HD display. That’s according to Android’s distribution numbers, which put Marshmallow and Nougat’s adoption at 31.9 percent of active Android devices.

More: Google Assistant is coming to millions of devices running Android Marshmallow or Nougat

Up until now, the only phone with Assistant, Google’s artificially intelligent bot, has been the company’s own devices — Pixel and Pixel XL. LG unveiled the G6 at Mobile World Congress in conjunction with Google’s announcement, as it is the first phone to launch with Google Assistant after the Pixel.

We stopped by Google’s Android Global Village here at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to take a look at a few Android devices running Assistant. Devices like the Moto Z, LG V20, LG G6, Sony Xperia X, the Nokia 6, and more were all on display with Assistant functionality.

Google Assistant can be triggered by pressing and holding the home button, or by saying “OK Google.” It lets you search queries like “what’s the weather,” “where’s the nearest gas station.” and “when’s my next flight,” but it’s more personable and you can ask it things like, “where are you from,” to dig deep into the Assistant’s history.

As Assistant on the Pixel recently received the ability to control smart home appliances — like Assistant on Google Home — all these millions of smartphones will now be able to do so as well. If you have a Chromecast, for example, you can ask Assistant to cast “Stranger Things” on Netflix to your TV.

More: Make the most out of Google with this list of ‘OK, Google’ voice commands

Again, the only requirements for using Assistant on your Android phone is that you need to have a device running Android 6.0 or higher, and you need to have 1.5GB of RAM or more, and a 720p display or higher. Check the Google Play Store to see if you have an update waiting for the Google app, and if not you may have to wait until it fully rolls out.

Kingston’s “world’s largest” flash drive comes with a rather large price tag

Why it matters to you

Here’s a good way to transport up to 2TB of data in your pocket, but the cost of this convenience is quite high, even after a price cut.

Kingston Digital is claiming the “world’s largest” title with the launch of its latest DataTraveler USB-based flash drive. That is because the new model provides storage capacities of up to 2TB, depending on the unit. It’s sold as the DataTraveler Ultimate GT (short for generation terabyte) and connects via a USB 3.0 port (or what’s now called USB 3.1 Gen1) for fast data transfers.

Here are the specs:

Name:
DataTraveler Ultimate GT
Capacities:
1TB (DTUGT/1TB)
2TB (DTUGT/2TB)
Max read speed:
300MB per second
Max write speed:
200MB per second
Data transfer speed:
5Gbps via USB 3.0 (USB 3.1 Gen1)
Dimensions:
2.95 x 1.06 x 0.82 inches
Operating temperature:
-25 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius
Storage temperature:
-40 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius
Warranty:
Five years with free technical support
Compatible platforms:
Windows 7 SP1 to Windows 10
MacOS 10.9.x or newer
Linux 2.6.x or newer
Chrome OS

“We are always striving to create new and better storage solutions to meet our customers’ needs especially in an ever-increasing digital world,” Kingston Flash business manager Jean Wong said in a statement. “With the release of the DataTraveler Ultimate GT, users can push the boundaries of their mobile storage needs and ensure that they have more than enough space to store their video, photos and files in a small form factor.”

According to Kingston Digital, the 2TB model can store up to 768,000 8MP images (JPGs), 5,623 minutes of 720p video recording at 30 frames per second, 166 HD movies in the MKV format, 531,344 MP3 audio files, or 1,792 compressed MP4 movies. Needless to say, 2TB can hold quite a lot, and is larger than the default storage options in many pre-built PCs.

More: Kingston’s new DataTraveler drives offer serious protection and encryption

Given the DataTraveler Ultimate GT is simply a USB flash drive, there is not much to say in the features department. Its form factor is rectangular, sporting a durable zinc alloy die-cast metal casing to beef up the drive’s shock resistance. And because it’s smaller than an external hard drive of the same capacity, terabytes of data can easily be stored in the user’s pocket.

However, cramming all that data into the user’s pocket is extremely pricey. For the 2TB model, Kingston is asking for $1,625, which is a 28 percent reduction of its original $2,273 price tag. The 1TB unit is rather expensive too despite its 28 percent cut in price, costing a hefty $942.50.

That said, what customers are purchasing is the convenience of a reduced size. Samsung’s T3 external SSD offers 2TB of storage and connects via USB 3.0 Type-C, but only costs $790 (the 1TB model costs $350). Even more, it provides read and write speeds of up to 450MB per second. However, it’s not exactly pocket-sized, measuring 2.95 by 2.28 by 0.41 inches.

Kingston Digital’s DataTraveler Ultimate GT flash drives are available now through the company and its partner retailers.

Kingston’s “world’s largest” flash drive comes with a rather large price tag

Why it matters to you

Here’s a good way to transport up to 2TB of data in your pocket, but the cost of this convenience is quite high, even after a price cut.

Kingston Digital is claiming the “world’s largest” title with the launch of its latest DataTraveler USB-based flash drive. That is because the new model provides storage capacities of up to 2TB, depending on the unit. It’s sold as the DataTraveler Ultimate GT (short for generation terabyte) and connects via a USB 3.0 port (or what’s now called USB 3.1 Gen1) for fast data transfers.

Here are the specs:

Name:
DataTraveler Ultimate GT
Capacities:
1TB (DTUGT/1TB)
2TB (DTUGT/2TB)
Max read speed:
300MB per second
Max write speed:
200MB per second
Data transfer speed:
5Gbps via USB 3.0 (USB 3.1 Gen1)
Dimensions:
2.95 x 1.06 x 0.82 inches
Operating temperature:
-25 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius
Storage temperature:
-40 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius
Warranty:
Five years with free technical support
Compatible platforms:
Windows 7 SP1 to Windows 10
MacOS 10.9.x or newer
Linux 2.6.x or newer
Chrome OS

“We are always striving to create new and better storage solutions to meet our customers’ needs especially in an ever-increasing digital world,” Kingston Flash business manager Jean Wong said in a statement. “With the release of the DataTraveler Ultimate GT, users can push the boundaries of their mobile storage needs and ensure that they have more than enough space to store their video, photos and files in a small form factor.”

According to Kingston Digital, the 2TB model can store up to 768,000 8MP images (JPGs), 5,623 minutes of 720p video recording at 30 frames per second, 166 HD movies in the MKV format, 531,344 MP3 audio files, or 1,792 compressed MP4 movies. Needless to say, 2TB can hold quite a lot, and is larger than the default storage options in many pre-built PCs.

More: Kingston’s new DataTraveler drives offer serious protection and encryption

Given the DataTraveler Ultimate GT is simply a USB flash drive, there is not much to say in the features department. Its form factor is rectangular, sporting a durable zinc alloy die-cast metal casing to beef up the drive’s shock resistance. And because it’s smaller than an external hard drive of the same capacity, terabytes of data can easily be stored in the user’s pocket.

However, cramming all that data into the user’s pocket is extremely pricey. For the 2TB model, Kingston is asking for $1,625, which is a 28 percent reduction of its original $2,273 price tag. The 1TB unit is rather expensive too despite its 28 percent cut in price, costing a hefty $942.50.

That said, what customers are purchasing is the convenience of a reduced size. Samsung’s T3 external SSD offers 2TB of storage and connects via USB 3.0 Type-C, but only costs $790 (the 1TB model costs $350). Even more, it provides read and write speeds of up to 450MB per second. However, it’s not exactly pocket-sized, measuring 2.95 by 2.28 by 0.41 inches.

Kingston Digital’s DataTraveler Ultimate GT flash drives are available now through the company and its partner retailers.

25 awesome Android games you need to try

We started this roundup back in 2011, and though we believe Apple’s iPhone still has a better game selection, Android has grown considerably in the time since. In the pages ahead, we’ve compiled some of our favorite games that are currently on the market, as of early 2017. Some are free and others cost a few bucks, but all of them provide an entertaining experience on the go.

More: 100 awesome Android apps that will turn your phone into a jack of all trades

Given that there are hundreds of thousands of Android games spanning a bevy of different genres — role-playing, platforming, sports, etc. — we’ve broken them down into distinct sections for your perusal. Now, if only everything in life was as simple as choosing a game for your evening commute…

Action and Adventure Games

Crashlands ($5)

In Crashlands, you play the role of a galactic truck driver marooned on a strange planet far from home. You must attempt to locate your packages, all the while learning new strategies and making connections to thwart an alien plot to to take over this new world.

Download now from:

Google Play

Shadow Fight 2 (Free)

Everyone harbors a secret desire to be a ninja, so step out of the shadows and beat your opponents to a pulp in this stylish, beautifully animated, fighting game. Grinding RPG elements detract slightly, but it’s a fun time.

Download now from:

Amazon Google Play

Komodo dragons are large, scary, and their blood could save human lives

Why it matters to you

On the hunt for next-generation antibiotics, researchers think they may have found the answer in the blood of the terrifyingly large and poisonous Komodo dragon.

Here’s one way you could haze a new intern in a biomedical lab: Ask them to go track down a sample of Komodo dragon blood for analysis.

The big, strong, venomous creatures (referring to Komodo dragons, not interns!) are Indonesian natives, the largest living lizards in the world — and probably not the biggest fans of being used to help humans research better antibiotics.

More: You may soon be able to shell out for snail-based pain medicine

That’s what intrepid scientists at several U.S. universities — including Virginia Polytechnic Institute, George Mason University, and the University of Florida — are doing, however. In a study published this month in the Journal of Proteome Research, they describe how the antimicrobial blood of Komodo dragons could help us puny humans battle infection.

“We set out to investigate the blood of the Komodo dragon, to try and find out more about its antimicrobial peptides, referring to small proteins that are part of its immune system,” Barney Bishop, a professor at Virginia’s George Mason University and lead author of the paper, told Digital Trends. “Komodo dragons have a reputation for having robust immune systems that allow them to live in very difficult environments, and be unaffected by bacteria that can cause all types of disease. They also recover very effectively from injuries and wounds inflicted by other dragons.”

By sequencing the peptides of Komodo dragons belonging to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in Florida, the researchers were able to accurately predict which possessed antimicrobial properties. The handful of peptides that looked most promising were then analyzed in detail as part of the paper.

“We’re still a ways away from developing an actual drug,” Bishop said. “Bringing a drug from invention to approval to market takes around 12 years or so.” However, the work is significant in that it is starting to analyze the Komodo dragon’s tough immune system in a way that may one day be helpful in a medical context.

And don’t worry about the Komodo dragons, either. The other exciting part of the research is that this analysis was able to be carried out using very small blood samples, consisting of just 100 microliters of plasma. Should this research eventually lead to a drug, the idea would be to synthesize peptides based on the research results.

That’s particularly important when you’re dealing with an endangered species, which Komodo dragons are. “They’re like national treasures in Indonesia,” Bishop continued. “You’ve got to treat them gingerly — despite the fact that they’re not going to necessarily treat us gingerly!”

Windows 10 Creators Update Bug Bash created a ton of work for Microsoft

Why it matters to you

Windows Insiders generated more than 100,000 feedback items at the latest Bug Bash to help make Windows 10 the best operating system it can be.

Windows 10 benefits tremendously from the Windows Insider program, where millions of brave users access early preview versions of the operating system and provide copious amounts of feedback on its features and performance. Ever so often, Microsoft kicks things up a notch with a Bug Bash, an event aimed at finding particularly pernicious bugs and evaluating specific functionality.

The next major Windows 10 update is known as Creators Update and it is expected to arrive in April. The latest bug Bash, held in February, was aimed at assessing what is thought to be a feature-complete version of the Creators Update that will make its way to production users — and Microsoft has provided a behind-the-scenes look into how Bug Bashes are organized and managed.

More: Microsoft kicks off second Windows 10 Creators Update Bug Bash

From a user’s perspective, Windows Insider Bug Bashes are fun events that provide users with quests to check out new features and functionality and to interact with various Microsoft engineers. Windows Insiders can earn badges for various Bug Bash achievements that they can show off to fellow participants and generally feel like they are directly participating in Windows 10’s development.

From a Microsoft engineer perspective, the Bug Bashes are intensely busy affairs that are rendered more successful with each new bug that is identified and each issue that is raised with how things are done in Windows 10. The last Bug Bash, for example, generated 115,100 feedback items, with participants completing approximately 108,000 quests. That provides Microsoft with a tremendous amount of feedback, as well as a great deal of work to do in implementing changes to meet the impending update deadline.

Microsoft staff spends a great deal of time creating the quests, focusing not only on specific features but also on certain days during a Bug Bash event and following the release of specific builds. The quests are created directly by engineers working on various Windows 10 features and are outside the control of the Bug Bash team. The Bug Bashes also help Microsoft develop internal tools to track feedback and make following up on the hundreds of thousands of feedback items more efficient.

As always, Microsoft wants your feedback on the February 2017 Windows 10 Bug Bash and you can provide your thoughts via the Feedback Hub app. The Microsoft blog post provides more details on what goes on inside of the company during its Windows Insider Bug Bashes and it is worth a read but the real proof of the pudding will come with the release of Creators Update in April.

25 awesome iPhone games you need to play

If you’re a gamer, there is no better phone to buy than the iPhone. Both the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus brought bigger screens to iOS, but it’s the success of the App Store that makes the iPhone such a great platform for gaming. With more than a million apps, the gaming options on the iPhone are nearly limitless. But finding the best titles isn’t always easy.

More: From Facebook to Mint, here are 100 of our favorite iPhone apps for 2017

Not every game in Apple’s massive library is worth a $1 — or your time, for that matter. Lucky for you, we’ve taken on the burden of sorting through the sea of titles to bring you some of our favorite games, whether you’re looking for a casual puzzler or something a bit more biblical.

Action & Adventure games

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth ($15)

This Legend of Zelda-inspired dungeon crawler, from the creator of Super Meat Boy, follows young Isaac as he escapes to the basement in an effort to avoid being sacrificed by his crazy mother. The arcade-y game’s fast pace, deep pool of power-ups, and dark soundtrack make it an excellent choice, even when you consider the lofty price tag.

Download now from:

iTunes

Love You To Bits ($4)

When a tiny human explorer’s robot girlfriend is sucked into space and dismembered (in a totally PG way), you’ve got to scour the galaxy to rebuild her. This endearing adventure game boasts clever puzzles, incredibly cute artwork, and a storyline that will tug at your heart strings.

Download now from:

iTunes

The Silent Age (Free)

When custodian Joe Average encounters a dying man, he finds himself in the midst of a time travel plot to save mankind. It’s an understated thriller with a unique paper aesthetic and a series of enthralling, atmospheric settings. Oh, and there are puzzles, too.

Download now from:

iTunes

Limbo ($5)

A terrific, touch-controlled platform game, Limbo is a stunning saga of a boy who wanders through a haunting industrial jungle. There’s no explanation, no dialogue, and no shortage of horrendous surprises. It’s the kind of game that stumps you for hours until something clicks and you suddenly realize how simple the answer was.

Download now from:

iTunes

Year Walk ($4)

This point-and-click adventure combines Swedish folklore with a sleek minimal design It’s terrifying and stylized beautifully, with a mature storyline sure to propel you through its short duration. If you can handle it, play with the lights off and the volume cranked up.

Download now from:

iTunes

Walking Dead: The Game (Free)

Although set in the same universe as the blockbuster AMC show, Telltale’s title is more about characters, exploration, and quick-wit puzzles than mindlessly killing zombies with the closest boomstick. The award-winning game forces you to make difficult decisions that often endanger your group of survivors.

Download now from:

iTunes

Horizon Chase (Free)

Here’s a nostalgia-inducing racer that still plays like a dream, while incorporating some modern elements into the mix. From the game’s aesthetics to its soundtrack, Horizon Chase admirably harks back to classic racers like Outrun and Top Gear.

Download now from:

iTunes

Vikings: an Archer’s Journey ($3)

In Vikings: an Archer’s Journey you control the character Nott, a Valkyrie who has been sent to the Underworld by the Viking gods. You must use your keen archery skills to conquer the enemies you encounter along the way.

Download now from:

iTunes