The all-new version of Microsoft Defender Preview is available now, for free

Microsoft appears to have jumped the gun and released the latest edition of its Windows 11 security tool onto the app store early.

The Microsoft Defender Preview app can be downloaded and used free of charge, but the company has already warned it will only be free during the preview period.

In addition to providing a basic security overview, Microsoft Defender Preview gives details of security alerts that have appeared on different devices. Perhaps the most valuable feature of the app is that it makes it possible to easily check the security of a device without the need, necessarily, to have physical access to it.

Microsoft Defender Preview

In many ways, Microsoft Defender Preview is more of a security dashboard than a security app in its own right. The store listing says that the app lets you “easily manage your online security in one centralized view”, and anyone wanting to make use of the app will have to sign into a Microsoft account.

Once signed in, the app makes it possible to view the security status of any and all devices linked to that account. This can include a number of personal devices, but also devices owned by family members. Precisely what you are able to see here will depend on the type of subscription you are using after the preview period comes to an end.

Microsoft Defender Preview

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Free – for now

It is worth reiterating the fact that once the preview period comes to an end – and Microsoft has not revealed quite when this will be – the app will no longer be free. 

The company points out: “No subscription is required for Microsoft Defender Preview. In the future, Microsoft Defender will require a Microsoft 365 Family or Personal subscription”.

Some users have reported seeing a message informing them that “Microsoft Defender isn't currently available in your region”. But with no official word from Microsoft about availability, it is impossible to say which countries have failed to make the grade.

Via WindowsLatest

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There’s an all-new free version of Google Workspace for work

Workers looking to experience a host of the most popular Google Workspace software can now try for free thanks to a new offering from the company.

The new Google Workspace Essentials plan provides access to the likes of Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and more as the company looks to offer its online collaboration tools to more businesses than ever before.

What's more, you don't even need a Gmail account to sign up – and it's absolutely free.

Free Google Workspace

“We’re rolling out a new version designed to help people bring the apps they know and love to use in their personal lives to their work life,” Kelly Waldher, Vice President of Marketing, Google Workspace, wrote in a blog post.

“The new Google Workspace Essentials Starter Edition is a no-cost solution for business users looking to enhance teamwork and unlock innovation with secure-by-design collaboration. With Essentials Starter, we’re making it easy for employees to choose their own productivity tools and bring modern collaboration to work.”

There are some caveats to the plan, as users will only get 15GB of cloud storage, down from the usual 30GB available with the basic Google Workspace Business Starter plan, which typically costs $ 6/user/month.

There's also obviously no access to Gmail either, but users will be able to hold Google Meet video conferences of up to 100 people for up to an hour, as well as access to Spaces, Google Chat, Sheets, Slides and Docs.

The news comes as something of a surprise, given Google had recently said it would be cutting down on users accessing Google Workspace for free.

The company announced that all G Suite legacy free edition users would soon be shifted over to a paid version of Google Workspace from July 1 in order to ensure they kept access to tools such as Gmail, Meet and Docs.

This had upset users who may have recently signed up for the software, particularly non-business users facing having to pay for the first time, with Google saying that anyone not signed up to a paid subscription by the July deadline faced being locked out.

Google Workplace plans start at $ 6/user/month for its Business Starter option, with Business Standard ($ 12/user/month) and Business Plus ($ 18 /user/month) also on offer, providing an increasing level of services with the amount paid.

Google plans to automatically upgrade free users from May 1 to “an upgraded Google Workspace paid subscription”, based on its analysis of the customer's usage and the features it thinks you'll need. The company is also offering businesses who don't want to pay or upgrade the chance to export their data at no extra cost.

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This all-new version of Microsoft Teams will take over your working life

Small businesses will now be able to utilise video conferencing software and online collaboration tool much easier with the launch of the first ever stand-alone version of Microsoft Teams.

Available now, Teams Essentials provides small businesses with an affordable meeting solution that is ideal for hybrid work environments. At just $ 4 per user per month, the software giant's new offering is one of the most competitively priced video conferencing and collaboration solutions on the market today.

“We know how difficult the past 20 months have been for small businesses,” noted Microsoft's corporate vice president of Modern Work, Jared Spataro. “They’ve had to demonstrate extreme flexibility to adapt, often with limited access to tools and technology. Teams Essentials is built specifically to meet the unique needs of small businesses, enabling them to thrive in this new era of work.”

Microsoft Teams Essentials

SMBs that sign up for Teams Essentials will be able to hold unlimited group meetings for up to 30 hours and meetings with up to 300 people but they'll also get access to 10GB of cloud storage per user.

Teams Essentials also includes all of the existing and upcoming capabilities available in the free version of Teams such as easy invitations that only require an email address, Outlook Calendar and Google Calendar integration, virtual backgrounds, Together mode, always-available chats, polls and more.

Small businesses interested in purchasing Teams Essentials subscriptions for their employees can do so directly through the Teams website or from a variety of Microsoft Cloud Partners including ALSO, Crayon, Ingram, Pax8, Rhipe, TD Synnex, Telefonica (ES), Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone (IT) and Wortmann AG.

While Teams Essentials makes sense for small businesses that want to continue using their existing office software, for just $ 1 more at $ 5 per user per month, they can sign up for Microsoft 365 Business Basic which also includes access to the web and mobile versions of Microsoft's Office apps, 1TB of cloud storage per user, business-class email, Teams meetings recordings with transcripts and more.

Looking to improve your video calls? Check out our roundups of the best video conferencing softwarebest business webcams and best headsets for conference calls

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Get the all-new iPhone SE for FREE at Sprint’s Memorial Day sale

If you're on the hunt for a cheap iPhone deal, then you're in luck. Sprint's Memorial Day sale is happening right now and the phone carrier is offering the all-new iPhone SE for free when you trade-in an eligible device on Sprint's Flex 18-month lease plan. At month 18, you can either return the phone and upgrade to a new model, buy it, or pay the balance in six monthly payments.

Once you order the iPhone SE, you'll receive a return kit for your trade-in device. You'll have 30 days to return your unlocked phone after activation, and you'll see the credit applied as soon as Sprint receives your old device.

This is a fantastic deal if you have an older phone to trade-in and an amazing price for a brand new Apple iPhone. Sprint's Memorial Day sale ends on Tuesday, May 26, so you should take advantage now before it's too late.

iPhone SE deal at Sprint:

Shop more offers with our roundup of the best Memorial Day sales that are happening now.

See more of the best iPhone SE deals: the best prices and plans available right now.

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The all-new 10.2-inch iPad hits lowest price ever at Amazon

If you're looking to score a deal on the latest iPad, then you're in luck. Right now at Amazon, you can get the latest model Apple iPad on sale for $ 249.99. That's a $ 79 discount and the lowest price we've found for the 32GB tablet. If you're interested in more storage, Amazon also has the 10.2-inch iPad with 128GB of storage on sale for $ 329.99.

The all-new iPad includes Apple's powerful A10 Fusion chip and is available in a 32GB or 128GB storage option. The tablet features a 10.2-inch Retina display that is now able to support a full-sized smart keyboard. The updated tablet runs on iPadOS, which allows for seamless multitasking and the use of the Apple Pencil. The iPad also includes a 1.2MP front-facing camera and has the voice-assistant Siri built-in.

As we mentioned above, this is the lowest price we've found for both tablets and a fantastic price for a newer model Apple iPad. We don't know how long Amazon will have the iPads on sale, so you should act fast before they're gone.

Amazon iPad deals:

Interested in other iPad models? We've listed even more of the cheapest iPad deals that are currently available.

You can learn more about the latest iPad with our hands-on iPad (2019) review.

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