The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – America’s body responsible for collecting US federal taxes – is reportedly working on a new digital tax return system that’s set to be free of charge, representing a colossal threat to the tax-prep market dominated by the likes of TurboTax.
According to The Washington Post, the proposed government tax software is expected to be available to a select few to try out in preparation for the new year when the US tax year begins, though a full rollout could be months or even years away.
Currently, US citizens will typically pay around $ 200-300 annually for the privileges of filing their taxes, with only small pockets of the population eligible for free services.
Free tax return in the US
Key to the upcoming system is the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law fewer than 12 months ago, which places a heavy emphasis on the environment, technology, and the American workforce.
Among other tax-related announcements, such as changes to home energy credits, clean vehicle credits, and changes for businesses, was a $ 15 million pot of funding to create a new, direct filing system.
A description on an IRS news page reads: “The Inflation Reduction Act changed a wide range of tax laws and provided funds to improve our services and technology to make tax filing easier for you.”
A report by the Government Acocuntability Office (GAO) indicates that 70% of US taxpayers could be eligible for free tax preparation under the Free File program, but just 3% of all taxpayers use it.
The GAO recommended that the IRS “work with relevant stakeholders to identify and develop additional options for free online filing of tax returns that would reflect current guidelines for federal digital services,” but as of April 2022 the IRS disagreed.
A year later, and several months after the funding had been revealed, and the IRS appears to have turned back on its decision by trialling a free tax filing system.
However, with the Inflation Reduction Act being a decade-long plan, the chances of seeing meaningful change in the near future are all but slim.
The latest update to popular photo editor Pixelmator Pro gives macOS users another reason to avoid defaulting to Photoshop.
Codenamed Mosaic, version 3.3 of the photo editing app for Mac has introduced a raft of new features – with the Remove Color adjustment taking center-stage. The tool lets users strip out solid colors from images and videos just by selecting the color with an eyedropper tool.
According to the developer, users can adjust how much of a selected color is taken out using three controls: Color Range, Luminance Range, and Intensity sliders. Showcasing its use in a YouTube demonstration, the developer detailed how creatives can use the latest addition to remove a green screen in videos.
What’s new in Pixelmator Pro 3.3?
Remove Color, which apparently deploys “a state-of-the-art texture-aware algorithm”, isn’t the only update to make its way into version 3.3.
The Clarity, Selective Clarity, and Texture adjustments first made their way into the company's mobile photo editing app Pixelmator Photo, and now they are set to join the Photoshop alternative; while Shadows, Highlights, Exposure, and Brightness adjustments have also seen enhancements for creating more natural-looking edited images.
For illustrators and artists, the drawing software sees a significant bump in stroke styles and options for customizing them. Sidecar file support has also been introduced: by attaching a Pixelmator Pro document to images, users can open, edit, and save images in the original file format, while saving any non-destructive edits and layers to Mac or iCloud.
“Images with sidecar edits look and behave just like regular images. For example, you can easily share such images online or open them in other apps without having to export them first,” the firm explained.
Elsewhere, the graphic design software, which includes logo maker tools and a RAW image editor, received a new Pattern fill style and the ability to use shortcuts when applying LUTs, color adjustments, effects, and auto-color adjustments to videos.
Pixelmator Pro 3.3 is free to all existing users. New users can download it from the App Store by clicking here.
Building on its VPN and secure email service, Proton has launched an encrypted calendar app for Android as part of its mission to create a better internet where privacy is the default.
Proton Calendar first launched on desktop back in 2020 and last year, the company released a beta version of its encrypted mobile calendar app.
While securing your calendar may not be the first thing that comes to mind in regard to protecting your privacy, it actually contains loads of personal data including who you meet and where you meet. As this information deserves the same level of protection as your email and files, Proton has stepped up to create the most secure calendar around.
Unlike other calendar apps, all of the event details including event names, participants, locations, notes and descriptions in Proton Calendar are fully encrypted to prevent others from gaining access to your schedule.
Proton Calendar for Android
Proton Calendar for Android includes a full set of advanced features and functionalities so it can easily replace Google Calendar or any other calendar app you may currently be using.
With Proton Calendar installed on your Android smartphone, you can easily switch between day, schedule and month view to see your calendar as you like and Proton has also created a widget which you can add to your home screen for a bird’s eye view of your upcoming events.
Proton has even included both a light and dark mode with the option to easily switch between the two as well as the ability to set multiple reminders on your phone and by email to ensure you’re always on time.
For those interested in switching to Proton Calendar, there are two ways to do so. First off, you can import your existing calendar by using Easy Switch from the settings menu of your ProtonMail account. However, you can also import a local calendar file with the .ics file extension directly into Proton Calendar.
Once your events arrive in Proton Calendar, they are automatically encrypted to help keep your data, plans and whereabouts private.
Building on its VPN and secure email service, Proton has launched an encrypted calendar app for Android as part of its mission to create a better internet where privacy is the default.
Proton Calendar first launched on desktop back in 2020 and last year, the company released a beta version of its encrypted mobile calendar app.
While securing your calendar may not be the first thing that comes to mind in regard to protecting your privacy, it actually contains loads of personal data including who you meet and where you meet. As this information deserves the same level of protection as your email and files, Proton has stepped up to create the most secure calendar around.
Unlike other calendar apps, all of the event details including event names, participants, locations, notes and descriptions in Proton Calendar are fully encrypted to prevent others from gaining access to your schedule.
Proton Calendar for Android
Proton Calendar for Android includes a full set of advanced features and functionalities so it can easily replace Google Calendar or any other calendar app you may currently be using.
With Proton Calendar installed on your Android smartphone, you can easily switch between day, schedule and month view to see your calendar as you like and Proton has also created a widget which you can add to your home screen for a bird’s eye view of your upcoming events.
Proton has even included both a light and dark mode with the option to easily switch between the two as well as the ability to set multiple reminders on your phone and by email to ensure you’re always on time.
For those interested in switching to Proton Calendar, there are two ways to do so. First off, you can import your existing calendar by using Easy Switch from the settings menu of your ProtonMail account. However, you can also import a local calendar file with the .ics file extension directly into Proton Calendar.
Once your events arrive in Proton Calendar, they are automatically encrypted to help keep your data, plans and whereabouts private.
Looking for another Wordle alternative? Then Queerdle may be for you. This LGBTQ+ focused word game describes itself as a “yassification of Wordle” and sees you guessing six to eight-letter words that are based on LGBTQ+ references.
Created by Jordan Bouvier, Queerdle includes words based on LGBTQ+ history, slang and sexual references (with the latter meaning it includes some NSFW words), with some of the previous words including 'Switch' and 'Frock'.
Like Wordle, Queerdle highlights in gray when you get a letter wrong, green when it's right and in the right place and yellow if it's the right letter but in the wrong place – with the word resetting every 24 hours. Unlike Wordle, however, you get six chances (one more than Wordle) to guess the word and you can suggest your own words for consideration.
If you get the word right, you'll get a pop-up that says “Shantay you stay!” (a reference to RuPaul's Drag Race), a link to find out more about the word – if it has historical importance – and the option to share your results. While Wordle results are typically shared on social media depicting green, yellow or gray squares, Queerdle's results show snakes (correct), coconuts (wrong) and bananas (right letter, wrong place).
If you guess a word that's not been registered in the system, then you'll get a notification saying: “You're pretty sharp to guess that word! A regular Derrick Barry!” (a reference to Drag Queen Derrick Barry)
You can Queerdle via its official website and on any device that can open a web browser.
Opinion: Wordle popularity continues
(Image credit: Shutterstock / Tada Images)
Queerdle is one of many Wordle alternatives that have sprung up since the word game was released in October 2021. So far we've seen music clone Heardle, the obscene Lewdle, the more challenging Scholardle and geography-focused Worldle, to name a few.
Queerdle probably won't get as many players as the original Wordle, which around 300,000 people play daily according to the New York Times, but it's a great jumping-off point for those in and out of the LGBTQ+ community to learn more about LGBTQ+ history and slang while playing a fun word game. Not all the words are based on historical references, and there are quite a few RuPaul references in the game, but we're glad to see an LGBTQ+ friendly version Wordle alternative available.
Looking for another Wordle alternative? Then Queerdle may be for you. This LGBTQ+ focused word game describes itself as a “yassification of Wordle” and sees you guessing six to eight-letter words that are based on LGBTQ+ references.
Created by Jordan Bouvier, Queerdle includes words based on LGBTQ+ history, slang and sexual references (with the latter meaning it includes some NSFW words), with some of the previous words including 'Switch' and 'Frock'.
Like Wordle, Queerdle highlights in gray when you get a letter wrong, green when it's right and in the right place and yellow if it's the right letter but in the wrong place – with the word resetting every 24 hours. Unlike Wordle, however, you get six chances (one more than Wordle) to guess the word and you can suggest your own words for consideration.
If you get the word right, you'll get a pop-up that says “Shantay you stay!” (a reference to RuPaul's Drag Race), a link to find out more about the word – if it has historical importance – and the option to share your results. While Wordle results are typically shared on social media depicting green, yellow or gray squares, Queerdle's results show snakes (correct), coconuts (wrong) and bananas (right letter, wrong place).
If you guess a word that's not been registered in the system, then you'll get a notification saying: “You're pretty sharp to guess that word! A regular Derrick Barry!” (a reference to Drag Queen Derrick Barry)
You can Queerdle via its official website and on any device that can open a web browser.
Opinion: Wordle popularity continues
(Image credit: Shutterstock / Tada Images)
Queerdle is one of many Wordle alternatives that have sprung up since the word game was released in October 2021. So far we've seen music clone Heardle, the obscene Lewdle, the more challenging Scholardle and geography-focused Worldle, to name a few.
Queerdle probably won't get as many players as the original Wordle, which around 300,000 people play daily according to the New York Times, but it's a great jumping-off point for those in and out of the LGBTQ+ community to learn more about LGBTQ+ history and slang while playing a fun word game. Not all the words are based on historical references, and there are quite a few RuPaul references in the game, but we're glad to see an LGBTQ+ friendly version Wordle alternative available.
It’d be fair to say that much of the world runs on email, making it a must to have the best iOS email app for you.
While tools like Slack, WhatsApp and Discord all exist for instant messaging, email remains the way many people communicate. Whether it’s sending projects for approval, connecting with a loved one, or simply sharing notes for the latest office meeting, there’s plenty of life in email yet.
While your iPhone comes with Apple Mail installed, it’s not for everyone. Apple continues to improve it, but it can be a little clunky to use and lacks many of the more nuanced features of other email apps. iI’s also not much to look at. For basic sending and receiving messages, it’s great, but if you deal with a lot of emails, you may be looking for something flashier.
Thankfully, we’ve got you covered with the best alternative email apps for iOS, all of which make smart changes to the basic formula.
Microsoft Outlook
(Image credit: TechRadar)
It’s perhaps strange to trumpet Outlook as one of the best email apps for the iPhone, but it really is an excellent choice.
Microsoft’s long-running email client looks better here than it ever has before, and it’s plenty powerful too. Its Smart Inbox works out which emails are important and snoozes the others for later. You can also swipe emails to perform quick actions (something that many other apps on this list do).
Perhaps our favorite aspect though is that the calendar within Outlook is so good you can use it as your main planner. Its inclusion means that all your meetings and events, whether they’re from Google Calendar, iCloud, or elsewhere, are in one place.
Hey
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Hey has been the subject of much discussion, both in terms of its pricing, feature set, and the fact that the developer and Apple had a falling out over in-app payments.
Nonetheless, Hey is an excellent email client if you can stomach the $ 99 annual fee. Hey users get all kinds of great features, like the ability to screen emails from new senders, and unique filtering rules like the Paper Trail (for receipts) or The Feed (for newsletters).
To use Hey, you’ll have to direct all your existing email to it, but doing so will let you pick a custom @hey.com address.
Spark
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Of all of the apps on this list, Spark feels the fastest to use, and it’s got a great visual style with plenty of color in icons but mostly plain everywhere else.
Available on the App Store for free, there are plenty of features here that should give Apple something to ponder for an updated version of Mail.
As with others on this list, there’s a Smart inbox, but we’re particularly fond of Spark's array of 'actions' – you can snooze a thread, remind yourself to follow up later, create Smart Notifications, and more. There’s also a nice slide-over calendar, too.
Spark also plays nicely with attachments, letting you download and open files within the app itself rather than dipping into another option. Attachment search is great, too, and you can attach whatever you’re sending to cloud services straight from the app.
Edison
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Edison is another good-looking Apple Mail alternative, but its real superpower is its built-in assistant.
Edison’s assistant will filter your emails by type or sender, and it’s perfect for those with butterfingers since it’ll let you undo the sending of an email up to fifteen seconds after you hit the Send button. There are also the slide-to-action options seen elsewhere on this list, too.
Edison leans a little on Hey’s business model, now that it works with OnMail. You can use Edison for free, but paying $ 4.99 will get you a custom domain, password-protected large file links, and an increased attachment size up to 250MB.
Twobird
(Image credit: TechRadar)
The new kid on the mail-block, Twobird is part email app and part to-do list – and it’s great at both.
The email experience removes as much from around the actual content of your email as it can, cleaning up the experience to let you focus on the who and the what. You’ll also be able to turn the emails in your inbox into a task list of sorts, tying it in with your other daily reminders, while smart notifications work out what you need to know and when.
Twobird is off to a great start, but there’s a big caveat – there’s no option to currently add your iCloud here, sadly. Gmail and Exchange users, however, will find a lot to love.
AirMail
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Airmail has a smart-looking design that feels ripped straight from Apple’s own design language. In fact, it feels like Apple Mail, but better.
The real strength of Airmail is in its integrations with other services – be those web services or other apps on your phone. If you use it, chances are, Airmail can too; Google Drive, Todoist, Drafts, Trello, they’re all here. It’s a far cry from Apple’s more siloed experience.
While Airmail is free, you can upgrade to a Pro plan for $ 2.99 per month (or $ 9.99 per year). Doing so gets you a unified inbox, multiple themes, and the option to snooze and delay sending.
Spike
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Spike shakes things up by attempting to blur the lines between email and instant messaging. It looks closer to iMessage than it does to Apple Mail, which may put some people off.
In truth, it’s closer to something like Slack, stripping away the need for long emails full of headers and signatures and boiling it down to the message content and any attachments. It’s configurable for teams, too, so you can send an email to a group of colleagues as if it were a Slack message.
There are built-in notes and task management options, too, with both working collaboratively. And just like others on this list, there’s a Priority Inbox so you never miss an important email.
Chuwi’s UBook Pro is probably the best alternative to the Surface Go that Microsoft seems to have retired. All stocks of the diminutive tablet are currently out of stock and have been so for a while. You can still get it from third parties, often at a much higher price.
Gearbest sells the Chuwi UBook Pro for $ 399.99 (or £340/AU$ 670) when you use the coupon code GBCHUWI123. Exact prices after the discount in other territories will vary depending on the day’s exchange rate. Gearbest ships to most territories worldwide via expedited shipping although you may be levied additional charges and fees by customs.
Add the capacitive stylus pen and the original keyboard cover and the price creeps up to just under $ 470, which is still far lower than the 128GB version of the Surface Go (that comes without accessories).
What do you get for your money? A Gemini Lake-based Intel Celeron N4100 that is significantly faster than the Pentium 4415Y (based on CPUBenchmark numbers), 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD – that’s twice the storage capacity of the Surface Go, a 12.3-inch display with a full HD resolution.
The Surface Go has a smaller display size so, understandably, it is lighter and has a smaller footprint. The camera sensors on Microsoft’s tablet have a higher resolution but the UBook Pro has more connectors (including a useful HDMI one). This means you won’t mean any docking station to connect to a monitor.
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