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Posts tagged "could"

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This extension could make Firefox the ideal browser for content creators
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Mozilla has released a new extension for Firefox that allows users to manage color calibration in its browser across devices.

By default, Firefox uses color management from Windows, macOS, Linux and other operating systems to optimize and render colors and images to enhance users’ browsing experience. However, with its new Extended Color Management Add-On, users can disable color management and then restart Firefox so that the colors of graphics and videos are consistent across devices.

By doing this, media engineers and content creators can make consistent and reliable assumptions about the color pipeline between content shown in a browser and the actual pixel values sent to a computer’s display.

While most users are completely unaware of this, different monitors, operating systems and browsers vary in color output. In order to ensure each workstation is able to see consistent color output across images and video, color management applications need to be calibrated to the same specifications which can be quite tedious.

While creative applications like Photoshop allow you to disable color management, most browsers don’t allow you to do so. This is why Mozilla’s Extended Color Management extension can be very useful for those that need to have material reviewed by another party remotely through a browser on a well-calibrated display.

Extended Color Management

In a new blog post, Mozilla’s Extensions and Add-Ons team revealed that some of the world’s leading visual effects studios including Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) use Firefox as part of their creative process when making movies and TV shows.

As visual effects studios and their vendors began working from home during the pandemic, color calibration became especially difficult when compared to how easy it was to manage in-office. This is why Mozilla worked with ILM over the past year to develop its new Extended Color Management add-on.

Read more

> The most popular Firefox extensions of 2021 were both adblockers

> Firefox will no longer be so slow to boot up

> Firefox Focus wants to help keep your web searches private

With the company’s new extension, Lucasfilm and its remote partners are now able to see the intended colors and view ‘dailies’ more easily than ever before, especially when working remotely.

Global imaging supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic, J. Schulte explained how the company worked with Mozilla to make it even easier to view content with color accuracy in Firefox, saying:

“At ILM we want to ensure that all content is as color accurate as possible no matter where we view it. The updates to Firefox have allowed us to increase the color accuracy of content viewed in a browser further than any other browser. When we identified a new use case for Firefox, their team was responsive and updated their browser to fill the need.”

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Apple could be working on a whole host of financial and banking tools
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Apple is reportedly working on a multi-year plan to develop its own payment processing technology and infrastructure in an effort to further build out its portfolio of financial products.

As reported by Bloomberg, the move would allow the iPhone maker to reduce its reliance on outside partners but it could also enable the company to expand its payment features beyond the US.

According to people familiar with the matter that spoke with the news outlet, the multi-year plan would bring a number of financial tasks in-house including payment processing, risk assessment for lending, fraud analysis, credit checks and other customer-service functions like handling disputes.

Since Apple is reportedly investigating the idea of launching its own hardware subscription service, being able to run credit checks and risk assessments before providing customers with devices makes a great deal of sense.

Future financial products

Although Apple already offers a credit card as well as peer-to-peer payments for businesses, its efforts to develop its own payment processing technology and infrastructure  will be focused on future financial products.

Back in July of last year, news broke that the company is also working on a “buy now, pay later” feature for Apple Pay Transactions that would allow customers to pay for items across four interest-free payments every two weeks or across several months with interest. While the plan with four payments is known internally as “Apple Pay in 4”, the longer term payment plans have been dubbed “Apple Pay Monthly Installments”.

Read more

> The Apple Card could be coming to more markets following new deal

> Apple Tap to Pay turns your iPhone into a contactless payments terminal

> It looks like Apple is preparing a major upgrade for its datacenters

While Apple will continue its partnership with Goldman Sachs according to Bloomberg, the company has been discussing using in-house technology for its “Apple Pay in 4” plan. 

At the same time though, the company’s in-house financial services could allow it to expand future services to additional countries. Currently Apple Pay is available in over 70 countries but other services such as peer-to-peer payments, Apple Card and Apple Cash are still US-only.

The news that Apple wants to bring more of its financial services in-house also aligns with a recent job posting looking for a hardware validation engineer to help upgrade its datacenters. Storing financial data and handling transactions could put a heavy load on its systems which is why the company wants to upgrade its datacenters with “next-generation” storage and server equipment from Intel and AMD.

Via 9to5Mac

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Microsoft Build 2022 could virtually share the upcoming Windows roadmap
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Microsoft has set the date for its Build 2022 developer conference, May 24-26, and decided, for the third year in a row, to make it all-virtual.

While Microsoft's desktop operating system, Windows, is often the star of the show, Microsoft Build is the Redmond, Washington-based company's chance to unveil updates across a wide array of software products, services, and development tools.

There's also usually a theme. At Microsoft Build 2021, it was about Tech Transformation and the responsibility technology has in shaping the future. Aside from “Designed for development” and “What's next in tech,” the Microsoft Build site offers no hints about what to expect.

It does outline, though, one change: market-specific experiences for France, Germany, Latin America, and the UK. The FAQ goes into a tiny bit more detail, explaining:

“New for this year, experience market-specific content and connection opportunities for France, Germany, Japan, Latin America, and the UK in Regional Spotlights. Microsoft Build Regional Spotlights will include but will not be limited to: Keynote analysis, trending news, and topics for specific regions to help break down what’s new and what it means to you.”

What about Windows 12?

For consumers, this might be their first chance to learn about the next version of some of their favorite Microsoft products, including Windows, Office, and the Edge Browser. Developers will get updates on C++, C#, Azure, and Visual Studio. Microsoft sometimes blends in forward-looking panels on bleeding edge technologies like the HoloLens (version 3?) and digital twins.

As for what we might expect from Windows, there is some speculation that we could get our first glimpse of Windows 12. We know, Windows 11 isn't even a year old, but Microsoft's platform update cadence may be quickening. Plus, whatever Microsoft shows us now will likely be no more than a glimpse, with the full Windows 12 launch easily more than a year away.

Even if we don't see that, the multi-day event will be packed with Windows 11 innovations and future feature promises.

Registration, which is free, opens up in late April, and TechRadar will feature wall-to-wall coverage in May.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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Microsoft Build 2022 could virtually share the upcoming Windows roadmap
  • No Comments

Microsoft has set the date for its Build 2022 developer conference, May 24-26, and decided, for the third year in a row, to make it all-virtual.

While Microsoft's desktop operating system, Windows, is often the star of the show, Microsoft Build is the Redmond, Washington-based company's chance to unveil updates across a wide array of software products, services, and development tools.

There's also usually a theme. At Microsoft Build 2021, it was about Tech Transformation and the responsibility technology has in shaping the future. Aside from “Designed for development” and “What's next in tech,” the Microsoft Build site offers no hints about what to expect.

It does outline, though, one change: market-specific experiences for France, Germany, Latin America, and the UK. The FAQ goes into a tiny bit more detail, explaining:

“New for this year, experience market-specific content and connection opportunities for France, Germany, Japan, Latin America, and the UK in Regional Spotlights. Microsoft Build Regional Spotlights will include but will not be limited to: Keynote analysis, trending news, and topics for specific regions to help break down what’s new and what it means to you.”

What about Windows 12?

For consumers, this might be their first chance to learn about the next version of some of their favorite Microsoft products, including Windows, Office, and the Edge Browser. Developers will get updates on C++, C#, Azure, and Visual Studio. Microsoft sometimes blends in forward-looking panels on bleeding edge technologies like the HoloLens (version 3?) and digital twins.

As for what we might expect from Windows, there is some speculation that we could get our first glimpse of Windows 12. We know, Windows 11 isn't even a year old, but Microsoft's platform update cadence may be quickening. Plus, whatever Microsoft shows us now will likely be no more than a glimpse, with the full Windows 12 launch easily more than a year away.

Even if we don't see that, the multi-day event will be packed with Windows 11 innovations and future feature promises.

Registration, which is free, opens up in late April, and TechRadar will feature wall-to-wall coverage in May.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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Upcoming Windows 11 update could improve how you copy and paste
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Windows 11 looks like it could offer some smart new tricks with copying and pasting in the future, including intelligently determining what you’re cutting or copying, then offering to open a relevant app to paste into.

Windows Latest uncovered clues pertaining to a Smart Clipboard and Smart Actions after digging around in the latest preview builds of Windows 11 and finding a number of experimental flags for these features.

Those flags refer to a ‘Smart Clipboard UX’ and ‘Smart Install App Recommendation’ among other bits of functionality, with Windows Latest theorizing that this Smart Clipboard would have a different keyboard shortcut – and be separate to the current Clipboard – and would allow users to directly transfer rich content straight into apps.

As an example, say you copied an email address. In this case, Smart Clipboard would immediately suggest to directly paste this into Outlook (opening the app, and placing the copied address in a blank message).

Depending on what you’re cutting or copying, different apps could be recommended as a destination, and the whole system would be powered by AI, meaning that Windows 11 should learn the tasks you commonly perform, and become more accurate with its suggestions as time goes on.

Analysis: Revamping even the most basic computing tasks

Cutting or copying and pasting is such a basic task, it’s something that’s doubtless pretty much hardwired into your daily computing activities – an action you perform without even thinking about it.

And while you wouldn’t imagine there’s much you can do with such a basic piece of functionality, it’s good to see that Microsoft is thinking about innovating in these kinds of spaces – the core nuts-and-bolts of the Windows 11 experience.

Machine learning-powered suggested apps for whatever you’re cutting or copying could be a neat addition to make working within Microsoft’s OS that bit more streamlined. And if you don’t want them, then you don’t have to use the new function; at least if it works the way Windows Latest is describing.

That said of course, all of this is just speculation based on some nuggets of info hidden away in Windows 11, and we don’t know if Microsoft has any firm plans to develop such a Smart Clipboard. It could remain experimental tweaking that never sees the light of day, for all we know. Or we might just see this Clipboard revamp later this year when the big 22H2 update rolls out, and if that’s the case, the feature should hit testing before too long.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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Playing Tomb Raider II on my PS5 could finally be happening – for a high price
  • No Comments

Backward compatibility in games has been something I've been a proponent of since the PlayStation 2 introduced the feature in 2000. You could load up almost any PlayStation 1 game, and play it as normal.

But as times changed and technology became more refined, playing back-catalogs of titles on Sony's platforms increasingly felt more of an afterthought.

This is why the new PS Plus service fills me with hope, with just a hint of trepidation. The idea of being able to play Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Raider, Gex, and more on a PS5 has tempted me to finally consider grabbing the console.

But Sony is already making it difficult for users like me with the new tiers that it's offering, and it makes me wonder if Sony should already look to simplify the new service before its launch in June.

Call 140.85

Metal Gear Solid on PS1

(Image credit: TechRadar)

When I first saw the rumors of Project Spartacus, I was excited. Microsoft has had a fantastic backward-compatibility program for Xbox, and while Nintendo got off to a shaky start with its Switch Online service, playing F-Zero X online is worth its price alone for me.

But Sony has always been bizarrely hesitant to offer its back catalog to new users. Back when the PlayStation 3 was released in 2007, you could pop in a PS1 or PS2 disk, and play as normal. But later models would regress this to just PS1 games, and while some other PS2 games would be available in the store, they would be very few and far between.

As it stood with PS4 and PS5, your only hope was to ask developers for remasters to arrive, as there was no chance of seeing re-releases of PS1 and PS2 games for the systems.

Tekken 3 on PS1

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Many gamers in the 90s, myself included, grew up on a PlayStation, and many in my age group have kids who they're trying to introduce to retro classics in between  Fortnite matches on the Nintendo Switch.

Yet, many have been unable to share some of their favorite games from their own childhood because of Sony's approach to its PS1 and PS2-era titles. Its CEO, Jim Ryan, continually dismissed the games because they're old, an opinion that has felt like a big misstep the whole time.

I would chat to friends, both offline and on Twitter, about how we'd love to play certain games like Wipeout 2097 again on a PS5, hoping Sony might one day reconsider its stance.

But there finally looks to be a change of heart, perhaps in response to what Microsoft and Nintendo have done in this area of nostalgia.

Just one tier for retro gaming

Ridge Racer Type 4 on PS1

(Image credit: TechRadar)

However, Sony is in danger of already confusing its users before the service has gone live. There's three tiers, with the highest, called PlayStation Plus Premium, priced at $ 17.99 / £13.49, with Australian pricing yet to be confirmed. This is the only tier that will let you play Sony's games from the PS1 and PS2 eras.

To pay a monthly price, or a higher one if you choose to pay yearly, for access to Sony's back catalog in just one tier, says to me that the company still has a way to go before it recognizes how important retro gaming is.

There's also the question of the classic games that previous PS3 owners, myself included, had bought back in the day. From Ape Escape to Ridge Racer, if they're not able to be converted into free downloadable purchases from looking at our previous purchase history, Sony could have another job on its hands to justify its actions.

Finally, there's been no list as yet as to what games will be included in this plan. Its blog post spoke of 340 additional games to this tier, but while I hope this includes rare classics like Evil Zone, Rosco McQueen, B-movie, and Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles, there's a chance it could be filled up with much more forgettable games from the past.

Jedi Power Battles on PS1

(Image credit: TechRadar)

So am I happy with the announcement? Almost. It's a silent acknowledgment from Sony that this should have been on its consoles as far back as the PlayStation 4. It's great that there are almost 400 classic games getting their chance in the spotlight again.

But I'm also feeling much trepidation from it. 

Playing F-Zero with friends online through the Switch has me hoping that we'll get something similar for this service as well. But with only one tier that allows you to play these games, it looks greedy from Sony's point of view, and the method of playing games from past eras has changed now. We want a mix of the old games, but with today's features, much like what Xbox and Nintendo Switch offer.

Sony has a lot to prove here. It has to prove that it's committed to preserving a catalog that defined the PlayStation to start with. It has to prove that it's listening to its userbase, and it definitely has to prove that this isn't a one-time service. Once the PlayStation 6 arrives, we should see this service continue to be offered regardless, and not as an afterthought.

But right now, as it stands, I'm happy that something is being done at least, and I'm sure once the list of 400 games comes out, I'll be checking stores for available PS5 stock whenever I can.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

Playing Tomb Raider II on my PS5 could finally be happening – for a high price
  • No Comments

Backward compatibility in games has been something I've been a proponent of since the PlayStation 2 introduced the feature in 2000. You could load up almost any PlayStation 1 game, and play it as normal.

But as times changed and technology became more refined, playing back-catalogs of titles on Sony's platforms increasingly felt more of an afterthought.

This is why the new PS Plus service fills me with hope, with just a hint of trepidation. The idea of being able to play Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Raider, Gex, and more on a PS5 has tempted me to finally consider grabbing the console.

But Sony is already making it difficult for users like me with the new tiers that it's offering, and it makes me wonder if Sony should already look to simplify the new service before its launch in June.

Call 140.85

Metal Gear Solid on PS1

(Image credit: TechRadar)

When I first saw the rumors of Project Spartacus, I was excited. Microsoft has had a fantastic backward-compatibility program for Xbox, and while Nintendo got off to a shaky start with its Switch Online service, playing F-Zero X online is worth its price alone for me.

But Sony has always been bizarrely hesitant to offer its back catalog to new users. Back when the PlayStation 3 was released in 2007, you could pop in a PS1 or PS2 disk, and play as normal. But later models would regress this to just PS1 games, and while some other PS2 games would be available in the store, they would be very few and far between.

As it stood with PS4 and PS5, your only hope was to ask developers for remasters to arrive, as there was no chance of seeing re-releases of PS1 and PS2 games for the systems.

Tekken 3 on PS1

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Many gamers in the 90s, myself included, grew up on a PlayStation, and many in my age group have kids who they're trying to introduce to retro classics in between  Fortnite matches on the Nintendo Switch.

Yet, many have been unable to share some of their favorite games from their own childhood because of Sony's approach to its PS1 and PS2-era titles. Its CEO, Jim Ryan, continually dismissed the games because they're old, an opinion that has felt like a big misstep the whole time.

I would chat to friends, both offline and on Twitter, about how we'd love to play certain games like Wipeout 2097 again on a PS5, hoping Sony might one day reconsider its stance.

But there finally looks to be a change of heart, perhaps in response to what Microsoft and Nintendo have done in this area of nostalgia.

Just one tier for retro gaming

Ridge Racer Type 4 on PS1

(Image credit: TechRadar)

However, Sony is in danger of already confusing its users before the service has gone live. There's three tiers, with the highest, called PlayStation Plus Premium, priced at $ 17.99 / £13.49, with Australian pricing yet to be confirmed. This is the only tier that will let you play Sony's games from the PS1 and PS2 eras.

To pay a monthly price, or a higher one if you choose to pay yearly, for access to Sony's back catalog in just one tier, says to me that the company still has a way to go before it recognizes how important retro gaming is.

There's also the question of the classic games that previous PS3 owners, myself included, had bought back in the day. From Ape Escape to Ridge Racer, if they're not able to be converted into free downloadable purchases from looking at our previous purchase history, Sony could have another job on its hands to justify its actions.

Finally, there's been no list as yet as to what games will be included in this plan. Its blog post spoke of 340 additional games to this tier, but while I hope this includes rare classics like Evil Zone, Rosco McQueen, B-movie, and Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles, there's a chance it could be filled up with much more forgettable games from the past.

Jedi Power Battles on PS1

(Image credit: TechRadar)

So am I happy with the announcement? Almost. It's a silent acknowledgment from Sony that this should have been on its consoles as far back as the PlayStation 4. It's great that there are almost 400 classic games getting their chance in the spotlight again.

But I'm also feeling much trepidation from it. 

Playing F-Zero with friends online through the Switch has me hoping that we'll get something similar for this service as well. But with only one tier that allows you to play these games, it looks greedy from Sony's point of view, and the method of playing games from past eras has changed now. We want a mix of the old games, but with today's features, much like what Xbox and Nintendo Switch offer.

Sony has a lot to prove here. It has to prove that it's committed to preserving a catalog that defined the PlayStation to start with. It has to prove that it's listening to its userbase, and it definitely has to prove that this isn't a one-time service. Once the PlayStation 6 arrives, we should see this service continue to be offered regardless, and not as an afterthought.

But right now, as it stands, I'm happy that something is being done at least, and I'm sure once the list of 400 games comes out, I'll be checking stores for available PS5 stock whenever I can.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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This Microsoft Edge update could bring some rather unexpected bloatware
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The bloatware controversy surrounding Microsoft Edge looks set to rumble on a little while longer following news of another update.

The browser is set to receive a Skype Meet Now extension icon for its toolbar that will allow users to launch a video meeting directly from their window.

However, users have already noted that including such a potentially resource-heavy tool could put extra strain on older machines, and slow down Microsoft Edge even more.

Skype Meet Now extension

Digging into the latest Edge Canary build, WindowsLatest found the new Skype meetings launchers in the toolbar alongside several other existing extensions and services such as screen capture and download management.

The site discovered the new Skype Meet Now icon would let users launch a call with just one click, meaning no need to download other software or even sign up to the service. Users simply need to add a name for their meeting to receive a unique URL that can then be shared with others.

It does seem that the Skype Meet Now tool can be disabled from the Microsoft Edge settings menu, but it's the latest potentially unwanted and unloved addition to the browser.

Read more

> If you're still using Internet Explorer, just please stop now, Microsoft says

> These were the most popular browser extensions during the pandemic

> Microsoft Edge wants to make the web more accessible for everyone

The news comes as Microsoft looks to make Edge more of a multi-faceted tool for users everywhere as it gets close to Version 100

The company recently revealed it is working on using Edge to make it easier to install progressive web apps (PWAs) across multiple devices, meaning once you have installed a PWA on one device, you will then see an option to install it on other devices with a single click.

Microsoft Edge continues to perform strongly in the global browser market, with recent figures placing it on the verge of surpassing Apple's Safari offering. 

The latest StatCounter numbers show Microsoft Edge is now used on 9.54% of desktops worldwide, just behind Safari at 9.84% – although both are still far behind runaway market leader Google Chrome on 65.38%.

Via Windows Latest

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Google Chrome 100 won’t break the internet – but could change how you search it
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Searching for a query in Google Chrome could soon get much easier, thanks to an upcoming feature that adds a sidebar as you browse the web.

With Google's Chrome web browser approaching version 100, we're already seeing some features that can help change the way you use the browser, such as improvements to closing tabs in Android, and it's likely that we may see other features appear as we approach the big release.

If you have multiple tabs open at once, this could be a great feature for searching as you browse. However, it looks like the sidebar will only show in one tab – it won't stay in the same place as you switch between different tabs.

However, this is still a feature in testing, so the sidebar could change before it appears in a final version of Google Chrome.

How do you enable the side search bar?

Google Chrome Canary showing how to enable Side Search

(Image credit: TechRadar)

As it stands, the sidebar isn't available in Google Chrome 99, but it is in the test version of Chrome, called Canary.

Go to chrome://flags when running Google Chrome Canary version 100, and you'll be brought to the flag page, where you can enable many features in testing.

In the search bar, type in 'Sidebar' and you'll be greeted with three options. Enable all of these, then close and open up the browser.

Search for a query and select the first result. A 'G' icon will appear alongside the address bar. Click on this, which will make the sidebar appear. You can then use this to search for anything else while you browse in the main window.

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

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