Best Antivirus Software for Windows 8.1 Home Users Revealed

There's no better time to find a new antivirus solution for your home computer because AV-TEST has just published a new series of tests revealing the best security products for Windows 8.1 home users.

Basically, AV-TEST conducted an in-depth research on the majority of antivirus apps on the market right now and found out that, for Windows 8.1, Bitdefender Internet Security 2015, Kaspersky Internet Security 2015, and Qihoo 360 Antivirus 5.0 are currently the best options out there. All these three security products scored maximum points in protection, performance, and usability tests, getting 6 out of 6 points for each of these. Obviously, it's not surprising to see Bitdefender and Kaspersky leading the pack, as both have been the most powerful antivirus solutions on the market for many years now, but the ascension of Chinese security software developer Qihoo is definitely one of the unexpected things for the February 2015 tests.

According to AV-TEST, Qihoo's 360 Antivirus blocked 100 percent of 0-day malware and detected absolutely all widespread and prevalent malware discovered in the last 4 weeks. What's more, the Chinese security products offered 0 false warnings when visiting websites, actions performed on a PC, or regarding legitimate software.

Windows Defender still offering basic protection

If you are one of the many users who do not turn to third-party security software because they still trust Windows Defender, then it's worth noting that AV-TEST offered 0 out of a maximum 6 points for protection in Microsoft's case. WD also received 3.5 points for performance and 6 for usability. As far as free anti-virus solutions are concerned, AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2015 scored very well, with 4 points for protection, 5 points for performance, and 6 points for usability. Avast is also among the best choices with 6 points for protection, 4 for performance, and 5.5 for usability.

These are the top antivirus solutions for Windows 8.1 (click for larger view)
Image credits to AV-TEST

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TouchWiz on the Samsung Galaxy S6 Was Inspired by Tizen, Less by Material Design

One negative aspect that always comes up in conversations about Samsung’s Galaxy flagships is the company’s own TouchWiz interface.

While Samsung has been offering a lot of cool and (sometimes) helpful new features under the skin, critics have argued that the UI has gradually reached an over-saturated level which ends up putting a toll on the whole performance of the handset. The good news is that Samsung has been listening to critique and made a lot of changes to the TouchWiz interface found on its latest Galaxy S6 flagship. Actually, the first signs that Samsung was heading towards a lighter TouchWiz were visible on the Galaxy Note 4. Now, as mentioned by the Korean tech giant itself, the new TouchWiz UI has been made 40% lighter than before, in an attempt to please the masses and make the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge run faster than before.

The new TouchWiz is all Tizen OS-inspired

The new TouchWiz is based on Google’s latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS, but when Samsung was designing it, did it take inspiration from the whole Material Design scheme of things or from its own homegrown Tizen affair? According to a source familiar with the matter cited by Tizen Indonesia, Samsung has been striving to make things look more akin to its Tizen homegrown operating system, while leaving Material Design cues in the background. The theory rests on the fact that Samsung is using a wide range of colors (which are not necessarily of the whole Material Design setup), round avatars, not of the square variety, and a very Tizen-like Contacts app.

On top of that, Tizen’s customizable themes allow users to fundamentally change the look of their UI setup, an aspect which is not offered in Material Design. So it appears Samsung is sneakily slipping subtle traces of Tizen into its latest Android flagship.

Samsung wants to make people more aware of Tizen

Customers might not be truly interested in Tizen OS for the time being, but Samsung is surely cueing them towards it. The company launched its first Tizen OS handset not so long ago, but only in emergent markets like India, where it sold the phone with an under $100 / €78 price tag. However, since the operating system is still in its infancy, it lacks a proper app ecosystem. But with proper commitment from Samsung, this issue will probably be resolved in time.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy S6 UI difference

New TouchWiz on the Samsung Galaxy S6
Images credits to Tizen Indonesia

Tizen OS on the first Samsung Z1 handset
Image credits to Hello-Droid

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Nokia’s and Meizu’s MX Supreme Leaks in Live Images, Shows Thin Bezels

Earlier this month, a rumor we had heard before surfaced online once again. It appears that iconic phone maker Nokia and up-and-rising Chinese handset manufacturer Meizu may have teamed up in order to release an international version of the MX4 flagship.

Since Nokia is forbidden from entering the smartphone market until Q4 2016, the company has confirmed that it is looking for other opportunities like licensing its brand or expertise in the software and hardware field to other willing handset makers. Since neither company stepped forward to confirm the information, the report continued to be shrouded in mystery.

Purported Meizu MX Supreme leaks

This week, the story of Nokia and Meizu takes another turn. The folks over at GSM Dome have managed to dig up on China’s social media website Weibo a bunch of pictures supposedly depicting the Meizu MX Supreme. Word on the street has it that the MX Supreme will be an Android-powered device with Nokia’s PureView technology adorning the back. Not so long ago, a post on Weibo revealed that the phone might end up offering a camera with a 60MP sensor. With a name like “Supreme,” it’s pretty obvious that the handset will probably pack top of the line hardware and software specs.

Anyway, the two images we currently have at our disposal reveal a handset with a pretty big home button and a razor thin bezel. It’s not almost inexistent like on Oppo’s upcoming wonder phone, but it’s still pretty thin and classy.

Will Nokia and Meizu make the MX Supreme better?

The current MX4 flagship offers a 5.36-inch IPS LCD display with 1920 x 1152 pixel resolution and 418ppi. The handset also boasts a MediaTek MT6595 octa-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz and fitted with 2GB of RAM. But with the international version, Meizu and Nokia could go wild. To match current flagship proposals on the market today, the companies might end up implementing a QHD display, a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor working hand in hand with 4GB of RAM.

What we’ve been telling you so far is just pure speculation, so until we hear something more reliable, the Meizu MX Supreme continues to exist in the realm of speculation and wonder.

Rumors about Nokia and Meizu continue

Purported Meizu MX Supreme showing home button

This could be Meizu MX
Images credits to Weibo/GSM Dome

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Huawei Honor 4X and Honor 6 Plus Officially Introduced in India

Chinese company Huawei has just announced the upcoming availability of two new smartphones for the Indian market, the Honor 4X and Honor 6 Plus. Both smartphones have been released in China last year and will make their debut in India in April.

However, customers will be able to pre-order the Honor 4X and Honor 6 Plus beginning today from Huawei's official website. Only a limited number of devices will be available during Huawei's flash sale, so make sure you pre-order the smartphones as soon as they go live. Huawei Honor 4X is a mid-range Android smartphone and customers can purchase it for only Rs 10,499 outright, which is about $170 or €155. On the other hand, Huawei Honor 6 Plus is a high-end handset, so those who want to go for it will have to come up with Rs 26,499 upfront, which is about $425 or €390. It's also worth mentioning that both Huawei smartphones offer dual-SIM support and they both ship with Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system with Emotion 3.0 UI on top.

The Honor 6 Plus might eventually get an Android 5.0 Lollipop update at some point, but there's no confirmation yet. The mid-range Honor 4X is less likely to get the upgrade.

Both smartphones come with large 5.5-inch displays

Moving on to specs, Huawei Honor 4X sports a large 5.5-inch IPS LCD display that supports HD (720p) resolution. It also packs a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and full HD (1080p) video recording, as well as a secondary 5-megapixel camera in the front. The Honor 4X is powered by a 64-bit quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor clocked at 1.2GHZ, 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory that can be further expanded up to 32GB via microSD card. Huawei Honor 6 Plus features a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display that supports full HD (1080p) resolution. It also comes equipped with a much better octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 925 processor, which is complemented by 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory.

The smartphone is packed with dual 8-megapixel cameras on the back that feature dual-LED flash, autofocus and full HD (1080p) video recording. There's also a secondary 8-megapixel camera in the front for video calls and great selfies.

Huawei Honor 4X
Image credits to Huawei India

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Xiaomi's Ferrari Phone Leaks Out with FHD Display, Android 5.0.2 Lollipop

We've been hearing a bunch of exciting news from Xiaomi lately. The company is experimenting with Microsoft in order to port Windows 10 on its current Mi 4 handset, but on top of that, the Chinese company is also working towards a new smartphone.

The new phone has already surfaced in benchmarks showing us the specifications we should be expecting from it. The device is dubbed Xiaomi Ferrari and should make a debut with a 4.9-inch display with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor clocked at 1.6GHz (octa-core variety). Other features include a 12MP camera capable of shooting full HD video along with HDR modes. Up in front we’ve got a 4.8MP snapper. Most importantly, Xiaomi Ferrari will run MIUI based on the newest Android 5.0.2 Lollipop.

Xiaomi is yet to provide the latest Google update to its range of smartphones, so those craving a Lollipop device under the company’s banner should be on the lookout for this “Ferrari.” It looks like we’re dealing with a pretty decent mid-range phone here. Recently, it has been rumored that the Chinese company is also looking to release a very affordable smartphone which would be offered with a price tag under $60 / €55 and pretty basic specs.

Xiaomi Ferrari reveals specs in benchmark listing

Xiaomi Ferrari was put through different tests

Xiaomi Ferrari multi-core and single core test results
Images credits to My Drivers

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Sony Xperia Cosmos Leaks in Live Picture Again

The latest smartphone announced by Sony Mobile, the Xperia M4 Aqua is expected to arrive on the market sometime in April. Until then though, the Japanese company might unveil another mid-range handset.

The unannounced smartphones leaked about a week ago and is condenamed Cosmos. The Xperia Cosmos is a mid-range smartphone that is supposed to come with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera and LED flash. We also know that Sony Xperia Cosmos might be equipped with an octa-core processor manufactured by MediaTek. We suspect that the mid-range handset will ship with Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system out of the box, just like the Xperia M4 Aqua. Apart from that, there aren't many details on Xperia Cosmos' specs, so we can only wait until more info emerges online or Sony makes the smartphone official.

The latest picture provided by @upleaks shows the phone's front camera more clearly now, as well as the LED flash to its right. Since the flow of news about the Xperia Cosmos has become thicker now, we expect Sony to come forward with an official announcement very soon. If you're a Sony Xperia fan, then stay tuned as we'll be keeping an eye out for more details on the matter and report as soon as we have more info.

Sony Xperia Cosmos
Image credits to @UpLeaks

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Sailfish OS Alpha Build Is Now Available for the OnePlus One

Earlier this month, we told you that Jolla’s own Martin Brook posted an interesting image on Twitter depicting the OnePlus One handset running on the Finish company’s Sailfish OS platform.

Sailfish OS is currently running on devices offered by the mother company, but in the near future we might end up seeing more manufacturers take up this OS and use it on their devices, especially since Jolla has opened up licensing. Anyway, if a few weeks ago we were only giving you a quick look at how Sailfish might look on the OnePlus One, the good news is that Jolla has rolled out the alpha version of Sailfish OS for this particular handset.

Since the build is in alpha state, don’t expect all the functionalities to be up and running, as you’ll probably notice some of them are missing. For example Wi-Fi connectivity and the camera app are currently inoperable. On top of that, support for Android Apps isn’t available just yet and neither are OTA updates. If you decide to go forward and install the alpha build, you can do so by following the instructions provided by Jolla itself.

We've also attached a video showing the OnePlus One running the OS, so you can get an idea of what you’re in for.

Sailfish OS alpha build is available for OnePlus One

Sailfish OS runs on OnePlus One, shows apps

How to access events view on OnePlus One

Picking up a call on the OnePlus One
Images credits to Jolla

SailfishOS pre-alpha1 on #oneplus one
Video credits to vgrade100

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HTC One M9+ Stacked Against the HTC One M9, Here’s the Difference

The HTC One M9+ was nowhere to be seen at the company’s New York event last week, but that doesn't mean the phone will not be unveiled at some point, one way or another.

The phone has leaked numerous times before, and the exact dimensions of the upcoming model have been revealed for the world to see. According to the rumor mill, the larger HTC One M9 version will measure 5.94 x 2.85 x 0.4 inches / 150.9 x 72.5 x 10.44 mm. And since we know the supposed dimensions of the upcoming phone, serial leakster @OnLeaks designed a mock-up of the upcoming device and pitted it against the current One M9, so we can get an idea of the differences between the two. @OnLeaks was inspired in his endeavor by a bunch of pictures that are supposedly showing a real One M9+ prototype. Rumors say that the HTC M9+ will arrive in the wild with a 5.2-inch display with 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution and a hefty pixel density of 565ppi.

Under the hood, it is said that we should see either an octa-core Snapdragon or a MediaTek chipset moving things along depending on the region, working hand in hand with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. We’re also expecting to see a 20.7MP camera on the back, plus a 4.1MP front-facing camera, and a 2,840 mAh battery keeping the phone alive. The phone will probably arrive with a fingerprint scanner of the touch variety too. While we wait to see whether HTC will launch this particular model or not, take a moment and check out the One M9+ and One M9 lying next to each other.

HTC One M9+ vs. HTC One M9
Image credits to @OnLeaks

Purported image of HTC One M9+

HTC One M9+ from profile

HTC One M9+ back and front
Images credits to GSM Arena

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Lenovo K3 Note Launches with 5.5-Inch FHD Display, Octa-Core CPU and $128 Price

It’s a good time to be a Lenovo smartphone fan in China, as the company has just rolled out an interesting-looking new phone that will help it compete against the likes of Meizu and Xiaomi in the country.

Say hello to the Lenovo K3 Note, a phablet arriving in the wild with a hefty 5.5-inch display and a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (401 ppi), plus an octa-core MediaTek MT6752 processor pumping juice on the inside (as reported by Mobile Dad). Lenovo also throws in 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a 13MP/5MP camera combo. The phablet is maintained alive by a 3,000 mAh battery which should give it enough juice to last you throughout the day.

The phone is 0.3 inch / 7.6 mm think and is made of bright yellow polycarbonate. But the interesting part is the protruding Lenovo logo located on the back of the device, right in the middle. Also on the back we can find a loudspeaker, while the dual LED flash is also visible. Albeit being called Note, it doesn't seem that the phone packs any sort of digitizer. However, it does have a two-SIM slot, one for 4G LTE use and one for exclusive China Unicom release (supports international 3G network bands).

The phone is sporting a rather appealing price tag of between $128 / €117 and $166 / €152. Hopefully the budget device will make it onto other markets soon enough.

Lenovo K3 Note frontal view

Lenovo K3 Note in white

Lenovo K3 Note back view

Lenovo K3 Note, display 

Lenovo K3 Note in profile

Lenovo K3 Note showing protruding logo

Lenovo K3 Note camera detail

Lenovo K3 Note speaker detail

Lenovo K3 Note frontal view

Lenovo K3 Note display on

Lenovo K3 Note frontal camera detail

Lenovo K3 Note virtual buttons detail

Lenovo K3 Note has removable battery

Lenovo K3 Note back detail
Images credits to Mobile Dad

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Prototype of Oppo’s Purported Bezeless Phone Leaks in First Images

This weekend we’ve seen LeTV’s upcoming smartphone leak online in its entire splendor, revealing a device almost completely devoid of bezels.

The company aims to deliver a display experience that is comparable to the one offered by Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. However, the methods employed by the two companies to deliver it differ drastically. Samsung has a very challenging technology to port the curved display panels on the Galaxy S6 Edge, but companies like LeTV might not have the available funds to invest in such costly affairs. Alongside LeTV, Chinese manufacturer Oppo is embarking on the quest of creating a unique edge-to-edge display for their handsets, but they will be doing it by shrinking down the bezels to the extreme.

Oppo has a unique recipe for making smartphones bezeless

According to a new surfaced patent, Oppo is working to implement a system that allows covering a traditional rectangular module with what the company is calling a panel with “special light guide structure.” To be clear, this doesn't translate into a completely bezeless screen, but one with very slimmed-down bezels. How will Oppo achieve this impressive feat? From what it can be understood from the patent, a special curve at the end of the transparent overlay diffracts light from the panel in a way that it is actually projected on it, expanding beyond the actual display unit. That’s how the bezel of the display module manages to remain hidden to the eye of the beholder.

A few hours after the patent appeared in the wild, disclosing the manufacturer’s plans for the future, a few pictures showing the purported prototype employing Oppo’s new technology surfaced online (as seen at GizChina). We’re currently not 100% sure whether this is actually a real Oppo device or just a really clever fake. But the phone does look extremely gorgeous with its almost non-existent bezels. The model seems to be running Oppo’s Color OS, which by the way has just been released as a Beta 2.0 version based on Android 4.4 KitKat for the Find 7 smartphone.

So what do you think? Are we dealing with the real deal and we’re going to see Oppo launch an amazing transparent bezel phone soon?

Oppo's purported bezeless smartphone

Could this be a real Oppo product?

Images from the Oppo patent
Image credits to GSMArena

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