PC Pro April 2015

As well as video clips, it’s possible to drag audio files onto the timeline to add sound effects or background music to your video. By default you’ll see an audio-only Track 3 available for this purpose. Audio clips can be trimmed and dragged like regular video clips, and volume changes can be automated using envelopes. To set this up, click on the line along the middle of the audio clip to create a “node”, then drag that node up or down to fade or boost the volume at that point. To make this easier, you can expand the track view by dragging the track-dividing line in the track list. In the same way, you can also edit the volume envelopes of video clips – click the waveform in the lower half of…

He internet-security landscape is changing fast, mirroring the changes in how we use technology. Threats are no longer only in the form of viruses, trojans, worms and spyware – although these remain as common as ever – and they no longer attack only your PC. Mobile devices are increasingly being targeted, with Android the fastest-growing platform for malware around the world. Cybercriminals are as interested in the feed from your webcam as they are in the data stored on your hard disk. Hackers and malware coders are continually working to find new ways to exploit vulnerabilities in web platforms and social networks, while high-profile security breaches have shown that the convenience of cloud computing comes with a dark side, too. Luckily, the leading internet-security specialists are working just as hard to develop…

It sounds idyllic: extend your Christmas holiday by popping over to Las Vegas for the first week in January. Yes, I’m talking about CES, that industry melting pot where anyone who is anyone in tech will be there. Well, if you exclude Apple. And Microsoft. And Google. Each year, CES gets bigger, louder and, supposedly, better. But some are claiming this year’s event was a letdown, referring to the lack of a “kaboom!” industry announcement by someone huge. This follows last year’s CES, which was mostly progression based upon existing work. That said, the sight of Michael Bay, Hollywood director of the Transformers franchise, stumbling off stage during the Samsung keynote, apparently due to an autocue failure, is something I will remember for a long time. This year, however, even the large-scale press…

I’m more than a touch peeved that Darien stole my thunder this month, by writing about VR in his column. The Samsung Gear VR is the most interesting piece of hardware I’ve seen for an age; it’s technology that demands to be written about, discussed and debated, so you’ll forgive me if my new topic doesn’t quite match up when it comes to excitement and intrigue. However, this subject is one that’s close to my heart. It’s car tech or, more specifically, in-vehicle communications and entertainment systems (dubbed by some as infotainment systems). And I’m sad to say this is not one of those positive columns; I’m here to have a moan. A moan about how far behind the motor industry lags when it comes to the tech available in everyday cars…

The government is fascinated with the potential of start-ups, investing millions into schemes to help kick-start the next Google. Efforts have largely focused on East London’s Silicon Roundabout (also known as Tech City), but start-up support is beginning to spread nationwide thanks to new Digital Catapult Centres. While that name may sound like it was created by an Old Street marketing team, the first centre opened its doors last November near King’s Cross station in North London; now further centres are to follow in Bradford, Brighton and Sunderland. Digital Catapult is funded by the government’s Innovate UK quango, which provides support to companies with IT-themed ideas. Neil Crockett, CEO of Digital Catapult, explained the aim is to help “small guys overcome development challenges” so they “don’t have to go to the US”…

PRICE 3 devices/1yr, £17 (£20 inc VAT) from pcpro.link/246kaspersky Having held on to a place on our A-List with its 2014 edition, Kaspersky Internet Security isn’t about to relinquish it. Like previous versions, the 2015 edition hits a sweet spot between the features and in-depth configuration options of Eset and Norton, and the set-andforget usability of Microsoft Security Essentials and Avast. The default configuration neither requests nor needs much user input, and it’s both unobtrusive and smart when handling legitimate software; it was the only paid-for package on test that permitted every legitimate application to install without user intervention. All the same, it has plenty of features. The Safe Money browser is particularly useful, providing extra security in a hardened version of your current browser, protecting against such exploits as remote screen-grabbing. You…