TECHNOLOGY AIM

Android’s latest Google Assistant powered feature, Ambient Mode, will begin rolling out next week. Google first announced Ambient Mode back in September, telling the world that the feature would turn Android devices into smart devices whenever they’re plugged in and charging. Basically, whenever an Android phone or tablet is plugged in it will display useful information such as weather, alarms, photos, and scheduling and appointments. According to The Verge a Google Spokesperson has confirmed that Ambient Mode should begin rolling out to select devices from next week, although strangely enough Google’s own Pixel devices aren’t on the list. The Google spokesperson said that the majority of Android users with version 8.0 and above will receive the feature next week. These include owners of Sony Xperia phones, Nokia phones, Xiaomi phones, and certain Lenovo tablets. An intent based way of doing things Ambient mode, however, is supposed to be about much more than simply showing useful...

Disclosure: Our team is always looking for things we think our readers will value. We have received compensation for publishing this article. Since its development in the late 1940’s, artificial intelligence (AI) has been used for everything from game playing to helping to improve healthcare. Broadly speaking, AI involves writing algorithms – a set of rules used in mathematics and computer programming languages – to enable a computer to observe a situation and make decisions that lead to a certain goal . AI has been used, for example, by beer maker Carlsberg to analyze the flavor and aroma profiles created by yeast and other ingredients to then predict how certain recipes will taste – without the company ever having to actually brew the beer. While AI has taken a while to develop, thanks to more powerful computers and the availability of more digital data than ever before, it is now advancing at astounding speeds . And while it continues to be used in every field from finance to vi...

In the crowded field of antivirus security programs, it can be hard for developers to make their software stand out. There are lots of credible options out there, and increasingly it is becoming easier for the discernible user to seek out all the pro level security features for free by downloading various different products that specialize in individual features. That is what makes BitDefender Total Security 2019’s Autopilot feature all the more interesting. It really sets the security suite apart from the competition. We’ll start by looking at Autopilot, which is BitDefender’s defining feature before finishing with a general overview of the Total Security suite. BitDefender: Your personal security advisor Basically, what Autopilot does is make it very easy for you to carry out the actions you need to in order to keep your PC safe and secure. Autopilot sits at the top of the Bitdefender Total Security Dashboard and recommends the actions you should take. Bitdefender see it as like a...

Is TikTok the best app in the world right now? There is an increasing amount of evidence that a lot of people at Facebook and Instagram HQ seem to think so. In fact, the Instagram team loves the Chinese Vine clone so much that the Facebook-owned app has just unveiled its own TikTok clone app called Reels. Yep, clearly originality is not a big deal at Instagram as they’re copying an app that is itself a copy of another app. Instagram Reels launched in Brazil for iOS and Android devices on Tuesday. There are plans for a wider roll-out around the world, but as yet, we don’t know when we can expect the global launch. Watch this space. 15 seconds of viral entertainment If you’ve used Twitter, or indeed Vine, you’ll have a fair idea about what to expect to with Reels. To be fair to Instagram, they’ve done a very good job of cloning TikTok. Reels allows users to create 15 second videos and then add background music tracks to them before sharing them to their followers as Instagram Storie...

There is a broad spectrum of video editing software available these days. From the basic AI-infused mobile app editors that automatically turn your hand-snapped videos into polished little movies all the way up to fully formed digital editing suites, which can be used to make Hollywood blockbusters. Adobe Premiere Pro CC definitely lies at the latter high end of the scale. Let’s take a look at it in a little more detail. Subscriptions and regular updates Like with the other big-hitters from the Adobe suite, Photoshop and Lightroom, Adobe Premiere Pro CC is now a cloud-based subscription piece of software. Rather than buying the program for a one-off cost, you pay a monthly fee to access the program you’ve installed on your Windows PC or Mac. If you stop paying, you lose access to Adobe Premiere Pro but if you keep paying, you’ll receive updates whenever Adobe pushes them out. Multi-tasking and interactive tutorials The latest Adobe Premiere Pro CC update brought with it an interes...