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Airbnb is establishing a new, optional cleaning protocol for hosts, with hosts who opt-in required to wait a minimum of 24 hours between bookings at all its properties to limit possible coronavirus transmissions. According to a company statement published Monday, the 24-hour rule is recommended by the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC). The protocol will offer detailed guidance on how to keep rooms clean during the coronavirus pandemic, and forms part of a broader cleanliness drive it calls its "enhanced cleaning initiative." "The guidance will include specific information on COVID-19 prevention, such as the use of personal protective equipment, like masks and gloves for hosts or their cleaners, as well as disinfectants that are approved by regulatory authorities," Monday's statement read. "Hosts can commit to keeping their home empty for a set period in between stays, with no activity other than cleaning," it added. That period is by default set to 72 hours. In a statement sent to Business Insider, a company spokesperson added: "We have seen signals that the COVID-19 pandemic will shape consumer needs both and preferences in the short and long term, and heard feedback from our host community that they care about and want more resources. "We believe that enrolling in our enhanced cleaning initiative, with guidance and resources provided by Airbnb, is the best way for hosts to show guests that they take cleanliness and sanitization seriously." Unsurprisingly, the property-rental giant is currently facing challenging times, having secured $1 billion from investors earlier this month as it attempts to manage a massive, coronavirus-induced reduction in global travel. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has remained bullish about the firm's business prospects. He claimed last month that there'll be "a huge amount of business on the other side" once the pandemic has subsided. Chesky pointed to Airbnb's fortunes in Puerto Rico after it was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Thousands more property managers on the island were offering accommodations via Airbnb than they were before the storm hit. It's possible that Airbnb's sudden embrace of detailed guidance is a reaction to criticism it received at the start of the coronavirus crisis. Last month, the firm was criticised by property hosts who felt its cancellation policies weren't clear amid the inevitable slew of cancellations caused by the coronavirus pandemic. This criticism led it to establish a $250 million fund to cover hosts' costs.

Intel might just be offering the ability to overclock its incoming next-gen Comet Lake desktop processors on mid-range B460 motherboards, which is normally an ability reserved for the firm’s top-of-the-range Z series boards. First off, we should bear in mind that this is just speculation, based on some images highlighted by Videocardz showing a Maxsun B460 iCraft Gaming Endless motherboard. AMD could launch budget Ryzen CPUs to challenge Comet Lake We’ve picked out all the best processors of 2020 Check out how to overclock your CPU This B460 model sports a trio of buttons marked with an ‘L’ and ‘C’ as well as a lightning bolt symbol, and the marketing blurb for the iCraft Gaming Endless indicates that it has the ability to speed up the CPU with just a click, as Tom’s Hardware points out. So in theory, these buttons could facilitate some kind of basic overclocking functionality outside of the more expensive Z490 chipset. Again, bear in mind that this is just a theory, and there are certainly arguments against it. Firstly, it would be pretty surprising to see Intel make this move, and no previous rumors – and there’s been plenty of leakage around Comet Lake thus far – have indicated any overclocking possibility with mid-range boards. But then again, from the perspective of Intel needing to be more competitive with AMD given the success of Ryzen 3000, there’s a counterargument that Intel might feel the need to match its rival (which offers overclocking chops with mid-range chipsets as well as premium boards). Build quality The other important consideration is that if you’re going to engage in overclocking, the motherboard needs to have a good enough build quality – plus capable and reliable enough power delivery, and cooling – to achieve this without any dangers to your system stability (or even worse prospects than that). But that said, the Maxsun model does look like it’s pretty solidly built at first glance, and those buttons surely do something. However, even if this speculation does turn out to be correct, and there is some form of overclocking functionality coming with some B460 motherboards, it’s likely to be limited in comparison to the Z490 boards. After all, Intel will still need to give punters a reason to plump for the top dog models (and indeed top dollar products – there’s also a rumor of some major price hikes in store for Z490 boards). As ever, time will tell, but this is certainly an interesting hint that Intel may just be planning to enable overclocking outside of premium boards as part of the greater struggle to help keep 10th-gen processors competitive with AMD Ryzen 3000. We may not have long to wait to find out anyway, because Intel is expected to launch next-gen Comet Lake desktop CPUs in just a couple of days at the end of April, or that’s the word from the processor grapevine.

Volkswagen South Africa revealed pricing for its new T-Cross R-Line – the range-topping model in the T-Cross range. Priced at R403 500, the model is the second most-expensive in the range, but still holds onto the tag as top model. As the R-Line model, this T-Cross is fitted with a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine that produces 110kW and 250Nm, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that sends power to the front wheels. According to Volkswagen, 0-100km/h is cleared in 8.5 seconds, while top speed is 200km/h. Frugality is also high on the cards, as 5.5-litres/100km is the claimed figure. Features The T-Cross 1.5 R-Line is comprehensively specified with standard features that will have eager buyers flocking over. This list of features includes 18-inch alloy wheels, Volkswagen latest infotainment system, sporty front seats, wireless smartphone charging, and LED headlamps. Not forgetting the R-Line body kit. The new T-Cross comes standard with a three-year/120 000km warranty, and a three-year/45 000km service plan. The range The T-Cross range consists of five models. • T-Cross 1.0 TSI 85kW Comfortline - R353 700 • T-Cross 1.0 TSI 85kW Comfortline R-Line - R372 300 • T-Cross 1.0 TSI 85kW Highline - R385 500 • T-Cross 1.0 TSI 85kW Highline R-Line - R404 100 • T-Cross 1.5 TSI 110kW R-Line - R403 500 In the second quarter of 2020, Volkswagen will expand the range with a new entry-level model. This T-Cross will feature a 70kW version of the 1.0-litre TSI engine and will, reportedly, have an asking price of under R300 000.

I've written about what TikTok is and how to use it but one thing I didn't count on is how it's changed the face of music. When I took a closer look I found that has a lot to do with its origins, it's algorithms and the users it attracts. I'm going to unpack each aspect and give examples of how it's benefited some songs on the charts from Lil Nas X to Drake and Dua Lipa. THE ORIGINS – Back in 2018 when Chinese company Bytedance closed the lip-sync-video app Musical.ly, that it purchased at the end of 2017, and migrated its users to TikTok. The app, also known as Douyin in China, lets its young users create and share short videos with unique soundtracks or hit songs. Less than a year after the rebrand, the application gained po[CENSORED]rity and became the most downloaded app in the U.S. in October 2018. What allowed TikTok to become such a huge platform so quickly? According to Rolling Stone, TikTok has benefitted from greater resources, an algorithm that encourages videos from a wide selection of users not just the most po[CENSORED]r ones, and targeted outreach efforts that ensure prolific users are up on the latest trends. THE ALGORITHM - According to Eli Pariser's book The Filter Bubble: How the New Personalized Web Is Changing What We Read and How We Think, a lot of social networks end up creating a timeline of highly personalised internet content that leads to a sense of isolation. So, if you only follow people on social media who look like you or share your interests, for instance, you could get stuck in an echo chamber. According to artificial intelligence researcher Marc Faddoul, in an article published on Vox, this is the case on TikTok. In his non-scientific research he found that when he followed one person who fit a certain description it set up a series of suggestions that followed that description. In the same article a TikTok spokesperson pushed back and refuted that finding, saying: "We haven’t been able to replicate results similar to these claims." They added: "Our recommendation of accounts to follow is based on user behaviour: users who follow account A also follow account B, so if you follow A you are likely to also want to follow B." This algorithm is commonly known as collaborative filtering, a type of recommendation that can also pop up on dating apps. Whatever the real formula is for the algorithm, it often results in clusters of dance challenge or lip sync challenges going viral. It also results in young people finding others who enjoy the same challenges or types of videos as them. So, simply, if you're someone who enjoys cooking tips, you'll get a whole lot of cooking videos on your "For Your Page (FYP)" which pops up just as you log in. The more you view of that category, the more you'll get. I have found it to have time wormhole kind of effect, where I think I'm just going to pop in to watch one video and then it's been an hour and my phone battery is about to die. THE USERS - South African TikTok stats are hard to come by. But I was able to get some interesting data on one of its largest markets, the USA. According to Hootsuite: - TikTok’s biggest age group in the US is 18-24 year olds, which account for 42%. That’s followed by 13-17 year olds at 27%. - 13-26 year olds are as likely to use TikTok as Facebook and Twitter- Approximately 60% of users in the US are female, versus 40% male.

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: More than 206 000 dead worldwide. A total of 206 567 people have died worldwide since the epidemic surfaced in China in December, according to an AFP tally at 1 100 GMT on Monday based on official sources. More than 2.9 million cases have now been reported in 193 countries or territories. The United States has the most deaths of any country with 54 877 fatalities. Italy is the second hardest-hit country, with 26 644 dead. Spain follows with 23 521, then France with 22 856 and the United Kingdom with 20 732. Britain does not count people who died in care homes. British PM back to work British Prime Minister Boris Johnson makes his first public appearance since being hospitalised with coronavirus three weeks ago. He says Britain is beginning to "turn the tide" on the outbreak but rejects growing calls to ease a nationwide lockdown. Britain's confinement of its po[CENSORED]tion, in place since 23 March, is set to last until at least 7 May. Back to school in Norway Norway, which says it has the epidemic under control, reopens primary schools to pupils aged six to 10, in another step toward a gradual normalisation. Spain: children out to play Children in Spain, under strict lockdown for six weeks, can since Sunday walk, run or play outside for up to an hour a day, accompanied by a parent, in an area no further than a kilometre (0.6 miles) from their homes. Spain's 14 March lockdown is set to remain in place until at least 9 May, with the government expected to reveal on Tuesday its plan for easing it. Aid Egypt says it is seeking an aid package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to offset the economic impact of the pandemic. South Africa is also seeking coronavirus relief aid from the IMF and the World Bank where it is eligible for up to $4.2 billion (3.9 billion euros). Tracing Australia launches a smartphone app to trace people who come in contact with coronavirus patients. The CovidSafe app, which has raised privacy concerns, uses a phone's Bluetooth wireless signal to store information about people's interactions, and can be accessed by health officials if a person contracts the virus. Bayer surges, Adidas plummets German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer reports first quarter net profits added 20% year-on-year to reach 1.5 billion euros, due to a "substantial increase in demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic". However, German sportswear maker Adidas reports first-quarter profits slashed 95% blaming the collapse in sales inflicted by the pandemic, during which 70% of its shops have closed around the world.

Windows 10 is now showing adverts within the search box which are attempting to persuade people to switch to Microsoft Edge, in yet another move to promote the revamped browser which runs the risk of starting to irritate people – given how prevalent these ads are seemingly becoming. If you’re running Windows 10 and you click on the search box now, odds are you’ll see an advert in the panel that pops up, as spotted by Windows Latest – this is certainly the case on our PC. New Microsoft Edge browser versions paused due to coronavirus We’ll help you pick the best VPN We’ve also chosen the best web browsers These promo messages contain much the same text as the ones we’ve just seen appearing in Outlook.com, Microsoft’s webmail service. On our Windows 10 PC, the search box advert was urging us to get the Edge browser as it was ‘built to bring you the best of the web’. And in just the same way as the ads served to Outlook.com users, it’s fortunately an easy matter to get rid of them. Simply click on the ‘X’ to close it, and you will be bothered by these messages no longer. That said, there is certainly an argument that you shouldn’t be bothered by them in the first place – or at least not in so many places across Windows. An ad too far? Microsoft has already implemented these kind of ads with the Start menu in Windows 10, where it was planting suggestions to Firefox users that they should switch to Microsoft Edge, and as mentioned, we’ve seen ads in Outlook.com most recently – and now the search bar. What’s next: File Explorer? (That isn’t without precedent: a few years back, we saw ads for OneDrive appear in the beating heart of the interface of Windows 10). Of course, if Windows 10 users feel that Microsoft is starting to flood them with adverts for the new Edge, then no matter how good the revamped Chromium-based version of the web browser is – and it’s received some pretty positive feedback thus far – the danger is that folks will push back, and sentiment could turn against Edge. In other words, the adverts could have the opposite than intended effect, particularly if this starts to remind Windows 10 users of Microsoft’s behavior in the past, not just with the aforementioned OneDrive adverts, but with the general massive – and undoubtedly intrusive – push to get Windows 7 or 8 users to upgrade in the first year after Windows 10 was released. We’ll just have to see if more ads for Edge start popping up elsewhere in Windows 10, but Microsoft needs to tread with caution, for sure.

1. Mercedes-Benz S-Class When Mercedes-Benz sets out to make a new S-Class, the brief is to make the best car in the world. While it might not visually seduce like a Jaguar XJ, the big Merc offers an ownership experience that should be even more appealing. This car does what it’s supposed to do superbly and is functionally exceptional. It was conceived as a long-wheelbase saloon, giving it unprecedented torsional rigidity, and the ride is helped by standard air suspension with adaptive dampers. There’s a choice of four petrol and two diesel engines, with a nine-speed automatic ‘box standard equipment. An advanced 48v hybrid electric powertrain technology used to boost both performance and efficiency in some derivates, while the plug-in hybrid S560e will be the default choice in the range for anyone liable to pay benefit-in-kind tax (it attracts less than half as much BIK tax as any of the other derivative). For those who don't care a bit about such things, meanwhile, there's always the 600-horsepower S63. 2. Range Rover The latest Range Rover, the fourth generation of the model, is as revolutionary as any in history, with an aluminium monocoque chassis and an unashamedly luxurious agenda. That it is a luxury car first and 4x4 second is not to run down its capability offroad one jot, however. The spacious interior exudes quality and luxury, the seats are excellent and the driving position is first-rate, making it easy to drive for a car of its size. The heavy bodyshell provides excellent isolation from rough surfaces and, while it doesn’t offer the driving engagement of a Porsche Cayenne, it’s easy to make enjoyable and brisk progress should the need arise. 3. Audi E-tron Quattro We’re now entering reasonably well established times for the premium electric car. There have been fast ones, very fast ones, big ones, small ones, expensive ones and cheap, and some that even attempt a bit of four-wheel driven versatility. Never has an electric car come along and done onboard luxury better than Audi’s first stab at the zero-emissions template: the E-tron Quattro. This car combines four-wheel drive and a commanding outright performance level with SUV-level space, convenience and usability and with Audi-brand desirability. But what really makes it stand out is how superbly hushed, comfortable and refined it is. When we road tested one, our decibel placed its cabin noise level closer, at a 70mph cruise, to that of a Rolls-Royce Phantom than a Tesla Model X. 4. Tesla Model S The first bespoke creation from electric car pioneer Elon Musk’s firm, the Model S is the machine that brought credibility, luxury, pace and useful range to the electric car market. With lesser-capacity derivatives now discontinued, there are effectively only two Model Ss to choose from, both using a 100kWh battery pack - and the 'long range' version getting a claimed 379-mile WLTP-certified range that Tesla claims makes it the longest-legged EV in production. You’ll need to drive the car pretty conservatively to reproduce that range figure in real-world use, but even getting within 80 per cent of it would make this a singularly usable electric car for a great many. 5. Audi A8 The latest Audi A8 features even more advanced chassis, powertrain and in-car technology than the latest Mercedes S-Class including, when it’s finally switched on, what promises to be the greatest capability for autonomous driving of any production car in the world. There’s a choice of turbocharged engines – a 282bhp diesel or 335bhp petrol – with four-wheel-drive as standard and a 48V electrical system that gives it mild hybrid status. Higher up the model range you'll find the tax-saving six-cylinder petrol '60 TFSIe', whose refinement and effortless responsiveness really boost the appeal of the car's driving experience - as well as the range-topping V8-powered S8 executive express. 6. BMW 7 Series Since launch in 1977, the 7 Series has been in the shadow of the Mercedes S-Class, but this latest version is BMW’s most committed attempt yet to fully crack the luxury saloon market. The car combines optional adaptive air suspension with pioneering infotainment and convenience features, and offers a choice of two wheelbase lengths and rear- or four-wheel-drive. 7. Jaguar XJ There has been a Jaguar XJ at the pinnacle of the firm’s saloon range since 1968, and the most recent version is a confident, forward-looking expression of the firm’s revival. The sportiness hinted at by those sleek lines is reinforced by an excellent-handling chassis. The XJ’s cabin offers a sense of style and drama German rivals can’t muster, even if it doesn’t compete in terms of sheer material quality and trails in terms of interior tech. 8. BMW X7 Don’t think of this as an enlarged X5, says Munich, but rather a jacked-up 7-Series that’s been readied for limited off-roading work. That description doesn’t much account for the fact that the X7 is a seven-seat, two-box passenger car with an extended roofline, of course – but it does tell you about the priorities that BMW’s designers and engineers had when it came to refining and tuning the car. 9. BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo A large five-door hatchback, the 5 Series GT replacement is an interesting, if oddball, choice of luxury transport. The 6 Series GT has the same wheelbase as the 7 Series and, despite a lowered roofline, retains the raised seating position of the 5 Series GT. The interior feels comfy, upmarket and well-appointed, with plenty of room for four. 10. Lexus LS The LS has always been a niche choice in the UK, but its success elsewhere has guaranteed this latest version a seat at the top saloon table. The car's had a major styling overhaul, and the interior feels both modern and luxurious in a likably unconventional way. There are four trim levels, the top one coming with plenty of equipment and, spec-depending, also a rare kind of material richness that few cars in the world can match.

China has confiscated over 89 million poor quality face masks, a government official said Sunday, as Beijing faces a slew of complaints about faulty protective gear exported worldwide. Demand for protective equipment has soared as nations across the globe battle the deadly coronavirus, which has infected around 2.9 million people. But a number of countries have complained about faulty masks and other products exported by China, mostly for use by medical workers and vulnerable groups. China's market regulators had inspected nearly 16 million businesses and seized over 89 million masks and 418 000 pieces of protective gear as of Friday, said Gan Lin, deputy director of the State Administration of Market Regulation, at a press conference. Regulators had also seized ineffective disinfectants worth over 7.6 million yuan ($1.1 million), she said. It is unclear how much of the confiscated goods were destined for markets abroad. In a bid to eliminate poor-quality products, China released new rules Saturday saying even non-medical masks must meet both national and international quality standards. Exporters must file a written declaration that their medical products meet the safety requirements of the destination country, the ministry of commerce said in a statement. The tighter rules come after several countries including Spain, the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Turkey were forced to recall hundreds of thousands of shoddy masks and pieces of protective gear imported from China. The Canadian government last week said that about one million face masks purchased from China failed to meet proper standards for healthcare professionals. Dutch health officials last month recalled over half a million Chinese masks - which had already been sent to hospitals - after complaints that they did not close over the face properly, or had defective filters. China is producing more than 116 million masks per day, according to official figures. It has exported more than one billion masks this year so far, commerce ministry official Li Xingqian told reporters. China has also signed contracts to export medical materials worth $1.41 billion to 74 countries and six international organisations, he added. In the first two months of the year, a staggering 8,950 new manufacturers started producing masks in China, according to business data platform Tianyancha. Despite the nationwide crackdown, businesses were continuing with illicit production of medical equipment since it was a way to earn "quick money", Chinese customs official Jin Hai said earlier this month. Over 31.6 million faulty masks and 509 000 protective suits destined for export had been confiscated by port officials as of mid-April, he said.

Alfa Romeo was founded on June 24, 1910, and in a few months, the company will celebrate 110 years of existence. This is a massive achievement and one that Alfa will be celebrating in a unique way: with a series of videos documenting the journey from then to now. While Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (Alfa) was registered in 1910, the story began a few years earlier when its founder, Pierre Alexandre Darracq, began falling in love with cars. Darracq ran a bicycle shop but soon started producing cars in France. But those early years weren't easy. After France, Darracq moved his full operation to Italy, but sales weren't going so well. Alfa Romeo recalls: "To make things worse, compared to France, prospective customers in Italy had different expectations: Darracq's cars were light and inexpensive, lacking power for Italian tastes and in late 1909, Darracq put his company into liquidation." The achievements that soon followed: • 1911: 24 HP Corsa (less weight, more power) • 1913: First motorsport victory in the Parma-Poggo di Berceto race • 1913: 40/60 HP sees the light. 139km/h top speed • 1921: New RL at London Motor Show - 3.0-litre (42kW) engine, 110km/h top speed • 1923: Two Corsa versions of RL, weighing only 980kg • 1925: First victory at First Grand Prix World Championship

The UN on Friday joined forces with world leaders and the private sector on an initiative to speed up development of Covid-19 vaccines and treatments, and ensure equal access for all. "This is a landmark collaboration to accelerate the development, production and equitable distribution of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics for Covid-19," World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing. "United we can fight this virus." The event was co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and Melinda Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It included UN chief Antonio Guterres as a speaker, as well as global leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Conspicuously absent were leaders from China, where the novel coronavirus first surfaced late last year, and from the United States -- the country currently hardest-hit by the pandemic, with nearly 50 000 dead and close to 900 000 infected. US President Donald Trump earlier this month suspended funding to the organisation, accusing it of kowtowing to China over the coronavirus outbreak. Worldwide, more than 190 000 people have died in the pandemic and more than 2.7 million have been infected, according to an AFP tally based on official sources. US states open up despite huge death toll Despite its death toll breaking 50 000, some state governors in the US began to reopen portions of their economies on Friday. Health officials at Johns Hopkins University reported more than 3 300 new coronavirus deaths in the US in the last 24 hours, one of the deadliest days since the outbreak began. There have now been more than 890 000 cases in the US since the virus was first detected in the country. New York remains the hardest-hit state, with more than 263 000 confirmed cases and nearly 16,000 deaths. Though New York is still a hot spot, new hospitalisation rates are coming down. Strict social distancing measures and business closures in New York and elsewhere, while potentially curbing the spread of the virus, have exacted a toll on the US economy. At least 26 million people have sought unemployment benefits in the last five weeks, the most since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Governors in at least three states - Oklahoma, Alaska and Georgia - announced that they would begin lifting some of those restrictions on Friday, even as other states such as California, Massachusetts and Illinois see spikes in cases. Georgia received the most attention for its plans, being the first state to make them public. The state will allow certain businesses, including salons, gyms and bowling alleys to allow customers. The reopened businesses will have to adhere to social distancing guidelines, Kemp said, but it remains unclear how this will work in beauty salons and tattoo parlours. France orders malaria medicine... just in case France's armed forces ministry on Friday said it had bought a consignment of the anti-malarial drug chloroquine from China as a precaution in case it becomes an approved medication for the coronavirus, an idea dismissed by many experts. The ministry made the statement following a viral video on social media showing packages marked as chloroquine destined for the French army. "Against the background of strong tensions in the provisioning of pharmaceutical materials, the armed forces ministry carried out a purchase as a precaution," it said, confirming that the purchase had been from China. It said the purchased drug would be ready "if ever chloroquine is authorised by the health authorities as useful for fighting against Covid-19," it added. There has been impassioned debate in France on the effectiveness of chloroquine in treating the coronavirus, a cause championed by Professor Didier Raoult, a prominent but controversial Marseille-based doctor.

Antivirus software downloads are on the rise, and it's not hard to see why. With so many of us now working (and keeping ourselves entertained online) from home, there's even more emphasis on making sure our PCs, Macs and phones are protected from hackers, phishing scams and cybercriminals. The good news is that the very best antivirus software in the world currently has a massive sale on. Sign up for Bitdefender Total Security now and you stand to save an almost ridiculous 60% off the standard price. That's a huge discount on complete online security for up to five Windows, macOS, iOS and Android devices. And what makes Bitdefender so good? Obviously its basic virus protection is absolutely watertight - that's a given - but it's all the extras that really make it stand out from the crowd. Extra features like clean-up and maintenance tools, included Time Machine and even a VPN, for example. Not to mention just how easy it is to install and operate and how strong its mobile apps are. You can learn much more about Bitdefender Total Security by scrolling down or, if you just want to know how to get this antivirus deal, simply click on the relevant link to you below... Why do we rank Bitdefender so highly? There's a multitude of reasons why we rank Bitdefender Total Security as the world's best antivirus, all of equal importance to the user. Not only does it cover all your antivirus needs and deflects all possible threats coming your way - it also is extremely user-friendly and straightforward. Below we have listed our top five reasons for why we consider this antivirus software to be the best: Protects all systems: If you’re worrying that it won’t be able to defend your device, Bitdefender’s Total Security 2020 covers Android, Mac and iOS systems. Security: In our rigorous tests, we found that Bitdefender was one of the most impressive services out there for pure blocking of malicious software. So it will give you peace of mind once installed. Anonymity: All of its antivirus software seeks to ensure you remain anonymous online, also offering file encryption, firewall and anti-spam perks. Affordable: Despite its lofty position in our best antivirus countdown, Bitdefender still has extremely competitive prices in comparison to other antivirus software. No compromise necessary: Bitdefender says that all of its antivirus software preserves your battery and the speed of your devices, so they keep running smoothly. We found that it doesn’t significantly interfere with your system’s speed or battery life, unlike other antivirus software.

Having trouble getting hold of a laptop sporting one of the new Ryzen 4000 mobile CPUs, or one of AMD’s Radeon RX GPUs which were first announced back at CES at the start of the year? You’re not alone, but an AMD executive has promised that we’ll see a lot more of these notebooks in the near future. This comes from Frank Azor, AMD’s Chief Architect of Gaming Solutions, who replied to a post by Tech Deals on Twitter commenting on the need for more Ryzen 4000 choices for better competition in the laptop arena. Azor makes it clear that coronavirus disruption caused delays to the shipping of some Ryzen 4000 laptops, and apparently it’s the same case for some of the notebooks running with AMD Radeon RX 5700M and 5600M mobile graphics cards (which we haven’t seen in any portable yet, despite being revealed well over three months ago now). Intel vs AMD - who makes the best CPUs? Here are the best processors Best gaming laptops of 2020 But the good news is we can expect ‘many more’ Ryzen 4000 offerings – which have already been pitching in at extremely competitive prices – in the remainder of April, and through May. Thin on the ground At the moment, as you’ve no doubt noticed if you’re shopping for such a laptop, Ryzen 4000-powered portables are pretty thin on the ground. We recently highlighted the superbly cheap Asus TUF Gaming A15 – which runs with an 8-core Ryzen 7 4800H CPU – and can be had for a grand in the US at Newegg with a GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU. It officially went on sale on April 9, but now that model, and the other two variants listed by Newegg, are out of stock, with no indication of when they will be available again except for the slightly more expensive RTX 2060 model which is supposed to be back in stock on May 5. Also at Newegg, MSI’s Bravo laptops which come in 17-inch and 15-inch flavors with the Ryzen 7 4800H (and 4600H) are on pre-order, but not expected to ship until May 8. So as Azor observed, hopefully May is when we will see some real quantities of these tempting gaming notebooks coming through. It’s a similar story in the UK, with for example the Asus TUF Gaming A15 being on pre-order at eBuyer with an expected ship date of May 8, and over at Scan the ship date is May 11 at the time of writing.

Ford Performance got special permission to take the Mustang under the proverbial knife. The team of engineers and designers gave the Mustang a drag makeover and kitted it out with full electric power. Called the Mustang Cobra Jet 1400, this one-off car is said to run the quarter-mile in the low eight seconds at more than 275km/h! That's extremely quick, mainly because all the torque in electric vehicles are available from 0rpm. Power output: 1045Kw and 1490Nm! Dave Pericak, the global director for Ford Icons, said: "Ford has always used motorsport to demonstrate innovation. Electric powertrains give us a completely new kind of performance, and the all-electric Cobra Jet 1400 is one example of pushing new technology to the absolute limit. We're excited to showcase what's possible in an exciting year when we also have the all-electric Mustang Mach-E joining the Mustang family." A challenging project Ford says that the Cobra Jet is another step at expanding the Mustang range in the future. This follows hot on the heels of Ford's reveal of the Mustang Mach-E SUV - the first-ever, all-electric Mustang. Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports, adds: "This project was a challenge for all of us at Ford Performance, but a challenge we loved jumping into. We saw the Cobra Jet 1400 project as an opportunity to start developing electric powertrains in a race car package that we already had a lot of experience with, so we had performance benchmarks we wanted to match and beat right now. This has been a fantastic project to work on, and we hope the first of many coming from our team at Ford Performance Motorsports." Ford Performance will continue to test the Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 ahead of its world debut later this year.

President Donald Trump suggested during his Thursday night press briefing that scientists investigate whether there's a way to inject light, heat, or disinfectant into the human body to kill the coronavirus, despite lacking any evidence to support his theory. "Suppose that we hit the body with a tremendous, whether it's ultraviolet or just very powerful light," Trump said from the White House podium. "Suppose you can bring the light inside the body, either through the skin or in some other way." The president said he asked William Bryan, a science and technology adviser at the Department of Homeland Security, to explore those possibilities and that Bryan said he would follow up. Bryan presented "emerging" results from recent federal government studies showing that sunlight, heat, and humidity can help kill the coronavirus. Trump celebrated the data, which he claimed confirmed a "nice rumor" that the virus might fade during the summer months. Earlier this month a report sent to the White House and covered by The New York Times, suggested that there's not enough evidence to say that the disease will dissipate in summer. "Is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning?" Trump asked his experts at the briefing. "It sounds interesting to me, so we'll see. But the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute. That's pretty powerful." He brought up his unsubstantiated idea again, noting, "Maybe, it works. Maybe, it doesn't." "I would like you to speak to the medical doctors to see if there's any way you can apply light and heat to cure. You know? If you could," Trump told Bryan and Dr. Deborah Birx, the federal government's coronavirus response coordinator. "And maybe you can, maybe you can't ... I'm not a doctor." The president then asked Birx whether she'd "ever heard" of heat and light being used as a cure for a virus. "Not as a treatment," she responded. "I think it's a great thing to look at," he concluded. When The Washington Post's Philip Rucker suggested that the president was spreading unproven theories from the White House podium, Trump called the reporter "a total faker." "I'm just here to present talent, I'm just here to present ideas," Trump said. "And if heat is good, if sunlight is good, that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned."

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is looking to make the movement of data between its servers and SaaS applications more straightforward with the launch of an extensive new integration service. Amazon AppFlow aims to make it easier for developers to move data between web servers and SaaS applications such as Google Analytics, Salesforce, Slack and Zendesk. Transferring data from an application to a web server and back after performing analytics is often a tedious task for developers, who would rather prefer if they could manage this movement via flows - although AWS has taken care not to position it as a means to automate workflows. The platform looks to compete with the likes of Microsoft Azure’s Power Automate, which also allows developers to manage data by triggering flows around events or at predefined times or specifically upon receiving requests. Unlike Automate, Amazon AppFlow focuses on moving data from applications to other AWS services for building in analytics. AppFlow launch AWS says developers often spend long hours writing custom integrators to pass data between SaaS applications and AWS services so that it can be analyzed. This can be expensive and take months to complete and in case data requirements change, then costly and complicated modifications are required. “Companies that don’t have the luxury of engineering resources might find themselves manually importing and exporting data from applications, which is time-consuming, risks data leakage, and has the potential to introduce human error,” AWS principle advocate Martin Beeby told TechCrunch. Every flow which is categorized by a call to the source application to transfer data to a destination would cost $0.001 per run with an associated data processing cost that starts off at $0.02 per GB.

Ford South Africa bolsters its EcoSport range with the addition of a new automatic model. The 1.5 Ambiente model sees the introduction of an automatic transmission, making it the third most-affordable offering in the seven-model range. As it stands, the EcoSport range consists of three Ambiente models, available with either a 1.5-litre diesel or 1.5-litre petrol engine. The diesel is available with only a manual gearbox, while the petrol can be specified with the same manual transmission or the new six-speed auto ‘box. The remaining four models are all fitted with Ford’s award-winning turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine, available in Trend and Titanium trims. A six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission can be mated to the engine. New additions Commenting on the latest addition to the range, Doreen Mashinini, general manager marketing at Ford SA, says: “The compact SUV category grew substantially with the maiden launch of the EcoSport in South Africa in 2013, and the model has dominated this class ever since. The introduction of a six-speed automatic transmission for the EcoSport 1.5 Ambiente represents another trend-setting move for this successful model, which now also offers the best value for money automatic in the entry-level compact utility segment.” The 1.5-litre petrol engine, also a three-cylinder unit, delivers 91kW and 150Nm which are sent to the front wheels. The diesel engine produces slightly less power at 74kW than its petrol counterpart, but torque comes in at a hefty 205Nm. In its official release, Ford SA notes that the diesel engine is now fitted with a six-speed manual transmission; meaning that the stalwart five-speed manual has (finally) been omitted from the equation. The 1.0-litre engine is good for 91kW and 170Nm. Upgraded trims All Ambiente models now feature no less than six airbags (dual front, side and curtain airbags), while the Trend and Titanium also incorporate a driver’s knee airbag. Multimedia functionality remains a stand-out feature of the EcoSport, as the EcoSport Ambiente incorporates Ford’s SYNC with Bluetooth and voice control, as well as two USB ports, six speakers, and a 4.2-inch screen. Model Range and Recommended Retail Prices: All EcoSport models come standard with Ford Protect, which includes a four-year/60 000km service plan, three-year unlimited distance roadside assistance, and four-year/120 000km comprehensive warranty. This is complemented by a five-year/unlimited distance corrosion warranty. Service intervals are every 15 000km. • EcoSport 1.5 Ambiente 5MT R279 700 • EcoSport 1.5 TDCi Ambiente 5MT R289 900 • EcoSport 1.5 Ambiente 6AT R297 600 • EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost Trend 6MT R319 200 • EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost Trend 6AT R333 900 • EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium 6MT R357 000 • EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium 6AT R370 400

Two pet cats have tested positive for the coronavirus, the CDC announced on Wednesday. It's the first time the virus has been found in domestic animals in the United States.

With the AMD Ryzen 3000 chips finally hitting shelves, Team Red is on a fast track to the top of the processor game. The first generation Ryzen chips have changed the market for the better and the Ryzen 2nd-generation managed to double Intel’s sales in 2018, so there’s a lot riding on these 3rd-generation chips. And, they’ve certainly lived up to the hype, exceeding everyone’s expectations. It’s all thanks to the 7-nanometer (nm) Zen 2 architecture that the AMD Ryzen 3000 CPUs are bringing to the mainstream for the very first time, all while keeping the cost approachable to the mass consumer. These new AMD Ryzen processors have introduced, for example, up to 16-cores and 32-threads to the mainstream market in the Ryzen 9 3950X, which has broken world overclocking records when it came out. Not only that, but AMD could also be cooking up a couple budget-friendly processors, according to a recent leak. With Intel having a lot of issues introducing 10nm Cannon Lake chips and its next HEDT lineup staying on 14nm, the AMD Ryzen 3000 processors certainly came at the right time and with exactly what consumers have been needing for quite a while. And, even with the Ryzen 4000 CPUs for laptops coming soon, these chips will be favored by gamers, content creators and regular users for a long time. For everything you need to know about Ryzen 3000, we put everything on this page. AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation release date The AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation processors, first announced at CES 2019, are out now. Many of them finally hit the streets on July 7. The Ryzen 9 3900 and Ryzen 5 3500X, on the other hand, both came out on October 8. The AMD Ryzen 9 3950X, the surprise reveal of E3 2019, came out later on November 25.

The latest compact sedan entry has been unveiled, Audi's new four-door A3 will arrive, as scheduled, in the second quarter of 2021. Engine options in Europe see two petrol and one diesel (two 1.5-litre TFSI units and one 2.0-litre TDI) offered at launch with a six-speed manual offered on the 35 TFSI model as standard. A seven-speed dual-clutch is also available. Arrives in SA next year The '35' model is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine with 110kW, Audi says this engine combines cylinder-on-demand efficiency with a 48-volt mild hybrid system capable of recovering energy during deceleration, supporting the engine with up to 50Nm of additional torque. The 1.0-litre turbocharged engine produces 80kW while the TDI unit has 110kW and also works in conjunction with a seven-speed S tronic. Inside, you'll find a new compact gear shifter with its much-reduced dimensions draw the eye initially until ignition brings to life the central 25cm MMI touchscreen and the 26cm fully digital cockpit display in the binnacle, both of which are subtly integrated using a black panel design. The touchscreen has been inclined slightly towards the driver, displays all the infotainment options including media, navigation and internet-based Audi connect functions and includes handwriting detection. The new car is now 4cm longer at 4.50 metres in length, while its wheelbase remains unchanged compared to its predecessor. It's also now wider by 2cm and 1cm taller, Audi says this has helped to expand elbow room and has yielded an increase in headroom of 2 centimetres in the front, helped by moving the driver’s seat slightly. It boasts a 425-litre boot and has a drag-coefficient value of 0.25, an improvement of 0.04 Cd points over the original car.

From its start, television has offered itself as an entertaining distraction that viewers can depend on to escape the stresses and troubles of real-life, such as the rand-dollar exchange rate, a heart-wrenching breakup, global warming, the day Prince died, and now, Covid-19. The alarming spread of the virus has led to sweeping changes across the board that demand an embrace (or at the least an abiding tolerance) of new social norms that have rapidly transformed our behaviour, and habits. As millions of people across the globe are confined to their houses or encouraged to #stayathome, the abrupt, yet necessary shifts in how people consume media – especially TV and film – have already shown significant consequences. THE END OF PEAK TV IS NIGH In 2015, comedy actor Andy Samberg joked about the almost infinite number of TV shows in a sketch created for his opening monologue as the host of that year’s Emmy Awards. It starts off with Andy at dinner with friends, where eyebrows are raised in pop culture judgement as it becomes clear he has not watched Mad Men. Or How to Get Away with Murder. Or the almost a hundred shows with Wives in the title. Feeling bummed out, he sequesters himself in a bunker (a clever play on the breakout show of the season, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) to watch TV. All of it. A year later he emerges, a shell of a man, but all caught up and happy to know the backstory of every single housewife. That is until Nathan Fillion asks if he watched his show, Castle. Nope. Back to the bunker. In his own merry way, Samberg was saying: There’s just so much TV (maybe, definitely, too much TV) that the bubble will eventually pop. It’s a prediction John Landgraf, the CEO of FX Networks (home of shows like The Americans, Fargo, You’re the Worst, and American Horror Story) christened Peak TV. After this extraordinary cycle of swift and massive growth in the creation of original shows since 2013 (when streaming really took off with the hit House of Cards) a similarly fast decline will follow. The bubble, he said, would burst in 2018. On the contrary. Instead, in a race to win over viewers, empowered with increasing agency to pick and choose from the masses of content at their fingertips, networks produce even more shows. The traditional TV medium, the TV as it were, is now also supplemented by online infrastructure, like one of the most successful networks, HBO, that started their online expansion years ago with HBO Go, HBO Now, and HBO Max. A local version of this is DStv and DStv Now. Then there’s the whopping $15 billion Netflix spent on show development and production last year alone. All in all, the number of original scripted series tallied a record of 532 shows in 2019. Worth noting: This number does not include anything unscripted like documentaries, reality TV, and news programs. What’s more: kids’ programming is also not added to the calculation. Landgraf gamely admitted he was wrong, and in January of this year said he expects the total amount of shows to “increase substantially” in 2020. He’s going to be wrong again. In Europe, more than 1000 TV shows halted production when the threat of Covid-19 in an industry that demands that people work in very close proximity, became clear. In the US, the impact includes delayed releases and new season premieres, cancelled productions of new pilots and shows slated to start airing in September (the start of the 2020/21 broadcast season) while other shows are being cut short with alternative endings. All this at a time when watching TV has become an activity basically equivalent to breathing. To put this into perspective – global data measuring and analytics company Nielsen predicts “being home-bound could lead to almost a 60% increase in the amount of video content we watch globally.”

Tehran – Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced they had successfully launched the country's first military satellite on Wednesday, at a time of renewed tensions with US forces in the Gulf. The United States charges Iran's satellite programme is a cover for its development of missiles. The Islamic republic has previously insisted its aerospace activities comply with its international obligations. Tensions between the arch foes escalated last week with the US accusing Iran of harassing its ships in the Gulf. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the surprise satellite launch was a milestone for the country. "The first satellite of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been successfully launched into orbit," said the Guards' Sepahnews website. The satellite dubbed the Nour – meaning "light" in Persian – had been launched from the Markazi desert, a vast expanse in Iran's central plateau. The satellite "orbited the Earth at 425 kilometres" above sea level, said Sepahnews. The launch was "a great success and a new development in the field of space for Islamic Iran", it added. State television aired footage from multiple angles of a rocket blasting off into a mostly clear blue sky. The rocket bore the name Qassed, meaning "messenger", in what appears to be the first time Iran has used a launcher of this type. 'Great national achievement' Its fuselage also had a Koranic inscription that read: "Glory be to God who made this available to us, otherwise we could not have done it." There was no way to independently verify the details and timing of the launch. It was hailed by Iran's Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi. "Sincere congratulations to the IRGC Air Force for this great national achievement," he tweeted, adding he had visited the launch site three weeks ago. "They were great," he said of the satellite and what he described as a "three-stage solid fuel" launcher. Iran has repeatedly tried and failed to launch satellites in the past. The most recent was on 9 February, when it said it launched but was unable to put into orbit the Zafar, whose name means "victory" in Persian. Arch enemies Iran and the United States have appeared to be on the brink of an all-out confrontation twice in the past year. Their long-standing acrimony was exacerbated in 2018 when US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from a deal that froze Iran's nuclear programme, before issuing demands that it curtail its development of ballistic missiles.

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Smart Compose is a tool for Google Docs that predicts which words and phrases you'll type and offers to finish them off for you. It's handy, and can be a real time-saver as it 'learns' your writing habits, but Microsoft has now gone one better with a feature for Microsoft Word that can re-write whole sentences for you. Rewrite, which first appeared at Microsoft's Build 2019 conference, started life as a tool that would suggest better ways to phrase snippets of text. Using it was a simple matter of selecting a fragment of text, right-clicking and selecting 'Rewrite suggestion' from the context menu. The best free Microsoft Office alternatives How to use Google Docs in your business Where to buy Microsoft Office: the cheapest deals As MSPowerUser reports, Microsoft has now upgraded Rewrite with the ability to rewrite entire sentences. The process for doing so is exactly the same as before, and offers three types of suggestions: improve fluency, concise phrasing, and improves readability. Suggested changes to your sentence are highlighted in purple. Just click the one that'll make your point clearest to your readers and it'll be changed instantly.

Storage giant Seagate unveiled two new hard disk drives with a 16TB capacity earlier this year and, for once, the news wasn't all about data centers. Provantage is selling the Exos (ST16000NM001G) for just over $387 (roughly £310/AU$610), while the IronWolf (ST16000VN001) retails for just under $480 from Amazon (roughly £385/AU$755). Prices have been falling steadily due to the coronavirus pandemic, with year-on-year shipments down by a whopping 13%. Consumer units have certainly been feeling the pinch, but there are signs that even data centres are hesitant to buy. The former features SATA or SAS interfaces, while the IronWolf models are compatible with SATA only. The Exos range boasts a MTBF (mean time before failures) of 2.5 million hours and a higher sustained transfer rate at 261MBps; the IronWolf and IronWolf Pro reach 210 and 250MBps respectively. The cheaper Exos also has a longer warranty period, at five years compared to the IronWolf's three. As for the similarities, both HDDs feature nine platters, use Helium technology and share the same spinning speed (7200RPM), idle power (5W), average latency (4.16ms) and cache (256MB). Note, the IronWolf Pro also comes with bundled Rescue Services - great for data recovery. FOUND A BETTER DEAL? Have you managed to get hold of a cheaper product with equivalent specifications, in stock and brand new? Let us know and we'll tip our hat to you. In terms of competitors, Toshiba announced the 16TB MG08 series in January last year, but we're yet to see any stock in the channel. Western Digital also shipped its first 16TB hard disk drives, but based on MAMR rather than HAMR technology. While SSD prices have been falling, they are still far more expensive than their hard disk drive counterparts. At about $3000, Micron’s 16TB 9300 Pro is nearly eight times more expensive.