Moto C and Moto C Plus news: UK release date, price and specs Motorola is storming back as a brand in the mobile space, and we for one are happy about that. It has announced its cheapest smartphone yet, the Moto C, which starts at under £90. The Android Nougat 7.0 phones both have 5in displays – the Plus model has improved battery and screen, but not a larger screen size....

MP3 is not dead, and certainly not gone… yet You might have seen stories recently that MP3 is ‘dead’ and the future of digital audio lies in other formats. What those stories fail to tell you is how the end of licencing will actually affect you, and your MP3s. Why are people saying MP3 is dead? On 23 April 2017, the foundation which owns the patent for the MP3 codecannounced that“Technicolor’s mp3 licensing program for certain mp3 related patents and software of Technicolor and Fraunhofer IIS has been terminated....

How to create a matte painting in Photoshop Since the birth of cinema, movie-makers have created stunning special effects by combining still matte paintings with live-action film. Matte painting techniques were once closely guarded secrets that never left the big studios. Today however, with the aid of modern personal computers, creating epic Hollywood-style matte paintings is finally within everyone’s reach. For this masterclass, professional matte painter Sarel Theron reveals the process and insider secrets of matte creation....

Ransomware: to pay or not to pay to get your files back Losing access to your files, whether precious photos or business documents, is something we hope you never experience. But if the worst happens and your PC and other kit ends up infected withWannaCry, CryptoLocker or some other ransomware, what should you do? Will the hackers actually honour the payment and hand over a decryption key? Here’s what we know, and how to guard against ransomware....

How to get The Sims Mobile in the UK now A version of The Sims Mobile more alike the desktop PC and Mac game than ever before is coming to Android and iPhone soon. But you don’t need to wait. (You can read full details about The Sims Mobile here.) Although a global release date is not yet known, there has been a soft launch for Android in Brazil. And if you can get it there, then there’s a way to get it here too....