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Lets be honest, the old Google Drive Backup & Sync option (which still exists) is not reliable. Thats been my experience, at least. It constantly failed to synchronize hundreds of files and continued to get stuck retracing its steps each time I would turn my PC on. Google Drive File Stream is much more reliable and works by streaming your files to you not unlike a Chromebooks Files app does. Now, Google is unifying the two solutions to reduce confusion. My take is that theyre allowing File Stream to gobble up Backup & Sync because its old news.

Thats not to say that the ability to locally store your cloud files instead of streaming them to you will go away. The term unifying is being used because they truly are creating an all-in-one solution for those who prefer one over the other. Backup & Sync was built for consumers while File Stream was built for Workspace users. Ive found that File Stream is a much better solution for me as a consumer and as a business user, so Ive opted for it over the old tool thanks to its reliability and rapid access to my files.

If youre interested in previewing the Google Drive for Desktop beta and youre a Workspace user, you can fill out this test application to try to get access to it before it fully rolls out to everyone later this year. The goal with this change is that IT departments will no longer have to guess or work out which solution a customer is utilizing before they offer them support they will effectively be one in the same before long.

The new Google Drive for Desktop as its being called will take the best and most used features from both pieces of software and combine them into one, thus improving performance and adoption across the board. Backup & Sync users functionality and users will be automatically transitioned to the new Drive for Desktop when its ready. When that time comes, Google will provide organizations with a three months heads up so that they can make preparations for the transition. If you want to see the full break down on which features will be taken from both and placed into the unified sync client, you should check out the list.

Workspace EssentialsBusiness StarterBusiness StandardBusiness PlusEnterprise EssentialsEnterprise StandardEnterprise PlusG Suite BasicG Suite for BusinessG Suite for EducationEnterprise for EducationNonprofits customers who currently have users with the Backup and Sync deployed

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Google Drive is unifying its two backup and sync solutions to reduce confusion - Chrome Unboxed

The first M1 Macs have been out in the wild for nearly three full months, and the fear is setting in at Intel. The company this week shared a detailed slideshow of benchmark results with Toms Hardware (via Six Colors), aiming to show that there are multiple ways in which it still has a leg up on Apple Silicondepending on how you look at things.

One of Intels focuses is on what it refers to as productivity. The company compares its 11th generation Tiger Lake processors against Apples M1 for things like web browsing and using Microsoft Office. Intel says:

Comparing Microsoft Office 365, running native on both Intel and Apple processors: The 11th Gen system performs some functions like PDF export up to 2.3x faster (vs Apple M1)

Comparing the most popular web browser (Chrome), running native versions on both Intel and Apple processors: The 11th Generation system is more than 30% faster overall and nearly 3x faster in the online photo enhancement subtest (vs Apple M1)

Other benchmarks from Intel also focus on things like content creation, using software from Adobe and Topaz Labs, as well as gaming.

Intel also compared the M1 against Intel Evo, which is its second-generation upgrade to Project Athena to make the best portable devices.

There are some bizarre results from testing between the M1 and Evo, with Intel claiming that the M1 in the MacBook Pro failed at things such as using Zoom and PowerPoint. Toms Hardware explains:

Intel claims that the M1 in the MacBook Pro it tested failed eight out of 25 tests it uses, including Switch to Calendar in Outlook, start video conference in Zoom, and Select picture Menu in PowerPoint. Intels workloads dont explain how these are run, but theyre also simple tasks that work quite well on just about any modern processor, so theyre odd choices. (I had plenty of Zoom conferences while testing the MacBook Pro with no issue.)

There are multiple things to keep in mind with this testing. First and foremost, these tests were performed by Intel, and therefore should be treated with skepticism; of course the company is going to pick and choose the specific tasks where Intel chips might still perform better than Apples M1.

For instance, Toms Hardware points out some suspicious choices Intel made when testing battery life:

In battery life, Intel switched to an Intel Core i7-1165G7 notebook, the Acer Swift 5, rather than sticking with the Core i7-1185G7 in the whitebook it used for performance testing. It also tested a MacBook Air. They ran Netflix streams and tabs and found the MacBook Air came ahead with a six-minute difference.

Intel didnt list battery life for the MacBook Pro. In our tests, that beat Intel PCs by hours.

Intels timing with releasing this counterargument to Apple Silicon is also intriguing. Jason Snell at Six Colors points out at the M1 is a low-end chip for low-end system, and Intel only has a small window left for being able to find favorable comparisons:

Inconsistent test platforms, shifting arguments, omitted data, and the not-so-faint whiff of desperation. Todays M1 processor is a low-end chip for low-end systems, so Intel only has a small window to compare itself favorably to these systems before higher-end Apple silicon Macs ship and make its job that much harder.

If youre interested, you can find the full slideshow presentation from Intel over at Toms Hardware.

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Intel picks and chooses benchmarks as the threat from Apple Silicon grows - 9to5Mac

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval, so if you're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and more, this is the place to be.

Not long ago, Logitechs Brio webcam (along with almost any other kind of webcam made by reputable companies) was impossible to find. Were now at the point where you can get $40 off this 4K model through Lenovo, knocking it down to $160 instead of $200. Its still a big investment, but if you stream or just want to look your best in a meeting, this is one of the best choices out there to suit those needs.

Lenovo is currently the only site hosting this deal, so it may not last for long.

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Logitechs 4K HDR webcam, called Brio, is a high-end option made for people who want to look their best on a video call or stream. It supports Windows Hello, as well as 5x zoom, and 60 frames per second recording in 1080p.

Xbox Series X / S owners can get $10 off one of Seagates 1TB NVMe expansion cards at Newegg. Normally $220, its $210 if you use the offer code EMCESEU56 at checkout. This device is useful for storing games that are made expressly for the new Xbox consoles, as its just as fast as the SSD thats inside of each system. Note that using the code will require you to subscribe to Neweggs deals newsletter, if you dont already.

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Seagates expansion NVMe SSD is the device you need if your collection of Xbox Series X / S games is getting bigger. Unlike standard external USB drives, this ones fast enough to run all of the latest games.

If you cant get enough TV deals, Best Buy is offering its great discount on Hisenses massive 85-inch 4K HDR TV again. Instead of its original $1,700 asking price, its down to $1,000. This model ships with Android TV software built in, enabling you to watch most streaming services from the TV itself without the need for extra hardware, like a streaming device.

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Logitechs Brio, the holy grail of webcams, is $40 off right now - The Verge

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Free Accounting Software - Akaunting

1 February 2021 - Canapii, a provider of event management software, has launched a free virtual event management solution, available immediately to the global market. The release offers organizations the ability to host virtual events for up to 75 users, entirely free of charge, from Canapiis specialist events platform which is trusted by some of the worlds leading brands.

Canapii (www.canapii.com) was launched in 2020 as a subsidiary of Canalys, the global leader in tech analysis. Born out of the devastation that Covid-19 caused to the events, Canapiis unique event management platform uses digital tools and solutions to transform physical events into immersive online experiences.

With the events market expected to hit a recession that is estimated to take 6-12 months to recover from, the knock-on effect for businesses relying on this revenue source is significant. The University of Westminsters recent survey highlighted that 40% of event providers are uncertain as to whether they will even survive the next 6 months.

Canapii hopes to empower organisations to embrace virtual events, offering an alternative method for event managers to create communities through which to promote the sharing of knowledge.

Canapii believes that beyond the pandemic, the future of events will be a hybrid mix of both physical and virtual attendance. This presents a multitude of benefits to both organisers and attendees, but also introduces a new conundrum to event managers, who run the risk of getting left behind if they dont embrace online conferences, meetings and events.

Canapiis event management platform claims to offer the best feature set in the event management industry, combined with intuitive usability, and has already experienced great success, with Tech brands like HP at the forefront of its adoption.

Elliot Jakobsen, Global Marketing Manager at Canapii, is a firm believer that there are many benefits to virtual events. The virtual arena opens us up to the worlds best speakers, giving the audience access to the very best thought leaders in their industry. With information gathering being the top priority, and without barriers to attendance, we expect attendee numbers to rise, making events even more successful. And with excellent recording and play-back capabilities, content can be repurposed and used a multitude of times by contributors, he comments.

Canapiis decision to offer a free basic version emulates well-known software companies like Slack, Dropbox and Zoom. The free version allows customers to try the software for as long as they like, whilst giving them the confidence to upgrade to the more functionally rich paid-for version if this suits their needs. Canapii benefits from reduced sales cost, redistributing resources towards product development and customer support.

Canapii Co-Founder, Rita Chaher, supports the decision for a free version, commenting, We appreciate that for smaller events there is frequently no budget allocated, so trying to negotiate contracts doesnt help anyone, and puts the events market further at risk. We want to provide companies with the opportunity to try virtual events, but then to give them the best chances of success if they do.

You can read more about the features of the free events management software or try it now from the Canapii website.

-ENDS-

About CanapiiCanapii provides unique solutions to manage in-person, hybrid and virtual events. As the only supplier with genuine 24/7 customer service, their global team lives and breathes events, no matter their location or size.

Canapii has over 45,000 users and is used by 5000+ companies. By being ahead of the innovation curve, they enable their customers to impress their audiences every step of the way.

For more information please visit http://www.canapii.com

Press Contact: Elliot Jakobsen Tel: +33 7 67 37 07 44 email: elliotj@canapii.com

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Canapii launches a free event management software to the global market - RealWire