Organizer
Gadget news
Jackson Hewitt Online review
6:00 pm | June 28, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Comments: Off

Jackson Hewitt Online is another internet-based tax filing solution that originated from over 6,000 actual offices where the company delivers the same thing, only with the benefit of real people assisting you every step of the way. As the name Jackson Hewitt Online suggests, they’ve taken the best bits of that service and applied it to this online tax preparation software. 

And, as you’d expect from a company with so many branches and a capable history they reckon that Jackson Hewitt Online can get your tax affairs completed and filed both accurately and on time. Having the best of both world's is also useful during the coronavirus pandemic. Rival options include TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxSlayer, Liberty Tax, eFile, TaxAct and FreeTaxUSA.

Jackson Hewitt Online

Jackson Hewitt Online comes complete with a great selection of online tools (Image credit: Jackson Hewitt Online)

Jackson Hewitt Online: Pricing

Jackson Hewitt Online has simplified its strategy over successive years, having had various packages previously. Which one you'd choose would have been dependent on the complexities of your tax filing affairs. 

However, Jackson Hewitt Online has made ongoing amendments to its pricing structure over time and things are currently even more straightforward than ever, with $25 being the universal charge for tax filing. 

There's the obvious advantage of being able to file at their 5,200 physical locations if you prefer. Jackson Hewitt can also be found in 2,600 Walmart stores, so either of these routes enable you to enlist the services of a tax professional instead.

Jackson Hewitt Online

You'll find a raft of crucial tax forms inside the Jackson Hewitt Online workspace (Image credit: Jackson Hewitt Online)

Jackson Hewitt Online: Features

Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of Jackson Hewitt Online is how they promise to get you a guaranteed maximum refund and, they say, if you can do better elsewhere then they’ll cover the difference. 

That’s certainly a good place to start, but Jackson Hewitt Online are also big on their accuracy and the level of assistance they’ll deliver during the course of your filing duties. 

Once you’re inside the straightforward tax-filing workspace you’ll find that there’s nothing too intimidating, while the useful calculators let you pinpoint the likes of depreciation costs without much in the way of fuss or bother.

Jackson Hewitt Online

Jackson Hewitt Online has the benefit of offering physical branches that you can visit (Image credit: Jackson Hewitt Online)

Jackson Hewitt Online: Peformance

Along with the Jackson Hewitt Online promise to save you money you’ll find that this internet-based tax filing solution rumbles along nicely, once you’ve got yourself set up with an account. 

The service also offers secure storage and access to your tax returns as and when you need them and for up to six years for no additional charge proves useful, especially if you find yourself having to go back in time to check figures from earlier years. 

All in all then, Jackson Hewitt Online therefore ticks all the right boxes when it comes to the performance part of the equation.

Jackson Hewitt Online

Having tax professionals to hand when filing can be a real bonus (Image credit: Jackson Hewitt Online)

Jackson Hewitt Online: Ease of use

Jackson Hewitt Online has been nicely tweaked and fine-tuned over the years and more recently it seems to be functioning better than ever. 

The company has incorporated some very cool tools that aid your filing mission, with something like the W-2 locator tool proving to be an essential addition that allows you to lay your hands on that precious documentation when it might not be immediately obvious where it happens to be. 

The same can be said for their library of other crucial IRS forms, that can all be found via the Jackson Hewitt Online site.

Jackson Hewitt Online

There's a package to suit a wide variety of needs within the Jackson Hewitt Online service (Image credit: Jackson Hewitt Online)

Jackson Hewitt Online: Support

If you’re going it alone and prefer to stick with the wholly internet edition of Jackson Hewitt Online then you’ll find that there is still help at hand via the unlimited online support and live chat features. 

However, along with the internet options, the other big bonus of using Jackson Hewitt Online is the way that the service can be used in tandem with their physical branches across the US. 

Given that some issues with tax filing can be complex to explain, being able to talk things through in a real-world environment makes this support aspect of the Jackson Hewitt Online experience particularly practical.

Jackson Hewitt Online: Final verdict

Jackson Hewitt Online is something of a double-deal when you’re looking at filing your taxes. Whilst everything can be done online, and many people will be happy with that, there’s also the benefit of being able to work hand-in-hand with any one of the many physical branches across the US. 

Jackson Hewitt Online is pretty fuss-free too, with a three-step process that involves signing up and the creation of an account. From there you pick through the guided steps, working out your maximum refund along the way, before finally e-filing at the end of it.

Bandzoogle website builder review
10:47 pm | June 26, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Comments: Off

Bandzoogle is a website builder with a difference. Unlike the majority of the best website builders on the market, which are built for a wide range of users, Bandzoogle was created specifically to help musicians get themselves and their music online. 

The platform includes many features that make it easy to showcase your talents, with professional-looking templates designed for artists, along with an easy set up process, including font and colour options, giving users the ability to create a truly unique online presence.

Bandzoogle also allows users to make unlimited sales without charging any commission, which is great for musicians who anticipate making large sales in the future. So if you’re looking for the best website builder for musicians, Bandzoogle is certainly worth considering. 

Bandzoogle pricing and plans

It’s unfortunate that Bandzoogle doesn’t include a pared down free plan you can use for an unlimited time, so if you want to give it a shot, you’ll have to sign up for the 30 day free trial (on the plus side, no credit card details are needed - just your email address and a password, and you’re good to go). You’ll still have the opportunity to cancel your trial at any time, should you decide it’s not the right platform for you. 

Bandzoogle has 4 plans available: EPK, Lite, Standard, and Pro. They can all be tried free for 30 days. You have the option of paying annually or monthly - forking out the lump sum each year essentially gets you two months free.

EPK (Electronic Press Kit) plan

EPK (Electronic Press Kit) is the most basic plan and it is still in beta. This provides you with the ability to create a single page press kit. It comes with hosting and all the basic tools you need such as a music player, tour calendar, contact form, and support. 

Lite plan

The Lite plan is the next up and unlocks the ability to create full websites with up to 10 pages, 10 tracks, and 100 photos. It also adds on the EPK plan with some promotional tools, ability to sell music, and visitor analytics. 

Standard plan 

Step up again to the Standard plan and you get everything from the Lite plan plus an additional 10 pages (20 total), 40 tracks (50 total), and 400 photos (500 total). You also get the ability to sell merchandise through your store. 

Pro plan

The final ‘Pro’ is a great option for serious musicians. You get everything from the standard plan, but now you have unlimited pages, tracks, and photos. Advanced selling and analytical tools are also included alongside the added ability to sell tickets to your shows. 

Templates

Choose from hundreds of themes to find the perfect one for your band (Image credit: Bandzoogle)

Getting started with Bandzoogle

Once you start the free trial, you’ll immediately have access to all of the pre-designed themes. Browse through them, check their large previews, and select the one that best reflects your band and its style (they’re broken down into categories such as Rock, Classical, Urban, etc to help narrow down your search).

Setup

Use the setup process to add a cover image, logo, etc (you can also change it all later too) (Image credit: Bandzoogle)

During the creation process, you can add your own header image and band logo if you have one, but there’s no pressure: you can add this at any time later on. The same applies for all other initial steps: you can skip them all (adding content, setting up a blog, creating a photo gallery, etc), and insert them at a later time.

Add Sections

There are a few types of sections available to you, from a basic text box, to a photo gallery, to a blog, and everything in between (Image credit: Bandzoogle)

Bandzoogle features

Populating your website with content is a very straightforward affair. Click on ‘Add a section’ to choose from the list of options displayed during the creation process.

Customizing

Adding sections to a page, changing their position, or even deleting them, is a easy to clicking on those blue buttons (Image credit: Bandzoogle)

You have the ability to add as many sections as you need, across multiple pages, thereby creating an enticing resource for your fans, and if you have experience of other more traditional website builders, you’ll find Bandzoogle very easy to get to grips with.

Blogging

Blogging is basic, but offers all the essentials, including comments, categories, and scheduling (Image credit: Bandzoogle)

Even the blog section offers all the basics you’d expect, including categories, comments, and being able to schedule your posts.

Selling Tools

The main focal point of Bandzoogle is its ability to let you sell your music, videos, tickets, merch, and more (Image credit: Bandzoogle)

Unsurprisingly, the features that stand out the most are options for selling music, merchandise, and tickets. Everything you need as an artist is easily available, so if you’re looking for a template that’s ready to go, you can customise the colours, fonts, and photos to create a website that highlights your style. SEO options are generated automatically from the content on your page, making it easy for Google to pick up the right keywords. 

Bandzoogle competition

The largest competitors to Bandzoogle are Wix, Bandvista, and Mymusicstream. Bandvista has very similar pricing to Bandzoogle, and also doesn’t include a free plan. Bandvista also includes a music player and options to sell merchandise, but its templates aren’t quite as professional looking and modern as Bandzoogle's. 

Is Bandzoogle right for you? Summary

Bandzoogle is a great website builder for anyone in the music industry who wants to sell albums, merch, and tickets to shows on a personalised website.

Instead of building your website from scratch, this easy to customise web host makes building a website a breeze. You won’t need to spend time learning HTML or other programming languages. All of the templates are creative and built for music-enthusiasts. It’s also easy to transfer your domain over to Bandzoogle if you already own one. Bandzoogle promises fast page loading, so music fans won’t get stuck while waiting to download a soundtrack. Because it’s music-specific, the built-in SEO will help Google recognise key terms from your website, making it easier for people to find your band online. 

Overall, Bandzoogle is a helpful tool for anyone in the music industry looking to create their own website. 

Deque review
7:30 pm | June 23, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Comments: Off

Deque’s Web Accessibility Tool, often known as the axe DevTools, is a powerful and user-friendly software solution that is widely recognized as one of the leading tools in the field of web accessibility. It is designed to help developers build highly accessible web content by leveraging global accessibility standards and providing valuable insights into potential accessibility issues. 

With its easy-to-use interface and extensive range of features, including automated testing and real-time feedback, the axe DevTools is a must-have tool for anyone looking to create web content that is accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities.

Features

Deques web accessibility tool is a resource for developers aiming to uphold top-notch accessibility standards on their websites. The tool conducts evaluations covering aspects of accessibility such as form labels, color contrast, attributes, and other vital elements crucial for enhancing web accessibility.

This tool is available in two formats: a browser extension and a module that seamlessly integrates into the existing development environment. This simplifies the workflow by eliminating the need to switch between tools and streamlining the evaluation process.

Upon completion of the evaluation, the tool generates reports highlighting detected issues, their severity levels, and suggestions for resolution. These insights are valuable for developers looking to enhance their website's accessibility. 

Furthermore, the tool facilitates testing to ensure higher levels of accessibility compliance. This feature enables developers to cater to all users, including those with disabilities.

It's important to mention that this tool receives updates to align with contemporary global web accessibility standards, like WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and Section 508. Developers can rest assured that their websites comply with accessibility standards and are accessible to all users.

Regarding accessibility, it's crucial to make websites and apps user-friendly for everyone, not only for ethical reasons but also due to legal requirements. Deque's range of tools, including the Axe tool, is known for its dedication to ensuring access to digital content. However, like any tech solution, Deques tools have advantages and drawbacks. This article explores the pros and cons of using Deques accessibility tools so you can make a choice.

 

Deque has benefits that can be categorized into two areas: thorough accessibility testing and developer support.

 

Deques tools employ various rules for assessing accessibility compliance addressing WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and Section 508 standards. This comprehensive approach guarantees an evaluation of your content. Aside from automated testing, Deque facilitates testing processes, resulting in a nuanced and thorough approach to accessibility. With plugins and extensions available for code editors, browsers, and CI/CD pipelines, Deque's tools seamlessly integrate into the development workflow, promoting regular checks for accessibility compliance.

Tools, like the Axe browser extension, are straightforward to use. You can get started away without hassle and spot accessibility problems directly from your browser as a developer. When it finds issues, Deque's tools explain why they matter, how to fix them, and even provide links for reading. This does not help in fixing the problems. It also teaches developers about accessibility principles. Most Deque tools, including Axe, are sourced at their core, encouraging community input and keeping things transparent regarding what the tool can and cannot do.

While there are benefits to using these tools, there are some downsides to consider depending on your project's needs and resources. Even though Deque's automated testing catches a lot of accessibility issues, it may not see everyone. For instance, ensuring that all content makes sense without context or checking text accuracy requires judgment. Like any automated tool, there is a chance of both positives and false negatives. This could lead to unnecessary fixes or missing out on essential issues that need attention. That's why human verification is still crucial.

Moreover, for those with accessibility or smaller teams without accessibility roles, the amount of information these tools provide and the number of issues identified might be overwhelming initially. This could potentially make prioritizing tasks more challenging.

Integrating into development processes can bring advantages. However, setting it up and maintaining it may require resources for intricate projects or less popular development setups.

Additionally, although Deque provides tools such as the Axe browser extension, accessing features, APIs, or enterprise solutions may come with costs that could be a hurdle for smaller businesses or solo developers.

Installation, setup, and compatibility

Deque axe DevTools

(Image credit: Deque)

Deque's Axe browser extension and Axe DevTools library are powerful accessibility testing tools that help web developers ensure their web pages are accessible to everyone. These tools are designed to be easy to use and integrate with your existing development workflow.

The Axe browser extension is a lightweight tool that can be installed in your web browser with just a few clicks. Once installed, it will be available in your browser's toolbar and ready to scan any webpage for accessibility issues. The extension can test for issues such as missing alt text on images, improper use of heading tags, and other standard accessibility issues. It can also provide detailed reports on accessibility issues, making identifying and fixing problems quickly easy.

The Axe DevTools library is a more integrated approach to accessibility testing. It can be implemented directly into your project and provides a more comprehensive testing solution. The library is compatible with various technologies, including HTML, React, Angular, and Vue. It can be configured to run automated tests as part of your development workflow, ensuring that accessibility issues are caught early in the development process.

Deque's tools are designed to be compatible with modern web technologies. The Axe browser extension works across multiple browsers and platforms, including Chrome and Firefox. The Axe DevTools library supports various languages and frameworks, providing flexibility in integrating accessibility testing into diverse development environments.

Plans and pricing

Deque’s website does not provide direct pricing information. Instead, they offer tailored solutions based on individual accessibility needs. 

The final cost of these solutions will depend on factors such as the services required and project complexity. 

Regardless, they do provide free demos and 14-day trials. 

Final verdict

Deque's suite of accessibility tools is a formidable ally in the quest for digital inclusivity. It offers comprehensive testing capabilities, developer-friendly features, and the flexibility to integrate with existing workflows. 

However, it's essential to recognize the limitations of automated testing, the potential for information overwhelm, and the costs associated with advanced features.

Ultimately, the decision to use Deque should be informed by your project's specific needs, your team's familiarity with accessibility best practices, and your budget constraints. By weighing the pros and cons, you can determine if Deque's solutions align with your goals for creating an accessible digital landscape for all users.

More from TechRadar Pro

Technics SL-1500C Turntable review
2:21 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Turntables | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: September 2019
• Launch price: $999 / £899 / AU$2499
• Target price: $1,299 / £1,099 / AU$1,895

Update: February 2024. Despite its relative age (although anything released within the past 10 years hardly qualifies as 'old' for a turntable – this is heritage physical music) the Technics SL-1500C is still emphatically one of the best turntables on the market. And it's not even the iconic SL-1210! What it is, is a direct-drive turntable built to listen to music (rather than to DJ with) and in the years since its release it has become a benchmark for quality at the price – a price which has actually risen owing to the proposition's success and desirability. Features? It's got a switchable phono stage so it'll work with your amp plus nice hefty buttons, but ultimately this is a deck for the purist and vinyl archivist. For clarity, in January 2024 Victrola's record turntable with repeat function arrived, but the firm's 2023 Victrola Stream Carbon can also work with your Sonos multi-room wireless setup, so the category has seen some breakthrough vinyl-meets-wireless tech since the Technics landed. Do you need any of that, or is wired analog audio still the star in your house? That's up to you. The rest of this review remains as previously published.


Technics SL-1500C: one-minute review

The first time Technics died, it was a long and unnecessarily drawn-out affair. Parent company Panasonic inexplicably lost patience and faith with the brand around the turn of the century (despite it being one of the few true icons of consumer electronics) - starting its slow demise and leading to fewer and fewer Technics-branded products coming to market. 

By 2010 it was official: Technics was no more. Anyone who’d ever visited a nightclub or danced to a DJ set was a little bit heartbroken.

But, in 2015, Panasonic had a change of heart, and Technics was reborn. And while many enjoyed the reborn audio brand, things weren’t quite the same - the first fruits of the brand’s resurrection were both uncharacteristically expensive and a bit misguided.

...Until now. Meet the budget-friendly Technics SL-1500C that will only set you back £899 / $999 / AU$2499. It's still not the most affordable turntable on the market, but it's first the reborn Technics has so far delivered to really remind listeners of what they loved about the brand in the first place.

Technics SL-1500C Turntable review: design

To most people, the words ‘Technics turntable’ means Technics SL-1210 - but the Technics template was set down long before the company designed The World’s DJ Deck, and it would seem strange were they to mess with the formula now. So, naturally, they haven’t.

That’s not to say the SL-1500C is a facsimile of the SL-1200/SL-1210. It’s not built as a DJ deck, but rather as just a record player, so it doesn’t feature pitch control, target light, stroboscope or the other ‘hands-on’  bits ‘n’ bobs that make the SL-1210 look such a purposeful machine. 

But the SL-1500C has the same hefty aluminium top-plate, the same aluminium-with-complicated-composite chassis and the same overweight, utterly inert and resonance-rejecting aluminium platter. In fact, here the platter’s substantially rubberised to make it even more efficient.

And, of course, the SL-1500C is a direct-drive design. Technics has almost always preferred this technology for its record players (not just its DJ decks), and here it’s using a fearsomely over-engineered motor intended to resistance the restless ‘cogging’ effect that can afflict some direct-drive Technics-wannabee turntables. It’s engaged using the big ‘on/off’ dial and big ‘stop/start’ button familiar from the SL-1210.

(Image credit: Panasonic)

Technics SL-1500C Turntable review: Features

Technics has gone to significant lengths to make the SL-1500C as user-friendly and painless as possible. Niceties start with the Ortofon 2M Red cartridge that’s pre-fitted to the detachable headshell - it’s simplicity itself to attach or detach it from the S-shaped tonearm.

It stands on four hefty (the word ‘hefty’ springs to mind a lot when trying to describe the SL-1500C) rubberised feet. They’re pliant and have quite a lot of articulation so, while - you should always put your record player on a sturdy shelf, where it can avoid vibrations - the SL-1500C isn’t as unsettled by less-than-perfect positioning as some price-comparable but less, yes, hefty rivals.

It’s also fitted with a switchable phono stage. Not every stereo amplifier has the necessary oomph to make a record player audible (though every mixer attached to an SL-1210 does), but because the SL-1500C is packing sufficient pre-amplification it’s compatible with any amplifier you care to mention.

There’s even a switchable auto-stop feature. When the needle reaches the run-out groove it can, if you so desire, return to its resting ‘off’ position. Such pandering to the user is not something you’d ever catch an SL-1210 indulging in.

Like Technics turntables of old, the SL-1500C has big ‘33.3’ and ‘45’ rpm speed-selection buttons - and, like Technics turntables of old, pressing them at the same time delivers 78rpm performance. Ideal for the true vinyl archivist. 

(Image credit: Panasonic)

Technics SL-1500C Turntable review: Performance

There’s really only one place to start with a Technics record player, and that’s with some thumping dance music. So it’s out with a ‘much-loved’ (for which read ‘slightly knackered’) copy of deadmau5’s single-sided Lack of a Better Name to find out if the SL-1500C is worthy of its illustrious brand name.

The short answer is ‘yes’. The slightly longer answer is ‘yes, all day long’.

Much of what is so prized in the vinyl format - the warmth, detail and texture of its sound, the rhythmic surefootedness, the sense of integration and unity of performance - is here in the SL-1500C, and in good measure. But that’s not what is so initially remarkable about the way this Technics goes about music-making.

Many an otherwise-excellent record player overplays its hand where low frequency information is concerned. The temptation to overstate the luxurious warmth and substance of vinyl-derived bass seems almost impossible to resist - but the SL-1500C is made of sterner stuff. It absolutely snaps into low-end sounds - it doesn’t wallow, it doesn’t drone. Instead, it draws an unarguably straight edge at the start of bass notes and doesn’t let their decay hang around. The result is a sound that has all of the body and momentum vinyl-fanciers delight in, but none of the overhang. The SL-1500C is a snake-hipped listen where too many of its nominal rivals have the bass equivalent of muffin-top.

And above this gloriously well-controlled bottom end, the news continues to be good. One grinding gear-changing from deadmau5 to Ella Fitzgerald’s Dream a Little Dream of Me allows the Technics to showcase its keen eye for the detail and nuance of a vocalist’s delivery. Fitzgerald’s pure tone and impeccable phrasing is served up explicitly by the SL-1500C - her voice is utterly packed with character, and occupies centre-stage in the most natural manner imaginable.

(Image credit: Panasonic)

To complete the nap hand of frequency response expertise, the Technics has sufficient bite and attack at the top end to make the fiercer moments of Talk Talk’s Spirit of Eden properly forceful, but there’s never any suggestion things could get splashy or in any way out of control. The same LP highlights the SL-1500C’s confident manner with both high-level ‘quiet/loud/quiet’ dynamics and the low-level harmonic dynamics of Mark Hollis’s piano- and organ-playing.

Sound-staging is impressive, with recordings given plenty of elbow-room for individual instruments to make their presence felt. There’s depth and height to the Technics’ stage, as well as width, but despite all this breathing-room there’s no lack of unity to the sound the SL-1500C delivers. And no matter whether you choose to listen to the cramped, claustrophobic beats of Burial’s Untrue or the wide-open elegance of Brian Eno’s Another Green World, the Technics remains completely authoritative.

Overall, there’s remarkably little to take issue with here. Some alternative turntables (from the likes of Rega and Pro-Ject) will extract even more detail, and manage rhythms and tempos with even more assurance. But they don’t have electronic speed change, or direct drive, or a phono stage, or the build quality to survive a medium-sized detonation.

And they don’t say ‘Technics’ anywhere on the top-plate, either.  

Technics SL-1500C Turntable review: Final verdict

It’s been a bit of turbulent start for the reimagined Technics brand, but with the SL-1500C it seems the company is beginning to find its line and length. This isn’t the most out-and-out accomplished turntable you can buy in purely sonic terms, but it’s not far off - and it’s more robustly made, better specified and has greater cachet than any price-comparable alternative. 

First reviewed: September 2019

EqualWeb review: making your website for everyone
2:30 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

The internet has become an essential element of contemporary life. We depend on it for communication, education, business, entertainment, and many other purposes. However, a considerable number of websites are not accessible to individuals with disabilities. This excludes a significant portion of the population from participating in online activities. This is where EqualWeb comes in. 

EqualWeb offers a range of features to help website owners ensure their sites are accessible to all users. These include an accessibility widget that allows users to adjust the site's appearance and functionality to suit their individual needs, as well as a screen reader and keyboard navigation support. 

Additionally, the service provides a comprehensive audit of the website's accessibility, highlighting any areas needing improvement. EqualWeb's accessibility experts are also available to guide and support website owners looking to make their sites more inclusive.

Here's a look at EqualWeb to help you better determine whether it's the best web accessibility tool for you and your business. 

Features

Ensuring accessibility for all users is crucial to creating an inclusive web experience. However, accommodating a wide range of disabilities can be a daunting task. EqualWeb offers a comprehensive suite of accessibility features that make the web more accessible to everyone.

EqualWeb offers various options for visually impaired users, such as increasing text size, changing contrast levels, enabling text-to-speech capabilities, and more. The service also allows screen reader software to interpret page elements and alt text for images easily. Those with color blindness can also adjust color schemes to suit their needs.

Meanwhile, users with hearing loss can benefit from closed captioning on videos and live chat support. The interface is designed straightforwardly to help those with cognitive disabilities easily navigate and understand content. 

EqualWeb also offers solutions for individuals with motor impairments that make mouse/keyboard use difficult. These users can use voice commands and other hands-free navigation features to browse the web without manual input. 

Overall, EqualWeb takes a comprehensive approach to accessibility, ensuring that users of all abilities can enjoy a seamless web experience. By providing a wide range of accessibility features, EqualWeb is helping to create a more inclusive web for everyone.

How EqualWeb uses AI

Like similar solutions, including UserWay and AccessiBe, EqualWeb's product relies heavily on AI. 

The core feature of the product being discussed is its Auto AI interface. This interface is specifically designed to identify and automatically fix accessibility issues on your website in real-time. This can be a major benefit for website owners who want to ensure their website is accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities.

Once you install the code for the Auto AI widget, a widget that allows for seamless integration will appear on your website. This widget is easy to use and can be customized to match your website's design, which can help provide a more cohesive user experience for visitors to your website.

One of the key benefits of the Auto AI interface is that it is lightweight, which ensures that it does not impact the performance of your website for users who do not use the Auto AI widget. This means that you can provide a more accessible website without sacrificing performance. It also means that you can reach a wider audience of users who may have previously been unable to access your website due to accessibility issues.

Overall, the Auto AI interface is a powerful tool for website owners who want to ensure their website is accessible to everyone. With its real-time identification and automatic fixing of accessibility issues, as well as its lightweight design, this interface can be a valuable addition to any website.

Ease of Use

EqualWeb has gone above and beyond to ensure that their website is accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities. The website's design is not only visually appealing, but it is also highly functional and intuitive. The navigation system is straightforward and easy to use, with clearly labeled icons and text labels that help users find what they are looking for quickly. 

Moreover, the website's accessibility features are exceptional. For instance, EqualWeb provides properly structured heading tags and alt text for images, which makes it easy for screen reader users to navigate the website. Additionally, the website is optimized for keyboard navigation, allowing users to navigate by pressing the "Tab" key on their keyboard. 

All in all, EqualWeb has done an excellent job of creating a website that is both aesthetically pleasing and accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities.

Installation, setup, and compatibility

Creating an account on EqualWeb is a breeze. The platform offers clear step-by-step instructions that make it easy for users to sign up. Moreover, the form fields are correctly labeled for screen readers, and the automatic password generator ensures that users create secure credentials.

Only the required information is asked during signup, and additional profile fields are available later for those who want to expand their account. Moreover, email verification quickly activates the account, adding an extra security layer. 

EqualWeb offers flexible options to customize the interface based on the user's preferences. The website supports dark mode, font size adjustment, highlighting colors, and more. There are also settings to reduce motion and animation, remove flashing imagery, and simplify layouts. This makes it easy to tailor the site experience according to individual requirements. It’s compatible with various devices and browsers. It is optimized for modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari on both desktop and mobile. During testing, EqualWeb performed well across these significant Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android browsers. The pages loaded quickly, and all core features worked correctly. No significant issues were encountered.

The service is also functional on older browsers like Internet Explorer 11, but some minor styling may be affected. However, support for legacy browsers is limited.

EqualWeb uses responsive design to optimize the mobile experience. The pages adapt dynamically to fit phones or tablets, ensuring the content is accessible and usable regardless of the screen size. During mobile testing, everything from navigation to forms to images scaled well, which makes the platform accessible to users on the go.

Plans and Pricing

EqualWeb pricing

(Image credit: EqualWeb)

EqualWeb provides different packages that are determined by the number of webpages on your website and whether you choose to pay monthly or yearly. The pricing for these packages starts at $390 per year for small-sized websites of up to 100 pages, and rise from there. For example, the “huge” package costs $1,690 annually and covers up to 100,000 pages. All plans come with the company’s AI-powered widget, and there’s a managed plan avaialble that adds in-house expert remediation solutions. 

Each plan provides WCAG 2.2 AA, ADA,and  Section 508 compliance, unlimited pageviews and monthly visits, an alternative text editor, and automatic video and audio captions. They also include 24/7 support, an accessibility statement, certificate of perf EqualWeb offers various packages that are determined based on the number of webpages on your website and whether you choose to pay monthly or yearly. The pricing for these packages starts at $390 per year for small-sized websites of up to 100 pages and increases from there. For instance, the "huge" package costs $1,690 annually and covers up to 100,000 pages. All packages include the company's AI-powered widget, and there is a managed plan available that adds in-house expert remediation solutions.

Each plan provides WCAG 2.2 AA, ADA, and Section 508 compliance, unlimited pageviews, and monthly visits, an alternative text editor, and automatic video and audio captions. Additionally, they come with 24/7 support, an accessibility statement, a certificate of performance, and more. You can try the service for free for seven days. ormance, and more. You can trial the service for free for seven days. 

Final verdict

EqualWeb is a platform that ensures websites are accessible to everyone through a team of experts from diverse backgrounds. It is user-friendly and easy to navigate. You can easily identify all the issues that need to be fixed, and the remediation widget will work to correct them. In case of complex situations where automated remediation is not enough, EqualWeb provides a full remediation package.

This is one of the best web accessibility tools on the market and comes highly recommended. 

More from TechRadar Pro

BenQ TK700STi 4K gaming projector review
8:00 pm | June 18, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Theater Projectors Televisions | Comments: Off

Editor's note

• Original review date: June 2022
• Newer BenQ X3100i now out
• Launch price: $1,899 / £1,299 / AU$2,599
• Target price now: $1,499 / £1,279

The BenQ TK700STi is a short-throw DLP model from a company known for its gaming projectors. It was relatively affordable for a 4K model at launch and at its current $1,499 / £1,279 price, is now an even better deal. (The TK700STi no longer appears to be available in Australia.) BenQ recently refreshed its short throw gaming projector lineup, with new models like the X3100i featuring higher brightness and built-in Netflix streaming. But the BenQ TK700STi remains in the lineup, and even though it doesn’t budge much from its current price, gamers looking for a projector that works well for both gaming and movies can look no further. The rest of this review remains as previously published. 

BenQ TK700STi 4K gaming projector: One-minute review

If you’re looking to lay a big load of cash on a projector, you can’t go wrong with the BenQ TK700STi. If you’re buying it for gaming, then that endorsement is even stronger. This unit supports 4K at 60Hz with an unsurpassed 16ms response time at that resolution, which is as low as response times get in a native 4K projector. If you want up to 120 inches of bright, crystal-clear game on your wall or screen, this sets a new benchmark.

What do those numbers mean in practice? It means a crisp 100 inch image with a smooth frame rate and utterly negligible input lag. With a 3,000 lumens brightness and HDR support – as well as a couple of purpose-suited game modes – the display absolutely sings. With the PS5 and Xbox Series X out in the wild now (albeit, still hard to find), this projector can actually take advantage of the new console generation’s performance advantages.

While 60Hz at 4K is impressive, the TK700STi will also support 120Hz so long as you’re happy to compromise on a 1080p output, and with three modes in the form of FPS, SPG and RPG, the display can be optimized according to the type of action happening on screen. 

What does that mean for watching TV content? Not a great deal: you’re getting a brilliant image at 4K, though naturally the 120Hz capabilities, not to mention the low response time, aren’t going to make a big difference. This is a projector for someone who wants the best of both worlds, though if you’re never going to use it for gaming, and 4K isn’t a big deal to you, you can probably settle for something less expensive. 

Not to mention that the bundled Android TV dongle – which needs to be installed manually, albeit easily – has a glaring omission in a dedicated Netflix app. Still, if you’re a console gamer, Netflix is available on everything except Nintendo Switch, and this model packs a lot of performance for the price.

BenQ TK700STi

(Image credit: Future)

BenQ TK700STi 4K gaming projector review: Price and availability

The BenQ TK700STi projector is available for $1,899 in the US, £1,299 in the UK, and AU$2,599 in Australia.

Design and features

While other companies might be tempted to make their gaming projectors look like sci-fi obelisks, BenQ takes a minimalist approach to the TK700STi’s design – nothing about it screams 'gamer'. It’s a discreet white box with a black front, and it boasts a far more conservative design than its sibling model, the X1300i

Analog zoom and focus dials are readily accessible at the top of the unit, as is the rest of the projector’s user interface: the power button, a directional pad for navigating the system’s menus, and a few quick access buttons for choosing display modes or triggering the Eco Blank functionality. 

As for those zoom and focus dials, they allow for a lot of precision and stop very firmly in the desired location. There are also three thick bolts at the base which can be unscrewed in order to elevate the device slightly. This model comes with a remote control, which is highly recommended, as the buttons on the unit itself are unpleasant to use and require very firm presses to activate.

BenQ X1300i projector

(Image credit: Future)

As for connectivity, you’ve got two HDMI 2.0 ports (with ARC on the second port), an RS-232, audio out for 3.5mm and a sole USB port. The device comes packaged with a BenQ Android TV dongle which you’ll need to install yourself: this involves removing one screw from a protrusion on the back of the unit, and connecting the dongle to a hidden USB port inside. It’s a slightly inelegant solution – why not bake this functionality in? – but it’s a one-and-done annoyance.

BenQ TK700STi rear

The rear of the TK700STi with the included Android TV dongle attached. (Image credit: BenQ)

Elsewhere, you’ve air vents along the entire right hand side of the unit, as well as a fraction of the left, and a little at the front. The whole thing measures at 31x11x25cm, and it has a 5W speaker included, though very few people are probably going to use it: you can either use the 3.5mm jack or attach a sound system or soundbar via ARC. 

That said, if you’re traveling and want to use it away from your home entertainment audio gear, it’ll get you through.

BenQ TK700STi

(Image credit: Future)

BenQ TK700STi 4K gaming projector review: Picture quality

  • True 4K
  • Excellent 3,000 lumens brightness
  • 120-inch picture at maximum

This short-throw projector requires at least two metres between the projector and the wall to reach the 100-inch mark, and while the TK700STi advertises a 100-inch maximum, we found that it could retain a perfectly viewable picture at 120-inches on the wall. In concert with its 3,000 lumens brightness – which is about as bright as you’ll want to get in a home environment – the 4K display is remarkably crisp and vibrant, thanks to its HDR10 support. 

Still – and this probably goes without saying – you’re going to want a very dark room. In some ways HDR can be a drawback in environments with just a little bit of sun leakage: playing Housemarque’s dark and gloomy PS5 game Returnal with the blinds futilely drawn was not an enjoyable experience, and wasn’t conducive to winning. That effect is exacerbated with a projector, and worth keeping in mind as more and more next-gen games embrace deeper blacks and more blinding brights.

Aside from that point, the 4K image is bright and invigorating and, in some ways, quite jaw dropping. The 60Hz refresh rate may not impress by the standards of modern gaming monitors, but it’s hugely impressive in a native 4K projector. With the appropriate lighting (or lack thereof) the TK700STi’s display shines like a portal on your wall, though like its X1300i stablemate, you do tend to see blooming around any bright-on-dark areas of the display.

Meanwhile, if you’re planning to use the TK700STi for movies and streaming you won’t be disappointed: color and clarity is admirable, though of course, you’re probably going to want to use a better sound source.

BenQ TK700STi

(Image credit: Future)

BenQ TK700STi 4K gaming projector review: Sound and gaming

While the gaming monitor market likes to promote the advantages of 1ms response rates, you’re getting nowhere near that with the TK700STi: in 4K it has a 16ms response time, while it can hit 8ms in 1080p. 

It can’t be stressed enough, though, that these response times on a projector are very novel indeed, and given this is a projector with native 4K you’re not going to find better than this performance at the moment. All but a small number of inveterate competitive gamers (or dyed in the wool pedants) are going to notice any input lag. Basically, you’re probably not going to get better performance than this.

Still, given the emphasis Sony and Microsoft are placing on both 4K resolution and 120Hz refresh rates, it’s a question that will arise, and the TK700STi’s 60Hz refresh rate at 4K – impressive only 5 years ago – might seem inadequate on paper. 

Sure, if you’ve been gaming on a 240Hz monitor you may notice a difference in fluidity, but 60 frames-per second is a bar that consoles have only just gotten around to making (unofficially) standard: the likelihood of more than a handful of blockbuster games with 120Hz support coming out during the console generation seems low, as developers focus on the wow-factor of ray tracing, detail and resolution.

Of course, if you’re rocking this projector with a gaming PC those platform-oriented limitations are immaterial to you, and if a high-refresh rate is more important than resolution, then you probably aren’t seriously in the market for a projector. 

For our money, playing through a selection of games on both the Xbox Series X and PS5 including Dirt 5, Returnal, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Forza Horizon 4 and Outriders, 100 inches of 60 frames-per-second next-gen goodness is undeniably impressive, offering a level of immersion no halfway affordable TV is likely to produce. Note that 4K offers a maximum 60Hz refresh rate, while 120Hz maxes out at 1080p.

Should you buy the BenQ TK700STi projector?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if

BenQ TK700STi 4K gaming projector review
8:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Theater Projectors Televisions | Comments: Off

Editor's note

• Original review date: June 2022
• Newer BenQ X3100i now out
• Launch price: $1,899 / £1,299 / AU$2,599
• Target price now: $1,499 / £1,279

The BenQ TK700STi is a short-throw DLP model from a company known for its gaming projectors. It was relatively affordable for a 4K model at launch and at its current $1,499 / £1,279 price, is now an even better deal. (The TK700STi no longer appears to be available in Australia.) BenQ recently refreshed its short throw gaming projector lineup, with new models like the X3100i featuring higher brightness and built-in Netflix streaming. But the BenQ TK700STi remains in the lineup, and even though it doesn’t budge much from its current price, gamers looking for a projector that works well for both gaming and movies can look no further. The rest of this review remains as previously published. 

BenQ TK700STi 4K gaming projector: One-minute review

If you’re looking to lay a big load of cash on a projector, you can’t go wrong with the BenQ TK700STi. If you’re buying it for gaming, then that endorsement is even stronger. This unit supports 4K at 60Hz with an unsurpassed 16ms response time at that resolution, which is as low as response times get in a native 4K projector. If you want up to 120 inches of bright, crystal-clear game on your wall or screen, this sets a new benchmark.

What do those numbers mean in practice? It means a crisp 100 inch image with a smooth frame rate and utterly negligible input lag. With a 3,000 lumens brightness and HDR support – as well as a couple of purpose-suited game modes – the display absolutely sings. With the PS5 and Xbox Series X out in the wild now (albeit, still hard to find), this projector can actually take advantage of the new console generation’s performance advantages.

While 60Hz at 4K is impressive, the TK700STi will also support 120Hz so long as you’re happy to compromise on a 1080p output, and with three modes in the form of FPS, SPG and RPG, the display can be optimized according to the type of action happening on screen. 

What does that mean for watching TV content? Not a great deal: you’re getting a brilliant image at 4K, though naturally the 120Hz capabilities, not to mention the low response time, aren’t going to make a big difference. This is a projector for someone who wants the best of both worlds, though if you’re never going to use it for gaming, and 4K isn’t a big deal to you, you can probably settle for something less expensive. 

Not to mention that the bundled Android TV dongle – which needs to be installed manually, albeit easily – has a glaring omission in a dedicated Netflix app. Still, if you’re a console gamer, Netflix is available on everything except Nintendo Switch, and this model packs a lot of performance for the price.

BenQ TK700STi

(Image credit: Future)

BenQ TK700STi 4K gaming projector review: Price and availability

The BenQ TK700STi projector is available for $1,899 in the US, £1,299 in the UK, and AU$2,599 in Australia.

Design and features

While other companies might be tempted to make their gaming projectors look like sci-fi obelisks, BenQ takes a minimalist approach to the TK700STi’s design – nothing about it screams 'gamer'. It’s a discreet white box with a black front, and it boasts a far more conservative design than its sibling model, the X1300i

Analog zoom and focus dials are readily accessible at the top of the unit, as is the rest of the projector’s user interface: the power button, a directional pad for navigating the system’s menus, and a few quick access buttons for choosing display modes or triggering the Eco Blank functionality. 

As for those zoom and focus dials, they allow for a lot of precision and stop very firmly in the desired location. There are also three thick bolts at the base which can be unscrewed in order to elevate the device slightly. This model comes with a remote control, which is highly recommended, as the buttons on the unit itself are unpleasant to use and require very firm presses to activate.

BenQ X1300i projector

(Image credit: Future)

As for connectivity, you’ve got two HDMI 2.0 ports (with ARC on the second port), an RS-232, audio out for 3.5mm and a sole USB port. The device comes packaged with a BenQ Android TV dongle which you’ll need to install yourself: this involves removing one screw from a protrusion on the back of the unit, and connecting the dongle to a hidden USB port inside. It’s a slightly inelegant solution – why not bake this functionality in? – but it’s a one-and-done annoyance.

BenQ TK700STi rear

The rear of the TK700STi with the included Android TV dongle attached. (Image credit: BenQ)

Elsewhere, you’ve air vents along the entire right hand side of the unit, as well as a fraction of the left, and a little at the front. The whole thing measures at 31x11x25cm, and it has a 5W speaker included, though very few people are probably going to use it: you can either use the 3.5mm jack or attach a sound system or soundbar via ARC. 

That said, if you’re traveling and want to use it away from your home entertainment audio gear, it’ll get you through.

BenQ TK700STi

(Image credit: Future)

BenQ TK700STi 4K gaming projector review: Picture quality

  • True 4K
  • Excellent 3,000 lumens brightness
  • 120-inch picture at maximum

This short-throw projector requires at least two metres between the projector and the wall to reach the 100-inch mark, and while the TK700STi advertises a 100-inch maximum, we found that it could retain a perfectly viewable picture at 120-inches on the wall. In concert with its 3,000 lumens brightness – which is about as bright as you’ll want to get in a home environment – the 4K display is remarkably crisp and vibrant, thanks to its HDR10 support. 

Still – and this probably goes without saying – you’re going to want a very dark room. In some ways HDR can be a drawback in environments with just a little bit of sun leakage: playing Housemarque’s dark and gloomy PS5 game Returnal with the blinds futilely drawn was not an enjoyable experience, and wasn’t conducive to winning. That effect is exacerbated with a projector, and worth keeping in mind as more and more next-gen games embrace deeper blacks and more blinding brights.

Aside from that point, the 4K image is bright and invigorating and, in some ways, quite jaw dropping. The 60Hz refresh rate may not impress by the standards of modern gaming monitors, but it’s hugely impressive in a native 4K projector. With the appropriate lighting (or lack thereof) the TK700STi’s display shines like a portal on your wall, though like its X1300i stablemate, you do tend to see blooming around any bright-on-dark areas of the display.

Meanwhile, if you’re planning to use the TK700STi for movies and streaming you won’t be disappointed: color and clarity is admirable, though of course, you’re probably going to want to use a better sound source.

BenQ TK700STi

(Image credit: Future)

BenQ TK700STi 4K gaming projector review: Sound and gaming

While the gaming monitor market likes to promote the advantages of 1ms response rates, you’re getting nowhere near that with the TK700STi: in 4K it has a 16ms response time, while it can hit 8ms in 1080p. 

It can’t be stressed enough, though, that these response times on a projector are very novel indeed, and given this is a projector with native 4K you’re not going to find better than this performance at the moment. All but a small number of inveterate competitive gamers (or dyed in the wool pedants) are going to notice any input lag. Basically, you’re probably not going to get better performance than this.

Still, given the emphasis Sony and Microsoft are placing on both 4K resolution and 120Hz refresh rates, it’s a question that will arise, and the TK700STi’s 60Hz refresh rate at 4K – impressive only 5 years ago – might seem inadequate on paper. 

Sure, if you’ve been gaming on a 240Hz monitor you may notice a difference in fluidity, but 60 frames-per second is a bar that consoles have only just gotten around to making (unofficially) standard: the likelihood of more than a handful of blockbuster games with 120Hz support coming out during the console generation seems low, as developers focus on the wow-factor of ray tracing, detail and resolution.

Of course, if you’re rocking this projector with a gaming PC those platform-oriented limitations are immaterial to you, and if a high-refresh rate is more important than resolution, then you probably aren’t seriously in the market for a projector. 

For our money, playing through a selection of games on both the Xbox Series X and PS5 including Dirt 5, Returnal, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Forza Horizon 4 and Outriders, 100 inches of 60 frames-per-second next-gen goodness is undeniably impressive, offering a level of immersion no halfway affordable TV is likely to produce. Note that 4K offers a maximum 60Hz refresh rate, while 120Hz maxes out at 1080p.

Should you buy the BenQ TK700STi projector?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if

Bark Review: Pros & Cons, Features, Ratings, Pricing and more
4:23 pm | June 15, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Just about every  around promises to keep your kids away from 

Too often, we all hear stories about how the internet can be a dangerous place to be. After all, as it has matured, it is really a reflection of society.

As adults, we have many strategies to keep ourselves safe when online, from keeping our computer and software updated, using antimalware products, and even the basics like not giving our personal info out to people that we meet online. The reality is that for children who, depending on their age, may not understand these strategies or consistently implement them, it is even more dangerous for them to use the internet.

Therefore, additional effort is needed to keep them safe when online, and that is where the parental control app Bark comes in. Bark was founded in 2015 by CEO Brian Bason, who is also a father of two children. Today, Bark gets used by over 3,400 school districts and private schools to protect children when online. 

Bark: Features

Bark is a subscription monitoring service to allow for parents to monitor their children’s online activity. It starts with Bark being able to monitor over 30 online activities, including texts, Instagram, YouTube, and other social media accounts. Once this is setup, Bark has ongoing content monitoring of your child’s activity online. 

Bark supplies apps for both the iOS and the Android platforms. The Bark app is downloaded to the child’s device, so that then the parent can customize the filters and limits.

When a potential event is detected, such as a cyberbullying event, a predator, a sexual event, violent threats, suicidal ideation or depression, the parent gets an alert so that they can intervene with their child. The alert can be sent to the parent in a choice of methods that include a text, an email or a push notification.

Bark also can work to set limits on children’s time online. This includes website blocking to keep children away from sites that a parent does not want them visiting. There is also control of screen time, so that screen time after bedtime is controlled such as by shutting down streaming and gaming. These limits can also be imposed during the school day to improve focus.

Another feature is the location sharing. This allows the parent to keep tabs on where the child is. This is enabled via location sharing, and also check in.

Bark: Plans and pricing

There is a choice of plans that Bark offers to protect children online. Each has a full week long trial to decide if it meets your family’s needs.

The entry point is the Bark Junior plan, which has an affordable starting price of $5/month, or $49 annually. It has some basic functions, such as managing screen time, having control which websites your kids can visit via filters, and knowing where the children are via location alerts, and also check-ins.

The higher plan is the Bark Premium plan, which has a cost of $14/month, or $99/year for a significant discount. It has the features of the lower plan, but adds monitoring what your child is doing on over 30 platforms, including texts, email, and even Youtube. Furthermore, the parent will get alerts if an issue is detected, such as cyberbullying, suicidal ideation, or online predators, among other concerning issues.

Finally, the top solution is the Bark Phone. More than just a plan, this one integrates with a Samsung A13 phone, that also includes the preceding Bark Premium plan for the entire family. The phone plan starts at $49/month for unlimited calls and text but only Wi-Fi data, goes up to $59/month to add 4 GB of data, and tops out at $69/month for 8 GB of data. It is designed to not look like a clunky ‘Kids phone,’ but allows the parent to customize the security needed. It enables the parent to block VPN installation, approval of new contacts, to block websites and apps, and even to remotely lock the phone should your child need a break. We also note that there is no cost for the phone, and it includes a charging cable, and case.

Bark

(Image credit: Bark)

Bark: Support

There are multiple options to get support for Bark. For direct support, we found only a single option, a support portal, which had a provision to include a file to clarify the issue. We did not find other options, such as chat, a direct email, or a direct phone number.

For the self help support area, there were some choices, but again it was limited. One is an extensive FAQ, with articles covering a large variety of topics. We also liked the blog, and upon further inspection, it has plenty of recent content, with multiple articles from this month, such as the relevant “How to Stay Safe on Social Media: 7 Quick Tips.” Our criticism, like the direct support, is that there are no other options, as we did not find a community forum, ebook, whitepaper, webinar, nor any video content.

Bark: Final verdict

Bark offers an innovative solution to the important problem of keeping children safe when online. We like features such as the ability to set limits on screen time, the free trial, the ability to keep tabs on a child’s location, that the phone plan includes a decent device, and the affordable entry plan. 

Some downsides to keep in mind encompass the limited support options with a total lack of phone support, and that the base phone plan has no mobile data and is expensive for an essentially basic phone plan. 

Still, Bark can be an important tool for monitoring the social media activity of a child, and we appreciate that the non-phone plan supports multiple children at the same price point making this a better deal for a larger family.

DM Disk Editor and Data Recovery Software review
3:09 am | June 14, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Eschewing a flashy website, DMDE - DM Disk Editor and Data Recovery Software gets down to business by telling you exactly what to expect from its no-nonsense recovery tool. With five license options beyond the free tool, DMDE is a bit of a mystery, offering multiple languages on its website ( English, French German and Russian) but no clue as to its origins, other than launching in 2008. Its "About" page only explains the software, rather than the company and developers. 

The "WHOIS" information for dmde.com is also another dead end as the registrar details are protected by a domain privacy service. 

A number of the online reviews linked on DMDE's website, list its creator as one Dmitry Sidorov, a Russian software publisher. Our searches found a developer of that name on the "Herd Protect" platform who seemingly has worked on the Windows version of the app but there's no way to confirm this.   

Sales support is available in Canada and the USA, although both agencies appear to be operating under license, with different websites. 

All of this makes DMDE rather enigmatic.

That mystery aside, how well does DMDE recover your lost files?

Editions

DMDE offers a free version as well as several other editions (Image credit: DMDE Software)

DMDE: Free vs other options

DMDE is available in multiple editions.

Before purchasing, the developer recommends using the free edition to "make sure you are able to recover and open necessary files." DMDE Free Edition can recover up to 4000 files at a time which makes it useful in small scale recovery jobs. This is less useful for recovering disks and partitions, however, which is where the paid options come in.

Pricing

You can choose a package for one operating system or upgrade to one that covers several (Image credit: DMDE Software)

Five different licenses are available, scaled to specific uses. An Express one-year license is $20, whereas a Standard license for DMDE is $48. Both options are for a single operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux). There is also a Standard license for multiple operating systems ($67).

DMDE Professional is $95 for one OS, or $133 for installation on multiple operating systems. DMDE also offers a discount for multiple licenses. This is just as well, as once the "1-OS" version has been installed on a particular OS like Windows, you cannot reinstall on another system like Linux.

When visiting the website to install the Windows edition, we found out that the software was available in ZIP file. This caused a red flag for Windows Defender which initially blocked the download.

Once downloaded, you need to extract the ZIP archive to a new folder and run DMDE from there. The utility won't appear in your installed programs, so you'll need to return to this folder each time or place a shortcut somewhere convenient like the Desktop.

Both versions 4.0.2 and 4.0.6 of the utility are available for download. In our tests we used 4.0.2, as DMDE claim it's the most popular version. Although we opted to use the version of DMDE which came with a GUI, command line lovers will be pleased to learn that there's also a console version for Windows, macOS and Linux.

Partitions

You can even manage the partitions on your computer with DMDE (Image credit: DMDE Software)

DMDE: Key recovery features

Using DMDE Free Edition to recover data gives you the option to recover up to 4000 files at a time. You can do this by selecting files in a particular panel, although there's no maximum limit to the number of files you can recover overall. 

It also offers partition management as well as disk imaging and cloning. DMDE Free Edition finds lost data via a thorough volume search, and the disk editor lets you navigate and browse various disk structures.

NTFS Search

DMDE suports NTFS, FAT, exFAT and many other formats (Image credit: DMDE Software)

The tool supports NTFS, FAT formats, exFAT, Ext formats, HFS+/HFSX, ReFS, APFS, ext2, ext3, ext4 and btrfs. It can both scan and manage partitions in these formats.

The DMDE Manual cautions that it can only perform recovery on partitions supported by the guest OS. For example a Windows machine doesn't support the ext4 format used by most versions of Linux by default. 

The utility can also recovery NTFS encrypted files but naturally it can't decrypt them for you. The developers have confirmed via their feedback page that they plan to include support for Bitlocker encrypted drives but such changes can take time. 

Finding files with DMDE Free Edition

Launching DM Disk Editor and Data Recovery Software prompts the Select Disk/Task dialogue, also available in the Disk menu. From here, you select the device to scan, then click OK. 

We were pleased to see that helpful 'hints' appeared next to each of the main options upon launch. You can click on each hint to display the next one. This happened each time we loaded the utility, which could prove annoying to experienced users especially as there's no obvious way to turn the hints off.

Still, thanks to these hints you'll be guided to the next window, where you can choose any partition of the chosen disk, see relevant data about it, then click "Full Scan" to commence recovery. You can do this both on the disk and on individual partitions. 

The list of recoverable files is accompanied by a Preview pane, where completeness can be assessed. To recover a file, check the box, right-click, and select Recover. Multiple files can be selected (as noted, up to 4000 files) and the Recover data button clicked. If you're using the Free Edition, you'll also need to do this folder by folder.

Recovered data is saved to the same folder where DMDE is located by default but you can create/specify another directory if you wish.

Checking logical disks, disk images, and constructing RAID disks are all available from the Select Disk/Task window.

How we Tested 

For our data recovery tests we used a virtual machine with a clean install of Windows 11. The only third-party tools installed besides DMDE were VLC Media Player and GIMP. 

Data Files

The files we chose for recovery are an album of Mozart's Music available from the Internet Archive. 

We did this as we wanted to see how the utility performed with a wide variety of files.The album included 4 music files (2 in Mp3 and 2 in FLAC) format, 6 JPG image files of album covers (with thumbnails) and 2 PNG image files. The files also included 2 XML files, a torrent file and an 'SQLite' file containing details of the album. There were 25 files in total. 

We copied the files in the music album to a 512MB virtual NTFS-formatted hard drive, which was then attached to the Windows 11 virtual machine.

Data Tests

The tests were performed one after the other on three separate virtual drives:

1. File deletion : the album files were simply deleted from the drive and the Recycle Bin emptied. No other data was copied to the drive. We then tried to recover the files. 

2. Delete & Format : The files were deleted as outlined above and we also performed a 'Quick Format' using the 'Disk Management' utility built into Windows 11. We then tried to recover the files from the formatted partition. 

3. Recover corrupted files: We used the freeware program 'Victoria' to overwrite the volume header of the drive containing the files with zeroes. The drive didn't mount automatically in File Explorer and showed as being unpartitioned in Windows "Disk Management" utility. We then checked if the utility could see it and if so, recover the files. 

We do not believe that running data recovery tools in a virtual environment has a significant effect on how they function. Still, if you're considering buying software we encourage you to read all reviews thoroughly and make sure that the developer offers a refund policy.

DMDE: Recovery performance

The good news is that DMDE - DM Disk Editor and Data Recovery Software is relatively fast. 

Although slower than some alternatives, the depth of recovery was considerable.

In our first test, DMDE quickly recognized all 25 deleted files and we were able to recover them to a folder complete with filenames. 

We next tested on the drive where the files had been deleted and then the drive itself given a "quick" format. This gave us a chance to use DMDE's "raw" feature which searches for file data even if there are missing headers or other information.

In this case 23 of the original 25 files were recovered (the .torrent and the .sqlite file didn't make it). One of the MP3 files was also only partially recovered : around 6 minutes of a 9:38 minute track were playable. The remaining files opened without issue, although as this was 'raw' data the original filenames were missing.

Our final test was on the drive with the corrupted volume header. DMDE spotted the lost partition immediately and prompted us to run a full scan. When we did so it was able to detect all 25 files, which we were able to restore fully with their original filenames. 

DMDE - DM Disk Editor and Data Recovery Software's various expanded features like searching for 'raw'  data impressive. Investigating these further, we took the time to create a disk image of the disk in question, while it was still unmountable. 

The image was easy to create, resulting in a BIN file that could itself be mounted in DMDE and used for recovery. 

You'll appreciate the benefit of having this feature and using it on an old HDD that is about to break, as this way you can attempt recovery of your data without risking further damage to the drive itself. 

This could also be a good way to allow others to perform file recovery operations on your drive remotely, as the BIN file could be sent via a file sharing service like Dropbox.

Manual

There is a manual available on DMDE Software's website (Image credit: DMDE Software)

DMDE: Support

There is virtually no support for DMDE - DM Disk Editor and Data Recovery Software. While the website offers a 10-point FAQ and detailed online manual (also available as a PDF) with translations in Polish and Russian, technical support is available only via a direct email. 

Contact

You can also get in touch via a contact form (Image credit: DMDE Software)

Feedback can be sent through the website, but it misses a detailed, searchable knowledge base and chat support. There is no reference to any social network accounts or a Reddit page.

In short, if you choose to use DMDE to recover your lost data, manual aside, it's likely to be a slow process if you run into trouble. This said, the manual is comprehensive in terms of explaining what DMDE can and can't do, as well as how to perform basic recovery operations.

Hopefully, this is sufficient to retrieve lost data, but given the depth of options in this software it seems strange that more in-depth support isn't available. The hints do go a long way to preventing DMDE becoming overwhelming for new users.

DMDE: Final verdict

With so many recovery tools on the market with varying levels of competence, speed, features, and pricing, it is easy to be suspicious of DMDE - DM Disk Editor and Data Recovery Software. 

But this is a feature packed recovery tool with a free mode that is ideal for all but the most devastating recovery scenarios. 4000 files per recovery session is enough in most cases, and that's before considering the paid options which are surprisingly affordable when compared with others.

While the user interface presents information that might be potentially confusing to the uninitiated, it boasts features that other tools omit, can handle RAID construction, and create disk images. 

The Express license alone is a bargain, DMDE - DM Disk Editor and Data Recovery Software is available for Linux and macOS as well as Windows, making it perhaps the best free and paid recovery solution available.

IONOS website builder review
2:32 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: | Comments: Off

IONOS has a prominent website-building platform that offers you an easy and intuitive way to create attractive websites. It's no secret that creating a website from scratch can be both time-consuming and expensive. 

IONOS has made it to get your site up and running in no time with one of the best website builder services on the market. But what exactly does IONOS offer? Is the platform actually worth your time and money? Let’s take a closer look at the features and capabilities of this popular website builder.  

 What is IONOS?

Rated 4.4 on Trustpilot at the time of this review, IONOS is a comprehensive web hosting platform that offers everything from domain registration and storage space to email accounts and website creation tools. 

With IONOS Website Builder, you have access to an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that makes creating websites quick and easy - even if you have no coding experience. 

The IONOS Website Builder allows you to customize your sites with a variety of themes and templates. Themes range from simple one-page designs to more complex multi-page designs with multiple columns and elements. 

You can also customize each page’s content with text, images, videos, forms, maps, and more. Additionally, IONOS Website Builder comes with built-in SEO features such as automatic meta tags and descriptions so that your site will be optimized for search engines right out of the gate. 

Templates

IONOS has a bunch of nice looking responsive templates (Image credit: 1&1 Ionos)

Features 

One of the first steps in creating a website is registering a domain name. With IONOS, you can register new domains or transfer existing ones in just minutes. Plus, all websites created with IONOS come with an SSL certificate included for free so that your customers can make purchases from your site securely. 

You can use the easy-to-use drag and drop editor to quickly create stunning websites with no coding knowledge required. You can also customize HTML and CSS to refine your webpages if you have coding experience. No matter what type of website you need, IONOS will have it covered; from portfolios and blogs to eCommerce stores and more! 

The ecommerce feature allows you to start an online shop without stress. With IONOS's ecommerce feature, you can create a fully functioning online store without having any prior coding knowledge or experience. You can add products and services easily and manage payments with secure checkout processes using the PayPal integration system available within the platform. 

All websites created using IONOS are hosted on reliable servers located around the world so that customers can access your site quickly no matter where they are located. Plus, if you don't want to use IONOS's hosting services, you can connect your own server instead. With the WordPress feature, you can install WordPress onto any domain connected to IONOS's hosting service so that you can get up and running quickly. 

The email feature allows you to create professional email addresses using your chosen domain name which allows customers and visitors alike to contact you directly without having to go through third-party emails such as Gmail or Yahoo. 

Interface

The interface is straightforward, and you're able to choose from hundreds of responsive templates. These are grouped by topics or you can search the collection by keyword, and most of our test searches returned plenty of good-looking designs.

If you’d rather start from scratch, you can select a blank template instead. You still get all the core layouts, but no graphics. These could make it easier to create your own vision, as you're no longer distracted by the big photo of a dog, or a skier, or a pizza, or whatever else is plastered over the front page of a regular template.

Click a template thumbnail and you're able to view larger images of the desktop, tablet and mobile views of the sites. Unfortunately, and unlike most of the competition, there doesn’t appear to be an option to preview the template as an active site in your browser.

Features

IONOS comes with all the features you’d expect, including blogging and an online store (Image credit: 1&1 Ionos)

Tools

Tap into Google’s massive network of customers with IONOS’s Google Ads Management service tool. With this tool, you can handle all aspects of setting up and managing Google Ads campaigns – from keyword research to bidding strategies – so you don’t have to worry about anything but results. 

Maximize your visibility on search engines with IONOS’s SEO tool, rankingCoach! This unique tool provides personalized step-by-step instructions on how to optimize each page of your site for maximum SEO effectiveness. With rankingCoach, you can easily monitor and track your progress towards achieving high organic ranks on search engine results pages (SERPs). Plus, this tool helps guide you through any changes needed for better performance on SERPs without having to hire expensive consultants or agencies for assistance.

If you want a powerful ecommerce solution that offers great flexibility and scalability, then IONOS’s Magento hosting or PrestaShop hosting tool may be right for you! Both tools offer reliable cloud server hosting tailored exclusively for those platforms, giving you complete control over your storefront while also providing advanced security measures to keep customer data safe from malicious actors. Additionally, both tools are perfect for businesses looking for comprehensive features such as inventory management systems and integrated payment gateways.     

Securely back up all of your data with the IONOS Cloud Backup tool – an easy way for you to protect your servers or cloud infrastructure against unexpected disasters or malicious attacks with automated backup processes that run continuously in the background without disrupting other tasks running on your systems. 

IONOS website builder pricing

(Image credit: IONOS)

IONOS website builder pricing: Is it good value for money? 

The Starter Plan is an excellent option for those who are just getting started with their online presence. For $5 per month (for six months) or $9 per month (for 12 months), you’ll get access to ready-made templates, content management tools, and customization options to help you create your own website. You can also add your own images, and text to make it unique. 

If you’re looking for more creative freedom, this is the plan for you. For $15 per month (for 12 months), you get all the features of starter plus unlimited bandwidth, SEO optimization tools, and online bookable services. This makes it easier than ever to showcase your products or services on your own website and start growing your business quickly. 

For those who need even more features and customization options, there’s the Pro plan. At $25 per month (for six months), this includes all the features of the previous plan plus a dedicated SEO optimization tool that will help get you seen by search engines like Google. It also offers unlimited storage space so that you never have to worry about running out of space for hosting images or videos on your website. 

 Is IONOS website builder easy to use? 

IONOS offers a variety of templates and themes from which to choose that are suitable for any type of website. Whether you’re creating an online shop, blog, portfolio site, or something else entirely, IONOS has the perfect design for you. The platform also offers flexible customization options so that you can tweak the template or theme to your liking. 

In addition, IONOS provides you with powerful features and image editing tools that make it easy to customize your site without any coding knowledge or experience. This accessibility makes IONOS one of the most user-friendly website builders on the market today.  

IONOS website builder safety and security 

IONOS provides SSL certificates for secure web traffic between your site and its visitors. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It's an encryption technology that makes sure the data being sent between two computers is kept secure and private. 

This means that private information like credit card numbers or passwords can't be intercepted by malicious third-parties while in transit. By using an SSL certificate with IONOS, you can ensure that your customers' data is safe and protected, which is essential for building trust in your business. 

IONOS also offers domain security to help protect your site from malicious actors who may try to exploit vulnerabilities in the domain registration process. With domain security.

IONOS website builder customer support

(Image credit: IONOS)

Help and support 

IONOS offers email support which allows you to reach out directly with your questions or concerns. We sent a message to the support team via email and got prompt replies within 10 minutes. 

If you need more immediate assistance, then live chat is also available on the IONOS website. This option allows customers to connect directly with customer service representatives in real time, making it easy to get help when it's most needed. 

IONOS website builder alternatives 

Squarespace is a popular website builder tool that offers a simple drag-and-drop interface. This platform makes it easy for you to quickly create stunning sites without any coding knowledge. It also provides an array of templates to choose from, making customization fast and easy. 

Wix is another IONOS website builder alternatives that has been around for some time now. It offers the same drag-and-drop interface as Squarespace but also includes additional features such as blog tools, photo galleries, and contact forms. Wix also offers unlimited hosting and bandwidth along with ecommerce solutions for those who want to set up.

Is IONOS website builder right for you? 

Whether or not IONOS is the right website builder for you depends on what kind of website you're looking to create. If you're looking for something simple but still professional-looking like a portfolio site or small business site, then IONOS could be the perfect solution. 

However, if you're looking for something more complex — such as a website built with PHP or python programming language, you may want to consider other options as well since IONOS doesn't offer much in terms of advanced coding scripts.

Next Page »