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No, Ms. Jacobsen, fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration are not intertwined.

Sadly, Jacobsens op-ed doesnt tell us why she should be reelected or why shed be a better secretary of State than her opponent. Her opposition seems to be President Biden (whos running for a different office) and the liberal agenda (whatever that means). Sadly, too, she invokes one of her partys most weary tropes: that migrants are criminals. Or, in this specific case, the surge in fentanyl trafficking and massive illegal immigration are intertwined issues.

For surge in fentanyl trafficking she claims that seizures skyrocketed by more than 20,000% over the past five years. You might have thought that skyrocketing seizures would reduce the surge rather than increase it (although, in any case, the 20,000% is a beyond-belief whopper). And for massive illegal immigration she gives us sinister plots of illegal immigrants being secretly placed in non-sanctuary cities. (Cue the ominous music, please.)

But heres the thing. Drug addiction and illegal migration arent two sides of the same coin. Each is one, or both, sides of its own coin. To mix them together is to make each more difficult to understand. Or solve.

Read more from the original source:
Drug addiction, illegal migration aren't the same - Billings Gazette

The Biden administration published a proposed rule yesterday that would allow asylum officers (AOs) to consider criminal and national-security bars to asylum during credible-fear interviews of illegal migrants. Thats curious given that the administration previously reversed a Trump-era rule that would have done the same thing. It's also curiously timed given that it was issued just over a week after a little-reportedincident in which a Jordanian foreign national who recently crossed the southern border into the U.S. and an individual on the U.S. terrorist watch list tried to sneak onto Marine Corps Base Quantico in the dead of night.

Expedited Removal and Credible Fear, in Brief. Undersection 235(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), aliens encountered by CBP at the border or ports without documents to enter the United States or with fraudulent entry documents including illegal migrants are subject to expedited removal. That process allows DHS to remove such aliens without placing them into removal proceedings and obtaining a removal order from an immigration judge (IJ).

There is, however, an exception to expedited removal for aliens who request asylum or claim a fear of harm if returned home. Those aliens must be interviewed by asylum officers (AOs) from USCIS, to assess whether their claim of fear is credible. Credible fear is a screening standard used to determine whether the alien may be eligible for asylum.

If an alien receives a positive credible fear determination, the alien is generally placed into removal proceedings before an IJ to apply for asylum. If instead the alien receives a negative credible fear determination, the alien can seek a credible fear review from an IJ or accept removal.

The Bars to Asylum. The asylum statute,section 208 of the INA, is written in an unusual manner.

On the one hand, section 208(a) permits any alien . . . physically present in the United States or who arrives in the United States (whether or not at a designated port of arrival. . .) to apply for asylum. Thats why youll hear proponents claim aliens have a right to seek asylum here.

On the other hand, section 208(b) of the INA bars IJs and AOs from granting asylum to certain alien persecutors and criminals, to alien terrorists and spies who pose a national-security risk to the United States, and to aliens firmly resettled in another country prior to arriving in the United States.

Sure, those aliens can apply for asylum but they cant ever be granted it.

Trump-Era Reforms, and Bidens Initial Response. Prior to the Trump administration, however, AOs werent allowed to consider those bars to asylum during the credible-fear process. In other words, Osama Bin Laden could have showed up at the border and claimed (likely credibly) that hed be persecuted if returned to Saudi Arabia, and the AO would not be allowed to even consider the role he played in multiple attacks on the United States in issuing a positive credible-fear determination.

In two separate regulatory changes in 2020, known colloquially as the Global Asylum Rule and the Global Asylum NPRM, the Trump administration attempted to require AOs to consider those section 208(b) bars during the credible-fear interview process.

In a subsequent March 2022 regulatory change known Asylum Processing IFR, however, the Biden administration again told AOs not to consider the asylum bars during credible fear interviews, explaining:

Requiring asylum officers to broadly apply mandatory bars during credible fear screenings would have made these screenings less efficient, undermining congressional intent that the expedited removal process be truly expeditious, and would further limit DHS's ability to use expedited removal to an extent that is operationally advantageous.

Requiring asylum officers to broadly apply the mandatory bars at credible fear screening would increase credible fear interview and decision times because asylum officers would be expected to devote time to eliciting testimony, conducting analysis, and making decisions about all applicable bars.

At this point, itd be fair to point out that Bidens DHS has largely ditched that critical expedited removal tool Congress gave DHS to quickly remove illegal migrants from the United States.

Of the 137,000-plus illegal entrants apprehended by Border Patrol agents at the Southwest border inMarch, for example, fewer than 25,500 of them18.5 percent of the totalwere subject to expedited removal. Worse, of the nearly 45,000 aliens stopped at the Southwest border ports that month, just 997 of them (2.2 percent) were placed into expedited removal.

That Was Then, This Is Now. The administration, however, has apparently had an epiphany on the efficacy of allowing AOs to consider at least some of those asylum bars during the credible-fear process, which brings me to the latest DHS publication, captioned Application of Certain Mandatory Bars in Fear Screenings.

Unlike the Trump-era changes, it does not require AOs to consider bars, but it does permit them to do so. And, unlike the Trump proposals, the only bars AOs may consider are the ones that relate to persecutors, criminals, and alien terrorists and other national-security risks.

In fact, the rule specifically tells AOs to place aliens who would be barred from receiving asylum because they were firmly resettled elsewhere before coming to the United Statesas well as aliens who could be returned to Canada under the safe-third countryagreement that we have with that countryinto proceedings for further consideration of their asylum claims, assuming the other bars do not apply.

In explaining this change of heart, that document explains:

As the purpose of the [credible fer] screening process is to identify individuals who are ineligible for relief at the earliest stage possible in order to create systematic efficiencies while simultaneously protecting legal rights, ignoring statutory bars to such relief with serious implications, including terrorism and significant criminality, during this process runs counter to the policy goals.

That was as true in March 2022, as it is today, which suggests that something must have happened to prod Bidens DHS in a new direction. Regrettably, we have no idea what that was.

What Did DHS Do with the 169 Border Aliens on Terror Watchlist Nabbed in FY 2023? One clue as to why the administration is considering this shift may be found in a Decemberpost I wrote captioned What Did DHS Do with the 169 Border Aliens on Terror Watchlist Nabbed in FY 2023? Possibly nothingthe continuing implications of the October 2004 Ridge Memo.

As I explained therein, shortly after DHS was established, the departments first secretary, Tom Ridge, issued amemo directed to, among others, the heads of CBP and USCIS, captioned Department of Homeland Security Guidelines for the Use of Classified Information in Immigration Proceedings.

In that memo, Ridge warned: While the Act and regulations allow for the use of classified information, the Secretary of the Department has determined, in his discretion, that the Department will use classified information only as a last resort.

If, as it has been under Biden, DHSs key concern is ensuring illegal migrants receive due process rights over and above the ones Congress has provided (and the Constitution requires), the Ridge memo is a sure way to achieve that goal. If, however, DHS is at least equally concerned about protecting the homeland, that extra-statutory restriction will be a serious impediment.

Let me explain. The number of illegal entrants apprehended by Border Patrol who are on theterrorist watchlist has ballooned under the Biden administration, going from 11 total in the four fiscal years between FY 2017 and FY 2020 to 15 in FY 2021, 98 in FY 2022, and 169 in FY 2023. In the first half of FY 2024, 75 illegal Southwest border migrants on the list were apprehended.

Its likely if not probable that the U.S. government has derogatory classified evidence against each of those aliens; the problem is that using such evidence under the restrictions in the Ridge memo would next to impossible, meaning bad people would be able to enter.

If the Biden administration were to now allow AOs to use classified evidence in the credible fear process, this rule would tacitly protect that evidence from disclosure (AOs dont have to share what they have with applicants), but only assuming that the aliens themselves dont request IJ review.

If those aliens do request review, all bets are off, and ICE may have to trust the reviewing IJ to read between the lines of AO determinations or try to offer the court that evidence.

Plainly, with an election less than six months away, the administration wants to avoid an October Surprise involving a terrorist attack along the lines of September 11th carried out by an illegal migrant who passed credible fear and was released into the United States.

Drivers Attempt at Breaching Quantico Gate. While that all might explain why the Biden administration would propose such a shift, it doesnt explain why the administration has decided to push this rule now after ignoring these threats for three-plus years. Which brings me to a little-noticed article in a local Northern Virginia paper.

That article is headlined Exclusive: Drivers Attempt at Breaching Quantico Gate Echoes Deadly Incidents at White House, U.S. Military Bases, and it appeared on May 10 in the Potomac Local News, ajournal founded in 2010 with one mission to help people understand what is happening in their communities in Northern Virginia. (My colleague Todd Bensman has also written about this.)

According to that article, two men appeared at the main gate for Marine Corps Base Quantico early on the morning of Friday, May 3, and told guards that they were contractors for Amazon and were making a delivery to Quantico Towns post officewhich is located inside the military base.

Quantico is a massive facility, and unlike other Marine bases like Camp Lejeune (in North Carolina) and Camp Pendleton (between San Diego and Los Angeles), its in close proximity to the White House and the U.S. Capitol. If you wanted to strike at the heart of the Corps, Quantico is where you would aim.

There werent just random late-night Amazon deliverymen, however, according to the article:

The men did not provide any approved access credentials, and police determined the vehicle had no affiliation with the base, so officers directed the truck to a holding area for standard vetting procedures. One of the military police officers noticed the driver, ignoring the direct instructions of the officers, continued to move the vehicle past the holding area and attempted to accessQuantico, said base spokesman Capt. Micheal Curtis.

Officers then used vehicle denial barriers, or roadblocks that were used to keep out cars, which prevented the two men from traveling further onto the base. The occupants were detained and eventually turned over to ICE, and no one was injured, said Curtis.

Multiple sources report one of the individuals inside the truck is a Jordanian foreign national who recently crossed the southern border into the U.S., and that one of the occupants is on the U.S. terrorist watch list. Quantico did not confirm this information. [Emphasis added.]

Its unclear whether the Jordanian national was also the watchlist alien, or if they were two separate people, but regardless nothing about that account sounds good.

As the article notes, this is just one of several recent accounts of individuals who have attempted to breach secure areas.

In one of thoseincidents, on March 27, a Chinese nationalallegedly here illegallytried to enter the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.which is literally in the middle of nowheredespite being stopped at the gate. As the Marine Corps Times noted in its reporting on this attempted breach, Chinese nationals have gained access to military bases and other sensitive facilities in the United States around 100 times in recent yearswhich is quite the coincidence.

The System Was Blinking Red. Speaking of September 11th, in itsfinal report, the 9/11 Commission convened to investigate those attacks included achapter captioned The System Was Blinking Red. It begins: As 2001 began, counterterrorism officials were receiving frequent but fragmentary reports about threats. Indeed, there appeared to be possible threats almost everywhere the United States had interestsincluding at home.

Assuming any of the facts in the Potomac Local News article are correctand theres no reason to think they all arentthey should set off some sort of alarm at DHS. Couple that with the other recent incidents and you start to have fragmentary but systemic threats of the sort the commission described.

Thats especially true given that DHSs own Homeland Threat Assessment 2024issued last fallwarns:

Record numbers of migrants traveling from a growing number of countries have been encountered at our borders this fiscal year . . . Terrorists and criminal actors may exploit the elevated flow and increasingly complex security environment to enter the United States. [Emphasis added.]

If you examine the proposed rule closely, you can see how the Biden administration has been dealing with the terrorists and criminals it has encountered at the border up to now. Consider the following:

For those noncitizens in whose cases a negative [credible fear] determination is made due to applicability of a bar, the regulation would prevent them from entering a potentially years-long immigration court process and would conserve those DHS and EOIR resources that would have been required to complete such process to focus on meritorious cases.

According to DOJ, the median completion time for IJ removal hearings involving detained aliens is47 days. Illegal migrants subject to the criminal and terrorist bars to asylum would only face a potentially years-long immigration court process if the administration were ignoring the statutorymandates that require them to be detained and was instead releasing themwhich is what Bidens DHS has apparently been doing up to now.

One last thing. The rule states that the population to which it will apply is likely to be relatively small, as informed by the number of cases with bars that are flagged by USCIS during screenings. If thats true, then why did DHS bother publishing a 15-page rule that runs more than 17,000 words to announce it? Likely because the threat is real, andthis time at least the administration wants to win in court.

DHS doesnt need this rule change to protect the homeland by keeping dangerous migrants outall it must do is to detain them, which the law requires. That said, for Bidens DHS to take the uncharacteristic step of barring asylum claims by illegal migrants who pose terrorist or serious criminal risks now, it must know something its not telling the rest of us.

Here is the original post:
Biden's Curiously Timed Effort to Bar Asylum to Terrorist and Criminal Migrants - Immigration Blog

The best free text-to-speech software makes it simple and easy to improve accessibility and productivity in your workflows.

Best free text-to-speech software of 2024: Quick Menu

In the digital era, the need for effective communication tools has led to a surge in the popularity of text-to-speech (TTS) software, and finding the best free text-to-speech software is essential for a variety of users, regardless of budget constraints.

Text-to-speech software skillfully converts written text into spoken words using advanced technology, though often without grasping the context of the content. The best text-to-speech software not only accomplishes this task but also offers a selection of natural-sounding voices, catering to different preferences and project needs.

This technology is invaluable for creating accessible content, enhancing workplace productivity, adding voice-overs to videos, or simply assisting in proofreading by vocalizing written work. While many of todays best free word processors, such as Google Docs, include basic TTS features that are accurate and continually improving, they may not meet all needs.

Stand-alone, app-based TTS tools, which should not be confused with the best speech-to-text apps, often have limitations compared to more comprehensive, free text-to-speech software. For instance, some might not allow the downloading of audio files, a feature crucial for creating content for platforms like YouTube and social media.

In our quest to identify the best free text-to-speech software, we have meticulously tested various options, assessing them based on user experience, performance, and output quality. Our guide aims to help you find the right text-to-speech tool, whatever your specific needs might be.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure youre buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Best free text-to-speech software overall

Built-in OCR

Choice of interfaces

Browser extension

Dyslexic-friendly font

Cloud-based

Limited free voices compared to paid plans

Natural Reader offers one of the best free text-to-speech software experiences, thanks to an easy-going interface and stellar results. It even features online and desktop versions.

You'll find plenty of user options and customizations. The first is to load documents into its library and have them read aloud from there. This is a neat way to manage multiple files, and the number of supported file types is impressive, including eBook formats. There's also OCR, which enables you to load up a photo or scan of text, and have it spoken to you.

The second option takes the form of a floating toolbar. In this mode, you can highlight text in any application and use the toolbar controls to start and customize text-to-speech. This means you can very easily use the feature in your web browser, word processor and a range of other programs. There's also a browser extension to convert web content to speech more easily.

The TTS tool is available free, with three additional upgrades with more advanced features for power-users and professionals.

Read our full Natural Reader review.

Best free text-to-speech software for custom voices

Excellent file format support

Lots of voices to choose from

Can create audio files

Bookmarking tools

There are a couple of ways to use Balabolka's top free text-to-speech software. You can either copy and paste text into the program, or you can open a number of supported file formats (including DOC, PDF, and HTML) in the program directly.

In terms of output, you can use SAPI 4 complete with eight different voices to choose from, SAPI 5 with two, or the Microsoft Speech Platform. Whichever route you choose, you can adjust the speech, pitch and volume of playback to create a custom voice.

In addition to reading words aloud, this free text-to-speech software can also save narrations as audio files in a range of formats including MP3 and WAV. For lengthy documents, you can create bookmarks to make it easy to jump back to a specific location and there are excellent tools on hand to help you to customize the pronunciation of words to your liking.

With all these features to make life easier when reading text on a screen isn't an option, Balabolka is the best free text-to-speech software around.

For more help using Balabolka, see out guide on how to convert text to speech using this free software.

Best for beginners to text-to-speech conversion

Quick and simple to use

Exports in WAV and MP3 formats

Good range of input formats

Panopreter Basic is the best free text-to-speech software if youre looking for something simple, streamlined, no-frills, and hassle-free.

It accepts plain and rich text files, web pages and Microsoft Word documents as input, and exports the resulting sound in both WAV and MP3 format (the two files are saved in the same location, with the same name).

The default settings work well for quick tasks, but spend a little time exploring Panopreter Basic's Settings menu and you'll find options to change the language, destination of saved audio files, and set custom interface colors. The software can even play a piece of music once it's finished reading a nice touch you won't find in other free text-to-speech software.

If you need something more advanced, a premium version of Panopreter is available. This edition offers several additional features including toolbars for Microsoft Word and Internet Explorer, the ability to highlight the section of text currently being read, and extra voices.

Best free text-to-speech word processor extension

Integrates with Microsoft Word

Customizable voices

Speaking dictionary

A little unattractive

Microsoft Word only

Developed by the University of Edinburgh, WordTalk is a toolbar add-on for Word that brings customizable text-to-speech to Microsoft Word. It works with all editions of Word and is accessible via the toolbar or ribbon, depending on which version you're using.

The toolbar itself is certainly not the most attractive you'll ever see, appearing to have been designed by a child. Nor are all of the buttons' functions very clear, but thankfully there's a help file on hand to help.

There's no getting away from the fact that WordTalk is fairly basic, but it does support SAPI 4 and SAPI 5 voices, and these can be tweaked to your liking. The ability to just read aloud individual words, sentences or paragraphs is a particularly nice touch. You also have the option of saving narrations, and there are a number of keyboard shortcuts that allow for quick and easy access to frequently used options.

A great choice for converting text from websites to speech

Converts text from the clipboard

Good file format support

Voices are quite expensive

Windows only

Despite its basic looks, Zabaware Text-to-Speech Reader has more to offer than you might first think. You can open numerous file formats directly in the program, or just copy and paste text.

Alternatively, as long as you have the program running and the relevant option enables, Zabaware Text-to-Speech Reader can read aloud any text you copy to the clipboard great if you want to convert words from websites to speech as well as dialog boxes that pop up. One of the best free text-to-speech software right now, this can also convert text files to WAV format.

Unfortunately the selection of voices is limited, and the only settings you can customize are volume and speed unless you burrow deep into settings to fiddle with pronunciations. Additional voices are available for an additional fee which seems rather steep, holding it back from a higher place in our list.

As you might expect, some free versions of TTS software do come with certain limitations. These include the amount of choices you get for the different amount of voices in some case. For instance, Zabaware gives you two for free, but you have to pay if you want more.

However, the best free software on this list come with all the bells and whistles that will be more than enough for the average user.

SAPI stands for Speech Application Programming Interface. It was developed by Microsoft to generate synthetic speech to allow computer programs to read aloud text. First used in its own applications such as Office, it is also employed by third party TTS software such as those featured in this list.

In the context of TTS software, there are more SAPI 4 voices to choose from, whereas SAPI 5 voices are generally of a higher quality.

Many free TTS programs give you the option to download an audio file of the speech to save and transfer to different devices.

MP3 is the most common audio format, and compatible with pretty much any modern device capable of playing back audio. The WAV format is also highly compatible too.

The main difference between the two is quality. WAV files are uncompressed, meaning fidelity is preserved as best as possible, at the cost of being considerably larger in size than MP3 files, which do compress.

Ultimately, however, MP3 files with a bit rate of 256 kbps and above should more than suffice, and you'll struggle to tell the difference when it comes to speech audio between them and WAV files.

When selecting the best free text-to-speech software is best for you depends on a range of factors (not to mention personal preference).

Despite how simple the concept of text-to-speech is, there are many different features and aspects to such apps to take into consideration. These include how many voice options and customizations are present, how and where they operate in your setup, what formats they are able to read aloud from and what formats the audio can be saved as.

With free versions, naturally you'll want to take into account how many advanced features you get without paying, and whether any sacrifices are made to performance or usability.

Always try to keep in mind what is fair and reasonable for free services - and as we've shown with our number one choice, you can get plenty of features for free, so if other options seem bare in comparison, then you'll know you can do better.

Our testing process for the best free text-to-speech software is thorough, examining all of their respective features and trying to throw every conceivable syllable at them to see how they perform.

We also want to test the accessibility features of these tools to see how they work for every kind of user out there. We have highlighted, for instance, whether certain software offer dyslexic-friendly fonts, such as the number two on our list, Natural Reader.

We also bear in mind that these are free versions, so where possible we compare and contrast their feature sets with paid-for rivals.

Finally, we look at how well TTS tools meet the needs of their intended users - whether it's designed for personal use or professional deployment.

See original here:
Best free text-to-speech software of 2024 - TechRadar

The best free word processor makes it simple and easy way to type up and edit documents on your PC, without needing to subscribe to a paid-for service.

Best free word processor of 2024: Quick menu

However, while there are some good, free word processing programs out there, they tend to not have so many features as paid-for software.Even when they do, there can be compatibility issues with moving document formats between software platforms, especially when importing to Microsoft Word.

Here were looking at the very best word processors that can be used offline (particularly useful for distraction-free writing), but there are also several excellent browser-based tools to consider if you'd rather do your writing online.

These then are the best free word processors and alternatives to Microsoft Word, that will provide a reliable platform for you to work from, at home or in the office.

We've also featured the best Microsoft Office alternatives.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure youre buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

All-singing, all-dancing word processors for any text-based work

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux

Excellent format compatibility

Document template galleries

Support for plugins

No ads or paywalls

LibreOffice is a fork of Apache OpenOffice, and the two offer very similar word processing apps, but LibreOffice receives more frequent updates and has a more lively userbase, so we're inclined to lean in its favor.

The word processor, Writer, is a feature-packed analog of Microsoft Word, packed with all the tools you could need for any text-based work.

The two versions of Writer include wizards and templates for common document types, such as invoices and letters, and its easy to create your own templates for future use as well. The word processors also work together with the other office software in their respective suites so you can use Base to create a bibliography, for example.

Both word processors support all the most popular file formats, and can export documents to PDF without the need for additional software. If youre looking for a word processor that can stand in for Microsoft Word, either of these two will be a perfect candidate.

Read our full LibreOffice review.

A word processor with cloud storage and support for all text files

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux

Interface almost identical to Word

Excellent file format support

Free cloud storage

If youve used a modern version of Microsoft Word, therell be no learning curve when you switch to Writer the word processing component of WPS Office Free.

This free word processor looks and behaves almost exactly like its premium counterpart, and even has its own equivalent of OneDrive, offering 1GB free cloud storage.

Its selection of pre-installed templates gives you everything you need for common document types, and you can easily create your own for bespoke tasks. Its compatible with every text file format you can think of, including current and legacy versions of Microsoft Word dating back to Office 97.

WPS Office Writer is supported by discrete ads, which can be removed by upgrading to the premium version, but theyre barely noticeable and no features are locked behind a paywall. Overall, WPS Writer is very impressive, and in our opinion its the best free word processor available to download today.

WPS recently launched a free PDF to Word converter as well, which is a great companion to its word processor.

Read our full WPS Office Free review.

Free online word processing with sharing and collaboration features

Convenient sharing and editing through Google Drive

Excellent support options

15 GB of free storage

Mobile app lacks a few features

Formatting issues

Not as good as Microsoft Word

When it comes to free word processing, Google Docs may seem like one of the most obvious choices, and has the advantage of saving your work automatically so you dont have to worry if your connection fails.

Its also a good choice for collaborative working, and means you dont have to upload work to a separate cloud storage service.

However, it has a limited selection of templates, theres no way to import content from other Google applications, it suffers from the formatting issues when importing mentioned above, and any online tool is going to be surrounded by distractions like social media.

Read our full Google Docs review.

The ideal word processor for first drafts, with no fussy formatting

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux

Blocks out distractions

Timers and alarms

Auto-save function

If you simply want to hammer out some words without worrying about formatting, you could just use Windows built-in Notepad app, but FocusWriter is full of clever tools that will help you maximize productivity without ever getting in the way.

As the name implies, FocusWriter blocks out all distractions so you can give that all-important first draft your full attention. In normal use, all you see is a blank page toolbars are only visible if you move your mouse pointer to the edge of the screen but theres a killer feature in Focused Text, which fades everything into the background except the current paragraph or sentence.

FocusWriter also features alerts that are triggered at certain times, or when youve reached a predefined word count, so you dont need to worry about watching a counter (as you would in Microsoft Word). This also makes FocusWriter a good tool to use in tandem with the Pomodoro Technique, which involves working hard for a period of time thats long enough for you to work productively, but not so long that you become fatigued.

Its not great for editing, but for productivity, FocusWriter is hard to beat.

Read our full FocusWriter review.

Another great looking word processor, but watch your file formats

Operating system: Windows, Mac, Linux

Can export to EPUB format

Prints multiple pages per sheet

Opens password-protected files

Doesn't support DOCX files

TextMaker the word processing element of SoftMaker FreeOffice is good looking, and comes with several handy templates for creating letters and other everyday documents. The selection isnt as extensive as some of its rivals, but you can also make new designs for future use and save them in TMV format.

All the features youd expect from a modern word processor are present and correct, including advanced formatting options, the ability to create databases for managing bibliographies and footnotes, and a function for tracking changes to collaborative projects.

The only real drawback of TextMaker is its inability to save your work in DOCX format (though you can open and edit these files with no difficulty). This feature is limited to the premium version of SoftMaker Office.

Read our full FreeOffice review.

Productivity-focused word processing with quick shortcuts

Operating system: Windows

Distraction-free interface

Supports markup

Handy keyboard shortcuts

Only works with TXT files

WriteMonkey is another no-frills word processor designed to help you maximize your output without fussing with editing and formatting. Its not intended for documents like letters or CVs, but is great for committing early ideas to paper (or screen) so you have the raw material to develop later.

Unlike FocusWriter, which is compatible with all the most common text formats (including Microsofts DOC and DOCX), WriteMonkey only works with TXT files, so youll have to convert any works in progress before opening them. WriteMonkeys hidden controls are trickier to navigate, too everything is accessed via a large right-click menu, or a vast collection of keyboard shortcuts.

That said, if youre happy to commit those shortcuts to memory, youll find WriteMonkey faster to use than toolbar-based alternatives.

We also like the ability to look words up in Wikipedia, Google Images, Poetry.com, Answers.com, and many others without opening a browser winder manually and leaving yourself open to the temptations of Twitter and Facebook.

WriteMonkey is a portable app, so theres no need to install it just extract all the downloaded files to a removable drive or cloud storage service and fire it up by running the file WriteMonkey.exe.

Read our full Writemonkey review.

We've also featured the best free cloud apps for business.

When deciding which free word processor to download and use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes free platforms may only provide basic options. That means if you need to use advanced tools you may find a paid platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, free and budget software options can sometimes prove limited when it comes to the variety of tools available, while higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require.

To test for the best free word processor we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations, especially looking at how it worked with different file formats. The aim was to push each software platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.

Read the rest here:
Best free word processor of 2024 - TechRadar

The best free antivirus should help keep your device free of nasty malware without putting a hole in your pocket with all the premium features. But does this mean it's any less effective?

Best free antivirus - quick links

Some of the best antivirus solutions offer a free-tier basic level of protection to keep you secure from the most common threats, and may even offer a free trial of their best features to tempt you into upgrading.

In order to put these services through their paces, we looked at the features on offer with each free version and put them to the test detecting and quarantining malware and other suspicious files, while also searching for potential downsides such as annoying pop-ups and in-app advertisements.

So, first we will take a look at a few of the best antivirus solutions, before diving into some of the problems with free subscriptions, and then going through our top picks for the best free antivirus.

Free is greatbut sometimes a paid option is a better bet.

Paid antivirus subscriptions give you a lot more in your security tool bag. Often higher-tiered solutions have features like spam filters, parental controls, system scans, and advanced firewalls. This makes them more suitable for those who want a bit of extra security.

We also recommend paid antivirus software for families with younger, click-happy kiddos who don't recognize potential malicious links and websites. Here are our top three antivirus software picks.

With budgets getting tighter, we understand the appeal of free antivirus software. While there have been great changes in free subscriptions, the most notable being they now offer real-time malware protection, they are still minimal compared to a full antivirus security suite.

There are some exceptions, but most free antivirus programs don't offer web protections. This means they won't stop malware from downloading if you accidentally click on a malicious link. They will snatch it before it has a chance to infract your computer, but we feel better than a threatening file doesn't get that far into the process.

Web protections are also important for reducing the risk of phishing schemes, one of the most prevalent and dangerous threats to consumers right now. This is because phishing scams are the gateway to identity theft. Paid antivirus software has web protections to stop you from visiting web pages that have phishing schemes on them, and most have additional phishing nets to keep these scams from getting into your email inbox.

Other missing tools from free antivirus software are firewalls, which protect you when connected to public wifi, password managers, which help protect your online and physical identity, and access to a VPN. A virtual private network (VPN) shields you from being tracked online and gives you added privacy from cyber snoops.

Free antivirus is a good place to start, but we really do recommend eventually upgrading to one of the best antivirus software for your best chance of fighting malware.

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Let's dig in to my top picks, where I discuss everything I liked and didn't like about each provider, as well as my most recent test results.

Impressive protection and lots of extras

Operating system: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Features: Gaming mode, password manager, VPN

Great virus protection

Works on all devices

VPN access

Lots of popup ads and messages

Sneaks in unwanted extras

Causes system slowdown

Use if:

You are a gamer: the gaming mode of Avast One is amazing. Once set, it recognizes when you're playing and suspends non-essential tasks to give you all the power and protection without lag.

You want added privacy: Avast is the only free antivirus software that includes a VPN. It's limited, but it is there.

Don't use if:

You want to avoid popup ads: you get a lot of messages and alerts with Avast. To avoid these, stick with Microsoft Defender.

You don't want your computer to drag: Avast causes apps to open and web pages to load slower. Bitdefender is a better solution to avoid this.

Bottom line

Avast One has high protection scores from top antivirus test labs and in our own in-house evaluations. It comes with so many extra tools that others reserve for paid subscriptions, which is why it's our top pick for free antivirus.

Want to know more?

Check out our Avast One review to learn details of what we found during testing and the benefits of the paid Avast One offerings.

Avast is one of the most known and used antivirus solutions worldwide. Along with Avira and AVG, Avast falls under the same company umbrella as Norton, so it has a lot of resources at its disposal. It recently released its newest antivirus offering, Avast One, including a free version.

Recent protection tests by AV-Test and AV-Comparatives rank Avast high on their list and among the few with the best malware detection rates. Our in-house tests consistently mirror these findings, flagging, blocking, and placing test malware fils into quarantines. This shows us Avast handles threats correctly. We even used a ransomware simulator to make sure Avast stops this type of dangerous malware, and it did.

Try Avast One, our top free antivirus pick

Avast One works with Windows and Mac computers and on Android phones and tablets. You can't use a single program to protect all three, but you can download the specific version on each device. Since this is a free service, there isn't a way to manage them all under one account.

Even though it is a free program, Avast One gives you some great advanced security tools that most antivirus software reserves for paid subscriptions. For example, Avast includes an automatic gaming mode to mute popups and reduces system load when you're firing up a processor-hungry game. This keeps you safe while freeing up all available resources for gameplay and pausing functions that could create lag or buffering.

There's a password manager, too, which is an undeniably good addition to your security portfolio, plus Avast gives you access to its VPN. This virtual private network (VPN) shields your online identity and movements so they can't be watched, intercepted, or traced back to you. There is a monthly usage cap with the free version, but it's enough for casual searching, social media browsing, or sending email.

Less impressive is the slight negative effect Avast has on software launch times, and its slightly popup-heavy attitude. Most free antivirus overwhelms you with messages encouraging you to upgrade to its paid subscription, but Avast has more than we'd like to see. Another sneaky motion to be aware of, Avast will download its browser and automatically set it as your default browser unless you disable this feature. This is done on the installer, but the permissions are in small text that's easy to miss.

Quick malware detection and full threat scrubbing

Operating system: Windows, Mac, Android

Features: System scanner

Real-time protection

Securely deletes threats

Low use of resources

Works on Android

Use if:

You want fast protection: Bitdefender is so efficient it blocks and scrubs threats before you realize what's happened.

You need an antivirus that doesn't use too many resources: this software is light on your system and doesn't create noticeable lag.

Don't use if:

You want quicker scans: this antivirus takes a long time to finish both virus and system scans, though it doesn't cause lag while doing so.

You need extra protections: Bitdefender free doesn't come with anything more than real-time malware protection. For other tools like a VPN, check out Avast.

Bottom line

Bitdefender is our top, paid antivirus software pick because of how well and fast it blocks threats. Its free version is basic but still impresses with its level of overall security.

Bitdefender Total Security is our top pick as the best antivirus software, so it makes sense to put Bitdefender Antivirus Free in this guide. You get the same level of malware protection with the free antivirus as you do with the paid subscription, including real-time detection and web protection.

With the Bitdefender browser extension enabled, this antivirus stops malicious files before they have a chance to start the download process. The threat is not only blocked but scooped up and scrubbed clean so there isn't a way for it to accidentally attack your system in the future.

Try Bitdefender Antivirus free, the fastest malware-blocking software

Web protection also blocks you from accessing webpages that are known to hide threats on them. These could be malicious downloads or phishing schemes designed to trick you into providing personal and financial information.

If a threat does sneak in, Bitdefender can usually scoop it up quickly and neutralize it. However, if you already have a malware attack on your computer, Bitdefender isn't the best for dealing with it. For current malware on your computer, we recommend using Malwarebytes.

Malware removal tools are specifically designed to fight against threats and remove them from your system. This allows an antivirus program, like Bitdefender, to then protect your computer from future attacks.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free doesn't come with any other security tools. It doesn't have a firewall, no system scanners, or a VPN. These are available with paid subscriptions, though, and we recommend using one of Bitdefender's higher-tiered options for the best system security. Regardless, you won't experience the same slowdown that other antivirus software creates because Bitdefender doesn't use much of your device's resources.

Malware blocking for iOS and Android devices

Operating system: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Features: Phishing protection, built-in VPN, system scanner

Decent malware detection

Unexpected list of features

iOS protection

Quite a few popups when running

Some impact on system performance

Use if:

You need antivirus for your iPhone or iPad: Avira works with iOS and has a high malware detection rate with this operating system.

You want more than just basic protection: this free antivirus comes with phishing detection, a system scanner, and a VPN to protect you from more than just malicious downloads.

Don't use if:

You need everything ready from the get-go: the tools you need have to be turned on for Avira to work correctly. Bitdefender is set up for you.

You don't want annoying ads: other than Microsoft Defender, all free antivirus has popups. Bitdefender has the second least.

Bottom line

Avira antivirus and AVG are essentially the same programs, but Avira is a bit more advanced and includes a few more tools.

Want to know more?

Our Avira antivirus review breaks down the differences and similarities between this software and AVG and why Avira is the better pick.

Avira Free Security does a good job at stopping malware attacks and comes with a few extra protection tools, which is why it earns a spot on our best free antivirus list. Like Avast and AVG, Avira falls under the same corporate umbrella as Norton but it tends to look, feel, and run more like AVG than the other antivirus solutions. One advantage that Avira has over both Avast and AVG is that it has an iOS app to protect iPhones and iPads.

The dark mode interface and tool icons look similar to AVG. It's clean and easy to find the settings and tools you need. This is important because Avira needs a lot of tools turned on or set up before you can use them.

Try Avira Free Security on your Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS device

Some of the tools Avira includes are also similar to AVG. For example, you do get a system scanner that will find old files, outdated software, and other vulnerabilities on your computer, but require you to manually take care of them unless you upgrade to a paid subscription. One tool Avira includes that AVG doesn't is a built-in VPN. You're limited to only 500 MB per month, which isn't a lot at all when you compare it to the best VPNs, but it is there.

Avira also has phishing protections that check out emails and attachments to see if there is anything fishy or threatening in them. If you enable the Avira browser extension, its web protection will alert you if you attempt to visit a site that has a phishing scam associated with it.

If there's one thing we'd change, then it's the tad overeager badgering - although popups and advertisements are very common to free products, and that doesn't prevent us from recommending Avira Free Antivirus.

Another downfall is that Avira is rather heavy on your system. Even third-party testing labs showed that running Avira caused apps to open slower and webpages to take longer to load.

Tandem protection for double security

Operating system: Windows, Mac, Android

Features: Tandem protection, firewall, system scanner

Works alongside other antivirus software

Includes a system scanner

Easy to use

Real-time protection needs to be enabled

More:
Best free antivirus in 2024 - TechRadar