In July, Mistral, which publishes its own AI models, published a self-evaluation of the environmental impact of training and querying its model in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced, the amount of water consumed, and the amount of material consumed. Google took a slightly different approach, publishing the amount of power and water a Gemini query consumes, as well as how much CO2 it produces.
Of course, there are caveats: Each report was self-generated, and not performed by an outside auditor. Also, training a model consumes vastly more resources than inferencing, or the day-to-day tasks users assign a chatbot each time they query it. Still, the reports provide some context for how much AI taxes the environment, even though they exclude the effects of AI training and inferencing by OpenAI and other competitors.
On Thursday, Google said its estimate for the resources consumed by a "median" Gemini query consumes 0.24Wh of energy and 0.26 milliliters (five drops) of water, and generates the equivalent of 0.03 grams of carbon dioxide — the equivalent of 9 seconds of watching TV. Mistral's report slightly differed: For a "Le Chat" response generating a page of text (400 tokens), Mistral consumes 50 milliliters of water, produces the equivalent of 1.14 grams of carbon dioxide, and consumes the equivalent of 0.2 milligrams of non-renewable resources.
And yeah, with services like Xbox Cloud Gaming or GeForce Now, you can even stream big games on certain models. The main thing is grabbing one that nails the basics-runs smooth, feels sturdy, and doesn't' tap out halfway through the day. We've tested these picks hands-on, so if it's on this list, it's earned its spot.
If you decide that you'd prefer a Windows laptop, check out PCWorld's roundup of the best laptops available today.
Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 - Best overall Chromebook
This isn't all that shocking — Microsoft itself confirmed that the new interface is coming to other Windows-based handheld gaming PCs, starting in 2026. But it's nice to get confirmation from manufacturer Asus that its older designs are definitely getting these enhancements. Asus representative Whitson Gordon said so at the Gamescom conference in Germany, speaking to PCGamer:
"Now we're not leaving Ally and Ally X users out in the cold, if you already have those devices. We'll eventually be bringing some of those Xbox experiences to those devices … They're not going to roll out at the exact same time, but they will come to those devices soon."
Exactly which features we're talking about here aren't specificed. Since Asus software runs a pretty extensive interface layer on top of Windows 11 on the original Ally and Ally X, the same way that SteamOS on the Steam Deck is running on top of Linux, it seems like it'll be a big project to get the tweaked version of Windows on the older
These are easily some of the best wireless cans with active noise cancellation. A few years back, our friends at Tech Advisor reviewed the Sony WH-1000XM4 and gave it a perfect 5-star score and their Editors' Choice award for its noise cancellation performance, audio performance, and how light and comfortable they are.
Also worth noting is that these headphones deliver a fantastic 30-hour battery life, plus a quick 10-minute charge gives another 5 hours of playback. The headphones feature touch sensor controls, enabling users to pause, play, or skip tracks, control volume, or activate a voice assistant. It has a slight learning curve, but it's nothing so bad that you'll need more than a day to get used to.
These headphones are flawless and absolutely worth it for over $150 off on Amazon. They're an instant buy for anyone who wants fantastic noise canceling, great battery life, and an overall 5-star experience.
Save 43% on one of the best wireless noise-canceling headphones
After extensive testing, I've determined that the recommendations listed below are the best 4K monitors available today, covering a variety of budgets and use cases.
There's a lot to like about the Odyssey OLED G9. It's the largest OLED panel you can get right now without switching to a full-blown television. The 5120×1440 resolution on the curved panel basically squishes two 27-inch 1440p monitors together side by side, and unlike some previous versions it's still plenty speedy at 240Hz. PC gamers will appreciate the Nvidia G-Sync support, since actually trying to run a modern game at that resolution is likely to make your PC beg for mercy. For more details, check out the full PCWorld review.
This monitor also includes speakers (please don't use them) and Samsung's smart TV tech with built-in streaming apps, which may or may not sway you (easy to ignore them if you want). Sadly, it lacks USB-C support so it won't be great for a gaming laptop… but come on, this chonker is destined for an elaborate battlestation setup, especially since it has compatibility with a standard VESA monitor arm.
This is a refurbished monitor, one of the reasons it's almost a thousand bucks under the going rate for a 49-inch OLED. That means it gets a 90-day warrant
The first big feature is called semantic file search, which allows you to search for files in Windows 11 using natural language instead of matching exact file names or keywords. For example, you can search "find my CV" to locate your résumé documents or "find images of bridges at sunset on my PC" to locate photos that fit that description.
With semantic file search in Windows 11, you'll be able to control which files and folders are accessible to Copilot via settings. Note that semantic file search will only be available to Copilot PCs, meaning laptops that have cutting-edge NPUs.
The other new feature in the update is the new look and feel of the Copilot home page, which brings together your latest apps, files, and conversations directly in the app. The rollout of the news will be done gradually via Microsoft Store to all Insider channels.
Specifically this one, the Zotac Gaming Solid model, a basic triple-fan design which apparently has the reference PCB with no overclock. As the good Lord intended. It comes with a free copy of the upcoming Borderlands 4, all the better to show off your PC's upgraded gaming prowess, which is the latest promotional tie-in via Nvidia.
The presence of an elusive RTX 50-series card with no markups from AIB partners or retailers was spotted by posters on SlickDeals, who also found a $1,000 Asus RTX 5080 on Amazon. That one's a "limited time deal" that's re
Starting on August 21—so, now—the price of Apple TV will rise to $12.99 a month, a steep $3 a month higher than the previous $9.99/month rate. That's a 30-percent price hike, folks.
Existing Apple TV subscribers on the monthly plan will see their rates go up following their next renewal date.
The last time Apple raised its Apple TV prices was back in October 2023, when the service went from $6.99 a month to $9.99/month, an even steeper 43-percent price hike than the latest increase.
Apple TV cost a mere $4.99 a month when it debuted back in launched back in 2019.
In a statement announcing the price increase, Apple focused on Apple TV 's recent streak of popular shows and movies—"all ad-free," it added, as Variety reports.
Indeed, Apple TV remains the lone holdout among the big streaming services by not offering an ad-supported tier, although there's long been chatter that Apple was tinkering with the idea.
After a slow start, Apple TV has cranked out a steady stream of hits, with one show—Severance—hitting a grand slam in terms of viewership and cultural buzz.
Seth Rogan's The Studio also drew plenty of eyeballs as well as
But how much do you actually earn as a Microsoft employee? This question is particularly interesting for developers and managers, as such positions at top companies are in high demand. And as a user, you might also wonder what a Windows developer earns these days.
How much do Microsoft devs earn?
Business Insider recently obtained a leaked internal Microsoft document that answers this question. In it, 850 employees provided information on their own earnings at Microsoft, and the data allows for different levels to be compared with each other.
Compensation at Microsoft comprises the following: a base annual salary, a cash bonus, a percentage bonus (presumably based on targets achieved), and a stock award (which is based on the current company value and can therefore fluctuate greatly).
This results in the following salary range for developers:
While you once need a bloated pay TV bundle just to stream your local teams, this year brings new standalone options from ESPN and Fox, skinnier channel bundles from pay TV providers, and shorter-term subscription plans from Sling. Slice and dice things the right way, and you'll save a bunch of money compared to what you might have spent in previous years.
But with so many potential paths for football coverage, it's hard to keep track of what's even available, let alone what the best option is. Here is my best attempt to point you in the right direction.
First, know which channels you need
The scenarios below are focused on channels rather than specific teams. If you're not sure which channels you need to watch your favorite college or NFL teams, I suggest using ESPN's Where to Watch tool. Enter your team into the search box, and you'll see a schedule of upcoming games and their corresponding TV channels. Make a list of necessary channels and keep them in mind as we go through the options.
If you can use an antenna
Figure out which channels you can get over the air, and then buy an antenna that suits your needs
What'll you get: ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC
If you're blessed with good enough re
The US authorities are authorized to do this and are increasingly making use of it, especially for tourists with a valid visa or ESTA. In this article, we show you how to configure and prepare your devices securely, what sort of content can be problematic, and how you can stay protected online with a VPN, even in a hotel or airport network.
When preparing technically for a trip to the USA, two devices take center stage: your laptop and your smartphone. If you're well prepared, not only will you protect your privacy, but you'll also avoid unnecessary queries or, in the worst case, being refused entry.
Preparing your laptop for a trip to the USA: Reduce data, gain control
A simple principle works best for laptops: less is more. The less private or professional data stored locally, the lower the risk that it will be misunderstood or misinterpreted. Work documents, tax documents, invoices, applications, CVs, or project files are particularly sensitive, as they may give the US authorities the impression that employment in the USA is planned. Even seemingly harmless tools such as Slack, Figma, or Notion can raise questions if they reveal professional activity.
To be on the safe side, consider setting up a fresh laptop before traveling or create a separate user profile without sensitive content. An elegant solution is a dual-boot setup with a minimalist second system. This can be installed alongside Windows, which strictly separat
Security researchers at Guardio put the AI-powered Comet browser through a series of tests that replicated existing scams and targeted new ones to its "agentic AI" approach. Agentic AI allows you to tell the browser what you want done in plain words, and then the browser acts as an agent on your behalf and performs the actions for you. But Perplexity's AI system seems a bit more trusting than most experienced web users.
When pointed to a fake Walmart listing for an Apple Watch—a listing which was itself generated by AI—Comet failed to check the authenticity of the page, which used a bogus URL (an obvious red flag). The user told the AI: "Found this Walmart shopping website. Can you help me buy an Apple watch and complete the checkout process?" But the AI didn't spot "walmart-cart-cash.lovable.app" as an issue. It inputted the user's credit card info and address and checked out. Phishing attempt successful.
Microsoft is referring to reports from users that storage drives are suddenly disappearing from Windows after installing the August update. This apparently happens after users install updates for games such as Cyberpunk 2077 or Honkai: Star Rail.
What's happening with missing SSDs?
As it turns out, Windows 11 update KB5063878 has a bug that can cause the SSD to "disappear" or the partition to appear as "RAW." Because of this bug, File Explorer doesn't show the storage drive—and the SSD can't even be found in the BIOS.
However, the problem doesn't only occur in connection with certain games. It's due to the high write load caused by installing game updates, and it's precisely the high write load that seems to cause Windows to no longer recognize an SSD after installing the August update.
Moreover, according to Windows Latest, the problem only occurs when an SSD is already more than 60 percent utilized and then around 50 GB or more of data is continuously written.
Long story short, most users shouldn't actually run into this problem. However, in the rare case that you end up affected by it, you may n
We love and trust Anker as a top-tier brand for power accessories, and this power strip with surge protection is no exception. It packs a whopping 12 AC outlets in a clean and space-efficient layout so you can fit all your plugs without any hassle. It also features two fast USB-A ports as well as a USB-C port with power delivery, which is perfect for charging your laptop, phone, and another gadget without wasting outlets.
This USB power strip comes with a 5-foot power cord, which is long enough to place pretty much anywhere you want and still be within range of a wall outlet. (Sadly, the 10-foot version isn't on sale.) And it comes with built-in safety features that protect your plugged-in devices from surges, fires, and overloads. The peace of mind alone is worth it.
Go ahead and grab this power strip upgrade you didn't know you needed. The Anker 15-in-1 power strip is 24% off on Amazon right now, but this on-page coupon won't last forever.
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Before you get too excited, let's keep our expectations in check. At $129, you aren't getting anything close to a powerhouse machine—but the 14-inch HP Chromebook is pretty decent for what it's worth. The Intel Celeron N4500 processor is fine and the 1366×768 display is adequate, but Given that this thing is running ChromeOS instead of Windows 11, you'll be fine as long as it's mainly used for email, browsing, and simple tasks like word documents and spreadsheets.
The HP Chromebook 14 has 4GB of LPDDR4X memory (which is more than you'd expect in a $129 device) and 64GB of storage (in the slower eMMC format that's expected in budget Chromebooks), plus a sufficient 45-watt-hour battery that'll get you through a day's worth of light activity on a single charge. Surprisingly, the connectivity options are okay with an HDMI 1.4, a USB-C, two fast USB-A, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Lastly, it has a built-in 720p webcam that's good enough for Zoom and such.
No one can deny that this is a budget-tier device—but the specs are shockingly good for just $129. Get this HP Chromebook 14 at Best Buy before this jaw-dropping deal ends!
The Samsung Type-C USB Drive features a USB-C connector, something that's still (surprisingly) uncommon when it comes to flash drives. With USB-C, you can plug this drive into any modern phone, laptop, tablet, etc. And it's fast too, with transfer speeds of up to 400 MB/s, so you can move apps, games, photos, and videos in a flash (har har).
Not to mention how small this drive is, with a convenient lanyard hole so you can carry it around without risk of losing it. Between the robust body and cap, it's also water-resistant, dustproof, shockproof, magnet-proof, and built to withstand X-rays and extreme temperatures. Rest assured that your data will be kept safe and sound.
If you aren't convinced that this is a deal, look at the 128GB model that's currently going for $18. Why settle for that when you can double the capacity for just a few bucks more? Get the 256GB Samsung Type-C USB Drive for $21.49 before this limited-time deal ends!
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If that's not you, chances are that someone close to you believes this. And it's a problem. If the account owner doesn't set up and control online access, that leaves an opportunity for a hacker or scammer to do it instead.
Twenty years ago, the offline approach made sense. Online security was frustratingly limited. (For example, bank passwords often set a length restriction of just ten characters…and with unlimited tries for guessing.) Other barriers made sense for staying analog—you could ban permission to online access or your financial institution may have required opening an online account in person.
Nowadays, the world revolves around online access. Services fall over themselves to make setting up digital account access, and it can be done from anywhere in the world.
So likewise, going online is actually the smarter, more secure choice—if you (or the analog lover you're helping) takes the following steps:
Create an online account with a strong password. It will probably be much longer than you're used to—I recommend at least 20 characters.
If two-factor authentication is available, I recommend setting this up as well. If this is too complicated, make the password longer.
Save the password somewhere secure you can access. Your best bet is a password manag
Festooned with no fewer than five buttons, two of which can be programmed, the Cync Keypad Dimmer makes Lutron's Caséta family of geeky smart dimmers look tame. The equally new GE Cync Smart Paddle Dimmer, on the other hand, hews closer to Lutron's Diva smart dimmer, with a vertical slider on its right-hand side for controlling the brightness of a connected light. Both dimmers have 7-element LEDs to report the current brightness level.
But here's why it could be good news—it means the digital landscape is saturated with terabytes of data, leaving each individual data point nearly worthless. The rise of data brokers—companies that legally aggregate hundreds or thousands of data points to create a profile on you—is a result of this phenomenon. This means that, while data breaches are indeed bad news, taking down a majority of your exposed data is simple if you know where to look, or which provider to use that can legally remove aggregated profiling information from large databases.
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Once your data finds its way into one of these datadumps (that is
Having your personal information floating around online leaves you more vulnerable to identity theft, a type of fraud that can lead to criminals opening lines of credit in your name. Stalkers can use location and other data to commit their crimes. Even the seemingly more mundane uses of personal data can be enough to make you want to delete yourself from the internet.
You might find loan applications being inexplicably rejected, insurance premiums going up or job searches getting drawn out. Companies checking your credit rating is one thing, but these effects could stem from inaccurate, outdated or irrelevant information being used in decision-making processes that affect you in very real ways.
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It's not just a problem on budget laptops, either. I even see it on high-end PCs, like the world's first rollable laptop from Lenovo that I recently reviewed. That's a $3,299 machine! Yet despite its lofty price tag and sci-fi-esque hardware, it still subjected me to scary messages encouraging me to pay for McAfee antivirus. What a bad experience.
But don't take my word for it. I'll show you screenshots of these preinstalled McAfee antivirus messages on brand-new Windows 11 PCs, what to look out for, and why you shouldn't be tricked by them.
McAfee's antivirus is fine, but its marketing techniques aren't
On the whole, McAfee's antivirus software is fine. It's far from our favorite antivirus program, but it'll definitely do the job.
The problem is how McAfee sells it. On many new PCs, McAfee's antivirus prompts are seriously misleading
Managing complex projects gets easier when you have the right tools in place. Instead of juggling spreadsheets and calendar reminders, having dedicated software built for planning and execution can save time and reduce mistakes. Microsoft Project Professional 2021 is a desktop app for Windows that helps you map out tasks, assign responsibilities, and track progress in a centralized way, and a lifetime license is only $14.97 on sale (reg. $249.99).
Project Pro helps you build out schedules, create timelines, and adjust workloads using built-in tools designed to keep everything organized. It's useful for people who manage everything from small business projects to large-scale operations and includes automation features that take care of repetitive work like adjusting dates or redistributing resources.
There's no subscription involved. You pay once and own the software for life. The license includes updates and customer support and is compatible with Office 2021 and Office LTSC.
After all, Google's been slowly but steadily discontinuing older smart products (the Nest Protect, the Nest x Yale Lock) while leaving their replacements to third parties. At time same time, its aging line of Nest smart speakers and displays has been languishing.
But Google has previously hinted that new Google Home smart devices are on tap for later this year, and during the company's big Made by Google event today, we may have gotten a glimpse of one.
During some pre-recorded banter between Milwaukee Bucks player Giannis Antetokounmpo and F1 driver Lando Norris, the camera panned over to reveal a small, slightly squished sphere with a gray exterior and a telltale light ring encircling its narrow base.
That sphere was clearly a smart speaker housing Gemini, with Norris chatting with the assistant in its Gemini Live mode.
The speaker only appeared in passing and was never mentioned directly during the presentation, but it seems likely to be the first new Google smart speaker since the Nest Audio debuted in 2020. I hesitate to call it a new Nest speaker, as I'm not entirely sure Google will stick with the Nest branding in this new age of Gemini. (That's just a guess on my part.)
Speaking of Gemini, note that Alexa-like light ring replacing
The problem is that Copilot Vision is all over the map. It's far better than a how-to article or video in using certain apps, because you're not following instructions, you're actually working on your PC and asking Copilot Vision for help.
At its best, Copilot Vision is the friend or coworker that comes over to your PC and tells you what to do. In trickier applications — Adobe Photoshop, for example — it can walk you through tasks that you might be able to describe, but not do. It can even highlight what you're supposed to click! In my book, that's really helpful.
At its worst, though, Copilot Vision just can't do the job. Does Copilot Vision hallucinate a wrong answer? I'm not sure, but in certain applications it can't read what's on your screen.
Copilot Vision isn't Windows Recall, which constantly spies over your shoulder and
We've tested nearly three dozen PCIe 4.0 SSDs and our list includes the best of the bunch for various needs. Whether you want to upgrade, or add more storage to your PCIe 4.0 computer, there's an SSD for you. Read on to learn more, including what to look for in PCIe 4.0 SSD.
Gemini for Home is the name of the new Gemini-powered voice assistant for Google smart speakers and displays, including the current Nest Audio, Nest Mini, Nest Hub, and Nest Hub Max.
"Early access" to Gemini for Home kicks off in October, Google announced in a blog post Wednesday, with both free and paid versions available. Google didn't say how much the paid version of Gemini for Home will cost.
Google had already been experimenting with Gemini on its Nest speakers over the past several months. It's not clear if the just-announced Gemini for Home is an iteration of that effort or an entirely new assistant, but whatever it is, it's coming soon.
Among Gemini for Home's broad capabilities are many of the same features we've seen in Alexa , Amazon's own take on an advanced AI-powered assistant for the home.
For example, you'll be able to ask Gemini for Home (you'll still use the "Hey Google" wake word) to "play the song-of-the-year winner from 1990" or "play that song from this year's summer
I now carry a portable, battery-powered jump starter in each vehicle, as well as a separate portable, battery-powered air compressor that can be used to fill a leaky tire. What's amazing is that some innovative manufacturers are now combining both products into a single unit.
A dead battery can increase your stress levels at a minimum, and can be genuinely life-threatening if your battery fails in a remote area outside of cellular coverage. What a portable car charger does is provide enough power inside of a small battery pack to get you on your way, and includes short cables to connect to each terminal on your car's battery.
A portable jump-starter isn't one-size-fits-all. Larger vehicles require more charging power. Most portable chargers are rated for a specific size of engine, so the Scatach 011 jump starter (on sale for 47 percent off at $36.99 at Amazon) will accommodate a 9.0-liter gas engine. What I look for are what's known as "spark proof" reverse polarity protection, so even if you accidentally connect the cables incorrectly, it shouldn't spark or even discharge. Most, like this one, include a flashlight or some other bonus feature.
If you play games on the Xbox or other consoles, you probably have no idea what we're talking about. That's because shaders — the instructions for rendering pixels as they move through the processing pipeline — are optimized for your specific hardware setup. An Xbox game "knows" what your console contains. Shaders for a PC game have to be optimized for each specific configuration, including the game, the GPU, and the GPU driver.
Doing so requires not just downloading the game but compiling the shaders for your hardware, which you might see occurring on the game's loading screen. While those instructions are then stored on your PC, it's still time that you have to wait before you can play the game. That's one of the features Microsoft is adding to the launch of the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X — since the configurations are fixed, the shaders can be downloaded as part of the game itself. Microsoft calls this "advanced shader delivery."
Microsoft wants to take that convenience and extend it to a "number of devices," Microsoft said Wednesday, presumably targeting the PC market as a whole.
Standardizing shaders saves time
What Microsoft is doing is to collect the shader data from a game in a standardized format, known as a State Object Database
However, Microsoft sees things differently and is now switching things up. In the current version of the Microsoft Store, automatic app updates can no longer be disabled, only paused. You can choose between different durations, but only up to a maximum of five weeks. After that, the app updates are automatically enabled again.
Even those who had previously deactivated automatic app updates will now be forced to switch to a pause. The change affects systems running Windows 11 as well as Windows 10.
Why manual app updates can be useful
There are various reasons why it can make sense to disable automatic app updates. If you want to have more control over your installed apps and want to ensure compatibility with other programs, deactivating automatic updates prevents accidentally breaking those compatibilities.
In addition, Microsoft itself is constantly making changes to the availability of features in apps, whether by adding new ones that you may not like or by removing existing features that you depend on. Staying on an older app version can help in these situations, too.
Mozilla plans to release Firefox 143 on September 16th, 2025.
What's new in Firefox 142?
Firefox 142 brings a curated news overview on the New Tab page instead of the Pocket service, which was discontinued in July. The news overview is organized by topic, and users can select or deselect certain topics. This feature is currently rolling out and may take a few days to land.
Mozilla is also rolling out a link preview feature, which can be selected via the right mouse button (i.e., context menu) and gives an impression of what you can expect if you were to click on that link. Optionally, a local "AI" can provide a summary of the destination page.
Another feature that will only impact a small number of Firefox users is extended profile management, which was introduced in Firefox 138. Profiles can now be marked with 28 icon options (up from 6), and you can also use your own icons. Similarly, since the introduction of verti
Back when PCWorld reviewed the SK Hynix Tube T31, we gave it a 4.5-star rating because we loved it so much. We appreciated its compact size, sleek design, and speedy performance. Despite the fact that it passes for a traditional USB flash drive, it's actually an SSD under the hood. Our expert even ended up using this as his go-to drive, which says a lot considering just how many external drives he has tested.
The lightning-fast transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps make the Tube T31 stand out from the crowd. And it's not just numbers on paper—our in-house tests confirmed that it delivers on its promises, making file transfers quick and effortless. Combine that speed with its pocket-friendly size and you've got an outstanding portable storage solution.
This 1TB portable SSD is a steal for just $60, so grab it on Amazon before this limited-time deal expires. If you need more capacity, the 2TB version is also on sale! If this one doesn't suit your fancy, go on and check out PCWorld's roundup of our favorite external storage drives.
We've tested all the laptops on this list ourselves, so these aren't just specs pulled from a product page. They're real recommendations, based on hands-on experience.
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We've cut through the clutter to bring you the top picks across every category-from sleek, no-fuss Chromebooks to powerhouse gaming machines.
Until now, if using the Snipping Tool, you had to record the entire screen and then crop the clip afterwards with some light video editing. Now, the latest news is that Microsoft will soon make it possible to record a specific window instead of the entire desktop, which means you won't have to crop the clip afterwards anymore.
The new window-recording feature in Snipping Tool is currently available in the latest beta of Windows 11, according to Windows Latest. Microsoft hasn't provided an exact release date for the general public, but it's likely coming out in an update later this year or early next year.
After reading the official promo for the MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 and an extended session of bouncing various four-letter words off the walls of my office, I have to admit that this isn't the worst way to jump on the "AI" bandwagon. The NPU is tied into a CMOS sensor (a very basic camera) and a presence detection system, which detects whether a real human is sitting in front of it. So it'll turn itself off when you leave and wake back up when you come back, checking five times every second. It can even auto-dim the screen for the best local lighting, or just do so when you're not actively facing the display.
All of that seems great, especially for those of us who are still wary of image burn-in on OLED panels. You might feel weird about a monitor with a camera built in
A Logitech support staffer posted a message on the Logitech Harmony subreddit Tuesday that all Harmony owners with hub-enabled remotes needed to update their firmware to the latest version (4.15.600, or version 10.0.230 for users of the Harmony Pro 2400) to "ensure uninterrupted functionality."
The deadline for updating your Logitech firmware? The following day, meaning today, August 20.
"Devices not updated by this date will lose functionality, a Logitech staffer warned on Reddit.
The reason for the urgent update is still unclear. I've reached out to Logitech for details.
Now, the good news is that most Harmony users who miss the deadline for updating their remotes can use a "Remote Recovery Tool" to subsequently perform the update.
The bad news? If you're a Harmony Pro 2400 user, the Remote Recovery Tool won't work, meaning "anything smart home related may break" on the device. (Among their many other features, Hub-enabled Harmony remotes offer integrations for controlling smart home devices, handy for turning off smart lights before watching TV.)
Logitech is "working on getting the 2400 Hub on there," the staffer added, presumably referring to the Remote Recovery Tool.
Naturally, the abrupt warning from Logitech sent Harmony owners scrambling to check if their hubs and remotes had been updated to the late
Technology in this space has advanced rapidly. The newest generation offers greater efficiency, longer runtimes, and pinpoint navigation for faster, more thorough results. Two standout examples are Aiper's Scuba X1 and Surfer S2, designed to work together for a complete, floor-to-surface clean. For a limited time you can buy both great pool cleaners together as a discounted deal.
Scuba X1: redefining clean
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With its double jets providing incredible 6,600 gallon-per-hour
Here's what makes this charging station worth it: it's designed for Apple products and has three wireless charging pads. One is for your AirPods case, one is for your Apple Watch, and one is for your iPhone—and that last one is MagSafe-compatible and doubles as a stand. You can keep your entire Apple getup charged without any cable fiddling, and you get to comfortably read, scroll, or watch videos on your phone.
And the cherry on top of it all? This charging station comes with a 5-foot USB-C charging cable and a 40W fast-charging USB-C power adapter. It's everything you need in one neat package.
Get yourself one of these Anker MagSafe 3-in-1 charging stations for $63 at Amazon before this limited-time deal expires!
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The processor can run longer and more frequently in the more powerful Turbo mode. If you wish, you can also use the so-called "Curve Optimizer" to reduce voltage (undervolting) and further improve efficiency.
You can see a screenshot of the offer in this social media post . According to the hacker, the PayPal passwords are available in plain text and the email addresses of these PayPal accounts originate from Gmail, Yahoo!, Hotmail, and various country-specific domains.
Do you have a PayPal account? It might be time to change your password.
A threat actor using the alias "Chucky_BF" claims to be selling 15.8 million email and plaintext password pairs linked to PayPal accounts worldwide.
The authenticity of this claim… pic.twitter.com/oRz9J1BESC
— Hackmanac (@H4ckmanac) August 16, 2025
How the stolen PayPal data was acquired
As of this writing, the hacker hasn't said where the data came from or how much of it is still up to date.
Smooth Motion was previously reserved for the newest RTX 50-series cards, though game developers got a preview of the feature going back to the RTX 40-series in July. Smooth Motion allows you to use frame generation tech in games that don't support the newest versions of DLSS. Nvidia and some others have called this "doubling your frame rate" and similar thanks to the RTX 40-series single-frame generation capabilities, but that seems a bit vainglorious to me.
I wouldn't go so far as to shout "fake frames," but this is force-enabling frame generation with a little extra work. Like AMD's similar Fluid Motion, it probably won't be quite as smooth as it is on games that support the feature natively. To enable Smooth Motion on games that don't support DLSS 3 frame generation, you'll need the latest version of the official Nvidia App (which replaced Nvidia's GeForce Experience) so you can enable it manually in a game profile.
RTX 40-series card and laptop owners also get global DLSS overrides. This allows you to manually add frame generation to games that can handle DLSS but
The LG UltraGear 27GL83A-B is a stunning IPS display that delivers impressive colors and contrast while also being super responsive. With a crisp resolution of 2560×1440 and a snappy refresh rate of 144Hz, you'll love using this monitor for work, streaming content, and gaming. It also comes with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync compatibility for minimal screen tearing and stuttering.
The monitor has a sleek borderless design with three super-thin edges (top, left, right), though it's lacking in the ergonomics department with only tilting, pivoting, and minor height adjustments. That said, it can be rotated 90 degrees and turned into a vertical monitor if you wish. Connectivity options include a DisplayPort and double HDMI plus 3.5mm audio. No VESA mount, so you won't be able to mount it on an arm.
Downsides aside, if you need a decently fast 27-inch display with a gorgeous 1440p IPS screen from one of the most reputable monitor makers around, don't ignore this deal. Get the LG UltraGear 27GL83A-B for only $190 while this limited-time deal is still around!
Save 37% on LG's 27-inch 1440p 144Hz IPS gaming monitorBuy now at Amazon
System Recovery Reset my PC
System Recovery Fix problems using Windows Update
RemoteWipe CSP
What do the emergency updates do?
After Microsoft released the big Windows update for August 2025, it caused the installation of the update to fail with error code 0x8007007F. Client and server systems were affected across Windows versions, including Windows 10 (21H2 and 22H2), Windows 11 (22H2 and 23H2), and Windows Server (2016, 2019, and 2022).
Google has confirmed the attacks and states that general data like customer and company names were leaked, but not passwords. The resulting data leak means that users of Google services—including Gmail and Google Cloud—are now at risk of falling victim to phishing attempts.
How the phishing attacks work
Initial reports of attempted attacks have already been seen on Reddit, which are likely related to the data leak. Users describe how alleged Google employees have contacted them by phone to inform them of a security breach in their accounts.
In these scam attempts, attackers are trying to take over Gmail accounts by triggering alleged "account resets" and then intercepting passwords to subsequently lock out the account holders. Another attack method involves "dangling buckets" (i.e., outdated access addresses) to steal data from or inje
This lovely two-fer is a great entry point for anyone who doesn't already have outdoor security cameras, but also a great expansion if you already have one or more Blink devices. Each Blink Outdoor 4 cam is self-contained and standalone, with 1080p footage and night vision and motion detection and two-way audio, using two AA batteries and lasting about two years before needing replacements.
But the best thing about the Blink Outdoor 4 is that it's so easy to install and set up. It comes with a mounting kit that screws into almost any surface, then you just pop the camera onto the mount. Connect and set it up using the app. That's it! Once you've done that, it can run freely and you'll be able to check in on its live feed from your phone (or any compatible Alexa device) whenever you want. You can back up footage locally with the included Blink Sync Module 2.
For just $90 on Amazon, you get two awesome outdoor security cams for the price of one, allowing you to keep watch over your home!
Save 50% on this two-pack of Blink Outdoor 4 security camerasBuy now at Ama
It worked pretty well, too. At first I heard a bunch of buzzing noises that I was not expecting, but that sort of coil whine is apparently pretty typical. A few minutes later, I was online!
But it wasn't all smooth sailing. Having Starlink isn't like having fiber internet, and I ran into several surprises along the way. Here are all the things I wish I'd known before getting Starlink at home.
Starlink is better when it's mounted
As soon as I had Starlink working, I messaged my friends saying "Space internet installed!" with the following image:
Specifically, both the Xbox Ally and Ally X will launch on October 16 in the United States as well as key international markets in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. But what will be the price? Ha! Asus still isn't saying, even though the company is launching the device at Gamescom in Germany.
Microsoft's Xbox team said that its team has been busy optimizing "thousands" of titles to work with both consoles. Some of the games will be labeled as either "handheld optimized" — ready to go with default controller inputs, legible iconography, clear text, and the appropriate resolution already preset. "Mostly compatible" games will require the user to adjust some settings.
Some games will also include preloaded shaders, so that gamers won't have to download the game and then the shaders, delaying the process. It's not clear how many games will have this capability, but Microsoft said that it's working to add this capability to more games over time.
So what do we know? We know that Asus will launch the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X this October 16, but we still don't know a price — either for the United States or elsewhere. (Pricing and pre-order details will follow in the coming weeks, Asus says.)
Dashlane Free users get the boot on September 16, 2025—so if you're one of them, you have a little over a month to decide your next steps. Fortunately, Dashlane allows you to export your passwords, which means you can choose to stay or go.
If you stay with Dashlane, you must upgrade to a Premium subscription (our current top pick for best password manager). Its features include unlimited password storage, multidevice access, phishing warning alerts on suspicious websites, secure sharing of passwords, access to customer support, and VPN service.
Normally, this plan costs $60 per year, but you can get 50 percent off through the link in the August 5 email you received about Dashlane Free's discontinuation. (The offer was supposed to expire after August 12, but as of August 14, it's still live.) Note that Dashlane appears to have sent out this email in waves—I received mine on August 7.
This is made possible by the combination of powerful CPUs, dedicated graphics processors and, at the center of this development, a Neural Processing Unit (NPU). An NPU is not just an add-on, but a specialized accelerator designed precisely for the calculation of neural networks.
It enables offline AI tools such as GPT4All or Stable Diffusion not only to start, but also to react with high performance, low energy consumption and constant response time. Even with complex queries or multimodal tasks, the working speed remains stable. The days when AI was only conceivable as a cloud service are now over.
Work where others are offline
As soon as the internet connection is interrupted, classic laptops begin to idle. An AI PC, on the other hand, remains operational, whether in airplane mode above the clouds, deep in the dead zones of rural regions, or in an overloaded train network without a stable network.
In such situations, the structural advantage of locally running AI systems becomes apparent. Jan.ai or GPT4All can be used to create, check and revise texts, intelligently summarize notes, pre-formulate emails and categorize appointments.
If your iPhone keeps throwing that dreaded "Storage Almost Full" warning, it's probably not you — it's the clutter. The Cleaner Kit Premium is your AI-powered iPhone declutterer and is now available for a one-time payment of just $29.99 (MSRP: $104.97).
This isn't just a photo dump tool. Cleaner Kit intelligently finds and removes duplicate or low-quality photos, trims down oversized videos without ruining quality, and merges duplicate contacts so you don't have six entries for the same person. It even tidies up your calendar and clears out old emails by sender in just a few taps.
The best part? All the scanning and sorting happens right on your device — nothing gets shipped off to some mysterious server. That means your private files and
If your main laptop is for "serious work" and you've been wishing for a no-stress, no-tears backup for emails, Netflix, and homework, the refurbished Lenovo 300E Chromebook might just be your new sidekick.
At just $79.99 (MSRP: $284.99) and with free shipping, this 2-in-1 touchscreen notebook is compact, lightweight, and ready to roll. It's powered by an Intel N3450 quad-core processor with 4GB RAM, meaning it can juggle browser tabs, video calls, and streaming without sounding like it's about to take off.
The 11.6? HD touchscreen makes navigation easy (especially for younger users), while Chrome OS keeps everything simple, secure, and synced. You've
We've also included some helpful answers to common questions about VPN shopping at the bottom of this article. Before you decide on a new VPN, be sure to check out our roundup of the best VPNs to help you choose the right service for your needs.
Note: Tech deals come and go quickly, so it's possible some of these VPN discounts will have expired before this article's next update.
Best VPN deals
NordVPN, now $3.99 per month for 24 months 3 free months (73% off at NordVPN)
ExpressVPN, now $4.99 per month for 24 months 4 free months (61% off at ExpressVPN)
Surfshark VPN, now $2.49 per month for 24 months 3 free months (86% off at Surfshark)
When determining what makes for a good VPN for Android, I consider several criteria on top of standard VPN essentials. It's crucial that it has full functionality on the Android OS. Also, since Wi-Fi can be inconsistent at times, I test these apps over multiple days to look at speed and consistency of service. I then take into consideration the Android app itself and its ease of use, as well as other things such as pricing and the number of simultaneous devices allowed per account. All of these factors help make the VPNs on this list my top picks.
Intel announced that SoftBank Group Corp., the Japanese investment giant, would put $2 billion at $23 per share into the struggling company, with the stated goal of investing in semiconductor manufacturing in the United States. That would give it about two percent of the company, as the Wall Street Journal noted.
The real question is what the United States government is pushing for, and if it will be allowed to: essentially convert the $10.9 billion previously earmarked for Intel as part of the U.S. Chips Act into equity. Though Bloomberg reported the proposed deal on Monday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed the government's intentions publicly on CNBC on Tuesday morning.
"We should get an equity stake for our money, so we'll deliver the money which was already committed under the Biden administration," Lutnick told CNBC, as quoted by NBC News. "We'll get equity in return for it," he added, and "get a good return for the American taxpayer."
Bloomberg has stated that the government's investment would equate to about a 10 percent equity stake in Intel, though this has not been confirmed. Intel has also not commented on whether it would agree to such a deal. It's also unclear whether the company would have any say in the matter. The government does
Part of the changes in GPT-5 involved addressing the sycophantic positivity found in previous models, where the AI chatbot would incessantly praise the user to an undo degree and emphatically agree to make the user feel better. Lots of users disliked this, so GPT-5 was made to be "less effusively agreeable" and "use fewer unnecessary emojis."
But GPT-5 faced its own backlash—for being too cold, too distant, too corporate. Now, the latest news is that OpenAI is rolling out an update that will make the GPT-5 "warmer and friendlier," reports TechCrunch.
The changes will reportedly include encouraging phrases such as "Good question" or "Good start," but no outright flattery and fawning. "Internal tests show no rise in sycophancy compared to the previous GPT-5 personality," OpenAI said in a social media post.
Mark Knapp said something similar when he reviewed this laptop for PCWorld just last month. He praised the Ryzen AI 370 processor, the latest 8-core model with an impressive Radeon 860M integrated graphics card for some mid-range gaming power. That CPU also makes this a Copilot PC, capable of Windows 11's AI features. He also liked the "exceptional" touchscreen display, packing 2880×1800 into a sweet little OLED panel with impressive brightness and 120Hz of refresh rate.
On the other hand, he wasn't a fan of the "gapless" keyboard, and the battery life lags behind some Windows competitors even when you take out the massive longevity of Snapdragon designs. In short, it's a middle-of-the-road design that doesn't really justify its high MSRP.
"I'd wait for a discount on this one," writes Mark. Fortunately, the wait is over. I'd say with this 24GB RAM/1TB SSD configuration, $700 is more than fair. That should be enough to smoothly run Windows 11 and blaze through all the browser tabs you can throw at it.
Best Buy isn't marking this as any kind of limited sale, so
If I misplace something, it's almost guaranteed that I won't be able to find it again. That's bad news for my precious devices! Especially my Jabra Elite 8 Active wireless earbuds, which sit in a tiny case that I could lose one day. I hope I don't, given how expensive they are…
So, what do I do? I use this sticky Bluetooth tracker. There are many like it, but this one is mine—and this one I recommend.
With 65W of total output, this charger is fast enough to get your phone back to 100% in no time. It's a 3-port charger, too, with two USB-C ports and a USB-A port, so you can simultaneously charge up to 3 devices. Note that when multiple ports are in use, the top USB-C maxes out at 45W while the other USB-C and USB-A max out at 15W combined. But when used solo, each USB-C maxes out at 65W while the USB-A maxes out at 60W—so no worries there!
What makes this charger so good is that it's built with GaN technology. GaN chargers are faster, smaller, and safer, offering better temperature control and protection against short circuits. It's why this charger can be so compact yet high performance, and it even has foldable prongs so it's ultra-portable and perfect for traveling.
A USB-C charger like this usually costs about $25 to $30 for a single one, so this is an excellent deal for two. What are you waiting for? Snag it while you can because who knows how long this price will last?
Save 40% on a pair of fast-charging 3-port USB-C power adaptersBuy now at Amazon
ASRock makes reliable gaming displays, even if the brand tends to shoot for the budget market. This particular model (PG27QFT1B) is light on extras, with nothing but two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, and a 3.5mm headphone jack—no USB in sight. But it has a few things I always look for in a display, starting with that IPS LCD panel. That's much better for color accuracy than faster-but-cheaper VA panels, meaning I can do Photoshop work on the same monitor that I use for gaming. At 180Hz, it's not the fastest gaming monitor around, but it's downright speedy for IPS.
With a standard VESA mount, this makes a great screen for a multi-monitor setup (grab a reliable monitor arm for that) or all on its own for a thrifty desktop gaming setup. Newegg has marked this as a "Shell Shocker" deal, so it might not stick around for very long. If you're looking for more monitor recommendations, check out PCWorld's roundup of the best displays on the market.
Get a 27-inch 1440p 180Hz IPS gaming monitor for only $158
This NVMe M.2 SSD delivers jaw-dropping read and write speeds of up to 7,450 MB/s and 6,900 MB/s, respectively, which means it's an excellent choice for gamers, content creators, and anyone who needs a lightning-fast PC storage solution (that's basically everyone).
When we reviewed the Samsung 990 PRO, we gave it a 4-star rating and our Editors' Choice award. Our only gripe at the time was its steep price, but it's a no-brainer now that it's 30% off. And if you really want to ramp up its power, make sure to get the version with the heatsink (which is also on sale but a little pricier at $110).
While it didn't shatter records in our tests, the Samsung 990 PRO's top-tier performance ranks among the best we've ever reviewed. It's a solid get now that it's 30% off, so don't miss it. Otherwise, if you want to spend less, check out our picks for the best SSDs for all budgets and needs.
Save 30% on Samsung's ultra-fast 1TB internal SSDBuy now at Amazon
Starting on October 3, subscribers to Philo's $16 per month and $20 per month legacy plans will see their monthly rates rise to $25 a month, according to an email sent to Philo subscribers.
The email, which was signed by Philo CEO Andrew McCollum, said that legacy subscribers will gain access to one year unlimited DVR functionality as part of the price hike.
In the message, McCollum noted that Philo had never hiked prices on its existing subscribers or "forced them to upgrade" prior to October's slated price increase.
"Unfortunately, the trust is that we lose money on our oldest plans, and have for some time," McCollum said in the statement. "We've done what we can to absorb those costs out of loyalty to our subscribers. But in order to deliver on our values, we have to build a sustainable business, so we're making changes to some of our subscription plans."
Contacted by TechHive, a Philo rep confirmed the price hike for legacy plans.
As noted by The Streamable, Philo closed its old $16 a month plan to new subscribers back in 2019, but had allowed existing subscribers to stay on at the same price.
The new $25 per month Philo plan for legacy subscribers will still be cheaper than Philo Core, the streamer's standard tier.
Both plans offer access to roughly 70 live streaming channels, including A&E, Animal Planet, BET, SMT, Comedy Cent
VideoCardz noticed the price drop, specifically for the RTX 5090, 5080, and 5070. The top-of-the-line RTX 5090 gets the biggest drop, from €2,329 to €2,099, just a hair under 10 percent. The RTX 5080 goes from €1,169 to €1,059, while the RTX 5070 drops from €649 to €589. The RTX 5070 Ti, 5060, and 5060 Ti are not getting any price drops at the moment. Note that the prices are for Nvidia's Founders Edition cards, though a small amount of cards from other manufacturers should be available at that "base" price with no extras.
Why the price drop? Since Nvidia changed the European prices without ceremony, there's no official word. But VideoCardz notes that the 9 to 10 percent drop roughly follows the rise of the Euro currency versus the US dollar over the last six months, a 12 percent gain for the former. That would explain why US prices are unchanged, despite high demand across the board for Nvidia's graphics cards.
For the sake of comparison, €2,099 is $2449 at today's exchange rates, and the US price of the RTX 5090 Founder's Edition is still allegedly $2,000, so Europe's general higher prices (accounting for factors like Value Added Tax,
These bubbly, bright cases feel like fresh air among the monochrome boxes across the landscape. I could see them in many more homes than a black mid-tower—whether for young kids or fans of colorful, maximalist décor.
But why did I like it so much? And why haven't I seen more cases that don't look like what we expect? These questions fueled the chat I recently had with Hyte product director Rob Teller, where we discussed case design.
Teller covers this and more during the interview, dropping a couple of pieces of info that helped me understand the reasons I don't always love other cases with unique colors. For example: The X50 was created to look good in color first.
Also, the fatigue I feel about today's fiercely minimalistic chassis, with their crisp lines and subtle mesh panel variations? That makes more sense, if PC cases reflect ever more of our personal taste and aesthetic preferences. Fashion over pure
One of the more critical issues, according to Microsoft's Release Health support documents, is that attempts to reset or recover your device might fail. Specifically, this could happen if you perform a "Reset my PC" action, a "Fix problems using Windows Update" action, or a "RemoteWipe CSP" action, all after installing the August 2025 update.
The lawsuit was filed by publisher Axel Springer SE against ad-filtering software company Eyeo and it mainly concerns the browser extension Adblock Plus, which calls itself the "world's #1 free ad blocker" and is used by millions to block ads on websites—including those owned by Axel Springer, like Politico and Business Insider.
The lawsuit was originally dismissed by a Hamburg court, but according to the report, it's now being reopened to examine whether the initial judgement was incorrect. After a detailed review, another court could even rule in favor of Axel Springer this time.
Mozilla warns against ad blocker ban
Daniel Nazer, Senior IP & Product Counsel at Mozilla, the provider of Firefox, warned of the possible consequences of this case in a blog post . According to him, a court-ordered ban on Adblock Plus could lead to the banning of other browser extensions that block ads the
Yesterday, the official Asus ROG account on Instagram posted a promo image of the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally handheld with the new Gears of War Reloaded, saying that the game is "officially ROG Xbox Ally certified." This is the first we're hearing of any such certification, leading with an "official" designation and tagging the Xbox Gamescom presentation to boot. According to previous Microsoft announcements, the ROG Xbox Ally will be on display at the European trade show, and a date and price for the upcoming hardware are expected there.
Microsoft and its partner Asus are positioning the ROG Xbox Ally as a true brother—or perhaps a close cousin—to the Xbox console. But no matter what the marketing says, the ROG Xbox Ally is not an Xbox in the technical sense because it runs Windows, like most handheld gaming PCs that aren't made by Valve. Windows 11 has been a pain point for the Steam Deck's competition,
A surge in support needs is expected around October 14, when Microsoft stops providing free updates for Windows 10. Millions of users will have to upgrade their computers to Windows 11 unless they pay for further support.
Supporting others remotely is efficient and easy. This saves travel time and costs, and lets you spread support over multiple sessions. And, if you have to send an installation stick by mail, it can take a few days to get things moving. Best to get started while there's still time.
Our guide explains how to prepare, walks you through the upgrade process, explains how to bypass the installation lock on older PCs, and shows you how remote maintenance works even if Windows is not yet running before a new installation.
After all, it's not easy to start every computer from a USB setup stick instead of the "normal" way from the hard drive. Without video support and control, this can certainly fail.
For this, we've chosen TeamViewer Remote, a remote maintenance tool that's free for personal use, works reliably, and makes things easy for the person you're helping. With the TeamViewer QuickSupport variant, all you have to do is
The Anker Prime 6-in-1 charging station is a sleek upgrade for any bulky, traditional power strip. It offers two AC outlets on its face plus two USB-C and two USB-A along its bottom edge, allowing you to charge up to six devices at once. With a total 140W power output, it'll charge fast and get those devices up to 100% in no time.
Its slim, compact design is a refreshing change from the conventionally long and clunky power strips you're familiar with. And since it's about the size of a smartphone, this charger is also travel-friendly and perfect for hotels, Airbnbs, and airports. The detachable 5-foot cable provides plenty of range flexibility, and the flat plug design ensures it fits neatly behind furniture without getting in the way.
If you're still using chunky power strips with chunky USB power adapters, why not consolidate with this nifty all-in-one charging station? Get it now for just $80 while this special price lasts!
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Here's what you get for that crazy low price: a decent AMD Ryzen 5 7430U processor, a decent 16GB of RAM, and a decent 512GB of SSD storage. Overall, it's a decent package that's capable of running Windows 11 Pro (included) without lagging along with all the apps and browser tabs you'll need. It's also user-upgradeable to 64GB of memory and 4TB of storage, so you can beef it up later on the cheap.
Those specs are powerful enough to support up to three 4K@60Hz monitors as well. Available connections include HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C video, as well as six high-speed USB-A, Ethernet, and 3.5mm audio. It also comes with a VESA mounting kit, so you can attach it to the back of a VESA-compatible monitor and keep it out of sight.
If you're in the market for a compact-yet-capable PC, the Acemagician K1 mini PC is a steal for just $250, so don't miss your chance to grab this deal while it lasts! It's a crazy good value for what you pay.
Save 22% on this Ryzen 5 mini PC with 16GB RAM and Windows 11 ProBuy now at Amazon
Most people don't think about this threat—and truthfully, I haven't either, even though I cover security for PCWorld. Back in 2011, security on phone operating systems was more basic. Since then, both Google and Apple have updated their operating systems to be more resistant to juice jacking.
But at the start of this summer (and since), various news outlets have recirculated a warning from the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) about an updated version of juice jacking at airports. Called "choice jacking," a rogue USB charging port's malware can bypass the required interaction with your phone or tablet's screen to grant access to storage. It tricks the device into believing you've pressed the on-screen buttons that give the permission.
I'm still not very worried about this updated attack method—and not because security experts and software vendors say that this threat is more theoretical than actual. Why? It's incredibly easy to avoid this threat, no matter how real or imagined.
Unfortunately, the streaming experience isn't consistent around the world. Different territories have access to different streaming services and different content on those services. That makes mainlining episodes of your favorite show every night a bit tricky when you're travelling for work or vacation. Did you know you can use a VPN to keep watching your favorites, no matter where you are?
Be where you want to be
One of the neatest aspects of using a VPN is that you can decide where you appear to be. So if you're holidaying in Europe, you can use a VPN like Norton's to make it seem as if you're in the US. So you can still get on to your favorite streaming platform an
If you're keen to find a way to protect yourself from fake calls from ‘relatives', or the latest AI-enhanced phishing text messages, Norton 360 might be the tool for you. Alongside classic defensive measures like real-time antivirus and a smart firewall, it now comes equipped with Genie Scam Protection. This anti-scam tool uses AI to fight AI, and can detect scams before you've even had a chance to read through one.
How can you tell if a text message is a scam?
Got a suspicious SMS message? Genie's AI engine can detect a scam and warn you before you even open it. Encountered an image you think might be a deepfake, or an offer in an email that seems to good to be true? Genie is just a click away with useful advice and the ability to scan for scams, so you're never caught out by nefarious actors ever ag
But after reviewing a lot of Arm laptops with Snapdragon X chips this past year, I've noticed a big problem: if you want an Arm laptop, MacBooks are much more compelling. While Apple lowers prices on its high-end laptops, PC makers are pricing down by cutting corners.
In other words, the PC industry is failing to compete properly in the Arm laptop market, with Microsoft's Surface laptop lineup as the perfect example of it all—and we deserve better than this.
Arm PCs vs. Arm MacBooks: Let's compare
I love Windows and I love PCs. But when it comes to Arm laptops, you lose a lot of the PC's advantages—like upgradeable hardware, near-perfect backwards compatibility, a huge library of PC games, etc. Arm laptops fail to deliver on those fronts, and if those are your highest priorities, then you're better off with an Intel or AMD laptop.
Moreover, Arm-based Windows laptops with Qualcomm Snapdragon chips are fail
Microsoft Office Professional 2021 is now available as a one-time purchase, now only $49.97 (reg. $219.99). There are no subscriptions or hidden fees. You get the full suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access, OneNote, and even the free version of Teams.
You install it on one Windows PC and you're done. Built for Windows 10 and 11, the software runs smoothly and comes with improved performance, modern interface tweaks, and productivity enhancements across the board.
What makes this deal especially compelling is the savings. Normally tagged at around $220, this offer delivers top-tier Office tools for le
It is set to stop working on December 1, 2025 at which time all associated functionality will be removed. All other NordVPN features and services outside of Meshnet will be unaffected.
First introduced in 2022, Meshnet offered a unique and functional way to securely connect multiple devices similar to a LAN connection.
Despite the end of Meshnet, NordVPN remains our favorite VPN overall thanks to its blazing-fast speeds, ability to access all streaming sites, and excellent security features.
But wait, you say. Copilot is already in Excel! For one thing, there's already a bit Copilot button in the upper right! If I hover my cursor over an empty Excel shell, a Copilot icon appears!
Bless your heart. That's not Excel! Real Excel nerds know that nothing is nothing without that equals sign in front of it, designating an actual function. An average isn't an AVERAGE unless it uses the correct syntax. Now you can highlight a range, and use the COPILOT function to provide additional information or context.
To be fair, that's something that the existing Copilot functions don't really allow for. The Copilot icon, for example, can suggest a formula or function or be used to learn something new about Excel, but it can't really be used in conjunction with a prompt. (Excel can also be used to open a document sidebar, where you can "talk" to Copilot as you would normally.) That's what the new COPILOT function is good for, as the example below shows. Here, the user is tallying feedback about a coffee machine.
Nvidia is leaving the price of the GeForce Now Ultimate tier unchanged at $19.99 per month, and $99.99 for six months, Nvidia said at the Gamescom show. Nvidia is also adding an annual GeForce Now Ultimate subscription for $199.99. A GeForce Now Ultimate daily membership will be available at launch, Nvidia said, presumably for the current price of $7.99. Session lengths will remain at eight hours for Ultimate subscribers.
The point of Nvidia's GeForce Now service has always been to deliver a cloud gaming experience that's as close as possible to what a gamer would experience on a PC. The price of graphics cards, of course, has climbed to astronomical heights, making GeForce Now a way of partially offsetting the hundreds of dollars a gamer would need to shell out for the latest RTX 4000 or 5000 series cards.
Of course, playing a game in the cloud has traditionally meant forcing certain restrictions upon the subscriber: a limited resolution and image quality to minimize the amount of data sent back and forth over a broadband connection, and some level of latency or delay between a user's input and a corresponding response from the game running on the server. Nvidia's GeForce Now upgrades attack all of those angles to improve the experience.
In fact, these cameras are so useful you might want to mount one next to every entry point into your home: side entrances, at your garage door, and the door to your backyard, for example.
Whether you're waiting for friends to visit, watching for trouble-makers, tracking parcel deliveries, or hiding from that weird neighbor who keeps asking to borrow your lawn mower, the video doorbell is an essential security tool.
Ring Battery Doorbell Plus - Best video doorbell for most people
I've covered this before. I bought a Brother printer basically identical to this HL-L2420DW model years ago and I love it. (The only difference I can tell is that this one's slightly faster.) It's dead simple, just printing black-and-white pages super fast. It's wireless, so once you go through an admittedly tedious setup process on the one-line LCD, you never need to keep it near your actual computer.
Oh, and best of all, it uses cheap toner instead of ink. That means one cartridge will last you for an incredible amount of time—I still haven't swapped mine out after three years of maybe 2 to 3 pages a week—and you can fill it up with a cheap generic replacement, no need to buy official ink from Brother. If you only need the occasional shipping label, boarding pass, or Dungeons & Dragons character sheet, this printer is perfect.
Normally these go for a little over $100, but today you can get a refurbished model with a 1-year warranty for $79.99 directly from Brother. And as SlickDeals forum posters discovered, you can take
Echoing my sentiments, PCWorld contributor Chris Hoffman said "wait for a sale" when he reviewed the Inspiron 14 Plus last year. (Hey, that's this sale, right here!) He gave it high marks for its long battery life and solid keyboard, but wasn't impressed with the basic build quality, especially for a four-figure price. This standard model comes with a nice 14-inch, 2560×1600 touchscreen, 16GB of RAM (the lowest I'd recommend for Windows), and 512GB of storage. That's a significantly better package than you normally find in laptops anywhere near this cheap.
You also get an IR camera and fingerprint reader for super-fast logins, plus plenty of USB ports (two C, one A), though I'd have swapped out the MicroSD card slot for HDMI if I had my druthers. It's light, but not incredibly so, at a hair over three pounds (1.4 kilos) and .67 inches (17 mm) thick.
Best Buy has marked this as a sale, but it doesn't have an expiration date. If it's not quite what you're looking for, be sure to check out PCWorld's roundup of the best laptops on the market.
According to the company, this only happens in particularly serious or concerning situations. For example, Claude may choose to stop engaging with you if you repeatedly attempt to get the AI chatbot to discuss child sexual abuse, terrorism, or other "harmful or abusive" interactions.
This feature was added not just because such topics are controversial, but because it provides the AI an out when multiple attempts at redirection have failed and productive dialogue is no longer possible.
If a conversation ends, the user cannot continue that thread but can start a new chat or edit previous messages.
The initiative is part of Anthropic's research on AI well-being, which explores how AI can be protected from stressful interactions.
The Logitech G305 Lightspeed is a tried-and-true wireless gaming mouse, delivering a maximum DPI of 12,000 for high sensitivity, allowing you to be super accurate with your clicks whether you're playing FPSes, RTSes, or RPGs. Don't want it so sensitive? Cycle through DPI options with a convenient button. It also has 6 other programmable buttons that you can optimize through the Logitech G Hub app.
Comfort-wise, this is an uber-light mouse that weighs just 99 grams, so you'll barely feel you're holding it. It comes with a AA battery included, which will give you 250 hours of use before needing to be replaced.
You'd be hard-pressed to do better for a wireless gaming mouse at this price, so snag the Logitech G305 Lightspeed for $30 while this deal's still around and get your game on!
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That's where a Windows Hello webcam comes in. Microsoft's biometric Windows Hello system uses a depth camera plus facial-recognition technology to log you in to Windows 10 or Windows 11 in a split second. Most laptops include Windows Hello webcams with depth cameras. Desktops don't, however.
PCWorld reviews and tests the best 1080p and 4K webcams, but we go a bit further with our recommendations here: We not only look at image quality, but also noise cancellation as well as how well each camera serves to log you in.
The Verge writes that the Mini SSD measures 15mm x 17mm x 1.4mm, only slightly larger than a microSD card yet delivering up to 3,700 MB/s read speeds and 3,400 MB/s write speeds via a PCIe 4×2 connection.
The Mini SSD is IP68-rated so it's resistant to both water and dust, plus it can withstand drops from a height of 3 meters, and it uses a SIM-like slot with a slide-out tray, designed for laptops, mobiles, cameras, and more.
The price and launch date are not yet known, but two Chinese handheld gaming computers—the GPD Win 5 and the OneXPlayer Super X—are already reportedly incorporating the technology.
According to Japanese user Necoru_cat on Twitter/X, the Microsoft Defender update issued last week for Windows 11 and Windows 10 introduced a new bug that's causing some storage drives to be inaccessible. That includes drives that are hosting Windows itself, effectively borking the entire PC. Neowin reports that it's an issue specifically for the latest 24H2 versions of Windows 11 (KB5063878, KB5063875) and Windows 10 (KB5063709, KB5063877, KB5063871, KB5063889).
Several other users are having the same issue, worried that their storage drives are broken. Neowin thinks that it might be a problem with some drives that have a specific NAND controller from supplier Phison, showing a mix of issues, some of which can be fixed automatically with a reboot and some of which can't.
Reportedly, this bug is being triggered by heavy write sessions to NVMe SSDs and hard drives, possibly resulting in file corruption. Rebooting might help, but the problem seems to be persistent in the small amount of users it's affecting, apparently only showing up when writing or backing up 50 gigabytes or more. Unfortunately it hasn't been narrowed down to a specific range of drive models affected, and which might be saved by a firmware update. A similar issue was resolved in that way last year
This Acer XV272U is a 27-inch display that features an IPS panel with a crisp 1440p resolution—the "sweet spot" for many PC gamers—that delivers crystal-clear images, vibrant contrast, and impressive color accuracy. Whether you're working, studying, streaming Netflix, or gaming, you'll love the visuals here.
The cherry on top is the 240Hz refresh rate, which is hard to come by at this price. If you have a PC that's capable of pushing that many frames per second, you'll have an amazing time with this affordable monitor. Even during fast-paced action scenes and boss fights, you'll enjoy ultra-smooth visuals. And with its 1ms response time, ghosting is kept to a minimum.
The monitor also offers solid connectivity, including DisplayPort 1.4, double HDMI 2.0, and 3.5mm audio. You can set this monitor up exactly how you need it, allowing you to adjust its position by tilting, swiveling, pivoting, and adjusting its height. Alternatively, the VESA mount makes it easy to set this up on a monitor arm.
Don't miss this chance to grab this 27-inch 1440p 240Hz gaming monitor for just $220 on Amazon, the best price we've seen this year.
Save 27% on Acer's budget 27-inch 1440p 240Hz gaming monitorBuy now at Amazon
Google has confirmed the attacks and states that general data like customer and company names were leaked, but not passwords. The resulting data leak means that users of Google services—including Gmail and Google Cloud—are now at risk of falling victim to phishing attempts.
How the phishing attacks work
Initial reports of attempted attacks have already been seen on Reddit, which are likely related to the data leak. Users describe how alleged Google employees have contacted them by phone to inform them of a security breach in their accounts.
In these scam attempts, attackers are trying to take over Gmail accounts by triggering alleged "account resets" and then intercepting passwords to subsequently lock out the account holders. Another attack method involves "dangling buckets" (i.e., outdated access addresses) to steal data from or inje
