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Apple's Beats brand has a new set of fitness-focused earbuds available, the Beats Fit. We picked up a set of the Powerbeats Fit to see how they compare to the prior-generation Beats Fit Pro and Apple's AirPods Pro 3.
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Practical, thoughtful, unique -- these are the tech gifts under $100 that we love the most. All are reviewed or tested by our experts at CNET, so you know they're good.
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In a cloud-based, networked world, local storage still offers distinct performance advantages. Transferring 4TB of data across the usual home network is generally far slower than offloading it to a 20Gbps/40Gbps SSD, then walking it to its destination. Similarly, restoring a backup from local storage is far, far faster than pulling down your data from the web. We're talking gigbytes per second instead of megabytes.
Whatever your needs or intent, these are the best external drives we've tested, both in terms of performance and budget.
Why you should trust PCWorld for external drive reviews and buying advice: It's in our name! PCWorld's reviewers have been testing PC hardware for decades. Our storage evaluations are thorough and rigorous, pushing the limits of every product — from performance benchmarks to the practicalities of daily use. As PC users ourselves, we know what makes a product stand out. Only the best external drives make this list.
Crucial X9 Pro - Best 10Gbps external SSD
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The Comet browser was always intended to be a free competitor to Chrome and other browsers, though it started out locked behind that massive "AI" paywall. (In fact, Perplexity is so committed to the browser bit that it briefly entertained buying Chrome from Google, before the U.S. government decided that antitrust laws are more like guidelines.)
As of today it's free for anyone to use, along with its LLM-powered Sidecar feature, according to TechCrunch. Though the download site still indicates you either need a subscription or an invitation to use it, I was able to download and install it without logging in.
But in order to get the full powers of the browser, you'll still need that $200-a-month subscription. Without it you're rate-limited for its various tools, including text generation, shopping, and even logging in and "browsing" using your identity. Just be careful — like many LLM tools it has some rather glaring security issues.
Chris Hoff
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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
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We've known for some time that Microsoft Office apps were getting new icons (thanks to a leak). But they're official as of today, according to Jon Friedman (CVP of Design and Research for Microsoft 365) in this Microsoft Design blog post.
Microsoft is rolling out the new design to users with immediate effect. In the post, Friedman explains the redesign's significance:
The last time Microsoft updated the Office icons was in 2018. Below, you can see all the redesigned icons side by side:
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Gemini for Home needs a new speaker to make Google's next-gen voice assistant actually feel new.
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Not every kitchen tool was made to last forever.
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Want to see even more? Take a peek at PCWorld's list of the top laptops you can get right now.
Why you should trust us: It's in our name! PCWorld prides itself on laptop experience and expertise. We've been covering PCs since 1983, and we now review more than 70 laptops every year. All of the picks below have been personally tested and vetted by our experts, who've applied not only performance benchmarks but rigorous usability standards. We're also committed to reviewing PC laptops at every price point to help you find a machine that matches your budget.
Best budget laptop deals under $500
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What you see will be shaped by how you interact with Meta's AI.
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 In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
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