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Jul 30, 2021
Have you heard? California just banned gaming PCs! Yes, they took your job and now they're taking your gaming PC too!!! (more exclamation marks indicate more outrage).
Well, that's what you'd think if you read a headline that screamed: "Several US states are banning gaming PCs" or "High-end gaming PCs banned in six US states after Calfornia energy bill limits sales on high performance PCs."
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 30, 2021
You don't need to be a kid—or a cord-cutter—to dig the entertainment streaming on Disney .
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Jul 30, 2021
Equipped with a new button, a much improved wall plate, and greater configurability, the new Hue Dimmer Switch is better in every way.
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Jul 30, 2021
Tiny mechanical keyboards are all the rage at the moment. But the ones from gaming companies like Razer and Corsair try to be everything to everyone: ideal companions for both desktops and mobiles. Asus is taking a more focused approach with the ROG Falchion. With an RF-only wireless USB connection, it's laser-targeted at PC gamers.
The Falchion should look familiar if you're a mech keyboard enthusiast. It's using the unofficial "65 percent" layout, with one extra column of keys beyond the absolute minimum alphanumeric arrangement. This gives it just enough space for a full arrow cluster—a must-have for many users, particularly gamers.
It's got the touch
But the Falchion also has a hidden trick: a touch-sensitive strip on the left side of the case, cleverly concealing volume controls. This is a smart addition for such a small keyboard. The strip is illuminated. When you touch it, the light indicates volume level while you make adjustments. When not touched, the light indicates battery level.
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Jul 29, 2021
Nearly nine long months after the Radeon RX 6800 and 6800 XT GPUs launched, AMD's radical new RDNA 2 architecture is finally coming to the midrange—though the midrange sure is a lot more expensive in the midst of a crippling graphics card shortage. At ChinaJoy on Thursday evening, AMD announced the long-awaited Radeon RX 6600 XT for "epic 1080p gaming" at high refresh rates, with a not-so-epic $379 price tag.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 29, 2021
Just add a compatible webcam, and the latest Fire TV Cube will let you make two-way video calls using the Zoom app for Fire TV.
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Jul 29, 2021
The gaming variants of Intel's Next Unit of Computing (NUC) mini-PCs have always been expensive. For the price, you got unique, compact, and ultimately turn-key options for a portable desktop PC. You might pay out the nose, but you couldn't replicate the experience as a DIY builder. That's what justified the cost.
With the launch of Beast Canyon—officially known as the NUC11BTMi9 or NUC11BTMi7, depending on which version you get—the high cost is harder to justify.
Admittedly, the audience for these gaming PCs wasn't large to begin with. But Beast Canyon is a surprisingly harder sell than I expected.
Design
Once upon a time, Intel's gaming NUCs were tiny. That's not so with Beast Canyon, which is an eight-liter small-form-factor (SFF) PC—or roughly the size of an eGPU enclosure.
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Jul 29, 2021
NordPass is a relative newcomer to the password manager space, having been launched less than two years ago. Offered by the virtual network provider NordVPN, NordPass can save, secure, and sync your passwords, notes, and credit cards. While it effectively streamlines the odious chore of remembering passwords, it currently lacks the more advanced features that make our top picks so essential for safely working and playing online.
NordPass is available as a desktop app for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux, a mobile app for Android and iOS, and has extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera browsers. To get started, you have to first create an account on the NordPass site. Then you have to download one of the apps and/or browser extensions. I used the macOS app with the Firefox extension for my testing.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 29, 2021
To win over cord cutters, streaming exclusives are crowding out a la carte purchase options.
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Jul 29, 2021
You can group up to 10 of Wyze's inexpensive night lights, which boast motion and ambient light sensors. But we had trouble with the magnetic mounts, and battery life was disappointingly brief.
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Jul 29, 2021
These true wireless earphones with adaptive active noise cancellation promise to eliminate surrounding noise and allow total immersion in B&O's signature sound.
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Jul 28, 2021
AMD's chief executive said Tuesday that she expects the supply of AMD's chips to be "tight" throughout the remainder of the year, but are expected to ease up in 2022.
Dr. Lisa Su, speaking during AMD's second-quarter earnings call, also said that AMD is working with its own supply chain partners—makers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment—to allow for AMD "to grow substantially" as the company moves into the second half of 2021.
Su's comments were timely, given that rival Intel has warned of ongoing chip shortages as it begins navigating through to a transition to new EUV equipment. Su did not say that AMD expected the same, though she did predict the PC market would cool off.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 28, 2021
The OnePlus Nord N200 5G surprised me. It costs just $240, yet I can't believe how many great features it shares with the OnePlus 9 Pro that costs almost four times as much. If you want fast 5G speeds and a great Android OS experience on a budget, then the N200 is worth a look.
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG
The design is classic OnePlus: Love it or hate it.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 28, 2021
Having trouble remembering the exact voice commands for your Alexa routines? Now you can add multiple phrases to a single routine.
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Jul 28, 2021
You've spent months planning, researching, and painstakingly putting together every component in your beloved gaming rig. Now it's time to see what it can do. Much like a virtuoso pianist will practice his scales to see how fast he can do them, you too can test your PC to see if it's ready for Carnegie Hall-like levels of performance. Today we'll show you the best software for benchmarking your PC.
What is benchmarking? It involves using specific software to test the speed of each individual component inside your computer, such as your CPU, GPU, and SSD, or even how everything works together. Yep, it's a lot of science and math. Don't worry though! It's usually free and very easy to do, as the benchmarking software will do all that science and math for you.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 28, 2021
Vivaldi 4.1 offers something that's a rarity in the world of browsers: a new macro system that complements the niche browser's implementation of new "accordion tabs," too. Both features offer some intriguing new ways to surf the web.
Vivaldi debuted a few years ago as the brainchild of some former developers of the Opera browser. Those developers have never been afraid to think outside the box, with inspired innovations such as a way to "pause" the browser. Other times, Opera follows competing browsers with features like integrated video games. Now, Vivaldi has returned to interesting ways to increase your productivity.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 27, 2021
Chip shortages have hit one of the world's largest software companies, Microsoft, and its lineup of Surface PCs.
Microsoft reported net income of $16.5 billion (up 47 percent from a year ago) on revenue of $46.2 billion, an increase of 21 percent over the same period. But two key businesses suffered as a result of ongoing supply issues.
Microsoft said that Surface revenue dropped 20 percent, or by $348 million, to $1.376 billion. In a statement, Microsoft said the shortfall was driven by "supply chain constraints," without specifying what those constraints were. Microsoft also said that Windows OEM revenue decreased 3 percent, "with continued PC demand impacted by supply chain constraints."
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 27, 2021
Microsoft released its groundbreaking Flight Simulator for its Xbox Series X and S on Tuesday, but PC gamers have a real treat as well: The significant performance upgrade Microsoft and Asobo Studios teased is now live.
In early July, Asobo said that it had rewritten the game's code to double the frame rate and significantly reduce the memory requirements, making Flight Simulator accessible to even more gaming PCs. In a video, the game ran at about 60 frames per second on a Core i7-9700K and GeForce RTX 2060.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 27, 2021
Facebook's Oculus division said Tuesday that it's pausing sales of the company's Oculus Quest 2 headset, after reports that its foam facial interface irritated the skin of some customers.
When the device returns in a few weeks, however, Oculus said that the Quest 2 would also feature a larger storage option, a 128GB headset on sale for the same price of $299. The larger Quest 2 will become the "standard" Quest 2 offering, the company said. Once the larger Quest 2 debuts, the Oculus Quest 2 will be available in two capacity points: 128GB and 256GB. The 64GB model will be retired.
In December, Oculus said that it had begun receiving reports that its Quest 2's foam interface was irritating customers' skin. (The foam interface is also sold separately as part of the Oculus Fit Pack.) The headset is actually being voluntarily recalled as part of an action with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada. Facebook also posted a small, somewhat useless FAQ that provides some more detail.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 27, 2021
The T-Mobile High Speed Internet Gateway (5G21-12W-A) offers a $50/mo alternative to cable broadband, and delivers performance good enough for a small household that likes to stream video.
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Jul 27, 2021
Windows 11 is real, and it's drawing closer. Microsoft has announced the next generation of its operating system, and we've already received a look at some of its next-generation features.
Microsoft has already unwittingly provided us with an early look at Windows 11. It's noteworthy for its streamlined Start menu and simplified taskbar, layered on top of what looks a lot like Windows 10.
As Microsoft rolls out Windows 11, bookmark this page to keep up with the latest news, tips, and reviews of Windows 11. Scroll down for our hands-on and video walkthrough of Windows 11, too, as well as the unexpected new features and major hardware requirements of Windows 11, too. We'll have hands-on and tips as well.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 27, 2021
Windows 11 is nearly here. Microsoft has formally announced Windows 11, and we've already seen it as a leaked build.
Every new operating system brings many questions. We're starting here with the answers we know, and we'll update this list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) as we learn more. To find everything we know about Windows, check out our Windows 11 comprehensive guide, with news, tips, reviews, and more.
What is Windows 11?
Windows 11 is the name of the next major revision to Windows 10, different enough that it justified a new brand name and not just another feature update. Microsoft launched Windows 11 on June 24.
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Jul 27, 2021
Battery life is an often vague and nebulous concept. In theory, it can be represented by a single number but, in practice, literally hundreds of factors can shorten or lengthen endurance. That's frustrating if you're trying to gauge the battery life and health of your notebook, especially if you're trying to determine if it's time to buy a new laptop.
Windows has a secret feature called Battery Report that can help. It's what we use while testing notebook endurance at PCWorld. Here's how to access Battery Report and understand what it reveals you about your laptop.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 27, 2021
Whose fault is it that the PC industry has never, ever seen an upgradeable laptop design succeed? Ours.
Yes, each of us bears the blame for never, ever seeing the laptop blossom into a mobile version of the desktop, with infinite upgrade capabilities that run until the end of time. But this isn't about finger-pointing. For all our good intentions, there are some very good reasons why we're not acting on our ideals.
For the sake of argument, let's agree that Framework's new laptop, which you can upgrade or change, is a good thing. But how many of us actually agree? I know people who actually think it's fine to take a five-year-old laptop back to the company to have it "recycled" and then while they buy a newer one.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 26, 2021
Microsoft released the first build of Windows 11 on Monday. Here's how to get it and try it out for yourself.
You'll need two things: first, a PC that meets the minimum hardware specifications of Windows 11. Second, you'll need to join the Windows Insider program so that your PC can receive the first beta or Windows Insider builds of Windows 11. While it's possible that Microsoft will release a standalone .ISO file of Windows 11, those plans hadn't been finalized as of Friday, when we asked.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 26, 2021
Intel said Monday it is completely changing the way in which generations of its microprocessors have been defined, discussed, and evaluated, paving the way for chips to be measured in angstroms, not nanometers.
Specifically, Intel is rewriting the terminology associated with its process technology, it said at an "Intel Accelerated" presentation. Going forward, Intel's 10nm "enhanced SuperFIN" technology will now be called "Intel 7," mentally placing it on the same tier as the same 7nm process technology AMD uses for its Ryzen chips. Intel began signaling this shift in March, but today it's official.
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Jul 26, 2021
Intel executives say that the company will be unable to supply enough processors to meet PC demand, as the factors driving ongoing chip shortages affect it, too. But surprisingly there's some good news as well. Intel said it will probably eat the resulting increase in prices, at least where PC companies are concerned.
"We remain in a highly constrained environment where we are unable to fully supply customer demand," said George Davis, Intel's chief financial officer, as part of a SeekingAlpha transcript of Intel's second quarter earnings call. In that call, the company admitted that it can't get materials—specifically substrate—to make enough chips to keep pace.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 26, 2021
What's the best CPU for your next laptop? That was an easy answer just a few years ago, when Intel's product line was far and away the strongest. But with multiple generations of AMD's game-changing Ryzen chips finally giving Intel some real competition, you have more to think about.
We're here to help you navigate this wider landscape, but without thousands of words and stacks of charts. We'll start with a quick primer on the strengths and weaknesses of each chip, then we'll discuss how to pick the right one for you. To keep this from getting too overwhelming, we'll stick only to the mainstream CPUs that typically go into three-pound, thin-and-light laptops, rather than get into the high-performance chips that go into thicker and heavier gaming laptops.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 26, 2021
What's the best CPU for your next laptop? That was an easy answer just a few years ago, when Intel's product line was far and away the strongest. But with multiple generations of AMD's game-changing Ryzen chips finally giving Intel some real competition, you have more to think about.
We're here to help you navigate this wider landscape, but without thousands of words and stacks of charts. We'll start with a quick primer on the strengths and weaknesses of each chip, then we'll discuss how to pick the right one for you. To keep this from getting too overwhelming, we'll stick only to the mainstream CPUs that typically go into three-pound, thin-and-light laptops, rather than get into the high-performance chips that go into thicker and heavier gaming laptops.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 26, 2021
Electronic gear improves our lives, but it doesn't often come cheap. Not for the big ticket items, anyway—laptops, TVs, desktop PCs, and smartphones still cost hundreds of dollars. But you can save money on them if you know how to shop smart.
Using these three strategies, you'll be able to find deals before they become widely known. Our tips also help when you're hunting for discounts on less popular items that don't go on sale as often. Plus, they apply year ‘round, with an increased chance for major wins during big sale periods like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 26, 2021
But Leviton's new HomeKit implementation wasn't seamless in our testing.
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Jul 26, 2021
Vilo's $20-per-node mesh router promises to upend traditional mesh router pricing. Does it deliver, performance-wise? Yeah, pretty much.
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Jul 26, 2021
Vilo's $20-per-node mesh router promises to upend traditional mesh router pricing. Does it deliver, performance-wise? Yeah, pretty much.
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Jul 24, 2021
The T-Mobile High Speed Internet Gateway (5G21-12W-A) offers a $50/mo alternative to cable broadband, and delivers performance good enough for a small household that likes to stream video.
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Jul 23, 2021
A great wireless router is an essential element of tech life, whether you're building out a smart home or you just want the best experience streaming music and video at home. If you're suffering with low wireless throughput or dead spots in any area of your home, we heartily recommend deploying a mesh network consisting of a Wi-Fi router with one or more satellite nodes that you sprinkle around your home, because it will blanket your home with coverage.
You can deploy a mesh Wi-Fi router without any satellites, but you'd be losing out on all the coverage benefits that mesh technology provides. We pick the best mesh systems here, because even those of us fortunate enough to have ethernet drops everywhere have devices—smartphones and tablets, for instance—that depend on Wi-Fi to connect to the home network and the internet.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 23, 2021
The best laptops are getting better. Computex 2021 (virtual) brought a heavy rain of news from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia, everything from new CPUs to technologies that enhance gaming performance. The laptop market is still tight, but if you yearn for the latest and greatest, this is your time. Keep reading for the latest news and reviews.
Our top picks from currently available laptops are below:
Latest laptop news and reviews
Here are the latest stories:
The HP Elite Dragonfly Max is made for the Zoom-driven life of today's executives, bringing a five-megapixel (1440p) webcam and four microphones to show you off best to your bosses. It competes well in most ways with other premium business convertibles, but for that price ( $2,789 on HP.com) it offers a few surprising disappointments. Read our full review.
Framework wants you to take its laptop apart and repair it. Seriously. While most laptops are difficult to impossible to repair or upgrade, this debut product from Framework not only can be dismantled and upgraded, but the company actually encourages you to do it. Find out what we learned when we took an early-production Framework laptop for a whirl.
Gordon Mah Ung
The Framework laptop is designed to be taken apart for repair
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Jul 23, 2021
What's causing GPUs to die while playing Amazon's beta game, New World? No one seems to know yet, but EVGA confirmed it has already shipped replacement GeForce RTX 3090 FTW3 cards to affected customers.
A company spokesman confirmed to PCWorld that it has enough GPUs to replace reportedly dead cards, and it would cross-ship cards directly to impacted customers under warranty.
EVGA wouldn't say exactly how many dead card reports it had received, but the spokesman described it as a "small handful."
The company also said it has received no new reports of GeForce RTX 3090 FTW3 cards dying since Amazon Games patched New World to implement frame rate lock options in-game, as well as "clamp down" on frame rates in the menu screen.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 23, 2021
Sure, benchmarking your graphics card may sound like rocket science, but it's not as difficult as you might think. Roll up your sleeves, because this guide will show you just how easy, enjoyable, and important it is to benchmark your GPU. And not just when you're overclocking! We'll cover benchmarking for both stability and performance.
[ Further reading: Best graphics cards for PC gaming ]
Why you should benchmark your GPU
First, though, here's why you should be benchmarking your graphics card even if you aren't trying to make it to the top of the competitive overclocking charts:
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 23, 2021
RIG's gaming headphones may have been around for a long time, but they're new to me. I've never had an opportunity to try a pair before. Now that the company is owned by Nacon, however, I was sent over not one but two pairs—the RIG 700 Pro HX and 500 Pro HX Gen 2—to hear what all the hub-bub is about.
First impressions? Both feel extremely comfortable and feature the striking looks that RIG is known for, though the sound quality is average at best. But while the two headsets hold some similarities in both look and sound performance, there's still plenty that sets them apart from each other.
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG
Nacon RIG 700 Pro HX (top), 500 Pro HX Gen 2 (bottom)
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Jul 23, 2021
Cree's new vintage filament bulb is both inexpensive and attractive, but it comes with a quirky app and a too-bright minimum brightness.
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Jul 23, 2021
Here are all the best ways to watch the games on a TV, a computer, or a phone—actually, those are the only ways to watch.
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Jul 22, 2021
In 2021, crime doesn't pay if you can't be found on Google. That's apparently what the creators of the new MosaicLoader family of malware discovered. PC security company Bitdefender recently published a whitepaper detailing the new malicious software that lures users to download it via paid ads...for pirated games.
Bitdefender says MosaicLoader is delivered through downloaders that victims "seemingly" find when searching for pirated software such as games and other software. It's no secret that malware creators often target people downloading cracked software, but what's interesting about MosaicLoader is how hard it works to avoid detection and how problematic it can be.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 22, 2021
In 2021, crime doesn't pay if you can't be found on Google. That's apparently what the creators of the new MosaicLoader family of malware discovered. PC security company Bitdefender recently published a whitepaper detailing the new malicious software that lures users to download it via paid ads...for pirated games.
Bitdefender says MosaicLoader is delivered through downloaders that victims "seemingly" find when searching for pirated software such as games and other applications. It's no secret that malware creators often target people downloading cracked software, but what's interesting about MosaicLoader is how hard it works to avoid detection and how problematic it can be.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 22, 2021
Framework wants you to take its laptop apart and repair it. Seriously. While most laptops are difficult to impossible to repair or upgrade, this debut product from Framework not only can be dismantled and upgraded, but the company actually encourages you to do it.
We took an early-production Framework laptop for a whirl. While we have some issues with certain design choices, we have to say it's refreshing to see a laptop made for upgrading and serviceability.
For example, most laptop bezels and bodies are held together with plastic latches that snap the keyboard deck onto the bottom. While you can usually snap the two together after opening it to, say, swap out the SSD, do it enough times and the plastic latches will eventually break. Framework addresses this by using magnets to hold the bezel and body together. Once you've removed the five T5 screws on the bottom, you carefully pry the two pieces apart.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 22, 2021
PDF Architect is easily the most unique PDF program we've come across. It's offered as a free download and three different paid packages, each containing a specific set of PDF tools it calls "modules." As you move up the payment tiers, more of these modules are unlocked, expanding how much editing power you have over your PDFs.
The "create" module, for example, lets you read existing PDFs and convert a multitude of document types into the format. It also allows you to merge PDFs and move and delete pages within a single PDF. As the foundational module, it's available with all four plans. The "edit" module is where you can really start manipulating PDF content, and as such it's only available as part of the three paid plans. The top-level PRO OCR plan gives you the most robust PDF editor, including all the creation, editing, converting, and reviewing capabilities PDF Architect 8 offers, plus Optical Character Recognition.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 22, 2021
The T-Mobile High Speed Internet Gateway (5G21-12W-A) offers a $50/mo alternative to cable broadband, and delivers performance good enough for a small household that likes to stream video.
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Jul 22, 2021
Cord-cutters are paying twice as much for coverage of the Olympics compared to a few years ago.
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Jul 21, 2021
While Nvidia and EVGA investigate reports of Amazon's MMO game New World bricking GeForce RTX 3090 cards, Amazon defended the upcoming game that's accused of killing GPUs.
"Hundreds of thousands of people played in the New World Closed Beta yesterday, with millions of total hours played. We've received a few reports of players using high-performance graphics cards experiencing hardware failure when playing New World," an Amazon spokesperson said through email.
"New World makes standard DirectX calls as provided by the Windows API. We have seen no indication of widespread issues with 3090s, either in the beta or during our many months of alpha testing," the company's spokeswoman said. "The New World Closed Beta is safe to play. In order to further reassure players, we will implement a patch today that caps frames per second on our menu screen. We're grateful for the support New World is receiving from players around the world, and will keep listening to their feedback throughout Beta and beyond."
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 21, 2021
Choosing the right virtual private network (VPN) service is no simple task. A VPN should keep your internet usage private and secure, but not every service handles your data in the same way.
Rest assured, we've done the legwork to determine if a VPN service has a history of good or bad behavior. A service has to protect online privacy; allow you to keep anonymity; offer a good variety of locations from which to direct your traffic; offer fast, reliable performance; and provide an easy-to-use interface.
Scroll to the bottom of this article to learn more about VPNs and what to look for when choosing one. (Or check out Macworld'd roundup of the best VPN for Macs.)
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 21, 2021
If you have a GeForce RTX 3090, you'll want to skip loading up the beta test for Amazon's New World MMO, because the game might literally break your graphics card.
Yes, and by "break" we mean it just might permanently stop working—not the casual "THESE GAMES WILL DESTROY YOUR CARD!" headlines you often see.
Windows Central first flagged forum reports from gamers who said their cards died after just a few minutes of playing New World. The reports mostly seemed to impact those who own EVGA's GeForce RTX 3090 FTW3 cards, but we've read anecdotal reports of the game bricking a Gigabyte-produced RTX 3090 card as well.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 21, 2021
Only a handful of legacy Echo devices won't be getting a Matter update.
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Jul 21, 2021
Microsoft has begun rolling out the integrated Teams Chat function to a small subset of Windows Insiders testing out Windows 11, Microsoft said this week. Here's how to use Teams Chat (formally called Chat from Microsoft Teams) within Windows 11.
For now, if you don't have Teams Chat in your preview build of Windows 11, don't worry. Microsoft said that it will be rolling out the new functionality to a wider group of users over the next few weeks, and months, and adding new features as well.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 21, 2021
In this episode of The Full Nerd, Gordon Ung, Brad Chacos, and Adam Patrick Murray are back in the saddle, broadcasting live from our studio for the first time in a long time. And we had a heaping helping of delectably geeky topics for our big return.
First, we kick things off with a recent round of "Alder Lake" rumors about Intel's radical upcoming 12-gen Core chips, which will be built using a combination of big cores and little cores working together to optimize performance when you need it and power when you don't.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 21, 2021
This new line of Nokia smart dimmers, switches, and outlets is based on one of the oldest DIY smart home platforms on the market.
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Jul 21, 2021
The HP Elite Dragonfly Max is designed for executives who are on Zoom calls as much as they are in in-person meetings. The Elite Dragonfly Max features a five-megapixel (1440p) webcam that offers twice the resolution of the standard 720p laptop webcam, and it's flanked by four microphones for better Zoom audio.
Given that it could be years before you return to pre-pandemic travel levels, I question HP's decision to outfit the Elite Dragonfly Max with a 13.3-inch display instead of a roomier 14-inch panel. Then there's the price: It's sky-high at $2,789 on HP.com. It competes well in most ways with other premium business convertibles, but for that price the raw CPU performance and battery life are surprising disappointments.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 21, 2021
AVG Secure in brief:
P2P allowed: Yes
Business location: Czech Republic
Number of servers: 700
Number of country locations: 35
Cost: $59.88 per year
VPN protocol: OpenVPN
Data encryption: AES-256
Data authentication: decided on-the-fly, changes frequently
Handshake: decided on-the-fly, changes frequently
I'm surprised every time I come across an antivirus company that runs its own VPN network. So many antivirus providers use white label services from major VPN providers that it's a rarity to find a security company in charge of its own show. Today's review subject, AVG Secure, is even more surprising. AVG is owned by Avast, and Avast also owns the famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) HMA (Hide My Ass) VPN.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 21, 2021
Netflix has tens of thousands of hours of content, but that doesn't mean it's all great entertainment. TechHive's film critic will help you stream the very best movies the service has to offer.
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Jul 20, 2021
Stay on top of the latest tech with PCWorld's Digital Magazine. Available as single copies or as a monthly subscription, it highlights the best content from PCWorld.com—the most important news, the key product reviews, and the most useful features and how-to stories—in a curated Digital Magazine for Android and iOS, as well for the desktop and other tablet readers.
In the July issue
This month, we have the 11th-gen 'Tiger Lake H' performance deep-dive: Intel gets back in the game. Plus, Meet AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution: Radeon's DLSS rival even makes GeForce GPUs faster.
Other highlights include:
News: The biggest PC news from Computex 2021, Android 12 and other news from Google I/O, RIP Internet Explorer
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 20, 2021
A ZIP file contains multiple compressed files inside, reduces the overall size of the files to save storage space. But to use those files, you'll need to unzip them. Luckily, Windows 10 has a built-in tool to do just that. Here's how to unzip files in Windows 10.
View what's inside a ZIP file
Before you start unzipping files, you may want to check out what's in it. Back in the day, you would have had to download third-party software to do this. Now, Windows lets you take a peek inside by simply double-clicking the file—the same way you would with a folder. You can also open the files within the ZIP file by double-clicking them.
Do keep in mind, though, that even though you can view the files, you'll need to unzip them before you actually use them. If you don't, you won't be able to save any edits you make to that file, and installation files won't work properly if you try to run them.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 20, 2021
Sony will ship a new home theater audio system and a new flagship soundbar, both of which support Sony's 360 Reality Audio format as well as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
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Jul 20, 2021
Dropbox said Tuesday that the company has beefed up its password management mechanisms even more, while bringing photo upload capabilities into its basic tier. Dropbox also announced some general UI changes, as well.
Dropbox first introduced a password manager last year, then made it available to its free Dropbox Basic plan, too. But the manager was rudimentary, lacking features that its competition enjoyed. Now, Dropbox is adding some of those: a Dropbox Passwords browser extension to save and fill in passwords, the ability to share passwords, and even the ability to store credit and debit cards in Dropbox Passwords, too. These won't be unusual to those who use a web browser like Chrome or Edge, but they're a convenience Dropbox lacked.
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Jul 20, 2021
4K and HDR are the peanut butter and jelly of modern televisions. Where you find one, you'll find the other. Together, they're the recipe for a delicious eye-candy sandwich.
Monitors aren't so lucky. While it's possible to find 4K HDR monitors, they are few in number and expensive. You'll likely need to choose which feature is more important to you. Here's how to decide.
The basics: What do 4K and HDR mean?
4K is shorthand for a display's resolution. It typically describes a 16:9 aspect ratio with a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160. Companies occasionally get creative with marketing but, in most cases, will adhere to this definition.
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Jul 20, 2021
Web browsers used to be a place where folks could only play flash games, check emails, hang out in chat rooms, and torrent music (and malware) from LimeWire. Those days are long gone.
Thanks to the sophisticated development of web technologies such as HTML5, web browsers have grown to such a level that you can do almost all of your personal- and work-related tasks using a powerful web app. This, for the most part, successfully eliminates the need to download desktop software, saving you hard drive space and the headache of dealing with complicated installation and set-up processes. The rise of web apps also gave birth to a new breed of Internet-centric devices like Chromebooks.
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Jul 19, 2021
If you've been searching in vain for a graphics card during the crippling GPU shortage, tomorrow might just be your best chance yet at snagging one. Best Buy announced that it will be selling GeForce RTX 30-series graphics card in select stores Tuesday morning.
"Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 Series graphics cards will have limited quantities available on Tuesday, July 20, only in select stores," the company said in an announcement on Monday. "Blue Shirts at participating stores will start handing out tickets at 7:30 a.m. local time that morning. We'll hand out one ticket per customer in line. If you get a ticket, you will be guaranteed the opportunity to purchase a graphics card inside the store beginning at 8 a.m. local time."
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Jul 19, 2021
Switching to a solid-state drive is the best upgrade you can make for your PC. These wondrous devices speed up boot times, improve the responsiveness of your programs and games, and generally makes your computer feel fast. But not all solid-state drives are the same. You can find top-notch SSDs that offer solid performance at an affordable price, or you can spend big to achieve read and write speeds that reach a whole other level.
Many SSDs come in a 2.5-inch form factor and connect to your PC via the same SATA port used by a traditional hard drive. But out on the bleeding-edge of NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) drives, you'll find tiny "gumstick" SSDs that fit in an M.2 connection on a modern motherboard, SSDs that sit on a PCIe adapter and slot into your motherboard like a graphics card or sound card, futuristic 3D Xpoint drives, and more. Picking the perfect SSD isn't as simple as it used to be.
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Jul 19, 2021
CNN will offer live and on-demand programming that's distinct from CNN's linear TV networks. How much will it cost? Good question.
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Jul 19, 2021
Put down your pitchforks, fellow gaming geeks. Windows DirectStorage—the next-gen storage technology that powers the Xbox Series X's blazing Velocity Storage system—will be coming to Windows 10 as well as Windows 11, Microsoft confirmed this weekend. That means the super-fast storage tech of tomorrow won't be used as a stick to force gamers to Microsoft's upcoming operating system, as many feared and Microsoft itself firmly implied.
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Jul 19, 2021
Sometimes a little software adjustment is all it takes to fix your Wi-Fi problems.
I realized this much when I bought a brand-new router, a hulking monstrosity with support for the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard. What should have been a major network upgrade instead become a hair-pulling experience as I tried to figure out why its download speeds were so unreliable.
It turns out the solution was simple: Just change the router's channel and bandwidth settings to avoid potential sources of interference.
Out of the box, most routers will select a control channel automatically. I assumed this would be fine because I'm in a suburban area without a lot of other Wi-Fi networks nearby. Interference can come from a lot of sources, however, and your router's default selection might not be the best. With a bit of trial and error, I found a channel that gets me close to wired ethernet speeds from pretty much anywhere in the house.
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Jul 19, 2021
This high-end air purifier works well, but justifying its cost is tricky.
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Jul 19, 2021
Fluance's Ai61 (an update from the Ai60) deliver good sound, Bluetooth 5.0, and both analog and digital wired audio connections.
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Jul 19, 2021
You'll often hear PC enthusiasts—including yours truly—say that the Nintendo Switch is the perfect companion console for your gaming rig, thanks to its handheld mode for on-the-go gaming, deep indie library, and access to Nintendo-exclusive games. The stickiness of that last benefit will soon be put to the test, as Valve's newly announced Steam Deck handheld PC mimes the Switch form factor but revolves around your existing Steam account...and all the games already in it. Oh my.
In the battle of the Steam Deck vs. the Nintendo Switch, who comes out on top? We'll take it to the tape below, but first let's talk about what matters most: the games, and why the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch might not even be true competitors at all.
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Jul 16, 2021
We are terrible at passwords. We suck at creating them (the top two most popular remain "123456" and "password"), we share them way too freely, and we forget them all the time. Indeed, the very thing that can ensure our online security has become our biggest obstacle to it. This is what makes a good password manager essential.
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Jul 16, 2021
Head over to PCWorld's YouTube channel to watch us try out Godfall using AMD's new upscaling tech, called FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR). Brad goes in-depth on the ins and outs of FidelityFX Super Resolution in a recent article, but we wanted to use it for ourselves.
At a high level, FSR lets a graphics card render games internally at a lower resolution, then performs software tricks to upscale that image to the higher chosen resolution of your monitor. In this video we play Godfall at 4K, with all the settings cranked up to Epic, and see just how much performance we can get on a Radeon RX 6700 XT.
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Jul 16, 2021
Looking at the spec sheet alone, the just-revealed $399 Steam Deck gaming handheld should be a winner. Valve's PC-centric Nintendo Switch rival features a big 7-inch touchscreen, plenty of control inputs, an all-AMD chip based on the same hardware inside the Xbox Series S|X and PlayStation 5, and the ability to double as a full-fledged Linux PC. But forget the hardware. While it's impressive indeed, the Steam Deck will sink or swim based on its software, and that means Valve awesome Proton technology is about to be thrust into the spotlight.
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Jul 16, 2021
Microsoft announced Windows 10 21H2 on Thursday afternoon, the latest Windows 10 feature update and evidence that Windows 10 isn't quite dead yet.
With Windows 11 on the horizon, however, it was reasonable to expect that Windows 10 21H2 wouldn't have much to offer. And that's true: Microsoft identified three key features that Windows 21H2, probably none of which will especially appeal to mainstream users.
Microsoft said that Windows 10 21H2 will begin rolling out today to Windows Insider preview members as part of Windows 10 Build 19044.1147, which will essentially be the "release build' of Windows 10 21H2. (Microsoft typically finds and patches bugs up until the last minute, so the absolutely final release of 21H2 will likely carry a slightly different build number). Essentially, 21H2 is being offered as a "seeker" experience to those in the Windows Insider program, where you'll have to "check for updates" within the Windows Update settings.
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Jul 16, 2021
The new GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is basically a 3090, but for gamers, we said in our review of Nvidia's Founders Edition model. The GPU inside is barely cut-down, and while the RTX 3080 Ti gets half the memory of its bigger sibling, 12GB of GDDR6X is capable of handling even the most extreme 4K gaming workloads. It's just the thinnest of hairs slower than the 3090 in games. "This is the GeForce card that deep-pocketed gamers should buy," we said.
If you're looking for a suitable hot rod to house that screaming-fast GPU, look no further than EVGA's RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra. This massive, feature-laden flagship tames the RTX 3080 Ti in ways that Nvidia's dual-slot Founders Edition simply can't. The FE card is almost as fast as the GeForce RTX 3090, yes. But the EVGA FTW3 Ultra is just as fast as an RTX 3090 thanks to its hefty overclock and abundant cooling. At $1,400, you're paying a $200 premium for the extra ferocity on top of the 3080 Ti's sky-high base price. Viewed through another lens, the EVGA RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra is an extremely high-quality custom graphics card that goes toe-to-toe with baseline RTX 3090 models for $100 less.
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Jul 16, 2021
Clean house with this battery-powered marvel and you'll wonder how you ever tolerated bulky canister or upright vacuums with their pesky cords and unwieldy hoses.
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Jul 16, 2021
This unique conversation piece gives you a vast array of hues to play with.
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Jul 16, 2021
As its name states, the AZZA Pyramid Mini 806 is a pint-sized version of the company's ATX glass-and-steel pyramid case. But while the Pyramid 804 was large enough to flip over and use as a table (as described in this Anandtech article from Computex 2019), this mini-ITX version seems primed for a center-stage role on your desk.
At 19.3 x 14.5 x 14.5 inches (490 x 368 x 368mm), the Pyramid Mini 806 has a footprint that's small enough to fit comfortably side-by-side with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. But as you'll see in the video above, it's still sufficiently big to be eye-catching, especially given its unique shape. In fact, unless you specifically kit out your build with all RGB components, you'll likely get more comments on the case than the hardware inside.
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Jul 15, 2021
The FaceCam is a $200 webcam from Elgato aimed at the gaming/streaming crowd—and it's a unique first foray into the crowded camera business.
Why would anyone spend so much on a webcam? The streaming business is booming. You could easily drop thousands of dollars on a mirrorless camera setup for professional-looking stream, but this webcam aims to offer a (relatively) affordable alternative. Even a Zoom call could gain from the FaceCam's capabilities.
Adam Patrick Murray/IDG
Elgato made its name by creating consumer-grade streaming devices with pro-level chops, aimed squarely at the gaming/streaming market, steadily expanding from capture devices to microphones and even green screens. The FaceCam is its first-ever standalone webcam, and on paper it features fantastic hardware and software chops. Some limitations arose in the course of our review, and the lack of HDR could be an automatic turnoff for some; however, overall this is a worthy addition to the midrange webcam market.
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Jul 15, 2021
The rumors were true. Valve officially pulled the curtain back on the Steam Deck on Thursday—a $399 gaming handheld designed to bring your Steam gaming library to the palms of your hands, powered by AMD hardware and Valve's own Linux-based SteamOS operating system. Preorders open July 16, with shipments starting in December.
The Steam Deck looks like the Nintendo Switch, if the Nintendo Switch was created by diehard PC enthusiasts. You'll find a big 7-inch screen front and center—the same size as the new OLED Switch—complete with touch functionality. It's not OLED, alas, but Valve says the display shines at a very respectable 400 nits (crucial for outdoor use) and runs at 60Hz, a.k.a. the PC gaming gold standard. By comparison, the Switch drops down to 30Hz when undocked, a refresh rate that simply wouldn't fly for us PC snobs. The Steam Deck's screen should also be a bit clearer than its Nintendo rival, with a 1280x800 resolution and an "Optically bonded LCD for enhanced readability."
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Jul 15, 2021
We've simply dealt with too many damn distractions over the past year. Politics. Climate change. Kids pestering you for a snack. And just two days after Microsoft tells us that the fundamental principle of Windows 11 is "calm," another Microsoft designer tells us that Microsoft is going to spray spinning, twirling, animated emoji all over Windows and Teams.
I mean, what the heck, people? Does Microsoft even pay attention to what its own employees are doing?
Microsoft's Claire Anderson, the "emojiologist" (sigh) for Microsoft, outlines the new emoji plan in a blog post today. More than 1,800 new emoji exist within the Microsoft ecosystem, and the company is redesigning each with "uplifting and inspiring" designs, and "bright, saturated colors and bold forms." Microsoft even sandbagged us all, promising that they would replace the "paperclip" icon with Clippy if we liked the company's tweet. (Well played.) Microsoft says that the new emoji are coming to Flipgrid today, and that's fine. But they're arriving on Teams and Windows this holiday season, and I'm really not okay with that.
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Jul 15, 2021
Most everyone has laptops, smartphones, fitness trackers, tablets, or cameras lying around the house, no longer in use. If you don't need them, you can get cash for that old tech—it just takes a little time.
As you'd expect, the more energy you put into the effort, the more cash you'll reap. Listing the item yourself on an online marketplace yields the highest returns, while using a buyback service lowers the payout in exchange for less work.
Here are your options, plus some tips for the best experience when selling your old gear.
Sell your old tech to a buyback service
The simplest method for selling devices is turning them over to a buyback service like Decluttr, Gazelle or ItsWorthMore. These websites let you input info about your older gear—make, model, condition—and then give you a valuation. If you like the amount offered, you print a free shipping label provided by the website, pack up the item, and then drop it off in the mail.
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Jul 15, 2021
If you're wondering how to increase the performance of your Windows 11 PC, you may already know one way: Use the Windows power-performance slider. But in Windows 11, Microsoft has hidden it. We'll show you where.
Microsoft offers you an easy way to boost performance in Windows 10, as our previous article notes. On the Windows taskbar, clicking the battery icon opens what we know as the power slider, where you can trade lower performance for extended battery life.
Mark Hachman / IDG
In Windows 10, finding the Windows power-performance slider is simple: just click the battery icon.
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Jul 15, 2021
If you like your dash cams small and unobtrusive, easy to use, with good day and night captures, then Garmin's tiny, $130 Dash Cam Mini 2 is what you want. It's so miniscule, it was completely hidden behind my MX-5 Miata's dwarfish rearview mirror. That's small.
Design and features
When we say small, we mean the Dash Cam Mini 2 measures a mere 1.23 inches wide by 2.1 inches tall by 1.5 inches deep, including the lens body, and it weighs in at around an ounce. Garmin calls it car-key-sized, but it's walnut-sized in my book. Seriously, without mini-USB cable attached, it's easy to lose track of this tiny bit of tech in your backpack. I did—twice. Then I started leaving the cable attached.
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Jul 15, 2021
Can an iPad replace a laptop? It's a silly question because it has an obvious answer: yes, it can. It has a screen, runs apps, and can connect to the Internet.
The real question is not if an iPad can replace a laptop, but if you can use it without rage-quitting Google Docs and chucking the iPad out a window. Again, the answer is yes—but it does take some effort, in both your setup and how you use your iPad.
[ Further reading: Our picks for best PC laptops ]
A keyboard and Apple Pencil are basically mandatory
You'll need a keyboard to use your iPad as a laptop replacement. I'm biased, of course, as you can bet I didn't write this article on my iPad's touchscreen. Still, nearly everyone needs to write or respond to emails, social media posts, and instant messages on a regular basis. That means buying a keyboard.
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Jul 14, 2021
Microsoft's new Windows 365 and its Cloud PCs promise to change PC computing by putting your PC in the cloud? Confused? A Microsoft video helps explain it in more detail.
Windows 365 is a new service that will allow businesses to provide virtualized Windows PCs to their workforce. You'll use Windows like you would a cloud gaming service: You click on a local device, like an iPad or Android phone, and your actions will control a PC remotely in the cloud.
Microsoft explains how it will all work in this video, below. (We've skipped ahead to the user experience portion.) At 5:14, you'll see a brief tour of the first-time experience. Windows 10 will be deployed first, and Windows 11 later.
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Jul 14, 2021
Rachio didn't need to improve its top-of-the-class smart sprinkler controller, but it did all the same. With its third generation, this irrigation controller pulls even farther away from the rest of the field.
From a hardware perspective, Rachio hasn't rocked the boat too much. Both an 8-zone ($189.99) and 16-zone ($239.99) version of the controller (we reviewed the latter) are available, and both now support 5GHz Wi-Fi networks. Either way you go, setup remains a snap: Just pop off the cover (which is now magnetic and even easier to remove) to expose the wire clip terminals.
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Jul 14, 2021
Razer has launched the latest generation of its Razer Blade 17 gaming PC, though with numerous enhancements that the company says will make it usable for both work and after-hours gaming.
Razer's Blade 17 (previous generations were known as the Razer Blade Pro 17) will be available on July 30 in seven configurations, starting with a base price of $2,399 up through $3,699. You can preorder now on Razer.com.
The most expensive configuration, known as the RZ09-0406A*R3, will add a Core i9 for the first time, specifically the 8-core,16-thread Core i9-11900H. A Razer representative said that the i9-11900H uses a PL1 setting of 65W, which for that specific part is the maximum allowed by Intel.
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Jul 14, 2021
Windows 365 is Microsoft's name for the Cloud PC, a new Microsoft service that will stream Windows in the cloud to Android phones, tablets, Macs, and more.
Windows 365, available to businesses starting August 2, was announced Wednesday morning at Microsoft Ignite, Microsoft's partner conference. The concept is simple enough: Just like you can now stream Xbox games from Microsoft's Azure cloud to either your phone or your browser, now you can do the same for Windows 10 and eventually Windows 11. The Cloud PC won't depend on local hardware to run Windows; instead, you'll need a dependable, persistent Internet connection to reach Windows 365.
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Jul 14, 2021
Having your laptop stolen isn't just stressful because you need to replace a pricey piece of hardware—it also poses a threat to your digital security. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect yourself both before and after your laptop goes missing.
Read on to learn about how to prepare yourself against the possibility of notebook theft, how to report the theft if your laptop is stolen, and how to protect your data after it's in the hands of thieves.
[ Further reading: Our picks for best PC laptops ]
How to prepare for possible laptop theft
Obviously, nobody expects their laptop to get stolen, but it can happen to anyone. It's important to take steps to protect yourself while your computer (and your sensitive data) is still in your possession, as it makes recovering from a notebook theft much easier. In particular, you should make sure to:
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Jul 14, 2021
Netflix has tens of thousands of hours of content, but that doesn't mean it's all great entertainment. TechHive's film critic will help you stream the very best movies the service has to offer.
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Jul 14, 2021
You can group up to 10 of Wyze's inexpensive night lights, which boast motion and ambient light sensors, but we had trouble with the magnetic mounts.
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Jul 14, 2021
Microsoft's Windows 11 introduces a lot of new code into your PC: a new UI, new Widgets, a revamped Start menu, and more. But does it slow down your PC—or, conversely, speed it up? We ran a few benchmarks to find out.
Let's make one thing clear: These are not definitive Windows 11 benchmarks. We tested the first official build of Windows 11, which we've explored in our hands-on article and video. We also tested the second official build, which added back the "power mode" performance booster found within Windows 10. Neither, however, are final builds of Windows 11, which means that performance may change between now and when Windows 11 is released.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 13, 2021
Ring's support for end-to-end video encryption is no longer limited to the U.S., and it now extends to more devices.
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Jul 13, 2021
Specialized webcams that support Windows Hello are still, surprisingly, rare. Microsoft's secure-login system using fingerprint, biometric, and facial recongnition technology is, after all, a unique feature of Windows 10. It makes sense users would want to pair a desktop PC or older laptop with a Windows Hello-compatible camera in order to get its convenient security benefits.
You might think that Microsoft's just-announced Modern Webcam would be an option, but, alas, it offers no Windows Hello support! That omission is even weirder given that Microsoft's upcoming Windows 10 21H1 release prioritizes external, Windows Hello-enabled webcams over the integrated laptop camera. It seems like Microsoft missed an opportunity that other camera vendors snapped up.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Jul 13, 2021
It's a common complaint: My Windows PC is running slow. Annoyingly slow. You can add RAM, or buy a faster SSD, but that costs money. No, your first order of business should be an attempt to wring free performance from Windows. In the following nine steps we show you how to speed up your Windows 10 PC without spending a dime.
Be warned: There could be trade-offs. More speed could mean less battery life in the case of a laptop, or you may have to give up a beloved program that's bogging things down. You'll have to decide what sacrifices you're willing to make in order to make your Windows PC faster.
1. Give it the reboot
If your PC is behaving horribly slow, try rebooting. Yes, it's an obvious solution, but people tend to forget the obvious.
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Jul 13, 2021
The Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Yoga is a capable 2-in-1 convertible that could be a great fallback option if your budget manager rejects your request for a ThinkPad X1 Yoga or another premium 2-in-1 business convertible. It keeps the spirit of the product line with its sturdy chassis and comfortable keyboard. Productivity performance is strong.
The tradeoffs for the lower price are a mediocre display and battery life. As long as your job doesn't involve field work or prolonged stretches off AC, budget-conscious business users will still find value here.
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Jul 13, 2021
You'll need a subscription to get all the features, but the long list of them justifies that cost.
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Jul 13, 2021
We indeed live with first-world problems in the United States. I know this because amid a global chip shortage and a 1,000-year drought of GPUs, I stumbled across a fully functional gaming PC literally thrown to the gutter.
Nerd's honor (which you properly say with a Vulcan salute)!
Yes, I know you think I'm telling you fish stories when I say I found a liquid-cooled, 6-core Core i7-5930K on an X99 motherboard, 32GB of DDR4, a 128GB SSD, and 1TB hard drive while walking the dog. The gem was the graphics card: An EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 ACS.
For real: I am not lying. The previous owner didn't just abandon it haphazardly, but where I live, the city offers bulk disposal days where you can toss out appliances, mattresses, and yes—even your gaming PCs.
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