XDA - Computing News

Copilot and a new File Explorer are now rolling out to Windows 11 Insiders in Release Preview

Arif Bacchus — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 17:45:35 GMT

Microsoft is rolling out Windows 11 build 22621.2361 to the Windows Insiders with PCs enrolled in the Release Preview channel running Windows 11 version 22H2. This new build for this channel is one of the most significant ones yet, as it's delivering Copilot, a new File Explorer, and some of the new Windows 11 23H2 features Microsoft talked about during its September 21 special event in New York.

A faster Steam Deck is at least a couple of years away

Usama Jawad — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 15:06:57 GMT

It's fair to say that Valve's Steam Deck has been a success since its launch in 2021. The handheld PC is optimized for lots of popular games, with several thousand titles being Steam Deck-verified. The form factor has become popular to the point that there is competition from various companies looking to cash in on the Steam Deck's popularity, with the benefits for consumers being more innovation in the space as each new entrant tries to capture some of the market share. Although you would expect Valve to capitalize on this consumer interest and release a more powerful version of the Steam Deck soon, it appears that the firm has no such plans.

Android 14 will turn your phone into a webcam for your PC

Rahul Naskar — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 08:04:18 GMT

Google has released the Android 14 QPR1 Beta 1 update for Pixel devices with plenty of fixes and a bunch of new features. But for PC users, the standout feature in this update is the ability to use their phones as webcams for their computers. Pixel devices, except for Pixel Fold, running Android 14 QPR1 Beta 1 can now use their phone's camera as a webcam for their desktops or laptops.

Surface Go 4: Price, release date, and everything we know

João Carrasqueira — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 18:00:28 GMT

After two years of waiting, Microsoft has finally refreshed the Surface Go family with the Surface Go 4, except it's not exactly what we were expecting. While this new model is still one of Microsoft's best Surface products, the company is only making a business version, meaning most consumers won't be able to find it in stores. Still, if you're interested in this budget-oriented Windows tablet, we've got you covered.

The new Outlook for Windows app is now generally available for all consumers

Usama Jawad — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 17:31:33 GMT

After several leaks, Microsoft began rolling out an updated Outlook for Windows app for Office Insiders enrolled in the Beta Channel back in May 2022. The redesigned app eventually became available for more consumers by September 2022 as it received multiple updates to improve inking support and introduce integration with Gmail accounts. Following well over a year of testing with Office Insiders, Microsoft is now making the new Outlook for Windows app generally available for all consumers.

Surface Laptop Go 3: Price, release date, and everything else

João Carrasqueira — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 17:25:29 GMT

Microsoft has just announced the Surface Laptop Go 3, the latest refresh of its budget-oriented laptop, which actually isn't as budget-friendly anymore. This new version comes with significantly upgraded specs, and that means the starting price is also much higher. If you want to know everything there is to know about the Surface Laptop Go 3, we're here to help.

Microsoft Edge 118 Beta rolls out with AI-powered 'Find on Page' feature

Kishalaya Kundu — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 15:33:18 GMT

Microsoft is rolling out Edge 118 in the beta channel with a number of new features, including an AI-powered 'smart find' option that the company claims would make it easier for users to search for a word or phrase on a webpage. It is one of the many AI features coming to the fledgling browser, including the AI-powered writing assistance tool that promises to make it easier to rewrite text. The latest version also changes the way the browser notifies users about available updates and introduces a new SmartScreen policy that offers admins more control over their downloads.

Microsoft testing DALL-E 3 art generator in Bing Chat

Rahul Naskar — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 15:22:53 GMT

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the DALL-E 3 art generator tool will be available for ChatGPT Plus subscribers in the coming weeks. However, thanks to Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI, Bing Chat users can already use the image creator tool without paying a subscription fee.

The Surface Laptop Studio 2 has more ports and more power for creators

João Carrasqueira — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 15:16:42 GMT

Microsoft has officially unveiled the Surface Laptop Studio 2, its latest flagship laptop for creators, nearly two years after launching the original Laptop Studio alongside Windows 11. Along with it, the company also revealed the Surface Go 4 and the Surface Laptop Go 3, bringing improved performance to the company's budget-oriented devices.

Windows 11 23H2 coming September 26 with Copilot and more

João Carrasqueira — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 14:23:35 GMT

During its special event in New York, Microsoft has announced that Copilot, its new AI assistant, will make its debut in Windows 11 on September 26th, alongside many other features included in Windows 11 version 23H2. Copilot is also now its own thing, an underlying AI component that lives across all kinds of Microsoft products, including Windows, Edge, and Microsoft 365.

Microsoft is reportedly ditching the Surface Duo and Surface Studio lineup

Usama Jawad — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 13:05:26 GMT

A few days ago, we learned that Microsoft's leader of the Windows and Devices division, Panos Panay, is leaving the company after nearly two decades of employment. The former executive was promoted to the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) just over two years ago, making his exit seem rather abrupt, especially when the Surface event is taking place later today. Although the Redmond tech firm has emphasized that it is still committed to its Windows and Surface products, new reports now claim that this is not exactly the case.

Apple Silicon: Everything you need to know about Apple's own chips

Mahmoud Itani — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 10:31:26 GMT

On top of making high-end consumer hardware including powerful iPhones, excellent iPads, and more, Apple also produces a series of system on a chip (SoC). These SoCs are designed to be used in Apple's own consumer hardware products, and it mainly uses ARM architecture. In addition to the new Mac computers, a variety of different Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs, Apple Watches, and more, use Apple Silicon.

A chatbot can now help you write code in GitHub Copilot

Usama Jawad — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 08:21:34 GMT

Chatbots and AI-powered copilots are all the rage these days with pretty much all big tech companies investing heavily in this area. Amazon recently placed a lot of emphasis on Alexa's AI capabilities integrated into its latest smart home products, Microsoft is marketing its Copilot initiative across its entire Microsoft 365 suite and Windows, and Google is aiming to continue its dominance in the online search space through improvements to Bard. Now, Microsoft-owned GitHub has announced that it is making it even easier to code through its GitHub Copilot program.

Outlook for the web will soon let you dictate emails

Rahul Naskar — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 07:30:29 GMT

Microsoft Outlook is going through major changes with the software giant attempting to unify Windows, Web, and Mac codebases for its email clients. Besides behind-the-scene changes, Microsoft is also looking to bridge the feature gap across different Outlook clients. The company's latest effort in that direction is adding the dictation feature to Outlook for the web.

Here are all the new Fire TV, Echo, and other products announced during today's Amazon devices event

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 18:01:46 GMT

Amazon hosted its fall devices and Services event today in Virginia, and it took the wraps off a series of new products. That means coming later this year are tons of new Fire TV products, new Echo devices, and even new smart home products like Ring cameras. The event was invite-only, but the company has since shared details on X (formerly known as Twitter), and a dedicated microsite, so if you're preparing your wallet for new smart devices, we have a look at every single product that was announced.

Pre-order the massive 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 and get a $500 credit

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 14:46:01 GMT

The moment has finally arrived if you're a gamer looking to boost your setup with a fancy but unique new gaming monitor. Samsung has announced that pre-orders for the new 57-inch Odyssey Neo G9 Gaming Monitor are now open. Revealed back in January, this monitor is quite a special one as it's the world's first Dual UHD Gaming Monitor.

Internal memo spills some of the AI-centric details on Thursday's special Microsoft Surface event

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 14:15:15 GMT

Microsoft's special September 21 event in New York City is now just a day away, but an internal memo sent out to employees at the company has spilled some of the beans on what you might expect. It is shaping up to be an event that will focus heavily on the power of AI in many Microsoft products, including Surface, Microsoft 365, and Windows.

Intel reveals details on Meteor Lake, how future CPUs will be made, and its process strategy for the future

Matthew Connatser — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 15:36:30 GMT

At this year's Intel Innovation event, Intel released some key (though not completely unexpected) details about its next-generation Meteor Lake chips, which are coming to next-generation laptops in 2024. While Intel isn't bringing these to the desktop, this is one of the most exciting generations of Intel hardware in recent years. In fact, Meteor Lake is the pipe cleaner that will make the way for Intel's CPUs across several segments, from laptops to desktop to the datacenter to AI.

Cherry launches two new wireless keyboards for mobile and office working

Kishalaya Kundu — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 15:17:30 GMT

Mechanical keyboard maker Cherry has expanded its entry-level portfolio with the launch of new affordable wireless keyboards, the KW 7100 MINI BT and the KW 3000. As evident from its name, the former is a mini keyboard aimed at mobile working, while the latter is a full-size keyboard meant for workplaces and home offices. Both are available for purchase from today on Amazon.

Google Bard gets smarter with Extensions support

Rahul Naskar — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:19:20 GMT

To take the competition head-on and challenge rival platforms like ChatGPT, Google has announced a couple of new features for Bard. The Mountain View tech giant has announced Bard Extensions and the ability to double-check responses in Bard to give users more customized responses.

Major WSL update brings automatic VHD shrinking, mirrored networking, and more

Usama Jawad — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 08:45:18 GMT

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a handy utility present in Windows 10 and Windows 11 that allows developers to run GNU/Linux environments directly inside the operating system without requiring virtual machines (VMs) or dual-boot configurations. The implementation became generally available via the Microsoft Store about a year ago, making it easier for interested users to install it quickly. Now, Microsoft has rolled out a new pre-release version of WSL with a lot of interesting, experimental features.

Microsoft releases Python Editor for Excel

Usama Jawad — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 01:46:28 GMT

Less than a month ago, Microsoft finally announced support for Python in Excel, allowing customers to use the powerful programming language in tandem with conventional Excel formulas to analyze and manipulate data. The move was greeted with a lot of enthusiasm and to capitalize on this excitement, Microsoft has released a Python editor for its Office application.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 rumored to be 1.7x faster than the RTX 4090

Kishalaya Kundu — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 16:35:51 GMT

The RTX 4090 is already the fastest graphics card in the world, making it a great option not only for gamers, but also creators, AI applications, and professionals. However, Nvidia is now working on its next-gen GPU lineup, and a new leak has now seemingly revealed a few details about the RTX 5090, which is expected to be the top dog in the RTX 50 series.

Paint on Windows 11 moves closer to Photoshop with layer support

Arif Bacchus — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 16:21:30 GMT

The Windows 11 Paint app is moving closer to replacing Photoshop for your photo editing needs. Microsoft is apparently testing a new layers feature in the Paint app, letting you use the app as an actual canvas for all your creation needs. The feature is currently rolling out to Dev and Canary Channel Windows Insiders.

Windows and Surface leader Panos Panay is leaving Microsoft after almost 20 years

João Carrasqueira — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 14:16:55 GMT

Microsoft has announced that Panos Panay, leader of the Windows and Devices division at the company, is leaving, after spending nearly 20 years at Microsoft. He will be succeeded by Pavan Davuluri and others who will be taking on different responsibilities. Panos was responsible for developing and growing the Surface brand prior to also taking the reins of Windows itself.

Android games in Chromebook to get Game Dashboard, and here is how it’ll work

Rahul Naskar — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 08:08:28 GMT

Google has long been trying to enhance the Android gaming experience on Chromebooks by introducing features like keyboard controls for touch-first Android games, and more. Now, in another significant step in that direction, the Mountain View tech giant is working on bringing Android’s Game Dashboard feature to Chromebook devices to allow users access to useful tools while playing games.

Intel 14th-gen Core CPUs could be more expensive than Raptor Lake

Kishalaya Kundu — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:07:35 GMT

Intel is expected to announce its 14th-gen Core 'Raptor Lake Refresh' desktop processors at its Innovation 2023 event on September 19 before making them available for purchase on October 17. Multiple leaks over the past few weeks have already revealed much of their key specifications, including clock speeds, core configurations, TDPs, and more. The latest leak now gives us an insight into their probable pricing, and there's both good news and bad for potential buyers.

Razer refreshes Viper gaming mouse line with redesigned V3 HyperSpeed

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 19:50:49 GMT

Razer has launched the Viper V3 HyperSpeed gaming mouse. This mouse refreshes the Viper lineup a bit. It comes with a new design, a better sensor, as well as improved battery life. Best of all, it retails for $70 and is an affordable way to play just like the pros do.

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 full specifications revealed in massive leak

Kishalaya Kundu — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 17:45:18 GMT

Microsoft is expected to announce a slew of new Surface devices at its upcoming event next week, and the star of the show is likely to be the Surface Laptop Studio 2. It has long been rumored to feature a 13th-gen Intel Core i7 processor alongside RTX 40-series GPUs and 64GB of memory, which would be a first in a Surface product. A massive leak has now seemingly confirmed some of these specifications, as well as revealed the display specs and some other details about the upcoming device.

Windows 11 Photos app gets background blur and motion photo support

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 17:39:21 GMT

Microsoft is rolling out two big updates for some core Windows 11 apps. Windows Insiders in the Canary and the Dev Channels can now test background blur in the Windows 11 Photos app. Also up for testing are new updates for the Snipping Tool, which now can allow you to copy text from your screen captures.

Google is extending Chromebook support to 10 years starting next year

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 16:00:29 GMT

Google is making big changes that might end up impacting your Chromebook's lifespan. The company says that starting in 2024, all new Chromebooks will automatically get up to 10 years of updates after the Chromebook is released. This is up from the current eight years of support that most Chromebooks already get.

Nvidia's RTX 4070 could get a price cut following the launch of the Radeon RX 7800 XT

Kishalaya Kundu — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:32:03 GMT

Nvidia has been feeling the heat in the all important mid-range following the launch of the Radeon RX 7800 XT, and the company is seemingly doing something about it. According to a new report, the GeForce RTX 4070, which is a direct competitor to AMD's aforementioned GPU, could soon see a price cut across all brands and models. For now, though, only a couple of Nvidia's board partners - Gigabyte and Zotac - are offering a discount on the card, while the rest are still selling it at its advertised price.

The Spectre Fold is HP's first foldable PC, featuring a 17-inch OLED screen

João Carrasqueira — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 12:01:25 GMT

HP is entering the foldable PC market with the Spectre Fold, a 17-inch foldable tablet that can be used in various modes thanks to its folding display. This launch follows recent entries like the Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold, but it's still one of the first devices in this category.

Microsoft is making Nearby Share easier to use in Windows 11

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:34:57 GMT

Microsoft today rolled out a new Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23545 to the Dev Channel. This build is yet again a small one, but it comes with a few changes and one improvement in it is notable. The best example is a tweak to Nearby Share, which makes it easier to quickly give your device a friendly name for sharing. Other than that, it's the usual bug fixes.

Microsoft Edge will soon make it easier to rewrite text with AI

Rahul Naskar — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 16:12:00 GMT

Microsoft is working on a new Bing Chat-powered AI feature for its Edge web browser to tweak your writing to help you express yourself better. While it sounds the same as what Bing Chat can do in the Edge sidebar, the upcoming writing assistance tool will make it even easier to rewrite text.

Microsoft is killing off translation features in OneNote for Windows 10

Usama Jawad — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 12:12:19 GMT

OneNote on Windows is a bit of an odd duckling. Depending upon your desktop configuration and use, you may have access to two OneNote apps. The first is the OneNote for Windows 10 - which is based on the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) - and has been delisted from the Microsoft Store. The second is the newer unified version based on the classic OneNote desktop app that comes with Microsoft 365. Now, the Redmond tech firm has announced that it is ending support for translation capabilities in the old OneNote app.

Microsoft is one step closer to removing Teams Chat in Windows 11

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 22:50:40 GMT

Microsoft has released two new Windows 11 Beta channel builds, and the one that's usually all about bringing new features actually removes one. Indeed, Windows Insiders running Windows 11 build 22631.2338 with new features rolling out, should now notice that Microsoft is going one step closer to ditching Teams in Windows 11. In that build, the Chat is now Microsoft Teams – Free. As for Windows 11 Beta Channel build 22621.2338, it's a smaller release with just bug fixes. Both builds are getting a new focus widget.

September Windows 11 Patch Tuesday update tweaks the search box gleam, bugs with Sticky Keys

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 17:33:14 GMT

If you're on a laptop or a desktop that runs Windows, it's time to head to Windows Update. Today is Patch Tuesday, which is the day Microsoft rolls out monthly security and bug fixes for Windows 10 and Windows 11. This month's patch is fairly small since it's just bug fixes and security tweaks, but it still is important to grab, so your PC stays secure from the latest threats.

How to update drivers in Windows 11

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 16:00:25 GMT

Drivers are one of the most critical parts of Windows 11. They are what power your laptop and basically any PC. A driver is part of the software on Windows that helps your PC communicate with something that might be connected to it. That could be the display, a USB drive, a keyboard, or even the trackpad.

Microsoft's OneDrive for web will soon work offline

Rahul Naskar — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 15:46:14 GMT

Microsoft has major plans for OneDrive, with the company announcing many AI features in a dedicated event, set to take place next month. However, the software giant has one more feature in the works for OneDrive to make its cloud storage service more accessible even when you're not connected to the internet.

Intel announces Thunderbolt 5 with up to 120Gbps bandwidth

João Carrasqueira — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:01:25 GMT

Intel has been teasing Thunderbolt 5 for nearly a year now, but today, the company has finally fully unveiled the technology. Thunderbolt 5 will deliver up to a 120Gbps bandwidth, three times more than Thunderbolt 4, with support for more and faster displays as well as more powerful charging capabilities, all using a single cable.

Intel 'Raptor Lake Refresh' launch date leaked; Core i9-14900k incoming

Kishalaya Kundu — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 15:18:28 GMT

Intel is set to announce its 14th-gen Core 'Raptor Lake Refresh' desktop processors later this month as an iterative upgrade over last year's Raptor Lake lineup. Much has already been leaked about the upcoming processors, including the names and key specifications of most of the top-end SKUs like the Core i9-14900K that's expected to be the new flagship. Now, a new leak claims that the new CPUs will be available for purchase from next month.

Microsoft's Surface Duo reaches end of life

Usama Jawad — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:22:24 GMT

Microsoft announced the Surface Duo and Surface Neo back in October 2019 and while the latter device was canceled ahead of release, the Duo became available in September 2020. We reviewed the dual-screen Android handset and praised its hardware while still acknowledging its limitations, high price tag, and the very specific market niche that it targets. Today, Microsoft has ended support for the Surface Duo.

Skype’s Bing AI gets a massive upgrade with tone suggestions and more

Rahul Naskar — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 17:56:43 GMT

Microsoft is in the process of introducing the AI-based Bing Chat feature to many of its apps and services and is also putting effort into improving the AI experience across its different platforms. The latest app to get massive AI improvements is Skype, which now helps you to be more creative with your messages.

Gigabyte's latest motherboards support Intel's incoming next generation chips

Matthew Connatser — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 19:47:31 GMT

Intel's upcoming 14th-generation Raptor Lake refresh is something of an open secret at this point, and since they're soon to be upon us we'd expect the motherboard manufacturers to prepare not just new BIOSes for old motherboards, but also to launch new motherboards for these new chips. Gigabyte is already getting new motherboards ready for 14th-generation CPUs with two new motherboards: the Z790 Aorus Pro X and the B760M Aorus Elite X AX.

Leak reveals Intel's full 14th-gen desktop CPU lineup

Kishalaya Kundu — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 19:29:39 GMT

Intel is set to announce its next-gen desktop CPU lineup later this month as an upgrade over the 13th-gen 'Raptor Lake' series that was launched late last year. Called 'Raptor Lake Refresh,' the upcoming lineup has been in the news often in recent weeks, thanks to multiple leaks that have revealed some key details, including core counts and clock speeds of some of the mosts notable SKUs, including the flagship Core i9-14900K. Now, a new leak has seemingly revealed the key specifications of the entire lineup.

Samsung's 990 Pro SSDs get bumped to 4TB with latest release

Timi Cantisano — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 17:33:27 GMT

For some time now, Samsung has dominated the SSD market with its impressive products. This year is no different with its 990 series taking the top spot, being the best SSDs on the market you can buy right now. With that said, fans of the product have been limited in sizes, with the top end maxing out at just 2TB. It looks like that will no longer be the case as Samsung has announced new 4TB models that will be available in standard version, and also one that comes with a heat sink.

Microsoft will defend AI Copilot commercial customers against copyright claims

Usama Jawad — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 07:52:24 GMT

Microsoft has been going all in on its AI endeavors recently. The company has been integrating its AI Copilot services across its Microsoft 365 suite of products and even Windows. However, as the Redmond tech firm expands services in this field of generative AI (GAI), there are natural concerns regarding the potential legal and regulatory hurdles, due to the technology being at a stage of relative infancy. Now, Microsoft has addressed some of the questions in this area in an attempt to assure commercial customers that they should use its GAI technologies without worrying about the legalities.

Paint for Windows 11 is getting background removal

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 18:58:51 GMT

The Paint app in Windows 11 just got a lot more useful, helping you avoid using Photoshop for one more thing. Now rolling out in beta to Canary and Dev Channel Windows Insiders is a new update for Paint, bringing the option to remove the background in an image in a few simple clicks.

Apple releases iOS 16.6.1 and macOS Ventura 13.5.2, here's what's new

Brady Snyder — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 17:44:42 GMT

Despite rumors that Apple would skip an iOS 16.6.1 update in favor of releasing iOS 16.7 instead, the company seeded iOS 16.6.1 to users today. The release came alongside minor updates to other Apple operating systems, with iPadOS 16.6.1, watchOS 9.6.2, and macOS Ventura 13.5.2. The iOS 16.6.1 update contains "important security fixes and is recommended for all users," according to Apple.

How to add a printer in Windows 11

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 16:00:29 GMT

If you just purchased a new printer or want to hook up an old one to your new laptop, then you're in luck. Windows 11 makes the setup process really easy. Most printers are plug-and-play, so once you connect it to your USB port (or USB dock) on your laptop, you'll be good to go. But just in case that doesn't go as planned, or you run into issues, we have a look at how you can add a printer on Windows 11.

Google gives Chrome a beautiful Material You redesign for its 15th birthday

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:00:26 GMT

The Google Chrome web browser just turned 15 years old today, and to celebrate the moment, Google has a treat. The browser is getting a new look inspired by the Material You design language, featuring fresher color palettes. Also on the way are improvements to the Chrome Web Store, and new search and Safe Browsing features. You can look forward to seeing these in the coming weeks.

Microsoft will stop offering third-party printer drivers through Windows Update soon

Usama Jawad — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 11:34:17 GMT

With the general availability of Windows 10 version 21H2 back in April 2022, Microsoft also began offering built-in support for Mopria-compliant printer drivers interfacing through USB and internet connectivity via the Microsoft IPP Class Driver. Although this particular version of the operating system is no longer supported for most users, the change in driver implementation has carried over to newer versions of Windows too, including the upcoming Windows 11 version 23H2 too. As such, Microsoft has announced that it is winding down support for third-party printer drivers offered via Windows Update.

Opera browser's 'Aria' AI chatbot can write custom bios and give tips on how to launch a streaming career

Kishalaya Kundu — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 10:00:25 GMT

The Opera GX browser is getting an AI chatbot called 'Aria' that could answer questions, write code, and even give you all the details you need about the latest updates to popular games. The software is aimed at largely at gamers, allowing them to get gaming news and tips directly within their browser. It comes with Opera's proprietary Composer architecture that is underscored by OpenAI's ChatGPT, but Opera states that the technology can be used to connect with other AI models to expand Aria's functionality in the future.

ChromeOS to get search filter in Launcher, lockscreen updates, and more

Rahul Naskar — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 09:59:23 GMT

From improving the Launcher experience to making tweaks in the settings and privacy, Google is working on a bunch of new features for the future updates of ChromeOS. Of all the changes recently spotted, updates to Launcher seem to be the most exciting ones.

Logitech's Pebble 2 Collection includes a stylish compact mouse and keyboard

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 17:25:17 GMT

Logitech has launched the Pebble 2 Collection. This new product suite comes with three different options. Separately, you can buy the keyboard, the Pebble Keys 2 K380s, or the Pebble Mouse 2 M350s. Or, as part of a bundle, get the Pebble 2 Combo which includes both products.

Intel 'Meteor Lake' leak reveals Core Ultra 9 185H with 16 cores and 5.1 Ghz clock speed

Kishalaya Kundu — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 16:20:29 GMT

Earlier this year, Intel announced a major rebrand for its processors in over a decade. Starting with the Meteor Lake lineup, the 'Core i' nomenclature will give way to 'Core Ultra' for high-end chips, while the more mainstream parts will move from the "i3/i5/i7/i9" branding to a "Core 3/5/7/9" naming convention. Prior to this week, we already knew a few things about the 1st-generation Core Ultra family, but a new leak has now revealed more details about a few of the SKUs in the upcoming lineup.

Bing Chat will make it easier to continue chatting on your phone

Rahul Naskar — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 12:59:28 GMT

Microsoft's Bing made a lot of headlines when OpenAI's generative AI technology was introduced earlier this year. To take the whole AI chat experience to a different level, the company keeps adding new features to Bing, the latest being the ability to start the chat on a desktop and continue it on a phone.

MSI issues BIOS fix for unsupported processor BSOD error on Windows

Usama Jawad — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:52:38 GMT

A couple of weeks ago, Microsoft documented an issue affecting several Windows 10 and 11 customers who were reporting instances of Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) with error messages of "UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR". This problem was seemingly impacting MSI customers who had installed the optional preview Windows update in August 2023, but after conducting an initial investigation, Microsoft emphasized that it was not to blame for these BSODs. Now, MSI has taken ownership for the issue and rolled out BIOS updates for affected motherboards.

Lenovo Legion 9i: Release date, price, and everything else

João Carrasqueira — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 10:30:26 GMT

Lenovo has already made some of the best gaming laptops on the market in 2023, but the company isn't resting on its laurels. Recently, it announced the Lenovo Legion 9i, its new flagship model that delivers a premium gaming experience in a surprisingly thin chassis thanks to the magic of water cooling.

The classic Outlook app may be killed off in the next two years

Rahul Naskar — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 10:29:18 GMT

Microsoft has recently posted a video on its Microsoft 365 YouTube channel, revealing a lot of information about what's next for the new Outlook app on Windows. Towards the end of the video, Microsoft also confirmed that it would take at least a couple of years to replace the classic or Win32-based Outlook app with the new Outlook.

Intel's Core i9-14900K "Raptor Lake Refresh" CPU leaked on Geekbench ahead of launch

Kishalaya Kundu — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 15:54:18 GMT

Intel is expected to launch its Raptor Lake Refresh CPU lineup later this month, and recent leaks have already revealed several details about it. Earlier this year, a report is believed to have revealed the specifications of at least three unlocked K-series Raptor Lake Refresh desktop SKUs, including the Core i9-14900K, i7-14700K, and i5-14600K. Now, a new leak seemingly confirms some of the leaked specs and also gives us some insight into the performance of the flagship SKU - the Core i9-14900K.

Philips' budget-friendly IPS black creator monitor is now available for $500

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 14:48:53 GMT

Philips' much anticipated 27E2F7901 Creator Series monitor is now up for sale. The 27-inch 4K UHD IPS Black and 3480x2160 resolution display can now be purchased from Amazon for $500, offering those on a budget a solid monitor for video editing, photo editing, and so much more.

Photo albums in OneDrive are about to take up a whole lot more space

Usama Jawad — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 13:03:37 GMT

OneDrive is one of the best cloud storage services out there, especially because of its cost and how tightly it integrates with Microsoft Office applications. The service is due to receive some AI features next month if the latest rumors are to be believed, but ahead of that, Microsoft has announced a change in policy that may be deemed controversial by many.

Cinebench 2024 released with GPU testing and wider platform support

Adam Conway — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 13:03:17 GMT

In the world of benchmarks, few stand as tall as Cinebench does. It's one of the go-to benchmarks for CPU testing across the computing sphere, as it attempts to mimic real-world usage while providing a value that can be used to directly compare to other machines for an idea of relative performance. As time goes on, though, use cases change and more features are required to accurately evaluate the performance of one machine against another. With that in mind, Cinebench 2024 is now here, and it brings support for more platforms and, even bigger, GPU testing for the first time in over a decade.

Sketchy rumor suggests Apple could release low-cost Chromebook rival next year

Rahul Naskar — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 12:51:33 GMT

Apple has built a reputation over the years as a company that delivers quality products at premium prices. But, in what could be seen as a shift to its current strategy, the Cupertino tech firm is reportedly working on a low-cost MacBook device to compete with Chromebooks and make a mark in the education sector.

Logitech expands gaming lineup with G Pro X TKL Lightspeed keyboard, Superlight 2 gaming mouse

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 04:00:30 GMT

The Logitech G lineup is getting two new additions today. There's the new G Pro X TKL Lightspeed keyboard, and the new G Pro X Superlight 2 gaming mouse. Now available for $200, and $159, respectively, these products bring critical improvements over previous versions with features like enhanced connectivity, helping gamers and eSports professionals succeed.

OneDrive may get an AI boost at an event next month

João Carrasqueira — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 14:38:19 GMT

Microsoft already has some big news lined up for a Surface event later this month, but it looks like the company may have a few more surprises in the works beyond hardware. A leaked video shared by X (Twitter) user WalkingCat shows that the company is unveiling new features for OneDrive on October 3rd.

macOS Sonoma: Desktop widgets, new Lock Screen, and everything you need to know

João Carrasqueira — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 20:01:28 GMT

Coming soon to all modern Mac users, macOS Sonoma is the latest major OS update for Apple's computers. And as our macOS Sonoma beta 1 hands-on reveals, this notable version bump packs some exciting new changes, including an overhauled Lock Screen, interactive desktop widget support, new screen savers, upgrades to Safari, and much more. Below you will find everything you need to know about macOS Sonoma, including its release date, compatibility, and new features.

Microsoft is killing off WordPad in Windows

Usama Jawad — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 14:13:32 GMT

It's seemingly the season of deprecations and removals when it comes to software developed by big tech. A few days ago, Microsoft made a surprise announcement that it is killing off Visual Studio for Mac. Prior to that, it also revealed a list of features that it is sunsetting in Microsoft Edge, around the time Google announced the end of the Pixel Pass subscription too. Now, Microsoft has decided to get rid of WordPad for Windows.

Razer's Viper Mini Signature Edition unveiled in 24K gold, but don't count on your local Best Buy carrying it

Timi Cantisano — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 17:45:53 GMT

The Razer Viper Mini Signature Edition was announced at the beginning of the year and is an absolute beast of a mouse, especially with its recent update that brings 8KHz polling. If you thought the Viper Mini Signature Edition couldn't get any more lavish, then prepare to be surprised, as Razer's CEO Min-Liang Tan has unveiled a version that's made from 24K gold.

AMD's upcoming Ryzen 8000 'Strix Point' APU leak reveals 16 RDNA 3.5 GPU cores

Kishalaya Kundu — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:56:06 GMT

AMD is expected to release its Ryzen 8000-series 'Strix Point' APUs next year, featuring a combination of Zen 5 CPU cores and RDNA 3.5 integrated graphics. Earlier leaks already revealed several key details about them, including the CPU core count, and now another massive leak has seemingly revealed the full GPU core count of what is likely a Strix Point engineering sample.

Intel Arc graphics cards are struggling with Starfield

Timi Cantisano — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:37:27 GMT

One of the most anticipated games of the year, Starfield, is finally on the cusp of being launched and while we still have a few more days to go for general access, those that preordered the Premium or better version of the game have gained early access to the title which started on August 31. As you might expect, there's been a lot of feedback over the past 24 hours, with lots of good, some bad, and a dash of controversial.

Introducing the new XDA, the best computing site in the universe

Rich Woods — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 13:00:19 GMT

Since XDA launched over 20 years ago, computing has been at the heart of everything that we do. We started out as a Windows development community, after all, and are named after the O2 Xda. That evolved into Android, and more recently, we’ve expanded into being an all-encompassing tech site. If it’s got a processor in it and you compute with it, we probably cover it.

PSA: Windows 11 21H2 to reach end of support next month

Rahul Naskar — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:15:28 GMT

It has been well-known for the last couple of months that Microsoft has decided to stop supporting Windows 11 21H2 Home and Pro editions after October 10, 2023. And now that we are a month away from the announced date, Microsoft is again notifying users about the Windows 11 21H2's end-of-support date.

The Lenovo Legion Go is a Steam Deck on steroids

João Carrasqueira — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 04:00:30 GMT

Ahead of this year's IFA, taking place starting this weekend from September 1st through the 5th, Lenovo is announcing a handful of new products focused on gamers and creators. Among them is the previously-rumored Legion Go handheld gaming PC, but there's also the first water-cooled 16-inch laptop in the world, the Lenovo Legion 9i.

Windows 11 Snipping Tool gets quicker access to screen recording

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:26:47 GMT

Windows Insiders in the Dev and Canary Channels are getting a Windows 11 treat. Microsoft is now shipping out an update for the Snipping Tool, which helps make it easier to start screen recordings. Also rolling out is an enhancement for the Notepad, which helps make saving a session state easier.

Teams will be removed from Microsoft 365 in some countries soon

Usama Jawad — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:19:48 GMT

Back in 2020, Slack alleged that Microsoft is engaging in anticompetitive practices by bundling Teams in Microsoft 365 subscriptions for business customers, increasing the cost of the plan for users while still making it difficult for them to opt for an alternative since they are already paying for other services and applications included in the subscription. The European Commission (EC) formally began investigating the matter last month, but prior to the regulator revealing its findings, Microsoft has proactively announced some remediations.

Here are all the new features Microsoft added to Teams in August 2023

Usama Jawad — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 18:26:35 GMT

Yesterday, Microsoft published a comprehensive list of all the new features that it added to Excel during the month of August 2023. Now, with the month ending soon, the Redmond tech firm has detailed some new capabilities and hardware that it introduced to its Teams software too, similar to the previous month. This time around, the company added a whopping 52 features.

Google Chrome's newest feature makes it easier to copy frames from a video

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 18:00:18 GMT

The next time you fire up the Google Chrome web browser and want to screenshot a video, there's an easier way to do it. Google is now rolling out a new option to copy a frame from a video in the Chrome web browser, helping simplify the process of grabbing important information from a recorded video, be it on YouTube, or anything else.

Microsoft Edge will soon help you better remember your passwords through notes

Rahul Naskar — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 10:33:36 GMT

Remembering all your strong passwords for every online account is hard, unless you have a memory like an elephant. Microsoft is working on a clever solution to this problem for the Edge browser. A new Edge feature is in works to let users add notes to passwords of each of their account saved in the browser.

Windows 12: Everything we know and what we want to see

João Carrasqueira — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 20:00:28 GMT

It may be hard to believe, but Windows 11 is nearly two years old now, with a few updates already under its belt. Windows 11 version 22H2 was big, and with a few Moment updates released since then, plus version 23H2 on the horizon, the OS has evolved a lot. Despite that, all signs point to Microsoft shifting focus to Windows 12 in the future, with reports indicating that this entirely new version will be launching in 2024.

Microsoft is killing Visual Studio for Mac next year

João Carrasqueira — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 19:54:31 GMT

Microsoft has announced that Visual Studio for Mac is being retired, with support for the final release, version 17.6, ending as soon as next year.

Here are all the new features Microsoft added to Excel in August 2023

Usama Jawad — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 17:14:57 GMT

Last week, Microsoft Excel customers got a pretty nice surprise when the Redmond tech firm announced support for the Python programming language in the software. This is meant to make it easier for data analysts and scientists to manipulate and visualize data using Python libraries and leveraging Excel formulas and PivotTables directly in the application at the same time, but only for Insiders currently. Now, the company has published its roundup of all the features that it added to its popular spreadsheet software during the month of August 2023.

Plugins for Bing Chat seem to finally be rolling out

Rahul Naskar — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 11:30:25 GMT

Microsoft announced earlier this year that plugins support for Bing Chat was coming to Microsoft Edge. And now, after keeping the users waiting for months, the software giant seems to have finally started rolling out plugins for the Bing Chat web page in the Edge web browser.

Vivaldi browser gets even faster with version 6.2 update

Arif Bacchus — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 07:00:29 GMT

The Vivaldi browser is now much more efficient. Thanks to some under-the-hood changes in Vivaldi 6.2 on desktop, you'll feel that opening windows will be faster and should notice that the browser will also use less memory. The update is now out for download for all users and helps makes it an even more solid alternative to Google Chrome or even Microsoft Edge and Firefox as one of the best web browsers.

Google takes on Microsoft 365 Copilot with Duet AI in Chat, Meet, and more

Usama Jawad — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 18:17:07 GMT

Microsoft has been making a lot of waves in the artificial intelligence (AI) space recently thanks to innovations in services and tools like Bing Chat, Microsoft 365 Copilot, GitHub Copilot, and ChatGPT. With interest growing in this area, it's natural to see big tech firms investing money and effort in this area to attract more customers by enticing them with the latest advancements in technology. Now, Google has announced integrations between its Duet AI and Google Workspace products pretty much across the board.

WhatsApp launches native macOS app with group calling for up to 32 people

Kishalaya Kundu — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 15:38:49 GMT

Having released an upgraded version of its Windows desktop client earlier this year, WhatsApp has now launched a native macOS app that the company says will offer similar features for Mac users. Originally conceived as a mobile app, WhatsApp gained a native Windows version last year after several months of beta testing, enabling users to chat directly from their PC without having to connect their phone. Prior to the launch of the native desktop apps, users had to use the web version of WhatsApp to access the service on their computers.

It's now even easier to access Microsoft OneDrive on your Chromebook

Arif Bacchus — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 19:57:59 GMT

Google is rolling out ChromeOS version 116 to the Beta channel. This is a fairly big release because it brings a new way to use OneDrive on your Chromebook through the Files app, along with several other changes to some everyday parts of the operating system.

Bing Chat Enterprise in Windows Copilot will keep your data private

Arif Bacchus — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 17:59:40 GMT

Microsoft is bringing Bing Chat Enterprise to the Windows Copilot preview experience. Designed for commercial customers, and rolling out today for those who have Windows 11 PCs in the Dev or Beta channel, this feature will help keep your data shared on Bing Chat for business purposes even more private.

Google can now recommend you the cheapest time to book a flight

Usama Jawad — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 15:14:14 GMT

Google Flights is a fairly mature service, launched over a decade ago, which enables customers to book flights to various destinations around the globe through third-party suppliers. It packs a ton of features including the ability to filter based on budget, destination, carbon emissions, and more to find the best possible flight in terms of bang for your buck. Now, the company is improving this service even further through three new and existing capabilities.

Microsoft is getting rid of a bunch of features in Edge soon

Usama Jawad — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 13:03:15 GMT

Microsoft Edge may not be the most popular browser out there in terms of market share, but it's definitely a capable one. Microsoft regularly adds new features to the browser both for developers and consumers in order to gain further traction in an uphill battle against the likes of Google Chrome. Stable Channel releases are made available on a monthly basis, but Insider rollouts give some insights about what to expect. Now, the latest Edge Beta version has revealed that Microsoft is deprecating some features in its browser.

Bing Chat is finally available in Google Chrome for all desktop users

Usama Jawad — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 11:56:16 GMT

Bing Chat has been out for a few months now and has been attracting attention from various market segments. Seeing the popularity of its latest chatbot, Microsoft also updates it with new features - such as image creation through text - on an intermittent basis.

Dropbox ends unlimited cloud storage policy because some customers abused its generosity

Usama Jawad — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 18:33:14 GMT

Although Dropbox is a fairly simple service to use for most cloud storage needs, it faces stiff competition from the likes of Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Box, and more, especially on the pricing front. For example, the Dropbox Plus plan for individual use starts at $12/month with 2TB of storage, which is considerably more expensive than the Microsoft 365 Basic plan which starts at $2/month with just 100GB but also bundles goodies such as seamless integration with Office apps. Now, Dropbox has decided to restrict its unlimited storage policy due to malicious behavior from some of its customers.

Google is testing a feature that would let Chrome read webpages out loud like an audiobook

Kishalaya Kundu — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 15:46:29 GMT

Google Chrome is the world's most popular browser, and for good reasons. It is often the leader in rolling out new features, but strangely enough, it doesn't have the ability to read aloud online articles, unlike other browsers like Microsoft Edge. That, however, is set to change soon, as a tipster has now spotted a new option in Chrome Canary that would allow the browser to read aloud articles on the web.

AMD bolsters its RX 7000 series with upper midrange RX 7700 XT and 7800 XT

Matthew Connatser — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 15:30:26 GMT

Nearly a year after the launch of the RX 7000 series, AMD is finally plugging the massive gap between the RX 7600 and the flagship 7900 XT with the brand-new RX 7700 XT and 7800 XT. These two GPUs will go head-to-head with the RTX 4060 Ti and 4070 respectively, and will finally replace the older RX 6000 series in this price and performance segment. Although AMD is undeniably late to the party, at least it has something to show for it.

Windows 11 Beta channel insiders get treated with a redesigned settings page

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 17:34:19 GMT

Microsoft just released Windows 11 build 22621.2262 and build 22631.2262 (KB5029339) to Beta Channel Windows Insiders. Build 22631.2262 is for those with new features rolling out and build 22621.2262 is for those with new features off by default. This is what Microsoft calls an LCU update, meaning it's bringing lots of new features for those who have build 22631.2262 installed. Of those new features is a redesigned settings home page, and backup and restore improvements.

Massive leak reveals key details about Intel's 14th-gen Core processors

Kishalaya Kundu — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 17:03:34 GMT

Intel is expected to announce its 14th-gen Core 'Raptor Lake Refresh' CPUs later this year as a follow-up to last year's Raptor Lake lineup. Various leaks over the past few months have revealed quite a bit about the upcoming processors, but the latest info about them comes straight from Taiwanese motherboard manufacturer MSI, confirming several key details, such as the names and core counts of multiple chips in the next-gen family.

Microsoft is investigating an "unsupported processor" BSOD error in latest Windows 10 and 11 update

Usama Jawad — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:26:44 GMT

A couple of days ago, Microsoft released an optional preview update for Windows 10 and 11 as a precursor to the cumulative update coming on Patch Tuesday next month. Its headlining features included tweaking the hover behavior on the search box and the ability to change default apps in a more convenient manner. However, the update has also introduced an issue that Microsoft is currently investigating.

The Alienware AW2524HF packs in a crazy fast 500Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync Premium

Arif Bacchus — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 04:00:29 GMT

There's a new version of the Alienware 500 Hz Gaming monitor. The new AW2524HF model of the monitor which was first announced back at CES 2023, packs in AMD FreeSync Support, making it a solid option for gamers who might be sporting hardware with AMD CPUs and GPUs.