Apple’s newest Mac Mini gets a $200 price cut, the first deal we’ve seen
Apple's latest Mac Mini -- the late-2018 model -- is now on sale for up to $200 off its regular retail price. B&H Photo is running a special promo that takes between $50 to $200 off of the Mac Mini, so now is a good time to buy if you've been eyeing Apple's diminutive MacOS-powered desktop.
With Chrome Portals, Google makes websites feel more like web apps
Google is on a mission to make Chrome faster and more powerful, and that journey starts with Portals and Web Packages. Web Packaging allows web pages to load faster, while Portals lets users travel within the same site or across different sites more fluidly, similar to how apps work today.
How to watch the Microsoft Build 2019 keynote and what to expect
Like in previous years, Microsoft is expected to offer a livestream of this year's Build 2019 keynote. Even if you're not an attendee of the show, which is slated to kick off on Monday, May 6, you'll be able to still follow the latest Microsoft news and keep up with the company's vision for the future of Windows.
Unreal Engine 4 support for developers coming to Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 in May
Ahead of its annual Build conference this year, Microsoft announced that its HoloLens 2 Development Edition will be priced at $3,500. Developers will get Azure credits and trials for Unity Pro and Unity PiXYZ Plugin. Additionally, Unreal Engine 4 support is arriving at the end of the month.
Quantum goes open source as Microsoft expands Q# programming language
At this year's Build conference, Microsoft announced it will open source the Q# compiler and quantum simulators. This is part of Microsoft's push to get developers to code with its Q# quantum computing language, and the move will likely benefit open source quantum computing projects at research institutions.
Razer celebrates Star Wars Day with Stormtrooper-themed gaming accessories
Razer unveiled a trio of gaming peripherals that are bound to excite Star Wars fans. The gaming company decked out its BlackWidow Lite mechanical keyboard, Atheris Wireless Mouse, and Goliathus Extended Gaming Mouse Mat in the black-and-white tones famously found on Stormtrooper uniforms.
Intel heats up graphics battle against Nvidia with ray tracing-capable Xe cards
Intel appears poised to takle a page out of Nvidia's RTX playbook. When Intel launches its server-based Xe graphics for data centers, Intel's new graphics chips will support hardware-based ray tracing. The feature is currently targeting creators, such as those working on visual effects and animated films.
How Wi-Fi 6 will transform connectivity in your home, at the office, and beyond
Even though Wi-Fi 6 is just emerging, Cisco is already looking to improve on the standard by offering PC users a more secure and seamless way to authenticate and connect to public networks. Through the Open Roaming Consortium, Cisco wants Wi-Fi to be as seamless as roaming on a smartphone.
Leak: Dell XPS 17 and experimental dual-screen device both could launch in 2020
Dell may be bringing new members to its premium XPS product family next year. According to a leaked road map, Dell plans on reviving its now-discontinued XPS 17 with a new Intel processor and discrete Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics. The most exciting addition, however, may be a dual-screen device code-named Maximus.
Microsoft’s Windows Core OS will reportedly be a no-show at May’s Build event
PC fans expecting to glimpse Microsoft's vision of a hardware and software future for Windows may have to wait a bit longer. It's been reported that Microsoft's Surface Phone, also known as Project Andromeda, and the new Windows Core OS won't be ready in time for the annual Build conference in May.
Dell’s XPS 15 steps up its game with next-gen Intel, Nvidia chips
Dell has refreshed its gaming laptop line to include Intel's latest 9th-Gen mobile processor and Nvidia's GTX 16-Series graphics. Models include the G5 and G7 as well as the Alienware 17m and 15m laptops, but the star of the show is the redesigned XPS 15 Ultrabook which can double as a gaming laptop.
Acer gives Predator, Nitro gaming notebooks CPU and GPU upgrades
Acer announced that some of its recently launched gaming laptops will benefit from some silicon updates. In addition to shipping with Nvidia's GTX 1650 or GTX 1660 Ti graphics, the Predator Helios, Nitro 7, and Nitro 5 laptops will also get a processor boost to Intel's ninth-generation Core i7-9750H CPU.
Microsoft reverses decision and extends lifeline to MS Paint for Windows 10
Users of MS Paint may want to do some celebrating, as Microsoft extended a huge lifeline to the app. For now, Paint will live on as pre-installed software on Windows 10, reversing Microsoft's announcement from two years ago that Paint will be deprecated in favor of the new Paint 3D software.
The number pad on HP’s Chromebook 15 makes spreadsheet work a breeze
Though HP is promoting the Chromebook 15 as the largest member of its Chromebook family thanks to the device's 15.6-inch display, the unique feature of this laptop is its dedicated number pad, a rarity in the Chrome OS world. This makes the Chromebook 15 an ideal choice for those working in spreadsheets.
Google Chrome will get a Reader Mode for distraction-free desktop browsing
Soon, Chrome users will be able to consume the content they want off of a webpage without distractions. Google is finally beginning to test a new feature called Reader Mode, which distills and displays only the relevant content of a webpage, on its experimental Chrome Canary desktop build.
Amazon strikes $100 off the price of Microsoft Surface Go tablets
Microsoft's Surface Go is one of the most affordable PCs in the Surface lineup, and Amazon's latest sale just made this compact tablet even more wallet-friendly. The Surface Go's $100 discount takes its price down to just under $400, making it an excellent choice if you need a lightweight PC for travel.
Microsoft accelerates carbon reduction plans in new sustainability push
Though Microsoft has made significant progress toward its sustainability goals, it wants to accelerate the rate of becoming a zero-emission, zero-waste company. Microsoft announced that it is doubling a self-imposed internal carbon tax to incentivize business divisions in making sustainable choices.
Acer refreshes Chromebooks and Windows laptops with business, gaming appeal
Acer's refreshed lineup of Chromebook and Windows laptops are designed with gamers and business users in mind. Acer's TravelMate P6 and two new Chromebook models feature MIL-STD 810G ratings for durability, long battery life, and biometric security, while the Nitro gaming notebooks come with dedicated GPUs.
Mac owners can now test MacOS Mojave with Apple’s new public beta
You can now be among the first to test out Apple's newest MacOS Mojave operating system and experience the new dark mode. Apple is now opening up the MacOS Mojave public beta, and it's inviting users to test out the OS to provide feedback ahead of the software's release this fall, but be sure to backup your data!
In the future, A.I. medicine will let patients own their health data
While A.I. is revolutionizing disparate verticals such as autonomous driving and customer support, in medicine it’s saddled by heavy regulation. Doctors see the long-term potential of artificial intelligence in healthcare, but they recommend that early adopters must fix the underlying infrastructure.
These are the worst passwords of 2018. Is yours on this list?
Many internet users continue to use easy to crack passwords, like "12345678," despite repeated warnings from security experts. SplashData has compiled a list of the top 100 worst passwords for 2018 and some familiar entries are on the list. We also offer a few steps you can take to add more security to your account.
A Snipping tool looks to be the star of Windows 10’s next release
With the release of a new WIndows 10 Insider Preview build today showcasing screen snipping enhancements as its central feature, we can expect that the next major release of Windows 10 will make it easier to capture, annotate, and share screenshots. Insiders can grab the new preview build today.
Western Digital’s $55 solid-state drive gives new life to your aging PC
Western Digital launched the WD Blue SN500, a solid-state drive that uses the faster NVMe standard to give your aging PC a speed boost. WD's NVMe drive is up to three times faster than older SATA drives, and pricing starts at just $55. Western Digital is positioning the drive for desktops and laptops.
Intel’s next-gen Comet Lake processors will reportedly arrive with 10 cores
Intel's next-generation Comet Lake processor is said to be an evolution of the Skylake micro-architecture, but the new desktop processor is expected to ship with 10 cores with laptop chips topping out with six cores. Details about the processor were obtained by examining code in Intel's Linux drivers.
DirectX 12 support finally arrives on Windows 7 for World of Warcraft gamers
Windows 7 gamers are finally getting the performance boost with DirectX 12 support on the platform. Microsoft announced that it is bringing DirectX 12 support in a more limited fashion to Windows 7 by working with specific game developers. The first title to benefit is World of Warcraft on Windows 7.
Battle royale success tied to good graphics and a fast monitor, Nvidia says
Having a G-Sync monitor with fast refresh rates may be just as important for winning battle royale games, like Fortnite, as a good graphics card, Nvidia said. When paired with a good discrete graphics card, like Nvidia's GeForce RTX 2080, the hardware combo allows gamers to spot and respond to enemies faster.
Facebook aims to repair reputation with focus on encrypted messaging
The Facebook of tomorrow may forego the news feed that you're familiar with today in favor of disappearing Snapchat-like messages and encryption. In a bid to rebuild its reputation, Faceook detailed its plans to shift to a privacy-focused social network, which could take several years to complete.
Check your ports! Researchers find scary vulnerability in Thunderbolt accessories
Researchers revealed that hackers can target your Mac or PC in a hardware hack by plugging a malicious peripheral into the Thunderbolt port. When the the compromised accessory is attached, hackers can run malicious code to steal your data. As a result, users are advised to stay away from untrusted accessories.
Microsoft and Facebook’s undersea Marea cable breaks data transfer speed record
Researchers have used lasers to show that the transatlantic undersea Marea cable can transfer data at speeds up to 20 percent faster than previously imaged possible. The experiment uses high-speed lasers to achieve data transfer speeds of 26.2 terabits per second across the 4,000 mile-long cable.
Tired of porch pirates? Amazon now lets you schedule your package delivery
Amazon is looking to stay ahead of porch pirates with a new delivery scheduling service called Amazon Day. Amazon Day is only available for the online retailer's Prime members, and it allows users to schedule a date and time for when they want their packages to arrive, minimizing the risk of package theft.
Latest ‘Battlefield V’ update brings better performance to Nvidia RTX PCs
Battlefield V gamers on Nvidia's RTX graphics will benefit from performance improvements when real-time ray-tracing is enabled thanks to a new update that brings DLSS support on February 12. Earlier this year, Nvidia claimed that DLSS will help maintain consistent framerates, even at higher resolutions.