Microsoft deal takes up to $400 off select Surface Book 2 laptops
Microsoft's latest Surface Book 2 is now on sale with a deep $400 discount through the Microsoft Store. The sale applies to select 13.5- and 15-inch configuration of Microsoft's convertible laptop. After the discount, the price starts at $1,149, with a fully configured version going for $3,099.
Dell slashes prices of XPS 13 and Alienware 17 laptops in latest promo
Dell is running a promotion that will score you big savings off of its popular notebooks, including the latest XPS 13 and Alienware 17. Whether you're a stylish PC user or a gamer, you can now take up to $860 off the Alienware 17 or $430 off of the XPS ultraportable. Only select configurations are discounted.
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.
Microsoft’s rumored Always Connected Surface Pro could emerge as a 5G PC
Microsoft is reportedly working on making bringing the Always Connected PC experience to a future version of its Surface Pro line. The Surface-maker is said to have working prototypes of its Surface Pro running on Qualcomm's ARM-based Snapdragon processor, rather than Intel's x86 architecture.
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.
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.
How 5G networks will make low-latency game streaming a reality
Nvidia thinks the future of gaming is in the cloud, and to make that possible, faster mobile networks like 5G are needed. Though speed is just one part of the equation, mobile carriers are also focusing on lowering the latency to deliver a better user experience with mobile game streaming.
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.
Nvidia’s rumored 7nm Ampere graphics could debut next week, but not for gamers
After rival AMD announced its 7nm Radeon Vega VII graphics earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show, Nvidia may be feeling the pressure to match the smaller architecture. The GeForce-maker may be using its own GTC conference next week to show off its rumored next-generation 7nm Ampere graphics.
Apple’s rumored magazine subscription service could also launch on Macs
Code for Apple's rumored magazine subscription service started appearing on Apple's latest iOS and MacOS betas, suggesting that Mac owners will also be able to access magazines. The service, expected to debut on March 25, will give readers access to a broad array of publications for a flat monthly fee.
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.
5G isn’t only for phones. Here’s how Qualcomm just paved the road to 5G PCs
The future of the PC is the cloud, and Qualcomm wants to lead the charge by pairing its Snapdragon 8cx Always Connected PC processor with its X55 5G modem, allowing people to access cloud storage and stream apps. Will we all own 5G PCs in a couple of years? Qualcomm seems to think so.
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.
National Enquirer responds to Jeff Bezos’ blackmail claims in nude photo scandal
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos claims The National Enquirer had blackmailed him into dropping an investigation. After details of Bezos' affair were published, Bezos wanted to know if the story was politically motivated. The tabloid tried to tie Bezos' hands by threatening to publish his nude photos.
Mozilla exec calls on Congress to restore 2015 net neutrality protections
To restore net neutrality protections, Mozilla COO Denelle Dixon argued that Congress needs to bring back at least the same protections granted by the 2015 order. Dixon argued that net neutrality is needed to help small businesses flourish, and an internet without gatekeepers is the best way to do that.
Microsoft blames constrained chip supplies for PC market slowdown
Microsoft's earnings report gave us some interesting insight into the state of the PC market. Microsoft attributed the slowdown in the market due to constrained inventory of chips, but the Surface line experienced a huge 39 percent growth rate. Could it be that Surface is cannibalizing sales from OEM partners?
Dell’s 75-inch monitor is a Surface Hub competitor built for the classroom
With a focus on collaboration and a more affordable $5,999 price to start, Dell is hoping that the Dell 75 4K Interactive Touch Monitor will be a good fit for the classroom. Like the Surface Hub, this display supports multi-touch and pen input, but you'll need to bring your own computing power.
Digital Storm Aventum X gaming PC review
The allure of the Aventum X isn’t just about power – you can find similar performance elsewhere at cheaper prices. Instead, the Aventum celebrates gamers by making the technology inside as much a part of the design as the tower itself. In designing the Aventum X, Digital Storm has created the Lamborghini of gaming PCs.
