Lenovo wants to give the convertible PC a flexible, wraparound display
A patent application filed by Lenovo describes a convertible laptop sporting a flexible, wrap-around screen. In one implementation, the screen would merely wrap around the lid's lip to render notifications along the edges. A second design describes the screen covering the entire laptop lid.
IBM clamps down on leaks, bans workers from using external storage
A leaked advisory written by chief information security officer Shamla Naidoo says all employees and facilities scattered across the globe will be banned from using external storage devices like flash drives and SD cards in the coming weeks. The reason? Possible financial and reputational damage.
Lenovo’s new IdeaPad laptops tickle your gaming fancy without breaking the bank
Lenovo refreshed its IdeaPad laptop family with three new units: The 330, the 330S, and the 530S. They're based on Intel CPUs and discrete Nvidia GeForce graphics on some units. Lenovo is aiming to provide high performance for a low cost to meet the needs of customers on a budget, starting at $249.
You can soon stream your Steam PC games to Android, iPhone, Apple TV
Valve Software plans to launch its Steam Link app later this month for Android, iOS, and tvOS. It allows PC gamers to stream their library of Steam games over the local network to smartphones, tablets, set-top-boxes, and Android-powered TVs. Valve is also releasing a Steam Video app this summer.
Patch for April 2018 Update sends Windows 10 into infinite boot loop
Patch Tuesday has come and gone, and in its wake is a cumulative update for Windows 10 version 1803, aka April 2018 Update, that's causing many PCs to remain in an infinite boot loop. There's no official response or fix from Microsoft just yet, thus customers are reverting back to Fall Creators Update.
Patch your Windows 10 PC, now! Hackers are exploiting a zero-day flaw
The latest Patch Tuesday update for Windows 10 addresses an Internet Explorer vulnerability dubbed as "Double Kill." Found by the Qihoo 360 Core Security team, it lets hackers to take complete control of a victim's PC without the owner's knowledge by embedding a malicious website inside an Office document.
How Chrome and other browsers came together to protect you from Spectre
Google's Chris Palmer said that the security teams from major browser developers worked together to protect you from web-based Spectre attacks. For Chrome, Google incorporated a method called site isolation, which isolates the origins of each webpage so that data is not shared between those origins.
Microsoft is taking autocorrect to the next level
Artificial intelligence and machine learning will eventually power Microsoft products. Kevin Gallo provided a glimpse, showing a prototype version of Microsoft Word that can find errors not discovered by the current version. The big takeaway is that the A.I. runs locally on the device, not in the cloud.
Amid heated controversy, Nvidia shuts GeForce Partner Program
Nvidia said on Friday that after just two months, the company is shutting down its GeForce Partner Program due to mistruths, conjecture, and rumors. The program was launched to bring transparency to gamers shopping for a new desktop or laptop, but unnamed sources came forth to paint a different picture.
Intel reportedly gears up to patch 8 Spectre Next Generation CPU flaws
Intel posted a security update seemingly acknowledging a report that it's working on patches for eight new Spectre-based flaws. They're dubbed as Spectre Next Generation, four of which are classified as "high risk" that may be patched later this month. A second wave of patches is expected in August.
You can stuff a hefty Core i9 six-core CPU in Dell’s new refreshed XPS 15 laptop
After making an initial appearance in early April, you can now purchase Dell's refreshed XPS 15 laptop for 2018 starting at $999. Dubbed as model 9570, the updated laptop includes an eighth-generation Intel Core processor and a discrete GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics chip on select configurations.
Office Depot just slashed the price of a Surface Pro Core i5 model in half
Office Depot is currently slashing prices of laptops, desktops, printers, and more for 48 hours, one of which is Microsoft's Surface Pro. The configuration on sale features a Core i5 processor, 4GB of system memory, and 128 GB of storage for $499, which is half the original selling price.
Dell, HP may be building premium Chromebooks to compete with Google Pixelbook
Dell, HP, and three other manufacturers may be building premium Chromebooks to combat Google's Pixelbook. The rumor is based on a master board design reportedly in use by the Chrome OS team to create a new wave of Chromebooks for the enterprise market. They're expected to arrive by the end of 2018.
The Windows 10 April 2018 Update: Everything you need to know
Microsoft's Windows 10 April 2018 Update is out, but what does this latest upgrade provide? We cover the five big changes, including updates to Cortana and Microsoft Edge, a major change to Quiet Hours, and tools for sharing and hunting down files. The update brings a long list of improvements too.
AMD, Nvidia graphics could double in performance with new ‘stacked’ tech
TSMC revealed a new technology called wafer-on-wafer that crams two processor wafers together like a silicon-based cookie. This method could double the performance of AMD and Nvidia graphics cards, stacking two chips on a single card, at the very least. The resulting product could be a gaming beast.
Oculus confirms second-screen support is coming to Oculus Go
Oculus VR's John Carmack confirmed that second-screen support is coming to the Oculus Go and that implementing the current demo into the mobile apps for iOS and Android will "take a little while." This will allow owners to "cast" their experiences to an external display seen by friends and family.
New Sirius A mini PC packs a pocket-sized punch and a built-in touch display
Backers of the Sirius A Indiegogo project are now beginning to receive their miniature PCs. Measuring between 0.3 and 0.8 inches thick, this pocket PC sports an Intel Atom processor, up to 8GB of system memory, and up to 128GB of storage. It includes a built-in, 6-inch Full HD touchscreen.
More than 1,000 experiences are available for the Oculus Go VR headset
The Oculus Go VR headset may be a new platform, but there is no shortage of experiences. That's because it's compatible with apps and games developed for Samsung's Gear VR, which is also powered by Oculus. You can find more than 1,000 experiences, some of which are designed specifically for Oculus Go.
A new MacBook Air likely won’t be revealed until later in 2018
A new MacBook Air likely won't be revealed during Apple's developers conference, but rather late this year with the next iPhone. Component makers have the necessary hardware to build the new units, but Apple won't accept parts until the third quarter, possibly due to a problem with a key component.
HP reopens pre-orders for its first ‘always connected’ Windows 10 PC
After briefly appearing during February in a limited quantity, HP's very first Windows on ARM PC, the Envy x2, is finally back to pre-order for $999. It's the result of a new relationship between Qualcomm and Microsoft to provide Windows 10 devices relying on Qualcomm's ARM-based Snapdragon 835 CPU.
Windows 10 April 2018 Update lands next week packing Timeline, Cortana updates
Microsoft will launch its next feature update next week dubbed as April 2018 Update. It packs a handful of new features such as a Timeline component, Focus Assist, and improved dictation. Windows 10's built-in assistant Cortana will also now support voice commands for smart thermostat adjustments.
Microsoft confirms new Surface products will arrive later this year
In an earnings call, Microsoft executives said they expect higher growth in the company's Surface division due to new hardware released later in 2018. The company experienced a 32 percent year-over-year growth in Surface revenue, and number the will continue to climb in its fiscal fourth quarter and fiscal 2019.
Dell’s new patent application shows how a two-screen laptop deals with DRM
A patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reveals a dual-screen laptop design by Dell supporting standard 2-in-1 form factors. But the bulk of Dell's patent centers on content protected by digital rights management and how that content is displayed on one or both screens.
Mozilla’s ‘Hubs’ builds a chatroom in VR for any browser and headset
Mozilla introduced a new social experiment called Hubs on Thursday that creates a private chat room in virtual reality. It's based on WebVR, meaning it works in any browser and on all mixed reality headsets spanning Google Cardboard to the HTC Vive headset. It's primitive for now but shows potential.
A lack of cryptocurrency miner demand may create discounts on graphics cards
Graphics card manufacturers may be forced to offer deep discounts due to a sudden lack of demand from cryptocurrency mining farm operators and channel distributors. Demand took a nosedive at the beginning of April as many farms are simply waiting for dedicated mining devices launching later this year.
AMD combats upgrade woes with ‘crates’ featuring discounted hardware bundles
AMD introduced its new Combat Crate program that bundles hardware together for a discounted price. For now, we have three based on AMD's first-generation Ryzen 5 1600 processor, its Radeon RX 580 graphics card, and motherboards supplied by Gigabyte and MSI. The bundles start at $263 without the GPU.
Latest Vivaldi browser fixes audio issues, provides more visual customization
A new version of Vivaldi is now available, bringing the browser up to 1.15. This release includes a list of fixes and tweaks, such as an option to use a custom image for the browser's background. Other ingredients include an additional bookmarks option, fixes to HTML5-related sound, and more.
Philips claims a ‘world’s first’ with a 4K HDR display for PC arriving this summer
Envision Peripherals introduced a new desktop monitor under the Philips Momentum brand that will be the first to sport the VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification. That means its the top-of-the-line HDR-capable display with a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits. It will be available for $999 later this summer.
Pimax takes notes from Valve for its prototype ‘knuckles’ VR controller
Borrowing from Valve Software's unreleased 'knuckles' controller for VR, Pimax introduced a similar peripheral to be offered with its upcoming 8K VR headset. It will support all five fingers, providing thumb and trigger buttons along with a grip button and two sensors for your ring finger and pinky.
Windows 10 ‘Lean’ shows up in a preview build for Windows Insiders
Windows 10 Lean now appears in a Skip Ahead build for Windows Insider participants. There are no obvious app restrictions like Windows 10 S, but rather the removal of specific tools like the registry editor for a more secure, streamlined, lightweight footprint. Optical drive support is also missing.
Acer, Dell slash gaming laptop prices to make room for new Intel models
Acer and Dell are slashing prices on gaming laptops for a limited time. For starters, Acer is now selling the Nitro 5 with a Core i5-7300HQ processor and a discrete GTX 1050 Ti graphics chip for dirt-cheap. Meanwhile, Dell's meatier Inspiron 15 7000 Gaming laptop packs a GTX 1060 GPU for $150 more.
Hackers can bypass the Windows 10 S lockdown due to security flaw
Google Project Zero researchers discovered a bug in Microsoft's .NET framework that allows anyone to run arbitrary "untrusted" code on Windows 10 devices with the User Mode Core Integrity component. That includes Windows 10 S desktops and laptops, and enterprise-based machines on an app lockdown.
Tim Cook doesn’t believe customers want MacOS and iOS combined
In a recent interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he doesn't believe customers want MacOS and iOS to merge. Doing so would water down both for the convenience of one operating system. Both platforms are optimized and ideal for their target devices, thus a merge would mean trade-offs and compromises.