Turns out the Windows 1.0 teaser tweet was all about Stranger Things after all
On Monday July 1, Microsoft’s latest social media campaign launched with 80s-style music, a throwback to past versions of Windows OS, and an odd Windows 1.0 announcement. The cryptic posts have been finally revealed to be announcements for Microsoft’s collaboration with Netflix’s Stranger Things.
Latest update to Windows 10 has a bug that could break VPN services
Microsoft has announced a bug in the Windows 10 May 2019 Update which could hamper the operation of virtual private networks (VPNs). The issue effects the Remote Access Connection Manager service, which is what Windows uses to manage connections to a VPN.
AMD confirms Radeon RX 5700 pre-launch price drop to take on rival Nvidia
AMD's upcoming RX 5700 and 5700 XT graphics cards are getting a price cut ahead of their launch on July 7, making them much more competitive with Nvidia's existing RTX cards, as well as the newly debuted Super RTX cards. This begs the question, was this planned all along, or just a reactive cut?
Apple may finally ditch the troubled butterfly keyboard in future MacBooks
Sick and tired of your MacBook’s keys getting stuck? We’ve got some good news: Apple will apparently start phasing out its controversial “butterfly” keyboard later this year. It’ll be replaced by a custom scissor-switch design in a new MacBook Air, with the butterfly design dying for good soon after.
A learning bias found in kids could help make A.I. technology better
Computer science researchers at New York University think that a type of learning bias present in kids could help make A.I. better when it comes to learning tasks like understanding language. Here's what they showed in a recent piece of research -- and why it matters.
Photos of damaged MacBook Pro highlight the need to respond to Apple’s recall
Apple issued a recall for some MacBook Pro machines in June over concerns that the battery could overheat and present a safety risk. The recall came at about the same time that an owner of one of the affected Pros saw his machine go up in flames. Florida resident Steven Gagne posted pictures of the damage online.
Tech manufacturing is moving out of China, but it’s not coming to the U.S.
A new wave of U.S. tech companies has committed to pulling manufacturing out of China amid continuing trade uncertainty. Odds are they will not be moving it back to the U.S., though, but to other developing countries in the region. Vietnam and India are among the possible landing spots.
A new MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar? Here’s what we want to see
Apple may be getting ready to launch an updated version of its entry-level MacBook Pro 13-inch. The most affordable member of the Pro notebook family would ship without a Touch Bar, but Apple could make some additions to this laptop to make it more usable and competitive.
The GTX 1060 is still the most popular graphics card among Steam gamers
A recent survey conducted by gaming platform Steam reported that the most popular graphics card among its users is still Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1060. And Nvidia’s other cards nabbed every single spot in the survey’s list of the top 10 graphics cards. The survey also said that Windows is the top OS for gamers.
Did Nvidia’s Super RTX graphics cards ruin AMD’s RX 5700 launch?
The new Nvidia Super RTX graphics cards may perform only as well as what we hoped the original RTX cards would, but better late than never. And better they compete with AMD now than later, because the RX 5700 cards are just days away and Nvidia's new launch may have scuttled it before it even left the dock.
Nvidia’s RTX Super GPUs boost performance without jacking up the price
Nvidia announced that it will be releasing a refreshed version of its GeForce RTX line, which it's calling GeForce RTX Super, starting next week. The new line will include an RTX 2060 Super, RTX 2070 Super, and an RTX 2080 Super, and boasts improved performance over their non-Super equivalents.
Asus now invites PC gamers to trade up their graphics cards
Taking a page from mobile carriers' playbook, Asus has introduced a novel new program that lets PC gamers trade up their old graphics cards when purchasing any new Asus branded cards. The offer gives approved customers up to a $340 rebate for a qualified graphics card.
Apple reportedly offers logic board replacements for some 2018 MacBook Air units
Apple has reportedly launched a free logic board replacement program for certain units of the Retina, 13-inch, 2018 MacBook Air. According to documents, affected laptops are suffering a "power" issue from the faulty components, and that Apple will be reaching out to owners of the affected computers.
Insulin pumps recalled for vulnerability; concerns raised over medical IoT hacks
Medical device company Medtronic is recalling a number of insulin pumps after discovering that they are vulnerable to hacks, and there is no way to patch the security holes. The FDA announced the vulnerability in the MiniMed 508 and Paradigm pumps this week, affecting around 4,000 patients.
Microsoft opts to save Cortana by freeing it from Windows
Microsoft has recently released Cortana as a standalone app in the Microsoft Store, and by doing so it seems like the technology company is trying to save its flagship voice assistant by setting it free from Windows. Cortana needs to be more competitive and a separate app might do the trick.
Dozens of MacBook Pro batteries overheated before Apple issued a recall
After 26 reported incidents of overheating batteries, Apple is issuing a recall of its 2015 MacBook Pro 15 devices sold from 2015 through 2017. This is the first major Apple battery recall in over a decade.
The Surface Centaurus might run Android apps, but is that a good idea?
A new leak hints that Microsoft's rumored Project Centaurus is a dual-screen device that will run Android apps. Microsoft and Google working together seems like a strange proposition at first, but maybe this is just what Microsoft needs to save its desperately-ignored Windows tablet mode.
Apple has a plan to save Mac gaming, but it’s not the one you want
2019 is going to be a busy year for Mac gamers, with developers dropping support while Apple launches Apple Arcade. What lies in store for those of us who love our Mac games?
Powerful upgrades turn 4th-gen Raspberry Pi into a more capable $35 desktop
The Raspberry Pi 4 is not just an iterative upgrade from the preceding model -- it helps to transform this tool created for hobbyists into an even more capable and affordable desktop PC alternative. Starting at $35, the Raspberry Pi 4 comes with a more powerful ARM processor, more RAM, and more ports.
An all-new, redesigned 16-inch MacBook Pro could launch in September
A new redesigned 16-inch MacBook Pro could be released by Apple as early as this September, according to a tech analyst. The device has been rumored for months, despite the fact that the MacBook Pro was given a spec update in July. Here's what we know about the reports so far.
The guy who invented USB finally admits it’s annoying to plug in
Why is it that despite flipping around a USB plug, it still doesn’t want to slot in? The man behind the team that created USB has finally acknowledged that the design has caused plenty of frustration over the years. But he insists there was a good reason for building it in the way that he did.
Microsoft reportedly releasing foldable Surface with 9-inch screens next year
Microsoft is reportedly planning to roll out a foldable Surface as early as the first quarter of 2020. The device, code-named Centaurus, is said to feature two 9-inch screens with a 4:3 aspect ratio, the long-rumored Windows Lite, and compatibility with Android apps, according to IHS Markit.
Microsoft thinks Slack not secure enough, prohibits internal use
Microsoft has reportedly placed Slack under the "prohibited" category in an internal list of prohibited and discouraged technology. The collaboration app is a competitor to Microsoft Teams, but the main reason why the company banned employees from using it is due to security concerns.
NASA hacked: 500 MB of mission data stolen through a Raspberry Pi computer
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory was hacked last year by an attacker who used a Raspberry Pi computer to gain access to its systems. The hacker took advantage of the network's weaknesses to steal 500 MB of data from one of its major mission systems, while remaining undetected for 10 months.
Intel’s rumored price war against rival AMD could be a big win for gamers
Intel may be planning a price war to take on competitive threats against rival AMD's Ryzen processor. It's been reported that Intel may be planning to cut the price of its processors by as much as 15%. If accurate, PC users and gamers will benefit from the price drops in Intel's and AMD's battle.
Laptops are about to get more expensive, and we have tariffs to thank
With the US-China trade war only increasing in intensity, it is becoming more and more likely that US consumers will pay for it in the form of increased prices on consumer tech, including laptops, due to import tariffs.
Amazing Amazon price cuts on Logitech gaming and productivity tech
Prime Day 2019 is still weeks away, but Amazon isn't holding back jaw-dropping deals. Today's Amazon Daily Deal features Logitech PC gaming and productivity devices. This selection of deals is so rich we limited our selection to products with 50% or higher discounts and average ratings of 4 stars or above.
MacBook Pro catching fire? Apple issues safety recall for overheating batteries
Apple announced a safety recall this week regarding the batteries of a specific older (mid-2015) model of MacBook Pros. The affected batteries may overheat and “pose a safety risk.” Here’s how to claim your free battery replacement if your MacBook Pro is affected by the recall.
OLED laptops have returned, but read this before buying one
Whether it's for gaming or content creation, OLED laptops have returned. However, they are only available in certain laptops such as the Dell XPS 15 or the new Alienware m15. I took the latter for a spin to see if OLED screens make a big enough difference to be worth the cost. Is OLED the future of laptop screens?
Good news for Mac photographers — Lightroom now available from Mac App Store
Getting your hands on a copy of Adobe Lightroom CC just got a bit simpler for Mac users. The popular photo-editing app launched on the Mac App Store today, allowing photo editors to skip ordering from Adobe and go right to the App Store, the first major Adobe app to come to the platform.
Microsoft teams up with Kano to create a DIY Windows 10 PC for kids
Microsoft and Kano have collaborated on a build-it-yourself Windows 10 PC aimed at making computing fun for kids. The Kano PC features an 11.6-inch touchscreen and attachable keyboard, and comes bundled with a range of software aimed at demystifying technology and making learning about it fun.
Ice Lake benchmarks show Intel isn’t done firing back at AMD
A leaked benchmark this week shows that Intel's upcoming 10th-generation Ice Lake mobile chip outperforms AMD's Ryzen 5 3500U. These test metrics follow less than a month after Intel and AMD traded dueling keynotes touting their next lines of CPUs.
YouTube’s new HD music videos let you relive your youth in vivid detail
You can now watch your favorite classic music videos with improved clarity with YouTube’s new remastered music videos. Effective June 19, the video-sharing website, via a partnership with Universal Music Group, will be upgrading up to 1,000 music videos to HD by the end of 2020.
PCI Express 6.0 is coming in 2021, and it’s already overkill
The next, next iteration of PCI Express slot technology will be finalized in 2021 and it will double the bandwidth again over PCI Express 5.0, which is itself a doubling of 4.0's bandwidth. This isn't going to offer much for graphics cards, but it could usher in a new age of incredibly fast SSDs.