Содержание выпуска: September 2024 — PCWorld

In a landmark decision, a U.S. district court recently found Google’s search and advertising business to be an illegal monopoly. But no sanctions were handed down, presumably leaving that open for future determination. For now, then, nothing will change. But the 277-page decision (plus appendices) clearly labels Google as an illegal monopolist in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Google said it would appeal the decision. The court case began in December 2020 and has moved in fits and starts ever since, over a nine-week bench trial, over 3,500 exhibits, and evidence that reached into the petabytes, the court wrote. Plaintiffs included the U.S. government and the state of Colorado. “After having carefully considered and weighed the witness testimony and evidence, the court reaches the following conclusion:…

Windows 11’s ads are out of control. Microsoft is always finding new ways to disrupt and annoy users—and this time, it comes in the form of an unavoidable pop-up notification. Even while most people are still upset by constant Windows 11 update notifications, Windows 11 has recently started displaying more and more information about cloud backups. Specifically, Windows users are being notified that their systems aren’t backed up with the built-in Windows backup solution. A corresponding message appears with the advice that it’s best to make backups so that all data is stored “in case something happens to the PC.” It almost reads like an indirect threat, but Microsoft is actually just pointing out the option to store file backups on its own OneDrive cloud service. And it’s also advertising…

If you’re the kind of person who keeps tons of open tabs in Chrome, you’ve probably noticed that your PC performance suffers after a while—especially if you’re doing more than just reading articles. Fortunately, in the latest beta version of Chrome, there’s a new feature that warns you when a particular tab is consuming too many resources. It’s then up to you to decide whether to close that tab or not. If you want to try this new feature now, you have to download the latest version of Chrome Canary from Google’s website. After completing the installation, launch Chrome Canary and type chrome://flags in the address bar and press the Enter key. From here, you can adjust all kinds of hidden options that drive Chrome. To enable the browser tab performance…

The Asus ProArt PX13 is a portable PC intended for creators. It’s one of the first laptops out there with the new AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor. New CPU aside, this PC packs lots of other useful features for creators, including a dedicated Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and a beautiful OLED display with a touchscreen that also supports pressure-sensitive stylus input. It has a 360-degree hinge so you can lie it flat, too. This is a high-quality PC for creators, and that AMD Ryzen hardware takes it to the next level. As we’ve already seen in some of our AMD Ryzen AI 300 benchmarks, this is “pretty, pretty, pretty darn good” hardware from AMD. SPECS The Asus ProArt PX13 has impressive specs. It includes an AMD…

The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 is Dell’s entry in the first wave of Copilot+ PCs with Qualcomm Snapdragon X hardware. Dell delivered a perfectly serviceable PC here, and many people would be happy using this laptop for the kind of light tasks a Snapdragon PC excels at. But this PC doesn’t stand out alongside other Snapdragon X laptops like Microsoft’s Surface Laptop, Lenovo’s Yoga Slim 7x, and Samsung’s Galaxy Book4 Edge. Qualcomm and Microsoft are proud of the number of PC manufacturers delivering Snapdragon X laptops at launch, and this is definitely a perfectly fine entry from Dell. It feels like this machine was made to check a box: Yes, Dell also has a Snapdragon laptop. Still, this is a fine laptop—and at the right sale price, it may be a…

Online safety doesn’t have to be complicated. With some simple steps, you can easily protect your PC from malware and safeguard your personal data with very little extra effort. The best part? None of these tips costs money. In fact, most important security tools you need are completely free. You can keep yourself and your PC safe online without spending a single dime. 1. USE AN ANTIVIRUS Antivirus software is a must-have for any PC. Thankfully, you don’t have to go out of your way to get one anymore because all Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs come with Windows Security and Microsoft Defender, giving you access to a minimal yet capable antivirus. It automatically scans your system in the background and checks the files you download and the applications…

On many modern televisions, there’s a secret menu that’s accessible using a cryptic button combination. The so-called service menu grants access to hidden device settings that let you customize your TV as if you were a system technician. It goes beyond mere picture and sound, with diagnostic tools and picture calibration tools and special developer options. WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THE SERVICE MENU? The hidden service menus in TVs may look slightly different from manufacturer to manufacturer, but they usually offer the same sorts of adjustments and settings: Update: Update the device’s firmware. Audio settings: Manipulate the time offset between the picture and sound track (audio latency) or adjust the equalizer. Calibration: Make precise and wide-ranging adjustments to screen settings, such as color temperature and white balance. Display settings:…

Intel’s 13th- and 14th-generation Core desktop CPUs have been the subject of controversy for months now, with instability and performance issues resulting in crashes and permanent damage for many users. Intel has been investigating the problem for a while with regular promises of a fix, and we now know that all 13th- and 14th-generation Intel Core processors with a Thermal Design Power (TDP) of 65 watts or more can cause your PC to crash and blue screen. According to Intel, the thermal and power protection mechanisms in the BIOS/UEFI were disabled by motherboard manufacturers at the factory to allow Core processors to run at high voltages and frequencies for extended periods of time, and this contributes to the issue. Motherboard vendors rolled out BIOS updates to include an Intel Default Settings…

A Wi-Fi–connected security camera is an easy and technologically simple way to watch your home and give yourself a little peace of mind…or maybe you just like knowing the moment your Amazon packages arrive. Honestly, it’s mostly the second thing. But while Wi-Fi security cameras are meant to equip homeowners and apartment dwellers with thief-deterring measures, thieves are now using tech to even the playing field. According to a tweet sent out by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Wilshire division (spotted by Tom’s Hardware), a small band of burglars is using Wi-Fi jamming devices to nullify wireless security cameras before breaking and entering. The thieves seem to be well above the level of your typical smash-and-grab job. They have lookout teams, they enter through the second story, and they go…

Somewhere out there could be an alternate universe where Microsoft exists without Windows, but probably not. Microsoft without Windows is almost unimaginable, given how globally popular the operating system has become over the decades. But back in 2008, it became known that Microsoft was working on an alternative to Windows. Nicknamed Midori, this operating system was rewritten from the ground up to disregard all existing Windows code and start over from scratch. Midori could have heralded a new era for Microsoft, but development of the Windows alternative was abandoned in 2015. Now, a series of videos on X/Twitter provides new insights into the discontinued project. WHY MIDORI WAS SO EXCITING The most exciting thing about Midori wasn’t the fact that Microsoft was willing to leave behind the massive heap of legacy…

I’ve been using Macrium Reflect in one form or another for almost as long as I’ve employed the top-rated R-Drive Image—decades. It’s been every bit as reliable when it comes to Windows backup, and that’s saying something. I also find the interface a bit more attractive than its rival’s. The only tick in the negative column has always been price, though there’s a feature-limited free edition floating around out there. More on that in a bit. FEATURES Macrium Reflect Home Edition is an imaging program. That is, it creates container files with all the sectors containing information from a drive or partition. That includes the OS and applications. It will even copy blank sectors if you want a perfect duplicate of the drive or partition. Beyond that, it will also…

Based in Romania, CyberGhost is owned by its parent company, UK-based security services conglomerate Kape Technologies. The service itself has seen enormous growth in recent years and is now firmly entrenched as one of the leading VPN providers. It offers solid VPN features including seven simultaneous device connections, relatively good speeds, and a great server spread. In fact, boasting an absolutely colossal number of servers, sitting at over 9,000, it dwarfs most of its competitors in this area. I’ve been impressed with CyberGhost in the past and decided to take it for another spin to see how it stacks up in an increasingly competitive VPN market. CyberGhost VPN in brief: P2P allowed: Yes Simultaneous device connections: 7 Business location: Romania Number of servers: 9,000+ Number of country locations: 120+ Cost:…

This story was inspired by some unsolicited tech advice from the TSA. Coming home from a recent vacation, my wife left her phone at airport security. After a frantic race back from the gate, we were able to get the phone back without issue, along with a tip from the agent who was holding onto it: Put an emergency contact on the lock screen, so whoever finds your phone knows who to call. There are a bunch of ways to do this, which I’ll explain shortly. But the incident also brought to mind a broader point about how to deal with lost or stolen devices, both before and after the fact. If you have any trips coming up, it’s worth taking a few minutes to know your options. iPHONE USERS:…

Alexa sometimes says “By the way” after responding to a command, followed by a random tidbit or suggestion you never asked for. Sound familiar? To be fair, Alexa is just trying to be helpful with these asides. Still, Amazon’s chatty voice assistant tends to butt in when it’s not wanted, making unnecessary announcements or overstaying its welcome with digressions. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to make Alexa pipe down. In some cases, all it takes is tapping a few toggles in the Alexa app. In others, a little hacking is involved. Either way, we’ll guide you through the process—and in return, you’ll get a little peace and quiet. TURN OFF WEATHER NOTIFICATIONS It’s always a good idea to keep abreast of dangerous weather conditions, particularly when it comes to…

If you think phishing scams only happen over the internet, you’d be dead wrong. In fact, there are many different types of phishing scams, including a recent type that occurs via traditional mail. In Germany, the State Office of Criminal Investigation of Lower Saxony recently warned people about phishing attempts via mail in the form of fake letters that purport to come from their banks. Some of these phishing letters look surprisingly close to the real deal, and some even contain personalized information. Complete with official logos, they give the impression that they’re authentic. Known cases have impersonated Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank, but any bank can be imitated—and it can happen all around the globe. Here’s what you need to look out for. HOW THIS MAIL PHISHING SCAM WORKS The phishing…

Logitech’s vision of a “forever mouse” isn’t just a bad idea. It’s predatory, and a practice that’s not only bad for consumers but doesn’t even make sense as an actual product. Here’s what’s going on. Recently, Logitech’s new chief executive Hanneke Faber spoke to The Verge’s Decoder podcast, where Faber mentioned that she’d recently been shown an example of a “forever mouse.” The idea, she said, was that you’d buy a well-made mouse, with great software and services that you’d constantly update, and you’d never throw the mouse away. Sounds great—but then the other shoe dropped: “The business model obviously is the challenge there,” she said. “So then software is even more important when you think about it. Can you come up with a service model?” And you know where the…

After a brief delay, AMD’s Ryzen 9000 has hit shelves—but to everyone’s surprise, the first processors come with surprising caveats. Despite offering plenty to like, the $279 Ryzen 5 9600X, $359 Ryzen 7 9700X, $499 Ryzen 7 9900X, and $649 Ryzen 9 9950X also bring with them uneven performance improvements. The reasons for those benchmark results are nuanced, however. We at PCWorld even delayed the release of our deep-dive review to better tease out those fine-grain details. (You can watch us explain why in this YouTube video where we also discuss our initial results in-depth.) But if you’re wondering if Team Red’s latest silicon is worth your cash and you just want the quick version, here are the top 7 things you should know. For a much deeper dive into performance, check out…

OLED monitors, which already delivered exceptional SDR image quality in 2023, have improved this year thanks to a wider range of options from dozens of monitor makers. Samsung’s QD-OLED panel, which took the lion’s share of attention in 2023, is now joined by a new generation of LG WOLED panels that are more competitive than their predecessors. The Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP is a great example of what LG WOLED panels can achieve—complete with a nifty feature that lets you choose between maximum fidelity and maximum smoothness while gaming. SPECIFICATIONS The Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP, like most other 32-inch OLED monitors, has a maximum resolution of 3840×2160 and a refresh rate of up to 240Hz. But unlike most 32-inch OLED monitors, it also has a 1,920×1,080 mode with a refresh…

Windows 10 and Windows 11 are secure operating systems that offer a wide range of options and features. That creates a wonderful sense of freedom, but it isn’t free of pitfalls: There are some mistakes you can make as a user that can have serious consequences on your Windows PC. Here are the seven deadliest Windows sins you want to avoid, for the good of your PC’s health. USING OPTIMIZER SOFTWARE OFTEN DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD If Windows doesn’t run stably or reacts slowly, it is usually due to aspects where optimizer software like CCleanercan’t help. Many users install free or even paid programs that are supposed to increase performance, “clean up” the system, or perform other miracles—but in most cases, such tools bring little or no benefit. Optimization…

Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 have a built-in command line tool called WinGet that provides a way for you to find, install, upgrade, and remove software and updates. This tool is broadly useful in several ways, but one nifty use case stands out: WinGet can update all installed programs in one go, quickly bringing all the software on your system up to date. But what if you don’t like using the Command Prompt? Or you just aren’t familiar with command line actions? Well, you can just use UniGetUI, formerly known as WinGetUI, instead. It provides an intuitive graphical user interface for performing actions in Winget (and other Windows package managers). After downloading, installing, and launching UniGetUI, you’ll see options for Discover Packages, Software Updates, and Installed Packages in the…