Tag Archives: hp

USB

USB-C just got a power upgrade to 240 watts that’ll let you plug in devices like gaming laptops, docking stations and 4K monitors. By more than doubling power from today’s 100-watt top capacity, the new USB-C standard could eventually let you toss a lot of proprietary chargers into your junk drawer. The USB Implementers Forum, …

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Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti promise $799 RTX gaming laptops

For that little extra oomph in your budget gaming or STEM laptop, Nvidia’s expanding its mainstream entry-level graphics processor line downward to the GeForce RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti, which are intended to take the place of the GTX 1650 and 1650 Ti in laptop lineups starting at around $799. Given the current state of chip supplies, though, I wonder …

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The Vive is back: New VR headsets want to be professional alternative to Oculus Quest 2

Facebook’s standalone VR headset, the Oculus Quest 2, doesn’t have any real competition if you’re looking for a simple VR device at home. But HTC’s newest Vive headset, the Focus 3, could provide major advantages for business users. It looks very much like an improved and more flexible version of the Quest 2, with better visuals and expandable storage… and a …

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Whirlwind FX Atom keyboard review: 60% gaming keyboard that plays well with others

Whirlwind FX’s Atom 60%-size mechanical gaming keyboard isn’t too different from other similarly sized options. The compact build is a space saver, great if you need extra mousing room while you game. It’ll also slide easily into a backpack for travel (it has a removable braided USB-C cable to help with that, too). The company offers a choice of three …

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Semiconductor revenue set to grow despite ongoing chip shortage, analysts predict

The market for semiconductors expanded in 2020, market analysts at International Data Corporation report, and revenues are expected to rise again in 2021, in spite of an ongoing global chip shortage. Worldwide, semiconductor revenue rose 10.8% to $464 billion in 2020, IDC reports. Even factoring in persistent kinks in the supply chain, the market is expected to rise another 12.5% …

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Lowest price ever for this HP Chromebook X360: $280 (save $90)

The 2020/2021 school year is coming to an end… sort of? Although many schools are back to in-person learning and regular schedules, many more are still quite fluid. So the whole notion of a “school year” remains very much in flux. The need for a good school computer, then, is pretty perennial. Which brings us to this: For a limited …

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Apple’s M1 MacBooks and Mac Minis got good reviews. The iMac faces more demanding hurdles

Years ago, the tech industry used to joke that Apple and its co-founder Steve Jobs had a “reality distortion field,” some special magic that made people lust after their products. The devices may have good software, the criticism would go, but underneath it’s just the same parts with a glossy finish and higher price tag. Fast forward to Tuesday, and …

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White House to meet with tech leaders about semiconductor shortage

The White House will meet with CEOs from Intel, Dell, Samsung, Ford, HP, AT&T, Alphabet, General Motors and other companies on Monday to discuss the global computer chip shortage. The virtual semiconductor summit will include White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, National Economic Council Director Brian Deese and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. President Joe Biden is expected to “briefly …

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Intel will make others’ chips in major turnaround effort under new CEO

After years of struggling to keep up with competitors, Intel will adopt their core strategy by making other companies’ chips for them, new Chief Executive Pat Gelsinger said Tuesday. Intel largely has focused on making its own chips, but that’ll change with the new and independent Intel Foundry Services business unit. If the shift works, it’ll mark a major turnaround …

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AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT GPU gives gaming creators a great midlevel option

You’ve gotta love an industry that keeps tossing out new gaming graphics processors that get snatched out of midair before you can catch them. The latest in what I hope is the last of these launches for a while is AMD’s Radeon RX 6700 XT, the new entry-level graphics card in the company’s RX 6000 generation. It follows the recently launched RX …

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