Tag Archives: microsoft

Microsoft’s $249 Surface Laptop SE takes on Chromebooks

Microsoft’s trying to shoulder Google out of the way for a spot at the education trough — again — with a low-end Surface sibling. The Surface Laptop SE is a clamshell laptop priced between $249 and $329, depending on the configuration, which will sell via education suppliers. It’s designed to run only Windows 11 SE, …

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You.com search challenges Google with a new look and private mode

A new search engine called You.com is challenging Google’s dominance with a promise of better privacy and more elaborate results. The startup launched its service Tuesday with $20 million in funding from venture capital firms and a big name in tech, Salesforce Chief Executive Marc Benioff. You.com, now in public beta testing, won’t sell your personal information, track you online or show …

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When should I upgrade my HDMI cables?

If you’re buying a new TV, the PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X/S, you might be wondering if you need new HDMI cables. There is, in fact, a new standard called HDMI 2.1, and included with that new standard are new higher-bandwidth cables, called “Ultra High Speed HDMI cables.” In fact both of the new consoles include such a cable. However, …

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Zoom is testing ads on its free plan

People using Zoom’s free basic service to video chat with family or co-workers may start seeing ads once their meeting has ended.  Zoom is launching a pilot advertising program that will show ads on “the browser page users see once they end their meeting,” Janine Pelosi, the company’s chief marketing officer, said Monday in a blog post. People using the …

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Microsoft Teams is getting avatars, launching in VR and AR next year

There really isn’t a “Zoom for VR” yet, despite many companies working on offering virtual meeting rooms. The mainstream work tools most people use haven’t made the leap. Facebook, which is trying to push its entire company into the metaverse, doesn’t have one yet. Meanwhile, Microsoft is finally pushing Teams into a VR/AR-bridged tool that’s arriving in beta form in the …

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Microsoft Office’s new Loop app is designed to help you collaborate

Microsoft is bringing a new collaboration tool to Office in the form of Loop, it said Tuesday. The app lets you and your teammates create blocks of content that can be easily “copied, pasted, and shared with others,” letting you work together on documents in real time.  It consists of three elements: Components are smaller documents like lists, tables, notes, …

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HDMI 2.1: What you need to know

The latest version HDMI is called 2.1, and it’s a big leap forward compared to HDMI 2.0. It’s currently found on the best new TVs,  including recent models from LG, Samsung, Sony, TCL, Vizio and more. HDMI 2.1 is also on both of the next-generation game consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. In fact, to get the most out …

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Pixel 6 with Pixel Pass: How Google’s bundle works and if it saves money

Google’s new Pixel Pass is a combined purchasing plan and subscription service bundle, which the company frames as a way to save money on the new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones while providing access to a variety of Google services. Both phones include the new Tensor chip along with new camera features like Magic Eraser for removing unwanted people or objects. The subscription spreads …

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5G has no link to COVID

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. As the coronavirus swept across the globe, so did rumors about what caused it and how it’s spread. One that’s persisted online is that 5G networks caused the disease. A new one involves vaccines somehow being linked to 5G tracking. Both are completely wrong. …

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE review: An affordable iPad Pro alternative

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE (short for Fan Edition) is a midlevel 12.4-inch Android tablet that starts at $529 for a Wi-Fi-only model (£519, AU$799) and $669 for one with 5G. Yes, it might cost more than a basic iPad, but it’s less than an iPad Pro, and this product sits roughly between those two popular products on the …

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