Deja vu. Just like the previous Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, the 2021 Surface Laptop 4 indistinguishes itself by its averageness. It’s still not particularly light, or fast or feature-packed. It’s not inexpensive or full of cutting-edge tech. Yes, it’s faster and has better battery life than the older model, but so does every other laptop updated …
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When I saw the clever magnetic connector on Apple’s new 24-inch M1-powered iMac, I cringed. “Just what the world needs — another expensive, proprietary power cable,” I thought. But upon deeper inspection, Apple’s approach is justified. Power cables are basic computer parts that don’t need to be proprietary, performing just as well but costing less. That’s why I’m a fan …
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Some days, work meetings stack up back to back to back. Now, a new feature from Microsoft will let you set automatic, customizable breaks to give you a bit of relief. “Wall-to-wall meetings increase stress and make it harder to stay focused and engaged. And our research shows that even just a sliver of time between these meetings can help,” …
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To keep YouTube humming, Google has developed a custom chip to keep YouTube called Argos that’s designed to deliver the best video quality and keep you from blowing through your broadband or mobile monthly data caps. Thousands of the chips are running in Google data centers right now, Google revealed to CNET in an exclusive interview. If you upload a …
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Microsoft is working on a new Windows 10 Store app that’ll add a fresh interface and tweaked policies for developers, Windows Central reported Tuesday. It’ll apparently come as part of the company’s rumored Sun Valley update later this year. The new version of the Store will reportedly offer more stable downloading for big apps and games, while developers will be …
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A Minnesota jury on Tuesday found former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin guilty of all three charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd in May 2020. “True justice requires much more,” former President Barack Obama tweeted soon after, and his sentiments were echoed across the tech sphere, including from the heads …
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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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The Xbox Series X may already have limited access to Discord’s multi-platform voice chat service, but don’t expect it to replace Xbox Live chat anytime soon. Negotiations for a Microsoft acquisition of Discord have ceased, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. Reports that Discord was seeking a buyer surfaced in late March, with Microsoft being named as the potentially interested …
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Almost two years since its announcement, Apex Legends Mobile is happening. A beta test for the battle royale game will start overseas soon leading to the eventual release on both iOS and Android in the coming months. Apex Legends Mobile will be the same free-to-play battle royale experience but optimized for touchscreen controls developer Respawn Entertainment said Monday. It will …
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Shopping for a laptop? Good deals can be hard to find these days because the pandemic sent everyone home for a year. The ensuing run on laptops made affordable ones about as scarce as the PS5. Good news: Sub-$1,000 laptops still get marked down to even better prices occasionally, though, and right now there’s a trio of solid laptops on …
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