“The coolest code I’ve ever written.” With these words, Bill Gates introduces a blog post that celebrates Microsoft’s 50th anniversary by looking back on how the company got started. At the bottom of the that blog post, Gates published the original source code that he so fondly remembers—the very same code that ultimately led to the growth and success of Microsoft. You can download the original Microsoft source code here (PDF). Microsoft began with a magazine cover In January 1975, Bill Gates and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen read an article in the magazine Popular Electronics about the Altair 8800 home computer by a small company named MITS. “When Paul and I saw that cover, we knew two things: the PC revolution was imminent, and we wanted to get in on the ground floor,” recalls Gates. The plan was to create software that would allow Altair 8800 owners to develop their own programs using the easy-to-learn BASIC programming language. As such, Gates and Allen decided to develop a BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800. The interpreter would convert BASIC commands into machine code that the Altair 8800 could understand. A maximum of 4 kilobytes was available for the interpreter so that Altair owners still had enough memory available to run the other programs. Microsoft’s first software was created in two months — for a PC they didn’t own As they didn’t have an Intel 8080 chip—the one in the Altair 8800—Allen developed a simulator for it, which ran on a Harvard PDP-10 mainframe. Meanwhile, Gates programmed the main code for the BASIC interpreter, and another programmer named Monte Davidoff was responsible for the code for the so-called “math package.” After around two months, they had finished programming and presented the BASIC interpreter to MITS, who licensed the software. Altair BASIC was thus the first product of the newly founded company Micro-Soft. (The hyphen was only later removed from the company name.) “It’s amazing to think how this one piece of code led to half a century of innovation at Microsoft. Before there was Office or Windows 95 or Xbox or AI, there was this source code—and I still enjoy looking at it, even all these years later,” says Gates. Again, you can download the source code here (PDF). Read...

Updated on April 3, 2025: The new version of Microsoft Copilot is now rolling out to all Windows users. It’s available for Windows 10 and Windows 11 and can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. Previously, it was only available to Windows Insiders via preview builds, but now everyone can start using the new features. Original story from March 5, 2025: Microsoft has once again made changes to Copilot, with the new version now being delivered to Windows 11 Insiders. The redesign is meant to rethink the experience from the ground up, and that means Copilot is now a native app that’s directly integrated into the operating system. According to Windows Latest, initial testers say the new Copilot Windows 11 app works even better than the ChatGPT desktop app. This is mainly due to the fact that Copilot works and responds with almost no delays and requires much less memory. What is the new Copilot app? Microsoft has redeveloped the Copilot app from scratch, utilizing Windows technologies like XAML and WinUI. The app is integrated directly into Windows 11, making it even easier to use. (Previously, it was hidden in the sidebar or could only be used as a web app.) With native integration, Copilot now has its own controls, a taskbar icon, and a picture-in-picture mode. The Copilot app can also generate answers much faster while only using 50 to 100 MB of RAM on average. With the new sidebar, you can quickly start a new conversation with the AI chatbot and immediately get answers from the app. Better integration with Windows 11 Thanks to native Windows 11 integration, Copilot should now better understand your system and be able to provide more useful answers and solutions. Depending on which components and apps you have, Copilot can generate more personalized responses and tips. As of this writing, Copilot can’t yet control Windows 11 itself, but that feature may be implemented in a future version. For now, the new Copilot desktop app makes a far better impression than it did before. How to get the new Copilot app Microsoft’s Copilot app is currently being rolled out via Windows 11 Insider across all channels. For reference, the new Copilot app has version number 1.25023.101.0. If you’re a Windows 11 Insider, you should receive the new Copilot app later this week if you haven’t already gotten it. We don’t yet know when all other Windows 11 users will get native Copilot. Further reading: How to install the Copilot app on Windows 11 Read...

The adorable mini PC form factor—cramming laptop guts into an itty-bitty, super-efficient desktop design—is getting popular for those who want to save space and money. Today, Walmart is offering a GMKtec model with an impressive 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for just $327.99. That’s over $70 off the retail price. Walmart’s listing calls the GMKtec NucBox M5 a “gaming mini PC,” which seems a little generous to me since it’s using a rather dated Ryzen 7 5825U laptop processor with an integrated RX Vega graphics system. Sure, it’ll handle some 2D indie games fine, but it’s not going to give you blistering frame rates on any newer 3D title. That said, the rest of this device is pretty great for a budget desktop. The memory is maxed out for this processor at a roomy 32GB, even if it’s a little slower on the DDR4 standard. And if 1TB of storage out of the box isn’t enough for you, there’s an open M.2 2280 slot for you to slide in even more, for a maximum capacity of 4TB. The mini PC comes loaded with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, ensuring speedy connections to both your local network and wireless devices. And it’s running Windows 11 out of the box, not always a given with these devices. Port selection is generous, too. On the front you get easy access to USB-C, double USB-A, and a headphone/microphone port. Around back are two more USB-A ports, plus dual display support with one HDMI and one DisplayPort. (The front USB-C port also supports display-out for triple screens, albeit a little awkwardly.) Two Ethernet ports can handle 2.5Gbps speeds each for speedy local networking. You can also mount it to the back of your monitor with the included VESA adapter. Note that Walmart is only offering this discount on the brighter blue model of the GMKtec mini PC, as the black version is going for the full $400 list price. That seems like a more-than-fair trade to me. Get a mini PC with 32GB RAM and 1TB of storage for just $328Buy now from Walmart Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Powerful editing, redaction, and AI-assisted tools Familiar, intuitive interface Integration with cloud storage and eSign Cons Some advanced features only available in Editor+ plan Our Verdict Foxit PDF Editor is a fantastic Acrobat alternative for business users who work regularly with PDF documents. It provides all the tools you need to edit content, protect sensitive information, and collaborate with other document stakeholders. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Editor’s note: This review was updated April 3, 2025 to reflect the most current features and pricing. Foxit is well known in business circles for its innovative PDF products and services. Its flagship PDF Editor is now available in two streamlined versions for individual users, business teams, and educational institutions: Foxit PDF Editor and Foxit PDF Editor+. Both include cloud storage and mobile access, while the Editor+ plan adds eSign and AI-powered tools. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best PDF editors for comparison. Foxit PDF Editor design and features Foxit PDF Editor uses the familiar Office-style ribbon interface. A row of task-specific tabs—such as Convert, Edit, Comment, and Organize—runs across the top, and each tab reveals a contextual set of tools for that function. This keeps the layout streamlined and easy to navigate, particularly for users accustomed to Microsoft Office. Upon launching the app, you’re presented with a home dashboard that includes tool shortcuts for common workflows, a list of recently opened files, and access to your Foxit Cloud documents. This hub view also appears whenever you close an open document. Editing text within a PDF feels intuitive, much like working in a word processor. You select the Edit tab, click Edit Text, then click on the text block you want to modify. You can type directly into the document, remove or highlight text, and adjust fonts and formatting from the context-sensitive Format panel on the right. You can also resize or rotate individual text boxes by dragging their borders. Text editing remains box-based, meaning text is confined to the original text container. If you want to link multiple text boxes so text can flow between them, the Link & Join Text tool on the Edit toolbar lets you connect them in the order you choose. To flow added text from one page to the next, you have to use the editor’s Link & Join Text feature. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Foxit PDF Editor supports creating PDFs from Microsoft Office files, web browsers, scanned documents, or any print-capable application. It also allows conversion of PDFs to multiple formats including Word, Excel, HTML, and plain text. Collaboration features are robust. The Comment tab includes sticky notes, callouts, text markups, drawing tools, and stamps. You can highlight, strike through, or replace text to provide clear feedback when reviewing shared documents. New in recent versions is deeper integration with Foxit Cloud, enabling smoother cross-device editing and sharing. Users on the Editor+ plan also have access to Foxit’s AI Assistant, which can summarize long PDFs, rewrite sections, or translate selected text—adding powerful new functionality for business and academic users alike. ChatGPT integration enables you to get document help from an AI assistant. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Foxit includes a full set of annotation tools for collaborating with others in the Comments tab. Business extras Foxit PDF Editor includes a strong set of security tools to help businesses protect sensitive data. The Protect tab offers multiple redaction options, including Whiteout, which permanently erases content and replaces it with a blank background, and Mark for Redaction, which blacks out selected text or images. You’ll also find tools to sanitize PDFs by stripping hidden data such as metadata, embedded links, and bookmarks. Documents can be secured using password protection, encryption, and custom security policies, and administrators can apply batch processing to multiple files at once. Foxit continues to support integration with popular cloud services and enterprise storage platforms, including Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, Box, and Dropbox. Files stored in these services can be accessed directly from within the editor, making document workflows smoother for remote and hybrid teams. Should you get Foxit PDF Editor? Foxit PDF Editor is available in two editions for both Windows and Mac. The standard Foxit PDF Editor includes the full desktop editor, 20GB of cloud storage, and access to the web-based Foxit PDF Editor Cloud. It’s priced at $129.99 per year or $10.99 monthly. Foxit PDF Editor+ adds advanced features such as Smart Redaction, Foxit eSign with 150 envelopes per year, the AI Assistant, full access to the mobile app, and 150GB of cloud storage. It’s available for $159.99 per year or $13.99 monthly. Both plans include a 7-day free trial that gives full access to all tools and cloud features, so you can evaluate whether it suits your workflow. If you’re an independent professional or small business owner who regularly works with PDFs, Foxit PDF Editor remains a powerful, affordable alternative to Acrobat for modern document workflows. Read...

I don’t think you should try running Windows 11 on less than 16GB of RAM, especially with how reliant we’ve become on memory-hungry web browsers. But finding a Windows laptop with that much RAM at an affordable price is becoming harder. Today, B&H has an Acer Swift Go 14 for just $549—an impressive $400 off the list price. This 14-inch laptop looks a little dull, but its solid specs and excellent battery life earned it a four-star rating when PCWorld reviewer Josh Hendrickson checked it out last year. The model on offer at B&H is a little different, with a 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor and “only” 512GB of storage, but it should have similarly excellent battery life. Other highlights include a 1920×1200 touchscreen, plenty of ports including double USB-C, double USB-A, full-sized HDMI, and an integrated microSD card slot. With integrated Intel Arc graphics, the Swift Go 14 should be able to handle just about any 2D game, plus a few rounds of Fortnite or Minecraft. Just don’t try to throw something like Cyberpunk 2077 at it. But for pretty much any standard office, web, or video purpose, it’s an ideal machine for the task, especially if you’re looking for smooth performance on web-based activity. At 3.05 pounds and a little over an inch thick, it’s no featherweight, but it’s not bulky either. This is one of B&H’s “Deal Zone” promotions, so it’s only good for today—that’s April 3rd, 2025—until midnight Eastern time (9 PM Pacific). Get an order in fast if you want one, though be aware that with a discount this steep, stock might disappear before then. Get an Acer laptop with Core Ultra 7 CPU and 16GB RAM for $549Buy now from B&H Read...

By this point, you’re probably not surprised that Nvidia is working on cheaper RTX 50-series GPUs. Even if you haven’t seen the various leaks, the fact that the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti exist (along with equivalents from previous generations) sets up a fairly obvious precedent. Even so, we’re grateful to Lenovo for dropping all pretense and showing off the RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti graphics cards in a brand-new desktop. The Legion Tower 5i Gen 10 is an upcoming desktop PC in Lenovo’s Legion gaming sub-brand, pre-assembled with “up to Intel Core Ultra i9” processors. It’s a fairly straightforward design with a small-ish, transparent case and an air CPU cooler in the promo photos, though liquid cooling is also mentioned. The rest of the specs are typical, with what appears to be an X870 micro-ATX motherboard, 32GB of DDR5 RAM (up to a maximum of 128GB), and up to 2TB of PCIe Gen4 storage in the pre-configured version. (The hardware itself supports Gen5 speeds and up to three M.2 drives at once, though.) It’s nice, but nothing spectacular. It looks like a mid-range desktop build for those who don’t want to sully their hands with a screwdriver. What caught the eye of VideoCardz.com, however, is that the graphics card options include the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti, the RTX 5060 Ti, and the RTX 5060. The last two on that list don’t officially exist yet, even though they’ve been popping up in regulatory listings for the last few weeks. It’s also weird that Lenovo would offer the 5070 Ti without the 5070 as another option, but whatever. Supplier stuff can get weird. Lenovo isn’t forthcoming on the specs for those cards, indicating that perhaps the marketing copy was written up with the intention of being published after a yet-to-surface Nvidia announcement. We had heard that the RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti were headed to add-in-board and OEM partners last month. There’s no price or release date for the Legion Tower 5i Gen 10, only that it’s “coming soon.” With the RTX 5070 using 12GB of video memory, it seems unlikely that the RTX 5060 Ti would use any more than that, and I’d be shocked to see the RTX 5060 at anything but 8GB. The retail prices of both would obviously come below the RTX 5070’s $550, but who knows by how much… especially with the Trump regime’s tariffs causing price chaos in the US and beyond, not to mention the usual AIB pump-ups. It’s possible these cheaper cards will only be “affordable” in a purely relative sense. Read...

With the warmer months coming up, I’m looking forward to spending more time outdoors, having fun with friends, chilling with family, and, most importantly, grooving to our favorite tracks. The gorgeous Beats Pill speaker is the perfect way to do all of that, especially now that you can get your hands on one for just $100 on Amazon. This is the most recent version of the Beats Pill (released in 2024) with a smaller and lighter build with IP67 water/dust resistance, more powerful output, and up to 24 hours of battery on a single charge. When it runs low, you can recharge it via USB-C cable and regain 2 hours of playback with just 10 minutes of charging. Say what you will about the brand, but Beats knows how to make a great design, and this one’s perfect to take with you down by the lake or to the pool. Despite its handheld size, the speaker can produce enough high-quality sound for both indoor and outdoor entertainment, complete with punchy bass if you care about that sort of thing. The Beats Pill works with both Apple and Android devices, so you’re good to go no matter which ecosystem you prefer. Just make sure to place your order soon because this deal won’t last forever, and $100 is still the best price we’ve seen for the Beats Pill. The Beats Pill is a trendy bargain at 33% offBuy now at Amazon Read...

Office jobs might pay your bills, but you might be paying for it in turn with back pain and general discomfort if you’re slouching in an old chair or one that just wasn’t designed very well. The Staples Emerge Vortex is an ergonomic option at a decently affordable price, but it’s currently way cheaper with this sale going on. The Staples Emerge Vortex is now just $140, which is a lovely 48% off its original $270 MSRP. That’s a more-than-decent price to pay for something you’ll be using for hours and hours every day, for years to come. The Emerge Vortex is a good-looking chair with a classic gaming chair vibe, mixing bonded leather in two colors across the seat and back. The padded headrest and plush cushions make for a comfortable build that you won’t mind using during work or play hours. This chair comes with lumbar support, adjustable tilt, flip-up armrests, and support for up to 275 pounds. The seat is also adjustable in height ranging from 17.9 to 21.6 inches, so it’s going to be best for folks of average or taller heights. (On the shorter side? Maybe get a footrest.) Now’s your chance to get the Emerge Vortex for $140 at Staples. The gray, red, and blue models are on sale, so pick your favorite! This budget-friendly ergonomic desk chair is now 48% offBuy now at Staples Read...

The BBC gets hands-on with the hotly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, launching in June. Read...

Dutch smart home hub manufacturer Athom has added new energy-monitoring capabilities to the app for its Homey series of smart home hubs and Homey cloud services. The company also announced the new Homey Energy Dongle for European smart meters. The energy-monitoring feature appears in a new Energy tab in the Homey app. It tracks data from whole-home energy meters, solar panel inverters, and energy-measuring devices—including the Emporia Home Energy Monitor, the Shelly Pro 3EM, and Athom’s own Homey Energy Dongle and displays that information in easy-to-read charts. Provide your utilities’ rates and the app will show you how much it costs to operate your home. Euopean consumers can opt to plug Athom’s Homey Energy Dongle into their utility-provided smart meters to track their home’s energy consumptions. U.S. customers can use any of several alternative energy monitors from third-party manufacturers. Athom Used in conjunction with these and similar energy monitoring devices, Homey’s app can also identify which devices are consuming the most energy, and if you have solar panels, how much energy that system is generating. The app can track electrical (in kilowatt hours), natural gas, and even water consumption with a compatible meter (gas and water consumption are measured in square meters). Armed with this information, Homey users can schedule events such as EV charging to occur during off-peak hours, when the electrical utility’s rates are the lowest. Users will also be able to automatically turn off high-consumption devices at peak times. The current version of the app uses manually entered utility rates, but Athom says an update that will support rates that vary by the hour—or even in 15-minute increments—will follow shortly after launch. Athom’s own Homey Energy Dongle, for European smart meters outfitted with a standard P1 port, streams real-time energy consumption and production data over Wi-Fi to the Home Pro locally, or through the cloud to both the free and Premium tiers of Athom’s Homey Cloud. The Homey Energy Dongle supports electricity, gas, and, in select markets, water metering. Priced at €39, the Homey Energy Dongle is available now. Read...