At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Excellent image quality Good Construction Decent price, though more expensive than its in-house rival Cons Mediocre noise cancellation Poor Windows Hello recognition Our Verdict Toallin’s Hello Pro 2K QHD webcam captures surprisingly great video and images, falling somewhat short on audio. But when it comes to Windows Hello, it falls down on the job. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Toallin Hello Pro 2K QHD Webcam Retailer Price $53.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices When I bought Toallin’s Hello Pro 2K QHD webcam, I wasn’t sure whether I was buying the right one. I don’t think I did. Let me explain. Toallin offers two versions of its 2K Windows Hello webcam on Amazon: the cheaper 2K version, which we recommend, and the version I review here–I mistakenly thought the more expensive option was the newer one. I also made the mistake of thinking that two webcams with identical names would be the same, even if they looked slightly different. Wrong again! What I ended up reviewing was a Toallin webcam that I wouldn’t recommend because it does a poor job of authenticating you — the entire point of a Windows Hello webcam. As an ordinary webcam, it does a surprisingly good job, minus the audio portion. Toallin’s Hello Pro 2K QHD webcam: Design and construction Toallin ships its Hello Pro 2K webcam (at least from Amazon) in a plain brown box with little ostentation. Toallin says that the camera only needs a USB 2.0 connection. While the included 4.5-foot cable connects to the webcam using USB-C, the default connection to your laptop is USB-A. Helpfully, Toallin also includes a passive USB-A to USB-C dongle, effectively making it a “true” USB-C cable on either end. Toallin’s webcam is rated at “2K,” offering a 2592×1944 resolution at 30Hz. The camera doesn’t exceed 30Hz in any mode, including 1080p and lower resolutions. While you can stream video on YouTube or Twitch at resolutions greater than 1080p, all videoconferencing applications at the time of this review support 1080p or lower resolutions. A sliding shutter on top of Toallin’s webcam can be slid opened or closed.Mark Hachman / Foundry Toallin says that the fixed-focus camera has an image sensor that measures one-third of an inch, with a focal length of 2.88mm and a f/2.2 aperture. All told, the field of view is 92 degrees, which works pretty well for videoconferencing applications where only your face is in view. Unfortunately, this webcam doesn’t seem to be compatible with Windows Studio Effects, which can use pan and zoom effects to crop in on your face. To be fair, however, most videoconferencing applications seem to do this automatically. The Hello Pro webcam includes both a small green LED to indicate when the camera is on, and a separate one which lights when your face is recognized. Toallin also includes two small lenses for seeing you: an infrared lens illuminates your face, while a separate optical lens is used for video calls. Both can be covered up by a sliding privacy shutter mounted on the top of the camera. Most webcams use what I call a “jaws” construction. The top “jaw,” upon which the camera is mounted, has a long ridge or “tooth” which folds over the top of your laptop or display. The camera then has an adjustable arm that supports the webcam. I always like webcams which add a small, pivoting piece on the bottom jaw which helps cushion and hold the webcam flat against the back of the display. Toallin’s webcam has one, which is a bit grippy to boot. That’s important with a laptop, which you might be frequently moving about and readjusting. The bottom portion of the webcam makes solid contact with the back of the laptop.Mark Hachman / Foundry The webcam mount can be folded at a 90-degree angle to sit flat on your desk or on a shelf. The base also includes the nearly ubiquitous threaded screw hole for a mount or tripod, though that’s not included. Toallin’s Hello Pro 2K QHD Webcam: Performance I only have to compare my own laptop’s webcam to newcomers like Toallin to see how far we’ve come — and that’s after the early Surface webcams were the best integrated webcams of the pandemic. The difference in quality is surprisingly noticeable. Toallin’s Hello Pro 2K webcam does not feel like a premium camera, though it tries its best to convince you that it is. Unlike other premium cameras, however, Toallin hasn’t invested in a premium software package or utility to control the camera’s functions. It’s all handled by Windows, and that isn’t a black mark. You’ll just have to know to navigate to the Windows camera settings (Bluetooth & devices > Cameras > 2K USB Camera) to manage functions like the brightness, contrast, sharpness, and saturation. As a webcam, this performs pretty well — at least where the imagery is concerned. But in terms of audio, and as a Windows Hello device, this isn’t a great choice. Toallin does claim to provide some automatic compensation, and the default image looks surprisingly good. I noticed a little dynamic change in the color after I moved, indicating that the color was being adjusted, too. As part of my webcam testing methodology for PCWorld, I weigh image quality pretty heavily, next to price. That’s pretty obvious. And while you might be able to tweak the Windows settings to make adjustments to your specific setup, I leave it alone. I first test the camera in my basement office, lit by a lamp and my display, then move upstairs where natural light illuminates my face. Mark Hachman / Foundry While Toallin’s webcam didn’t deliver a perfect picture, I think you’ll agree that it looks pretty good. Upstairs, I have a side-lit couch that I use to take webcam selfies on. Here, my face looks ruddier than it should, but otherwise the color seems to be pretty accurate. The pillows and the paintings behind me appear as they should, or quite close to it. It’s a little dim, but nothing a few adjustments to the Windows camera settings could compensate for. Mark Hachman / Foundry Finally, I test noise cancellation, which I record directly through the Sound Recorder app on the PC, while playing back a rock song as well as some white noise via a phone or speaker that I place behind me and off to the side. Some of the webcams really filter both out significantly, to the point where the background noise is almost indistinguishable. That’s what I like, so that any ambient noise isn’t distracting to whoever it is you’re speaking to. The Toallin Hello Pro 2K’s noise cancellation is mediocre. While the recorded sound was noticeably lower than the volume behind me, both the music as well as the ambient noise were still distinctly audible. Fortunately, you do have an option to use a laptop’s microphone instead, if that’s connected to the webcam itself. But this is a case where the webcam’s low price is matched by its quality, unfortunately. As for the Windows Hello recognition? Surprisingly, not great. You would expect that a minute after registering your face, that the camera would recognize you. And it did, sort of. I used the camera to perform a new capture of my face, using the Windows “improve recognition” setting. I mounted the camera on my display, then looked directly at it during the authentication process. That worked. Looking at my screen, slightly away, during authentication? Authentication wasn’t consistent. Windows Hello frequently asked me to move further away so it could recognize me. Even sitting down, facing the screen, and authenticating in that pose didn’t produce consistent results. I test Windows Hello webcams over a few days to see how the performance is affected, and it didn’t improve. As a webcam, I was very pleased with the webcam’s performance. As a Windows Hello webcam, you can do better. It certainly makes me wonder if I was testing the “right” camera. This version of the Toallin Hello Pro 2K webcam was priced at $53 on Amazon, and is a fixed-focus webcam. The other Toallin 2K QHD webcam — which appears to be otherwise identical — is priced at $39.99 and includes autofocusing capabilities and a tighter 84-degree field of view. I think PCWorld bought the wrong Toallin webcam! Toallin’s Hello Pro 2K Webcam: Should you buy it? Accessory manufacturers often swap out one device for another, shipping a new design with upgraded features. As a webcam, this performs pretty well — at least where the imagery is concerned. But in terms of audio, and as a Windows Hello webcam, this isn’t a great choice. The Toallin webcam we currently recommend as part of our best webcam roundup is the “correct” one, as far as I can see. I’m just surprised to see such a difference. Read...

Split keyboards are hard to find, especially if you’re looking for something in the gaming niche, and doubly so if you want something from a mainstream retail store. But we have just such an example available today. First appearing at CES 2025 in January, the Asus ROG Falcata 75% keyboard is now available at Best Buy. The price? An eye-watering $420. This version of the Falcata is an interesting beast. As the full-length title implies, it’s a 75% layout, which basically means laptop-style with a full function row and arrow keys but no numpad. The keyboard’s signature feature is its ability to split in half, separating into two sections tethered by a USB cable. Many typists prefer this option for ergonomic layouts, and gamers like it for similar reasons. Notably, this keyboard is wireless—you still need that cable for the left side of the board, even when it’s positioned in its conventional layout, but Bluetooth, 2.4GHz dongle-based wireless, and standard USB are all options. The rest of the keyboard is a laundry list of in-demand features. PBT keycaps, interior layers of foam, and, of course, RGB lighting are included. You get magnetic Hall effect switches with adjustable actuation, which are hot-swap capable… but exactly how many switch options you’ll have access to aren’t known at the moment. (The ones in the box are linear, pre-lubed, with 49 grams of resistance.) A scroll wheel on the left side can be set to adjust actuation and show results with the LEDs that run along the edge, but thankfully there’s no LCD or OLED screen included, because that would be really dumb. 8K polling is available even in wireless mode, with a maximum battery life of 200 hours. Critically, Asus is not claiming that the ROG Falcata 75% is an ergonomic keyboard. This is, first and foremost, a keyboard for gaming. But it does offer more options than usual for anyone who wants adjustment, as only makes sense for a split design. You get two silicone wrist rests that can be installed and fastened to the split portions of the board, and eight screw-in feet that raise up the keyboard’s back or inner sides, depending on your preference. It’s not a full tenting kit, but it’s a lot more than you get with any conventional keyboard layout. It’s an impressive offering, to be sure… but $420 is a lot for a keyboard in anybody’s money. That’s reaching well beyond even the pricey range of wireless gaming boards from major manufacturers, soaring into the lower portions of custom keyboard designs. And this isn’t the first time Asus has pushed so hard on a super-expensive design.For that money, you could get the well-loved Dygma Raise 2, which includes more ergonomic options (but admittedly doesn’t have wireless at that price, requiring an expensive upgrade). Split keyboard fans are a small but enthusiastic bunch, and they don’t mind spending a lot, but I wonder how much they’d be willing to trust Asus with a first-gen design. Read...

Since a while back, there’s been a setting in Microsoft 365 that makes it possible to auto-save Word documents to the cloud. It’s a convenient feature that helps mitigate the risk of losing data in case of an app crash or system outage, and one of the many Microsoft Word tips and tricks worth knowing about if you use it often. But you have to enable the feature per-document to take advantage of it. At least, that was the case until now. According to a recent Microsoft 365 Insider blog post, this auto-save option will soon be enabled by default for all new Word documents. Microsoft When enabled, the Word document will automatically save to OneDrive or your preferred cloud destination. The benefits include: Increased security and compliance: Files saved in the cloud are automatically protected by your company’s security rules and labeling, so you don’t have to take extra steps to keep them safe and compliant. Never lose your progress: You don’t have to worry about losing your work—creation in the cloud means your document is automatically saved for you as you go. Flexible file control and storage: You’re in charge of your files—you can choose what they’re named, decide where they’re saved, and organize them your way. Store them in OneDrive, SharePoint, or other locations to keep everything just where you want it. Access from anywhere: Files you create in Word for Windows are instantly available on your Android or iOS device, or in a web browser. When you make changes on one device, they sync everywhere. Easy collaboration: It’s easy to work with others—just share your cloud file to start collaborating right away, add comments, and make changes together. AutoSave keeps your work updated in real time. Copilot and Agent support: From the moment you create a file, you can use Copilot and Agent features right away. This lets you get AI-powered help whenever you need it as you create or update your documents (Note: A Copilot Chat or Microsoft 365 Copilot license is required). This feature is currently only available in Word for Windows, starting with Version 2509 (Build 19221.20000). It will soon be coming to Excel for Windows and PowerPoint for Windows as well later this year. Read...

Premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller is taking little notice of his colts’ two-year-old form as they prepare for the group 3 features at Rosehill on Saturday. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Enjoyable keyboard Attractive 1200p OLED display Incredible battery life Ships with small GaN charger Cons Though attractive, build quality doesn’t stand out Connectivity is limited So-so performance Our Verdict The HP OmniBook 5 14 isn’t the quickest laptop, but its portability will woo you. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: HP OmniBook 5 14 Retailer Price $599.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Want a Windows laptop with great battery life and portability? The HP OmniBook 5 14 should be on your shortlist. It reached up to 25 hours of endurance in our battery life test. And, to sweeten the deal, it has both a fast charging mode (up to 50 percent of a full charge in 30 minutes) and a tiny 65-watt GaN charger. HP OmniBook 5 14: Specs and features The HP OmniBook 5 14 is designed around a Snapdragon X Plus chip, in this case the X1P-42-100. It is paired with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB solid state drive. While it’s nice to see the 32GB/1TB combination at this price point, the X1P-42-100 is among the least capable Snapdragon X Plus chips. That’s a perk for battery life, and a negative for performance. CPU: Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X-8448 Graphics/GPU: Qualcomm Adreno NPU: Qualcomm NPU up to 45 TOPs Display: 14-inch 1920×1200 60Hz OLED touchscreen Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD Webcam: 1080p 30fps Connectivity: 2x USB-C 10Gbps with USB Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB-A 10Gbps, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 Biometrics: Facial recognition Battery capacity: 59 watt-hours Dimensions: 12.29 x 8.56 x 0.61 inches Weight: 2.98 pounds Operating System: Windows 11 Home Additional features: 65-watt GaN power adapter Price: $899.99 MSRP HP lists an MSRP of $899.99 and has yet to issue discounts on this model. However, HP also sells less expensive models of the OmniBook 5 that start at an MSRP of $699.99. They are already discounted to as little as $549.99. They start at 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, however, and have a less powerful Snapdragon X chip. The HP OmniBook 5 is a strong contender if you want a Windows laptop with great battery life. HP OmniBook 5 14: Design and build quality IDG / Matthew Smith The HP OmniBook 5 makes a good first impression, though not because it stands out. Instead, it delivers a simple but cohesive design that looks classic and feels durable. It’s built from a combination of aluminum (on the lid) and plastic (across the rest of the chassis) in a “Glacier Silver” colorway. The materials look and feel more premium than the laptop’s price tag would suggest. It’s not all good news, however. While the build is decent, I noticed an odd thunk as I picked up the laptop from one corner and moved it from hand-to-hand. It seems the chassis flexes enough to contact the internals. It’s not immediately obvious, but once I heard it, I found it hard to forget. The OmniBook 5’s design and build quality is about average for the category. I’d rank the OmniBook 5 ahead of an Acer Swift Go 14 AI, but the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 and Asus ZenBook S 14 offer more drama and feel more premium. HP OmniBook 5 14: Keyboard, trackpad, mouse IDG / Matthew Smith The keyboard is among the OmniBook 5’s best features. It provides a simple, spacious layout. Most keys are close to full size, with only the left-side Shift, Caps, and Tab keys a bit truncated. Key feel is excellent with good travel and a definitive, swift bottoming action. Most Windows laptops sold in this price range have a keyboard that’s at least good enough, but the OmniBook 5’s keyboard is a standout. The touchpad is less remarkable, but still good. It measures roughly 5 inches wide and 3 inches deep, which is average for a laptop in this category. It provides a smooth, responsive surface and enough room to handle Windows multi-touch gestures (like a five-finger pinch) with ease. While the laptop I tested did not have a touchscreen, HP says that the shipping configuration will include one. However, this isn’t true for every OmniBook 5, as the base model lacks a touchscreen It doesn’t matter much either way, as the OmniBook 5 isn’t a 2-in-1, and the display only tilts back 130 degrees (not far enough to lay flat). Still, a touchscreen is a convenience that can be handy when vegging out on the couch or in cramped quarters, like an economy-class airline seat. HP OmniBook 5 14: Display, audio IDG / Matthew Smith All HP OmniBook 5 models with the Snapdragon Plus chip have an OLED display with 1920×1200 resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. HP calls this a “2K” display, which is a bit cheeky. It’s basically a 1080p display with a few more vertical pixels. Laptop companies have recently decided to redefine quoted pixel counts by focusing on the horizontal rather than vertical resolution. That aside, there’s nothing wrong with 1920×1200 resolution in a 14-inch laptop sold under $1,000. Indeed, while more expensive competitors like the Asus ZenBook S 14 offer a higher resolution (such as 3,200 x 1,800), the added sharpness can be a bit difficult to appreciate. The 1920×1200 panel has a pixel density of 161 pixels per inch, which is nearly identical to the sharpness of a 27-inch 4K monitor. Sharpness aside, the panel looks great. It’s an OLED display and provides the advantages typical of the panel type, including a wide color gamut and high contrast ratio. The only real issue is brightness, as the panel is rated at 300 nits and barely nudged past that in my testing. That’s not enough to comfortably use the laptop near a sunlit window or other bright light source. The OmniBook 5 has a dual-speaker sound system that provides good volume and a decent sound stage; however, turning up the volume can overwhelm the sound system, creating a harsh and muddy experience. This is a classic mistake many mid-range Windows laptops make; they often allow the speakers to hit volume levels they can’t handle. Still, the speakers are not bad for a mid-range Windows laptop at more modest volumes. HP OmniBook 5 14: Webcam, microphone, biometrics Every OmniBook 5 ships with a 1080p webcam and dual array microphone. Both provide good though not exceptional quality. Video is reasonably sharp and the microphones pick up crisp audio but, like most laptops, both are only adequate for Zoom or Google Meet. The laptop does support Windows Studio Effects features, including background blur and automatic framing. The camera provides a physical privacy shutter to fully obstruct the camera when it’s not in use. This feature, though increasingly common, is good to see on an affordable laptop. It’s more common on high-end models. Biometric login is supported by Windows Hello facial recognition. As usual, it works well providing fast and reliable login without the need to enter a password. A fingerprint reader is not available. HP OmniBook 5 14: Connectivity IDG / Matthew Smith The OmniBook 5 has a slim port selection. On the left flank you’ll find two USB-C ports, while on the right you’ll find USB-A and a 3.5mm audio jack. Both USB-C ports support DisplayPort and Power Delivery, so both can be used to charge the laptop and/or connect to a USB-C display (or DisplayPort/HDMI if you buy an adapter). However, the ports only support data rates up to 10Gbps. This marks a major difference between the OmniBook 5 and laptops that support Thunderbolt 4, which provides 40Gbps of data. 10Gbps is still enough for most situations. But it might be a limitation if you were planning to connect to a USB-C dock and then connect several high-speed external storage devices. While the limited USB-C ports are disappointing, it’s common for Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus laptops. Those who want Thunderbolt will need to look at an Apple MacBook Air or entry-level laptops with an Intel Core Ultra processor. It’s a similar story with wireless connectivity, as the OmniBook 5 supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Both are fine, but neither is the most recent version of each wireless standard. As with Thunderbolt, Wi-Fi 7 support is not that common in machines under $1,000, and most often provided by laptops with Intel Core Ultra processors. HP OmniBook 5 14: Performance The HP OmniBook 5 offers the Qualcomm Snapdragon X chip. It’s important to note there are differences between models. Base models have the Snapdragon X X1-26-100 with eight cores up to 2.97GHz, but the model I tested had the Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 with eight cores up to 3.4GHz. Even the X1P-42-100 is a fairly tame version of the Snapdragon X, sitting at the bottom of the Snapdragon X Plus product stack. It has fewer cores than other Snapdragon X chips (which offer up to 10 in Snapdragon X Plus and up to 12 in Snapdragon X Elite) and a less capable version of the Qualcomm Adreno GPU. The Qualcomm NPU is the same across chips, though, with quoted performance up to 45 TOPS. IDG / Matthew Smith Let’s start with Cinebench 2024, a benchmark that provides native support for both Arm and x86. It reports a multi-core score of 495 and a single-core score of 105. As the graph indicates, these scores are fine but not impressive for a laptop priced at $899. Depending on the specifics of sales at the time you are buying, it might be possible to find a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, Ryzen AI 7, or Intel Core Ultra 7 laptop in the same price bracket. All of these will tend to beat the OmniBook 5 with Snapdragon X Plus. IDG / Matthew Smith 3D performance is a sneaky weakness of the entry-level Snapdragon X and Snapdragon X Plus chips. While all versions of the Snapdragon X have a Qualcomm Adreno, performance levels vary greatly. The best Snapdragon X Elite quotes 4.6 TFLOPs of performance, but the Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 quotes just 1.7 TFLOPs. That’s well less than half the performance. How much that matters depends both on your needs and your frame of reference. Laptops in this price range often have either Intel Arc 130V or AMD Radeon 860M graphics, both of which also give up a fair bit of performance when compared to their more expensive and premium siblings. But if you compare the HP OmniBook 5 to a laptop with Intel Arc 140V, Radeon 880M, or a Snapdragon X Elite chip, it’s going to fall quite a bit behind. At the end of the day, the HP OmniBook 5’s performance is ok but not exceptional. Like most laptops that have an entry-level Snapdragon X or Snapdragon X Plus chip, the OmniBook 5 is vulnerable to price pressure from discounted Snapdragon X Elite laptops, which tend to offer much better performance for a slight jump in price. Still, the HP OmniBook 5 is still plenty quick for a wide range of productivity tasks. And it has a major perk that, for many, could justify settling for modest performance. HP OmniBook 5 14: Battery life and portability That perk is battery life. HP says that the OmniBook 5 14 can achieve up to 34 hours of battery life. That incredible claim did not match our testing, but the laptop still managed to exceed 25 hours in a video playback test. IDG / Matthew Smith As the graph shows, that’s a truly staggering figure for any laptop, never mind one sold below $1,000. I was also surprised to see this figure despite the use of an OLED display. In some cases OLED displays appear to reduce battery life relative to an IPS display, but that’s obviously not the situation here. The laptop is also extremely easy to keep charged up. Both USB-C ports support Power Delivery and the laptop has a fast charge mode that can add up to 50 percent capacity in 30 minutes (though only when the laptop is completely shut down and below 50 percent capacity). HP also provides a tiny 65-watt GaN power adapter with some OmniBook 5 models, including the model I tested. It measures only 2.5 inches long and about an inch thick, which makes it the smallest included power adapter I’ve ever tested. This further contributes to the already great battery life, since it’s easy to pack the adapter for quick top-offs whenever an outlet is available. All of this combines to make the HP OmniBook 5 a remarkably portable Windows laptop and, I think, the most portable mid-range laptop in the market right now. Some competitors are smaller, but few are close to the OmniBook 5’s battery life, and HP’s inclusion of the GaN power adapter gives it an edge. HP OmniBook 5 14: Conclusion The HP OmniBook 5 is a strong contender if you want a Windows laptop with great battery life. Though not a top performer, it does well enough for a laptop under $1,000. And it benefits from other perks like an enjoyable keyboard and OLED display. Pricing may not always be to HP’s benefit, as steep discounting on laptops with more powerful chips can dip into price territory similar to the OmniBook 5. But the HP’s 25-hour endurance and tiny GaN charger provide shoppers a good reason to buy it over the alternatives. Read...

Microsoft’s vision for Windows in 2030 includes a “voice-first” interaction mode that shifts away from the traditional keyboard and mouse, making them feel “alien.” Under the hood, that means handing over control to “AI agents” who perform and handle tasks on our behalf. Hey, Microsoft… can you please stop? I don’t need an agentic AI operating system. Instead of working towards a future no one wants, how about you start delivering the operating system we do want? Here’s the thing. Even AI-loving power users don’t need Windows reimagined as an AI canvas, and they definitely don’t need a low-quality local image generator built into the Photos app. They’re accessing cloud-based AI tools or installing heavy local AI models and running them on high-end GPUs. Here’s what AI enthusiasts need from Windows: an OS that works—yes, with a keyboard and mouse. “Voice first” is the new “touch first” With Windows 8, Microsoft aimed to make Windows a “touch-first” operating system, chasing the success of Apple’s iPad. It didn’t work, though, and it only served to alienate users and cause massive problems. It feels like Microsoft is repeating that same mistake again, except this time they’re chasing the AI dragon. Maybe this time it’ll work better than the company’s past efforts to compete in smartphones, tablets, and VR/XR headsets. Or maybe it’ll just wreck Windows again. OpenAI employs Jony Ive, creator of the iPhone, and they’re working on some new category-defining AI-first device. Meanwhile, Microsoft is panicking and insisting that Gen Z will find the mouse and keyboard “alien” in a few years. (That seems unlikely considering Gen Z are currently between the ages of 13 to 28.) It feels reactionary, not visionary. Still, even if people end up loving OpenAI’s new device, the simple truth is that PC users don’t want Microsoft to copy-paste an AI paradigm on top of the Windows desktop we know and depend on. I mean, I use a smartphone every day, but that doesn’t mean I want my Windows PC to be a smartphone. I want it to be a Windows PC. As a Windows power user, my greatest need is an operating system that just works. An OS that prioritizes the keyboard and mouse. An OS that improves performance, upgrades security, and offers more control over my own hardware. An OS that, frankly, gets out of the way and exists as a reliable desktop operating system that won’t let me down. Windows 11’s AI initiative is a huge mess Microsoft’s big focus lately—aside from releasing videos opining about how people who are currently 28 will be baffled by keyboards and mice by the time they’re 33—has been to shove AI features into every nook and cranny of Windows. A most bizarre mix of features. For example, on a Copilot+ PC, you can generate low-quality images with the Photos app using your PC’s neural processing unit (NPU). You can also open the Paint app and spend “AI credits” (or buy a $20-per-month Copilot Pro subscription) to generate better images with Microsoft’s cloud services. Why the two paths? Heck if I know. Maybe the team that wants to sell Copilot+ PCs got access to Photos while the team that wants to sell Copilot Pro subscriptions got access to Paint. Windows is just becoming a mess as Microsoft piles confusing AI features everywhere it can. The features don’t even make sense! Windows 11’s Notepad can now sign into your Microsoft account so it can summarize text for you by burning those AI credits. Can I do that with the NPU on my fancy Copilot+ PC? Not in Notepad, apparently! There’s no rhyme or reason to the chaos. There’s no coherent vision. Here’s another example of the confusion: Windows 11 has two Copilot apps. One is called Copilot and the other is called Microsoft 365 Copilot. I often see PCs with both apps launching at boot and running in the system tray. What’s up with this? Why does it have to be so muddled? And don’t get me started on Microsoft’s biggest AI feature in Windows: Recall, which was a PR disaster from day one and continues to be one even with delay after delay. The worst part? Even if you set aside all the privacy concerns and controversy, Recall just isn’t very useful. Microsoft is using AI to smooth over issues Even with some tweaks and changes, Windows File Search just isn’t good. That’s why some power users resort to the Everything app, one of the best hidden gem apps for Windows. But instead of fixing Windows File Search, Microsoft’s solution is to roll out semantic search. Semantic search is an AI-driven file search that uses a local AI model to index and then search your files. It lets you search using natural language (instead of keywords), and it kind of works… but on the whole, as is par for the course, the AI isn’t reliable. The Windows Settings app is also a hot mess. It’s been years since Windows 11’s launch and system settings are still scattered between the Settings app and Control Panel. If that wasn’t bad enough, it’s hard to find the settings you need because plain-language searches for options in the Settings app often fail for who knows why. Microsoft’s solution? An agentic AI in the Settings app that can change settings for you. More and more, it feels like the AI features in Windows are just band-aids for the underlying problems in the operating system. Microsoft is clearly trying to market these AI features as selling points for the OS, but the kicker here is that these AI features only work on Copilot+ PCs. That means they aren’t even available on most existing PCs, including high-end gaming PCs that prioritize GPUs and faster CPUs without NPUs. The end result is that these real issues still exist in Windows, and most Windows users still have to deal with them on a regular basis. Yet rather than fixing these problems in a way that benefits everyone, Microsoft is content to cram in some AI and call it a day. Please, Microsoft! Listen to your users Windows users tend to be a vocal bunch, and there’s no doubt that Microsoft has heard what those users say they want. Unfortunately, Microsoft seems to think they know better. They’re dead set on AI as the future of Windows and they’re being stubborn about it. But I’m still hoping that Microsoft will listen. Here’s what PC power users like myself really want in Windows: More testing of buggy updates: Windows 11’s latest update is breaking some SSDs, and that’s just one in a long line of incidents where recent Windows updates have botched features for all kinds of users. I would love if Microsoft spent more time testing software updates to avoid breaking things. And even when issues technically aren’t Microsoft’s fault, they should still take responsibility and commit to doing better. (The scuttlebutt is that Microsoft has laid off a lot of QA testers over the last few years.) Respect for my software choices: My PC is my PC. If I choose a default browser and search engine, I’ve chosen them for a reason. I don’t want Windows to constantly find sneaky ways to open Bing Search in Microsoft Edge. Please, stop. Respect my wishes. If Windows can do it in Europe, then it can do it here, too. No more distracting ads: I wish Windows didn’t regularly show me full-screen interstitials advertising Microsoft apps at boot. I don’t need to see viral headlines on the taskbar’s Widgets icon while I’m working. Microsoft, can you please stop spamming me with ads so I don’t feel like I have to disable all the ad settings in Windows? Improved app sandboxing for security: Back in the days of the now-defunct Windows 10X, Microsoft had a lot of ideas about running apps in containers. I’d love the option of running Windows apps in a more secure way—where I wouldn’t have to trust them with access to so much of my operating system—without being forced to rely on the Windows 11 Pro-only Sandbox feature. Performance boosts, not slowdowns: Yes, I really do just want improved performance throughout Windows, even if it means delaying (or missing out on) new features. Take Windows 11’s File Explorer app, which is slower than Windows 10’s File Explorer. Microsoft could roll it back and call it a win. Then maybe we wouldn’t need so many File Explorer alternatives. I could go on and on, but the point is obvious: I want Windows to be a fast, secure, and reliable desktop operating system that lets me run the software I want to run—and runs it well. Again, even AI enthusiasts don’t want this! These Windows AI features are largely hype and gimmicks. If you’re not a fan of AI features, you might wonder if it’s the AI power users who are begging for all these features. The answer is no. AI enthusiasts are using AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini that process data in the cloud. They’re using other AI tools that need no support from the operating system, including Adobe’s Firefly features in Photoshop and other creative AI apps that work on any operating system. Windows just has to run apps and provide an internet connection. No one who’s serious about AI wants a crappy image generator in Photos. Even the serious AI power users who are running local AI models don’t benefit from these features. They’re running local image generators and large language models on GPUs with lots of VRAM. All they need Windows to do is get out of the way and run software like it always has. The better Windows works as a desktop operating system, the better it will be for everyone—traditional PC power users and AI enthusiasts alike. But giving up on AI may hurt Microsoft’s stock price, so here we are. Do you care about Windows? Maybe a little too much? So do I. Sign up to The Windows ReadMe newsletter for weekly PC tips, retro fun, and experiments straight from the mind of me, Chris Hoffman. Read...

Broadcom launches new AI-focused cyber security features for VMware Cloud Foundation to boost compliance and protect private clouds in regulated sectors. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Smooth, hiccup-free physical operation Easier installation than prior iterations Much better PIN support, with 250 available Z-Wave and Wi-Fi bridge options available Cons Very large proportions on both sides of the door App needs refreshing and updating High price Our Verdict The Alfred DB2S isn’t much of a visual departure from the manufacturer’s earlier offerings, but it does offer some attractive new features, including a rechargeable battery and RFID support. Be prepared to shell out for this lock, though. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today When I last checked out a smart lock from Alfred, the company had upgraded its DB1 lock series to the DB2 series, bringing with it a simpler industrial design and some extra features, including voice prompts. So, this most recent next version of Alfred’s lock must be the DB3 series, right? No, sir. Naturally it’s called the Alfred DB2S. Specifications The DB2S looks a lot like the older DB2, although this new version is only available in black or satin nickel trim options, with no gold option. It also now features elongated escutcheons (both approaching 7 inches in height), a lighted touchscreen that vanishes altogether when not in use, and a physical keyhole with a swiveling metal color. The keypad on the Alfred DB2S smart lock disappears when it’s not in use. The lock’s interior escutcheon is quite large.Alfred A rechargeable lithium-ion battery that Alfred says should last 8 to 12 months replaces the four AA batteries used in the Alfred DB2. A USB-C port on the front of the lock is available for emergency access in the event of a dead battery. The battery must be removed from the lock for charging, which takes about 4 hours. Alfred sells a spare battery for $50, if you don’t want to experience any downtime. Out of the box, the DB2S is a Bluetooth-only device, unless you purchase one of two accessories. The Alfred Connect V2 Wi-Fi Bridge, a plug-in device, can connect the lock to your Wi-Fi network (2.4GHz networks only), or if you have a smart home hub that supports Z-Wave, you can add Alfred’s Z-Wave 800-series module ($40). Either accessory will add Amazon Alexa or Google Home compatibility to the lock (assuming your Z-Wave hub does, that is, but that’s all but a certainty). Alfred says the DB2S “exceeds all ANSI Grade 2 testing requirements and exceeds many of the ANSI Grade 1 cycle testing requirements,” but it has not been formally certified by the BHMA. Not sure what all that means? Consult our guide to the standards and certification processes of the ANSI and BHMA (Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association) as they relate to residential deadbolt locks. Installation and setup Alfred would do well to retool its app for managing its smart locks, as it’s looking quite dated.Christopher Null/Foundry Installation has improved over the notoriously goofy process I experienced with the Alred DB1 and Alfred DB2, both of which required a part of the tailpiece to be removed during the setup process. Installing the DB2S is largely in line with industry standards, with a frame bolted through the door to the exterior escutcheon, and the interior escutcheon mounted on top of that. A thick installation guide is included to help you through this process, though with 17 intricately detailed steps, it might be too much of a good thing. The Alfred DB2S smart lock’s unique Away and Privacy modes disable all PINs except the master code to enhance security and privacy respectively. The only twist is the inclusion of an optional wired door sensor, which attaches via its own separate cable near the top of the interior escutcheon and must be run underneath the rubber that surrounds the mounting plate. This informs the Alfred app as to whether the door is open or closed, and it’s slightly tricky to get perfectly aligned. A little loosening and tightening of the mounting bolts gets it into place quickly enough. As with the prior versions of the lock, a switch on the inside of the motor housing tells the lock whether it is mounted on a left- or right-handed door. The lock supports two means of electronic ingress (in addition to using the Alfred Home app): You can enter a PIN on the lock’s numeric keypad or present an RFID card to its onboard reader. The unit supports up to 250 PINs (up from a meager 20) and a maximum of 250 RFID cards (two of which are included in the box). That should be plenty for even the busiest household. Using the Alfred DB2S smart lock Miraculously, the Alfred DB2S can be used without its companion mobile app, with all programming undertaken by entering codes on the numeric keypad, as specified in a lengthy, second software guide. This is a very inefficient way of doing anything with the lock, and you’re far better off working with it through the simple but straightforward Alfred Home app, which does not appear to have changed at all since I last used it in 2021. Onboarding the lock into the app was very expedient in my testing, as the app locates the lock automatically without any type of scan or input required. Pairing the Wi-Fi bridge requires scanning a QR code on its backside. If you don’t have a smart home hub that supports Z-Wave, you’ll want to also purchase Alfred’s plug-in Wi-Fi bridge; otherwise, you’ll only be able to use the lock via Bluetooth.Alfred The Alfred app, as mentioned, is basic and dated. It still sees the access points on mesh networks as separate networks, and it automatically capitalizes your Wi-Fi password, but it at least covers the basics. Users can be invited to download the app and given access directly that way, but PINs and RFID access must be configured separately and then assigned to a user. There’s no way to see all the various access types that a user has on a single screen, so if someone has both a PIN and an RFID tag, they must be managed separately via their respective interfaces. The process is a little archaic, but it should work well enough for smaller households. The app is also speedy. Other app features include auto-locking (after a user-selected time span of 30 seconds to 3 minutes) that works in conjunction with the door sensor, so the lock won’t throw its bolt when the door ajar (thus preventing accidental damage to the trim around your door). Plug this Z-Wave 800 module into the Alfred DB2S and you can manage and operate the lock using your favorite Z-Wave smart home hub (SmartThings, Homey, Hubitat Eleveation, etc.)..Alfred If you’ll be away from home for an extended period and aren’t expecting anyone to gain access to your home, you can enable an Away mode that disables all PINs except for the master. If someone enters a PIN other than the master, or if they turn the thumbturn from inside the house, an onboard alarm will sound. There’s also a Privacy mode that does the same thing, but without activating the alarm when someone enters their PIN. Finally, there’s a geofencing feature that’s supposed to unlock the door when an authorized user approaches with their smartphone on their person. Away and Privacy modes worked well, but I was never able to get geofencing to work at all. Alfred does offer a comprehensive logging system, and push notifications related to unlocking activities arrived quickly during my testing. The Alfred DB2S has lots of options, but I couldn’t get it’s geofencing feature to work during my review.Christopher Null/Foundry As with most Alfred hardware, the DB2S isn’t the most elegant lock because of its massive size, although its sweeping curves counterbalance this to some degree. Fortunately, the lock works smoothly and without complaint; aside from the geofencing miss, I never encountered any major operational issues throughout my testing, across all types of lock and unlock operations. Should you buy the Alfred DB2S smart lock? With a starting price of $320 ($360 if you want Z-Wave connectivity, or $390 for Wi-Fi), Alfred is asking a small fortune for a smart lock that doesn’t include such modern access features as fingerprint recognition or palm-vein scanning, and that doesn’t support Matter (or Apple Home, either). Yes, you might find it selling for less if you shop around—I found it online at Tractor Supply Co. for $300, and—remarkably—at Walmart, bundled with Alfred’s Wi-Fi module, for just $255; but even at those prices, it’s still one of the more expensive locks on the market given its feature set. If you love the look of this lock, wait for a sale. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart locks. Read...

Having a bit of surveillance inside your home will make you feel so much better when you’re away on vacation or at work, especially when you can check in on that video feed from your phone whenever you want. All of that’s possible with this Ring Indoor Cam that’s on sale for $40 right now with this 33% discount down from its $60 MSRP. Since this security camera is so small, you can place it anywhere in your home that’s convenient for you, whether that’s on a table, on a shelf, or mounted on a wall. It captures crisp 1080p video so you don’t miss any details, allowing you to tell exactly what your dog is chewing on while you aren’t home. It even has color night vision, too. The Ring Indoor Cam is smart enough that it can “pre-record” footage before a motion event, allowing you to see what happened in the seconds leading up to the event. It can also notify you upon an event, and you can customize what types of events you get. It also integrated with Alexa, so you can receive notifications on other devices like an Echo Dot or check in on footage with an Echo Show. With a Ring Protect subscription, you can unlock a few more advanced features, including recording all your videos, reviewing stored videos from up to 180 days ago, and sharing videos with others. If you’ve always wanted the peace of mind that comes with convenient home surveillance, this is a great time to jump on. Get the Ring Indoor Cam for only $40 before this limited-time deal expires! Save 33% on Ring`s 1080p home security cam with smart motion alertsBuy now at Amazon Read...

I recently reviewed the Alienware 16X Aurora (with its Arrow Lake-based processor) and the Alienware 16 Aurora (with its Raptor Lake-based processor), and both were branded as “Series 2” chips—neither were Lunar Lake! That started me down a rabbit hole: What exactly does Intel’s “Series 2” CPU branding mean these days? Turns out, not a whole lot. When Intel unveiled simple branding for its “Series 1” CPUs, it was clear what we were getting. With “Series 2” and the launch of Lunar Lake, I thought Intel Core Ultra Series 2 CPUs were going to be AI PCs with long battery life and NPUs capable of running Copilot+ PC features… but that’s not true anymore. It’s more confusing than that. Intel’s “Series 2” branding doesn’t tell you much. You need to dig into model numbers and CPU architecture details to understand what’s going on—just like in the days before Intel simplified its CPU branding. The promise of Intel’s “Series 1” naming scheme, explained In 2023, Intel shook up its branding and aimed to simplify everything. On the mobile side—this is going to be complicated enough without dragging in desktop processors—you had “Intel Core (Series 1)” chips and “Intel Core Ultra (Series 1)” chips. Intel Core Ultra chips were Meteor Lake chips, early “AI PC” hardware with neural processing units and better power efficiency. The architecture never fully delivered on its grand promises, though: battery life improvements weren’t as massive as we’d hoped for, and the NPUs weren’t powerful enough to meet Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC requirements. They could be branded Intel Core Ultra 3, 5, 7, or 9. Meanwhile, Intel also had Raptor Lake chips—the previous architecture—which were branded Intel Core 3, 5, and 7 (no 9). These chips delivered higher performance for gaming PCs and workstations at the cost of higher power usage. In short, gamers looking for higher CPU performance needed to avoid the “Ultra” branding in Series 1 chips. While the use of “Ultra” to mean “a swanky new AI PC and not a top-performance CPU” was a little odd, the overall naming scheme mostly made sense. You could see “Series 1” and look at “Core Ultra 5” or “Core 7” and understand what you were getting. Then, it all started getting muddled again. As we get into the weeds, it’s important to remember that Intel’s CEO left at the end of 2024, which matches the timeline of when the company’s marketing strategy shifted away from its original simplified branding. The Core i9-14900HX showed holes in the Series 1 naming strategy In early 2024, Intel launched the Intel Core i9-14900HX processor. This was a performance monster—the fastest mobile CPU we ever tested at the time at PCWorld! But the naming was a bit confusing since Intel had dropped the “i” from its Meteor Lake CPUs, yet now it was back. That’s because this HX processor was from the Raptor Lake Refresh architecture, an updated version of a previous architecture. Wait. Didn’t Series 1 already encompass some Raptor Lake chips? Yes… but Intel had gotten rid of the “9” from the Core line, and Intel couldn’t call it a Core “Ultra” because that was reserved for Meteor Lake chips with NPUs. And I bet that the “Core i9” branding looked better for a high-performance gaming-focused CPU than mere “Core 7” branding. Gamers seeking high-end performance would almost certainly look for branding markers like “Ultra” and “9,” but Intel had reserved them for its AI PC chips that prioritized power efficiency and NPU acceleration over top-end performance. Intel’s “Series 2” branding was supposed to be Lunar Lake, right? Intel started using the “Series 2” naming scheme when it launched Lunar Lake chips in September 2024. There was a lot of hype around these “Lunar Lake” chips or “Core Ultra Series 2” processors, as they were what the Series 1 chips should have been. The NPU for AI features aside, they also delivered long battery life that went toe-to-toe with Qualcomm’s Arm-based Snapdragon X chips. I saw so much coverage of Series 2, and so much of that coverage tied the Series 2 branding to Lunar Lake and its battery life and NPU goals. Did I misunderstand Intel’s marketing? Maybe! But if so, I wasn’t the only one who was confused—and that’s my point. It’s gotten messy again. Intel’s Series 2 now includes Raptor Lake and Arrow Lake CPUs All of this brings us back to the laptops I mentioned at the start of this article: the Alienware 16 Aurora and Alienware 16X Aurora. The Alienware 16 Aurora had an Intel Core 7 240H, which was branded an “Intel Core (Series 2)” processor. However, it’s based on the older Raptor Lake architecture, which was already a previous-generation architecture when the Series 1 collection launched with Meteor Lake at the “Ultra” tier. Despite all the AI PC talk, this Series 2-powered laptop had no NPU—you couldn’t even use Windows Studio Effects for webcam effects. A big strike for Series 2 confusion. Meanwhile, the higher-end Alienware 16X Aurora had an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX chip, which was branded an “Intel Core Ultra (Series 2)” chip, just like the newest Lunar Lake chips. However, this one wasn’t Lunar Lake—it was a higher-end gaming chip with better performance, kind of like that Core i9-14900HX that was launched during the Series 1 era but wasn’t slapped with Series 1 branding. To be fair, it’s a great chip for gaming and it does have an NPU, but the NPU doesn’t meet the bar for Copilot+ PC features and it lacks Lunar Lake’s battery efficiency. So, what does all of this mean? Right now, an “Intel Core Ultra (Series 2)” processor can either be a high-end Arrow Lake gaming CPU without the chops to run Copilot+ PC features or a power-efficient Lunar Lake CPU that does meet Microsoft’s Copilot+ requirements. As always, the CPU’s model number and architecture remain key The fundmental point I’m trying to make is that “Series 2” doesn’t tell you much. Even “Core Ultra” doesn’t tell you much! Intel’s website brands these naming schemes as “product collections,” but you really need to look at a CPU’s model name and processor number to understand what you’re getting. “HX” means a powerful Arrow Lake CPU while “V” means a power-efficient Lunar Lake chip, for example. But I thought the simplified branding was meant to do away with that. If Series 2 can include so many different chips with so many different characteristics, I’m not sure what a “product collection” is aside from simply “a collection of CPUs released during a certain era”—and at the end of the day, how helpful is that for consumers? Not very. Shiny new branding, same old confusion Tech journalists have been criticizing confusing CPU and GPU branding for many years, and Intel has always been at the center of that. If Intel had stayed the course with its previous branding, none of this would be surprising—but Intel went out of its way to simplify things, and that simplified branding has already become complex in just a year. That, to me, makes it a failure that misses the mark. Intel once slammed AMD’s Ryzen naming scheme for being “snake oil” that marketed dated architectures as part of modern processor families. As Intel’s own presentation put it back in 2023, talking about AMD’s Ryzen branding: “Can I trust that this is the latest?” “No!” Well, that’s how it feels with Series 2. I struggle to follow all these twists and turns, and I’m a professional tech journalist who reviews laptops! I shouldn’t need an email from Intel PR to grasp what the heck “Series 2” actually means, and neither should you. Read...