Individuals or companies who want to use the latest version of Office are faced with the choice of whether to buy a license in the form of Microsoft Office 2024 or take out a subscription for Microsoft 365. A subscription gives you access to the latest Microsoft 365 apps. These are ultimately the same programs as in Office: Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook — with additional services and functions. In this article, we look at the most important differences. Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Office LTSC (Long Time Services Channel) 2024 are aimed at different target groups and usage scenarios. Microsoft 365 is based on a subscription model and continuously offers new functions through regular updates. It integrates AI-supported automation, real-time collaboration, and comprehensive security and compliance features. However, the subscription model also supports offline scenarios and therefore enables use without a constant internet connection, just like Office 2024. In contrast, Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 is aimed at users who require a long-term service solution — for example, in regulated environments or on devices without a connection to the outside world. This version offers new functions such as improved meeting creation and search options in Outlook as well as additional Excel functions and optimized performance. However, unlike Microsoft 365, Office LTSC does not receive regular feature updates and requires a one-off purchase instead of a subscription. The choice between the two options therefore depends on individual requirements and the preferred licensing model. View Microsoft 365 on Amazon Buy or subscribe: Which is better? If you buy Microsoft Office 2024, you have to pay once and can use the product for as long as you want. Although support for Office 2024 ends on October 9, 2029, this does not mean that the programs will no longer work. Microsoft will no longer release updates from this date, but the programs can be used indefinitely. The cost of Office 2024 Home is $149. In some cases, you can get it a little cheaper, for example if you buy OEM versions. If you subscribe to Microsoft 365 as a private individual, you have to expect costs of around $70 per year as an individual or just under $100 per year for a family license. When you book Microsoft 365 Family, you can install the Office apps on up to six PCs and six different people can work with them. What’s more, Microsoft regularly integrates new functions into the Microsoft 365 apps. However, only Microsoft 365 subscribers benefit from these new features. The conventional Office 2024 editions do not receive any updates, only security updates. If a new major version of Office is released, such as Office 2027, you will have to buy it again. Microsoft does not offer an update. With Microsoft 365, you always use the latest version of Microsoft Office at no extra cost when a new major version is released. Microsoft 365 is more than just Office Apart from the obvious differences, the monthly payment, and the new functions, Microsoft 365 offers subscribers a lot more. First, you can also work with the mobile apps on your smartphone and tablet and read, write, edit, and save documents. This is particularly interesting for users who travel a lot, especially for updating documents. Foundry However, the biggest and most important difference compared to a conventional Office 2024 licence is the cloud storage in OneDrive that is available to you as a subscriber. You can store up to 1TB of data in OneDrive and access the cloud storage directly from the Office apps. With Microsoft 365 Family, that’s a total of 6TB of storage space in the cloud. If you don’t need the cloud storage, it rarely makes sense to use Microsoft 365. If you don’t want to store your data in the cloud, the Microsoft 365 subscription makes little sense. Of course, you don’t have to use the data storage only with Office; you can store any data in the cloud. You can access the data with the OneDrive clients for Windows, Linux, macOS, the web browser, and the apps for iOS and Android, or directly from Office 2024 programs. And of course also from the Microsoft 365 apps. In other words, if you don’t need this level of cloud storage, it’s better to buy Office 2024. If you’re not sure whether you need the functions, you can also test Microsoft 365 for a month before deciding on a subscription. The main advantage of cloud storage is that you can access the latest versions of your documents from anywhere and a hardware failure does not lead to data loss. However, cloud storage is no substitute for data backup. Although you can use the recycle bin in Microsoft 365 and also work with versions of documents, an additional backup offline or in another cloud service still makes sense. Installation of Microsoft 365 apps Of course, you don’t need permanent access to the internet with Microsoft 365. You install the apps on your PC, just like the offline version of Office 2024. You can download the latest installation files from the Office portal at any time. If you save the documents in OneDrive, you can activate offline access and also work offline. The client synchronizes automatically the next time you connect to the internet. Conclusion: Microsoft Office 2024 or Microsoft 365: Which is better? The choice between Microsoft Office 2024 and Microsoft 365 depends largely on individual requirements and usage habits. Microsoft Office 2024 is particularly suitable for users who prefer to make a one-off payment and rely on long-term use without regular updates. This version is mainly suitable for environments without internet access or highly regulated areas in which cloud services do not play a role. Anyone who only needs basic functions and does not value additional features or cloud storage will find a suitable solution here. View Microsoft Office 2024 at the PCWorld Software Store Microsoft 365, on the other hand, is aimed at users who appreciate continuous updates and new functions. It also offers extensive cloud storage options with OneDrive, seamless integration of mobile devices, and a strong focus on collaboration and flexibility. The subscription is particularly useful for users who regularly work on multiple devices, want to access their documents on the go or require modern automation and security functions. If you want to benefit from these advantages, it is better to opt for Microsoft 365. View Microsoft 365 at Amazon This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and localized from German. Read...

It has been replaced with a lighter preventative measure pending the outcome of a criminal investigation. Read...

AI-powered video descriptions are the new hotness when it comes to security cameras. Amazon’s Ring cameras and Google’s Nest cams are already doing them, and now Wyze is joining the party.  Available now as part of a new–and pricey–“Cam Unlimited Pro” plan, Wyze’s “descriptive alerts” serve up AI-generated captions for video events captured by your Wyze cams, complete with “important details and contextual information.”  So, rather than getting Wyze alerts that just say “Driveway” or “Bedroom,” subscribers to the new plan will get AI descriptions with details such as “Three babies are helping each other climb out of their cribs,” or “Front Door caught a suspicious person walking up to the porch and picking up a package.”  Besides the AI-powered video alerts, Wyze users are also getting AI search, meaning you can find clips in your video history using natural-language queries.  If that kind of functionality sounds familiar, it’s because Amazon and Google are already in on the AI action with their respective security cameras.  Last October, Amazon-owned Ring rolled out “Smart Video Search,” an AI-powered feature that lets Ring users search for video events with—you guessed it—natural-language prompts.  About a month later, Google began testing descriptive video events powered by Gemini AI for its Nest cams.  Wyze’s AI-generated video alerts (which are compatible with all Wyze cams except for the Wyze Cam v1, the Wyze Video Doorbell v1, and the Wyze Cam Outdoor v1) are included in the brand’s just-announced Cam Unlimited Pro plan, which will set you back $19.99 a month, or $199.99 a year.  The plan covers all your Wyze cameras and also offers smart object detection (including for people, pets vehicles, and packages), suspicious sound alerts, facial recognition, and a web view for live feeds and recorded events, among other features.  Cam Unlimited Pro subscribers are also slated to get 60 days of cloud storage by this spring, Wyze says. For now, the limit is 14 days of video storage, same as with Wyze’s $4.99/month Cam Plus and $9.99/month Cam Unlimited plans. It’s worth noting that the separate $9.99/month Wyze Home Monitoring plan, which offers sensor alerts through Wyze’s home security system plus 24/7 professional monitoring, is not compatible with the new Cam Unlimited Pro plan, according to Wyze.   That means if you’re a Wyze Home Monitoring subscriber and opt for the Cam Unlimited Pro plan, the latter plan will replace the Wyze Home Monitoring tab, you’ll lose the professional monitoring, and your sensors “will no longer be tied to your security plan,” a Wyze FAQ explains. Read...

Adobe has brought collaboration to Photoshop, allowing users to work together on an image editing project in much the same way a team could work on a Microsoft 365 document or one within Google Workspace. Adobe calls this “Live Co-Editing” and the company is opening up a beta-testing program for both the Photoshop desktop (beta) app as well as the existing Web apps. Adobe isn’t saying how many people can work on a shared project at once. The company also isn’t saying how it will handle various scenarios where one person works on one part of a project, makes a change, and then rolls it back, adjusting the other collaborator’s workflow as well. And while it might be valuable for a student to follow along while a teacher demonstrates something on a shared project, this new Live Co-Editing model also theoretically allows a client to peer over the shoulder as the creative develops the project, suggesting “helpful” changes. Still, at least a team of artists won’t have to send files back and forth. Adobe isn’t saying when the feature will exit beta and officially go live. Read...

The tech giant accounts for 90% of web searches in the UK - the regulator will probe whether that harms consumers and rivals. Read...

When I first saw that photo of Nvidia’s new Project Digits mini PC unveiled at CES 2025, I couldn’t help but notice the Apple influence — minimalist, sleek, next to a monitor that looks like Apple’s Studio Display. Apple’s latest Mac Mini is revolutionary in many ways, delivering the company’s impressive M4 silicon in an efficient, affordable package. Windows PCs haven’t yet been able to reach the same level of design beauty and overall balanced unit. Could Nvidia’s new Mac Mini-like small-form-factor AI supercomputer usher in a major disruption for Windows PCs? Let’s dive into Project Digits, what it is, and what it brings to the table for the future. Project Digits: What it is and what it isn’t It’s a little unfair to compare the Mac Mini and Nvidia’s Project Digits, mainly because they target vastly different users and markets. After all, the Mac Mini is for home users who just want to do some web browsing, media streaming, and maybe light content creation or gaming. And on the side, you have Apple Intelligence for AI in that ecosystem. But then you have Project Digits, a powerhouse mini PC infused with the power of Nvidia’s Grace Blackwell GB10 Superchip. The idea here is to pack an AI supercomputer into a small chassis that’s usable by scientists, students, and AI researchers in a very focused manner. That’s reflected in its price: A whopping $3,000 that proves it’s meant to be more of a professional-level device. It launches around May 2025. Project Digits runs on the GB10 Superchip, meant to run large language models (LLMs) with up to 200 billion parameters. If you connect two of them, they can together handle up to 405 billion parameters. It’s perfect for AI researchers and inference models. The internal components in Nvidia’s Project Digits.Nvidia Yet while the built-in GPU is fine-tuned for AI with 128GB of unified memory, there’s no reason why Nvidia couldn’t adapt it for use in a Windows-like gaming PC in the future. Even now, Project Digits is already much more powerful than any traditional PC or laptop, with 1 petaflop of power. (For comparison, modern high-end gaming PCs only reach up to 10 teraflops — the equivalent of 0.01 petaflops.) Mac Mini users could use their systems for some AI work, but most are just using them as personal computers for mundane, personal tasks. Imagine if Nvidia tuned Project Digits in that direction? As is, Project Digits is an enthusiast- and professional-level product, but what if Nvidia honed it to become like the Mac Mini? A consumer-grade PC with unprecedented power that’s even more revolutionary than the M4 Mac Mini. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes AI will go mainstream and make its way into virtually every industry and facet of human life. If he’s right about that, a small yet powerful AI supercomputer could be a game-changer, much like the smartphone was for everyday life. (I wouldn’t doubt Jensen Huang, who’s been a near-unparalleled visionary thus far.) That’s it. That tiny thing is Nvidia’s Project Digits mini PC.Nvidia This means Nvidia would want its AI to have more personal applications for everyday consumers, not just for research or data center purposes. For now, Project Digits gives those who would normally be working in such environments the ability to bring their work home, and that’s one step closer to bringing AI into the personal home space. Nvidia already meddles in the consumer market, of course. Just look at their GeForce RTX GPUs, which are the company’s DNA — and AI came after developing those graphics chips for gamers. So while Nvidia makes bank on data centers and AI, these applications aren’t the be-all and end-all for the company. Gaming remains important, and there remain plenty of other consumer markets — like this — that Nvidia could explore. Project Digits could be a looming threat Nvidia’s Project Digits mini supercomputer runs on Linux, not Windows. A strange choice, perhaps, considering that Nvidia is already intimately familiar with Windows drivers for its GPUs. Could this be a sign that Nvidia wants to move away from Windows, at least in some capacity? Could it even mean that Nvidia wants to develop their own operating system, one that’s based on Unix (much like Linux and macOS are) and not Windows? This would be an Apple-like endeavor, paving the way for Nvidia to have complete control over their entire portfolio by way of in-house solutions. Lenovo This isn’t the first rumbling of a Windows disruption that we’ve heard at CES 2025. Last month, Valve announced its “Powered by SteamOS” branding for partners, signaling a new era in which third-party gaming handhelds, laptops, and PCs will increasingly run on SteamOS. Valve told us more about their plans at CES 2025, and we saw the debut of the first non-Valve SteamOS gaming handheld. In short, Microsoft should be terrified of SteamOS. It works well enough without Windows and it’s slowly converting Windows gamers over. The Steam Deck has been the big showcase for SteamOS for a while now, but with Valve opening it up to all kinds of other manufacturers, we’re undoubtedly going to see a big shift in years to come. Now, to be clear, Nvidia has made no indication that they plan to do anything like this. All of this is speculation. But it would certainly make some sense for Nvidia to start forging their own path, detached from Windows and all its baggage. Nvidia has the capital and influence to make it happen, and they could easily argue that their AI and hardware are so bespoke that they need bespoke software solutions. In that case, Microsoft would have something greater than SteamOS to fear. Mac Mini and Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs. Will these worlds ever collide to form a Nvidia mini PC that offers the best of everything?Thiago Trevisan / IDG Indeed, I can see a possible near-future where Nvidia doesn’t just sell GPUs but entire mini PCs to their board partners. How does a superpowered Asus ROG Strix Project Digits mini PC sound? It could have a GPU, CPU, and NPU all packed into one tiny unit — and that would certainly feel like Apple’s silicon and tight integration of hardware. But you never know. The future could be boring. Nvidia may well stick with Windows PCs and take the easier, simpler, well-trodden path. It’s not like they couldn’t do big things here, as Windows PCs need the power and tight integration that Nvidia’s hardware brings to the table. Rumors suggest Nvidia is working on an Arm-powered PC chip now that Qualcomm’s long-leaked Arm Windows exclusivity agreement has ended. Imagine a small Windows PC the size of a Mac Mini but running on a superpowered chip that delivers RTX-grade graphics and next-gen AI performance. This is an area where even Apple hasn’t yet caught up to Nvidia, and a solid execution of such an idea would sway consumer markets to new form factors and possibilities. Read...

Having a fast flash drive on hand can save you the pain of transferring files over slow Wi-Fi. In fact, it allows you to bypass the need for an internet connection altogether. It just so happens that one of our favorites — Samsung’s Type-C Flash Drive — is on sale right now, with the 128GB model available for a mere $18 on Amazon. Besides the fact that this modern flash drive is a total steal at this price, this particular flash drive is awesome because, as the name suggests, it has a USB-C connection. That means it’s so easy to back up data from smartphones, tablets, laptops, gaming consoles, and more. The Samsung Type-C Flash Drive is tiny, too, making it easy to throw into a pocket or purse and take with you anywhere. It’s also built with protection against most dangers, including water, dust, shocks, magnets, extreme temperatures, and X-rays. With its 400MB/s read speeds, you can transfer massive files to your thumb drive in no time, including those extra-large 4K videos. Get your very own compact USB-C flash drive for just $18 on Amazon while this deal lasts. If 128GB is too little for you, the 256GB model is also on sale (for just $27, was $35). Samsung`s USB-C flash drive is the best $18 you`ll spend this weekBuy now at Amazon Read...

With all the excitement of the NFL postseason, it’s easy to forget about NFL Sunday Ticket, the YouTube-hosted home for streaming out-of-market NFL games during the regular season. Indeed, YouTube is probably hoping Sunday Ticket subscribers forget about their memberships–at least until next season’s kickoff.  The reason? NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube and YouTube TV has an auto-renewal feature that automatically resubs users for the following season—and once you’re re-subscribed, there are no refunds.  The date when YouTube or YouTube TV will automatically renew your NFL Sunday Ticket subscription may vary; you can find the renewal date in your YouTube accounts details (more on that in a moment). Most likely, your NFL Sunday Ticket renewal date will hit a few weeks before the 2025-26 regular season begins.  Okay, but what if you’ve already decided to keep your NFL Sunday Ticket subscription? Should you still cancel before next season?   The answer is yes. As TV Answer Man has previously pointed out, YouTube will re-subscribe you to NFL Sunday Ticket “at the then-current retail price.” That means you’ll miss out on any NFL Sunday Ticket discounts that crop up after your renewal date.  How to cancel the NFL Sunday Ticket add-on for YouTube TV  First, visit tv.youtube.com from a desktop web browser, then sign in with your Google account.  Go to the upper-right corner of the screen, click on your profile image, then click Settings (look for the gear-shaped icon).  Scroll to the Memberships heading; you should see your NFL Sunday Ticket subscription listed. Click Manage.  On the next screen, you should see your next billing date, along with a Cancel option. Go ahead and click it.  Google will serve up a final Yes, Cancel confirmation; click it, and you’re done.  How to cancel NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube Primetime Channels  Visit youtube.com from a desktop browser, then sign in with your Google account.  You should see your profile icon in the top-right corner of the screen. Click it, then click Purchases and memberships.  You’ll find your NFL Sunday Ticket membership listed under the Memberships heading. Click Manage membership.  Here, you’ll see your next billing date, along with the Cancel option. Click Cancel, then click Confirm cancellation.  What about Verizon’s NFL Sunday Ticket offer–how you do cancel that? Did you snag a free season of NFL Sunday Ticket through Verizon? If so, trying to manage your NFL Sunday Ticket subscription on YouTube will simply shoot you over to Verizon’s site, where you’ll see your status as “Account Enrolled.” Now what? The answer: Now nothing, as there’s nothing you need to do. As Verizon’s NFL Sunday Ticket FAQ explains, the Verizon offer is only good for the 2024-25 regular NFL season, and once it expires, it won’t auto-renew. Read...

TP-Link’s Tapo smart home ecosystem gained a host of new products at CES 2025, including new home security cameras, smart lighting products—including a bona fide NVR system. But if the recent stories about security flaws in TP-Link routers gives you pause, TP-Link assures us that there’s no longer any connection between it—TP-Link Systems—and China’s TP-Link Technologies. A TP-Link Systems spokesperson told us the company manufactures its products in Brazil and Vietnam, not China, and that it “owns its own factories, designs and manufactures its products, and controls its full supply chain.” With that out of the way, let’s talk about the new Tapo products, starting with home security. Tapo PalmKey Smart Door Lock TP-Link The Tapo PalmKey Smart Door Lock features palm-vein recognition technology that scans the intricate, unique patterns of veins in your hand. The company said this delivers unparalleled accuracy and security, surpassing traditional fingerprint or facial-recognition systems. Its scanner is designed to work flawlessly even with wet, dirty, or dry hands, ensuring reliable access for all family members, regardless of age or physical condition. The lock includes seven other lock/unlock methods as well: Fingerprint, PIN codes, Wi-Fi remote control, a physical key, and third-party integration. It employs multi-layer encryption to safeguard user data and features a 10,000 mAh rechargeable battery with USB Type-C port for charging. Designed to withstand extreme conditions, the lock is IP65 weatherproof. New Tapo security cameras TP-Link promises compact Tapo C675D Kit, 4K dual-lens security camera can eliminate blind spots thanks to a wide-angle camera that sits on top of an independently controlled pan/tilt camera. Both cameras boast 4K resolution, and they both connect to an included solar panel to keep their batteries topped off. Unless other dual-lens cameras we’ve seen, the Tapo C675D is remarkably compact and non-industrial looking. Tapo’s NVR (network video recorder) supports both Wi-Fi and PoE security cameras and can record 24/7, not just when triggered by motion or something else.Michael Brown/Foundry If you have a large property and need to deploy a camera at the perimeter, far from your Wi-Fi rounter, a 4G camera was your best solution. But that entails adding a monthly fee for the service. Today’s Wi-Fi HaLow now offers a subscription-free alternative, and you can get it with TP-Link’s Tapo C6165D security camera, which also comes with a solar panel to keep its battery topped off. The Tapo C6165D can also be paired with TP-Link’s all-new Tapo NVR Security Camera System, which is capable of capturing video 24/7, instead of only in response to motion or some other trigger. It’s an 8-channel NVR (network video recorder) that can accommodate up to a 20TB hard drive for recording from 8 cameras simultaneously. You can either buy it with a hard drive preinstalled or provide your own. The NVR system can accommodate wireless cameras that support the ONVIF video format, or you can connect PoE (Power over Ethernet) cameras if you don’t want to worry about recharging batteries. AI processing performed locally—not in the cloud—can describe what the cameras have recorded, making it much easier to find the footage you’re looking for. Tapo Atom Link smart lighting TP-Link’s Atom Link lighting system communicates over both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth mesh.Michael Brown/Foundry Few things are more annoying than having your smart lighting fail because your internet connection is down. The Tapo Atom Link lighting system promises to make that problem a thing of the past by connecting to both your Wi-Fi network and Bluetooth mesh. Should your broadband connection or router fail, or if one of the lights has a weak Wi-Fi signal, they can automatically switch over to Bluetooth mesh to retain control. The Atom Link product family includes smart bulbs, smart downlights, and smart switches to cover all the bases. The Tapo app, meanwhile, lets you create dynamic lighting environments, set schedules, and adjust brightness and color temperature. Alexa and Google Home are also supported for voice commands, and TP-Link’s AI can even create lighting scenes based on the Tapo products you have in your home. TP-Link Tapo expects to ship each of these product by Spring 2025, with pricing to be announced closer to launch. Read...

And a few months later, the Internet`s first password. Read...