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| CNet News - 17 May (CNet News)New AI technology promises to protect your financial info from fraudsters and make it more convenient for you to pick a payment. Read...Newslink ©2024 to CNet News | |
| | | PC World - 17 May (PC World)Google has solved a fundamental problem with Chromebook gaming in a rather awesome way: How do you play Android touch games on Chromebooks without a touchscreen? For a long time, the answer was simply: you don’t. But Google has come up with a way to remap keyboard inputs to touch controls, for every game in the Google Play Store, along with several other helpful Chromebook tweaks.
For whatever reason, Google left out ChromeOS and Chromebooks entirely from its keynote at Google I/O, which included AI-powered search enhancements and some rather interesting AI tweaks to Gmail. But in the ongoing debate over whether to buy a laptop or a Chromebook, factoring in the most recent advances to Chromebooks matter. This week, Google executives offered up a sneak peek of the cooler new Google technologies coming in the future.
Google calls this Game Controls. The technology was first shown off in 2022 on a limited set of titles, according to Emilie Roberts, developer relations engineer for Google. But it’s been revamped with a better editor, and broader coverage across all of the apps in the Play Store. Game Controls is being tested in ChromeOS m125, currently in beta, and will be released to the stable channel “soon,” she said.
The screenshot is a bit blurry, but essentially ChromeOS Game Controls allows you to specify a point on the screen and then make a keyboard key equate to a “click” on that region.
The screenshot is a bit blurry, but essentially ChromeOS Game Controls allows you to specify a point on the screen and then make a keyboard key equate to a “click” on that region.Google / YouTube
The screenshot is a bit blurry, but essentially ChromeOS Game Controls allows you to specify a point on the screen and then make a keyboard key equate to a “click” on that region.Google / YouTube
Google / YouTube
Likewise, Google is taking a page from other gaming platforms, and allowing gamers to capture clips from their favorite games. “Gamers can grab video and screenshots, share them on social media, all without interrupting their gameflow,” Roberts said. She did not say when the feature would be released.
Google is also offering a pair of new features designed to make it easier for you to add apps to Chromebooks, as well as for developers to make them more discoverable. The first, and most prominent, will be an “Add to Chromebook” button that you may see on the websites of apps, letting you quickly add the app in launchable standalone form. It works with both PWAs (Progressive Web Applications) as well as Android apps, according to Sam Richard, a senior developer advocate for Google. Clicking on the button opens up the corresponding entry in the Play Store. It’s expected to launch in Chrome OS 125, which is rolling out over the course of the next few days and weeks.
The “Add to Chromebook” button is live, though developers will have to implement themselves. Eighteen developer partners have already signed up or committed to use the new “Add to Chromebook buttons, he said.
“While a lot of people look for apps on the Play Store, Google Search is also incredibly popular for app discovery,” Richard said. “Many folks who start the discovery in search end up on your website.”
The tabbed PWA mode within ChromeOS.
The tabbed PWA mode within ChromeOS.Google / YouTube
The tabbed PWA mode within ChromeOS.Google / YouTube
Google / YouTube
Finally, Google is showcasing a tabbed PWA mode. If you download a PWA, Google says, you’ll be able to essentially organize it as a tab, rather than each in a separate app window. Figma showcased an early example of this, with the home page in one tab, and additional files being opened and worked on in other, separate tabs. It’s reminiscent of the tabbed “Sets” interface Microsoft tried out and then abandoned, but resurfaced inside the tabbed interface of File Explorer.
Chromebooks Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 17 May (PC World)VPNs aren’t just useful for keeping your online activities private and safe, they’re also a great way to bypass restrictions on streaming content in different countries. The top VPN providers are winning out in the cat-and-mouse game with streaming services to make sure you always have access to your favorite content no matter where you are.
Given the restrictions that services such as Netflix put in place against VPNs, you need to choose a service that has active compatibility with that streaming site. It’s also a good idea to choose a VPN with generous overall server spread so that if one server is down in the country you are trying to access, there are other options available. The PCWorld staff have thoroughly tested the top VPNs on the market to see how they fare at unblocking the top streaming sites and we’ve curated our favorites in the list below.
Why you should trust us: Here at PCWorld we’ve been testing computer hardware, software, and services since the 1980s. We’re continually testing all of the major VPNs on the market and many lesser-known services in order to curate a list of the very best VPNs across a variety of categories. For a more in-depth guide, you can check out our article on how we test VPN services at PCWorld. Below you’ll find our favorite VPNs, and below those, helpful advice about what to look for when choosing a VPN on your own.
We highly recommend that you use a VPN not only to access location-restricted content, but also to provide one of the best possible upgrades to your online security. So, if you’re looking to use your VPN for more than streaming, be sure to check out our comprehensive roundup of the best VPNs in all categories.
Updated May 10, 2024: Check out our latest review of ProtonVPN. From the makers of ProtonMail, ProtonVPN is a great choice due to its privacy, speeds, and streaming specific servers, which still keeps it as our top pick for Mac users.
NordVPN – Best overall for Netflix
Pros
Great feature set
Excellent speeds
No-logs policy
Attractive and intuitive interface
Cons
Expensive
Why we like NordVPN
For our money, the best option for streaming Netflix is NordVPN. From the start, it has been challenging the Netflix VPN ban. It’s also had a goal of making all of its servers work with the streaming service. As of our latest review, Netflix works without a hitch on all servers tested. No matter which Netflix catalog you want, NordVPN promises to deliver it.
NordVPN has more than 5,000 servers and offers locations in 60 countries around the world. It also allows you to choose your specific server so that you can switch around if you need to if Netflix’s ban hammer ever comes down.
In addition to top-notch speeds, and Netflix compatibility, NordVPN offers double-hop connections and Meshnet. NordVPN also uses the WireGuard protocol by default, though it has made some modifications to make WireGuard friendlier and more private for commercial VPN services and thus calls its protocol NordLynx.
For both download and upload speeds, NordVPN is inside our top 5 for best speeds overall, and with the company’s success rate of averting bans, it should have no trouble streaming Netflix anywhere in the world.
Who should buy NordVPN
Simply put, everyone looking to use a VPN with streaming services such as Netflix can, and probably should, use NordVPN — it’s really that good for streaming. Between its consistently good speeds and history of successfully unblocking, we think NordVPN can’t be beat.
Read our full
NordVPN review
ExpressVPN – Best runner-up for Netflix
Pros
Excellent speeds
Easy-to-use interface
Unblocks all streaming services
Great security and privacy practices
Cons
More expensive than many competitors
Light on some features for a top VPN
Why we like ExpressVPN
If NordVPN isn’t your style, our top VPN overall, ExpressVPN, is also an excellent choice. ExpressVPN offers more than 3,000 servers in 105 countries. It also promises that Netflix will work with every server it has, and ExpressVPN offers good speeds. Express is on the pricier side at nearly $100 per year, compared to $60 for Nord. But the app is easy to use, the speeds are excellent, and it offers some nice extras such as a private DNS service that lets you set up an Apple TV or console for watching U.S. streaming services overseas.
Who should buy ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is right up there with NordVPN as our recommendation for most people. Its great server spread means you’ll likely find a country to connect to no matter where you want to spoof your location. Also, as our top VPN overall, ExpressVPN will serve you just as well with non-streaming activities as it will unblocking Netflix.
Read our full
ExpressVPN review
CyberGhost VPN – Best for server locations
Pros
Consistently good speeds
Easy-to-use desktop program
Broad device support
Cons
Logs data transfer amounts
More expensive than many competitors
Why we like CyberGhost VPN
When using a VPN to stream Netflix or another service, having a large pool of servers to choose from is a huge benefit. This is because streaming services and VPN providers are in a constant cat-and-mouse game to try and restrict or maintain access. And if you want variety and options in the server locations from your VPN, then CyberGhost VPN has them in droves.
It offers a staggering 9,000+ servers for users to connect to — more than twice as many as ExpressVPN. These servers aren’t all concentrated in the U.S. or Europe either. They boast a server spread with 110 countries across all parts of the world. It even recommends optimized servers to users for various needs such as gaming, streaming, and torrenting. We did find that some of the servers were faster than others, with servers located in Europe having excellent speeds while servers in Asia not so much. But all-in-all, in our testing we found that the speeds were good enough to stream on any and all of their servers.
Additionally, CyberGhost is an intuitive and easy-to-use Windows app with good functionality. It lacks some of the power user features that other VPNs on this list provide, but that shouldn’t be a deal breaker if you’re just looking to use the service to stream. Ultimately, CyberGhost is a straightforward and easy-to-use VPN service with an impressive number of server locations.
Who should buy CyberGhost VPN
If you’re looking for the greatest server spread with the most server locations to choose from then CyberGhost VPN is the ticket. For those who travel a lot or just need access to a wide-ranging server spread, CyberGhost is worth consideration.
Read our full
CyberGhost review
Surfshark – Best for access with multiple devices
Pros
Unlimited simultaneous device connections
Works well with Netflix
Built-in extras such as ad tracker and malware blocking
Low price on long-term plans
Cons
Indicators for ping or server load are not readily available
Based in the Netherlands and subject to government data sharing requests
Why we like Surfshark VPN
Surfshark is another VPN that hits our top 10 for speeds, reaching 61 percent of the base speed in our latest tests. This makes Surfshark plenty fast enough for Netflix streaming. Our testing also showed that Surfshark was able to not only unblock Netflix, but also any other major streaming service we tried—including Amazon Prime, Max, Hulu, and more.
It also comes with ad- and malware-blocking features, double-hop connections, and, surprisingly, it offers unlimited simultaneous device connections as opposed to the usual five-device limit with most VPNs. The Surfshark app for Windows is also easy to use and if you opt for a two-year subscription, the price is incredibly affordable as well.
Who should buy Surfshark VPN
Since Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous device connections, it is ideal for users who want to securely access streaming platforms from multiple devices at the same time. This makes it a great option for families who frequently have all of their members watching shows on their own devices, or individuals who don’t mind sharing their VPN with friends or colleagues.
Read our full
Surfshark review
ProtonVPN – Best for watching Netflix on a Mac
Pros
Excellent free plan
Great privacy tools
Reliable and transparent no-logs policy
Cons
Expensive
Best Prices Today:
$9.99 at ProtonVPN
Why we like ProtonVPN
Another good recommendation is ProtonVPN, which is available at a similar price to ExpressVPN. Unlike NordVPN, however, Netflix doesn’t work on every single Netflix server. It works on a lot of the more than 4,800 servers, but not every single one. The one issue with Proton is that it can have trouble from time to time, where a stream will suddenly stop, especially if you’re watching while you work on the same PC. While these issues popped up on our Windows machine, we did not have the same issue on a Mac, where it ran smoothly the entire time.
Who should buy ProtonVPN
While we at PCWorld typically use Windows PCs, we understand that Mac users need VPN love as well. So if you’re rocking a macOS machine we think that Proton VPN is a great option. The VPN has one of the better macOS apps we’ve encountered and combined with its strong unblocking ability, this makes ProtonVPN a solid pick for Apple users looking to access streaming services.
Read our full
ProtonVPN review
Why does Netflix block VPNs?
Netflix’s big expansion into pretty much every country on earth back in 2016 meant it had to get tough on VPNs. While Netflix produces a lot of its own content that it can make available worldwide, the company also licenses a ton of content from traditional entertainment studios.
These third parties are still working on a system of global territory licensing. Under this system, Netflix gets a package of movies and TV shows from these companies that it can show in the U.S., but that aren’t licensed to be shown by Netflix in, say, Europe. To keep those companies and their other international licensees happy, Netflix must enforce a block on VPNs to prevent people from getting content made available to Netflix subscribers in the UK, but not the U.S.
“We are making progress in licensing content across the world,” Netflix said in a 2016 blog post. “But we have a ways to go before we can offer people the same films and TV series everywhere.”
Netflix isn’t the only company that has to enforce these restrictions. Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and others do it too. However, Netflix along with Hulu are easily the most active and effective at it.
What to look for in a VPN to access Netflix streaming
First, most people should not make speed the top consideration. The minimum recommended bandwidth for a 1080p Netflix stream is 5 megabits per second (Mbps). If you’re streaming in 4K it’s 15Mbps. Depending on your home internet speed, that should be doable with nearly all the top VPNs.
Instead, the first consideration should be the basic promise of Netflix compatibility from a reputable company. That’s the rub. Any old VPN can promise Netflix compatibility, but if there aren’t a lot of reviews about the service it may not be the real deal. Stick to well-known VPN services if you can.
Next, you need to consider how many servers are available for the service — especially the number in your target country. If you want Netflix Australia and the VPN only has two Australian servers, that could be a problem. Most of the popular VPN services list their server networks online so you can see how many servers are in each country.
Finally, make sure the VPN’s desktop app (and don’t forget about mobile) allows you to choose specific servers. Since this is a cat-and-mouse game with the streamers, you need a VPN with a number of servers in your desired Netflix country. That way if one server has been discovered by Netflix, it’s possible the others are still working. The fix for this then is easy — just switch servers.
How we tested
We judge VPNs on a variety of criteria including server network, connection speeds, privacy protections, ease-of-use, additional features, and cost. For a more detailed guide on how we test, check out our comprehensive guide on how we test VPN services.
Speed tests are kept as simple as possible. We average the connections between different global locations for any given VPN and then compare them to our baseline internet speed to get a good picture of the overall connection speeds. We thoroughly research and analyze the privacy policies and histories of each VPN and note any outstanding discrepancies or data collection issues.
In regards to unblocking capabilities, we connect to multiple servers around the world with each VPN and try to access content on all major streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney Plus, and more.
FAQ
1.
What is a VPN?
A VPN (Virtual private network) encrypts your internet traffic and disguises your identity while browsing the internet. When used for streaming Netflix, a VPN will reroute your traffic from your location outside the U.S. to their own server within the country masking your true location and allowing you to bypass Netflix’s region locks.
Additionally, VPNs anonymize your internet traffic and keep your ISP from potentially snooping on your browsing.
2.
Are VPNs legal?
Yes! In most countries, including the United States, using a VPN is legal. Some websites such as Netflix might try to block VPN connections due to their own personal restrictions, but they are still perfectly fine to use. Please note, while using a VPN is legal, some of the activities done while using a VPN might be illegal. Activities such as downloading pirated copyrighted content or accessing dark web markets are both illegal with and without a VPN.
3.
Will a VPN affect my internet speeds?
In short, yes, a VPN can have an effect on your internet speeds. But nowadays it’s the exception rather than the norm.
While connected to a VPN, your traffic is rerouted through the VPN provider’s own servers. Depending on where these servers are located, it can add extra distance for your traffic to travel to and from, slowing your speeds down a bit. Also, VPNs encrypt your data which can lead to slower download and upload speeds due to the time it takes to encrypt and decrypt your data. This can have a more significant impact on speeds and it can affect everything from page load times to video buffering speeds. Thankfully, modern VPN providers have taken advantage of advances in encryption technology and server optimization to drastically reduce these impacts.
Check out our article on how to test your VPN speed for more info on how you can personally determine any potential slowdown on your home internet.
4.
Do VPNs track my browsing or store my data?
This is entirely up to the VPN provider you choose to use. There have been instances in the past of VPN providers collecting data on their users. However, these were mainly free VPN services with no explicit “no-logging” policies.
When searching for a VPN, be careful to check the company’s website for a “no-logging” policy, third-party trust verification, and trustworthy user reviews. Thankfully, most of the major paid VPNs have clearly stated “no-logging” policies, so it’s typically best to stick with one of them if you have concerns.
Personal Software, Streaming Media, VPN Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 17 May (PC World)Technology giant Microsoft recently released its sustainability report for the 2023 financial year, and it didn’t exactly have positive numbers. Microsoft set a climate goal in 2020 to become carbon negative by 2030, sequestering more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it emits, but the company seems to be on the wrong track to achieve this goal. Microsoft’s greenhouse gas emissions increased by 30 percent in the 2023 financial year — and it’s all Copilot’s fault.
The big culprit is the company’s huge AI investments. It takes huge amounts of energy to train and use AI models. The International Energy Agency expects energy consumption for data centers worldwide to increase from 460 TWh in 2022 to between 620 and 1,050 TWh by 2026, due to AI and cryptocurrency use. For context, Sweden’s total energy consumption in 2022 was approximately 508 TWh.
Microsoft CEO Brad Smith confirmed in an interview with Bloomberg that the previous climate goals are now much harder to reach, precisely because of AI.
“In 2020, we unveiled our ambitious carbon target. That was before the explosion in artificial intelligence. In many ways, we are now five times further away from reaching them than we were in 2020, if you just think about our own forecast for the expansion of AI and its electricity needs,” Smith said.
Further reading: Copilot Pro: What can Microsoft 365’s premium AI do?
Business, Robotics Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | ITBrief - 17 May (ITBrief)Life360 partners with Hubble Network to debut Find with Life360, a groundbreaking global location-tracking network leveraging satellite Bluetooth technology. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | |
| | | PC World - 17 May (PC World)Fantastic deals do not exi… Wait, no. That can’t be right because we just found a $400 off Dell G16 laptop. Usually available for $1699.99, you can get this gaming rig for a mere $1349.99, which is a significant saving considering powerful GeForce RTX 4070 gaming laptops typically range from $1500 to $2000 without sales.
The Dell G16 has a heart of gold – and by that I mean a potent Intel Core i9-13900HX processor. That’s a last gen CPU, sure, but the newer 14900HX model isn’t that much of an improvement, so you can expect top-notch gaming performance. With a whopping 36 MB cache, 24 cores, and 32 threads, the Dell G16 can turbo boost up to 5.40GHz. This means it can handle even the most demanding games and applications with ease. It’s a practical choice for gamers who value performance over the latest model hype.
Oh, and that’s not all. The Dell G16 has a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, with 8 GB GDDR6, providing outstanding visuals no matter what flavor gaming you’re into. Coupled with a 16-inch, 2560×1600 display that boasts a 240Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, and Nvidia G-Sync + DDS technology, the Dell G16 will transport you right into your favorite gaming world.
Memory and storage are well catered for, with 16GB of DDR5 memory and a 1TB SSD, offering ample space and speed for all your games and programs. Sure, we’d have loved to see more RAM in there so you can load up on all the Skyrim mods, but 16GB is perfectly adequate. You can also easily pop in another 16GB memory stick since the max is 32GB and there are two slots to fill in.
Battery life is pretty much what you’d expect from a gaming laptop, with Dell promising about 6 hours of use (less while gaming). That’s pretty decent, and if you don’t want to worry about carrying your charger with you, you can always grab the Baseus Blade laptop power bank, which we found on sale yesterday for just $63.
For gamers who prioritize top-notch performance at a value, the Dell G16 with its RTX 4070 graphics offers a compelling package. Getting this level of gaming power for $1349 is a heck of a bargain.
If you’ve reached this far and decided that perhaps a gaming laptop isn’t what you need, then the Inspiron 16 Plus (Intel Core i7-13620, RTX 4060, 32GB DDR5, 2TB SSD), which we recently reviewed and loved enough to give the Editors’ Choice award to, is also on sale going for $650 off, available for an excellent $1200.
Get the Dell G16 with RTX 4070 graphics for $1349 at Dell
Gaming Laptops Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | ITBrief - 16 May (ITBrief)IDeaS` analytics boost Ace Parking`s revenue by 55%, optimising airport parking with advanced revenue management software and dynamic pricing strategies. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | |
| | | ITBrief - 16 May (ITBrief)Andy Hung from Wolters Kluwer unveils advancements in CCH Integrator, a technology solution configuring to meet stringent modern tax compliance demands, including BEPS Pillar Two regulations. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | |
| | | PC World - 16 May (PC World)Virtual machines, simulated PCs with their own operating systems running within another computer’s software, are super freakin’ cool. (That’s a technical term, I’m a professional technology writer.) But they’re not easy to set up, especially if you’re a newbie. They just got a lot easier, because VMware made its popular Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro VM software free for personal use.
get windows 11 pro for cheap
Windows 11 Pro
Most users who are looking for a free solution to running a virtual copy of Windows, Linux, or any other operating system on a PC typically go with Oracle’s VirtualBox, which is open-source and powerful, but not especially user-friendly. As a professional product with decades of development and support, VMware Workstation is far more accessible.
Workstation Pro can be downloaded here, Fusion Pro here. Workstation is for installation on Windows and Linux, Fusion for Mac, and both can be used to run more or less any modern operating system virtually.
As BleepingComputer notes, this shift in direction follows Broadcomm’s somewhat tumultuous acquisition of VMware last year. VMware’s Workstation Player and Fusion Player software are being discontinued as a result of this change. (The Player programs are the equivalent of Adobe Reader versus Acrobat, they allow you to open VMware virtual machines but not make changes or access all features.)
VMware’s post on the switch to a free model notes that anyone who uses the software for commercial purposes will need to buy a license key and enter it during the setup process. Most professional customers have a licensing deal set up with Broadcomm, but individual commercial users will need to subscribe for $120 a year. Don’t get caught using a free personal license in a commercial environment or you’ll no doubt be handed a big bill in return.
Full disclosure: The writer’s father is an employee of VMware, but was not contacted for this article.
Virtual Machines Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 16 May (PC World)With Thunderbolt Share, Intel is turning the Thunderbolt cable into a way to connect two PCs to one another, sharing files or controlling a PC. Simple, huh? Well, except that Intel isn’t exactly making it available to everybody.
Thunderbolt Share is a new Intel specification that connects two PCs via a cable, one to each Thunderbolt port. Alternatively, you can connect it to a Thunderbolt dock instead. Thunderbolt Share offers several options, all at blazing 40Gbps or higher speeds: control another PC, transfer files, sync them, or even migrate one PC to another. Is it a killer sneakernet replacement? Sure seems like it for local networks.
The idea? You or your family own more than one PC. If they’re Thunderbolt-capable, Share will unlock a number of handy additional sharing capabilities without needing to set up a workgroup, a network switch, or any other solution. Dock makers, too, will see an advantage: suddenly, Thunderbolt hubs like the Plugable 5-in-1 Thunderbolt Hub (USB4-HUB3A), part of our list of the best Thunderbolt docking stations, won’t just be designed primarily for external displays with Thunderbolt ports.
There’s just one thing. Intel didn’t take the simple route and just make Thunderbolt Share part of the Thunderbolt spec. Instead, Thunderbolt Share will be a software app Intel will license to PC and dock makers. And it won’t work for legacy Thunderbolt 3 or USB devices either — not officially, anyway. In short, you’ll have to keep track of which devices are Thunderbolt Share-capable, because without one, Thunderbolt Share won’t work. A special logo, however, will help.
The Thunderbolt Share logo will appear on PCs and licensed peripherals.
The Thunderbolt Share logo will appear on PCs and licensed peripherals.Intel
The Thunderbolt Share logo will appear on PCs and licensed peripherals.Intel
Intel
“It’s really going to offer users an easy, fast, and efficient way to do more with your two PCs by securely sharing screens external monitors, keyboard, mouse, storage and all your files,” said Jason Ziller, vice president and general manager of Intel Client Connectivity Division, in a briefing with reporters.
A decade ago, Intel showed off something very similar: a 10Gbit Ethernet-over-Thunderbolt demonstration called Thunderbolt Networking. This is a faster version, an Intel representative said via email. Thunderbolt Share uses up to a 20Gbps connection over Thunderbolt 4 with low latency, and should achieve those speeds on recent PC models with some variability for different specifications.
How Thunderbolt Share works
Thunderbolt Share is designed to work only with docking stations and PCs that include either the Thunderbolt 4 or upcoming Thunderbolt 5 specification. You’ll also need the intermediary Thunderbolt Share software, designed by Intel, which will ship on licensed PCs. If you own a licensed Thunderbolt Share docking station, that accessory maker will point you to where you’ll be able to download the software. Remember, at least one of the PCs or docking stations must have a Thunderbolt Share license.
Once the software is installed on both computers, you’ll be able to connect the two PCs to one another using a Thunderbolt 4 or 5 cable, Intel says.
Thunderbolt Share offers four different options.
Thunderbolt Share offers four different options.Intel
Thunderbolt Share offers four different options.Intel
Intel
Once that occurs, you’ll have the choice of four different tasks:
Control other computer: You’ll see the other computer’s desktop in a window on your PC. You’ll be able to control it using your keyboard and mouse, and you can place that external PC’s window on your display. Essentially, you’re performing a local, cabled version of Microsoft’s Remote Desktop without all of the setup. Since all this takes place over a cable, you don’t have to worry about someone intercepting your communications on the Internet.
Controlling another PC via Thunderbolt Share.
Controlling another PC via Thunderbolt Share.Mark Hachman / IDG
Controlling another PC via Thunderbolt Share.Mark Hachman / IDG
Mark Hachman / IDG
Drag and drop files: Nothing special, though the copy/move functions should take place at Thunderbolt speeds — between 80Gbps and 120Gbps speeds, depending on the specification.
Sync files: Presumably this works like syncing files to the cloud or so on: ensuring that files in two folders on the two PCs are in sync. It’s not clear which PC will be given priority, but it will most likely be the host.
Transfer data to a new computer: Remember PCmover? The PC-to-PC migration software (which Intel and Microsoft reportedly contributed to) used to even include a dedicated cable. This Thunderbolt Share function works like Windows Backup and Restore or one of our recommended backup programs, migrating your files (but not apps!) from one PC to the other at the press of a button. It’s not quite clear whether this includes things like system preferences, however.
Thunderbolt Share looks almost exactly the same as Bravura’s Easy Computer Sync, down to the text on the screen.
“Thunderbolt Share is built on both Intel and third-party technology (with appropriate licensing/permissions),” an Intel representative said in an email. “This ensures we can provide the best value to users and our OEM partners who are licensing Thunderbolt Share for their supported PCs and accessories going forward.”
Thunderbolt Share: who will get it, and who won’t
Intel didn’t explicitly say whether or not Thunderbolt Share will be a feature attached to its Evo Edition PCs, but it seems quite likely. While Ziller hinted that users may be able to buy a license to Thunderbolt Share in the future, that isn’t happening right away.
Given that Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 are almost identical, that’s not great news for owners of older Thunderbolt 3 docks. Owners of USB4 docking stations are technically out of luck as well — and given that AMD Ryzen laptops use USB4 ports in place of Thunderbolt, that means that owners of Ryzen notebooks are left out. Ziller said that Thunderbolt Share devices are identified “locally,” presumably meaning that they’ll have some sort of local authentication. But an Intel spokesman also confirmed that there’s no limitation in adding Thunderbolt Share to existing devices, provided that they meet Intel’s hardware requirements.
USB4 docks should be compatible, but it sounds like they won’t be.
USB4 docks should be compatible, but it sounds like they won’t be.Mark Hachman / IDG
USB4 docks should be compatible, but it sounds like they won’t be.Mark Hachman / IDG
Mark Hachman / IDG
And, of course, not every laptop and docking station manufacturer will support Thunderbolt Share, either. Intel identified MSI, Lenovo, Acer, and Razer among the PC makers supporting the technology, and Kensington, Plugable, Belkin, and Promise as device makers which will support Thunderbolt Share. Again, you’ll have to have one device in a Thunderbolt Share connection chain that has a valid license. Plugable said that it plans to release a docking station that will allow one PC to drive other “headless” PCs without displays, using Thunderbolt.
However, one Thunderbolt Share licensee said that it’s still pursuing alternatives.
“While we believe that Thunderbolt Share will provide great benefits to creators, gamers, consumers and businesses, we are exploring additional solutions for seamless peripherals-sharing within Belkin docks,” a representative of Belkin, one of the Thunderbolt Share licensees, said in an emailed statement. “As we’re still in early days, we’re not ready to share our product plans but we’ll let you know as soon as we are.”
Thunderbolt Share hands-on
Intel provided an evaluation copy of the Thunderbolt Share software for PCWorld to test out. I performed my own tests, but my colleague Gordon Mah Ung tested the technology, too, in the video just above.
As Intel suggested, I downloaded and installed the Thunderbolt Share software on both of my test laptops, which each have Thunderbolt ports. I used a manufacturer-supplied Thunderbolt 4 cable; a generic 10Gbps USB-C cable just won’t work.
You’ll see this Thunderbolt Share screen after setting up both laptops and connecting them.
You’ll see this Thunderbolt Share screen after setting up both laptops and connecting them.Intel
You’ll see this Thunderbolt Share screen after setting up both laptops and connecting them.Intel
Intel
Once the software was installed on both laptops, simply connecting the cable opened the Share software, which offered me the four choices from controlling the other PC to syncing files. (Thunderbolt Share also works if you’ve plugged in your laptop in to an existing Thunderbolt dock with a second cable, by the way.)
Surprisingly, the most obnoxious roadblock had nothing to do with Thunderbolt or the software: I wanted to control one PC via the other, and the software wouldn’t do so until I had downloaded an up-to-date Intel integrated graphics driver. (Most PC makers recommend that you download drivers through them.)
Controlling one laptop with another doesn’t quite feel like you’d be able to sneak in a bit of gaming on a personal gaming laptop, controlled remotely. Streaming video, for example, was a little stuttery, though not too bad. Audio doesn’t transfer across the Thunderbolt Share bus, however. It is handy to be able to poke around another laptop for a missing file, however.
Whoops. Make sure you have the latest graphics driver installed.
Whoops. Make sure you have the latest graphics driver installed.Intel
Whoops. Make sure you have the latest graphics driver installed.Intel
Intel
That might be, while the other Thunderbolt Share functions feel vaguely similar. My testing of the best Thunderbolt docks at PCWorld involves copying a folder of files from a connected SSD over a dock’s Thunderbolt cable; it took just about the same amount of time (1 minute 6 seconds) to copy the folder from one PC to the other. Weirdly, it took quite a while (three minutes!) to copy the folder from the remote SSD to the remote PC, not touching the local laptop; it took 1 minute 20 seconds to copy the file from the remote drive to the remote PC.
Syncing a folder worked fine; the default are the major folders (Documents, Videos, Photos, et cetera) but you can specify a particular folder if you so wish. The only feature I didn’t test was copying files as part of setting up a new PC.
So why isn’t Thunderbolt Share part of, say, the Thunderbolt 5 spec? According to Ziller, Thunderbolt Share is a “value-add” feature: you won’t get any benefit if you own a single PC. For that reason alone, Intel is separating it out, trying to benefit gamers and creators who work back and forth on different PCs.
Granted, a Thunderbolt cable is just another cable on your desk. A Thunderbolt dock already has wires snaking back and forth to your PC, to displays, to SSDs and so on. So there’s that. On the other hand, Thunderbolt Share honestly sounds like a decent solution to solve the “sneakernet” problem that just won’t go away.
Additional reporting by Gordon Mah Ung.
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