RedHat reveals an enhanced automation offering for hybrid cloud systems, promising streamlined operations and improved business innovation using the Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform. Read...

In a move to bolster its software solutions, Rocket Software completes the $2.275 billion acquisition of OpenText`s Application Modernisation and Connectivity business, tripling its customer base and increasing revenues by 60%. Read...

Doing your best work requires the best tools. So if you’ve avoided getting Microsoft Office because you didn’t want to pay for office tools, now’s the time to change that. This week only, you can get Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows or Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for Mac for just $29.97. Rated 4.8/5 stars by verified purchasers, both of these Office editions include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote, giving you a core suite of programs to help you work more productively and manage all kinds of projects. The Windows version also includes Publisher and Access, giving you greater creative and data possibilities. Either way, you’re getting the Microsoft Office suite for a huge discount. From 5/6 through 11:59 pm PT on 5/12, you can get these lifetime licenses: Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows, on sale for 86% off $229 at just $29.97. Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for Mac, on sale for 86% off $229 at just $29.97.   Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows – $29.97 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Accessories Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating ProsOutstanding OLED screenVery lightGreat keyboardFHD cameraConsSlightly slower processorOnly 512GB of SSD storageNo Wi-Fi 7Our VerdictThe Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14 is a lightweight, elegant all-rounder for business professionals. When it comes to the Galaxy Book line of laptops, Samsung has established itself in high-end notebooks for professional use. The laptops look excellent, are light and slim, and offer great displays. The new Galaxy Book4 Pro with a 14-inch screen is no exception. It has an OLED touchscreen with 3K resolution, its very sturdy aluminum casing weighs just 2.64 pounds and it’s around 12 millimeters thin. It’s finished in the classic grey of a stylish business notebook (Moonstone Grey color variant), which elegantly changes to a bluish hue depending on the incidence of light. Bottom line? The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14 is a lightweight, elegant all-rounder for business professionals. Let’s dig into why. Looking for more laptop options? Be sure to check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available today. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14: First impressions In the fourth generation of Galaxy Books, Samsung relies on processors from the new Intel Meteor Lake platform, in the case of the test device on a Core Ultra 7 155H. This CPU generation is characterized by a significantly different architecture in which Intel assembles the processor modularly from individual chips (aka tiles). However, most notebook manufacturers, including Samsung, advertise Meteor Lake primarily as an AI processor due to the new NPU (Neural Processing Unit). the Book4 pro`s even more polished sibling Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra Read our review Best Prices Today: $2499.99 at Best Buy There’s little evidence of AI on the Galaxy Book4 Pro, but this also applies to other Meteor Lake laptops. For example, the test device lacks the Copilot button and, apart from the Windows Studio effects, which are supposed to improve video meetings via AI through auto-framing, automatic eye contact, and background blurring, there are no apps that can use the NPU. This is disappointing, as Samsung’s current Galaxy smartphones show how AI can be put to good use. Even apps such as Samsung Gallery, which can utilize AI functions on the smartphone, do not offer them in the Windows version. At the beginning of the benchmarks, it wasn’t the lack of AI on the Galaxy Book4 Pro that frightened us, but the miserable performance. The laptop’s mouse clicks were very delayed, programs were slow to open, and the first set of benchmarks delivered disappointing results. The problems cannot be solved with Windows updates and the Samsung Device Care analysis tool, as they cannot find more up-to-date drivers. Only the manual installation of a new GPU driver directly from Intel solves the performance dilemma. Apparently, the driver for the Arc GPU installed by Samsung in December is responsible for the sluggish performance. After the driver update, the notebook runs as expected. On the left is an HDMI output and two Thunderbolt 4 ports that can be used to charge the notebook. On the left is an HDMI output and two Thunderbolt 4 ports that can be used to charge the notebook.Thomas Rau On the left is an HDMI output and two Thunderbolt 4 ports that can be used to charge the notebook.Thomas Rau Thomas Rau Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14: Performance The new internal GPU is the performance highlight of Meteor Lake. In system tests such as PCMark 10 and Crossmark, the new CPU generation stands out from its predecessors from Raptor Lake’s U, P, and H series, primarily due to its significantly improved graphics performance. The Galaxy Book4 Pro performs above average in all applications that make heavy use of the GPU such as rendering and photo and video editing. This means that compact Meteor Lake laptops such as the Samsung laptop are now much better suited for multimedia and graphics tasks. The Arc graphics in Meteor Lake can also set itself apart from the Iris Xe Graphics of the predecessor CPUs in gaming tests. In the 3DMark, it is 70 percent faster in Night Raid and almost twice as fast in Time Spy. This does not make the Samsung notebook really suitable for gaming, especially not in its high native resolution of 2880×1800 pixels. You have to reduce the resolution to Full HD and can only use the medium quality level for graphic details. Even then, the Galaxy Boo 4 Pro remains well below 60 fps in the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark. Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Pro: Benchmark results Speed in office programmes91 points (out of 100)Speed in multimedia programmes75 points (out of 100)3D Mark performance63 points (out of 100)Cinebench R238736Display: Brightness / brightness distribution / contrast415 / 92% / infinityAnti-glare displayNoDisplay: Colour space coverage (in percent)sRGB: 100 / Adobe-RGB: 98 / DCI-P3: 99Display: Colour fidelity (Delta-E deviation)0,61Battery life (hours:minutes): WLAN test12:42Battery capacity after 1 hour of charging81 percentOperating noise under load38 dB(A)Temperature top / bottom39 / 45° Celsius Despite the increased performance of the internal processor GPU, users who do more than just occasional gaming or professional multimedia editing should still rely on an additional GPU. This also applies to AI applications, as the test with the AI benchmark Procyon proves. The NPU from Meteor Lake scores around 500 points in the Integer test with AI applications based on Intel’s Open-Vino programming environment–incidentally, the same as the GPU from Meteor Lake. An RTX 4070 GPU performs the same tasks four times as fast based on Nvidia Tensor with significantly higher power consumption. In addition, Samsung limits the CPU performance due to the 14-inch form factor and only allows the Core Ultra a maximum power consumption of 60 watts and a standard consumption of 28 watts, while this processor in 16-inch notebooks is usually allowed to work with up to 80 watts and 45 watts in standard mode. Accordingly, the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro is around ten to 15 percent slower in the system benchmarks than large Meteor Lake notebooks. In the Cinebench R23 CPU test, the Samsung laptop only achieves just under 9,000 points while the Core Ultra 7 155H in a 16-inch notebook achieves around 14,000 points. Connections on the right-hand side: Micro SD slot, USB Type-A, audio. Connections on the right-hand side: Micro SD slot, USB Type-A, audio.Thomas Rau Connections on the right-hand side: Micro SD slot, USB Type-A, audio.Thomas Rau Thomas Rau Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14: Battery life The Galaxy Book 4 Pro benefits from the economical CPU setting in battery mode. At less than 5 watts, the power consumption is around one watt lower than a comparably equipped 16-inch notebook with Meteor Lake and is also significantly lower than a notebook with a Raptor Lake H CPU and an OLED screen. However, the laptop’s 13 hour battery life is still not particularly long because Samsung only installs a battery with 62 watt hours due to the low weight and slim form factor. The biggest mobility advantage of the Samsung notebook is its low weight, which also applies to the 65 watt power supply. It weighs only 166 grams and fills the laptop battery to 81 percent after one hour of charging. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14: Fan noise, temperature The Galaxy Book4 Pro hardly heats up even during longer load phases. The operating noise is 38 dB(A) in the load test. It reached 42 dB(A) when I switched on Windows’ High Performance setting. Many Meteor Lake notebook already deliver in the standard Balanced setting. The palm rest doesn’t warm up much in the load test. The underside of the notebook heats up to a maximum of 45 degrees, so you can easily place it on your thighs. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14: Display The display is always a highlight of the Galaxy Book laptops. Our review unit has an OLED touchscreen with 3K resolution (2880×1800) and 10-bit color depth, which offers a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The in-house panel is protected by Gorilla Glass DX. The screen is not completely reflection-free, as claimed by the manufacturer Corning, but is slightly less reflective than other touchscreens in direct light. The Galaxy Book4 Pro also demonstrates the advantages of OLED technology” the contrast is extremely high, the luminance is very evenly distributed, and the color reproduction is outstanding. With Samsung covering almost all important color spaces and minimal color deviation, it’s slightly better than other OLED notebooks. The brightness is also pleasantly high at over 400 cd/sqm, only a few notebook screens are brighter, but they usually use more expensive panels with mini-LED backlight. The Galaxy Book4 Pro is ideal for photos and films and even those who only come into contact with color in PowerPoint presentations and Excel diagrams at work will be pleased with the outstanding picture quality. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14: Ports The Galaxy Book 4 Pro 14 only comes with 512GB of SSD storage, which isn’t much space given the price. On the other hand, the notebook offers many ports for a 14-inch laptop. There are two Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 on board, one Type-A port with USB 3.2 Gen 1, and an HDMI output. The slot for micro SD cards and audio connection via mini-jack are also welcome, as they are no longer commonplace on lightweight business laptops. The front camera with Full HD resolution makes you look good in video calls and you can also log in securely via the camera or the finger sensor in the power button. Unlike many Meteor Lake laptops, the Wi-Fi module in the Galaxy Book only supports Wi-Fi 6E and not Wi-Fi 7, but Wi-Fi 7 remains in its early days for now anyway. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14: Keyboard and touchpad Despite the focus on elegant design and low weight, business notebooks should never neglect operating elements such as the keyboard and touchpad. Samsung makes no compromises here with the Galaxy Book4 Pro. The keyboard is sturdy, all keys provide clear pressure feedback even when typing quickly and they remain relatively quiet. The number keys are smaller than the other keys, but they’re easy to reach because Samsung has placed them slightly away from the keyboard. Sensitive users may be bothered by the clearly audible clicking noise of the touchpad. However, it provides clear and consistent feedback over the entire touchpad surface because of the stable build. Multi-finger gestures also worked just fine. Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14 specs and features Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro: Features ProcessorIntel Core Ultra 7 155HClock speedStandard clock: 3.0 GHz (P-Cores); 1.7 GHz (E-Cores); 700 MHz (Low-Power-E-Cores); Turbo clock up to 4.8 GHz (P-Cores); 3.8 GHz (E-Cores); 2.1 (Low-Power-E-Cores)Cores / Threads16 / 22 (6 P-Cores + 8 E-Cores + 2 Low-Power E-Cores)RAM16GB LPDDR5X (soldered)Graphics cardIntel Arc Graphics (integrated in CPU)DriveNVMe SSD Samsung PM9B1 (PCIe 4.0 x 4)Usable capacity456.26 GBFormatM.2 2280Network: LAN / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth– / WiFi-6E (Intel AX211) / 5.3Operating systemWindows 11 HomeDisplay: Diagonal / resolution / format14 inch / 2880 x 1800 / 16:10Pixel density / refresh rate243 ppi / 120 HzWeight: Notebook (with battery) / power supply unit1226 / 166 gramsBattery: Capacity62 WhConnections on the right1x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x audio, 1x memory card slot (micro SD)Connections on the left2x Type-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1x HDMI 2.1Further featuresFront camera (1080p), face recognition, finger sensor (in power button) Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro? Absolutely, if you’re in the target audience. As we said up top: The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14 is a lightweight, elegant all-rounder for business professionals who need reliable performance and ample features on the go. This article originally appeared on PC Welt and has been translated from German to English. Laptops Read...

At a GlanceExpert`s Rating ProsTop rated antivirus protectionExpanded protection against malicious websites and remote attacksClean, straightforward interfaceConsSome PCs may experience a performance hit during heavier workloadsSeveral features are a bit rudimentaryOur VerdictAVG does a superb job of safeguarding your PC. It offers a clean, straightforward interface and additional online protections, while still providing the top-notch antivirus protection it’s known for—and does so without charging as much as the competition. AVG is best known for its excellent free antivirus software—so why pay a premium for the AVG Internet Security suite? In a word: convenience. With security software, the more you pay, the more comprehensive your protection becomes. That can be valuable if you find keeping up with online threats too overwhelming or time consuming. There’s something to be said for a program that can handle the major elements for you. And that’s what AVG Internet Security, the company’s entry-level version of its paid antivirus software, provides. By moving up to a paid subscription, you get additional features that keep you safer during your off days. No antivirus program is bulletproof, of course, but this one hits the major points while not overloading you with extras you won’t use. Whether it’s right for you depends on how much you prioritize simplicity. Note: This review is part of our best antivirus roundup. Go there for details about competing products and how we tested them. How much does AVG Internet Security cost? First, the basics—let’s talk about cost. If purchased directly from AVG, jumping from the free plan to the company’s Internet Security package is cheaper for the first year, and then reverts to the full price thereafter. Single-device plan (1 PC) $47 for the first year $76 per year thereafter 10-device plan (Multiple devices) $60 for the first year $100 per year thereafter AVG doesn’t offer family plans, but if you purchase a multi-device plan (which supports PC, Mac, Android, and iOS), you can share the device quota with family members. Even if you’re flying solo, the extra cash for multi-device coverage can be worth it—these days it’s common to own at least a computer and phone, and often a tablet as well. AVG’s multidevice plans cost more, but you can share that limit with others. AVG’s multidevice plans cost more, but you can share that limit with others.AVG AVG’s multidevice plans cost more, but you can share that limit with others.AVG AVG Compared to the competition, AVG prioritizes more devices rather than extra features. Take for example Norton—its closest equivalent plan includes VPN access, but you can only use it across five devices. Also surprising: Avast, which actually owns AVG, charges more for almost the exact same plan. For more savings, you can buy a license for AVG Internet Security through retailers like Amazon or Newegg, which offer multi-year plans as well as ones with fewer devices—so you can get a subscription appropriately sized for your situation, if you prefer. What does AVG Internet Security include? AVG Internet Security adds five more features to the free plan’s antivirus, firewall, web and email threat, and network protection. You get safeguards for the passwords saved to your browsers; webcam takeovers; unknown access to files with sensitive data; malicious redirects for websites you’re trying to visit (aka DNS hijacking); and attacks conducted through Windows’ remote desktop protocol. This particular plan does not include access to a VPN. AVG also doesn’t have its own password manager or parental controls, so you can’t get those by changing your subscription. Key features of AVG Internet Security Installation and user interface To install AVG Internet Security, either download the free version and then upgrade, or first buy the paid subscription and install afterward. AVG’s dashboard is clean and logical, though possibly gloomy for those who like light-themed apps. The nearly black background is punctuated with bright green text to cue you in to important information. Both your PC’s status and key features are clearly highlighted in the dashboard. AVG’s dashboard is fairly straightforward, with the exception of running other scans—though it’s not obvious, you can click on the text to open the menu. AVG’s dashboard is fairly straightforward, with the exception of running other scans—though it’s not obvious, you can click on the text to open the menu.PCWorld AVG’s dashboard is fairly straightforward, with the exception of running other scans—though it’s not obvious, you can click on the text to open the menu.PCWorld PCWorld Starting a scan from the dashboard is easy—for a quick scan, you press the Run Smart Scan button toward the bottom of the screen. You can choose a different type of scan by clicking the text that says Run other scans. Your options are deep scan, file or folder scan, boot-time scan, USB/DVD scan, and a performance scan. Using the performance scan requires a separate subscription to AVG TuneUp, or a further upgrade to an AVG Ultimate plan. Above the scan options are the dashboard tiles. Currently, there are four tiles related to the software’s features—the fifth is now reserved for the AVG store, through which you can purchase subscriptions for other AVG software not included with Internet Security. If you click any of the main dashboard tiles—Computer, Web & Email, Hacker Attacks, and Personal Data—you’ll see explanations for each of the software’s components. You can also broadly customize your settings, either by toggling off a feature or fiddling with the defaults. For the best protection, most people should leave everything on and then further add items for protection where applicable. To stay protected, leave these antivirus protections on. To stay protected, leave these antivirus protections on.PCWorld To stay protected, leave these antivirus protections on.PCWorld PCWorld However, if you run into conflicts or annoyances that require a little fine-tuning, AVG does provide more granular control. To access, you’ll click on the Menu hamburger icon at the top right, then choose Settings. This dropdown menu gives access to features like the data shredder, subscription info, browser extensions, and support as well. These detailed settings are a boon for software nerds, incidentally—particularly those of us who serve as tech support for loved ones. You can tweak a fair number of things, including privacy settings (you can opt out from data sharing right from the app), and even set a password to keep others from changing settings. The only real issue with AVG’s app is the continued upsells for its other products. If you thought that paying for AVG would stop the flow, alas, no. It only reduces the amount. Virus, malware, and threat protection Real-time protection AVG Internet Security protects your PC against real-time threats in multiple ways. On your PC, the software scans files you add or open, checks apps for unusual behavior, and controls access to select folders often targeted by ransomware. Ransomware protection is customizable, so you can add more folders to the default list. Email downloaded to your PC is screened for dangerous attachments and malicious links, too. When you’re on the web, AVG Internet Security scans the data transmitted to your computer for malware and for any sneaky DNS redirections to fake websites. It also monitors traffic going to and from apps, and locks down the passwords saved to your browsers. You get protection from remote access attacks, too—AVG blocks remote connection attempts from unknown sources, and it restricts access to your webcam and microphone. As a small protection against being caught unawares from data breaches, AVG Internet Security keeps tabs on your email address. If it’s spotted in a leak, you’ll get a notification in the app. Power users can customize scan settings and get more control over how deep the screening goes. Power users can customize scan settings and get more control over how deep the screening goes. PCWorld Power users can customize scan settings and get more control over how deep the screening goes. PCWorld PCWorld Scheduled and manual scans By default, a smart scan (the equivalent of a quick scan in other antivirus software) is scheduled for once a month. You can adjust this timing and depth of scan, as well as add more scans to the list. You have four kinds to choose from: Deep Scan, File or Folder Scan, Boot-time Scan, and USB/DVD Scan. Each type of scan is customizable in settings—for example, Deep Scan normally scans for files that are vulnerable to malware, and only for common installation apps. But you can make it dig further and have it scan all files, if you like. You can also change how the program handles infected files. Additional features Browser extensions If you install AVG’s browser extension, you can add an extra layer of protection while visiting websites. It’ll flag unknown sites and also add status badges to Google and Bing search results. In my experience, I found it slightly overzealous at first—it threw up a warning when I navigated directly to www.google.com—but it seemed to calm down after that. AVG’s browser extension verifies links in search results for Bing as well as Google. AVG’s browser extension verifies links in search results for Bing as well as Google.PCWorld AVG’s browser extension verifies links in search results for Bing as well as Google.PCWorld PCWorld Data shredder Formerly known as File Shredder, this feature lets you securely delete files, folders, or whole drives by overwriting them with other data. On the face of it, this sounds like a good feature—and it can be, if you want to clear data from a hard disk drive (HDD).  However, most modern computers have solid state drives (SSD), which save data in a different way than mechanical drives. At best, you won’t actually securely overwrite the data using this method, and at worst, you can shorten the life of your SSD. (You’ll want to use this method instead.) Customer support Aside from AVG’s support pages and forums, you can contact technical support through an online chat or through a phone call. The support pages are best for quick overviews and/or walkthroughs of various features, while the forums can help with troubleshooting—provided you’re willing to dig through several threads. Updates and maintenance  Updates for both virus definitions and the app itself run automatically in the background, though you can change these to only remind you when an update is available or go full manual (which is not advised). If you want to manually trigger the update yourself, there’s also a button to check for updates. You can find this by heading to Settings > General > Update. Performance AVG generally gets extremely high marks for antivirus and malware protection from leading organizations that evaluate security software. In AV-Test’s zero-day attack and malware tests for January and February 2024 (the most current as of this article’s latest update), AVG Internet Security detected 100 percent of the threats. When faced with 278 zero-day attack samples (including web and email threats) and 15,362 samples of recently widespread and prevalent malware, AVG blocked them all. AV-Comparatives / PCWorld AV-Comparatives / PCWorld AV-Comparatives / PCWorld Similarly, in AV-Comparatives’ real-world protection test for February through March 2024, AVG’s antivirus engine caught 100 percent of the 246 test cases, with 5 false positives. That means if your PC encounters malicious web addresses, exploits (like drive-by downloads), or URLs that link directly to malware while on the web, AVG should do an excellent job of noticing and keeping you from harm. AVG also hit high marks in AV-Comparatives’ March 2024 malware protection test, scoring a 95.6 percent offline detection rate, 98.8 percent online detection rate, and 99.95 percent online protection rate, with ten false positives. AVG falters a little when dealing with more sophisticated, targeted threats, like malicious scripts and fileless attacks. It caught 11 of the 15 test cases in AV-Comparatives’ November 2023 Advanced Threat Protection Test. However, antivirus software seems to be still ramping up on this front overall—AVG detected samples missed by higher performing rivals missed. AV-Comparatives / PCWorld AV-Comparatives / PCWorld AV-Comparatives / PCWorld During my hardware performance tests on a modest Acer Aspire 3 laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 7520U processor, a 128GB SSD, 8GB of RAM, and Windows 11 Home, AVG had no tangible impact on most typical tasks performed on a PC, as simulated by PCMark 10—e.g., video chatting, web browsing, gaming, image and document editing in free apps like GIMP and LibreOffice. Surprisingly, it also had little effect on our Handbrake encoding test, too. However, running the same deep scan while using Microsoft Office (as simulated by UL Procyon) did cause a dip in performance on our budget laptop—an almost 20 percent drop. That means if you’re on a cheaper PC and slinging larger data sets in Excel, you’re best served scheduling your system scans for off-hours. The hit was a more palatable 9 percent decrease when AVG was left to idle in the background, keeping real-time watch for threats. As for features, Sensitive Data Shield (which lets you scan your system for files containing high-risk pieces of personal information) was a bit hit or miss. For example, one invoice was flagged, but not another similar document that lacked the word “invoice.” Other protections aren’t actually accessible with the Internet Security plan—though the interface is designed to make you think it is until the very last moment. E.g.: Running a Performance Scan will display action items. But if you click on the button to resolve them all, you get a screen asking you to pay for AVG TuneUp, as shown above. The fact that the advertisements don’t completely cease once you start paying for AVG is a bit off-putting—it makes the app feel incomplete, even though you’ve got a full package. Conclusion AVG Internet Security is a fantastic option for people seeking to be more hands-off with online security without paying a ton for the convenience. In fact, it’s solid enough to still earn a recommendation despite how strong the free version is on its own. (And the continued upsells, because really, they’re incredibly annoying to see in a paid product.) It offers great performance and an easy-to-understand interface along with several helpful security features. Editor’s note: Because online services are often iterative, gaining new features and performance improvements over time, this review is subject to change in order to accurately reflect the current state of the service. Any changes to text or our final review verdict will be noted at the top of this article. Antivirus, Business, Desktop PCs, Online Services, Security Software and Services, Technology Industry Read...

If you’re looking to score a fast laptop at a killer price, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re on the hunt for a blazing fast gaming rig, a lightweight 2-in-1, or an everyday Chromebook, we’ve assembled a list of the best laptop deals available right now, using our finely honed editorial judgement to only recommend truly compelling deals on worthwhile notebooks. For more notebook options, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available right now. We’ve got can’t-miss picks for every use case and budget, putting our thousands of hours of hands-on testing to work for you. Best laptop deals (at a glance) Lenovo IdeaPad 1, $229.99 ($190 off at Microcenter) Asus Vivobook 14, $249.99 ($180 off at Best Buy) Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, $299 ($230 off at B&H) HP Envy x360, $569.99 ($379.01 off at Adorama) HP Dragonfly Pro, $799 ($600 off at B&H) Dell XPS 13, $799 ($300 off at Dell) Acer Swift Go 14, $799.99 ($200 off at Amazon) Dell Inspiron 16, $819.99 ($540 off at Dell) XPG Xenia, $999 ($700.99 off at Walmart) Lenovo Flex 7, $1,039.99 ($220 off at Adorama) Lenovo Legion Pro 5i, $1,179 ($620 off at B&H) Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1, $1,199.99 ($450 off at Best Buy) Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4, $1,229 ($650 off at Adorama) HP Omen Laptop, $1,249.99 ($450 off at HP) Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon $1,391.42 ($1,007.58 off at Lenovo) Best laptops deals under $500 Lenovo IdeaPad 1: $249.99 ($170 off at Microcenter) Lenovo Lenovo Lenovo The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 has an AMD Ryzen 5 5599Y processor inside of it, which is capable of handling day-to-day tasks like browsing the web and checking e-mail. The 14-inch 1080p display is perfect for everyday use and the connectivity options include one USB 2.0 Type-A, one USB 3.2 Type-C, one USB 3.2 Type-A, one HDMI, and one audio. The port selection is surprisingly diverse for such an inexpensive machine, so you don’t have to carry around an adapter. The 720p webcam isn’t great, but you can always plug into an external webcam if you want to look better on Zoom calls. View Deal Asus Vivobook 14: $249.99 ($180 off at Best Buy) Asus Asus Asus The Asus Vivobook is an inexpensive Windows laptop with a 1080p display. The laptop’s Intel i3-1215U CPU is a few generations behind at this point, but it’s still powerful enough to handle everyday tasks like checking e-mail and watching Netflix. It also comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage. The 14-inch 1080p display has a brightness level of 250 nits, which isn’t super bright, but it’s perfectly fine for web surfing and office work. In fact, with dimmer displays, you’ll likely get better battery life out of the machine, as the display can be a major power suck. This is a great machine for anyone that’s on a tight budget. View Deal Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3: $299 ($230 off at B&H) Lenovo Lenovo Lenovo The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is another good option for everyday work, school, or home use because of its Intel Core i3-1315U processor and robust connectivity options. You should be able to zip right through office tasks or binge your favorite show on Netflix, and the large 15.6-inch 1080p matte display is sharp enough for those types of tasks. The port selection includes one USB-C 3.0, two USB-A 3.0, one HDMI, and one audio–effectively eliminating the need for an adapter. Similar to other laptops in this price range, it has a 720p webcam, which isn’t the best, but it’s a reasonable sacrifice in the budget laptop realm. View Deal Best laptops deals under $1,000 HP Envy x360: $569.99 ($379.01 off at Adorama) HP HP HP The HP Envy x360 is powerful, lightweight, and versatile. The 2-in-1 form factor means you can fold the screen back and use the laptop like a tablet, and it comes equipped with a good amount of RAM (16GB) and storage (512GB SSD). The 1080p display is quite large at 15.6-inches and it’s a touchscreen, which is perfect for habitual notetakers and doodlers. The keyboard is also full-sized and has backlighting–useful for when you’re using the laptop in low light environments. View Deal HP Dragonfly Pro: $799 ($600 off at B&H) HP HP HP The HP Dragonfly Pro is a lightweight laptop with a lovely 1200p touchscreen display. It weighs just 3.1 pounds, which is hardly a back breaker–great news if you’re a frequent traveler. It’s also powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7736U CPU and AMD Radeon 680M graphics, so you shouldn’t have any problem flying through office work or daily tasks. The 14-inch 1200p touchscreen display has an aspect ratio of 16:10 and a maximum brightness of 400 nits. The taller aspect ratio is nice because it makes scrolling through documents and webpages a lot easier. Connectivity options also include two USB-C and one USB-C 3.1. Overall, this is a solid laptop, especially for $600 off. View Deal Dell XPS 13: $799 ($300 off at Dell) Dell Dell Dell The Dell XPS 13 is a good laptop for office work, school work, everyday activities, and so on. It’s rocking an Intel Core i7-1250U CPU, Intel Iris Xe graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage–that’s more than enough power for watching movies, writing papers, surfing the web, and more. The 13.4-inch display has a resolution of 1920×1200, a refresh rate of 60Hz, and a maximum brightness of 500 nits. That means the display is capable of producing a vibrant, sharp-looking picture. Additional bits include an aluminum chassis, a 51 watt-hour battery, and a chic Sky colorway. View Deal Acer Swift Go 14: $799 ($200 off at Amazon) Acer Acer Acer The Acer Swift Go 14 is one of the most well-rounded laptops you can buy. We awarded it 4 out of 5 stars in our review, praising how well-rounded it is. It features plenty of connectivity options, a wonderful typing experience, a zippy processor, and much more. The model that’s on sale today has less storage than the one we reviewed, but other than that they’re nearly identical. According to our review, it outperforms other laptops with the same processor, so you should be able to blitz through office work, coursework, everyday tasks, and so on. The 14-inch display also has a resolution of 1920X1200 and is touch-enabled. It’s fine for casual use, but black colors look washed out. View Deal Dell Inspiron 16: $859.99 ($500 off at Dell) Dell Dell Dell The Dell Inspiron 16 is a great laptop for day-to-day use as well as some light gaming. In addition to the powerful Intel Core i7-1360P CPU and 1TB of SSD storage, this machine also has an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2050 GPU, which should be powerful enough to run most games at 1080p resolution. The 1600p display is a roomy 16-inches with a refresh rate of 60Hz and a maximum brightness of 300 nits. Have we seen brighter screens? Sure. That said, it’s bright enough for daily use as well as some casual gaming. Other cool features include a 1080p webcam, up to 13 hours of battery life (according to Dell), and a fingerprint reader. View Deal XPS Xenia 15G: $999 ($700.99 off at Walmart) XPG XPG XPG If you’re looking for a powerful gaming laptop, the XPG Xenia will certainly fit the bill. You don’t see many gaming laptops with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU go on sale for under $1,000 often, so this is a true deal. Between the Intel Core i7-13700H CPU and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, you should be able to play triple-A titles on the High or Ultra graphics detail. This machine even comes with 1TB of SSD storage, which is good news if you’ve got a massive backlog of games. The 15.6-inch 1080p display should also provide smooth gameplay thanks to the 144Hz refresh rate. If you can afford it, this would be a better long-term gaming option than the $800 models listed above thanks to the RTX 4060’s much faster performance. View Deal Best laptops deals under $1,500 Lenovo Flex 7: $1,039.99 ($220 off at Adorama) Lenovo Lenovo Lenovo The Lenovo Flex 7 is a great laptop for those who want an affordable 2-in-1. You’re getting a lightweight design as well as a decent amount of power for just over $1,000. It has an Intel Core i7-1355U CPU, Intel Iris Xe graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. Zipping through spreadsheet work, everyday tasks, and so on should be no problem for this machine. In addition to the 2-in-1 form factor, in which the screen swings back 360 degrees, it also weighs just 3.53 pounds. That means you can easily slip it in a backpack or messenger back and take it with you anywhere. View Deal Lenovo Legion Pro 5i: $1,179 ($620 off at B&H) Lenovo Lenovo Lenovo The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is a good option for those who play more intensive titles. We say this because of the display’s ridiculously high 240Hz refresh rate. Gameplay should be as smooth as your mother’s freshly churned butter. There’s a lot of power behind that display, too. You’re getting an Intel Core i7-13700HX CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 32GB of RAM (that’s a lot!), and 1TB of SSD storage. Other goodies include an Ethernet port, an RGB backlit keyboard, and a 1080p webcam. View Deal Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1: $1,199.99 ($450 off at Best Buy) Lenovo Lenovo Lenovo The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 is a powerful, versatile machine with a stunning 4K display. What more could you ask for? Underneath the hood, you’ll find an Intel Core i7-1360P CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage–so it should have no issues zipping through day-to-day tasks, spreadsheet work, and so on. The 14-inch touch display, which has a resolution of 3840×2400 (4K!), is a real stunner, too. This is the kind of display that’s meant for watching movies, graphically-intensive work, and so on. It also comes with a stylus, which is great because you don’t have to pay extra for a standalone accessory. View Deal Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4: $1,229 ($650 off at Adorama) Lenovo Lenovo Lenovo The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 is a powerful machine with a 1200p display, an array of versatile ports, and 512GB of SSD storage. It’s also lightweight at just under three pounds, making it the perfect travel companion. Driven by an Intel Core i7-1365U CPU, it should be able to handle both day-to-day tasks as well as heavier loads. Connectivity options include one Ethernet, one HDMI 2.1, one headphone/microphone combo jack, one USB 3.2 Gen 1, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Always On), and two Thunderbolt 4. That means you don’t have to worry about carrying an adapter around with you. View Deal HP Omen Laptop: $1,249.99 ($450 off at HP) HP HP HP The HP Omen is a great laptop for gamers. Not only does it have a big screen with a fast refresh rate, but it also boasts RTX 4060 graphics as well as RGB backlit keyboard with anti-ghosting technology, allowing you to press down multiple keys at once. Crack this baby open and you’ll find an Intel Core i7-13700HX CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. That means this machine is capable of chewing right through those graphically demanding titles. The 1080p display, which measures a massive 17.3-inches, has a refresh rate of 144Hz and a response time of 7ms, so images should look fluid and realistic. View Deal Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon: $1,391.42 ($1,007.58 off at Lenovo) Lenovo Lenovo Lenovo The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a competent business laptop with a lot of great features. First, let’s talk hardware. This machine weighs well under three pounds and yet it manages to squeeze in an Intel Core i5-1335U, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage. It has a decent amount of power, especially for such a lightweight laptop. You should be able to zip through office work, everyday activities, and more. The 14-inch 1200p display has a maximum brightness of 400 nits and a refresh rate of 60Hz, which should be clear enough for productivity tasks. Plus, you’re getting a 1080p webcam, a backlight keyboard, a fingerprint reader, and ThinkPad’s famously comfortable keyboard with the red nub in the middle. View Deal FAQ 1. How much RAM will I need in my laptop? You’ll want at least 8GB, though 16GB is preferable, especially if you play games. Don’t buy laptops with under 4GB of RAM or 128GB of SSD storage—though on a Chromebook or a budget Windows machine, this configuration is acceptable. Check out our article on how much RAM does a laptop need for more in-depth info. 2. What’s the difference between a Chromebook and a Windows laptop? The one big difference between a Chromebook and a Windows laptop is the operating system. Chromebooks run ChromeOS and Windows run, well, Microsoft Windows. Chromebooks make good everyday machines because they’re designed for browsing the web, checking e-mail, and so on. They use less resources and are generally more affordable than the Windows variety. They also don’t need antivirus protection. A Windows laptop is a lot more versatile in what it can do, and not just in terms of running local programs. You can really pump a Windows laptop up with a ton of RAM, storage, and so on. 3. When should I look for a laptop deal? You’ll likely find the best laptop deals during Prime Day (mid-July), Black Friday (November 29th), and back-to-school season (June-August). Sure, you’ll find good laptop deals throughout the year, but if you really want to save big, we’d recommend scoping out your favorite online retailers during those times. 4. Which retailers offer the best deals? You can find all kinds of deals across a wide range of online retailers such as Newegg, Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, and so on. However, we’d recommend checking out deals from laptop manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, and Dell. You’ll usually find many different configurations on sale and the discounts can be pretty darn steep. For more options, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available right now. Laptops Read...

It’s likely that you regularly come across or work with PDF files — they’re ubiquitous in today’s cross-platform world. Often, you can use free software to view or comment on a PDF file. But what if you need to edit a PDF? That’s where a PDF editor comes in. The best PDF editors allows you to edit, create, alter, and convert PDF files just like you would with any other text document. Adobe Acrobat is the most famous option for most people. But while it’s excellent both in features and utility, it’s also pretty expensive. Thankfully, in recent years a whole host of third-party PDF editors have sprung up in order to provide less expensive alternatives. (If you’re wondering why Windows doesn’t have a decent PDF editor, you’re not alone.) Our picks cover the gamut of PDF editing needs and budgets. Why you should trust us: At PCWorld, we’ve been testing PC hardware and software for over 40 years. Our evaluation process is always hands-on and thorough, taking into account real-world usage needs. We don’t ever recommend something we wouldn’t be comfortable using ourselves. To learn more about our criteria for PDF editors scroll to the bottom of this article. PROMOTIONEaseUS PDF Editor – Edit, Convert, Compress & Protect PDFs Integrate PDF maker, PDF editor, PDF converter, and PDF reader in one full pack with all the basics you need. The clean interface simplifies your PDF work to edit, convert, comment, annotate, merge, split,  background, page, watermark, sign PDFs, or fill forms. Your PDF workloads are down by batch processing efficiently.Now 25% OFF Exclusive Code: PCWORLD25Free Download> Get It Now | 25% off Adobe Acrobat Pro – Best overall Pros Easily navigable tabbed interface Comprehensive PDF editing features Streamlined sharing feature makes it easier to fill documents and get signatures Cons Rich feature set can be overwhelming for new users Adobe Acrobat Pro remains the industry standard for good reason. Its rich combination of creation, editing, reviewing, and security features are mimicked by the best alternative options, but we feel Acrobat still does it best. Its recent interface redesign makes it much easier to navigate through its robust toolset than the nested menus of yore, and its cloud subscription option puts its advanced features within reach of more individuals and small businesses. (See how it compares to the Adobe Acrobat Standard.) Though many of its features are available in other, cheaper PDF editors, Acrobat is still the editor against which all others are judged. And, as of this year, it’s also the first PDF editor that we know of to incorporate AI into the feature mix. Read our full Adobe Acrobat Pro review Foxit PDF Editor 13 – Best overall runner-up Pros Multi-platform Business-ready capabilities AI integration helps with document editing Cons Can be expensive depending on product license Foxit PDF Editor 13 hits all the right notes for a premium PDF editor and can even take on the formidable Adobe Acrobat. It’s packed with features that are sure to please power users—all the requisite content editing tools; review and markup features; form fill and signing support; and robust security options for sensitive documents, such as permissions, password protection, and data redaction. It supports tons of file formats, and adding hyperlinks, images, and files to a PDF is trouble-free. Indeed, ease-of-use is one of Foxit’s great strengths. The program uses a Microsoft Office-style ribbon interface which groups tasks in a familiar and intuitive interface, making for a seamless integration with your workflow. It also provides ChatGPT integration so you can easily get help with your documents from an AI assistant. Yes, it’s priced on the higher side for a PDF editor, but with all it has going for it, Nitro PDF Pro more than earns its keep. Plus, you can try it out for free for seven days to see if you like it before making a commitment. If you’re looking for an Acrobat replacement, you won’t find many better. Read our full Foxit PDF Editor review EaseUS PDF editor – Best budget option Pros Full set of editing tools Annotation options enable easy collaboration Straightforward interface Cons Windows only Needs subscription to remove usage limits Best Prices Today: $49.95 at EaseUS EaseUs might not have the name recognition of some of the other editors on this list, but it’s more than capable of holding its own in the crowded PDF editor market. It provides all of the essential tools for managing PDF files without any of the elaborate or hard-to-understand features. It allows users to jump right in to their toolset and get straight to editing with only what they need. While EaseUS’s features are great, they are also pretty standard fare among PDF editors. What makes it stand out is its affordable price—it’s a great value for those who regularly edit PDFs and don’t want to pay out the nose. EaseUS also offers a fully functional free version (with embedded watermarks on your edited documents) so users can take it for a spin to see if it meets their needs before they commit to paying any money. Read our full EaseUS PDF Editor review PDF Candy – Best free option Pros Many advanced features OCR capability Very easy to use Cons No Mac support Free trial only offers basic features PDF Candy is the rare free PDF editor that offers a lot of the features you’d typically have to pay for. We’re talking scanning, multiple file-conversion options, and OCR functionality. All of this combines to make PDF Candy stand out among the multitude of lesser free PDF editors. It does have a bit of a wonky interface, but once you get the hang of it you’re off and running. Unfortunately, while the free version has access to the expansive toolset of the paid version, you’re limited to one PDF task per hour. If you want unfettered access, you need to shell out $6 per month, or $48 per year. Read our full PDF Candy review PDF Expert – Best full-featured editor for Apple devices Pros Syncs across Mac, iPhone, and iPad Comprehensive editing and annotation tools Simple, intuitive interface Cons Requires annual payment Lifetime license enables use on Mac only PDF Expert is an excellent editor that fits seamlessly into the Apple ecosystem, making it our pick for Macs, iPads, and iPhone users. While macOS does include a PDF editor in its Preview app, iOS devices don’t have a native PDF editor and PDF Expert fills that gap nicely. It has a clean and intuitive interface and offers a plethora of easy-to-use editing options such as page management, converting scanned files into editable documents, and conversion to other file formats, among other things. The pricing plan is also considerably cheaper than most of the other top picks, meaning this is a no-brainer for Apple users. Read our full PDF Expert (iOS) review Apple Preview PDF editor – Best free option for Mac users Pros Full set of PDF markup tools Supports form filling PDFs can be protected with passwords, encryption, and permission controls Cons Limited native sharing options Only available to Mac users Mac users needn’t look beyond the macOS for their PDF editing needs, since there is a full set of PDF markup tools already available at their disposal in Apple Preview. It has the chops to handle most personal and business PDF editing needs, including encryption, password protection, and permissions for files. Apple Preview’s PDF features and capabilities are impressive and should be all you need for most common editing tasks. The drawback, of course, is that only Mac users can take advantage of them. Read our full Apple Preview PDF editor review pdfFiller – Best web-based editor Pros Intuitive web-based interface Robust security options Lots of business-ready capabilities Cons Business features won’t be needed by some users Requires annual commitment to get best value Best Prices Today: $20 at pdfFiller pdfFiller is a browser-based PDF editor that allows you do to just about everything PDF-related—editing, securing, sharing, creating, and storing PDF files—all from its intuitive and simple web interface. Its design is similar to a desktop app, with the toolbar across the top, and document thumbnails along the side, so it’s very easy to select the page you want to work on and perform the desired function, be it adding, deleting, or copying/pasting text; changing font style, size, and color; and so on. A standard set of markup tools is also available. It has a surprisingly deep set of features for both personal and business use. For instance the Premium plan offers an impressive legal document library, as well as SignNow support. While incredibly versatile, not all of pdfFiller’s advanced features will suit everyone. Fortunately, there are three subscription tiers, which gives users a way to meet their editing needs without paying extra for unnecessary features: Basic for $8/mo; Plus for $12/mo; Premium for $15/mo with an annual commitment. Month-to-month options are also available, but at a higher cost, of course. Read our full pdfFiller review A word about online PDF editors Why spend a chunk of change on a desktop editor when free online PDF editors abound? The simple answer is because you get what you pay for. Generally, free online editors will let you add text and comments, merge and split documents, and convert files to and from PDF. With rare exception, however, they won’t let you edit existing text and many have file-size and page-volume restrictions. And a lot of them will watermark your edited document. For these reasons, web PDF editors are best reserved for simple, fast editing jobs. Call in these big dogs for anything more demanding. What to look for in a PDF editor PDF editors come in a variety of flavors, offering varying feature sets—from basic functionality to power-user tools. It’s important to know what features best match your workflow before you commit to a PDF editor. Create, convert, and export PDFs The most fundamental function of a PDF editor is to make PDFs, either from scratch, scanned hard copies, or by converting digital documents. A good PDF editor should be able to transform a variety of file types—from Microsoft Office formats to images to HTML—and do so seamlessly, preserving the original formatting. It should also include OCR technology to make the PDF text searchable and editable. Likewise, a good PDF editor must be able to export PDFs into other editable formats such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, HTML, or plain text, maintaining the original files hyperlinks, images, and other elements. Content editing Another bit of magic that PDF editors unlock is the ability to modify text; insert, resize, and move images; and reorganize pages in the PDF. A good one will perform these tasks as easily as in a text document or slide deck, allowing in-line editing, dragging-and dropping graphics, and adding or removing hyperlinks. Review and annotate A good PDF editor should also let you or anyone else using it add comments and other annotations to PDF files during review. It should have tools to mark up both text documents and graphic-heavy files like webpages. Common options include sticky notes, callout boxes, highlighting, freehand drawing tools, and stamps with messages like “approved,” “revised,” and “confidential.” Security All businesses deal with documents containing sensitive data. Look for a PDF editor that includes security features that allow access for authorized eyes only. Good options will usually offer several levels of security, including password protection, permissions setting, and content redaction, which “blacks out” selected text and images. Most PDF editors will also offer one or more ways to electronically sign documents. Mobile support While deep PDF editing is best done on a desktop, it’s nice to be able to review and annotate files when you’re out and about. While PDFs can typically be reviewed in any PDF reader or editor, regardless of which one they were created in, consider looking for an editor that has a dedicated mobile app, is optimized for mobile devices, or allows cloud access to features through a mobile browser. One of the great things about a PDF is that it can be read and edited in any PDF program regardless of which one it was created in. So beyond the features outlined here, let your personal preferences guide you in making your decision. FAQ 1. What is the difference between a PDF document and a PDF form? While there are a number of different types of PDF file formats, they all fall under the umbrella term of PDF documents. A PDF form is a type of PDF document that has editable form fields a user can fill out. Typically, parts of the document are static and can’t be changed in a PDF form, such as questions in a survey or instructions about filling out the form. In a PDF form, the content fields a user fills out are open to editing and can offer a list of possible answer options or can be written in freely. 2. Are PDF documents and Word files different? Yes. They are two entirely different document formats. While you can export from one file format to another, they are not the same. Word file formats are usually used for word processing, editing, and making changes to text. PDF documents on the other hand, are most often utilized for viewing, sharing, and printing. Additionally, Word files are read and write and contain some version of the “.doc” file format. Whereas PDF files are typically read-only and contain the “.pdf” file format. 3. Can you protect PDF documents from being edited by other people? Yes. If you have a PDF document that you don’t want anyone else to edit, you can protect the file. You can do this by opening the file in Acrobat, for instance, and clicking Tools > Protect. Then you have a few options as to whether you want to simply restrict editing with a password, or if you want to encrypt the file for further safety. Once you choose how you want to protect the PDF document, you can set a password and save. 4. Can you merge PDFs with a free PDF editor? As a matter of fact, many free PDF editors allow you to merge two or more PDFs into one document. Such is the case with our top free pick PDF Candy. Open up the PDF editor application or website in your browser and search for the Merge option. It will then ask you to add the files of all PDFs you wish to merge. Once the files have been added, arrange the page order and alignment before proceeding with the merge. Afterwards, all of your previously PDF files will be merged into one new PDF document. 5. Does Google have a free PDF editor? Yes and no. Google doesn’t provide a designated free PDF editor itself, but there are third-party Chrome extensions that you can use to help get the job done. Alternatively, you can make use of Google Drive to edit a PDF document. Simply upload the document onto your Google Drive and then select the file and right-click and select Open with > Google Docs. The file will be opened as an editable Google Docs text document. Then just make your edits and when you’re finished click File > Download >PDF Document to revert it back to a PDF file. This method is a quick and easy way to edit a simple PDF document, but be careful as Google Docs can run into formatting issues if your original document has complex visual formatting such as tables and graphs. In this case, it is best to use a designated free or premium PDF editor. Professional Software Read...

Microsoft is taking a break from testing new Copilot AI features within Windows, which may mean that the company has settled on some ideas that it may eventually roll out to the majority of Windows users. Microsoft announced the change in plans on Friday, as part of the release of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.3570 (KB5037008) to testers on its Beta Channel. “Over the last few months, we’ve been trying out different experiences for Copilot in Windows (Preview) with Windows Insiders across the Canary, Dev, and Beta Channels,” Microsoft wrote. “Some of these experiences include the ability for Copilot in Windows to act like a normal application window and the taskbar icon animating to indicate that Copilot can help when you copy text or images. We have decided to pause the rollouts of these experiences to further refine them based on user feedback.” Windows 11 Pro Today, you can launch Copilot via the Copilot icon, which once lived down in the center of the Windows 11 taskbar. Microsoft has shifted it over to the lower right-hand corner of the screen, a minor change. It still carries with it the small “Pre” icon that denotes a preview, however. Clicking on it opens Copilot; likewise, highlighting a block of text allows you to access Copilot options, as well. The Microsoft Build conference kicks off on May 21. On May 20, Microsoft will host a press event where it will talk more about AI, including Copilot, and is expected to launch new consumer versions of the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, each containing a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor. Microsoft released business versions of both devices in March, with an Intel Core Ultra chip inside. Microsoft will almost certainly show off some its intended Copilot roadmap at that time. But for now, it appears to be weighing what direction to take Copilot on Windows, based on what it’s already developed. Windows Read...

While “juggernaut” Marlborough has nearly a third of New Zealand’s top wineries, it’s a Central Otago business that’s taken the crown. Read...

The latest round of voluntary redundancies at the ministry has lifted RNZ`s count of public sector job cuts to more than 4000. Read...