In recent years, the focus of crime has shifted. The increased security of our computers has made it harder to spread computer viruses and the absence of cash makes traditional robberies rare. Instead, a criminal’s new weapon is social engineering. Further reading: Quishing and vishing: How to protect yourself from new security threats A person calls you claiming to be a relative, a police officer, a bank official, or someone else you trust. They try to get you to pay money, give them your account details, or install programs on your computer. There’s always a rush — stress can make most of us do unthinkable things. Today, real people make the calls, but they’re being replaced by AI voices that can work 24 hours a day. And even more frightening is the possibility of cloning existing voices with artificial intelligence. In other words, it really sounds like your sister calling from Rome. According to the police, the number of scams using social engineering is increasing by 40 percent a year and they account for 60 percent of fraud crimes against the elderly. Fortunately, there are simple ways to protect yourself. Here are five vital tips: Hang up the phone! Because scammers are experts at social engineering, any kind of conversation is risky. Call back! If you’re not sure who’s calling, you can always call back. When you call back yourself, you have control over who you talk to. Look up the number! Whether it’s a phone number or a website address, it’s important not to use the links you receive via email or text message, as they may be fake. Instead, search for the contact details via the official website. Use code words! One way to counter social engineering is to agree on a secret code word with family and friends. By agreeing on a unique word to use in an emergency, you can be sure that it is not a fake AI voice calling. Block it! Never reply to scam emails or text messages, as this confirms that the address and number are being used. However, you can use the Report Spam icon in your email service. If we all follow this advice and pass it on to our friends and family, there is a chance that cyber fraud will soon become as rare as bank robberies are today. Read...

As we head towards the end of the year, the Windows 11 24H2 update from October is still causing trouble for users. Microsoft has confirmed two new problems, and according to Neowin, one of them breaks audio output and the other breaks Auto HDR. The audio issue occurs on computers “from one manufacturer” (Microsoft didn’t elaborate further on which manufacturer) with Dirac Audio and the cridspapo.dll, which processes audio for improved clarity and precision. The bug causes Windows 11 to no longer be able to output sound to integrated speakers, Bluetooth speakers, headsets, and other audio devices. There’s currently no workaround for those affected. The other confirmed issue involves a bug in Auto HDR, a Windows 11 system feature that automatically converts SDR visuals to HDR for an improved experience. This bug causes glitches ranging from incorrect colors to full-blown crashes, and the only workaround at the moment is to disable the Auto HDR feature altogether. Microsoft has since blocked the availability of Windows 11 24H2 on all affected systems, and the block will be lifted once the bugs are fixed. You can learn more about these issues by checking out Microsoft’s official support notices: “Some devices that have Dirac Audio with cridspapo.dll might lose audio output” and “Auto HDR might cause games to stop responding or display incorrect colors.“ This isn’t the first time the Windows 11 24H2 update has been blocked for certain PCs, nor is it the first time gamers have run into problems after updating to Windows 11 24H2. If you’ve been blocked from updating, the silver lining is that you’re better off waiting several months for all the kinks to get ironed out before making the jump. Further reading: What you need to know about Windows 11 24H2 Read...

If you’re like me, you probably find your laptop ports to be inadequate. They fill up fast, which is why you need a good docking station that will turn one port into many, expanding your connectivity options. Plugable is one of our favorite brands for docks, and this Plugable Thunderbolt 4 dock is down to $139.95 at Plugable.com, a solid 39 percent off its original $229.95 MSRP. While the listing still shows full price, you get the discount once it’s added to your cart. This super-useful USB4 docking station (model TBT4-UDX1) delivers an 11-in-1 experience, allowing you to fast-charge your laptop while also connecting two 4K@60Hz monitors for a true multitasking setup. Alternatively, you can connect one 8K@30Hz monitor via Thunderbolt 4 port (if you even have such a beast of a monitor). In total, the Plugable Thunderbolt 4 dock has three Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps) ports, one HDMI port, four USB 3.0 (10Gbps) ports, an Ethernet (2.5Gbps) port, an SD slot, and a combo audio/mic port. It’s compatible with both Windows and certain Mac computers. In theory, it works no matter what system you have, but if you want to take full advantage, you’ll need one of the MacBook Pro models that support dual external displays. Get yourself one of these Plugable Thunderbolt 4 docks on sale while you still can. This deal expires tomorrow (December 18th), so make sure you jump on it before you forget. Save $90 on this 11-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 docking stationBuy now at Plugable.com Read...

Outlook has been experiencing problems on Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers for days now, probably starting as early as December 2nd. It’s been reported by affected users across various forums and in Microsoft’s Feedback Hub that when users try to log into Outlook, the app issues error code 0x80049dd3. Microsoft has acknowledged the issue and claims in the Feedback Hub to have solved the problem. Neowin quotes one Microsoft developer: “This should be resolved now. Thanks for taking the time to report this. As always, please don’t hesitate to file a new piece of feedback to let us know if you continue experiencing issues.” However, as numerous recent user reports prove, Microsoft has by no means solved the ongoing Outlook login problem. One user wrote the following on Microsoft’s forum: “When I attempt to open an email in Outlook on my Surface Pro 11th edition, an Outlook screen pops up with options to select my email account or add a new one. When I select my account, a window pops up indicating I need to login to my account. Curious as I am already logged in. When I attempt to login on that window, an error pops up, 0x80049DD3. I am able to open my emails in Outlook on my Galaxy S21 with no problem. Any help is appreciated.” Another frustrated user writes: “In Windows 10, when I open or work with mail in the Outlook desktop app (local installation), the message no access keeps coming up. Then I get a message that I have to select continue to sign in to this account, or manage to remove the account. Then the message something went wrong, try again later 0x80049dd3 comes up.” As of now, Microsoft has once again confirmed that the problem persists and the company is working on a solution. For now, there are no workarounds and the only solution is to wait for a fix. Further reading: What you need to know about the new Outlook app Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Large display Spacious keyboard Solid productivity performance Cons Flimsy plastic build No support for Copilot+ features Poor battery life Our Verdict The bargain-priced Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 has enough oomph to knock out spreadsheets and video meetings, but it may not hold up to the rigors of travel. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Today’s most capable laptops have the powerful AI-accelerated chipsets, pixel-perfect OLED screens, and incredible graphics processors—the Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 doesn’t have any of those things, but there’s one more thing it doesn’t have: a high price. It runs a last-gen Intel Core Ultra 5 125U and a 16-inch IPS display with up to 32GB of RAM. You even get some unexpected extras in this price range, like Thunderbolt 4 and an IR webcam for biometric logins. This business-oriented machine starts under $800, and while I don’t suggest the cheapest version of the ThinkBook 16, this laptop can be a great value. The Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 definitely cut some corners to keep the price that low, but does it cut the right ones? Further reading: Best laptops 2024: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1s, and more Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7: Specs and features Lenovo has released several different models of the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7, but you should ignore the base model. Priced under $800, this machine only has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. For about $100 more (when not on sale), you can get the version I’ve been testing, with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of space, and a Core Ultra 5 CPU. The two cheaper models run the Core Ultra 5 125U, but you can upgrade to the Core Ultra 7 155U for $200 more. The ThinkBook is also available in an AMD flavor. The laptop is available with up to 1TB of storage and 32GB of RAM. Even fully decked out, the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 costs just over $1,000. CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 125U Memory: 16GB LPDDR5 Graphics: Intel Arc Display: 16-inch 1920 x 1080 LCD Storage: 512GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD Webcam: 1080p IR Webcam Connectivity: 1x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4, 40Gbps), 1x USB-C (10Gbps) 2x USB-A (5Gbps), 3.5mm audio jack, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, SD card reader Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 Battery capacity: 45Whr Dimensions: 356 x 253.5 x 17.5 mm (14.01 x 9.98 x 0.69 inches) Weight: 1.7 kg (3.75 lbs) MSRP as tested: $829 Lenovo’s ThinkBook lineup isn’t supposed to blow you away with raw power—these machines target value, and the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 is the truest expression of that tradition. Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7: Design and build quality IDG / Ryan Whitwam The ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 makes a good first impression with its sleek metal lid, featuring the trademark two-tone finish of most current ThinkBooks. This line sits below Lenovo’s ThinkPad computers. So, the rest of the materials aren’t as impressive. Most of the body is composed of plastic, but the lid does add some much needed rigidity when the machine is closed. You’ll find most of the ports on the left edge, including both USB-C ports, one of which supports Thunderbolt 4. There’s also a USB-A, HDMI, and the 3.5mm jack. Opposite, the ThinkBook has another USB-A, Ethernet, the SD card slot, and a Kensington lock. The bezel around the display is relatively narrow but not what you’d see on a high-end laptop. There’s plenty of room at the top for a webcam that doesn’t extend too far into the trademark Lenovo lid handle. The 1080p camera has solid video quality for meetings, and it supports IR for Windows Hello biometric login. I also appreciate the inclusion of a privacy shutter for the camera. At 16 inches, this is the largest footprint you’ll see for a ThinkBook. That means you get an expansive display and plenty of room for the keyboard. The hinge is a bit on the stiff side, which makes it hard to open the Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 with one hand. However, the screen stays in place even if you move the machine around during use. The bottom half of the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 is plastic, and there’s not a lot of internal structure to support it. The case flexes noticeably when you push on the plastic chassis, and it sags when you pick it up by one side. That said, there are no creaks or cracks, and the body should hold up fine as long as you’re not wedging it into a cluttered bag all day. The construction seems about right for a computer that comes in significantly under $1,000. In spite of all that plastic, the ThinkBook is no lightweight. It clocks in at 3.75 pounds, which is around the same as more premium laptops in the same size range. Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7: Display and speakers IDG / Ryan Whitwam Having a 16-inch screen on a laptop can be refreshing if you’re used to a smaller device. The ThinkBook 16’s touchscreen is expansive enough that you can split-screen apps without feeling too cramped. Those with visual impairments can also increase the text size and still have plenty of screen real estate. The display is only 1080p, which is on the low end for a 16-inch laptop. However, it won’t consume as much power as a higher resolution display, and the sharpness is acceptable at normal viewing distances. The brightness is similarly unimpressive, topping out at 300 nits. That’s bright enough for most indoor conditions, aided by the screen’s matte finish. Reflections won’t be a major issue, but bright ambient light in some offices or outdoors will make the screen hard to read. However, you will notice uneven dimming if looking at the LCD from an angle. The Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 has speakers tucked under the left and right edge of the laptop, similar to most other 2024 notebooks. Some machines manage solid audio despite firing sound downward, but the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 is on one of them. It’s fine for the occasional YouTube video, but music gets muddy before you even hit 50 percent volume. It also causes the plastic enclosure to vibrate even at lower volumes. Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7: Keyboard and trackpad IDG / Ryan Whitwam Some 16-inch laptops leave wide swaths of potential keyboard space unused, but the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 doesn’t leave anything on the table. It sports a full keyboard layout, featuring bit arrows, page up/down keys, and a number pad. The number pad is squeezed in off to the right, with keys that are roughly half as wide as the rest of the keyboard. Still, it’s nice to have that on a laptop at all. The keyboard itself gets the job done, but the keys aren’t very tactile, and there’s a lot of mushiness at the bottom of each press. You can feel and see the laptop’s plastic deck flexing as you type, making for a mediocre typing experience despite the good layout. The trackpad is shifted to the left to be aligned with the keyboard’s spacebar. I prefer trackpads to be centered on the laptop’s frame, but that’s a minor quibble. The trackpad is plastic, offering average sensitivity and responsiveness. The click mechanism is rather loud, almost echoey, and the trackpad could stand to be larger, considering the ample real estate on a 16-inch notebook. Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7: Performance IDG / Ryan Whitwam PCMark 10 is designed to test a machine across a variety of metrics like web browsing, video chat, and photo editing. The ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 brings up the rear in this test but not by much. Its general productivity performance is solid, even though machines with newer chips can manage much higher scores in this test. IDG / Ryan Whitwam Cinebench is a CPU-focused test that shows how a PC handles heavy but brief multi-core workloads. More CPU cores grant higher scores in Cinebench and cooling doesn’t matter very much. Cinebench shows another trailing score for the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7. This is a result that would have been in the middle of the pack just a year ago, but the latest Intel and AMD designs have emphasized multi-threaded performance. IDG / Ryan Whitwam The Handbrake test is similar to Cinebench in that it shows how a computer handles multithreaded tasks, but this is a longer-duration test where thermals matter more. Here, the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 picks up a little steam, besting several machines with similar specs. Lenovo’s cooling setup seems to work well, keeping the Core 5 Ultra chip running faster under load. IDG / Ryan Whitwam Our first gaming test is 3DMark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. This is not a gaming machine by any means, and this benchmark proves it. AMD processors, as well as newer Intel chips, have much more capable integrated GPUs. Intel’s latest CPUs are getting close to the performance of discrete GPUs from a few generations ago. The Core 5 Ultra, however, struggles even with simple games. The laptop is fast enough for the tasks you’re likely to ask of it in a work setting. However, it’s not great for creating and editing content or gaming. A faster machine will pay off if you plan for heavier workloads. Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7: Battery life The ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 has two USB-C ports, and either one can be used to charge the laptop. The machine comes with a bulky 65W charger, but you don’t have to use that one. It also charges at full speed with any third-party USB-PD charger with a 65W or higher capacity. IDG / Ryan Whitwam With a 45Whr cell, this machine was never going to set any longevity records. Our battery rundown test consists of playing a 4K video on a loop at set brightness until the machine dies. The ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 managed almost nine hours (532 minutes) in this test, which is not an impressive showing. However, it makes a lot of sense given the meager 45Whr battery—that’s tiny by 2024 standards. Actually, this makes a bit more sense with the plastic build. This laptop is intended to remain plugged in stationary on a desk most of the time. Sure, you can take it to a meeting, but it won’t withstand as much abuse as a more sturdy and expensive laptop. Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7: Conclusion Lenovo’s ThinkBook lineup isn’t supposed to blow you away with raw power—these machines target value, and the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 is the truest expression of that tradition. It would be easy to dismiss Lenovo’s new ThinkBook on the basis of its middling performance and build quality, but the price makes this notebook worth thinking about. This is a solid productivity machine for well under a grand. You should keep its shortcomings in mind, though. It’s running a last-gen processor, and the base model doesn’t have enough RAM. The small battery and iffy build quality are also sticking points. Lenovo’s pricing is constantly changing, and its “estimated value” discounts are plainly misleading. However, the pricing is still aggressive, especially if you’re buying in bulk for enterprise. I don’t recommend the base model or the fully specced out version. With 8GB of RAM, the cheapest ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 isn’t powerful enough outside of basic office work. The version with 16GB of RAM is currently on sale for $749, which is a fantastic deal. Meanwhile, the upgraded version still has the same middling display and build quality—there are better options if you’re going to spend $1,000 on a laptop. The middle tier I’ve tested is the sweet spot. Read...

Jumping from Windows 11 Home to a Pro license supercharges Windows—useful if you need more advanced features. If you’ve been considering the leap, there’s good news for the holidays. Right now a Windows 11 Pro upgrade license is just $48 through PCWorld’s own software store or 52 percent off the normal price.  This upgrade license will work on an activated copy of Windows 11 Home. It’ll also transform a Windows 10 Home license to Pro, if your PC doesn’t meet Windows 11’s system requirements. For most folks, a move to Windows 11 Pro is to unlock BitLocker, which gives you more say over your data’s encryption, including for external drives. But other features like Remote Desktop are worth the price of admission, too. On a Windows 10 or 11 Pro computer, you can log into other computers and your own. (In fact, if you perform frequent tech support for a loved one, upgrading to Pro on the PC you’ll be servicing can save a lot of headache. No need for troubleshooting over the phone or driving over to help. You can just log into their machine from the comfort of your own home). These features aren’t the only ones that come with a Pro license—we have a full rundown of the two license types if you want to read up on the differences. Windows Sandbox and its virtual environments are pretty nifty, too. This deal runs from December 23 through January 1, so you have some time to recover from family gatherings before deciding on how many licenses you might want. Being your family’s local tech support is hard. We understand. (Like really understand). Upgrade to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for just $48Buy now at PCWorld Software Store Read...

Time is running out for older PCs running Windows 10, with less than a year to go until the operating system gets the axe. If you’ve no interest in buying a new computer, an upgrade to Windows 11 may sound like the smartest, easiest choice… but you’d be wrong. Sure, you can install Windows 11 on just about any PC, as the news this week emphasized. It doesn’t mean you should. The operating system won’t behave the same across the board. Newer hardware will get Microsoft’s full support. Computers unable to meet the minimum system requirements (aka a whole bunch of aging PCs) won’t and Microsoft warns of potential compatibility issues and no entitlement to updates. The wording is low-key, but the real-world experience for those older PCs could be rough.  For example: This year, Microsoft withheld the 24H2 update for Windows 11 from PCs at risk of incompatibility or crashes due to an issue with select USB scanners. This move kept the day-to-day experience of supported Windows 11 computers smooth and hassle-free. But older PCs aren’t guaranteed such consideration. An update could rollout and break functionality severely, and you’d be stuck. On the flip side, Microsoft could also choose to not push certain updates to incompatible PCs—which may include security patches and features. Without fixes for zero-day vulnerabilities, hackers can exploit them in order to, say, take over your PC or add code that steals sensitive data (e.g., financial info). Such outcomes can cost you real time and money. Realistically, Windows 11 on incompatible hardware isn’t a true upgrade. It’s a concession from Microsoft that hides the price consumers must pay for the company’s goal of more secure computing. You can cough up now (by upgrading to a newer PC or investing time in switching to and learning Linux), or kick the can further down the road by doling out $30 for extended Windows 10 support. Don’t offer up your sanity instead; the potential headaches down the road aren’t worth it. Read...

Virtual private networks, or VPNs, are one of the most effective ways to keep your data private and secure while online. They encrypt and hide our confidential web activity and are a key component in helping us to navigate safely while connected to the internet. As VPN usage continues to increase globally these apps are quickly becoming a cornerstone of our online security. Due to this importance, it’s worth looking at what’s in store for the next-gen VPNs to see how they’ll continue to provide us privacy and security into the future. From VPNs utilizing blockchain to new encryption standards even quantum computers can’t break—and maybe even anonymity for your smart appliances—here are the coming advancements in VPN tech I’m most excited for. Further reading: Best VPN services 2024: Top picks for speed, price, privacy, and more Blockchain technology is coming to VPNs The decentralized node structure of a dVPN may be the way of the future.NordVPN Decentralized VPNs, or dVPNs, offer a new twist on VPN technology and they are quickly growing in popularity. By distributing network functions across many nodes rather than routing traffic through one company’s centralized servers, they can theoretically afford better privacy and security to users. A dVPN runs on a peer-to-peer network that leverages blockchain technology. Decentralized nodes, operated by volunteer hosts, eliminate single points of failure and ensure that no single entity has control over every user’s data. Due to a dVPN’s more democratic functioning, they are also seen as being more resistant to censorship and government data sharing. Just over the last year or two, decentralized VPNs have started to gain traction in the global market. So does this mean crypto bros are about to take over your VPNs? Not likely. While dVPNs certainly seem like an attractive offer, more so with all of the hype surrounding everything crypto and blockchain nowadays, this decentralization doesn’t inherently mean a better experience.  With a traditional VPN, you have to put your trust in just one company. But this company, assuming you choose wisely, will run regular audits to prove it’s trustworthy, has a vested interest in keeping its network secure, and has the financial backing to continually make improvements to its applications. Using a dVPN on the other hand means that you have to trust each volunteer node host. Depending on how the dVPN company operates, these hosts may not be required to prove their trustworthiness or the privacy of their nodes.  So, while dVPNs are sure to become a popular choice for those seeking decentralized privacy, there will still be a place for traditional VPNs in the future. What is most likely is that you’ll see two separate markets develop, one for dVPN services and another for traditional centralized VPN services. It will then be up to you as the user to choose which you believe is best suited to protect your data. The post-quantum encryption revolution is upon us Post-quantum encryption will become the new standard for VPNs in the near future.Pixabay In August of this year, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) made history by releasing the first quantum-resistant encryption standards. Outside of a few overly enthusiastic cryptographers, this news might not have made a splash but it’s set to have huge implications for the future of online privacy and security. Researchers and tech companies are racing to build quantum computers that will have the capability to crush the encryption standards of today’s machines in mere minutes—something currently impossible. So, how does this relate to VPNs? Well, VPNs are heavily reliant on cryptographic protocols for securing communication on their networks. When you connect to a VPN, it encrypts your traffic by scrambling the data into an unreadable form, thereby preventing third parties from viewing and understanding that data. If a quantum computer with vastly greater computational power were to get ahold of this same encrypted data, it could decipher it with ease. These new ‘post-quantum’ encryption standards will not only set the bar for VPN providers in the coming years, but also provide a roadmap to help them become more secure. “Post-quantum” encryption will become a selling point that VPNs will advertise and market to consumers. For users, it might seem like a boutique feature now, but once quantum computers are up and running—most experts believe it could be within the next decade—you’ll absolutely want your VPN to be using these new standards. We’re already seeing some VPN providers offer ‘post-quantum’ encryption. Just recently NordVPN took the initiative and launched an app with post-quantum support. Others such as ExpressVPN and Surfshark have also implemented their own versions as well. It’s only a matter of time before this becomes the new norm for all VPNs.  VPNs will soon protect your refrigerator, too The all encompassing internet of things, or IoT, refers to a network of connected devices that communicate and share data with each other. For most people, this takes the form of smart home devices such as thermostats, TVs, lights, refrigerators, and home security systems. Thanks to IoT devices we now have more control over our environment than ever before. When it comes to cybersecurity however, smart devices are generally some of the most vulnerable and least protected pieces on your home network. Cybercriminals love to exploit IoT devices and in many cases, simply hacking one device will give them access to everything else. VPNs are out to change this in the near future. By providing fully integrated home network security, a VPN can encrypt and protect communications for all of your devices. Unlike the typical personal VPN that requires you to connect each individual device, IoT VPNs extend across an entire network to safeguard all devices. At home this can already be done via a router VPN.  Unfortunately, there are still a few drawbacks to using a router method. Many VPN providers still impose simultaneous device connection limits that can be taken up quickly by all of your IoT devices. Router VPNs also create a single point of failure meaning you need to make sure failsafes, such as an automatic killswitch, are set up correctly. This all requires a bit of technical know-how which the average layperson may not have. Routers with built-in VPNs, like Aircove from ExpressVPN, are just one of the ways that next-gen VPNs will protect all of the devices on your home network. ExpressVPN VPN companies are working on new and innovative solutions for at-home IoT coverage. More and more services are switching over to unlimited device connection models. Others such as ExpressVPN have even started selling their own routers, ready to go right out of the box, with the VPN built into them. VPNs are likely to begin offering configurable IoT options in their mobile apps as well. This will allow users to easily control which devices on their home network are connected through the VPN, all in a centralized hub. So in the future, even the AI-generated grocery list from your smart fridge will be encrypted and secure from prying eyes. Read...

Google just showed off Willow to the world, its mind-blowing quantum chip that absolutely destroyed an intensive benchmark. What would normally take today’s fastest supercomputers about 10 septillion years to complete — or 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years — was accomplished in just 5 minutes with Willow. Willow isn’t just a technological triumph, though. It’s a full-blown scientific breakthrough in quantum computing research. Google has published a study in Nature that addresses one of the biggest challenges in quantum technology: error correction. The study shows that as more “qubits” are added to a quantum computer, the better the error suppression becomes, making the technology more scalable. Qubits, which are the individual units of information in quantum computers, can exist in the state of 0, 1, or both at the same time (unlike the binary “0 or 1” bits in traditional computers). This opens up computing possibilities that were previously unthinkable. The potential of quantum computers is massive. They can be used to develop new medicines, design advanced battery technologies, or pave the way for fusion reactors. But with this power comes risks, such as the possibility of creating new viruses, breaking encryption codes, or using the technology for surveillance and weapons development. Read...

If you need Windows 11 for your PC, you have two options: Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Professional. The Pro version is (obviously) the more expensive of the two because it offers a variety of extra features. The most compelling extra is full-featured BitLocker drive encryption for securing your data, as well as an intriguing Sandbox feature for testing software, plus some other stuff. But what if you’re just a regular home user? Are these additional features worth paying a bit more? Here’s what you need to consider. Windows 11 Pro and BitLocker encryption BitLocker drive encryption is the main reason to get Windows 11 Professional. BitLocker is a full-disk encryption feature that protects your files from unauthorized access. If your PC is ever stolen or misplaced, nobody will be able to access your protected files without signing in as you. It’s an essential modern security feature. Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap right now Windows 11 Pro Both Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Professional include some disk encryption features, but Microsoft’s BitLocker encryption is much more powerful, flexible, and configurable on Windows 11 Pro. On a PC running Windows 11 Home, you only get “Device Encryption.” When you sign into your Windows PC with a Microsoft account, Windows 11 Home automatically enables BitLocker encryption and saves your recovery key to your Microsoft account. Curious whether Device Encryption is enabled on your PC? Head to Settings > Privacy & Security > Device encryption. If you don’t see the option, your PC doesn’t support it. New Windows 11 PCs do, but some older PCs that were upgraded from Windows 10 may not. Chris Hoffman / IDG Device Encryption is an adequate solution for many, but it’s limited. For example, you must sign in with a Microsoft account, and you must store your recovery key in your Microsoft account online, and you can’t use it to encrypt external drives. That last one might be a big deal. If you want the full-featured BitLocker experience, you’ll need Windows 11 Professional. You get a lot more options for configuring BitLocker the way you want it, plus you get BitLocker To Go for encrypting files on portable USB drives, SD cards, and other external storage devices. Other restrictions in Windows 11 Home Apart from BitLocker, you aren’t missing out on that much else in Windows 11 Home. After all, Microsoft wants to sell those expensive Pro licenses to businesses, so it makes sense that most of the restrictions involve business-oriented features. For example, a PC running Windows 11 Home can’t join a domain or an Azure Active Directory setup. It also doesn’t have access to the Private Catalog feature in the Microsoft Store, which allows businesses to deploy their own apps to their PCs. These are things you’d never need to do on a home PC — they’re for computers being managed by a workplace. Chris Hoffman / IDG Similarly, you can’t set up a Windows 11 Home PC as a Remote Desktop server. In other words, you can’t Remote Desktop into a Windows 11 Home PC, but you can Remote Desktop from a Windows 11 Home PC into a Windows 11 Pro PC. (If you really need to remote into your home PC, you can always turn to third-party remote desktop tools.) Windows 11 Home also doesn’t have access to Microsoft’s Hyper-V software for creating virtual machines. This, too, can be done using other virtual machine apps like the now-free VMWare or VirtualBox. The Home version of Windows also doesn’t have access to the Local Group Policy Editor, which is mainly used by businesses to centrally configure their PCs. That said, the Local Group Policy Editor is a convenient way to adjust some system settings that would otherwise require modifying the registry instead. But is it so useful that it’s worth shelling out extra for a Pro license? Not really. Exclusive Sandbox in Windows 11 Pro Apart from a more fully featured and configurable BitLocker encryption experience, and apart from the business-oriented features that aren’t in Windows 11 Home, Windows 11 Pro also offers another big feature called the Sandbox, which is really useful but admittedly niche. The Windows Sandbox uses Hyper-V software under the hood to give you a fresh, isolated Windows system that runs in a separate “sandbox” window every time you launch it. This separation gives you a way to test potentially sketchy software or malware to see what happens, all without modifying or affecting your actual operating system. And when Sandbox is closed, it destroys all the data within it — even if the sandboxed environment is infected with malware, it’s contained and wiped out as soon as it’s closed. Simply restart Sandbox and you once again get a fresh, untainted Windows system. It’s one of our favorite Windows features for security, especially when paired with a reputable VPN. It’s honestly so good that if you can find a use for it in your day-to-day, the Sandbox feature alone can make the upgrade to Windows 11 Pro worth it. Windows 11 Home vs. Pro: Pricing If you’re buying a Windows 11 license for a PC you’re building, Microsoft sells Windows 11 Home for $139 and Windows 11 Pro for $199. However, there are ways to find cheaper Windows 11 licenses. You can upgrade any Windows 11 Home PC to Windows 11 Pro whenever you want for just $99. Just head to Settings > System > Activation, expand the “Upgrade your edition of Windows” section, then click the Open Store button to get started. Chris Hoffman / IDG If you’re buying a Windows 11 laptop or desktop PC that comes with Windows 11 preinstalled, most will include a Windows 11 Home license. But some PCs do come with a Windows 11 Professional license, too. (Usually higher-end PCs marketed for business use.) And some PC manufacturers let you pay a few extra bucks for Windows 11 Pro while customizing your new PC during the shopping process. Windows 11 Pro is worth it if… Ultimately, Windows 11 Pro is worth it for two big reasons: the full-featured BitLocker experience and Windows Sandbox. If you don’t plan on signing into your PC with a Microsoft account, I recommend opting for Windows 11 Pro so you can securely encrypt your PC’s storage drives. And if you’re intrigued by Sandbox, that’s another good reason to plunk down cash for Windows 11 Pro. Even at retail prices, it’s only an extra $60 over Home. Of course, if you’re running a business, then Windows 11 Pro also makes sense for its business-oriented features, like domains and Azure Active Directory to centrally manage PCs, or the Local Group Policy Editor. Microsoft has gone out of its way to ensure that these features require the more expensive Windows 11 Professional license. Otherwise, most home PC users shouldn’t need anything more than Windows 11 Home, especially if you sign into Windows with a Microsoft account. That’ll get you the Device Encryption feature, which is almost as good as full BitLocker for average Windows users. Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap right now Windows 11 Pro Read...