One of the most hyped new features Apple announced last year was the potential to use the existing Apple AirPods Pro 2 to perform a hearing test - and that feature is rolling out in Australia today. Read...

Microsoft is adding ways to make the Windows Photos app much more powerful, combining elements of the elegant Designer app and making Photos more of a centerpiece for visual editing. Microsoft is taking optical-character recognition capabilities that it developed several years ago and adding them to Photos, while pulling in design elements from Microsoft Designer, too. Finally, the company is beefing up File Explorer a bit as well, giving it a more robust visual search capability. Unfortunately, it’s also adding a Copilot button as well, which for now doesn’t really do much. Microsoft’s Windows Photos app languished for years, but it started enjoying a renaissance about two years ago with new AI-powered editing features. Today you can automatically touch up a photo and remove the background — even upscale it, if you own a Copilot+ PC with a supported NPU. Now, Microsoft is testing the ability to “read” documents that you import, something it first added as part of its mobile Office Lens capability five years ago. Microsoft said that it testing these new Photos features in an updated version of the Photos app, version 2025.11030.20006.0, which can be found in the Microsoft Store app. The company had previously released the feature, withdrew it, and then is rolling it out once again. Photos will be able to “read” your photos, too.Microsoft Essentially, the new Photos OCR capabilities places an overlay over the photo or screenshot, allowing it to “read” the text from the highlighted portion. You can then copy it elsewhere. Microsoft’s OCR capabilities were quite good even a half-decade ago, and presumably they’ve now been improved even further. The Designer integration is even more intriguing. Designer debuted in 2022 as a standalone service-as-an-app, similar to the Clipchamp video editing app. Designer played a dual role: as a creator of AI art, as well as a visual design app to integrate that art into layouts with fonts and additional graphics. It appears that Microsoft is trimming some of the design elements of Designer and placing them into Photos, so that you’re not creating art, but integrating your existing photo into a greeting card or graphic. Will Designer be a standalone app or just part of Photos? Or both?Microsoft What’s not clear at this point is whether the Designer aspect will be its own app. Microsoft said this week that you’ll be able to right-click a photo in File Explorer to “Create with Designer.” That and the screenshot above implies Designer will stand alone as an independent app. But last year, Microsoft more explicitly said that Designer would be integrated into Photos, Word and PowerPoint. Microsoft is also making some additional tweaks, allowing you to automatically show photos from subfolders rather than explicitly identifying which folders show up in Gallery mode. It will also display and edit JXL (JPEG XL) files, too. Read...

As winter drags on and Spring Training gets underway, I’m itching to start thinking about baseball again. Too bad watching the games can still be an ordeal. In 2025, Major League Baseball has yet to rally its teams behind a cohesive strategy for streaming local ballgames. While some teams are partnering with the league on distribution, others are going their own way, working with regional sports networks, or clinging to expensive pay TV bundles. Factor in all the nationally-televised games scattered across cable networks and streaming services, and there’s a lot for baseball fans to think about. As I’ve done with the NBA and NHL, I’ll survey the scene of local baseball streaming options so you know what to expect when the weather warms up. In-market MLB streaming options at a glance Here’s where things stand for in-market baseball streaming options as of February 20, 2025: TeamSports NetworkSupported streaming bundlesStandalone optionsArizona DiamondbacksDiamondbacks TVDTV Stream, FuboDBacks.tv ($100/yr) *AthleticsNBC Sports CaliforniaDTV Stream, Fubo, YTTV, Hulu Live TVPeacock sub required, plus $18/moAtlanta BravesFanDuel Sports NetworkDTV Stream, FuboFanDuel Sports Network ($20/mo)Baltimore OriolesMASNDTV Stream, Fubo–Boston Red SoxNESNDTV Stream, FuboNESN 360 ($30/mo or $330/yr)Chicago CubsMarquee Sports NetworkDTV Stream, FuboMarquee Sports Network ($20/mo)Chicago White SoxCHSNDTV Stream, FuboCHSN ($20/mo)Free over-the-airCincinnati RedsFanDuel Sports NetworkDTV Stream, FuboFanDuel Sports Network ($20/mo)Cleveland GuardiansGuardians TVTBDCleGuardians.TV ($100/yr) *Colorado RockiesRockies TV–Rockies.TV ($100/yr) *Detroit TigersFanDuel Sports NetworkDTV Stream, FuboFanDuel Sports Network ($20/mo)Houston AstrosSpace City Home NetworkDTV Stream, Fubo–Kansas City RoyalsFanDuel Sports NetworkDTV Stream, FuboFanDuel Sports Network ($20/mo)Los Angeles AngelsFanDuel Sports NetworkDTV Stream, FuboFanDuel Sports Network ($20/mo)Los Angeles DodgersDTV StreamSNLA+ ($30/mo or $200/yr)Free with Spectrum internet + mobileMiami MarlinsFanDuel Sports NetworkDTV Stream, FuboFanDuel Sports Network ($20/mo)Milwaukee BrewersFanDuel Sports NetworkDTV Stream, FuboFanDuel Sports Network ($20/mo)Minnesota TwinsTwins TVTBDTwins.TV ($100/yr) *New York MetsPrimary: SportsNet NYSecondary: WPIXSNY: DTV Stream, HuluWPIX: DTV, Fubo, Hulu, YTTVSNY ($25/mo or $125/yr) *WPIX games OTA onlyNew York YankeesPrimary: YES NetworkSecondary: Prime VideoDTV Stream, Fubo (YES only)Gotham Sports ($20/mo or $200/yr)Prime Video: $140/yrPhiladelphia PhilliesNBC Sports PhiladelphiaFubo, YTTV, Hulu Live TVPeacock sub required, plus $25/moPittsburgh PiratesSportsNet PittsburghDTV Stream, FuboSNP 360 ($18/mo)San Diego PadresPadres TVDTV Stream, FuboPadres.TV ($100/yr) *San Francisco GiantsNBC Sports Bay AreaDTV Stream, Fubo, YTTV, Hulu Live TVPeacock sub required, plus $18/moSeattle MarinersRoot SportsDTV Stream, Fubo–St. Louis CardinalsFanDuel Sports NetworkDTV Stream, FuboFanDuel Sports Network ($20/mo)Tampa Bay RaysFanDuel Sports NetworkDTV Stream, FuboFanDuel Sports Network ($20/mo)Texas RangersRangers Sports NetworkDTV StreamVictory+ ($100/yr)Free OTA on FridaysToronto Blue JaysSportsnet–SportsNet+ ($20/mo or $180/yr)Washington NationalsMASNDTV Stream, Fubo–* Can be bundled with MLB.TV for $100 more ($95 extra for SNY) Looking at the league as a whole, in-market coverage falls into a handful of buckets: In-market MLB.TV: Currently, five MLB teams (Diamondbacks, Guardians, Rockies, Twins, Padres) are partnering directly with the league to distribute local games at $100 for the season. Fans of these teams are the biggest winners, as MLB offers a polished app with features like live-game DVR, alternate audio feeds, and whiparound league coverage from MLB Big Inning. Out-of-market MLB.TV games aren’t included, but you can add them for $100 extra, which is $50 off the regular price. MLB hybrids: In-market Dodgers and Mets games will also stream through the MLB app this year, but with Spectrum SportsNet and SNY handling the distribution, respectively. Pricing is higher than MLB.TV’s other in-market options, and there’s no mention of the usual MLB app perks such as Big Inning and live radio feeds. FanDuel Sports Network: Formerly known as Bally Sports (and, before that, as Fox Sports Networks), these are the channels operated by Main Street Sports Group (formerly Diamond Sports Group). This year, the network will offer standalone, in-market streaming options for all its teams, either through the FanDuel Sports Network app or as an add-on through Amazon Prime Video. The price is $20 per month in both cases. The lone rangers: Instead of working with MLB or Main Street Sports Group, a bunch of teams have either spun up their own distribution plans or formed bespoke partnerships. Those include the Boston Red Sox (on NESN 360), Chicago Cubs (on Marquee Sports Network), Chicago White Sox (on CHSN), the New York Yankees (on Gotham Sports), Pittsburgh Pirates (on SNP 360), and Texas Rangers (on Victory+). OTA oddities: Compared to the NBA and NHL, baseball is making fewer forays into over-the-air distribution. The only team offering all local games for free with an antenna is the White Sox, whose games will air on CHSN. Mets fans will get some games on WPIX, and the Rangers Sports Network will offer free over-the-air broadcasts on Fridays, but that’s it. Peacock bundlers: Peacock is offering in-market access to its regional NBC Sports in Boston, Philadelphia, and northern California at an additional charge. The heads-in-the-sand: As of now, four MLB teams are pretending that cord-cutting isn’t real, and they will require a bloated pay TV package to watch their games in-market. The hall of shame includes the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals (both on MASN); Houston Astros (on Space City Home Network); and the Seattle Mariners (Root Sports); Commissioner Rob Manfred told The Athletic that it’s “made clear to the clubs that blackouts were a problem and that reach should be a priority,” but apparently these teams missed the memo. A lot could still change by opening day. The Cincinnati Reds, for instance, originally planned to drop FanDuel Sports Network for MLB.TV, only to reverse course last month, so other teams could potentially follow. Rumors of Peacock distributing NBC’s regional sports networks will hopefully pan out, but haven’t yet. Meanwhile, the Twins and Guardians haven’t announced which traditional pay TV providers will carry their newly established channels yet. It’s a fluid situation and I’ll update this story as things happen. National baseball streaming As in years past, the in-market streaming options above won’t spare you from the occasional blackout for nationally-televised games, nor will they entitle you to playoff coverage should your team survive into October. Still, whether you’ll need a big pay TV package to watch these games is a question of timing. Here’s where we stand: Max already offers live sports from TBS, currently at no extra charge beyond its standard plans, which start at $10 per month (with ads). This should cover the channel’s Tuesday night games and postseason coverage. ESPN and Fox both plan to offer standalone streaming services later this year, but timing and pricing is unknown. Apple TV+ continues to stream select games on Friday nights as part of its $11-per-month subscription. The Roku Channel will offer Sunday morning games for free. Will anyone bundle it all up? There’s definitely an opportunity for skinnier TV packages focused on broadcast, national, and regional sports coverage, but none have materialized yet. DirecTV’s MySports package, for instance, is cheaper than its standard plans at $70 per month, but it excludes regional sports for now. Comcast has its own “Sports and News” package for $70 per month, but it doesn’t include regional sports either. Fubo, meanwhile, says it’s working on a “Sports & Broadcasting” package as part of its impending takeover by Disney, but it hasn’t announced any specifics. That leaves the usual live TV streaming options, most of which don’t carry regional sports themselves, and continue to get more expensive. I don’t want to be too sour about all this. Standalone MLB streaming options are more plentiful in 2025—here in Cincinnati, for instance, Reds fans can finally watch without an expensive pay TV package—and unbundled options from Fox and ESPN will help, especially if they’re here in time for the playoffs. But for a league that’s now preaching the value of reach, it’s hard to look at the cohesion with other sports—consistent NFL broadcast coverage on Sundays, Apple’s blackout-free MLS offering—and not see a missed opportunity. Further reading: These are the best live TV streaming services. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV advice. Read...

It’s been a while since we’ve seen a proper discount on SK Hynix’s high-performance storage drives, so we rejoiced when we saw that Amazon’s Big Spring Sale event has slashed the prices on two of our favorites: the Beetle X31 and Tube 31 portable SSDs. Right now, you can get the 1TB SK Hynix Beetle X31 for $68 (was $90) and the 1TB SK Hynix Tube T31 for $64 (was $80). We reviewed and loved both of these external storage options. In our review of the Beetle X31, we gave it a near-perfect 4.5-star rating and found during testing that the golden beetle-style portable SSD delivered fast enough performance to place it among the top 10Gbps portable SSDs we’ve ever tested. We aren’t entirely sold on its shiny golden shell, but we understand SK Hynix’s direction—and it’s easy to overlook when you get this much storage with this much performance. In our review of the Tube T31, we also gave this one a 4.5-star rating with lots of praise for its design. This is a compact portable SSD that looks like a flash drive, with a USB-A connection that works with pretty much any device you have (if not, then adapters are cheap). “The T31 features NVMe and 10Gbps USB and performs more like the cable-attached external 10Gbps USB SSDs we review—i.e., it’s fast.” Take your pick, but don’t delay. This is a great time to grab a massive 1TB portable SSD at an affordable price, whether it’s the SK Hynix Beetle X31 for $68 or SK Hynix Tube T31 for $64! Save 24% on the SK Hynix Beetle X31 (1TB)Buy now at Amazon Save 20% on the SK Hynix Tube T31 (1TB)Buy now at Amazon Read...

More and more users are being switched over to Windows 11 24H2, the latest version of Windows 11 that became mandatory this year. And with Windows 10 support coming to an end, anyone who’s still lingering on an older Windows PC will want to upgrade to Windows 11 soon. But maybe you want to hold off on Windows 11 24H2 for as long as you can because of all the issues we’ve been seeing, like broken Bluetooth audio, File Explorer bugs, and even system crashes. Maybe you’d rather wait for this year’s big 25H2 update instead. Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro In a blog post, Microsoft has announced that the Dev Channel for Windows 11 will be moving ahead to “26200 series builds,” which are based on 24H2 but will be getting “behind-the-scenes platform changes” that cause it to diverge from the Beta Channel builds. According to Windows Latest, this could be interpreted as Microsoft starting work on this year’s 25H2 update, though it isn’t explicitly confirmed. Windows 11 25H2 remains unconfirmed In the official announcement, Microsoft only confirmed that the 26200 build series is based on Windows 11 24H2. There’s no explicit mention of a Windows 11 25H2 version or Windows 11 2025 Update. However, announcements like this in the Dev Channel are usually a sure sign that important changes are imminent. It’s unclear whether the presumed “Windows 11 25H2” update will be an enablement package (i.e., a cumulative update that turns on existing-but-hidden features) or an actual OS swap (e.g., similar to the jump from 23H2 to 24H2). The probability of the latter is relatively low. Enablement packages are preferable because they’re smaller in size, easier to roll out, and make it possible to maintain feature parity across two Windows versions. When will the 25H2 update be released? Microsoft hasn’t officially mentioned Windows 11 25H2 yet, which means no insight as to the version’s development and release schedule. However, going by past years, the major Windows 11 2025 Update is expected to release in September or October and will continue rolling out through the end of the year. With support for Windows 10 ending in October, that would be a great time for 25H2 to land—assuming it’s clean, stable, and improved. Further reading: What to expect with Windows 10 hitting end of life Read...

Based on a number of new features being rolled up within new “Release Preview” updates for Windows 11, Microsoft appears to be readying a push for AI-powered enhancements in the coming weeks. Although Microsoft typically reserves major feature releases for the fall, April 2025 is a key month for the software giant because it marks the 50th anniversary of the company’s founding. With two preview releases of Windows 11, Microsoft has tipped off what features your PC will be receiving soon—most likely in April. Both Windows 11 Build 26100.3613 and Windows 11 Build 26100.3624 are part of the Release Preview Channel for Windows 11 Insiders, meaning you can try them out early yourself by joining the Windows Insider program. If you do, note that Microsoft isn’t releasing all of these features in one fell swoop. Some of them will be released “normally” while others are rolled out in a “gradual” cadence. Optional non-security feature releases typically launch on the fourth week of every month, usually on a Tuesday. (In this case, that’d be April 22, 2025.) Those features then typically roll out to everyone else about two weeks later. Nothing guarantees this timeline, of course. It’s our best guess based on past releases and when they’ve occurred. Remember, though, Microsoft’s emphasis is on the “new”—and the sexiest new Windows features use AI. That means you’ll need a Copilot+ PC, and Copilot+ PCs mean NPUs. (But NPUs are only available on a subset of PCs, and even then certain features are only available for certain NPUs.) Basically, if you want everything that Microsoft has to offer, you should buy a laptop with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip in it, like the Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition. New AI features coming to Windows 11 Right now, it appears that semantic search will be Windows’ flagship AI feature for the near future. Semantic search, which was first shown off back in January, allows you to forego the exact word or title you’re searching for and describe it instead. For example, you could search for “photo of children at school” without knowing the exact file name. For years, you’ve searched for “keywords” to find what you’re looking for. Microsoft wants you to break that habit.Microsoft Semantic search may also help offset Copilot’s inability to monitor and control your PC, something that was originally planned but fell by the wayside. In its place, you’ll be able to describe what you want Windows to do inside the Settings menu. Put another way, semantic search will be a part of Windows Search as well as Settings. Unfortunately, semantic search will only be available for Windows on Snapdragon PCs; users with AMD- or Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs will have to wait. But since it will run locally on your PC, you won’t have to be connected to the internet for it to work. Microsoft is also kinda-sorta bringing semantic search to photos—but only in File Explorer, not the Photos app. The Photos app already allows you to search via words like “snow” to identify photos of snowy mountains. Going forward, File Explorer will now allow you to search using words like “summer picnic,” Microsoft says. Semantic search will apply to the Windows 11 Settings app, too.Microsoft File Explorer, like Photos, will now show photos stored on OneDrive in the cloud alongside photos stored locally on your PC. It’s not quite clear whether Microsoft is using the PC’s NPU to perform these searches… but it must be since this feature is reserved for Snapdragon PCs, too. It’s “coming soon” to Copilot+ PCs with AMD and Intel inside. That said, if you do own a Copilot+ PC powered by either AMD or Intel processors, here’s some good news: live captions and real-time translation are going to be available. Live Captions first debuted in the Windows 11 2022 Update, though it used the power of the CPU back then, not the NPU. Now, up to 44 different languages can be captured and translated into English on AMD and Intel Copilot+ PCs via video calls, recordings, and streamed content. If you own a Snapdragon PC, the opposite is true: you can now translate English (or 25 other languages) into Chinese using real-time translation. Chris Hoffman / IDG Your voice can also be used to better effect in Voice Access, too. One of the issues I’ve had with Voice Access is that it’s unbearably rigid—you either know the commands or you don’t. Now, Microsoft is using AI to “loosen up” Voice Access by allowing you to describe what you want to do instead of using the exact syntax. Chinese support for Voice Access is being added, too. If you use an app with support for Windows Studio Effects, you should see an icon on the system tray that shows when Windows Studio Effects is in use. It’s a bit redundant since Microsoft already indicated that the icon would appear in a February Windows update. Other changes coming to Windows Microsoft is also changing how it monitors your system. You may start seeing “cards” that show off your PC’s key specifications, such as the CPU, memory, and storage. This is a reorganization of sorts since the Windows Settings app already consolidates these features, but these “top cards” will simply pull this information out and put them at the top of the Settings > System > About portion of Windows Settings. Microsoft also says that it will track CPU utilization a bit differently in Task Manager, though it’s not clear how this will play out. A separate, hidden tab will show off the old way of measuring it. Microsoft You’ll see new ways of interacting with Windows, too. Laptops place a keyboard right under your fingers, but desktop PCs don’t. You might end up in a situation where your desktop’s keyboard is off to the side (perhaps if you’ve turned your PC into an arcade or virtual pinball cabinet). In that case, you can use a new Xbox gamepad keyboard interface, where you can use an Xbox gamepad to type just like on the console. A new emoji interface is being added, too. You might know that you can access the Windows emoji menu via the Windows key + Semicolon shortcut, but apparently no one else does given that Microsoft is adding a new system tray icon to the taskbar to highlight the emoji panel. Chris Hoffman / IDG Microsoft is also working with developers to add improved widgets, something that’s been promised for a while now. But one change you should see in this release, given what Microsoft has announced, is greater control over which widgets you see on your lock screen. How will that work? We’ll know soon enough. We’d like to think that features such as Windows’ new battery icons will be released soon—but those are still stuck in the Dev Channel, so they probably still have a ways to go. We also haven’t heard much about Windows Recall lately either, which has already been released for testing. Remember, there’s always more to come. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Helpful matte finish on screen Decent stabilization on keyboard Low price Accessible internals Cons SSD hotspot Limited memory Underwhelming speeds Battery doesn’t last all day Bland design Our Verdict The Acer Aspire Go 15 (2025) is another simply utilitarian machine, but even in that regard it’s starting to lag behind. Limited memory and disappointing battery life keep it from being very useful, and nothing about it goes beyond acceptable. There aren’t many machines that can compete with it at MSRP, but it’s worth waiting for a far superior alternative to go on sale — they always do. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Acer has a knack for churning out new machines with minor updates to prior models almost to the point where it’s hard to tell the difference. Such is the case for the Acer Aspire Go 15, which updates some of the insides of the 2024 Aspire Go 15, but not much you’d notice from a cursory glance at the outside. Unfortunately, the internal upgrades have come with a bump in price that sees this new model start at $429. It’s still decidedly a budget PC, but it verges on the dangerous $500 mark where I’ve seen many more exciting laptops dip down to with deals. Acer may have the low-end market cornered with its MSRP, and it at least has a usable computer on its hands with the Acer Aspire Go 15, but anyone with time to wait for a discount will probably want to do just that and reel in a better alternative. Acer Aspire Go 15: Specs and features Model number: AG15-51P-51OU CPU: Intel Core i5-1334U Memory: 8GB LPDDR5 Graphics/GPU: Intel UHD Graphics Display: 15.3-inch 1200p IPS Storage: 256GB PCIe Gen4 SSD (Kingston OM8SEP4256Q-AA) Webcam: 1080p with Windows Hello facial recognition Connectivity: 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2 , 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio Networking: WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 or higher Biometrics: Windows Hello facial recognition Battery capacity: 53 watt-hours Dimensions: 13.6 x 9.6 x 0.78 inches Weight: 3.72 pounds MSRP: $429 as-tested ($429 base) The Acer Aspire Go 15 is an affordable machine aimed at users who have minimal needs from their computer. At the time of writing, there was only one configuration of the Acer Aspire Go 15 available. It’s a simple, low-end system fitted with an older CPU, a paltry 8GB of memory, and little storage. It lands with an MSRP of $429, which feels a little steep for some of the components and build quality, but it may be the result of tariffs. The storage on this model is an upgrade over last year’s UFS storage, as it’s a user-upgradeable M.2 SSD. That said, the memory is not upgradeable and likely to severely limit the long-term utility of this laptop.  Acer Aspire Go 15: Design and build quality IDG / Mark Knapp Nothing about the Acer Aspire Go 15 is shaking things up for the product line. This model has all the classic looks of its predecessors — thicker plastic bezels, the up-firing exhaust just below the display, a black and gray colorway, and an odd mix of hard angles and gentle curves. It’s not an exciting machine to look at, but it’s not terribly objectionable either.  This is undeniably a budget, utilitarian machine, so it’s no surprise that it gets a plastic chassis, which exhibits a fair bit of flex here and there. It doesn’t feel too cheaply built, but it’s not premium in the least. On the bright side, Acer claims to use 30 percent recycled plastic in the chassis.  The Acer Aspire Go 15 is a little weighty, tipping the scales at 3.72 pounds. That’s not absurdly heavy for a 15-inch laptop, but remembering that this is a low-end model without much high-performance hardware going on, there’s less reason for it to be so heavy since it doesn’t rely on a big cooling system. Between the display and larger bezels, the Acer Aspire Go 15 ends up a little large as well. At least Acer kept the depth to just 0.78 inches, which is thin enough to still slip easily into laptop sleeves.  Acer Aspire Go 15: Keyboard, trackpad IDG / Mark Knapp You get the basics when it comes to inputs for the Acer Aspire Go 15, giving you all that you need to interface with the system but not doing anything extra. The keyboard is beyond underwhelming. It’s functional, with satisfactory stabilization, but the almost convex keycaps give little in the way of useful tactile feedback to help guide finger placement. It’s simply not a pleasant keyboard to use. On the bright side, it does include a thin number pad off to the side, but it’s a little cramped and doesn’t include the arithmetic keys in their usual place, so it will take some adjusting if you have muscle memory for a normal number pad. The keyboard is easy enough to see in daylight with its black keys and white keycaps, but there’s no backlighting, so it’s a struggle to use in the dark.  The trackpad is centered below the main portion of the keyboard, but this results in it actually being skewed to the left of the laptop itself. If you mouse around with your right hand, this makes it an awkward reach to use and, in my case, has led to me often right-clicking when I intend a left-click.  Acer Aspire Go 15: Display, audio IDG / Mark Knapp Even with machines twice the cost of this, I’ve seen displays neglected. So it’s little surprise to see that the Acer Aspire Go 15 has an underwhelming screen. It’s sharp enough with a 1920×1200 resolution at its 15.3-inch size and the 1,200:1 contrast helps maintain that sharp look. But beyond that simple utility, it is not a looker. The display only covers 69 percent of the sRGB color space — I’d call 95-100 percent coverage the minimum you’d want for a good-looking display. It’s hard to ignore how many OLED laptops are on the market offering up substantially greater visuals, and how often I see them on sale for around $500. The display also only reaches 289 nits at its brightest. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to run at full brightness to be visible as the matte finish on the display helps prevent severe glare.  The speakers on the Acer Aspire Go 15 are also just enough to get the job done. They emphasize the vocal range, which can make for pleasant enough music and clear sound for podcasts or presentations. They’re loud enough to hear from nearby or in a quiet room, but they don’t go beyond that.  Acer Aspire Go 15: Webcam, microphone, biometrics The webcam on the Acer Aspire Go 15 is fine. It bumps up to 1080p, giving it an edge over the 720p models still common in budget laptops. But that resolution won’t mean too much if lighting conditions aren’t exceptionally bright, as the webcam footage will appear grainy. The camera at least balances lighting well, avoiding crushed shadows or blown out highlights. The biggest perk of the camera is that it integrates Windows Hello facial recognition, which allows for quick sign-ins without a password. The mics on the Acer Aspire Go 15 aren’t particularly good. Even speaking directly at them in a quiet room from less than an arm’s length away, my voice sounds fairly distant. At least it sounds clear, but it could be much better. Acer Aspire Go 15: Connectivity IDG / Mark Knapp You’ll find modest connectivity on the Acer Aspire Go 15. While it’s unfortunate that there’s no USB4 or Thunderbolt 4 for high bandwidth transfers, the system at least has a decent variety of ports. The left edge includes two USB-C ports that offers 10Gbps transfer speeds and charging for the laptop. There’s a USB-A 5Gbps on either side of the system. Acer also includes a full-size HDMI 2.1 port on the left edge and a 3.5mm jack on the right. These would have been nicely complemented by a microSD slot for extra storage.  For wireless connections, the Acer Aspire Go 15 gets Wi-Fi 6, which has provided fast and stable connectivity in my testing. But it doesn’t make the leap to Wi-Fi 6E for access to the 6GHz band or to Wi-Fi 7 for better future proofing. Acer Aspire Go 15: Performance The Acer Aspire Go 15 gets some under-the-hood upgrades that have improved performance considerably over its Core i3-N305-powered predecessor from 2024. That said, it’s still not a very speedy machine. It offers modest performance that can keep up with casual use browsing the web, and its PCMark 10 score of a little over 5,000 points lines up with that type of performance. However, its lack of memory can quickly become an issue. Even just a handful of tabs open in Chrome is enough to fill up its small 8GB capacity, and there’s no upgrading that soldered-on memory down the line.  The CPU itself isn’t a terrible performer. It combines two fast cores and eight efficient cores, which gives it both high single-core speeds and decent multi-core speeds.  It doesn’t lag too far behind the Acer Aspire 14 AI‘s Intel Core Ultra 5 226V in any of our Cinebench tests, and it shows a nice lead over the Acer Aspire 3 15’s AMD Ryzen 5 7520U. But it’s not much competition for the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS in the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED. It even has the advantage over the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 found in the Dell Inspiron 14 5441 when that CPU relies on emulation.  Unfortunately, it falls apart in the graphics department. Between its limited memory, which is split between the system and integrated graphics and its reliance on older Intel UHD Graphics, the Acer Aspire Go 15 simply doesn’t keep up with more modern graphics solutions. It can stay ahead of Qualcomm’s chip in some cases, leading in 3DMark’s Time Spy test but falling behind in Night Raid. But it doesn’t stack up to AMD’s Radeon 780M graphics or Intel’s Arc 130V graphics, neither of which are the most impressive integrated graphics options.  Despite the lower power components, heat is still a concern, and not even where I’d expect it to be coming from. In casual use, browsing, the left edge of the laptop had an unpleasant hotspot that sat right on my left leg. Popping open the lid, this hotspot corresponded with the location of the SSD — a component you don’t want failing.  Acer Aspire Go 15: Battery life The Acer Aspire Go 15 leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to battery life. Even though it’s running a lower performance processor, it’s not conserving much power. Intel, Qualcomm, and AMD have stepped things up recently when it comes to power efficiency, but the dated 13th Gen Intel Core processor in the Acer Aspire Go 15 isn’t the beneficiary of any of those upgrades.  With a runtime of just a little over seven hours, the Acer Aspire Go 15 falls way behind its contemporaries in our video playback battery test and even shaves off runtime compared to the 2024 model. Aside from Acer’s own alternative in the Aspire 3 15, the competition here offers up more than double the battery life of the Acer Aspire Go 15. While the processor likely bares some of the blame, the display may also be a culprit. To reach the brightness level of our test, the Acer Aspire Go 15 had to run its display at 88 percent brightness. It may not be running very efficiently at that level, as many electronics suffer diminishing returns when dialed up to the max. That said, because the Acer Aspire Go 15 has an anti-glare display, it is a little easier to use the laptop with its brightness at lower levels to conserve power. Still, in day-to-day use, the Acer Aspire Go 15 struggles to reach 6 hours of runtime even with the display brightness reduced. Acer Aspire Go 15: Conclusion The Acer Aspire Go 15 isn’t something to get excited about. In fact, it’s simply a more affordable machine aimed at users who have minimal needs from their computer. Most of the system hits the mark of being “usable” but no element of it reaches greatness. While its price certainly lands it in budget territory, it’s not necessarily offering as much value as it would need to stand out. While we haven’t tested many laptops at this price point that can beat the Acer Aspire Go 15, there are plenty of more expensive systems that see frequent, major discounts. The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED mentioned above, for instance, is a little dated and likely will see some discounts from time to time, much like its own predecessor has. A slightly lower-spec version of the Asus Vivobook S 14 we recently tested was on sale for just $449 (down from its usual $949) at Best Buy and would offer marked upgrades over the Acer Aspire Go 15 in just about every respect. So, if you can wait for a deal, you can land a much better system for your money. Read...

I’ve been testing VPNs for a while now and I’ve been using them for even longer—longer than I care to admit here. That entire time I’ve held true to one VPN and one VPN only as my main daily driver, ExpressVPN.  I swore up and down and across the board that it was the very best VPN. No matter how many new services came out or novel features were released by competitors, I never swayed. But it’s finally time, no matter how much it pains me to admit, NordVPN is now the best VPN. It wasn’t just one single thing that changed my mind, but a gradual build-up of useful features, better deals, and a consistent edge on speeds. Reluctantly, I’ve made the switch to NordVPN and I think you should, too. NordVPN has more servers NordVPN has a huge server network including locations all across the U.S.Jared Newman / Foundry Up until recently I never found that ExpressVPN was lacking in servers. I was usually able to find them in whichever country I wanted to and even in particular cities. That is until I was doing testing for an article where I sought out servers in specific cities or regions of the U.S. and ExpressVPN just didn’t have the coverage I needed. However, when I booted up NordVPN, I easily found multitudes of servers in practically every region of the country. Everywhere from McAllen, TX, to Charlotte, NC, had available servers—not just the big cities. Neither service discloses exactly how many servers it has, but according to the latest publicly available data, it isn’t even close. ExpressVPN currently offers around 3,000 active servers in 105 countries while NordVPN offers over 7,000 in 118 countries.  It might not seem like you need to connect to VPN servers in specific parts of a country, but it can actually make a big difference. Connecting to a server in closer physical proximity to your real location can translate to better speeds. Also, as I recently found out, being strategic about the servers you connect to can help save big on hotels and other online shopping. Besides, more is just better. ExpressVPN isn’t as fully featured NordVPN is so stacked with features that ExpressVPN simply can’t match it.Sam Singleton When I switched to NordVPN I was instantly impressed with the vast array of cool and interesting features on hand. There are options for obfuscated servers, P2P-optimized servers, and multi-hop connections. Users can also take advantage of the Meshnet feature to securely and easily connect devices directly in order to share files, play LAN games, or collaborate through work projects. These are all features I wasn’t getting with ExpressVPN. Sure, ExpressVPN has made a big push in the last year to develop and offer additional security features to users, but it still can’t match NordVPN at the moment. Even with the addition of its Password Manager and Identity Defender add-ons, all of which Nord was already offering by the way, ExpressVPN still feels modest in comparison. I will say that I still like ExpressVPN’s interface better, as it’s straightforward and dead-simple to use—NordVPN’s interface isn’t bad, but it can feel a bit cluttered. Alas, the interface wasn’t enough for me to stay. All of the useful and interesting features integrated into NordVPN were a big part of my switch. Now that I’m used to the versatility of Nord, I’m loath to give it up. NordLynx narrowly outshines Lightway NordVPN offers NordLynx which is a retooled version of the industry standard WireGuard protocol.Sam Singleton While the two most common VPN protocols, WireGuard and OpenVPN, are utilized by most VPN services, Nord and ExpressVPN decided to create their own. NordVPN built NordLynx and ExpressVPN built Lightway, both releasing at around the same time in 2020.  Both are based, directly or indirectly, on the original WireGuard protocol and they share much more in common than not, but there are some noticeable differences. The first is speed. NordLynx has shown to have consistently faster average connection speeds than Lightway in my testing. Over the years I’ve done thousands of speed tests with both of these protocols and NordLynx almost always comes out on top. Secondly, NordLynx has been open-source since launch while Lightway was developed and tested in private, only recently being released as open-source. This may not mean too much, but transparency from the outset is to be commended, if nothing else. Look, I trust ExpressVPN. I wouldn’t have been using it for as many years as I was if I didn’t. That being the case, WireGuard is the industry standard for a reason and NordLynx is just WireGuard by a different name. It‘s what most other VPNs choose to use, and besides, if Lightway was so good, you’d likely see more VPN services clamoring to use it or create their own version of it. I trust WireGuard and therefore I trust NordLynx to be my protocol of choice. NordVPN’s speeds can’t be beat As I mentioned above, NordVPN consistently performs at faster connection speeds than ExpressVPN. This includes wins in both download and upload average speeds. In fact, NordVPN has been the fastest VPN for three years running at this point and doesn’t show any signs of relinquishing that title.   This shouldn’t be seen as too much of a slight on ExpressVPN though as it’s actually a close second. But it’s precisely these kinds of minor differences that led me to finally make the switch. The real-world differences might be small here, but working from home means I do a lot of file transfers and online meetings, so the extra speed matters. For what it’s worth though, ExpressVPN just released its Lightway Turbo update so this all may change in the future—such is the fickle nature of VPN connection speeds. Further reading: How to test your VPN speed The deals are better with Nord VPNs, while not the most expensive services, still aren’t exactly cheap. Thankfully, there are great VPN deals to be had throughout the year, and if you time it correctly you can score a long-term subscription for pennies on the dollar.  Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN are some of the most expensive VPN services on the market, so finding deals on either can feel like hitting major pay dirt. That being said, NordVPN generally offers more frequent discounts throughout the year and these deals usually offer bigger savings than ExpressVPN’s deals.  For example, while NordVPN and ExpressVPN charge roughly similar prices for their regular 2-year plans, during Black Friday last year their respective deals told a different story. NordVPN was offering its 2-year plan for 74 percent off while ExpressVPN offered just a 61 percent discount.  Taking advantage of great deals is one of the easiest ways to save yourself money with common online services. Personally, I always look for VPN deals whenever my subscription plan is about to run out. Then I use that savings to pay for my favorite streaming service—it’s one of the reasons I started using a VPN in the first place all those years ago. Finally, switching to NordVPN was just another no-brainer way for me to save even more money in the long-run. Read...

Spring cleaning isn’t just for your home, but your outdoor area, too. And while you can have your robovac clean the floors, you’ll want the new Dreame Z1 Pro to clean up your pool. First unveiled at CES 2025, the Dreame Z1 Pro was recognized by Frost & Sullivan as the world’s first cordless robotic pool cleaner with a poolside-operatable remote controller and also the world’s first robotic pool cleaner with a triple surround fusion perception system. The Dreame Z1 series of robotic pool cleaners could make your life so much easier, saving countless hours of your time. Let’s take a deeper look. Cordlessly clean your pool One of the best things about the Dreame Z1 Pro is its cordless design, which means you won’t need to worry about it getting tangled up, its movement being restricted, or having to keep it plugged in via long extension cables. The Z1 Pro can go about its job, navigating the pool freely, and reaching all the nooks and crannies that need cleaning. The new pool cleaner features PoolSense technology. This allows it to map out your pool, and then analyze the information and use it to adapt its cleaning routine to your pool’s shape. It will intelligently create cleaning patterns that guarantee maximize coverage. The pool cleaner will smartly navigate your pool, noting its surroundings and splitting the area into specific zones. For floor cleaning, the Z1 Pro will take an S-shaped route, while wall cleaning tasks will adopt an N-shaped route. All these details make this pool-cleaning robot a fantastic helper that will successfully tackle even the most complex pools. View Deal on Dreame Z1 Pro Remotely control the robot Dreame Dreame Z1 Pro comes with a handheld remote that uses LiFi technology to maintain a connection with the pool cleaner even while it’s underwater. This will make assigning tasks that much easier, such as sending the Z1 Pro to specific areas for spot cleaning, and for pausing and resuming tasks, or parking the robot poolside. Even better, you can even use the remote to direct the robot to the areas you want cleaned, steering the cleaner manually. The LiFi control system will work regardless of whether you have a freshwater or saltwater pool. This remote is the main difference between the Dreame Z1 Pro and its cheaper sibling, the Dreame Z1. The Z1 may be more appropriate for smaller pools as it covers a smaller area than the Pro (about 200 square feet less). Tackle pool cleaning from all sides The Dreame Z1 Pro won’t just skim the top of the water and pick up leaves and twigs and whatever else the wind blew into the pool. This model will actually sink down to the bottom, perfectly clean the area, and then handle the walls of the pool as well, delivering a thorough and efficient pool cleaning. The pool cleaning robot uses dual brushless motors that deliver an impressive 8,000 GPH suction power, which means its ability to cling to the pool walls or stay tight to the pool floor until the job is done will not be an issue. Furthermore, the suction power ensures that the Z1 Pro will do a thorough job of collecting dirt, grime, algae, gravel, sand, leaves, hair, and even twigs. Your pool will be spotless once the Z1 Pro completes its job. The horizontal waterline cleaning is impressive, and Dreame’s tests revealed it has 50% improved efficiency compared to other robotic pool cleaners that perform this task. Being this thorough doesn’t mean cleaning takes longer: this cord-free pool cleaner can handle 2,160 square feet in about four hours. The exact cleaning time will be affected by variables including the pool’s size and shape, and how long it’s been since it was last cleaned. The robot’s battery will need recharging after the four hours are up. A full recharge takes around six hours. View Deal on Dreame Z1 Pro Smart navigation Much like home floor cleaning robovacs, pool cleaning robots have to be smart. The Z1 Pro will successfully avoid any obstacles on the floor of your pool. Not only can it detect pool drains, for instance, but it can also navigate around them so it doesn’t get stuck. Another thing that’s super smart about the Dreame Z1 Pro is that if it runs out of battery or the filter basket is filled, the Z1 Pro will automatically dock itself at the edge of the pool to allow for easy collection and disposal. Once it’s recharged or you’ve emptied the basket, the robot returns to its job and picks up where it left off. The Dreame Z1 Pro has a companion app you can use to designate specific docking locations around your pool. When the robot is out of the water and waiting for you, it will even send you a notification so you know you have to attend to it. This will make it so much easier for you because you won’t have to constantly monitor your pool to see if the robot needs attention. That same app will also come in handy for customizing your robot’s cleaning jobs. You can fiddle with the settings, choose between multiple suction power settings for waterline and floor cleaning, and adjust cleaning times. Universal pool cleaner The beauty of the Dreame Z1 Pro is that it will work with just about any type of pool, be it above-ground or in-ground. We already established that it doesn’t matter what shape the pool has, but you should also know that it doesn’t matter if it’s made out of concrete or fiberglass, if it has mosaic tiles, or if it’s covered in vinyl. It will handle everything with the same efficiency. Spring cleaning for your pool This spring, it’s time to do something nice for your pool: buy the Dreame Z1 Pro. The pool cleaning robot costs $1,599, but you can get it for $320 off right now at Dreame. That’s a great price for a device that will handle your pool cleaning day in and day out, with you barely lifting a finger. Limited-time deal: Save $320 on Dreame Z1 Pro View Offer Read...

The arrival of spring is for many an annual reminder to deep clean the house. After a long winter allergens and dust can build up inside, impacting your family’s health and wellbeing. Instead of dreading this chore, imagine a world in which a clean home is effortlessly maintained. Enter the Dreame X50 Ultra, the company’s newest robot vacuum—a smart home companion designed to eliminate the stress of cleaning and promote a healthier living environment. Even if you already have a robot vacuum, the Dreame X50 Ultra is worth your attention: we’ve seen this technology advance in leaps and bounds over the years, and the X50 Ultra is a premium cleaning robot with all the bells and whistles. A climbing robot Dreame For the Dreame X50 Ultra, the “leaps and bounds” part is literal: this robot vacuum can climb steps of up to 6cm—well, 4.2cm if it’s a single step and 6cm if there’s a secondary threshold. Unveiled at CES 2025, the Dreame X50 Ultra is the perfect addition for homes with different levels, easily swinging up and navigating small steps and thresholds. It will also come in handy to “jump” over chair legs and other low furniture, or even clothes racks if you use any. While many robot vacuums can clear some obstacles, the X50 Ultra is the first to use the ProLeap system. Not only can this robot vacuum climb steps, but it can also dodge under furniture. Yes, you read that right: it can lower its LiDAR sensors so it can fit under the couch, needing a minimum of 89mm clearance. Since couches and beds are so difficult to move around, a lot of dirt and dust can collect beneath them. This is something you no longer need to worry about with the Dreame X50 Ultra—it simply turns on the lights and uses its cameras instead of the top sensors for navigation of that space. Dreame While LiDAR navigation will deliver a detailed map of your home and furniture placement and help with obstacle avoidance, there are more sensors than we can count on the X50 Ultra. There are even two sensors on the bottom that will intelligently detect height and obstacle clearance for better navigation. Those same sensors will also help identify up to 200 types of objects. View Deal on Dreame X50 Ultra Killer suction power We’ve already established the Dreame X50 Ultra is highly versatile and can handle cleaning up everywhere, including under furniture, but we also need to consider how it will handle the rest of the house. This particular model delivers jaw-dropping 20,000Pa suction power. That’s more than enough to pick up any type of dirt off hard floors and will easily handle all sorts of carpets, too. Whether you have pets or not, you’ve almost certainly dropped plenty of hairs on the floor, too. The X50 Plus features the HyperStream detangling DuoBrush, an innovative design that will prevent hair tangling in its cleaning mechanism. Its 100% anti-entanglement is certified by TÜV SÜD. These two brushes with rubber strips work in opposite directions, throwing hairs and dust upward instead of allowing it to tangle. It means you won’t need to detangle and remove hair from the roller after every cleaning job. This technology is also responsible for the robot’s proficiency at picking up dust from all surfaces, including from between carpet fibers, without making too much noise. Mopping for truly clean floors Vacuuming is a necessary part of keeping your home clean, but truly clean floors also require a good mopping. Thankfully, Dreame X50 Ultra can do just that. Even better, one of the robot’s circular mops will extend to reach the edges and corners better than other robot vacs with mopping functionality. Your entire floor will be squeaky clean. And we know what you’re thinking: what about my carpets? The X50 Ultra won’t make your carpets soggy. It can lift the mopping pads by up to 10.5mm to avoid most low-pile carpets, and you can also use the app to mark the presence of carpet and tell the robot to avoid the area when mopping. Enjoy hands-free cleaning The Dreame X50 Ultra charging station isn’t there simply to power up your robot, it also takes all the hassle out of maintenance–without you needing to lift a finger. This means you can enjoy completely hands-free cleaning. It has a slew of jobs, starting with automatically emptying the dust box straight into a 3.2l dust bag. This bag will take around 100 days to fill on average, but the exact count will depend on how fast dust bunnies gather on your floors, how much your pets shed, and so on. The X50 Ultra charging station is also responsible for filling up the robovac’s water tank, adding cleaning solution, draining the water once the job is complete, washing the mops with hot water, and then hot air drying the mops. It will then run a self-cleaning cycle, scrubbing any leftover dirt from the base. You can separately purchase a water hookup kit for the Dreame X50 Ultra, which allows you to connect the robot to a faucet and a drainage pipe. In this way, you can skip lugging around heavy water tanks when they need changing for truly set-and-forget functionality. View Deal on Dreame X50 Ultra Pet-friendly cleaning Dreame If you have pets at home, you may already know that they have a tendency to stalk robotvacs while they clean. Dreame X50 Ultra has some smart features to keep them safe. With Dynamic spot-cleaning for people and pets, the robot will keep track of where everyone is, avoid stepping on any toes, and revisit those spots later in the cleaning cycle once the area has been vacated. Pet owners can also decide whether or not the robot should avoid pet bowls and litter boxes altogether using the app. You can use the Dreame X50 Ultra to keep an eye on your pets while you are away from home, too. The companion app lets you view real-time video from the robot while it’s cleaning and even lets you talk to your pets. Plus a button in the app will send the X50 Ultra to find and take a photo of your fur baby for ultimate peace of mind. Spring cleaning, spring sale The Dreame X50 Ultra robot vacuum retails for $1,699.99, but you can get it with a massive discount if you act fast. Starting March 25th and through March 31st, you can buy the Dreame X50 Ultra for just $1,359.99 both on Dreame‘s website or Amazon. That’s a fantastic deal on a product that will not only tackle spring cleaning for your floors, but also make daily management of this task a lot easier. Limited-time deal: Save $340 on Dreame X50 Ultra View Offer Read...