Over half of supply chain firms report high readiness for AI, with many investing in new roles like AI specialists to boost agility and resilience. Read...

A browser flaw risks hijacking passkey authentication, threatening access to banking, shopping and SaaS accounts despite passkeys’ security promise. Read...

According to a recent Windows blog post, you’ll no longer experience drops in Bluetooth audio quality on Windows 11 while also using voice. Microsoft will soon be rolling out a new feature called super wideband stereo for Bluetooth LE Audio on Windows 11. In short, Microsoft is adding support for a new LE Audio compression algorithm that supports even higher “super wideband” audio fidelity even while using voice. In other words, Windows 11 will soon be able to play audio in high-quality stereo while using the microphone. Previously, Bluetooth headsets automatically switched to an 8 kHz sampling rate when the microphone was used, and could only play “super wideband” audio in mono. The sampling rate now goes up to 32 kHz and supports “super wideband” in stereo. The update also makes it possible to use spatial audio in Microsoft Teams even with wireless Bluetooth headsets. All chat participants’ voices should now come from the direction their video stream is on your screen. To take advantage of this, you’ll need an audio device that supports Bluetooth LE Audio as well as a Windows 11 PC running the latest 24H2 version (or later) that also supports LE Audio. Read...

If you want to upgrade your budget PC gaming setup without shelling out a ton of cash, what are your options? One thing that’ll make a big impact is sizing up to a speedy gaming display, like the 32-inch Samsung Odyssey G55C. Now’s a great time to snag one because it’s down to $219.99 on Amazon (was $329.99), a hefty 33% off its original price. The Samsung Odyssey G55C offers plenty of screen real estate with its 32-inch panel at 2560×1440, allowing you to enjoy your games or movies while also providing enough space for all your windows and apps. Our only complaint here is that we wish it were an IPS panel instead of VA, but that’s partly why the price is so affordable on this thing. That VA panel also makes it possible for this monitor to hit its speedy 165Hz refresh rate, providing smooth visuals for all the frames your PC is capable of cranking out. Between that and the 1ms response time and HDR10 images and AMD FreeSync compatibility, it’s about as good as it gets at this price. Connectivity is slightly lacking, only offering HDMI and DisplayPort, but you can’t expect too much here. This is a great step up for any budget gaming PC battlestation that won’t cost an arm and a leg. Get the 32-inch Samsung Odyssey G55C for $219.99 before this limited-time deal runs out! Save 33% on this budget-friendly 32-inch 1440p 165Hz gaming monitorBuy now at Amazon Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Excellent image quality Good Construction Decent price, though more expensive than its in-house rival Cons Mediocre noise cancellation Poor Windows Hello recognition Our Verdict Toallin’s Hello Pro 2K QHD webcam captures surprisingly great video and images, falling somewhat short on audio. But when it comes to Windows Hello, it falls down on the job. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Toallin Hello Pro 2K QHD Webcam Retailer Price $53.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices When I bought Toallin’s Hello Pro 2K QHD webcam, I wasn’t sure whether I was buying the right one. I don’t think I did. Let me explain. Toallin offers two versions of its 2K Windows Hello webcam on Amazon: the cheaper 2K version, which we recommend, and the version I review here–I mistakenly thought the more expensive option was the newer one. I also made the mistake of thinking that two webcams with identical names would be the same, even if they looked slightly different. Wrong again! What I ended up reviewing was a Toallin webcam that I wouldn’t recommend because it does a poor job of authenticating you — the entire point of a Windows Hello webcam. As an ordinary webcam, it does a surprisingly good job, minus the audio portion. Toallin’s Hello Pro 2K QHD webcam: Design and construction Toallin ships its Hello Pro 2K webcam (at least from Amazon) in a plain brown box with little ostentation. Toallin says that the camera only needs a USB 2.0 connection. While the included 4.5-foot cable connects to the webcam using USB-C, the default connection to your laptop is USB-A. Helpfully, Toallin also includes a passive USB-A to USB-C dongle, effectively making it a “true” USB-C cable on either end. Toallin’s webcam is rated at “2K,” offering a 2592×1944 resolution at 30Hz. The camera doesn’t exceed 30Hz in any mode, including 1080p and lower resolutions. While you can stream video on YouTube or Twitch at resolutions greater than 1080p, all videoconferencing applications at the time of this review support 1080p or lower resolutions. A sliding shutter on top of Toallin’s webcam can be slid opened or closed.Mark Hachman / Foundry Toallin says that the fixed-focus camera has an image sensor that measures one-third of an inch, with a focal length of 2.88mm and a f/2.2 aperture. All told, the field of view is 92 degrees, which works pretty well for videoconferencing applications where only your face is in view. Unfortunately, this webcam doesn’t seem to be compatible with Windows Studio Effects, which can use pan and zoom effects to crop in on your face. To be fair, however, most videoconferencing applications seem to do this automatically. The Hello Pro webcam includes both a small green LED to indicate when the camera is on, and a separate one which lights when your face is recognized. Toallin also includes two small lenses for seeing you: an infrared lens illuminates your face, while a separate optical lens is used for video calls. Both can be covered up by a sliding privacy shutter mounted on the top of the camera. Most webcams use what I call a “jaws” construction. The top “jaw,” upon which the camera is mounted, has a long ridge or “tooth” which folds over the top of your laptop or display. The camera then has an adjustable arm that supports the webcam. I always like webcams which add a small, pivoting piece on the bottom jaw which helps cushion and hold the webcam flat against the back of the display. Toallin’s webcam has one, which is a bit grippy to boot. That’s important with a laptop, which you might be frequently moving about and readjusting. The bottom portion of the webcam makes solid contact with the back of the laptop.Mark Hachman / Foundry The webcam mount can be folded at a 90-degree angle to sit flat on your desk or on a shelf. The base also includes the nearly ubiquitous threaded screw hole for a mount or tripod, though that’s not included. Toallin’s Hello Pro 2K QHD Webcam: Performance I only have to compare my own laptop’s webcam to newcomers like Toallin to see how far we’ve come — and that’s after the early Surface webcams were the best integrated webcams of the pandemic. The difference in quality is surprisingly noticeable. Toallin’s Hello Pro 2K webcam does not feel like a premium camera, though it tries its best to convince you that it is. Unlike other premium cameras, however, Toallin hasn’t invested in a premium software package or utility to control the camera’s functions. It’s all handled by Windows, and that isn’t a black mark. You’ll just have to know to navigate to the Windows camera settings (Bluetooth & devices > Cameras > 2K USB Camera) to manage functions like the brightness, contrast, sharpness, and saturation. As a webcam, this performs pretty well — at least where the imagery is concerned. But in terms of audio, and as a Windows Hello device, this isn’t a great choice. Toallin does claim to provide some automatic compensation, and the default image looks surprisingly good. I noticed a little dynamic change in the color after I moved, indicating that the color was being adjusted, too. As part of my webcam testing methodology for PCWorld, I weigh image quality pretty heavily, next to price. That’s pretty obvious. And while you might be able to tweak the Windows settings to make adjustments to your specific setup, I leave it alone. I first test the camera in my basement office, lit by a lamp and my display, then move upstairs where natural light illuminates my face. Mark Hachman / Foundry While Toallin’s webcam didn’t deliver a perfect picture, I think you’ll agree that it looks pretty good. Upstairs, I have a side-lit couch that I use to take webcam selfies on. Here, my face looks ruddier than it should, but otherwise the color seems to be pretty accurate. The pillows and the paintings behind me appear as they should, or quite close to it. It’s a little dim, but nothing a few adjustments to the Windows camera settings could compensate for. Mark Hachman / Foundry Finally, I test noise cancellation, which I record directly through the Sound Recorder app on the PC, while playing back a rock song as well as some white noise via a phone or speaker that I place behind me and off to the side. Some of the webcams really filter both out significantly, to the point where the background noise is almost indistinguishable. That’s what I like, so that any ambient noise isn’t distracting to whoever it is you’re speaking to. The Toallin Hello Pro 2K’s noise cancellation is mediocre. While the recorded sound was noticeably lower than the volume behind me, both the music as well as the ambient noise were still distinctly audible. Fortunately, you do have an option to use a laptop’s microphone instead, if that’s connected to the webcam itself. But this is a case where the webcam’s low price is matched by its quality, unfortunately. As for the Windows Hello recognition? Surprisingly, not great. You would expect that a minute after registering your face, that the camera would recognize you. And it did, sort of. I used the camera to perform a new capture of my face, using the Windows “improve recognition” setting. I mounted the camera on my display, then looked directly at it during the authentication process. That worked. Looking at my screen, slightly away, during authentication? Authentication wasn’t consistent. Windows Hello frequently asked me to move further away so it could recognize me. Even sitting down, facing the screen, and authenticating in that pose didn’t produce consistent results. I test Windows Hello webcams over a few days to see how the performance is affected, and it didn’t improve. As a webcam, I was very pleased with the webcam’s performance. As a Windows Hello webcam, you can do better. It certainly makes me wonder if I was testing the “right” camera. This version of the Toallin Hello Pro 2K webcam was priced at $53 on Amazon, and is a fixed-focus webcam. The other Toallin 2K QHD webcam — which appears to be otherwise identical — is priced at $39.99 and includes autofocusing capabilities and a tighter 84-degree field of view. I think PCWorld bought the wrong Toallin webcam! Toallin’s Hello Pro 2K Webcam: Should you buy it? Accessory manufacturers often swap out one device for another, shipping a new design with upgraded features. As a webcam, this performs pretty well — at least where the imagery is concerned. But in terms of audio, and as a Windows Hello webcam, this isn’t a great choice. The Toallin webcam we currently recommend as part of our best webcam roundup is the “correct” one, as far as I can see. I’m just surprised to see such a difference. Read...

Split keyboards are hard to find, especially if you’re looking for something in the gaming niche, and doubly so if you want something from a mainstream retail store. But we have just such an example available today. First appearing at CES 2025 in January, the Asus ROG Falcata 75% keyboard is now available at Best Buy. The price? An eye-watering $420. This version of the Falcata is an interesting beast. As the full-length title implies, it’s a 75% layout, which basically means laptop-style with a full function row and arrow keys but no numpad. The keyboard’s signature feature is its ability to split in half, separating into two sections tethered by a USB cable. Many typists prefer this option for ergonomic layouts, and gamers like it for similar reasons. Notably, this keyboard is wireless—you still need that cable for the left side of the board, even when it’s positioned in its conventional layout, but Bluetooth, 2.4GHz dongle-based wireless, and standard USB are all options. The rest of the keyboard is a laundry list of in-demand features. PBT keycaps, interior layers of foam, and, of course, RGB lighting are included. You get magnetic Hall effect switches with adjustable actuation, which are hot-swap capable… but exactly how many switch options you’ll have access to aren’t known at the moment. (The ones in the box are linear, pre-lubed, with 49 grams of resistance.) A scroll wheel on the left side can be set to adjust actuation and show results with the LEDs that run along the edge, but thankfully there’s no LCD or OLED screen included, because that would be really dumb. 8K polling is available even in wireless mode, with a maximum battery life of 200 hours. Critically, Asus is not claiming that the ROG Falcata 75% is an ergonomic keyboard. This is, first and foremost, a keyboard for gaming. But it does offer more options than usual for anyone who wants adjustment, as only makes sense for a split design. You get two silicone wrist rests that can be installed and fastened to the split portions of the board, and eight screw-in feet that raise up the keyboard’s back or inner sides, depending on your preference. It’s not a full tenting kit, but it’s a lot more than you get with any conventional keyboard layout. It’s an impressive offering, to be sure… but $420 is a lot for a keyboard in anybody’s money. That’s reaching well beyond even the pricey range of wireless gaming boards from major manufacturers, soaring into the lower portions of custom keyboard designs. And this isn’t the first time Asus has pushed so hard on a super-expensive design.For that money, you could get the well-loved Dygma Raise 2, which includes more ergonomic options (but admittedly doesn’t have wireless at that price, requiring an expensive upgrade). Split keyboard fans are a small but enthusiastic bunch, and they don’t mind spending a lot, but I wonder how much they’d be willing to trust Asus with a first-gen design. Read...

Snowflake`s product revenue rose 32% to USD $1.09 billion in Q2 FY2026, driven by strong customer growth and a net revenue retention rate of 125%. Read...

Since a while back, there’s been a setting in Microsoft 365 that makes it possible to auto-save Word documents to the cloud. It’s a convenient feature that helps mitigate the risk of losing data in case of an app crash or system outage, and one of the many Microsoft Word tips and tricks worth knowing about if you use it often. But you have to enable the feature per-document to take advantage of it. At least, that was the case until now. According to a recent Microsoft 365 Insider blog post, this auto-save option will soon be enabled by default for all new Word documents. Microsoft When enabled, the Word document will automatically save to OneDrive or your preferred cloud destination. The benefits include: Increased security and compliance: Files saved in the cloud are automatically protected by your company’s security rules and labeling, so you don’t have to take extra steps to keep them safe and compliant. Never lose your progress: You don’t have to worry about losing your work—creation in the cloud means your document is automatically saved for you as you go. Flexible file control and storage: You’re in charge of your files—you can choose what they’re named, decide where they’re saved, and organize them your way. Store them in OneDrive, SharePoint, or other locations to keep everything just where you want it. Access from anywhere: Files you create in Word for Windows are instantly available on your Android or iOS device, or in a web browser. When you make changes on one device, they sync everywhere. Easy collaboration: It’s easy to work with others—just share your cloud file to start collaborating right away, add comments, and make changes together. AutoSave keeps your work updated in real time. Copilot and Agent support: From the moment you create a file, you can use Copilot and Agent features right away. This lets you get AI-powered help whenever you need it as you create or update your documents (Note: A Copilot Chat or Microsoft 365 Copilot license is required). This feature is currently only available in Word for Windows, starting with Version 2509 (Build 19221.20000). It will soon be coming to Excel for Windows and PowerPoint for Windows as well later this year. Read...

According to a recent Windows blog post, you’ll no longer experience drops in Bluetooth audio quality on Windows 11 while also using voice. Microsoft will soon be rolling out a new feature called super wideband stereo for Bluetooth LE Audio on Windows 11. In short, Microsoft is adding support for a new LE Audio compression algorithm that supports even higher “super wideband” audio fidelity even while using voice. In other words, Windows 11 will soon be able to play audio in high-quality stereo while using the microphone. Previously, Bluetooth headsets automatically switched to an 8 kHz sampling rate when the microphone was used, and could only play “super wideband” audio in mono. The sampling rate now goes up to 32 kHz and supports “super wideband” in stereo. The update also makes it possible to use spatial audio in Microsoft Teams even with wireless Bluetooth headsets. All chat participants’ voices should now come from the direction their video stream is on your screen. To take advantage of this, you’ll need an audio device that supports Bluetooth LE Audio as well as a Windows 11 PC running the latest 24H2 version (or later) that also supports LE Audio. Read...

The best way to watch Monday Night Football without paying for a full TV package or ESPN subscription could be short-lived if Disney gets its way. Disney is suing Sling TV over its Day Passes, which provide access to Sling’s Orange bundle (including Disney-owned ESPN and more than 30 other channels) for $5, with weekend and weeklong passes also available for $10 and $15 respectively. By comparison, a full month of Sling Orange costs $46, and ESPN’s new streaming service costs $30 per month on its own. With Day Passes, Sling is solving a real problem with sports streaming: Even if you’re only interested in a single game, you must pay for an entire month of service. Programmers like Disney should be embracing this approach to reach audiences who otherwise might not pay anything, but they’re too short-sighted to realize it. Why Sling is right While we all want more flexible options, new standalone offerings from the likes of Fox and Disney’s ESPN are insufficient. Both companies have intentionally set prices high—$30 per month for ESPN, $20 per month for Fox One—hoping to prolong the pay TV model that’s collapsing under them. The appeal will likely be limited. We’ve already seen this play out with regional sports networks, most of which now offer their own standalone services in the $20 to $30 per month range. Despite offering more local team games than ESPN and Fox combined, these offerings aren’t gaining much traction because they’re just too expensive. The networks themselves have admitted it. Meanwhile, younger viewers are tuning out. According to Front Office Sports, the average primetime NFL viewer is 62.5 years old, and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro acknowledged that executives at the company worry about resonating with young audiences. A recent survey of sports executives found that 65 percent are concerned about maintaining live sports’ relevance. So here’s a wild idea: Maybe make it easier for people to get in the door. Let them buy access to a game, or a weekend, or a week, and maybe they’ll come back for more. If not, at least they’ll have paid something instead of turning back to piracy. The old TV business model is falling apart regardless, so now is the time to try new things. Disney: Sling didn’t ask us As we’re learning now, Disney isn’t the one willing to experiment. While Sling previously indicated that it briefed its programming partners on the Day Passes, it never explicitly said that they were on board. Disney, meanwhile, says it didn’t even get the memo. “Sling TV’s new offerings, which they made available without our knowledge or consent, violate the terms of our existing license agreement,” the company said in a statement to media outlets. It wants the court to make Sling remove Disney’s channels from the Day Passes. Keep in mind that in the pay TV world, distributors like Sling typically pay a per-month, per-subscriber “carriage fee” to programmers like Disney in exchange for their channels. The per-subscriber fee for ESPN alone was reportedly around $10 per month a couple of years ago, and that cost gets passed onto customers. The fact that Sling launched its day passes without Disney’s blessing raises some knotty questions, like: How much does Sling pay Disney when someone only signs up for a day? Is it counting per-subscriber carriage fees in a different way, or eating the month’s fee in hopes that day pass holders become regular subscribers? Were any other programmers on board with the idea, or was this all just a gambit to bring them to the bargaining table? Sling’s PR department didn’t answer those questions, but said it plans to fight the lawsuit, which it called meritless. “We will vigorously defend our right to bring customers a viewing experience that fits their lives, on their schedule and on their terms,” the company said. A long history of short-sightedness Unfortunately, this kind of hardball hasn’t ended well for TV distributors in the past. Back in 2015, Verizon tried to offer a flexible TV package for Fios customers, with a base channel lineup and a selection of “Channel Packs” for things like sports and news. Disney sued over it, and while Verizon initially claimed it was within its rights, it eventually watered down the offering and settled the lawsuit. Then, in 2020, T-Mobile tried to launch a new TV service with two distinct packages—one with broadcast, news, and sports channels, and one focused on entertainment. Programmers flipped out, claiming that T-Mobile tricked them into splitting up their channels, and T-Mobile wound up exiting the TV business entirely. With the bottom dropping out on the pay TV business, programmers have only now started embracing a modicum of flexibility, with companies like DirecTV offering “Genre Packs” for less than a typical pay TV package. But even that only happened because DirecTV was wiling to wage a PR war against Disney and subject its customers to extended blackouts. These kinds of changes shouldn’t have taken a decade, and deep down, programmers know it. They’ve quietly bemoaned the destruction of the pay TV bundle, yet they did nothing to avert it. With day passes, programmers like Disney have another chance to innovate on a tired business model and reach folks who might not otherwise even pay for their services. While it’s no surprise that they’re against it, hopefully Sling can force the issue. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter to get more streaming TV insights every Friday. Read...