At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Extremely easy to install and set up Pan/tilt allows camera to monitor a wide area Users can choose between local and cloud storage or use both Compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home Cons Night vision is only effective to ~25 feet Might be too large for some fixtures, so measure before buying QR Code on bulb is too small, making it hard to capture with a phone camera Not compatible with Apple HomeKit Secure Video Our Verdict The Lorex 2K Wi-Fi Lightbulb Camera is one of the easiest ways to add smart home security features to your home. Screw it into a light socket, connect it to the internet, and you’ve got a powerful pan/tilt camera to help protect your home. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Lorex 2K Wi Fi Lightbulb Camera Retailer Price $54.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices The Lorex 2K Wi-Fi Lightbulb Camera is a $69.99 pan/tilt security camera with an integrated, general-purpose, dimmable LED light source designed for homeowners who want a basic, no-hassle path to adding security cameras to their homes. That ease-of-use comes with a few tradeoffs; but if you’re looking for something simple that can get the job done, Lorex has you covered. If you install the Lorex 2k Wi Fi Lightbulbcam outdoors, it will need to be in a luminaire that offers some protection from the elements.Lorex Installation Actually, “installation” seems too complicated a word to describe setup for the Lorex 2K Wi-Fi Lightbulb Camera. Pick a light fixture with a standard E26/E27 socket and screw in the unit just as you would with a standard lightbulb. Most users will want to use a ceiling fixture, but the Lorex app allows you to flip the camera lens’ orientation if you prefer to use a floor or table lamp. Note that the camera/bulb must be installed in a weather-protected luminaire if you install it outdoors (more on that in a bit). You’ll find plenty of similar lightbulb/camera combos, but none that carry the reputation and history of such an established brand as Lorex. Download the Lorex app for iOS or Android, turn on the light fixture, and scan the QR code on the unit to connect the app and set up a Wi-Fi connection for the unit. The QR code is incredibly small, so make sure you’ve got a plan (or at least a stepladder and a flashlight) before you start your scan. Once the install is complete, the Lorex 2K Wi-Fi Lightbulb Camera looks like a slightly overgrown lightbulb. Hardware You can flip the camera’s video stream if you install it upside down in something like a torch lamp. James Barber/Foundry The Lorex 2K Wi-Fi Lightbulb Camera looks like a standard bulb at first glance, but this is a substantial device—measuring about 7 inches tall and more than 3 inches wide. The bottom half houses a 2K (2560 x1440 pixels) motorized pan/tilt camera that sweeps a full 360 degrees. Its stationary field of view is 107.9 degrees diagonal, 92.2 degrees horizontal, and 50 degrees vertical).  The light is a 400-lumen, 6,500?K LED ring, which is roughly the brightness of a 40-watt incandescent. That makes the unit suitable as an accent light or for porch mood lighting (although its color temperature is relatively cool for that purpose), but it’s not at all capable of lighting up a driveway. The bulb carries an IP65 weatherization rating. According to our IP code guide, that means it’s impervious to dust ingress and that it’s protected against water projected in jets from any direction. As I’ve already mentioned, the bulb’s LED element must be covered if installed outdoors. Put it a transparent sconce or some other type of indoor-outdoor fixture. The camera’s pan/tilt motor is remarkably quiet, and its entire housing is a sturdy plastic that should hold up to years of use. Video quality Lorex’s app has all the features you’d expect to find for a modern security camera. James Barber/Foundry Like many smart home devices we’ve tested, the Lorex 2K Wi-Fi Lightbulb Camera is limited to a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection. Its 2K video, captured at 15 frames per second, features excellent image quality, with details that remain clear when using its digital zoom. Motion detection effectively identifies people and vehicles when they enter the camera’s field of view. Lorex doesn’t include a microSD card, but users can add their own (up to 256GB). Of course, limiting yourself to local storage means that you could lose access to your video in case of theft, accident, or natural disaster. As a backup, Lorex also offers a cloud subscription plan that gives users access to the last 30 days of live recordings for $2.99/month or $29.99 year. If you want to use multiple Lorex 2K Wi-Fi Lightbulb Cameras or pair them with Lorex video doorbells or security cameras, you’ll need to pay $9.99/month or $99.99 year for up to 10  devices in one location.  Night vision is color during low-light, shifting to IR black-and-white imaging when pitch dark. The capture works well up to 20 to 25?feet; past that, details fade. It’s usable, but not the enhanced-video quality familiar to viewers of TV crime shows. App and AI You’ll need to scan this tiny QR code when you set up the Lorex 2k Wi Fi Lightbulbcam in the Lorex app.James Barber/Foundry Lorex touts its use of on-device AI (i.e., video is processed locally, vs being first uploaded to the cloud) to differentiate between people and vehicles when motion is detected, at which point it will send an alert to your smartphone. The camera also supports two-way audio and there’s an onboard siren should you need to deter an unwelcome visitor from hanging around. The app has a clean and simple interface, but you can dig down to access myriad options. A privacy slider on the app’s home screen disables the camera if you’re going to be in field of view for extended time and don’t want anything recorded. You can invite shared users to install the app, after which they’ll gain access to all the features of your installed unit. Two-way audio lets you hold a conversation with anyone who approaches the camera, and there’s a menu of responses that lets a pre-recorded voice tell a visitor things like “We’ll be there shortly” or “Please leave the package at the door” when motion is detected. You can choose from five levels of motion sensitivity, and you can limit motion alerts to the presence of people or vehicles. You can also adjust the audio sensitivity of the camera’s onboard microphone by decibels. The built-in light is controlled by a slider that shows up on the home screen just above the video image. There’s also a snooze button on the home screen that offers a variety of time spans to pause notifications. If you’re an Apple Watch user, the Lorex app sends notifications to your wrist and users can pause them from the watch screen. Lighting The dimmable integrated LED light bar produces a maximum of 400 lumens of brightness, roughly equivalent to a 40-watt incandescent bulb. James Barber/Foundry Think of the light fixture as an accessory for the camera more than a traditional light bulb. Lorex designed the light primarily to optimize the camera’s ability to capture video. The unit’s 400-lumen limit keeps it from being an effective primary light source in a basement or dark hallway. If you’re using it indoors, you’ll want lamps or other overhead lighting sources in the room for everyday use. While it’s an effective light source for nighttime video capture outdoors, don’t compare this product to such floodlight/camera combos as the Ring Floodlight Cam Pro (2,000 lumens), the Eufy Floodlight Cam E40 (also 2,000 lumens), or even the Eufy Wired Wall Light Cam S100 (1,200 lumens). Understand its limitations—as well as its benefits, given that each of those three devices must be hardwired to your home’s electrical infrastructure—and you’ll likely see past its limitations. There are plenty of low-cost, no-name 2K cameras that screw into a light fixture. Some of them even have light bulbs. A few even have a limited range of pan and tilt the Lorex. What you won’t get is the reputation and history of an established brand like Lorex, a concern that seems far more important to consider with home security systems than, say, a portable Bluetooth speaker. The pan/tilt camera has a privacy mode that covers its lens.James Barber/Foundry That feature also makes the Lorex 2K Wi-Fi Lightbulb Camera a compelling option for renters. There’s no drilling or screws involved, and no extras cables. Unscrew the unit when you move and be set up at your next address in a matter of minutes. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. Should you buy a Lorex 2K Wi-Fi Lightbulb Camera? The Lorex 2K Wi-Fi Lightbulb Camera adds a security system to the kind of light fixture that everyone already has at their home. A simple swap can add with high-end smart surveillance, at least somewhat discreetly camouflaged inside a bulb. Image quality is above average, and features like local storage, voice control, and an on-demand lens cover for privacy demonstrate thoughtful design. Some users will be less impressed with its other performance metrics. The brightness of its onboard LED lamp will be the biggest sticking point for many, and the camera’s night vision fades with distance. Outdoor installations are limited to luminaires that offer some protection to the camera. Finally, setup can be a mild nuisance due to the tiny QR code on its base. Overall, however, this unit is a winner. You get a rotating, talking security camera that screws in like a light bulb for less than $70. There’s no easier way to get into smart home security. Read...

Last week, Microsoft released a new optional patch for Windows 11 called update KB5060829. Since then, users have been reporting that the update is causing problems with the Alt + Tab keyboard shortcut. According to Windows Latest, the issues don’t just stop at the popular productivity shortcut either. Other issues include mouse cursor lag, screen resolution issues, and difficulties adjusting volume. KB5060829 is a preview update, which means it’s optional to install and allows you to try out new features and improvements ahead of the general release. However, preview updates can have problems like this, so you shouldn’t blindly install them on mission-critical PCs. The update is supposed to be rolled out to all users in two weeks, so hopefully Microsoft fixes these issues in time. Until then, you should hold off on installing update KB5060829 to avoid these issues. Meanwhile, if you’re affected, try rolling back the problematic update. Read...

Are you hoping to nab an excellent monitor at a budget price this summer? Today might be that day. Check out this 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G3 that’s only $130 on Amazon. That’s $100 off its already affordable original price, bringing it down to its best-ever price—a no-brainer buy if you’re looking for a modest-but-high-value gaming display. This is Samsung’s 27-inch gaming monitor with a standard 1080p resolution but fast 180Hz refresh rate. The resolution and aspect ratio may be unimpressive, but that much refresh is perfect for mid-range gaming setups. You’ll experience smooth motion and high frame rates—assuming your PC can push out those frames—and minimal input lag. That means an edge over your opponents in competitive online multiplayer. For connectivity, we’re looking at HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, but no USB-C video with power delivery so probably not the best for beefy gaming laptops. Other nifty features include AMD FreeSync for reduced image tearing, a Black Equalizer for seeing better in dark areas, and a Virtual Aim Point that puts a crosshair directly on the screen. What are you waiting for? This is the best price it’s ever been, so grab the Samsung Odyssey G3 for $130 while you can! Otherwise, check out PCWorld’s picks for the best monitors and keep an eye on them over the next week. Don’t forget, Prime Day is coming soon! Save 43% on Samsung`s 27-inch 1080p 180Hz gaming monitorBuy now at Amazon Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Excellent benchmark performance PCIe 5.0 Less power draw than the T705 Reasonably priced for the category Cons Note quite as fast in the real world as some others Our Verdict With less power draw and better benchmark results, Crucial’s T710 is a worthy new member of the company’s NVMe SSD lineup. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Crucial’s T710 is a very fast addition to a worthy stable of NVMe SSDs from the company. It’s marginally faster than the older T705, though it didn’t beat out its sibling in every test. What are the Crucial T710’s features? The Crucial T710 sports 232-layer Micron TLC NAND which is handled by a new Silicon Motion SM2508 controller. Being a single-sided 2280 (22 mm wide, 80 mm long), PCIe 5.0, NVMe 2.0 SSD, it’s suitable for just about any Windows PC or laptop. Peeling back the label on our 2TB test drive revealed a single Micron SDRAM which according to Crucial is 2GB on our drive as well as the 1TB model, with 4GB on the 4TB capacity. The T710 installed in our new Z890 test bed. We don’t measure power draw, but Crucial claims a 24% reduction in power use compared to the older Phison-based T705 — always good news for laptop users. That said, there are still a lot of other power hungry components in the laptop battery life calculation, so don’t expect miracles from an upgrade. Crucial warranties the T710 for five years and 600TBW (TeraBytes that my be Written before read-only) per Terabyte of capacity. That means you can write about that much data before the drive won’t let you write anymore — theoretically. In practice, SSDs track the number of worn-out cells and the spares available to replace them, then go read-only when the latter run out. The TBW rating is just an estimate of when that will occur, and is basically linked to the warranty so that consumer-priced SSDs aren’t used in high-volume servers that run them dry in less than the warranty period. How much is the Crucial T710? Like its older T705 brother the T710 is available with or without a heatsink. For the 1TB version the different versions cost $199.99/$179.99 respectively, for the 2TB it’s $299.99/$279.99, and for the 4TB $569.99/$549.99. Those prices are about average for a DRAM-endowed PCIe 5.0 MVMe SSD. Crucial did not send me a version with the heatsink, but if it’s anything like the ones that shipped with the T705 – it’s beefy indeed. The majority of users will not need the heat sink, but if you’re one that does rest assured, this one will do the job. How fast is the Crucial T710? As a successor to one of the fastest PCIe SSDs we’ve tested (it was fastest at its test date), the T705, we were expecting great things from the T710. Well.. depending on the test, it’s a bit greater — or not quite as great. Note that we have revamped our test bed, and to some extent our testing MO, so these numbers are only directly comparable to the drives listed in these charts. Older results are ballpark so not completely out of line for comparison purposes. According to CrystalDiskMark 8, the T710 offers a nice improvement in sustained throughput over the older T705 — especially with only a single queue, which is still what Windows uses for file transfers. The T710 ruled in the CrystalDiskMark 8 sequential tests, only lagging slightly behind the Samsung 9100 Pro in multi-queue reading — something most software doesn’t do. Longer bars are better. The Crucial T710’s single-queue random performance is also slightly improved over the T705, which is again, the most important test as regards current Windows. But multi-queue performance is a bit weaker, which might show up in programs that use their own multi-threaded I/O. As Windows uses a single-queue for most transfers, we’ll call this a slight win for the T710 over the competition, though we would like to see better multi-queue performance. Longer bars are better. The T710 improved in Windows Explorer over the T705, but was slower in most of the other tests which now include DiskBench and the command line Xcopy run in batch files. If these results seem very close — they are. To the point where they’re not particularly useful for comparing drives, only to see what performance is like in real life transfers. XC is xcopy, DB is DiskBench, and the last four are Windows Explorer drag and drop. Faster in some transfer, slower in others, the T710 in the real world is hard to tell from other DRAM PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs. EX is Explorer, DB is DiskBench, XC is Xcopy. Shorter bars are better. Where the Crucial T710 proved a disappointment was in the 450GB write, which we now perform with Windows Explorer, DiskBench, Xcopy, and FastCopy. All four showed the drive lagging behind both the T705 and Samsung 9100 Pro in this test. The 450GB write was a bit of disappointment for the T710. It doesn’t match the CrystalDiskMark 8 sequential ratings. Shorter bars are better. All in all, the T710 is a very good performer, though not the best of the PCIe 5.0 lot for large file transfers. Some current technology notes: the Z890/Intel Core Ultra combo we now use is found to be less adept at PCIe M.2 NVMe than the older Z790. Because of this, we use adapter cards in the PCIe 5.0 slots for testing. Should I buy the T710? Yes, it’s a very fast SSD. But it’s not the fastest and not a huge improvement over the T705. In short, either the Crucial T705 or this newer T710 will do nicely. Base any buying decision on price — the performance difference between DRAM-based PCIe 5.0 SSDs simply isn’t all that significant. How we test Drive tests currently utilize Windows 11 24H2, 64-bit running off of a PCIe 4.0 Samsung 990 Pro in an Asus Z890-Creator WiFi (PCIe 4.0/5.0) motherboard. The CPU is a Core Ultra i5 225 feeding/fed by two Kingston Fury 32GB DDR5 4800MHz modules (64GB of memory total). Both 20Gbps USB and Thunderbolt 5 are integrated and Intel CPU/GPU graphics are used. SSDs involved in the test are mounted in a HighPoint 7604A 16x PCIe 5.0 adapter card. We run the CrystalDiskMark 8, AS SSD 2, and ATTO 4 synthetic benchmarks to find the storage device’s potential performance, then a series of 48GB and 450GB transfers tests using Windows Explorer drag and drop, DiskBench, Xcopy, and FastCopy to show what you’ll actually see under Windows as well as what’s possible. The 48GB transfer tests utilize an USFMount RAM disk taking up 58GB of the 64GB of total memory. The 450GB file is transferred from a 2TB Samsung 9100 Pro. Each test is performed on a newly NTFS-formatted and TRIM’d drive so the results are optimal. Note that in normal use, as a drive fills up, performance may decrease due to less NAND for secondary caching, as well as other factors. This can be less of a factor with the current crop of SSDs with far faster late-generation NAND. Caveat: The performance numbers shown apply only to the drive we were shipped and to the capacity tested. SSD performance can and will vary by capacity due to more or fewer chips to shotgun reads/writes across and the amount of NAND available for secondary caching. Vendors also occasionally swap components. If you ever notice a large discrepancy between the performance you experience and that which we report, by all means, let us know. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Lovely OLED display Surprisingly strong performance for a fanless Chromebook Loud, clear speakers Competitive battery life Cons Hard-to-read function keys AI tools feel unnecessary in everyday use Our Verdict With its eye-catching OLED screen and snappy MediaTek chip, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is a standout midrange machine that delivers. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices I’ve used a lot of Chromebooks over the years, and most of them tend to fall into one of two categories: either very affordable and sometimes forgettable or super premium with a price tag to match. The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 wants to land somewhere in the middle. It’s got an OLED display, a brand new MediaTek chip with AI capabilities, and a design that’s sophisticated and understated.  So I spent a week using it for work and play to see if it actually holds up and I’ve got thoughts. Let’s get into it. Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: Specs The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 comes in two configurations. Both include the new MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 chip and UFS storage, but the base model offers 12GB of RAM and a non-touch OLED display, while the upgraded version (the one we reviewed) bumps that up to 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It also adds touchscreen support. While the $649 starting price may seem steep, it’s a good value for what you’re getting. Most Chromebooks, for instance, come with only 8GB of RAM, and UFS storage is faster than eMMC. It’s also future proof thanks to Wi-Fi 7. But the real standout is the 14-inch 1920×1200 OLED touchscreen display. You don’t see many laptops with OLED panels (touch or not) at this price. Model number: 83MY0000US CPU: MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 GPU: Immortalis-G925 RAM: 16GB RAM Storage: 256GB UFS Display: 14-inch 1920×1200 OLED touchscreen, 16:10, DCI-P3 Ports: 2 USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C, 1 USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, 1 audio jack Networking: Wi-Fi 7 Dimensions: 12.37 x 8.63 x 0.62 Weight: 2.78 pounds Price: $649 After spending a week with the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, I can confidently say it’s one of the best Chromebooks I’ve used. Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: Unboxing The unboxing experience can set the tone if done well. Though I’d like to see fewer packaging materials (I’m a stickler for sustainability), the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 made it clear from the start: this is a more premium device, where design and user experience matter.  The box reminded me a bit of the ones Google PixelBooks usually come in. It’s mostly white with lilac-purple borders, giving it a clean and simple look. Inside you’ll find the laptop securely tucked into place. There’s also a separate compartment containing a visual overview of the dimensions and port types.  Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: Exclusive new ChromeOS AI features Ah, AI. Hello again, old friend? Nemesis?  Since the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is the first Chromebook to feature a processor with an NPU, I had to give the new ChromeOS AI features a try. That said, I focused on features I’d actually use, starting with Live Captions. I used this feature during a meeting I was leading and found it helpful, especially when the landscapers were outside my window and the roar of their leaf blowers occasionally drowned out what my colleagues were saying. Having the words pop up on screen in real time helped me stay on track and not miss anything important. I also tried Smart Grouping, which organizes your tabs and apps for you in a virtual desktop. Again, this is one of the more useful AI features. The idea is to reduce visual clutter so you don’t have to drag things around yourself or go hunting for a tab you can’t find. Admittedly, it was kind of nice having an invisible assistant that tidied up my personal open tab chaos. The Quick Insert button, which replaces the Caps Lock key, brings up a tool that lets you drop AI-generated images into whatever you’re working on. It also offers writing suggestions, so if you want to sound more formal or shorten a sentence, you can do that with this tool. I played around with it some, but there was no place for it in my day-to-day workflow. Local AI is a cool addition, but most of the features felt more like bonuses rather than must-haves. Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: Design, build quality The design is exactly the type of minimalism I gravitate towards, so it’s earning major brownie points from me. Lenovo calls the colorway “Seashell” and it’s genuinely unique—it changes slightly depending on the lighting. At first glance, it looks standard silver, which is fine, but it’s nothing unique. It wasn’t until I was looking at the lid near an open window that I noticed the gold undertone in the chassis. It’s subtle, but it’s there and it’s really beautiful. But the most interesting thing about this design is not on the top of the laptop, but on the bottom. Underneath the laptop you’ll find a 3D wave corrugated pattern, which feels nice to run your fingers along–I’m a big textures person. It looks cool, but it’s also functional: the design helps you get a better grip on the laptop. This is great, because there’s nothing quite like the horror of dropping a laptop onto the floor. The metal build quality feels strong, too. You can tell straight away that it’s made of aluminum. The screen hardly had any flex when I gave it a gentle twist and the keyboard deck didn’t creak or groan when I pressed my hands down on it. This is exactly what I expected from a Chromebook in this class and it definitely lives up to those higher standards.  Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: Keyboard, touchpad The keyboard feels nice to type on for extended periods, and I found that I adjusted to it quickly. However, compared to my usual laptop, this one skews a little more to the right, which threw me off at first. While the typing experience is definitely comfortable, I had a few tiny gripes with the keys themselves. Why are the function keys (F1 to F12) so itty bitty? I mean, they’re really small compared to the other keys. Any time I used them, I had to lean forward and squint a bit to see the icons on them. I’d also occasionally fat finger them because of their size. My other gripe is that the keys themselves attract some smudges. This is minor, as it’s nothing a microfiber cloth can’t fix.  I liked the touchpad a lot. Not only did it feel nice and smooth, like glass, beneath my fingertips, but it also quickly registered all my taps and swipes. I adapted to it pretty instantly and I don’t think I ever accidentally triggered it with my palms.  Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: Display, speakers The 14-inch 1920×1200 OLED display produces a luscious-looking picture that blew my socks off. It’s not totally unexpected, though, as OLED panels produce deeper blacks and richer colors. The Chromebook Plus 14’s OLED display also offers 100 percent DCI-P3 color accuracy, meaning more saturated colors, especially reds and greens. When I re-watched Netflix’s Titan documentary, I was impressed by the depth (ugh, sorry) of contrast in the many dark scenes—unsurprising in a documentary about a submersible. Image editors would love this screen. I’m also loving the 16:10 aspect ratio, which this Chromebook has. It’s far superior to the usual 16:9 and I’m not afraid to shout it from the rooftops. The extra vertical space makes a huge difference because you can see more of a webpage or more of a document without scrolling. This is especially useful for someone like me, who writes and edits on the daily. The 5MP RGB webcam is nice, too. I’ve got very fair skin, so I usually appear lifeless—or so pale I glow—on video, but that wasn’t the case here. I used the webcam for a work meeting and I was surprised at how warm (color temperature, not body temperature) the picture looked. It made me look more natural and not at all like some sun-starved vampire. The Dolby-certified speakers are shockingly loud and punchy. When I played Jack White’s Archbishop Harold Holmes, his edgy guitar playing sounded fantastic. I didn’t have to crank up the volume much–I could still hear the music from a room or two away. What can I say? Upward-firing speakers just sound better than the downward-firing kind. Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: Connectivity I’m so glad there’s USB-C ports on ether side of the laptop (a hot-button topic here at PCWorld). They both support charging, too–this should always be the standard. Lenovo even managed to include USB-A, which is impressive given how slim and lightweight this device is at just 2.78 pounds! I always like to see more port variety, but this is fine for an everyday machine.  Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: Performance The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is one of the first Chromebooks to rock MediaTek’s new Kompanio Ultra chip. It’s built on Arm’s efficient architecture, so it can run full steam ahead without needing any fans. Under the hood, you’ve got an 8-core CPU with high-performance Cortex-X929 cores and an 11-core Immortalis-G925 GPU that can handle ray tracing. There’s also a Neural Processing Unit (or NPU) packed in there delivering 50 TOPS of AI power — the key to unlocking the special AI features I mentioned above. I definitely had high (but not unrealistic) expectations of the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14. Luckily, it met them with real aplomb. When I ran the CrXPRT benchmark, which measures how fast the machine handles everyday tasks, the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 turned in a score of 199. That’s about 17 percent faster than the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34, which comes with an Intel Core i5-13335U chip and currently ranks as our top pick for Chromebooks.  I will say that it’s much faster than the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, which sports an older MediaTek Kompanio 838 chip. The Basemark Web 3.0 score of 1,151 totally crushes the Duet’s score of 502.99–a benchmark that measures overall web performance. This means it’s more than twice as fast as the Duet. That’s a big jump in performance between the two chips. The only thing that’s giving me pause is the somewhat low Speedometer 3.1 score of 25.2. That’s fine for casual and day-to-day productivity, but the machine might struggle a bit with heavy-duty multitasking. That said, the Chromebook Plus 14 felt snappy, even with a bunch of tabs open.  CrXPRT 2: 199 Speedometer 3.1: 25.2 Basemark Web 3.0: 1151 Kraken: 407.0ms Jetstream 2: 344.875 Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: Gaming I had a chat with my coworker Michael Crider (you might know him!) about playing Minecraft on this device even before I got the unit. He’d been hands-on with the laptop and saw Google demo Minecraft running on it, which got us curious, especially since he struggled to run Android games on the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. So naturally, the first thing I did when I turned on the machine was load up Minecraft to see if this new MediaTek chip could run Android-based games better. Fortunately, it does! I recorded a quick video of my Minecraft session so others could see how smooth the gameplay is on this Chromebook. You can see me flying around in Creative Mode without any lag or stuttering. In the background, you’ll also hear ABBA playing, which wasn’t intentional, but who doesn’t love jamming out to Swedish pop stars while playing Minecraft? The whole thing felt casual and easy. Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: Battery life Lenovo says the Chromebook Plus 14 gets around 17 hours of battery life, but I clocked it at 19 hours using CrXPRT 2’s battery benchmark. That’s a phenomenal result and one that lines up with other Arm-based machines. To be fair, that was with the screen brightness turned down. If you crank the brightness up to max, you’ll likely see a bit less, but that’s expected (as brightness always impacts the battery life). In terms of using it unplugged, I never felt like I had to sprint for an outlet stat. Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14: Conclusion After spending a week with the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, I can confidently say it’s one of the best Chromebooks I’ve used. It’s fast, the design is lovely, and that OLED screen? Still can’t get over how good it looks, especially on a device under $750. Battery life is very good as well–it just keeps on chugging along. Yeah, the AI features are nice-to-have more than must-have, and the tiny function keys take some getting used to, but those are small complaints in an otherwise killer package. Lenovo crushed it. This Chromebook hits hard on performance, display, and battery life. It also just feels great to use day in and day out. If you’re shopping for a Chromebook, this one should be at the top of your list. That Editors’ Choice badge up top? It’s well-earned. Read...

TL;DR: Code complex projects with Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 for only $27.97 Calling all developers and programmers! Stay agile while managing complex code with Microsoft’s 64-bit IDE. Code smarter, faster, and more efficiently thanks to powerful features like IntelliCode. AI-powered assistance can fill in a whole line of code at once. After detecting your code’s context—variable names, functions, and the kind of code—IntelliCode gives suggestions while running on your machine for privacy. IntelliCode can even recognize common coding tasks, recommend the right quick action, and complete it while you’re typing.  You also get access to powerful insights from CodeLens. See recent changes, authors, and testing without breaking your workflow. Whether you’re working in C++, .NET, or Python, Visual Studio allows you to build and test across languages and platforms. Go above and beyond other IDEs with compilers, code completion tools, graphical designers, and more that make software development simpler. Collaborate seamlessly with your team thanks to Live Share’s real-time collaboration features. Speed up edit and de-bugging cycles while implementing strong controls to protect your workflow and ensure consistency across the code. Get Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 for just $27.97 (reg. $499) and code smarter. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 for WindowsSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

A new pop-up from Meta is causing a stir. Facebook users who want to upload stories are prompted to share their photos for “cloud processing,” reports The Verge. But this also allows Meta AI to access images from their smartphones, even ones that haven’t been published to Facebook. This raises questions about data privacy. By agreeing to “cloud processing,” you enable Meta AI to analyze your private photos. Users who activate the feature can have their photos used for collages, photo themes, or AI-generated edits. However, this gives Meta access to all images in the smartphone’s storage. The feature is currently being tested and rolling out in Meta’s apps. Users must actively agree to use it. However, the idea of Meta AI being able to view private photos is dubious at best. On platforms such as X and Reddit, users are expressing concerns that Meta could use the photos to train its AI models, despite promises to the contrary. Meta doesn’t rule out use for training AI Meta has clarified to The Verge that the photos are not currently being used to train AI models. However, there was no clear answer to questions as to whether this is ruled out in the future. A Meta spokesperson pointed out that the feature is voluntary and that users are informed exactly what data is being used. Nevertheless, the concern remains that the unclear communication and far-reaching access rights could undermine user trust. To protect themselves, users should scrutinize the feature critically before activating it. If you have any concerns, you can deactivate the “cloud processing” option in Facebook’s app settings. It’s also advisable to only upload photos that you absolutely want to share, and to regularly check the app’s permissions. The new feature shows how close the link is between data privacy and AI development. Meta faces the challenge of offering innovative features without losing the trust of users. Until it’s clear how the data will be used in the long term, users should remain cautious and keep an eye on developments. Read...

I don’t know how your tech drawers look, but mine are filled with wires I’ll likely never use again because technology has advanced quite a bit. Thankfully, USB-C seems to be here to stay since there is no wrong way to plug these things in. It’s not just smartphones, tablets, and laptops that use these, however, but also a long list of gadgets. We’ve scoured the market for hidden gems: gadgets that will make you think “Wow, I didn’t know I needed that, but it will make my life so much easier!” So, let’s dive in and see what cool devices you’ll be able to use your type-C cables and ports with. Wowstick 1F+ mini electric screwdriver Wowstick If you often have to fiddle around with your computer or other gadgets, this Wowstick mini electric screwdriver may be just what you need. This pen-shaped screwdriver features three LED lights so it’s easier to see what you’re working on and rotates 200 times per minute so you can finish the job faster. The screwdriver has a stylish base so you can hold it on your desk, and a whole collection of 56 aluminum alloy bits. The screwdriver can be charged via USB-C and it can last for hours. This super fun electric screwdriver usually goes for $41. Anker Nano Power Bank Anker One thing you need to have in you bag/pocket/backpack is a power bank because you never really know when your phone will fail you and cry for a recharge. Well, the Anker Nano power bank is tiny enough to fit just about anywhere. It comes with a foldable USB-C connector and a port on the side so you can charge two devices at once if you need to. The 5,000mAh capacity is just about enough for a full phone recharge, so it will be great in a pinch. It’s also only $30, but we’ve seen it as low as $16. Endoscope camera with light Ennovor Although it’s not something you’ll use every day, this Ennover endoscope camera can definitely come in handy. You just plug it in your phone, install and app, and see everything your camera does. Our team swears by it, using it for finding whatever they dropped behind the desk, while working on the car, or looking for pipe leaks. Since it has an IP67 rating, you can even plop it in your aquarium. The camera comes with a 16.4ft semi-rigid cable and several accessories, including a hook, magnet, and a mirror. You can get this one for $23 right now. Blukar flashlight Blukar I don’t care who you are—you need a flashlight. The smaller, the better, because you get to shove it into any pocket. This model from Blukar comes with a built-in 1800mAh battery that you’ll recharge with one of those many type-C cables you have in that tech drawer we were talking about. It can work for up to 16 hours on a single charge, which is pretty decent. There are four different lightning modes to cycle through, including one that will help you signal for help. Plus, one of these is only $10, so no excuse to pass on this one. Heat It insect bite healer Anyone plagued by mosquitoes in the summer will be particularly pleased with this ingenious gadget. This tiny device, which can be easily connected to your smartphone via USB-C, can significantly reduce the itching of bites and stings with targeted heat. You simply charge the small Heat It bite healer via the app and then hold it on the bite. The heat then does the rest, breaking down the proteins in the mosquito bite that cause the area to swell, itch, and hurt. A true must-have for summer, and it costs only $20. A tiny air pump Also perfect for summer is this small air pump from Cycplus, which fits in any bag while on the go. Not only can it inflate a bicycle tire in two minutes at the touch of a button, but it’s also USB-charged. According to the manufacturer, it’s suitable for mountain bikes, road bikes, motorcycles, and even cars! In addition to being an air pump, this practical gadget can also be used as a flashlight or power bank for on-the-go use — all things that come in very handy on a bike ride. And at just $57, it’s highly recommended if you need quick help with a flat tire. USB-C mini fan These little fans are also pretty ingenious; you can easily carry them in your pocket in the summer and quickly use them whenever you need them. Anyone who’s ever sat on a crowded subway train in 30-degree heat and wished for at least a little fresh air will love this gadget. The mini fan, which costs just $20, has a USB-C port and can be easily powered by power banks, computers, laptops, or USB chargers. There are even smaller and cheaper fans available that can be connected directly to your phone, costing under $10 each. But these also provide less powerful airflow, so we recommend the standalone version. Reading light with a book clamp Anyone who enjoys reading a lot, sometimes late into the night, will appreciate this little gadget: a reading lamp that you can simply clip onto your book. It may not be groundbreaking, but with a total of three color temperatures and five different light modes, you can individually adjust how much light you need for reading. The Gritin reading lamp costs just $15 on Amazon and features a 1200 mAh battery that lasts up to 80 hours depending on usage. Afterward, you can easily recharge it via USB. You can swivel the neck of the lamp back and forth as desired, and there’s even a small charging indicator. What more could you want? Samsung flash drive Samsung The vast majority of flash drives have a USB-A connector, but this one from Samsung has a Type-C connector. With transfer speeds of up to 400MB/s, you’ll move files around in no time. The beauty of this thumb drive is that you can even pop it in your smartphone to record 4K vids directly on it. The Samsung Type-C flash drive comes in multiple storage options, starting at 64GB and up to 512GB and they start at $14. The 256GB version, for instance, is $27 at the time of writing. Editor’s note: This article was originally published on May 16, but was updated to include additional devices. Read...

Most of the long and thin smart floor lamps we’ve tried are all about casting bold splashes of color on the wall, perfect for setting a mood but not must help when it comes to reading, dining, or getting something done. But with its new line of Matter-enabled lamps, Govee hopes to bring the dazzle without forgetting the productivity.   Govee already has several floor lamps in its portfolio, including two that we’ve reviewed, the Govee Floor Lamp Pro and the Floor Lamp 2. We admired both lamps, which have long, thin, stick-light designs that cast multicolored and even animated light on your walls. But while both lamps can serve up eye-catching color scenes, they’re not really designed for illuminating your reading nook or dining table.  With its trio of new floor lamps, Govee is trying something different. The first lamp boasts a three-zone lamp head that casts light up as well as down; the second model comes with a torchiere design; and the third is a tree-style floor lamp with three adjustable arms. All three lamps are compatible with Matter, the smart-home unifying standard, and all are designed to cast white light as well as color, with the traditional lamp-head and tree-style lamps particularly well suited for reading or workspaces.  First up, the Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp ($179.99, available now) has an upper zone that can splash up to 20 square meters of multicolored light on the ceiling, while a middle RGBIC zone serves up a groovy decorative glow.   The Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp can cast cool ripple effects on your ceiling, but that’s not all it can do.Govee Crucially, though, the lower section can cast up to 1,000 lumens of white light, with temperatures ranging from a warm 2,700 Kelvin to a daylight-equivalent 6,500K. That means the Uplighter Floor lamp can either cast a nifty ripple effect on your ceiling or bathe your reading nook in warm white light—or do both at the same time, if you wish. We’ve had the opportunity to perform a full Govee Uplighter Floor Lamp review and we like it. The Govee Torchiere Floor Lamp ($149.99, available July 7) is the lone lamp of the trio that’s more focused on ambient light, with three curved lenses capable of splashing mulitcolored light on up to 16 square meters of ceiling space.   Thanks to those curved lenses, the three light zones can seamlessly blend to create rainbow effects or other colorful light scenes. When tuned to a daylight-equivalent 6,500K white-color temperature, the Torchiere Floor Lamp can cast up to 780 lumens of brightness.  The Govee Torchiere Floor Lamp has three curved lenses that can cast seamless rainbow effects on your ceiling, as well as a range of warm and cool white light.Govee Finally, the Govee Tree Floor Lamp ($169.99, available July 7) has a three-arm, tree-style design, with each arm capable of 350-degree horizontal and 90-degree vertical rotation. The light cast by the lamp heads can also be focused from 90 degrees to 30 degrees, allowing for either wide splashes of color or narrow cones of light.   Again, both multicolor and white light will be on tap, with white light temperatures ranging from a warm 2,700K to a cooler 6,500K. That means you could turn the top two lamp heads toward the wall for ambient splashes of color, while the third arm could be focused downward for use as a reading light. The three arms of the Govee Tree Floor Lamp can be adjusted indepedently, meaning they can wash colors on your walls as well as cast focused cones of white light.Govee Set to its coolest 6,500K white color temperature, the Tree Floor Lamp can generate up to 1,500 lumens of brightness.  All three of the new Govee lamps can sync with music with help from their integrated microphones, and all can be grouped using the Govee app, which also offers dozens of animated light modes along with the ability to create your own lighting effects.   Even better, the new lamps all work with Matter, the new standard that bridges the gaps between Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and other Matter-compatible smart home platforms. That means you can use your choice of voice assistant or smart home app to control basic features, although more complex functionality (such as creating your own animations) will require the Govee app.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart lights. One feature that the new Govee lamps don’t have is an integrated Bluetooth speaker. The Govee Floor Lamp Pro has a Bluetooth speaker built into its base, making it easy to stream tunes from your phone and sync the music to the lamp’s LEDs. If you want Govee’s new floor lamps to sync with your tunes, you’ll need to supply your own music source. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Syncs across Mac, iPhone, and iPad Comprehensive editing and annotation tools Simple, intuitive interface Cons Requires annual payment Lifetime license enables use on Mac only Our Verdict PDF Expert is an excellent PDF editor that fits seamlessly in the Apple ecosystem. It’s our pick for Mac, iPad, and iPhone users. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices MacOS includes a capable PDF editor in its Preview app, but iOS devices don’t have any native PDF editing capabilities. That leaves users to seek out third-party solutions, and Readdle’s PDF Expert is one of the most popular. The editor allows you to create, edit, annotate, organize, sign, and protect PDFs whether you’re on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad. In its latest version, PDF Expert adds an AI-powered chat assistant that can summarize documents, extract key points, and even generate hashtags, making it easier than ever to navigate and understand lengthy or complex files. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best PDF editors for comparison. PDF Expert features and design PDF Expert has a clean, intuitive interface that lets you get right to work. Tabs run across the top of the screen—Annotate, Edit, Export, Fill & Sign, Scan Tools and Measure—each revealing an appropriate set of tools when active. When you open a PDF file, it’s displayed in the main pane, and thumbnails of the document pages are displayed in a sidebar on the left. PDF Expert’s latest version adds an AI assistant that can summarize documents and extract key points directly from the PDF. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Whenever you select an annotation or editing tool to work with, its corresponding options display to the right of the page. Clicking the pen tool, for example, displays sliders to adjust the line width and opacity along with a selection of ink colors. Selecting the text tool opens a display of font settings and sizes. By putting the tools you need at hand instead of requiring you to hunt through menus for them, PDF Expert saves you considerable time on your editing jobs. PDF Expert offers a full slate of annotation tools, allowing you to highlight text and add marginalia, notes, stamps, and shapes. You can capture your signature using your Mac’s keyboard or trackpad, your iPhone’s camera, or an Apple Pencil on your iPad, and sync it across all your Apple devices to sign contracts, invoices, and other documents. The editor also supports forms, automatically detecting and highlighting fields that need to be filled. When you’re working with sensitive documents, you can redact text by erasing it or obscuring it with a black box. You can also protect access to the file by setting a password. You can drag PDF pages to reorder them.Michael Ansaldo/IDG By putting the tools you need at hand instead of requiring you to hunt through menus for them, PDF Expert saves you considerable time on your editing jobs. How much is PDF Expert? You can use PDF Expert across your Mac, iPhone, and iPad for $79.99 a year, which is considerably less than our top two picks, Adobe Acrobat DC and Foxit PDF Editor. A lifetime plan is available for a one-time payment of $139.99, but it only enables use of the editor on your Mac, not your Apple mobile devices. PDF Expert offers a fully-functional 7-day trial of the Mac version, no credit card required, and it’s worth taking advantage of to determine if this robust editor will meet your needs or if you’d be better served by one of the other options in our roundup of the best PDF editors. Is PDF Expert worth it? True to its name, the editor expertly handled every task I threw at it. It makes page management a simple affair, enabling you to reorder pages by simply selecting and dragging them to a new location and add or extract pages with just a few clicks. It can convert scanned documents into editable text with the click of a button, and it converts PDFs into Microsoft Office formats, plain text, or image files. PDF Expert’s new AI chat feature extends this ease of use even further, letting you ask natural-language questions about your document, surface key points, or get a quick summary without reading the entire thing. For Apple users, particularly those with multiple devices, PDF Expert can be a worthwhile investment for a comprehensive and easy-to-use PDF editing toolkit. I only wish the lifetime license covered the whole Apple ecosystem and not just Macs. Read...