Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2024 i PCWorld

PC sales have been struggling this year, and giving the Copilot+ label to laptops equipped with newer hardware and the latest Microsoft AI features was supposed to give them a shot in the arm. The first round of these next-generation laptops, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chips, are finally available to buy, minus the much-touted Recall feature, which has been put on hiatus for the launch. If you buy a new laptop with the coveted Copilot+ label, be aware that one of the key differentiating features that Microsoft has been pushing so hard won’t actually be available at launch. The Copilot+ tool, which records more or less every interaction you have with Windows and its applications, has been delayed. After a huge amount of initial feedback (including over privacy and…

Hacking into an account doesn’t always require deep expertise in exploiting vulnerabilities. Sometimes it’s as simple as taking leaked information and placing it elsewhere on the internet. That’s why the release of massive password collections are dangerous—and why alarms are now sounding over a drop of nearly 10 billion passwords. First spotted in a forum on July 4, RockYou2024 is a compilation of 9.94 billion leaked passwords. The massive password dump includes entries from the RockYou2021 collection, data from newer breaches and leaks, and data cracked by the person who posted it. RockYou2021 released with 8.4 billion password entries, including millions related to social media sites. For comparison, the Mother of All Breaches contained 26 billion pieces of personal data that included information beyond passwords. You can read up on the…

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday that it has sent letters to several technology companies warning them that their warranty or repair policies might violate federal law. Specifically in the PC space, the FTC sent letters to companies ASRock, Gigabyte, and Zotac, warning them that they may be in violation of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the federal act that oversees consumer warranties and is administered by the FTC. They have thirty days to review their policies and comply. While the specific concerns vary by company, the FTC reminded the three companies that they can’t, for example, place stickers on a laptop that caution consumers that opening or repairing the laptop violates warranty policies. Neither can they state or imply that their products can only be repaired via an authorized…

It’s a new era for Windows PCs. The latest Microsoft Surface Laptop (alongside the revised Surface Pro) ditches Intel and AMD hardware for Qualcomm chips. This isn’t a first, as previous Surface devices like the Surface Pro 9 5G also used Qualcomm. But those devices were introductory sideshows to the main event. The new Surface Laptop is available only with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip. No Intel or AMD variants are available or planned. This bold move helps the Surface Laptop achieve strong performance and spectacular battery life in a thin laptop, in addition to standing as Microsoft’s debut AI-infused Copilot+ PC. SPECS AND FEATURES The Microsoft Surface Laptop’s most intriguing hardware is, of course, the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip. It’s a system-on-a-chip that pairs up to 12 CPU cores…

Malwarebytes was once a crucial piece of software—a necessary supplement for your main antivirus scanner. You couldn’t always count on just one program to catch everything, and Malwarebytes rose to prominence as a reliable secondary tool. But the world has changed since 2010. Now if you run multiple antivirus apps, you could open yourself up to software conflicts or increased risk for system vulnerabilities. One single program is the way to go—and if you’re a newbie to security and prefer a dead-simple app, then Malwarebytes’ streamlined, elegant approach can fit the bill. PRICE As a simple suite, Malwarebytes Premium Security costs $60 per year. New subscribers can sign up for a two-year package to save $9 ($111 total). Unlike most other antivirus vendors, Malwarebytes bills in monthly installments over a…

I honestly can’t remember exactly when I switched from Firefox to Chrome. I definitely let Google’s “new” browser stew for a year or two after it came out in 2008, as I was big into Firefox’s deep customization and extensions. But eventually the speed of Chrome, and the integration with Android and other Google tools, won me over. For the last few years it’s been a rocky relationship. Google’s continual degradation of its own Search and YouTube platforms has made this former Android fanboy decidedly lukewarm on the ecosystem. And that’s saying nothing of Chrome’s more and more memory-hungry footprint, or the deeply questionable shift to a new Google-friendly cookie alternative. The straw that broke the camel’s back was something innocuous, a redesign of the browser tabs that made them chunky…

If your Google Drive storage is reaching its limits, you’ll need to clear out old and unused files to free up space. But what if you’ve already deleted files and your Google Drive capacity is still just as full? Here’s what you need to know about why this happens and what you can do to fix the problem. GOOGLE DRIVE STORAGE SPACE DOESN’T FREE UP AFTER DELETING FILES It can be puzzling when you remove files from Google Drive and see that your storage capacity isn’t affected. The reason for this is simpler than you might think: Deleted files are actually just moved to Trash, where they continue to take up storage space. Google does it this way because it’s a security measure that prevents users from accidentally deleting important…

In 2017, Russia-based Kaspersky Antivirus Software was deemed an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security, and thus fully barred from use by federal agencies in 2018. Then, in 2022, Kaspersky earned a spot on the U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s blacklist. But while federal subsidies could no longer be spent on Kaspersky, individuals and private businesses were still free to buy licenses. This will soon change with an upcoming U.S. ban on Kaspersky’s products. Announced Thursday by the Bureau of Industry and Security (a branch of the Department of Commerce), the prohibition applies to antivirus and other cybersecurity software developed and distributed by Kaspersky and its affiliates. The Biden administration cited high potential for interference from the Russian government in Kaspersky’s operations as the reason for its decision—the first of its kind.…

The U.S. Department of Justice sued Adobe on Monday, alleging that its terms of service for apps like Creative Cloud and Photoshop included cancellation fees that were applied when consumers signed up for a one-year subscription. “For years, Adobe has harmed consumers by enrolling them in its default, most lucrative subscription plan without clearly disclosing important plan terms,” the DOJ alleged in its suit, filed in district court in Northern California. Specifically, the DOJ alleged that Adobe only disclosed the fact that signing up for an “annual, paid monthly” plan forced consumers to commit to a year’s subscription as well as “hefty” early termination fees in the hundreds of dollars. Adobe only makes the ETF clear after a consumer tries to cancel, the suit says. Otherwise, they’re hidden behind optional textboxes…

You spot an insane deal on Amazon. You click to buy as fast as you can so nobody can swipe it away from you. You receive the product and it doesn’t seem like a counterfeit. You won! All good, right? But a few weeks later, you’re surprised by a debt collection letter or even a fraud report for an order you never placed. Sorry to say, you’ve been hit by triangulation fraud. Keep reading to learn how a triangular scam works, what to look for, and what to do if you find yourself a victim of it. TRIANGULATION FRAUD ON AMAZON AND HOW IT WORKS Triangulation fraud involves three people: the buyer (you), the scammer, and a legitimate seller with a legitimate product. It all starts with the scammer, who…

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is one of the first Copilot+ PCs. While Microsoft is talking up AI features, the real story here is the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite hardware inside this PC. Microsoft has been releasing Arm-based Windows PCs since the Surface RT, but this is the first time that Arm-based Windows PCs have finally become seriously competitive. Yes, this Snapdragon X Elite–powered 14.5-inch laptop delivers extremely long battery life with snappy performance and cool and quiet operation in day-to-day use. The experience with day-to-day productivity applications is beautiful—just like the OLED display this machine has. (Despite the Yoga name, however, this is not a 2-in-1 laptop.) Of course, the Windows on Arm experience isn’t perfect. Microsoft’s Prism translation software offers much improved compatibility with traditional x86 apps. Most existing x86 applications “just…

Surfshark continues the trend of other mega-VPN services as a one-stop shop for all things related to personal online privacy and security. The company offers a top-tier VPN product that continues to expand and improve with each new iteration. And since its merger with NordVPN under the parent company Cyberspace, Surfshark is now developing cutting-edge personal security features via its Nexus technology. This all sounds great, but are all of these features really worth it in a VPN service? I took a deep dive with Surfshark to find out. SURFSHARK IN BRIEF P2P allowed: Yes Simultaneous device connections: Unlimited Business location: The Netherlands Number of servers: 3,200-plus Number of country locations: 100 Cost: $15.45 per month, $41.85 for one year, or $59.13 for two years FEATURES AND SERVICES When you…

Your antivirus will protect you from many online threats, but no antivirus is perfect. Truth is, your PC can still be hacked even if you’re using reputable security software with a solid track record. When we talk about your computer possibly being hacked, that’s exactly what we mean: A cybercriminal has gained access to your PC and compromised it in some way. The hacker in question may be a criminal organization that’s installing malware on millions of PCs (for instance, to spy on you and steal your credit card numbers), or the hacker may be an individual using a remote access Trojan (RAT) to personally spy on you through your webcam. Here some common warning signs that your PC might’ve been hacked, exposing your personal data and system resources. IS…

Norton 360 antivirus protects you out of the box, automatically blocking malware and even preventing suspicious-looking programs from accessing your webcam without your permission. Those are just basic security features, though. Some of Norton 360’s most useful features—cloud backups, VPN, dark web monitoring, a built-in software updater—won’t do anything until you set them up. Here are the first settings you should change after installing Norton 360 if you want to take full advantage of this security suite. Note: To find these settings, open the Norton 360 application from either your Start menu or system tray. You’ll see a My Norton window, where you can find Norton’s features and options for controlling them. 1. CHOOSE HOW MANY NOTIFICATIONS YOU WANT TO SEE Like other security suites, Norton 360 can be a little noisy…

Back in August 2023, Windows 95 became 28 years old. Official support for Windows 95 ended in 2001, to be replaced by Windows 98, then Windows XP, then Windows Vista. (Oof.) We’ve previously reminisced about the sometimes joyful, sometimes bug- and problem-plagued times we had with Windows 95. But now a different kind of memento has surfaced. It’s an original copy of Windows 95—and not just that, but the first-ever copy of Windows 95 that ever rolled off the production line. And what’s most impressive is that it’s still shrink-wrapped and unopened. THE FIRST-EVER WINDOWS 95 IS STILL OUT THERE For collectors, this first-ever edition of Windows 95 is likely to be worth a small fortune. But who still owns this ultra-rare relic? It’s none other than Brad Silverberg, an…

Earlier this year, Microsoft killed WordPad—the free and surprisingly capable built-in word processor that debuted in Windows 95. For this, they must be punished. Yet while Microsoft taketh away, they also giveth. After several months of testing, the Notepad text editor is finally getting spell check and auto-correct features. Maybe that’ll even things out. We reported on this back in March when this upgrade to Notepad began rolling out to Windows 11 Insider builds. Now it appears that it’s done with testing and heading out to everyone (or at least about 20 percent of everyone, since a lot of you are still on Windows 10). The Verge notes that Notepad’s spell check feature appears to be there in the latest update—and sure enough, my own Notepad copy is showing those familiar red…

Microsoft desperately needs its new Surface Pro (2024) 11th Edition Copilot+ PC to be a success. It’s something like 80 percent of the way there. But the most important thing this Windows on Arm tablet accomplishes is point to what feels like an inevitable future for productivity PCs…someday. You’ve seen a Surface Pro before. Weirdly, this 13-inch tablet is the least interesting part of the whole affair. Inside is the key: How well does Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite work? Do the new AI experiences actually make a difference? And can Windows on Arm finally replace an X86 PC from AMD or Intel? I have answers. An expanding ecosystem of native Arm apps run great on this tablet, and when it’s plugged in, the performance seems to be on par…

This is an exciting year for Windows. While the AI features touted by Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs are a flat miss, the new Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite hardware inside Copilot+ PCs is a definite win. Finally, after more than a decade of effort, Windows on Arm is a viable alternative to traditional x86 processors—and it’s especially alluring if you long for longer battery life. But what about games? There’s reason to be skeptical, despite Qualcomm’s pre-release claims that games should just work on Snapdragon X Elite. Games are often developed with a highly specific platform target. Even ports that seem simple, like a move from PlayStation 5 to Xbox Series X|S, can take a lot more effort than you might think. To find out how well Qualcomm’s chips fare in PC…

Microsoft, Qualcomm, and their PC-manufacturing partners are seriously hyping Copilot+ PCs. They’d have you believe that these “next-generation AI laptops” are packed with AI smarts and useful features. But while the hardware for AI tasks is ready in these laptops, the actual features built into Windows aren’t making full use of it. We’re in a weird position. We’re excited about these laptops because they’re the first seriously impressive Windows-on-Arm laptops. We’re excited about long battery life with snappy performance. And we’re excited that next-generation Intel Lunar Lake hardware is looking like a huge leap for traditional x86 laptops. But we’re not excited about all these at-launch AI features being pushed by marketing campaigns. Snapdragon X Elite–powered PCs might be intriguing, but if you’re excited about an immediate AI upgrade to your Windows…

The Startup page in Windows 11’s Settings is really useful for toggling which apps autostart when you boot the system. But the more apps you have enabled in Startup, the longer it takes for Windows to be fully usable after restarting. That’s why it’s good to check the Startup page every so often and disable unwanted apps. Or you could simply enable a built-in notification that alerts you whenever new apps are added to Startup. Here’s how to configure Windows to notify you when new Startup apps appear. ENABLE ALERTS WHEN NEW STARTUP APPS ARE ADDED TO WINDOWS 11 Open the Windows 11 system settings, click on System in the left sidebar, then select the Notifications section on the right. The settings page for notifications will now open. Scroll down…