Innehållsförteckning för October 2023 från PCWorld

Despite the proliferation of tools to keep you safe, the web isn’t actually getting any safer. To counter rising threats, Google has redesigned the Chrome browser’s built-in protection scheme with the revamped Safe Browsing. This new version of the distributed defense system actively monitors the URLs your browser visits, popping up a warning screen the second you stray into a part of the internet Google has determined is threatening. The update, which comes with a bigger set of Chrome feature additions, should be live for everyone shortly. Phishing is a particular focus of the new Safe Browsing features, as the threat is actively evolving. According to Google’s blog post, 60 percent of the domains used in these attempts to steal user data and compromise personal computers and smart devices are…

If you’ve been feeling constrained by Excel’s methods for manipulating data, you’re in luck—you can now use Python within your spreadsheets. The inclusion of the popular programming language went live this past August, with the feature available as a public preview. According to Microsoft, this integration is completely native within Excel; you won’t need to run any setup for it to work. (However, you will need to be part of the Microsoft 365 Insider program to access preview features in Office apps.) You type Python code directly into cells using the new =PY() function, which then gets executed in the cloud. The results are displayed in the worksheet. In the examples shown by Microsoft, common actions like creating pivot tables and charts will be possible using Python. Microsoft’s partnership with Anaconda,…

The Pavilion lineup is HP’s answer to the IdeaPad or Inspiron line in its competitors, sort of the Toyota Camry of the consumer PC world. But the company is spicing up this vanilla image with this year’s new entries, the Pavilion Plus 15 and 16. Anodized aluminum bodies give these laptops a more premium look, and better internals make a case for users looking for a bit more power and capability in a mid-range design. The 14-inch Pavilion Plus offers the widest options, with both 13th-gen Intel Core i5 or i7 and AMD Ryzen 5 or 7 (up to a 7840H) choices depending on the build. But the screen is the star of the show. While the base model has a serviceable 1920×1200 IPS panel, you can choose between a…

It’s tempting to think the inexpensive Asus Zenbook 14X OLED, which retails for just $799.99, is little more than a vessel for delivering a crisp, beautiful OLED display. On the contrary, the 14X OLED is an inexpensive yet fundamentally great laptop that scores well in battery life, build quality, and day-to-day usability. SPECS AND FEATURES The headline feature is, of course, the 14.5-inch OLED display. It packs a resolution of 2880×1800 and a 120Hz refresh rate, specifications that put competitive laptops with 1080p displays to shame. CPU: Intel Core i5-13500H Memory: 8GB LPDDR5 Graphics/GPU: Intel Iris Xe Display: 14.5-inch 2880×1800 120Hz OLED Storage: 512GB SSD Webcam: 1080p Connectivity: 2× Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C, 1× USB-A 2.1, 1× HDMI 2.1, 1× 3.5mm audio jack Networking: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 Biometrics: IR…

CCleaner has been around since 2004, so for many it is the PC cleaner software they use. But is it still the best? As with many Windows applications, there’s a free version of CCleaner but it’s limited to standard privacy protection (tracking files and browsing data) and cleaning. I’m testing the paid-for Professional version here, which unlocks a range of additional features such as the Speed and Security sections of the software, plus the ability to schedule cleaning and monitor your computer. FEATURES AND PERFORMANCE Like most tune-up software, CCleaner Professional is a simple and easy download followed by a quick installation. It’s 112MB in size and is compatible with Windows 7 and later versions. After a short intro explaining the features, CCleaner carries out a Health Check in a…

When Zoom exploded in popularity in 2020 because of the pandemic, many people installed and used it for the first time. This necessity led to almost everyone sticking to the basics of virtual meetings. But if you’re still only using the core Zoom features, you’re missing out. There are loads of ways to make your calls much more fun and useful, though it’s not always obvious that they exist. That’s why we’ve highlighted eight of the best here. If you want to improve your video-calling experience without buying a new webcam or microphone, we’ve got tips to help. Crucially, all these features are available on the free version of Zoom. Removing the 40-minute limit is the main perk of paid plans (from $149.90 per year). 1. STOP LOOKING AT YOURSELF…

If you’ve been using Microsoft Word for years, you probably think you have a pretty good grasp of its capabilities. But you might be missing out on their full extent, or worse, making do with unnecessary minor irritations that could be improved with the right know-how. Don’t believe me? Read on to see if any of the following tricks and hidden functions could improve your own workflow. 1. FINDING ELEMENTS, SPECIAL CHARACTERS, AND FORMATS Problem: Word’s search function only finds text. How can you find other elements such as tables, graphics, footnotes, and even formatting? Solution: All this is hidden in Word’s search dialogue. First call up the search input field with Ctrl+F. Then click on the magnifying glass. Then click on the magnifying glass symbol. Here you will already…

WordPad, a Windows rich editing app that has been a mainstay of the platform since Windows 95, is on its way out. Microsoft has marked it for deprecation, a death knell that signals it will be removed in a future version of Windows. BleepingComputer noted the change, which has been made official in Microsoft’s list of deprecated Windows features. “WordPad is no longer being updated and will be removed in a future release of Windows,” Microsoft said. “We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like .txt.” According to Wikipedia, Microsoft Wordpad was first introduced in Windows 95, replacing Microsoft Write. It’s not hard see why Wordpad was picked to head to the chopping block, however: While Microsoft has…

So far, 2023 has been a bad year for Western Digital. Last spring, a major security breach occurred that locked customers out of their cloud-connected storage devices. Now the manufacturer is under fire for SSDs that unexpectedly disconnect and erase users’ data. Ars Technica has summarized the situation and notes that three different lawsuits have now been filed against Western Digital after months of complaints by customers. They mainly concern a number of models in the SanDisk Extreme series of SSDs, but the 4-terabyte version of WD My Passport is said to have the same problem. One member of the Ars Technica editorial team—and another at The Verge—reportedly experienced the sudden loss of data. Western Digital released an update in May, intended to solve problems with SSDs suddenly disconnecting from the computer.…

It’s official: The next-generation Thunderbolt spec, called Thunderbolt 5, will debut next year with enough charging power and bandwidth to support eGPUs and a new class of “external AI devices.” Intel teased the new Thunderbolt specification at the end of 2022, promising that the next-gen Thunderbolt would continue the trend of doubling bandwidth, all the way to 80Gbps in one direction. That included a promise, now confirmed, that the four lanes of Thunderbolt could be reconfigured to allow three lanes from a laptop to a monitor, rather than two. That will allow the option of a 120Gbps connection to a display, which Intel now refers to as Bandwidth Boost. Thunderbolt 5 will eventually be integrated within Intel’s Core platforms, primarily laptops. Although Intel has a prototype dock and laptop that it…

Microsoft’s cloud storage service is called OneDrive, and if you’re running Windows 10 or 11, you’ll have noticed that the company is very keen for you to use it. It would be easy to think that as a first-party program it would be best in class on Windows, but that’s not necessarily the case. In the basic functions of syncing and sharing folders and files, Google Drive is almost as good, and Dropbox is still better on a technical level. But OneDrive is good enough, and if you’re one of the millions of people who want to use Microsoft Office, it’s by far the most affordable option. In fact, if you subscribe to Office, OneDrive can basically be counted as part of the package. CHEAP, CHEAPER, ONEDRIVE Every OneDrive users…

As someone whose clothing regularly has wimpy, tiny pockets (through no fault of my own), I prefer to carry a slim hybrid power bank when I’m out. I get the best of both worlds—a little extra juice for my phone, plus the ability to charge at the wall. And the $30 Anker 511 PowerCore Fusion 5K fits that bill nicely. SPECS AND DESIGN The Anker 511 has a 5,000 mAh battery providing a total of 18Wh of power. Anker claims the battery will maintain a maximum capacity of 90 percent for almost two years (20 months), based on a recharging cycle of every two days. You get a two-year warranty as well. This power bank is compact, measuring 4.38×1.19×1.19 inches (11.12×3.02×3.02 cm) and weighing 6 ounces (170g). Its housing is made…

Demo software helps you trial and test the tools available in the full version, often giving you access to all features for a limited time. It can be helpful to use when you’re exploring new software tools, but it can also come in handy if you need a particular suite of tools for a short amount of time, and don’t want to pay the full cost for professional or creative software. This also applies to beta versions, which manufacturers offer free of charge in advance on the internet. The incoming feedback on handling or possible bugs helps the companies. With the right knowledge, it’s possible to extend the trial period for some demo software. Here’s how. EXTEND THE TRIAL PERIOD OF DEMO SOFTWARE Many demo versions offer a test period…

If you’re looking for a free way to sync files across all your devices—and you don’t mind putting a little work into it—SyncThing might be your answer. Compared to cloud storage services such as OneDrive (see page 45) and Dropbox, SyncThing isn’t the easiest service to set up. Its interface is unintuitive, and even figuring out what to install can lead to confusion. But when everything clicks, it’s fantastic. Because it’s not dependent on remote servers, SyncThing can transfer files faster than cloud-based services. It’s also more flexible, with an array of granular controls over what gets synced where. Even cloud storage users might find utility in SyncThing as a supplemental tool after getting past its setup hurdles. Let’s dig into how you can do that. And did I mention SyncThing…

New Chromebooks will now ship with ten years’ worth of security patches and updates, Google said Thursday, helping ease a persistent problem: the limited lifespan of Chromebook hardware. Google will also support Chromebooks that were released in 2019 or later by an additional two years, also giving them ten years of patches and updates, Google said. Windows PCs don’t last forever, but Microsoft traditionally has never placed an end-of-life date on a Windows PC until 2021, when it restricted some older PCs from upgrading to Windows 11. One of the differences between laptops and Chromebooks is that Google actually tells you when it will stop supporting Chromebooks. A Chromebook once exited support in just five years; in 2019, Google extended the Chromebook support window to eight years instead. (Google oddly hides this…

Several months ago, I wrote about my irritation with Windows ads—how I hate having Microsoft push services and products within a piece of software I paid for. Sadly, the situation hasn’t improved since then. Instead, it’s getting worse. When I last complained about this in April, the ads were set to come to the Windows 11 Start menu, as well as badger people using local accounts. But then they spread to the Settings app in Windows 11. After that, they showed up in pop-ups that appeared when an update completed. Now, not only is Microsoft nagging Windows 10 users to upgrade, but as The Verge documents, new Microsoft ads are springing up on the Windows 11 taskbar while you’re active in apps and games. Look, I’m not in marketing, but if…

Ten long months after the launch of the high-end Radeon RX 7900 series, AMD is finally finishing its next-gen graphics card lineup with the launch of the $450 Radeon RX 7700 XT and $500 Radeon RX 7800 XT. And their arrival means that for the first time this generation, there are 1440p gaming options finally worth buying. Nvidia’s offerings in this price range flatly aren’t compelling. The $400 8GB GeForce RTX 4060 Ti and $500 16GB version of the same GPU are better suited for 1080p gaming thanks to their ultra-nerfed memory configurations, meaning you need to spend $600 on the RTX 4070 to get compelling 1440p performance from Team Green—a steep price for that resolution. Enter the Radeon RX 7700 XT and 7800 XT. AMD’s new graphics cards deliver…

If you don’t need the super-fast transfers offered by Crucial’s pricier 20 Gbps X10 Pro, then the Crucial X9 Pro external SSD will save you some cash and still deliver all the everyday performance the average user needs. PRICE, DESIGN, AND FEATURES Crucial sells the X9 Pro in 1TB for $80, 2TB for $130, and 4TB for $240 capacities. That’s not the least expensive 10 Gbps SSD on the market, but given the superior performance, it’s not bad pricing at all. The 20 Gbps Crucial X10 Pro runs around $40 more at each capacity. The pewter-hued X9 Pro is a svelte object of desire at around 2.56 inches (65mm) long, 1.97 inches (50mm) wide, and only 0.38 inches (9.6mm) thick. Its bottom (shown at right) has a less slippery finish,…

No matter how much experience you have with Microsoft’s Windows, it can still be improved by turning to software and tools that can make the operating system that much better. Take Windows 11, for example: When Microsoft introduced it with extremely strict system requirements in autumn 2021, it was only a matter of time before those barriers could be circumvented. In order to install the new operating system on older PCs, the registry first had to be changed manually. Later, this could be simplified with a batch file, and now even that is superfluous thanks to Rufus, a small tool for creating bootable USB sticks. Now, with just a few additional clicks, you can run Windows 11 on almost any computer around. Let’s start this look at helpful, dead simple…

You can be a seasoned Windows user, but you may still not know every shortcut that’s available. For example, earlier this month I learned a new keyboard shortcut I hadn’t known before. It was so simple and obvious, yet it felt like a complete secret until that very moment. I also discovered that there are a whole lot more I’ve been sleeping on. The original tip came via Twitter (now known as X) courtesy of Jen Gentleman, a Windows engineering team member at Microsoft. But the help doesn’t stop there. She very generously has shared an entire list of such tricks, pinned to the top of her feed. I eagerly jumped down that rabbit hole and came away with a solid list of new shortcuts to incorporate into daily use. To…