Innehållsförteckning för March 2024 från PCWorld

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 that it will be removed in a future version. BleepingComputer first noted the change, and it was made official in Microsoft’s list of deprecated Windows features in September 2023. And now the ax has started to fall. One of the changes being made in the latest Canary Channel build of Windows 11 is the elimination of WordPad from new Windows 11 builds—perform a clean install and WordPad will no longer be included. While it’s unclear how many users actually pined for (and used) WordPad and its RTF file format, it does rob Windows 11 of a native rich-text editor.…

An astronomical 26 billion records of leaked, breach, and sold data has been discovered on the web—and it’s likely your information is caught up in the mix. Discovered by cybersecurity researcher Bob Dyachenko of SecurityDiscovery.com and the team at Cybernews.com, news released Tuesday about this massive collection of users logins and personally identifiable information. The set spans a whopping 12 terabytes of data; Cybernews called it the “mother of all breaches.” Currently, researchers believe that most of the information comes from known sources—but they also suspect new, unpublished data is very likely part of the compilation. Duplicate data is likely mixed in as well. For comparison, Cybernews’ own data leak checker contains 15 billion records. With such a large data set now public (and especially one that contains so much…

We’ve been recommending that most Windows users have at least 8 gigabytes of RAM if they want their PC to operate smoothly for a while—which is a shame, because a lot of budget laptop sellers still seem to think 4GB is acceptable in 2024. But a new research report—quoting Microsoft, no less—says it might be time to bump up that baseline if you want to access the latest artificial intelligence features, like the newly expanded Copilot tool in Windows. Market research firm TrendForce (hat tip to PC Gamer) reports that Microsoft is setting the “baseline for DRAM in AI PCs at 16GB.” That doesn’t appear to be a hard limit—no such requirement appears in Microsoft’s technical or business documentation for the tool, and we haven’t heard any reports of Copilot refusing to run on…

When you pay for software, the last thing you want are limits. And yet Bitdefender Total Security imposes a rather surprising one on users: VPN use, commonly a part of mid-range antivirus suites, is restricted to a 200MB limit per day, per device. It’s an odd ploy, given that rival services offer full and unrestricted VPN access, and sometimes a password manager subscription, too. But Bitdefender’s ace in the hole is its stellar protection, along with its easy-to-understand and yet still customizable interface. If you can forgive Total Security for its occasionally half-baked areas, it provides one of the very best defenses against both malware and online threats. WHAT DOES BITDEFENDER TOTAL SECURITY INCLUDE? Bitdefender Total Security offers protection against online threats, starting with antivirus, firewall, and ransomware features. It…

When you think of VPNs, ExpressVPN is likely one of the first names that pops into your head. That’s no surprise, as the company has blanketed the internet with ads, and it’s likely you’ve seen at least one somewhere out in the wild at this point. And while you may disagree with its inescapable promotions, you can’t deny that it provides a great service. It is, and has been, one of the most trustworthy and notable VPN providers on the market for years now. Since its acquisition by Kape Technologies in 2021, it has gained the financial backing to step up its game even more. Just since our last review, ExpressVPN has undertaken dozens of independent security audits, launched an Apple TV app, and added its own built-in password manager. It…

The more we live our lives digitally, the more important it is to keep our computers and other devices safe from data loss, fraud, and spying. Although most people today use phones more than computers, it is computers that need the most attention. Both Windows and Mac OS are more capable operating systems than Android and iOS, but because more can be done on a computer, the potential for problems is also greater. Computer security is about protecting a computer from unauthorized use, malware, and espionage. For most people, data security is at least as important—that is, not losing irreplaceable files such as private photos and videos. Data security depends on computer security, but not vice versa. Even if you don’t have a single irreplaceable file on your computer but…

By default, logging into a Windows 10 or 11 computer using your Microsoft account is something you have to do every time you start using the computer. Filling in some sort of password is, of course, important for security reasons. The password makes it harder for a thief to get into your computer and it’s a must for laptops that you take with you to other places. On the other hand, for computers that are stationary on your desk at home, having to type in a password every time you use your computer can be unnecessary. In the past, it has been possible to opt out of logging in via a tool called Netplwiz, but with the Windows 11 update, the ability to set this has changed. The option “User…

The internet service industry is no stranger to somewhat nebulous claims of speed and reliability. But even in that context, Comcast’s self-styled “Xfinity 10G network” for its home internet business raised some eyebrows. After months of arguing with the cable industry’s self-regulatory agency the NCTA and the National Advertising Review Board, the company has agreed to drop the potentially misleading moniker. While technically referring to theoretical speeds of 10 gigabits per second on the fiber optic broadband line, it seems likely that the “10G” in Xfinity 10G was carefully crafted to imply that it’s twice as fast as 5G, the current standard mobile wireless technology. Advertisements claiming it’s “next generation,” and a Super Bowl ad featuring the moon landing and boasts about accessing the network at the dentist, surely didn’t…

Printers are one of the banes of modern computing, expensive and frustrating relics that are nonetheless occasionally necessary. Over the last few years, HP seems to be doing its best to make them even more expensive and frustrating by milking the infamously exploitative ink market until both the literal and metaphorical cartridge runs dry. After enraging customers by blocking third-party ink and bricking printers with dodgy firmware, HP’s CEO recently said the quiet part out loud. A bit of context: In an interview with CNBC last week during the World Economic Forum in Davos, HP CEO Enrique Lores gave a few choice quotes. In response to a recent lawsuit over HP’s software updates that block ink cartridges from non-HP sources, he started by saying, “I think for us it’s important to protect…

Microsoft said Friday that it has begun testing some extremely practical new capabilities for Windows 11, with new features that include Voice Clarity, 80Gbps USB support, and sharing and compression features that accommodate more applications. Windows 11 Build 26040 is part of the Windows 11 Canary Channel, code that may or may not be released to the general public. As proof of this, Microsoft pulled back a remote capture feature that had been released to the Canary and Dev Channels last September, making it part of the Snipping Tool app instead. While Microsoft hasn’t shipped any groundbreaking features with this release, it has included a number of useful additions that hopefully will make their way to the stable Windows channel this fall. REMOTE CAPTURE MOVED TO SNIPPING TOOL Last fall, Microsoft launched…

The Framework Laptop 16 is a laptop with a mission. It wants to prove that a large, powerful laptop can deliver great performance along with a repairability that puts other laptops to shame. The Laptop 16 delivers on that promise if you’re willing to pay a premium. Let’s dive right in. SPECS AND FEATURES The Framework Laptop 16 I received for review was the DIY Edition, which meant some assembly was required. The memory, storage, ports, and expansion bay are configurable. Shoppers can buy their own memory and storage separately, but the ports (which Framework calls Expansion Cards) and the Expansion Bay must be purchased from Framework since they are designed for its laptops. CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS Memory: 32GB LPDDR5 Graphics/GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7700S (in Expansion Bay)…

Nvidia sure has been fixing the biggest problems in its high-end GeForce RTX 40-series graphics card lineup with the recently announced “Super” series of refreshes. First, the RTX 4070 Super added 15 to 20 percent more performance to better fight AMD’s Radeon RX 7800 XT rival. Then, the RTX 4070 Ti Super upgraded the original’s memory system to better run games at 4K. Better yet, those cards still cost the same as their non-Super predecessors. The biggest problem with the original RTX 4080? Its price. There was no denying its potency, but the 4080 debuted at $1,200, a staggering $500 more than last generation’s RTX 3080—a 71 percent price increase for a mere 30 percent performance increase. Ick. While the new GeForce RTX 4080 Super indeed offers some small speed increases, Nvidia…

You may have already experienced it yourself with a new desktop PC or notebook: After the final installation of the prepared Windows 11, the desktop is covered in icons—much of which is bloatware. Common culprits are test versions of security suites and virus scanners, as well as programs for image editing or photo books. The PC manufacturers (OEMs) aren’t thinking of your interests with the software, but rather of filling their own coffers. This is because money is paid for each installation of bloatware, and if the customer (that is, you) takes out a paid subscription to the software, there is a tidy commission thanks to tracking links and traceability. In addition to bloatware—some also call it crapware—there are a number of other Microsoft programs and apps on your PC…

There’s nothing more aggravating than a laptop that refuses to hold a charge while it’s plugged in. I’ve dealt with this situation more times than I can count, especially in college when my cable management skills weren’t the best. So what do you do if you find yourself in this situation? Fortunately, there’s a number of simple fixes you can do to get your trusty laptop to charge again. Read on to learn more. 1. GIVE THE CABLES A ONCE-OVER Sometimes the answer is staring you square in the eyeballs. Before you dive deep into any troubleshooting, you should first make sure that your charging cable is firmly plugged into the power strip or wall outlet. If the current one is giving you grief, try another outlet. You’ll also want…

Microsoft is once again increasing the pressure on Windows 10 users to finally upgrade to Windows 11. Windows Latest reports that Microsoft is now showing some Windows 10 users a full-screen advertisement for Windows 11. This appears to be the case whenever you install an optional update from January 2024 on their Windows 10 PCs. Microsoft is going all out here. You’re not presented with a small pop-up; the advert for Windows 11 upgrade covers the entire screen and, on top of that, there are several sliders to click through. According to Windows Latest, there are a total of four slides users need to click through if they want to stay on Windows 10 (a situation we’ve witnessed ourselves). On the slides, Microsoft tries to make the advantages of Windows 11…

Graphics cards are too expensive. I don’t think anyone would seriously disagree with me there—to get the same level of performance relative to where the industry was ten years ago, you’re looking at $100 to $300 more for a GPU. Options are particularly anemic under the $200 level, with Intel and AMD fighting for a market that Nvidia has basically abandoned. Until now. A new, lower-spec variant of the GeForce RTX 3050 is coming to market with a refreshingly approachable price tag. The new 6GB version of the GeForce RTX 3050 was announced today, and there are two things about it that might just turn some heads. One, unlike the original 8GB version of the RTX 3050, it doesn’t require a power connector from the power supply. That makes it a…

On paper, Intel’s latest 14th-gen mobile Core HX processors don’t offer laptop buyers much in the way of an upgrade over the previous generation. In the real world, that holds true as well. And, weirdly, that’s some of the best news you’ll hear all year if you’re looking to pick up a gaming laptop without breaking the bank, because you should be able to pick up older 13th-gen laptops at a discount and barely notice a performance difference between those and Intel’s latest, greatest CPUs. And yes, I said greatest. Intel’s 14th-gen Core i9-14900HX is the fastest mobile PC CPU we’ve ever tested, though AMD’s Ryzen 8000 Mobile family of processors is waiting in the wings. Intel’s latest 14th-gen Core HX processors sit alongside its Core Ultra laptop chips, although the…

The Raspberry Pi dominated the maker scene for a decade. Supply chain problems then brought the high flying to an end. With the Raspberry Pi 5, the Raspberry Pi Foundation is now attempting to break free. The new Raspberry Pi 5 model is two to three times faster than its predecessors. This article summarizes how the mini computer has proven itself in the first two months and what its downsides are. In the logic of earlier Raspberry Pi models, this article deals with the 5B model. As there are currently no other models of the Pi 5, I will not use this exact model designation below. WHAT’S NEW? Externally, the Raspberry Pi 5 looks like its predecessors. The size of the board is unchanged, as is the 40-pin GPIO strip. The…

Every time you think the PC industry is out of ideas, they come back with some new ones. CES 2024 offered a solid glimpse of where things are going. The AI hype train is running at full speed, of course, but we also saw some promising developments for PC gamers and some fresh takes on portable computing. It’s a great time to be a PC user, and these emerging trends prove it. 1. AI PCS (AND PUFFED-UP AI MARKETING) ARRIVE With Intel heralding the “AI PC era” at CES, PC makers are eager to play up the AI angle on their latest laptops. Still, consumers will need to be savvy about what’s actually new and useful here. On the Intel side, the key component is the 14th-gen Core Ultra’s Neural…

A virtual private network (VPN) is an ideal solution for protecting your privacy and hiding your location from the view of others on the web. But using a VPN can sometimes lead to reduced internet speed. In this article, we will present various methods for and tips on how you can optimize the speed of your VPN. 1. TEST THE SPEED OF YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION Firstly, disconnect from your VPN such as NordVPN or CyberGhost and then test the speed of your internet connection with SpeedTest. Run the test again when you are connected to the VPN to see if the problem is really with the VPN or with your broadband provider. 2. CHANGE THE LOCATION OF YOUR VPN SERVER One of the most effective ways to speed up your VPN is…