PCWorld December 2024

As you may know, support for Windows 10 expires in just under a year’s time. But if you’re reluctant to upgrade to Windows 11, there’s a new alternative: You can pay a little extra to keep receiving security patches with a new extended consumer support option. Microsoft has confirmed a consumer version of its Extended Security Updates plan. For $30, you’ll receive “critical” and “important” security updates—basically security patches that will continue to protect your Windows 10 PC from any vulnerabilities. That $30 is for one year’s worth of updates, and that’s the only option at this time. (You won’t be able to resubscribe at the end, thus ending Windows 10 support.) Microsoft has been warning users for years that Windows 10 support will expire in 2025, specifically October 14,…

Most people in the US who have flagship phones with mainstream carriers are on 5G networks. And while 5G tech is noticeably faster than its predecessors, it’s still weak compared to Wi-Fi and fiber internet. That’s why we’re already looking forward to 6G, the next-gen wireless data standard that just set an incredible speed record. According to NewScientist, a recent test conducted by researchers at University College London showed that 6G wireless can transmit data at speeds up to 938 gigabits per second (Gbps). 6G SPEEDS COMPARED TO 5G SPEEDS The theoretical max download speed of 5G wireless is 20 Gbps. That means 6G is theoretically faster by more than 45 times. But the median 5G download speed across all mobile carriers around the world is around 70 megabits per…

For years, both AMD and Intel have energetically competed against one another in the PC processor market. But there’s a new force to be reckoned with—Arm—and both AMD and Intel are circling the wagons. On Tuesday, both AMD and Intel, along with Linux creator Linus Torvalds, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney, Microsoft, and a number of other companies, announced the X86 Ecosystem Advisory Group. The goal is to allow AMD and Intel to keep competing, while unifying certain aspects of the X86 architecture where customers are demanding a simplified approach. Part of competition involves different approaches to a specific problem, such as creating a processor using tiled chiplets or a monolithic design. In general, a software developer can code for the X86 instruction set that both AMD and Intel share and…

How long will it take to update your PC to the Windows 11 2024 Update? If my tests are any indicator, you’ll be twiddling your thumbs for a lot longer than usual. Microsoft characterizes Windows 11 24H2, formally known as the Windows 11 2024 Update, as a “full OS swap.” Until now, Microsoft pushed incremental updates to your PC, with only the code needed to perform security or feature updates. The language that Microsoft is using now implies that this is a much more involved process, and that seems to be true. I tested downloading and installing Windows 11 24H2 on four separate laptops. Each took at least an hour to install and some much more. Put another way, this isn’t something you can take care of quickly—quite a change…

At the end of October, Google released its major ChromeOS M130 update to everyone on the operating system’s stable channel. This version of the Chromebook OS includes a variety of improvements, including Quick Insert, Focus, and Welcome Recap features, among others. Quick Insert is a new menu that allows you to quickly input emojis, symbols, GIFs, links, calculations, and even access AI features. Depending on the type of Chromebook you have, Quick Inserts can be activated with a special keyboard key. However, all ChromeOS devices can also do it using the Launcher key + F keyboard shortcut. Focus is a new feature that makes it easy for you to toggle ChromeOS’s Do Not Disturb (DND) mode, set and adjust your focus times, select or create new Google Tasks, and play curated…

If you’re worried about artificial intelligence taking your job, you might want to sit down for this one. AI startup Anthropic has demonstrated a new Claude model that can look at a computer screen and operate a virtual mouse and keyboard “the way people do,” according to promotional material. In the video demo, researcher Sam Ringer shows Claude performing a bit of data entry “drudge work,” with the AI model using screenshots of a Mac desktop to find relevant information and submit a form. It is indeed the kind of thing that employees all over the world do every day, though Ringer notes that this is just a “representative example.” Exactly how much of the video has been edited isn’t known. But you don’t need to take Anthropic’s word for…