Innehållsförteckning för February 2023 från Tech Advisor

Windows 8 stunk. It might have helped cost chief executive Steve Ballmer his job. Windows 8.1 was a bit better, but if you love it, you have only a few days or so left to enjoy it. Microsoft will kill off Windows 8.1 support on 10 January. There’s no out: Microsoft will not be offering an extended support package for Windows 8.1. At that point, you’ll have a choice: buy a new Windows PC, or officially pay to upgrade to either Windows 10 or 11. What does the end of support mean? Until 10 January, Microsoft will offer security patches and other fixes for any security issues that crop up. Afterwards, you’re on your own. If any exploit or malware surfaces, you’ll have to depend on any antivirus software you…

It’s been a rough 12 months for LastPass. Back in August, the password manager suffered a security breach, in which the firm’s developer environment was infiltrated. At the time, LastPass said that while part of its source code and proprietary technical info were taken, customers were unaffected. Now the company has experienced a second related hack, this time impacting customers. As reported on its blog (fave.co/3Fs8jQf), LastPass recently detected unusual activity within a third-party cloud storage service. An investigation has so far revealed that the breach stemmed from knowledge gained during the August 2022 incident, and that “certain elements of customers’ information” have been accessed. Further information is unavailable, as the investigation is still ongoing. LastPass says that customer passwords remain safely encrypted, however. If you find this news unsettling…

Price: £1,499 from fave.co/3UAOGcQ Unlike most of Lenovo’s Yoga laptops, Slim 9i (Gen 7) isn’t a 2-in-1 device. However, it is a premium computer with a striking design that performs as good as it looks. With a dazzling display, capable Intel processor and some impressive speakers, this laptop is just as good for work as it is for play – especially if you work in the creative industries. But is it worth the hefty price tag? DESIGN The best thing about this 14in laptop is its premium look and feel, which is up there with some of the best in the business. What Lenovo dubs as an ‘Oatmeal’ colour is an unusual yet extremely aesthetically pleasing finish. The outer shell is made from glossy white glass with a very simple…

Price: £179 from fave.co/3ucoY3L The Google Pixel Buds in-ear active noise-cancelling headphones will work with any Bluetooth-compatible device, but they’re specifically designed to provide a superior experience with Android smartphones and tablets. Google has pushed its Pixel phone as the worthiest Android competitor to iPhone, and the Pixel Buds Pro are designed to be Pixel’s version of AirPods, with an integrated experience that delivers maximum ease-of-use paired with quality sound. The Pixel Buds Pro are excellent all around, with a unique and modern design paired with flawless integration with the Android operating system. What they don’t offer are the higher-resolution codecs you’ll find in the competition: There’s no aptX or LDAC compatibility here. Google has decided that the Pixel Buds will stand or fall with the AAC and SBC codecs.…

The upcoming Microsoft Designer is a visual art design tool that you simply must try for yourself. It’s simply one of the best consumer apps Microsoft has ever made, following in the footsteps of Clipchamp. Why use Designer? Two reasons: AI art and templates. In Designer, you can combine apparently unlimited amounts of AI art with intelligently suggested templates that can generate finished projects in just seconds. Microsoft announced Microsoft Designer in October, and it’s currently locked to a small group of testers in preview mode. Our colleagues at PCWorld obtained access via preview codes shared on Twitter, and that’s the way Microsoft is slowly adding users – after you download your first creation, you’ll be given a code for three additional Designer licenses that you can share with whomever…

Information security usually focuses on a single device, at least as far as consumers are concerned. But in an increasingly connected world, it might be worth re-examining that approach. Case in point: a newly discovered piece of malware in use by state-sponsored hacking groups. Private security company ESET (fave.co/3FsHBXA) found that the tool, once established on a Windows PC, will search the storage of any phone connected for even more information to steal. The ‘Dolphin’ malware is connected to multiple spyware and digital espionage groups believed to be working for the government of North Korea, primarily for the purposes of gathering information on South Korea and other Asian governments and industrial interests. It’s being deployed to specific targets. The tool uses fairly standard Python-based methods of searching a victim’s machine,…

Price: £1,399 from fave.co/3Ba1UXg After a couple of years of relatively minor spec updates, Dell is back with a completely redesigned ultrabook offering in the Dell XPS 13 Plus. I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say at the outset that it’s downright gorgeous. Featuring a true edge-to-edge keyboard, tiny display bezel, an invisible haptic touchpad, and capacitive function keys, it’s a bold new aesthetic that largely pays off. But can Dell maintain its admirable reputation and produce an ultrabook that performs as well as it looks? The Dell XPS line has always been hot on performance (and often just plain hot), so we won’t consider it job done unless the new XPS 13 Plus is as competitive in use as it is easy on the eye.…

Price: £399 from fave.co/3V3dmvB The Nokia X30 5G is a direct upgrade to 2021’s Nokia X20, and it’s clear there has been a shift in direction for manufacturer HMD not only in terms of overall design but performance too. This year’s model boasts a better display, a quicker processor, faster charging and although a downgrade on paper, there’s a boost to camera performance too. Compared to the Nokia X20 that we found hard to recommend to anybody but the most die-hard Nokia fans, big changes are on offer. The catch? It’s now £100 more expensive with a £399price tag, putting it up against big hitters in the mid-range space like the Google Pixel 6a, Nothing Phone (1), and OnePlus Nord 2T. The question is, does the Nokia X30 5G do…

Laptops looked under threat from tablets not too long ago, but their position now looks as strong as ever. The convenience of a large display and full-size physical keyboard that you can take anywhere with you can’t be underestimated, particularly in the era of hybrid working. But choosing which laptop to actually buy is more difficult than ever. Even once you’ve decided on a screen size or brand, there are loads of different options to choose from. This article aims to simplify your decision. We test and review loads of laptops each year, and here are our 15 favourites. They are ranked, but the options towards the top of the list might not be right for your specific needs. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Price Sometimes the best does come at…

If you’re bored at work, you no longer need to furtively seek distraction in games – you can play games with your co-workers right within Microsoft Teams with the new Games for Work app. Yes, a ‘Games for Work app’. For Microsoft Teams. It may seem counter-intuitive, but Microsoft Casual Games cited (fave.co/3BdOHfX) a BYU study that found that “teams who played short video games together were 20 percent more productive than those who participated in more traditional team‑building activities”. Even more interesting, all of the games available within the app are multiplayer, even those that have traditionally been single-player by design: Solitaire, for instance. Wordament, Minesweeper, and IceBreakers – a game where players are asked to make choices to foster conversation – are all included, with options for two…

Price: £984 from fave.co/3VpTymt The Acer Nitro 5 is a perennial budget gaming laptop favourite, and the 2022 version includes one of Nvidia’s latest graphics cores and an Intel 12th-gen CPU. So on paper, it could easily maintain its status as one of the most popular affordable gaming options on the market. The model I’ve reviewed uses an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU and Intel Core i5-12500H processor, and that modest hardware means a tempting price: this particular Nitro only costs £984. This isn’t the only gaming laptop with a low price, though, so in-depth testing is needed to find out if the latest Acer Nitro 5 can retain its spot on our best cheap gaming laptop chart. DESIGN 2021’s Acer Nitro 5 looked dated, so I’m pleased to…

Price: £319 from fave.co/3OxaTau At now over a decade in, various trends in smartphone design have come and gone – we have been through a multitude of building materials, ethos and shapes over the years. As manufacturers are trying to constantly guess the next new trend, this will only continue. But some ideas are stubborn and refuse to die, sometimes even when the evidence is piled against them, and one such idea is the ‘small’ phone. Sony has tried, LG tried, Samsung tried, even Apple tried and the public has yet to take the bait, with larger and larger phones now seemingly a rule of nature. Motorola is no ordinary manufacturer, however, having been exceptionally experimental in the past, and the Edge 30 Neo is its latest offering. At 155g…

Smartwatches are a great way to receive notifications from your phone and track your health, right from your wrist. We’ve used and reviewed all of the latest smartwatches for Android and iPhone, and here we’ve ranked 10 of the best. The latest Apple Watch may seem like the obvious choice – and in fact there are now three Apple Watch options to pick from – but there are also loads of great rivals to choose from whether you use Android or an iPhone, with excellent hardware from Samsung, Huawei, Garmin, and others. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Why you need a smartwatch There’s an interesting theory that smartwatches are to the smartphone what wristwatches were to the pocket watch. Picture the way the average gentleman used to have to rummage through…