Vivaldi 4.1 offers something that’s a rarity in the world of browsers: a new macro system that complements the niche browser’s implementation of new “accordion tabs,” too. Both features offer some intriguing new ways to surf the web.Vivaldi debuted a few years ago as the brainchild of some former developers of the Opera browser. Those developers have never been afraid to think outside the box, with inspired innovations such as a way to “pause” the browser. Other times, Opera follows competing
Chip shortages have hit one of the world’s largest software companies, Microsoft, and its lineup of Surface PCs.Microsoft reported net income of $16.5 billion (up 47 percent from a year ago) on revenue of $46.2 billion, an increase of 21 percent over the same period. But two key businesses suffered as a result of ongoing supply issues.Microsoft said that Surface revenue dropped 20 percent, or by $348 million, to $1.376 billion. In a statement, Microsoft said the shortfall was driven by “suppl
Microsoft released its groundbreaking Flight Simulator for its Xbox Series X and S on Tuesday, but PC gamers have a real treat as well: The significant performance upgrade Microsoft and Asobo Studios teased is now live. In early July, Asobo said that it had rewritten the game’s code to double the frame rate and significantly reduce the memory requirements, making Flight Simulator accessible to even more gaming PCs. In a video, the game ran at about 60 frames per second on a Core i7-9700K and
Facebook’s Oculus division said Tuesday that it’s pausing sales of the company’s Oculus Quest 2 headset, after reports that its foam facial interface irritated the skin of some customers.When the device returns in a few weeks, however, Oculus said that the Quest 2 would also feature a larger storage option, a 128GB headset on sale for the same price of $299. The larger Quest 2 will become the “standard” Quest 2 offering, the company said. Once the larger Quest 2 debuts, the Oculus Quest 2 wil
Battery life is an often vague and nebulous concept. In theory, it can be represented by a single number but, in practice, literally hundreds of factors can shorten or lengthen endurance. That’s frustrating if you’re trying to gauge the battery life and health of your notebook, especially if you’re trying to determine if it’s time to buy a new laptop.Windows has a secret feature called Battery Report that can help. It’s what we use while testing notebook endurance at PCWorld. Here’s how to ac
Whose fault is it that the PC industry has never, ever seen an upgradeable laptop design succeed? Ours. Yes, each of us bears the blame for never, ever seeing the laptop blossom into a mobile version of the desktop, with infinite upgrade capabilities that run until the end of time. But this isn’t about finger-pointing. For all our good intentions, there are some very good reasons why we’re not acting on our ideals. For the sake of argument, let’s agree that Framework’s new laptop, which you c
Intel said Monday it is completely changing the way in which generations of its microprocessors have been defined, discussed, and evaluated, paving the way for chips to be measured in angstroms, not nanometers.Specifically, Intel is rewriting the terminology associated with its process technology, it said at an “Intel Accelerated” presentation. Going forward, Intel’s 10nm “enhanced SuperFIN” technology will now be called “Intel 7,” mentally placing it on the same tier as the same 7nm process
Intel executives say that the company will be unable to supply enough processors to meet PC demand, as the factors driving ongoing chip shortages affect it, too. But surprisingly there’s some good news as well. Intel said it will probably eat the resulting increase in prices, at least where PC companies are concerned.“We remain in a highly constrained environment where we are unable to fully supply customer demand,” said George Davis, Intel’s chief financial officer, as part of a SeekingAlpha
What’s the best CPU for your next laptop? That was an easy answer just a few years ago, when Intel’s product line was far and away the strongest. But with multiple generations of AMD’s game-changing Ryzen chips finally giving Intel some real competition, you have more to think about.We’re here to help you navigate this wider landscape, but without thousands of words and stacks of charts. We’ll start with a quick primer on the strengths and weaknesses of each chip, then we’ll discuss how to pi
Electronic gear improves our lives, but it doesn’t often come cheap. Not for the big ticket items, anyway—laptops, TVs, desktop PCs, and smartphones still cost hundreds of dollars. But you can save money on them if you know how to shop smart.Using these three strategies, you’ll be able to find deals before they become widely known. Our tips also help when you’re hunting for discounts on less popular items that don’t go on sale as often. Plus, they apply year ‘round, with an increased chance f