Latest news with #Windows
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Is Windows the Future of Xbox?
Microsoft dropped some new details about its next-generation Xbox, and it sure sounds like the next console will be very similar to a Windows PC. If so, this plan could conceivably lead to Steam on the Xbox. Xbox President Sarah Bond hinted at big changes for the upcoming Xbox in an announcement on YouTube about AMD's involvement in providing the console's chips. It's not surprising that AMD has a role in the next Xbox, as it's provided hardware for Xbox in the past, but Bond managed to pack quite a few revelations into the short announcement video (below). Bond kicked off the announcement by revealing a 'strategic, multi-year partnership with AMD' that will include the next generation Xbox 'in your living room and in your hands.' As she finished that statement, she held her hands the way one would to hold Asus' upcoming ROG Xbox Ally, a Nintendo Switch-shaped portable gaming console running a custom version of Windows. The UI is that of Xbox, but it supports other stores, like Steam. Unfortunately, as Polygon points out, the Xbox Ally only plays Xbox games designed for PC play. Standard Xbox console games get left out. To cap it off, Bond said the goal was to bring gamers 'an Xbox experience not locked to a single store or tied to a single device.' 'That's why we're working closely with the Windows team to ensure that Windows is the number one platform for gaming,' Bond added. As we said, that has Steam written all over it in our eyes. Of course, other game stores will also want to get access to the console, but adding the Steam Store to the Xbox would be a huge win for gamers. It's also worth noting that Bond said the upcoming Xbox hardware would maintain 'compatibility with your existing library of Xbox games.' That statement, perhaps more than any other she made during the video, suggests that Microsoft is determined to be gamer-centric. If the company forced gamers to ditch their game collections…well, Microsoft isn't doing that, so we don't need to imagine the chaos. The next-gen Xbox should arrive sometime in 2027. The launch of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally was expected for 2025, so if that's any indication, we'd say development of the next Xbox is likely on track.
The Verge
an hour ago
- The Verge
Microsoft is blocking Google Chrome through its family safety feature
Earlier this month, Microsoft's Family Safety feature, primarily used by parents and schools as a set of parental controls and filters, started randomly blocking Google's Chrome browser from opening on Windows. The first reports surfaced on June 3rd, with some Chrome users noticing the browser kept closing or wouldn't open. Microsoft has introduced a bug into Family Safety that specifically targets the Chrome browser and prevents it from functioning on Windows. 'Our team has investigated these reports and determined the cause of this behavior,' says Chrome support manager Ellen T. 'For some users, Chrome is unable to run when Microsoft Family Safety is enabled.' Other browsers like Firefox or Opera appear to be unaffected, and some users have even found that renaming to works around this issue. Schools or parents who have enabled Family Safety as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription can also disable the 'filter inappropriate websites' setting in Family Safety to get Chrome up and running again, but this does leave children able to access any website. It's unclear when Microsoft will fix the issue, which has been ongoing for more than two weeks. We reached out to Microsoft to comment on this problem earlier this week, but at the time of publication, the company hasn't responded. 'We've not heard anything from Microsoft about a fix being rolled out,' wrote a Chromium engineer in a bug tracking thread on June 10th. 'They have provided guidance to users who contact them about how to get Chrome working again, but I wouldn't think that would have a large effect.' Microsoft has a habit of doing weird things on Windows to steer people away from using Chrome. While this Family Safety issue is likely an innocent bug, Microsoft has used prompts, fake AI answers, malware-like popups, and even a poll injected on Google's Chrome download page to try and sway people to switch to its Edge browser. Earlier this year, Microsoft even used Bing to trick people into thinking they were on Google.
Tom's Guide
4 hours ago
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Forget Prime Day! Best Buy's weekend sale is live from $19 — 23 deals I'd shop on Switch games, OLED TVs and more
The weekend is here, and Best Buy's sales are hotting up for the summer. If you want to enjoy the season to the max, make sure to check out my favorite deals. We're heading towards July and to celebrate, Best Buy's 4th of July appliance sale is live. You can get up to 50% off major appliances, so now's the time to give your kitchen a refresh. Or, if you want to upgrade your productivity, you can also get up to $400 off select Windows laptops right now. Plus, one of LG's best OLED TVs has seen an awesome new price low. That's the LG 42-inch C4 4K OLED TV on sale for $699 at Best Buy ($300 off.) And you don't want to miss snagging the AirPods 4 on sale for $99 at Best Buy. My favorite Best Buy deals are listed below. For more savings, see our Best Buy promo codes and the Adidas deals I'd buy from $7 at Amazon. Switch games: deals from $19 @ Best BuyFrom Luigi's Mansion 3 to EA FC24, Best Buy is taking from $10 to $20 off a small selection of games. (Most games are $20 off). The sale also includes Zelda, Assassin's Creed and more. The Apple AirTag is an excellent key finder that is extremely easy to set up and does a great job of locating your valuables. What more could you ask for? Save $5 right now. The Roku Express is a budget-friendly streaming device that delivers smooth HD streaming on your TV. It's compact, easy to set up, and comes with a simple remote. With access to tons of free and paid content, it's perfect for casual streamers who want an affordable, no-fuss upgrade. Appliance sale: deals from $59 @ Best BuyBest Buy is taking up to 40% off select small and large appliances. After discount, prices start as low as $59. The sale includes brands such as Ninja, Instant Pot, Samsung, LG and more. TV sale: deals from $69 @ Best BuyBest Buy has smart TVs on sale for as low as $69. Keep in mind, the cheap TVs tend to be smaller, 1080p models (which are more suitable for a children's room or guest room). However, the sale also includes larger sets. These are among the cheapest TVs we've seen from Best Buy. By comparison, Amazon is offering a similar sale with prices from $ check: from $69 @ Amazon | from $74 @ Walmart The AirPods 4 boast a new design, which Apple has refined with "50 million data points" to create the most comfortable AirPods yet. They also feature Apple's H2 chip, which delivers clearer calls with Voice Isolation, and a new, hands-free way to interact with Siri. The AirPods 4 also have USB-C charging and include up to 30 hours of listening time. In our AirPods 4 review, we said the Editor's Choice earbuds bring Apple's wireless earbuds lineup into the modern day with Pro-level features for less. The Shark FlexBreeze Pro Mist has a refillable misting tank onboard to make you instantly cool. It can act as both corded or cordless, with a up to 24 hour running time (depending on what speed setting you use). Its portable design means you can take advantage of the mist spray both indoor or out. Traeger grill sale: up to $300 off @ Best BuyBest Buy is taking up to $300 off select Traeger grills. After discount, prices start from $389. This is an awesome opportunity to shop some of the best grills we've reviewed. Laptop sale: up to $400 off @ Best BuyRight now Best Buy is taking up to $400 off select Windows laptops. The sale includes laptops from HP, Samsung, Lenovo and more. This Traeger Woodridge Pro pellet grill delivers a rich, natural wood-fired taste without gas or charcoal. It boasts 970 sq in of cooking space to fit up to 7 chickens, 9 rib racks or 7 pork butts, providing plenty of space to cook full meals for family gatherings and larger events. Inject added flavor with the Super Smoke Mode and manage your cook using the Traeger app. The Toshiba Fire TV is the perfect smart TV for anyone who wants a modern TV on a small budget. It supports Dolby Vision, HDR, and HDR10 content as well as DTS Virtual: X audio. In our Toshiba C350 Fire TV review, we said its color accuracy, low lag time, and responsive Fire TV operating system make it a great value for budget shoppers. Our TCL QM6K Mini-LED TV review called this "a great Mini-LED TV at a bargain price." Now that it's on sale for this discount, it's a steal. It looks slick both in picture quality and design, and has plenty of useful features on board. On the downside, we found some issues with sound performance and glare, but those flaws are easier to forgive now that the TV's price has dropped. The LG C4 OLED is powered by LG's A9 processor and features a 120Hz panel, Dolby Vision/ HDR10/HLG support, built-in Amazon Alexa, four HDMI 2.1 ports and Apple AirPlay 2 support. It's also one of the few OLED TVs that can natively accept a 144Hz input from a PC. In our LG C4 OLED TV review, we said the content looked colorful and dazzlingly bright on the C4 check: $699 @ Amazon Samsung's The Frame offers you chance to experience TVs unlike ever before. With its anti-reflective coating that gives it this art deco look to its Pantone validation, you can expect to forget The Frame is even a TV when it's set in art mode. But don't think you won't get ample performance in cinematic experiences, as well, with its beloved Tizen OS, which has access to every streaming service and even some cloud gaming subscriptions as well. Price check: $1,497 @ Amazon Fancy a Chromebook with an OLED screen for under $400? The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 gives you exactly that. This 2-in-1 laptop has a 13.3-inch 1920x1080 OLED display runs rings around most Chromebooks, and it offers up to 12 hours of battery life and a comfortably sized detachable keyboard. This ultraportable packs plenty of performance and power efficiency, thanks to its Core Ultra 5 chipset — all inside a slim and sleek aluminum chassis with a gorgeous 16-inch 2K display. If you're in the market for a Windows laptop, this is an amazing one to buy. You also get 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. This HP Omen 16 with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 GPU is now on sale for a $300 price cut. It packs some powerful specs, too, with its AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and 1TB for storage. Throw in its 16-inch 2K (1920 x 1200) display with 144Hz refresh rate, and you're looking at entry-level gaming laptop that packs a punch. The BlueAir Blue Pure 511i Max has a coverage of 926 sq ft, so it's great for small rooms. It uses HEPASilent, dual filtration technology to remove at least 99% of airborne particles in the air. It also runs very quiet and you can even control it via the Blueair app. Plus, its modern design makes it easy to blend into any room. The Shark FlexBreeze Pro Mist has a refillable misting tank onboard to make you instantly cool. It can act as both corded or cordless, with a up to 24 hour running time (depending on what speed setting you use). Its portable design means you can take advantage of the mist spray both indoor or out. This Dyson V8 is designed to be super lightweight, promises up to 40 minutes battery life, and two power modes. Its soft roller cleaner head can tackle all types of hard floors, while its powerful motor head can quickly suck up dirt, dust and pet hair from carpets. It also comes with six, different accessories to suit daily tasks. The AirPods 4 boast a new design, which Apple has refined with "50 million data points" to create the most comfortable AirPods yet. They also feature Apple's H2 chip, which delivers clearer calls with Voice Isolation, and a new, hands-free way to interact with Siri. The AirPods 4 also have USB-C charging and include up to 30 hours of listening time. In our AirPods 4 review, we said the Editor's Choice earbuds bring Apple's wireless earbuds lineup into the modern day with Pro-level features for less. The Marshall Emberton III is a stunning addition to your portable sound arsenal. It sounds great, looks wonderful, and won't break the bank. It's one of our favorite Bluetooth speakers thanks to its intuitive brass control nob. Beats' new workout earbuds are an all-around upgrade from the previous version. In our Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review, we loved their stylish design, strong bassy sound and stable fit. You also get 10 hours of listening time on a charge, or up to 45 hours with the included charging case. They also have some unique features on board, like handy physical button controls and a heart rate monitor. We rank them as the best wireless earbuds for fitness on the market. If you want a speaker that can truly fill a space, this is it. Our JBL Boombox 3 review praised this speaker's impressively wide sound and thumping bass. It also lasts for up to 24 hours of battery life, and has a strong IP67 durability rating against water and dust. Just note that it's hefty, coming in at 14.7 pounds.
Time Business News
5 hours ago
- Time Business News
10 Laptop Hacks Every User Wishes They Knew Sooner
Whether you're a remote worker, frequent traveler, event planner, or IT professional, your laptop is your lifeline. Yet, most users only scratch the surface of what their machines can do. From extending battery life to boosting performance, these ten laptop hacks can significantly improve productivity and ease of use — no new hardware required. Let's dive into the hacks every user wishes they'd learned years ago. Too many background apps starting with your laptop can drastically slow boot times. To streamline performance: Windows : Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager → Startup tab → Disable non-essential apps. : Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager → Startup tab → Disable non-essential apps. macOS: System Settings → General → Login Items → Remove unwanted apps. Real-World Example: A marketing agency noticed reduced boot time from 58 seconds to just 18 seconds by disabling Slack, Zoom, and Dropbox from startup. Battery life is precious, especially on the move. Nearly all laptops have built-in power-saving settings — but most users don't optimize them. Actionable Tip: On Windows , go to Settings → System → Power & Battery → Enable 'Battery Saver.' , go to Settings → System → Power & Battery → Enable 'Battery Saver.' On macOS, enable 'Low Power Mode' from System Preferences → Battery. Pair this with reduced screen brightness and Wi-Fi toggling when offline for even longer battery sessions. Using your laptop as a second screen boosts multitasking without spending on an external display. On Windows : Use the Project to This PC feature. : Use the feature. On macOS: Use Sidecar with an iPad or Luna Display for cross-device display. Example: Event organizers often use this trick to monitor registration tools on one screen and control digital signage from another. Running out of space? Don't rush to delete photos or documents — reclaim it intelligently. Try These: Windows : Use Storage Sense (Settings → System → Storage). : Use (Settings → System → Storage). macOS: Use Manage Storage in About This Mac → Storage tab → Optimize Storage. Clear temporary files, duplicates, and cached data. Tools like CCleaner or CleanMyMac can automate the process. Cutting down on mouse usage can significantly boost your workflow. Popular Shortcuts: Alt + Tab (Windows) or Cmd + Tab (Mac) : Switch between apps quickly. or : Switch between apps quickly. Windows + V : Access clipboard history. : Access clipboard history. Cmd + Space (Mac): Launch Spotlight search. Pro Tip: Learn shortcuts for your favorite apps like Excel, Zoom, or Adobe Creative Suite — it pays off fast. Juggling multiple projects? Use virtual desktops to separate workspaces by task or client. Windows : Press Windows + Tab → Add Desktop. : Press Windows + Tab → Add Desktop. macOS: Use Mission Control → '+' sign in the top right. This setup helps IT staff or freelancers isolate browser sessions, presentations, or development tools without clutter. When your touchpad fails — or you want hands-free control — turn your smartphone into a trackpad. Apps like Unified Remote, Remote Mouse, or Apple's Remote App allow seamless control for presentations, media, and navigation. Use Case: At corporate events or training sessions, users often pair phones to control slides without standing near the laptop. Most laptops default to 'Balanced' mode, but you can create custom profiles for performance, meetings, or travel. On Windows : Control Panel → Power Options → Create a power plan. : Control Panel → Power Options → Create a power plan. On macOS: Use third-party apps like Turbo Boost Switcher or set up automation via Shortcuts. Hack: Create a 'Zoom mode' with reduced screen brightness, camera optimization, and Wi-Fi preference for smooth video calls. Overheating causes throttling, reduced performance, and shorter hardware life. Tips: Use a laptop stand to improve airflow. Clean out vents monthly with compressed air. Avoid placing your laptop on soft surfaces like beds or couches. Bonus Tip: Keep Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) open to spot resource-heavy apps heating up your system. Many users delay backups because they don't want another subscription. But Windows and macOS offer built-in, free solutions. Windows : File History → External drive or network location. : File History → External drive or network location. macOS: Time Machine → External drive setup. Schedule weekly backups, especially before travel or updates. If you're using laptop rental devices for events or short-term projects, backups become even more critical to prevent data loss. Laptops are more than just mobile computers — they're powerful tools, often underutilized. Whether you're managing a team, running a business, or organizing a conference, these laptop hacks can save time, improve performance, and simplify your tech life. Explore which ones fit your routine and start implementing them today. And if you're working temporarily or organizing an event, laptop rental services can help you access high-performance devices without the long-term investment. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Mint
6 hours ago
- Mint
Want to browse without being tracked? Try these 5 browsers instead of Google Chrome's Incognito Mode
Ever opened an incognito window and thought, 'Now I'm invisible online'? The reality is, incognito mode is just a thin veil. It keeps your browsing history off your device, but your internet provider, employer, and most websites can still track you. If you want real privacy, better security, or even true anonymity, it's time to look beyond Chrome's incognito and try browsers built for more than just hiding your tracks. Incognito mode only stops your browser from saving your history and cookies locally. It doesn't block trackers, hide your IP address, or prevent websites from profiling you. Advertisers, your network admin, and even Google itself can still see what you're doing. For anyone serious about privacy or security, incognito is just a starting point, not a solution. Firefox is a favourite among privacy advocates. It's open-source, so anyone can inspect the code, and it blocks trackers and fingerprinting by default. You can also customise privacy settings to suit your needs, making it a flexible choice for most users. Use this browser if you value: Privacy, Security Available on: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS Brave blocks ads and trackers out of the box and upgrades your connections to HTTPS whenever possible. It also gives you the option to block scripts that might be following your activity. Brave feels familiar if you're used to Chrome but strips out a lot of the data collection. Use this browser if you value: Privacy, Security Available on: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS Tor is the go-to for anyone who wants to be truly anonymous online. It routes your traffic through several encrypted nodes, making it very difficult for anyone to trace your activity back to you. It's slower than most browsers, but if you need to keep your identity hidden, nothing beats it. Use this browser if you value: Anonymity, Privacy Available on: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android Epic is designed from the ground up for privacy. It blocks ads, trackers, and fingerprinting technologies, and even disables features like spell-check and auto-fill to keep your data safe. Epic doesn't require much setup and is straightforward to use. Use this browser if you value: Privacy, Security Available on: Windows, macOS, Android Vivaldi gives you a ton of control over your browsing experience. You can tweak privacy settings, block ads and trackers, and customise just about everything. While it's not focused on anonymity, it does a solid job of protecting your privacy and security. Use this browser if you value: Privacy, Security Available on: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS Incognito mode is fine for hiding your browsing from others who use your device, but it won't protect you from trackers, advertisers, or anyone else watching your activity online. If you care about privacy, security, or anonymity, these browsers give you real options. Take a few minutes to try one out and see how much more private your browsing can feel. Your data is worth protecting, and switching browsers is one of the easiest ways to start.
