PCWorld

Speed up your laptop for free. Laptop form factor guide. 5 tools that integrate cloud storage into File Explorer. Massive AT&T breach. Reviews of the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED and Lexar SL500 USB SSD.

PCWorld

Google’s new Googlebook OS is basically Android for laptops • Previously known as Aluminium OS, Googlebook OS is the Android-based laptop operating system that’s replacing ChromeOS. Devices start at $899.

OpenAI’s Dots are always-on AI agents for work • We’ve already seen AI assistants for personal use and shopping, but ChatGPT’s Dots are geared toward collaborating at the office.

Microsoft is quietly killing its Copilot+ PC brand • Microsoft’s new Surface Pro and Laptop meet Copilot+ PC specs but skip the badge. Two execs cast doubt on the label’s future.

Meta’s new VR headset forgot about the games • The company that brought virtual reality to the mainstream barely mentioned gaming when it showed off its new flagship headset.

I tested Google’s SynthID detector on AI slop. There’s a big catch • Now available to the general public, Google’s SynthID tool can pinpoint invisible AI watermarks, but it’s not a catch-all AI detector.

Sorry, Microsoft: Haptic mice are a productivity gimmick • Kudos to Microsoft for trying to improve the PC-mouse interface. I’m just not convinced it’s necessary.

Your used CPU might come with someone else’s Valorant ban • Anti-cheat systems for online multiplayer games can flag individual PC parts, which can be a problem if you buy secondhand hardware. 

Meta’s Muse AI assistant was born to shop • Give it your credit card, and Muse can tirelessly scour the web on your behalf, looking for deals and even ringing them up on your say-so.

Acer Swift Air 14: This $699 MacBook challenger holds its own • A $699 price tag with an obvious limitation: 8GB of RAM.

Apple Mac Studio (M5 Max): Shifting into overdrive • The SSD speed boost is so dramatic that even if you bought one of the previous model earlier this year, you should consider upgrading.

Aura Data Removal: It chases data brokers but needs some minding • The service automated dozens of opt-out requests in my testing, but I learned not to take every “Removed” status at face value.

Acer Aspire 16 AI: The laptop I keep reaching for • The Acer Aspire 16 AI isn’t perfect, but it’s lightweight and capable, and it has such a beautiful OLED display that I kept reaching for it anyway.

Samsung Odyssey G80SH: A great-looking 4K OLED • Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G8 (G80SH) is a stylish monitor with a QD-OLED panel, 4K resolution, and one unique feature that’s especially noteworthy.

MyPDFTools: A handy free PDF toolkit with some rough edges • The basics of MyPDFTools are easy and effective, but more demanding jobs expose some limitations.

Microsoft promised a better Windows 11. Here’s its 6-month report card • Microsoft has delivered the Windows 11 26H2 Update to the masses. We issue a report card on how it’s lived up to its promises.

Google’s new Googlebooks aren’t AI-first. They’re phone-first • Google’s newest take on the laptop form factor makes sense for some users, but only if they use an Android phone for most of their digital life.

I doubled my laptop’s battery life in a single click. Here’s how • Microsoft has various ways to save power within Windows and keep your laptop up and running for longer. And there’s one enormous fix.

Gmail’s hidden trick: One inbox, endless custom addresses • Plus addressing lets you sort mail with filters and keep your inbox organized. It’s also a great way to spot who’s leaking your email.

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