Microsoft, really, really, really wants you to log in with a full, connected Microsoft account for Windows 11. It’s essential for tracking user data, feeding people ads, and generally making your PC experience much more frustrating (though it also enables ease-of-life features like OneDrive and account syncing between PCs). Users have been finding ways around this requirement for a while, and…
I’ll only game on a keyboard with linear switches. Here’s why
October 30, 2025
A gamer’s preference for their keyboard switches is a personal affair. You’re almost always guaranteed to start a debate if you ask a room full of gamers which they’d prefer: linear or clicky switches, with each side claiming that their choice is the best.
But beyond…
Nvidia’s GPU Technology Conference isn’t making many waves for gamer or PC hardware crowds this year, perhaps because it seems to be exclusively interested in boosting hardware for “AI” and data centers. So it’s almost ironic that a phony version of the keynote…
Your PC might not run Windows 11’s 26H1 update
October 30, 2025
A new rumor suggests that Microsoft will offer a new Windows 11 26H1 feature release early next year — but chances are you won’t be able to get it.
According a to a rumor by noted tipster PhantomofEarth, Microsoft will treat the Windows 11 2026 releases in much the same way that it handled 2025: features will be rolled out in a Windows 11 26H1 release to PCs, but only “enabled” in the…
Consider this an apology to Hyper and to its parent, Targus. I don’t want to use HyperSpace’s TrackPad Pro standalone haptic trackpad and I’ve probably wasted your time, Hyper’s, and mine. Perhaps you, dear reader, will feel differently. Me? I just can’t stand…
Laptops with Blu-ray and DVD drives? Yup, Fujitsu is doing it
October 29, 2025
When’s the last time you saw a laptop with a spinning disc drive on a store shelf? Outside of a pawn shop, I don’t think I’ve seen one in almost 10 years. But Japanese manufacturer Fujitsu just announced brand-new models, complete with fairly recent Intel and AMD…
Google warns of rough edges as Gemini for Home arrives
October 29, 2025
It’s finally time to bid adieu to Google Assistant in the smart home world, as Gemini for Home has begun its slow rollout on Google smart speakers and displays. But if you’re among the lucky few allowed to take Gemini for Home on a test drive today, you should expect some bumps in the road, the company says.
Google took the wraps off Gemini for Home earlier this month, and it’s been teasing…
Baseus Security S2 Outdoor Camera 4K review: It sees the light
October 28, 2025
For many households, outdoor cameras are the front line of home security. The devices watch over driveways, porches, and backyards, catching activity that doorbell cameras often miss. Baseus enters this space with two solar-powered models: the S1 Lite, a budget option with…
Microsoft’s next Xbox will run Windows, a report says, blurring the line between PCs and consoles and making the latest Xbox Ally X the model of what Microsoft hopes to achieve in gaming.
Windows Central, which has established some good sources inside the console space…
AMD is rebadging 2022 Ryzen processors as ‘new’ chips
October 28, 2025
If you’re in the market for a new Ryzen PC, beware: AMD is updating some of its old Ryzen processors with fresh branding and updated model numbers and passing them off as new processors.
AMD has carved out a number of “new” Ryzen 100-series chips alongside a pair of new Ryzen 10-series model numbers. However, the chips are apparently identical to a number of older Zen 2 and Zen 3+ processors…
