Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2023 i Tech Advisor

Microsoft has invited reporters to New York City for a ‘special Microsoft event’, on 21 September, most likely signalling a refresh of Microsoft Surface hardware against the backdrop of the most recent Windows 11 update. The tech giant is playing it close to the vest; the invitation doesn’t offer any clues aside from the Microsoft logo in a variety of colours. It hasn’t provided a time for the event, either. However, most industry watchers know that the autumn is when the firm unveils its annual (or semi-annual) update of Windows 11. Microsoft has been setting the stage with various updates looking ahead to Windows 11 23H2. The biggest update will be the inclusion of Windows Copilot, a combination of Bing Chat and an assistant (but not Cortana, sadly), which will…

Browsers are getting more capable and more complex, becoming little software ecosystems in their own right. And that’s increasingly making them targets. Browser extensions, while incredibly popular for the tools and tweaks they add, are an easy vector to get spyware and other nasty stuff loaded onto your computer with minimal effort. Google’s latest security measure in Chrome aims to make it easier to spot potentially malicious extensions. According to the Chrome developer blog (fave.co/3KPV1PL), Chrome version 117 will introduce a trio of new checks whenever a new extension is installed. It’ll check to see if the extension has been removed from the Chrome Web Store by its developer or if it was removed manually for violating Google’s extension policies or being marked as malware. Users will also be able…

Price: £799 from fave.co/45wCOig It’s worth emphasising that this review is for the 2022 model of the Inspiron 16 2-in-1, which features Intel’s 12thgen processors rather than the latest (at the time of writing) 13th-gen. The 2023 version offers slight performance and power efficiency improvements, but it’s more of the same elsewhere. So, not only can you save some money on this older model, it’s still a great convertible laptop. Expect a good experience during multitasking, web browsing and office work, all while staying cool and maintaining good battery life. DESIGN The Inspiron is a solidly built laptop with a luxury feel, thanks to solid aluminium surfaces adorning both the inside and outside of the device. It combines with a nice matte glass surface that covers both the mouse pad…

Price: £499 from fave.co/3qzc5CR Earlier this year, Huawei released its first headphone and smartwatch hybrid, the Watch Buds. Now, the brand is expanding its wearable tech with the next instalment in its flagship smartwatch line. There are two models in the latest generation: the Watch 4 and the Watch 4 Pro, the same naming convention seen on the Watch 3 series. I’ve got my hands on the latter, which is the more premium option equipped with a titanium build and a beefier battery. DESIGN Huawei has stuck with tradition for this iteration of the Watch, with a large circular face remnant of a classic time piece. It has the same 3D rotating crown and accompanying button on the righthand side for controls and navigation. You can opt for three shades…

Super Mario, Zelda, Purple Tentacle, Sonic – these are just a few of the heroes who have inspired gamers for over 40 years. Some of the original gaming devices from Atari, Commodore, Nintendo and Sega are rare today, but new editions have launched with more modern technology. The same applies to the numerous classic games that still send retro fans into ecstasy. Here, too, there have been graphically polished revisions, especially for some Lucas-Arts titles, which reflect the enduring cult character of the games. In this guide, we show you how to get the original classic games of the breadbox era, as well as newer console titles, to run on your Windows PC. We offer you three possibilities: • The simple way via your PC’s browser. • The somewhat more…

Price: £259 from fave.co/45ugXI2 Sony has struck another blow in the noise-cancelling battle with its latest true wireless flagship headphone, the £259 WF-1000XM5. Sony took some of the advanced technologies from its WH-1000XM5 over-the-ear headphone and coupled them with a huge number refinements. Are those advances enough for Sony’s WF-1000XM5 to dethrone the Bose QuietComfort II as our top pick of in-ear noise-cancelling headphones? I found the default voicing to be tonally balanced from top to bottom, rendering good dynamics, decent midrange clarity and a detailed top end. UPGRADES Sony’s WF-1000-series has ranked consistently among our top choices for true wireless noise-cancelling headphones, and the WF-1000XM5 is well worth the modest £10 premium over the previous generation (the WF-1000XM4). Four key areas differentiate the WF‑1000XM5 from that earlier product. Upgraded,…

If you want to say goodbye to Cortana one last time within Windows 11, don’t update the app. Microsoft began deprecating the Cortana app within the Windows Insider program just a short time ago – that’s programmer-speak for ‘getting rid of’, just like ‘lay-off’ or ‘workforce reduction’ is HR-speak for the same thing. You can still open the Cortana app on Windows 11, but be careful. On the top of the app you may notice that Cortana has an update available. If you ignore the update (for now), Cortana should continue to work as it’s supposed to for the time being. But if you apply the update, you’ll essentially kill Cortana. After applying the update, you can reopen the Cortana app. But if you do so, you’ll see a message…

Who wants to play fullpower PC games on a Chromebook? At least a few people, presumably, since Google and its manufacturing partners have made ‘gaming Chromebooks’ for a year or so. But with some screen upgrades and RGB keyboards, these machines are very clearly intended to be used with cloud services like GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass and Google’s own ill-fated Stadia. It looks like more conventional gaming laptops, complete with dedicated graphics cards, were in the pipeline. Unfortunately, they’ve now been unceremoniously axed in the early development process. The news comes via developer commentary on Google’s public Chromium Gerrit. “Clean house on some dead [mother]boards,” writes the developer. “Herobrine, Hades, and Agah are all cancelled.” As About Chromebooks reports (fave.co/3P7aFbP), these codenames corresponded to motherboard designs destined for future…

Price: £999 from fave.co/45efmGL While it was the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 foldable mobiles that got the most attention at the latest Unpacked event, Samsung also released its new family of lavish tablets in the Galaxy Tab S series. There are three to choose from again, with size being the main difference. The Galaxy Tab S9, S9+ and S9 Ultra are lavish and equipped with elite features. It’s really only Samsung that challenges Apple’s iPad models in the highest class of tablets. PERFORMANCE How does it compare to Apple’s top tablets? In some ways better, in others it is clearly behind. Obviously, the processor and performance. While the iPad Pro has laptop performance with the M2 processor, the Galaxy Tab S9 series is powered by…

In 2023, there are more ways to game than ever before. Consoles and desktop PCs might seem like the obvious choices, but their power needs mean you’re fixed to one position. For the optimal balance between power and portability, a dedicated gaming laptop is the way to go. These can play all the AAA titles you expect, but still go anywhere with you and last for a few hours away from the charger. But many of the most well-known gaming laptops don’t come cheap, with top-of-the-line models often retailing for over £2,000. However, it’s possible to get a great device for around half that, or sometimes even less. Some compromises are inevitable, but a great gaming experience is still well within reach. In this article, we’ll run through the best…

Many PC gamers prefer the venerable keyboard and mouse, but controllers aren’t just for consoles anymore. Controllers can improve the experience in certain games, particularly those ported from a console, and a controller can be a comfortable reprieve if you’re already spending all day using a keyboard and mouse. There are as many controller options out there as there are games to play, so what’s a PC gamer to do? We’ve tested numerous game controllers from high-end devices with customizable hardware to wired models, and here are the best controllers for PC gaming. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Depending on your budget, you might have to make compromises on a controller’s features. But knowing how different features can affect your experience will help you make an informed choice. Feel Your gameplay…

If you’ve been using Microsoft Word for years, you probably think you have a pretty good grasp on its capabilities. But you might be missing out on the full extent of its capabilities, or worse, making due with unnecessary minor irritations that could be improved with the right know-how. Don’t believe me? Read on to see if any of the following tricks and hidden functions could improve your own workflow. 1. FINDING ELEMENTS, SPECIAL CHARACTERS AND FORMATS Problem: Word’s search function only finds text. How can elements such as tables, graphics, footnotes and even formatting be found? Solution: All this is hidden in Word’s search dialogue. First call up the search input field with Ctrl + F. Then click on the magnifying glass. Then click on the magnifying glass symbol.…

Due to a bug in connection with ClickOnce applications, Microsoft is now withdrawing several updates that were distributed in recent months. At the same time, the Redmond company is making a new update available that is supposed to fix the problem. BUG IN CLICKONCE APPLICATIONS ClickOnce is a Microsoft deployment technology that allows developers to create Windows-based applications and distribute them over the Internet or their own networks. The Windows 10 bug could cause users to be prompted to install an application that is already installed and trusted. Using the ‘Known-Issue-Rollback’ feature built into modern versions of Windows, Microsoft has withdrawn the updates that could have triggered the bug. The KIR feature restores PCs to the state they were in before the now-withdrawn patches were installed. Specifically, two Windows updates…

Price: £1,099 from fave.co/3soTkm5 The Asus Zenbook 15 OLED (UM3504) is a powerful laptop that’s great for basic office and photo work, watching content, and even a spot of light gaming. While it doesn’t have dedicated GPU, the USB4 port means that you can connect to an external GPU if you need extra grunt in that department. Asus says the 15in OLED display covers the entire sRGB and DCI-P3 colour spaces, so for budding creators looking to get started with content creation, this could be the one. While not a budget laptop, the Zenbook 15 OLED isn’t priced exorbitantly either. But how does it stack up to the competition? DESIGN Picking up the Zenbook 15 OLED for the first time, you’ll notice how thin it both looks and feels. Thin…

Price: £1,749 from fave.co/3saQfpp The new Samsung phone folds in half, again. We’ve been here before. I am spoiled as I have access to a lot of new phones, but the Z Fold5 is the fifth book-style folding phone from Samsung since 2019 – and things are feeling rather familiar. This is a device that looks and feels like the Z Fold4 and even the Z Fold3, but it remains the best book-style folding phone you can get despite the increased competition from the likes of the Google Pixel Fold, Huawei Mate X3 and Vivo X Fold2. Samsung’s software is the key. It’s the best on the market thanks to app formatting, useful flexibility and S Pen input compatibility. You should still ask yourself if you really need a foldable…

Depending on who you ask, game streaming may be the future of video games. Streaming services like Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming let gamers play games from wherever they are, on any device, without having to worry about a bulky console or expensive gaming PC. The challenge is that current gaming services vary in style a lot. Some let you play games you already own, some require you to buy them again. Some will work on any device, some have more restricted access. And of course, some will simply have better performance and speeds than others. Here’s how to pick which is right for you. With the release of Nvidia’s upgraded RTX 4080-equipped Ultimate tier of its GeForce Now streaming service rolling out in the next month or…

One of the main things to consider when buying a smartphone – especially one that costs close to £1,000 – is the quality of its cameras. In one short decade, phones and social media have destroyed the cheap digital camera market, and we now take pictures at every event and post them on the internet, for better or worse. Thankfully, phone cameras are exceptionally good these days. If you want to find the best phone camera then you’ve come to the right place. We fully test and review all the latest high-end, mid-range and budget phones on the market, and camera quality is one of the main factors in deciding their final scores. The very best smartphone cameras are inevitably found on the more expensive devices, but you can also…