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Americans wish they had this new iOS feature
Living in the EU, I now have access to custom app stores on iPhone. That means fewer rules and more apps to choose from!
If you have an iPhone and you live in Europe, then you've probably already discovered that you can now install third-party app stores on your smartphone. When I went to try and download Delta, it wasn't available in Europe on the App Store, and Riley Testut's AltStore is the official way to download it here. This made me take the plunge into a feature that I truly think Americans will be jealous of, and that's custom app stores on your iPhone.
Building a PC doesn't have to be expensive all the time, and there are plenty of components on the market right now to prove that. It is true that you may not get the latest and the best component out there when you stretch your budget a bit thin, but it's entirely possible to put together a solid PC without burning a huge hole in your wallet.
I turned my Raspberry Pi into a portable computer — and you can too
The Raspberry Pi works well as a portable SBC, but there are a couple of things you should bear in mind before bringing it along on your next outing
The Raspberry Pi boards are some of the best SBCs for DIY projects, but there’s no reason to confine them within the bounds of your house. Thanks to their small size, it's entirely possible to slip these devices into your pocket and use them on the move. But before you can bring your dreams of a portable Raspberry Pi to life, you’ll have to contend with the issues of powering and controlling the palm-sized system. So, I’ve put together a guide to help you free your Raspberry Pi from the shackles of cables, and use it anywhere outside your home lab.
Microsoft's new Start menu ads represent everything I hate about Windows
No matter what you do, you can't get away from Microsoft's bombardment of ads in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Microsoft's business model for Windows has been a hot topic lately, as the company's moves continue to point to an ad-supported or subscription-based future of the platform. There was a time when some thought Windows 12 might be subscription-based, following in the footsteps of successful services like Adobe's Creative Cloud. Neither advertisements nor subscriptions are particularly new for people in the Windows ecosystem. Ads have been in parts of Windows taking various forms — some optional and others not so much — for about a decade. Microsoft 365 has been available as a subscription for longer than that, since 2013. But every time the company takes another step to collect more user data, provide more "personalized," "tailored," or "recommended" experiences, or other cleverly-disguised ads, I can't help but feel disrespected as a customer.
6 features Apple Notes should borrow from OneNote
Apple Notes is great, but it needs these features to sway me away from OneNote
Being an official offering from Apple, the Notes app has a robust integration on the company’s devices. While some of the Notes features, such as Smart Folders, Quick Notes, tags, and subfolders, are great, the app misses out on several basics and spoils my note-taking experience in no time.
Retro gaming has never been better, and it can only go up from here
Give your classics the 21st-century TLC they deserve.
Retro gaming has come a long way in the last decade or so. It may seem odd, given how we've had emulators for a long time now, but as technology has evolved, our retro gaming capabilities have only gotten better. Now, we're at a point where it has never been better to be a retro gamer, and there are plenty of reasons why now is a great time to crack open the classics and try something familiar.
How building a NAS with an SBC can save you money
Build your NAS for less with a small-board computer.
A small-board computer (SBC) is a compact system that can run the same software as a desktop PC on some Linux flavor or Windows. They're capable devices with powerful processors, upgradable and expandable parts, and healthy modding ecosystems. You can find SBCs powering surveillance systems, media centers, and storage solutions. It's possible to transform an SBC into a network-attached storage (NAS) server where you can store backups, sensitive data, and more. Compared to pre-built NAS enclosures from Synology, Asustor, and other brands, this could save you money.
After speaking with Intel, I'm excited for the future of "AI PC"
We interviewed Robert Hallock, Senior Director of Technical Marketing at Intel, to talk about what the future of AI looks like to Intel.
Intel has been going through a bit of a transformation of sorts in the last few months. Pushed by the improvements of chip competitor AMD and the AI dominance of Nvidia, the company has put its foot down and committed to supporting both AI and improving its fabrication nodes at a breakneck pace. Intel doesn't just want to ensure its processors are powerful, but it also wants them to be the smartest in the business.
Start11 vs StartAllBack: Choosing the best Start menu replacement
Start11 and StartAllBack are the two most popular Start menu replacements out there. We've used them both, so which one is better?
As many users have found themselves unhappy with the Start menu on Windows 11, a lot of options have popped up to help you replace it with a better alternative. Two of the top options you'll find out there are Start11 and StartAllBack, both of which have a long legacy as Windows Start menu replacements.
4 reasons Intel is better than AMD for the average gamer
For most gamers out there, Intel is clearly the better choice when building a gaming PC. Here are the simple reasons why
When it comes to building a gaming PC, you have two choices for the processor — Intel and AMD. Brand preference aside, which camp you go with depends on which processor lineup is currently faring better on various parameters such as price-to-performance, features, overall platform cost, platform longevity, power efficiency, and more.
5 reasons Snapdragon X Elite will finally get me to upgrade
Time to bid goodbye to my 7-year-old HP Spectre x360
I have been using Windows since college, and bought my first premium Windows laptop (HP Spectre x360) after graduation in late 2016. I usually upgrade my laptop every five years, but I kept holding onto the current Windows convertible since I couldn’t find a worthwhile upgrade that met my expectations. That said, the introduction of the Snapdragon X Elite CPU from Qualcomm may finally convince me to move on from my Spectre x360.
Here's everything you need to know about RSAT, Microsoft's remote server management tool
RSAT is a set of tools that allow you to manage remote Windows Server machines. Here's what you need to know.
If you're a Windows IT administrator, you've probably heard of RSAT before, but for everyone else, there's a good chance this crucial tool is completely new to you. RSAT is short for Remote Server Administration Tools, and as the name sort of suggests, it's a set of tools useful for managing Windows Server instances remotely.
5 of the weirdest but coolest laptops in the last decade
Mainstream laptops with conventional designs and run-of-the-mill features don't even compare with these eccentric devices
2024 is a great year for laptop lovers. From top-tier gaming battle stations like the Alienware m18 R2 to the more professional Samsung Galaxy Book 4, there’s plenty to choose from, regardless of your preferences.
These are the best ways to play retro games anywhere
If you want to relive the classics, there are a few ways that you can play retro games literally anywhere.
Retro games are great. Old classics like Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog, and a ton of others across a span of consoles are some of the greatest games of all time. Modern technology allows you to play them anywhere, and these are some of the best ways you can enjoy the classics no matter where you go.
AI wants to help you: 5 creative ways to use LLMs
Don't miss these great opportunities where AI could be saving you time, money, and hassle
Over the past 18 months, LLMs (Large Language Models) have been making dramatic strides forward, and better yet are improving all the time. These improvements have sometimes been locked behind paywalls, like GPT-4 and DALL-E, but new mediums have also become available. LLMs are now available for everything from AI content generation, image processing, video editing, and much more, as well as a host of software generation and debugging tools. The rate of change within AI at the moment is stunning, so it's easy to miss opportunities where AI could be saving you time, money, and hassle right now. Let's take a look at how you can make the most of these tools.
Here's why RISC-V is so important
You might not have heard about it, but RISC-V is slowly revolutionizing how all kinds of devices are built.
RISC-V has been an industry buzzword over the last few years, making waves with a range of wacky devices and chips from all sorts of manufacturers. This often-hyped technology has sometimes struggled to live up to expectations, but it is slowly looking more poised to revolutionize the semiconductor market.
10 ways a gaming PC is different from your regular PC
While they're similar at a basic level, gaming PCs have some stark differences compared to regular PCs
If you haven't been inducted into the PC gaming community yet, you might have some doubts about what exactly constitutes "gaming PCs". After all, isn't every PC fundamentally the same? Well, in many ways, yes. But, there are also a lot of differences between gaming PCs and regular PCs, right from the kind of components used to the considerations involved when building a gaming PC.
Microsoft Roadmap Weekly: one of the most-anticipated Teams features, a new AI capability for Excel, and more
From AI-powered meeting summaries to all kinds of integrations, there's a lot in the works for Microsoft 365.
Another week has passed, and Microsoft hasn't disappointed us with its consistent effort to keep us updated about what new features it's working on for Microsoft 365 apps. And like every week, we're at it again to tell and explain to you in detail about all the important capabilities that Microsoft added to its roadmap website last week.
Why 27-inch monitors are king for gaming and you should buy one
Looking for the perfect monitor size? 27 inches is your best bet.
When shopping around for a monitor, be it for work or play, you'll have the choice of many screen sizes. Which is best for gaming? 27-inch screens have become a popular choice for gamers due to their size and resolution support. By buying a 27-inch display with a maximum resolution of 1440p (QHD) or 2160p (UHD), you'll achieve the sweet spot of gaming screens. There are a few reasons why 27 inches is the sweet spot for PC gaming, including pixels-per-inch, physical size of the display, and distance from the desk.
Although Microsoft announced Loop in November 2021, the company took its time and finally released the first preview in March 2023. While this Notion alternative was pretty bare-bones at launch, it has received a steady stream of updates since then. If you are still wondering about Microsoft’s new collaborative hub, check out the top reasons to use Microsoft Loop on your laptop.