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Best remote learning laptops in 2024
Looking for a new laptop to use for online classes? These are the best laptops you can get for remote learning right now.
After the last two years, it's fair to say that remote learning and remote work are here to stay at least in some capacity. It's not all bad - working or learning remotely can give you more flexibility and freedom, and many places take a hybrid approach that give you the best of both worlds. But that means you're going to need a great laptop, and we're here to help. We've already written about the best PCs for remote work, and in this article, we'll focus on the best laptops for remote learning.
Microsoft Teams makes it easier to connect with communities around you
Microsoft is adding a new Communities feature to the free version of Teams, meant for associations and local groups to connect more easily.
Microsoft has announced a brand-new feature for the free and personal version of Teams, called Communities. As the name suggests, this is a new feature designed to help users connect with the communities around them, whether that's something like a homeowner's association or a local soccer club.
OneNote for Windows is getting vertical tab support in early 2023
The newly-unified OneNote app is adding support for vertical tabs, mirroring the behavior on mobile apps and the old Windows 10 app.
Microsoft has announced that the OneNote app for Windows is getting an update early next year to add support for vertical tabs. This will make it so that tabs, which represent the sections in a given notebook, are displayed vertical next to the page list.
Microsoft is giving budding game developers more tools and rewards for using Azure
Developers who signed up for ID@Azure can benefit from a new partnership with Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub with free Azure credits and more.
Microsoft wants to help cloud-based independent game developers accelerate their growth, and to do that, the company today announced that its ID@Azure program is now partnering with the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub to unlock new benefits. These include the ability to receive more free Azure credits, as well as access to new tools that might be useful for game development.
Vivaldi 5.6 makes it easier to replace Twitter with new Mastodon integration
Vivaldi, a popular alternative browser, is adding Mastodon to its side panels by default, making it easier than ever to join the fediverse.
Browser maker Vivaldi has announced that, with the availability of Vivaldi 5.6 today, it's bringing Mastodon integration directly to the desktop version of its browser. Mastodon is one of the most popular Twitter alternatives that rose to prominence with the acquisition of the blue bird app by Elon Musk in late October. Unlike Twitter, Mastodon promises a decentralized approach, giving users the choice to join any server of their preference, each focusing on different topics and with different rules for the content allowed.
Surface Hub 2 could get better specs next year with new cartridge, says report
According to a new report, Microsoft is launching a new compute cartridge containing new Intel processors to power the Surface Hub 2.
Microsoft is apparently preparing to upgrade the compute specs inside the Surface Hub 2, or simply the Surface Hub 2, in 2023, bringing more performance to its meeting room display. According to Zac Bowden of Windows Central, the company is planning to release a new compute cartridge codenamed Upward, essentially the core of the Surface Hub 2, which users can easily use to replace the existing one while keeping the same display.
New Windows 11 bug may prevent users from connecting to databases using SQL Server
Microsoft has confirmed a new known issue in Windows 11, which can block users from accessing certain databases using the SQL Server driver.
Windows 11 is no stranger to bugs and issues, and Microsoft has just confirmed yet another problem users might be having with the latest versions of the OS. Found in the latest Patch Tuesday updates released on November 8th for both version 21H2 (the initial Windows 11 release) and 22H2, this new issue can prevent certain database connections from working. At this time, there's no known workaround.
Adobe and Microsoft make it even easier to use PDF files in Teams
Adobe Acrobat is now deeply integrated with Microsoft Teams, making it possible to open, comment, and export PDFs without switching apps.
Microsoft and Adobe are making it easier than ever to share and work on PDF files using Microsoft Teams thanks to the updated Acrobat app for Teams. Similar to the standalone version of Adobe Acrobat, this app lets you view, compress, organize, export, and comment on PDFs, but now, you can do it all directly within Teams, without having to switch contexts.
One Xplayer Mini Pro review: A powerful, but expensive Steam Deck competitor
With an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and RDNA2 graphics, the One Xplayer Mini Pro can run a lot of games very well, but it may be hard to justify.
The original One Xplayer Mini that I reviewed earlier this year was a great handheld PC focused on gaming, but this Pro model ups the ante in a few ways. Most notably, it now has an AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, which is a major upgrade thanks to the inclusion of RDNA2-based integrated graphics. This is the same graphics technology inside the Steam Deck, which it makes this a very compelling device.
Best Microsoft Surface Go 2 cases in 2023
Here are some of the best cases that you can buy to protect your Surface Go or Surface Go 2 tablet. Check them out!
The Surface Go series is the most affordable Windows tablet offering from Microsoft. It's made for customers looking for a smaller version of the Surface Pro that they can carry around and have the option of connecting the Surface Type Cover keyboard for productive tasks, though it doesn't quite offer the same performance as the Pro model.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 review: Even more power in an iconic ThinkPad design
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 delivers a ton of performance in a business-style package, though the design isn't for everyone.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is a very interesting laptop. It comes in that iconic ThinkPad design that's loved by long-time fans of the brand (not me, though), yet it packs a ton of power that makes more sense for a gaming rig than a business laptop. Of course, the idea is that this is a laptop for creative professionals, though I'm left wondering if the people working in design and other creative areas wouldn't also want something that looks and feels a bit more modern than the ThinkPad chassis.
Adobe Fresco launches on the Microsoft Store, but there's still no Arm support
Adobe has made its digital painting app, Fresco, available to download through the Microsoft Store. Only an x64 version is available, however.
Adobe Fresco is now officially available to download from the Microsoft Store, giving users a new way to access to Adobe's digital drawing app. The app was previously available only through Adobe's website. The store version is still provided and managed by Adobe, which means it's not actually hosted on Microsoft's platform, the Store page is just a frontend that still connects you to Adobe's servers, and it still prompts you to install the main Adobe Creative Cloud app, which then installs Fresco.
How to replace the battery on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5
If the battery in your ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 is looking a little worse for wear, you can replace it.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 is one of the most powerful laptops in the ThinkPad family, featuring 12th-generation Intel Core H-series processors and up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics. That kind of performance requires a lot of power to run, and the battery inside the laptop isn't going to last. At some point, it might start to struggle. Batteries wear out over time, but that doesn't mean the whole laptop needs to be thrown out. If you want, you can replace the battery inside the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5, and we're here to show you how you can do that.
Razer helps make games more immersive by making the Interhaptics SDK free for developers
Game developers can use Razer's updated Haptic Composer to add haptic feedback to their games more easily, and now, it's free to use.
Razer has announced that the Interhaptics SDK and design tools are now available for free for game developers. This will make it easier for developers to design gaming experiences that leverage haptic feedback on different kinds of devices, resulting in more immersive gameplay experiences. Earlier this year, Razer had acquired the entirety of Interhaptics, expanding its efforts in developing haptic experiences.
Microsoft Teams gets scheduled messages, instant meeting polls, and more with latest updates
Microsoft rolled out a lot of updates to Teams in November, including the ability to schedule messages to send later.
Microsoft has shared the latest round of updates made to its Teams communication platform, with a particular focus on business users, as per usual. The latest features cover a few categories, with the most notable ones being the ability to schedule messages to send at a later time and instant meeting polls.
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Latest Windows 11 optional update adds Spotlight theme and changes to OneDrive storage
The latest Windows 11 cumulative update prepares for the upcoming changes to Microsoft cloud storage and adds a new theme option.
Microsoft is rolling out a new optional update for Windows 11 users this week - specifically Windows 11 version 22H2 - which should be the last optional update of the year. The latest update brings a few changes that were previously only available to Windows Insiders, including the new Windows Spotlight theme and updates around OneDrive storage in the Settings app.
Best Cyber Monday 2022 deals on PCs, Macs, laptops & Chromebooks
Need to upgrade your computer or gaming setup and missed Black Friday? Cyber Monday still has plenty of deals in store for you.
Black Friday may be over, but Cyber Monday is still coming, and that means there's still time to take advantage of some great discounts. Some of the most exciting products that launched in the past year tend to get heavy discounts around this time, making it a perfect opportunity to make some upgrades.
Need a new gaming desktop? You need to see this Dell XPS deal
The Dell XPS Desktop may not look like a gaming PC, but it has the guts of one with up to a GeForce RTX 3090 Ti, and it's up to $1,000 off right now.
Cyber Monday is the best time to get yourself a new PC, and if you're into gaming, this Dell XPS Desktop may be the PC you didn't know you needed. It's not designed to look like a gaming PC, and it's actually a very sleek PC that fits in almost any environment. But on the inside, it has all the power you could want, and with these Cyber Monday deals, you can save quite a lot of money on different configurations. Here are all the best deals available right now.
This Anker Thunderbolt dock has all the ports you need for just $240 with this Cyber Monday deal
The Anker 577 Thunderbolt has a lot of ports and a sleek metal chassis that now costs just $240 - a big $90 discount from its usual price.
A lot of laptops today come with very thin designs and not many ports, so if you want to use anything other than USB Type-C, a Thunderbolt docking station is essential. And thanks to this Cyber Monday deal, there's no better time to buy one than right now. This Anker 577 Thunderbolt docking station is a whole $90 off right now, bringing the price down to just $239.99, and that makes this one of the cheapest and most versatile Thunderbolt docks you can find.
You can still save big on Microsoft's Surface PCs with these Cyber Monday deals
The Surface Pro 9 and Laptop 5 are some of the best laptops on the market, and they
Microsoft's Surface PCs are some of the best on the market, but they don't always come cheap. These are premium devices with a premium price tag, but thankfully, Cyber Monday deals are here to help make things a little easier on the wallet. You can save a lot of money on different Surface devices right now, and if you're looking for a shiny new machine, this is the time to spring for one. Here are some of the best deals you can get right now on Surface devices, from the latest Surface Pro 9 and Laptop 5 to some older devices.