Revamped Edge add-ons site lets you find extensions faster  

Pretty much every extension that works in Chrome is perfect for Edge. That’s because both browsers share the same Chromium code or engine. But it doesn’t mean that a Microsoft Edge add-ons store would be unnecessary.

So, if you’re an Edge user, you can start exploring the newly redesigned Edge extensions website that Microsoft announced. It offers a simpler and more user-friendly interface that gets you to the add-on you’re after much quicker.

The new Microsoft Edge add-ons store

The revamped Edge add-ons website, which offers 1500+ apps, is still a work in progress.

Earlier this year, an update to the site enabled users to start providing feedback and ratings for add-ons. It also received an editor’s pick page to help visitors find the best solutions available.

Well, the Edge add-ons store transformation continues. And now, you get an improved UX that lets you quickly discover extensions that suit your browsing needs.

To help users easily discover and find extensions for their needs, we’ve introduced a carefully curated storefront with an array of inviting new collections. The search page was also redesigned to offer more insights into the search results while significantly improving navigation.

The new site puts apps in specific categories so that you always know where to look to get what you’re after.

On top of that, it introduces an improved search. The feature lets you apply filters to any category to narrow down your add-ons search.

Microsoft’s efforts toward making Edge and the web more inclusive and accessible via the Chromium-based browser are no secret. You can tell that from features like the Immersive Reader that makes online reading a breeze.

Little wonder accessibility improvements are also coming to the Edge add-ons website. Microsoft has employed a blend of techniques to make that happen.

For example, high contrast and assistive tech like Narrator should help visually impaired persons navigate the store with less difficulty.

Have you visited the beta version of the new Edge add-ons store yet? Feel free to head on over there and let us know what you think via the comments section below.

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3 best VPNs for Total War: THREE KINGDOMS to fix lag

If you’re experiencing Total War: THREE KINGDOMS lag in multiplayer mode, use a VPN to fix this. Total War: THREE KINGDOMS is a turn-based strategy real-time tactics game that you can play on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Find it on Steam.

You can choose one of 12 factions and lead it to victory by defeating everyone else to become the ruler of China. Although the game has a single-player mode, it strives in the multiplayer version that you can enjoy with your friends in co-op or PvP.

However, many players stumble upon Total War: THREE KINGDOMS lag, high ping, latency, stuttering, and other connectivity issues that affect their multiplayer sessions.

There are several ways to fix this problem, and one of them is by downloading and installing a Total War: THREE KINGDOMS VPN. You can use a VPN to reduce ping and refine your gameplay by connecting to a VPN server that’s closer to the remote host. Besides, you can also improve packet loss with a VPN.

What are the best VPNs to fix Total War: THREE KINGDOMS lag?

Private Internet Access

PIA is the best PIA Total War THREE KINGDOMS VPN

If you’re looking for a quick Total War: THREE KINGDOMS lag fix, you can’t go wrong with Private Internet Access (PIA). It’s a VPN solution operated by Kape Technologies, which provides you with high-speed servers for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

PIA is an excellent choice when you want to host game servers for you and your friends. That’s because you can easily open ports with the app’s native port forwarding mode.

When using Private Internet Access, you can choose between static and dynamic IP addresses. Plus, you can quickly minimize network congestion. If you ever need help with this Total War: THREE KINGDOMS VPN tool, you can use the 24/7 live chat support.

More PIA features:

  • +3,300 VPN servers (47 locations)
  • Allows 10 connections at the same time
  • No-logging policy
  • Works great against Total War: THREE KINGDOMS multiplayer lag
  • 30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)
Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

Quickly reduce Total War: THREE KINGDOMS lag and high ping using this fast and secure VPN.
$2.85/mo. Buy it now

CyberGhost VPN

use CyberGhost VPN to fix Total War THREE KINGDOMS lag

Another great way to deal with Total War: THREE KINGDOMS laggy servers is by using CyberGhost VPN. Owned by Kape Technologies, this VPN tool has an impressive range of VPN servers optimized for gaming and streaming. You can also use it to fix Xbox packet loss.

CyberGhost VPN is one of the fastest VPNs for Total War: THREE KINGDOMS that you can use to minimize jitter. It works with Windows, Mac, and Linux. And it comes with smart features to help you manage the bandwidth of your restricted network.

Using split-tunneling mode to create whitelists or blacklists, you can route the game traffic through the VPN while excluding all other apps. CyberGhost VPN can not only reduce Total War: THREE KINGDOMS lag but also protect you from DDoS attacks.

More CyberGhost VPN features:

  • +6,400 VPN servers (89 locations)
  • Supports 7 simultaneous connections
  • Zero logs, full transparency
  • Easily fixes Total War: THREE KINGDOMS battle and menu lag
  • Up to 45-day money-back guarantee (1-day free trial)
CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN

Don't exit Total War: THREE KINGDOMS due to lag and latency when you can repair them with this reliable VPN.
$2.75/mo. Buy it now

NordVPN

use NordVPN to reduce Total War THREE KINGDOMS ping

To swiftly fix Total War: THREE KINGDOMS campaign map lag and other ping problems, you can trust NordVPN. Made by Tefincom & Co., it’s an excellent VPN solution that can not only optimize your Internet connection for gaming but also reduce Wi-Fi packet loss.

You can install NordVPN on Windows, Mac, and Linux, so it doesn’t matter on which operating system you play the game. The tool redirects all network traffic through VPN and secures your browsing sessions with CyberSec, an exclusive malware blocker.

Furthermore, NordVPN has a built-in kill switch that automatically turns off your VPN to preserve your online anonymity in case your Internet connection suddenly drops. It also lets you set up custom DNS servers to increase your speed.

More NordVPN features:

  • +5,400 VPN servers (59 locations)
  • Up to 6 connections at once
  • No logs
  • An excellent VPN for Total War: THREE KINGDOMS
  • 30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)
NordVPN

NordVPN

Easily reduce Total War: THREE KINGDOMS lag and lower ping with this top-notch VPN app.
$3.49/mo. Buy it now

In conclusion, if you need to quickly fix Total War: THREE KINGDOMS lag and ping, use a VPN. The role of a virtual private network solution isn’t only to hide your IP address, encrypt your traffic, and help you bypass geoblocks to access blocked pages.

You can also use a VPN to speed up your Internet connection for gaming and to fix packet loss easily. And, if you can’t decide between the three best VPNs for Total War: THREE KINGDOMS, we suggest going with PIA.

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GMod packet loss: What is it and how to fix it?

GMod, short for Garry’s Mod, is a popular sandbox game that was first released as a mod for the Valve Source game engine. The mod was created by Garry Newman.

However, the standalone game was developed by Facepunch Studios, and published by Valve.

The principle of the game is quite simple. It’s a physics sandbox and you get to make all the rules. If you choose to play all by yourself or on your own server, that is.

GMod throws a plethora of tools your way and lets you have fun with them. However, players have gotten creative and developed servers with a higher aim than goofing around in a physics sandbox.

For instance, there are a lot of RP (roleplay) servers around, and are quite popular, too. Even RP servers have their own subgenres such as DarkRP, Purge RP, SCP RP, and WW2 RP. If you love chaotic fun, you’ll definitely enjoy playing GMod online.

What is packet loss in GMod?

The less fun part is that every online game faces a series of technical challenges. These may include high ping, jitter, and the awful packet loss. Packet loss occurs whenever data packets never make it to their destination.

And it can go both ways, too. So data packets that you forward never make it to the server, and packets sent by the server leak somewhere on their way and never make it to you.

This, obviously, can cause brief de-syncs. Notice the brief there; more often than not, packet loss fixes by itself and has what we call a comes-and-goes type of behavior.

That’s mainly because network congestion is one of the main causes of packet loss, even in GMod. So the best way to fix it is simply avoiding peak hours or taking a break for a few hours.

On the other hand, sometimes packet loss might last for quite a while and becomes increasingly noticeable. Rubberbanding, sluggish movement, inability to use the voice chat feature, and even disconnections; these are all symptoms of severe packet loss.

In which case, it might be wise to take action.

How to find packet loss in GMod?

  1. Find the IP address of the server you play on
  2. Launch CMD with administrator rights
  3. Run the pathping x.x.x.x command in CMD (x.x.x.x = the IP address of the server)CMD pathping
  4. Wait for the packet loss test to complete
  5. Locate the node that’s leaking packets in the test results

If you choose to save the results to a log file on your computer, simply append the > C:packetloss.txt argument after the IP address of the server. The full command should look like pathping x.x.x.x > C:packetloss.txt.

Results of pathping

After the test comes to an end, your log file should look like the screenshot above. Keep in mind that each node (hop) corresponds to a segment of your connection, as we’ve explained in the image annotations.

As the hop number increases, the connection goes further away from the source, which would be your PC.

How to fix packet loss in GMod?

1. Use a VPN

  1. Download Private Internet AccessPIA GMod
  2. Install it on your computer
  3. Launch it and log into your account
  4. Connect to a fast server
  5. Launch GMod
  6. Check if the problem still persists

Private Internet Access is a great all-round VPN from Kape Technologies. It can help you get rid of the packet loss situation in GMod.

However, keep in mind that using a VPN can improve packet loss only if it’s your ISP that’s causing the packet loss (bandwidth throttling or improper routing).

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

GMod is leaking packets? PIA might come in handy.
$2.85/mo. Buy it now

On the other hand, even if it doesn’t fix your packet loss, a VPN can help you in several other ways. For instance, it can boost your online privacy, circumvent geoblocking, and even secure your connection.

2. Troubleshoot your connection manually

  1. Run a packet loss test as instructed abovePacket loss analysis Windows with tracert and pathping
  2. Locate the hop that’s leaking packets
  3. Depending on the hop number, take the appropriate action from this list:
    • Check and repair/replace/update any faulty hardware/software components on your home network (PC, cables, router)
    • Contact the server host and inform them about the packet leak (if it’s on their side)
    • Call your ISP and ask them to inspect their network (if they’re the one leaking packets)
    • Switch to wired instead of Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi leaks packets more often than wired)

GMod packet loss can be avoided, and even fixed

All things considered, it’s safe to say that leaking packets in GMod is not the end of the world. This situation can sometimes be easily avoided by keeping your home network in top shape.

More so, you might want to avoid peak hours or switch the server if you notice congestion.

If you considered investing in a VPN, now is a perfect time. Not only will a trustworthy VPN fix your packet loss situation, but it can also help you circumvent geoblocking, give you a much-needed privacy boost and secure your connection.

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Data scientists can now leverage NVIDIA CUDA on WSL

Windows 10 Insider Preview build 20150 hit the Dev Channel (formerly Fast ring) already. It brought a couple of features that may later go live with build 21H1, although nobody can tell that for sure. But if you’re a data scientist, the build introduces something that may interest you—NVIDIA CUDA on WSL 2.

NVIDIA CUDA on WSL goes to public preview

Microsoft announced that it teamed up with NVIDIA to deliver a tool that facilitates GPU accelerated ML training within the Windows Subsystem for Linux. Windows 10 insiders in the Dev Channel and members of the NVDIA Developer Program can access the feature.

This preview includes support for existing ML tools, libraries, and popular frameworks, including PyTorch and TensorFlow. As well as all the Docker and NVIDIA Container Toolkit support available in a native Linux environment, allowing containerized GPU workloads built to run on Linux to run as-is inside WSL 2.

The deployment of NVDIA CUDA on WSL 2 should spark interest among Windows 10 users in the field of artificial intelligence. It enables data scientists to leverage GPU-accelerated deep learning (DL) on Microsoft Windows platforms.

NVIDIA developed CUDA to power parallel computing on devices that utilize the company’s graphics processing units. The technology enables developers to accelerate compute-intensive applications, such as ML training, by leveraging the power of GPUs, in addition.

So, with CUDA on WSL, your compute applications can get the most out of NVIDIA graphics cards and PCs powered by GPUs.

Besides CUDA programming support, you can now work with TensorFlow, MXNet, PyTorch, and other DL frameworks within WSL 2. Open source software libraries like RAPIDS are also available to you.

With GPU compute support coming to WSL 2, data scientists should be getting ML training results much faster going forward.

Are you an AI enthusiast or professional eager to explore NVIDIA CUDA on WSL 2? You can share your thoughts or expectations via the comments section below.

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5 Best Desktop Computers For Multi-Monitors [2026 Guide]

If you’re looking to upgrade your PC for dual-monitor setups, then you need several things. First of all, your PC needs to have multiple PCI slots open, so that you can accommodate more graphics cards, or invest in a good USB-C external GPU that can take the stress.

Second of all, the processing capacity of you setup needs to be up to par, to handle the multiple graphics cards, and the data you’re trying to project onto your multiple-display setup.

If your PC doesn’t have multiple PCI slots, then it should have at least a graphics card that supports multiple monitors, and when it comes to the processing power, you simply need a good-enough CPU.

Since there are a number of models out there that support this kind of setup, we’ve decided to compile a list of what we consider to be the best desktop computers for multi-monitor setups.

How we chose the best PCs for multi-monitor use

The combined experience of our testing team surpasses 15 years of testing both software and hardware, so you can rest assured that any devices that ended up being chosen for this list have been chosen for a very good reason.

Our panel of experts has tested all the devices included in this guide, both on their own and as a direct comparison between each of them, thus enabling us to present you with an unbiased and updated perspective on what product is worthy of your consideration.

<!– wp:reflectormedia-universalis/editorial-tip-block {"text":"Editor’s tip:

To ensure that you understand what the principles of our device reviews are all about, here are some very important markers that you need to take into consideration when making a choice;

➡ CPU power
➡ GPU power
➡ RAM size
➡ Drive type and capacity”,”icon”:”/wp-content/themes/windowsreport/assets/images/svg/tip-flash.svg”} /–>

If you take these ideas into consideration when choosing the best fitting PC for multi-display use, then you’ll surely be set with a powerful-enough device that offers everything you need.

What to consider when choosing the best PCs capable of handling a multi-monitor setup?

CPU power

The CPU, also known as the central processing unit, is of paramount importance when choosing a PC, as this is the ‘brain’ of your device.

Having a good CPU not only ensures that your dual-monitor setup will work perfectly, but will also allow you to run resource-intensive applications without lagging.

GPU power

The GPU, also known as the graphics processing unit is an extremely important element of your PC setup, as it is not only responsible for the quality of the image your double-monitor setup will have to offer, but also the overall capability of your device to process graphics of any kind.

Choosing one that fits your needs could seem complicated because of the variety of models in existence, but rest assured that this guide will help you make the choice without any issue.

RAM size

Also known as rapid access memory, this part of your PC will enable you to run a variety of apps and programs at the same time. The lower the RAM size, the lower the number of applications you can run concomitantly.

A good value when it comes to RAM size is always up for debate, but no matter what you think about this topic, more is always better.

Drive type and capacity

As a computer without a storage device can’t really be of use to anybody, having a good amount of storage space is incredibly important.

This of course applies even more if you’re planning to play games, or run image-processing software on your device, as the files contained in them need a lot of space.

➡ Types of drives

SSD and HDD

Not all storage drives are the same though, the HDD being the most common. Investing in a powerful Solid State Drive (SSD), will offer more than double the data transfer speeds of the previously mentioned HDD.

Below you can see an example of comparison between boot speeds with HDD and with SSD:

As you can see, the booting speed for a device that has an SSD installed is more than two times faster than with an HDD.

For a faster PC, it is always good to aim for SSD, but a combination of these types can also prove useful in some cases.

SSD Types

Not all SSDs are the same either. You would have the option to choose from a normal SATA-based SSD and the powerful NVMe SSD. 

The latter will always deliver more raw bandwidth and performance when compared to any SATA-based SSD, and will be extremely useful especially while gaming.

As you can observe from the graphic above, the difference between NVMe SSD and a SATA SSD, is even greater than the difference between a SATA SSD and HDD.

This is a very important factor when choosing the type of storage, but rest assured that we will help you make the choice in this guide.

➡ Drive capacity

No matter if you’re going with an SSD, an HDD, or a combination of the both, another very important factor is the storage capacity you’ll have on your PC.

This of course applies even more if you’re planning to run resource-intensive content like the latest games, editing video and images in rendering software or planning on storing a large number of 4K videos.

<!– wp:reflectormedia-universalis/editorial-tip-block {"text":"Buyer’s tips:

➡ If you want to go for the best PC setup that will be able to run anything you throw at it in a multiple-monitor setup, you don’t have to look any further than our top pick in this guide, the powerful MSI CUK MPG Trident.

This battleship of a PC not only combines an incredible CPU with a great 24 GBs GPU, but offers you amazing storage space including both an NVMe SSD and an HDD, and has a 64GB DDR4 RAM included.

➡ In case you don’t feel that you need so many GBs on your GPU, and would prefer a PC setup that also is as silent as possible, but not compromising the area of processing power and storage capacity too much, the CyberpowerPC Gamer Supreme is the option for you.

This option also offers you an NVMe SSD storage, a very good CPU and GPU, and a revolutionary liquid cooling system ensuring you won’t be bothered by the noise even while using at full speeds.

➡ If you find that storage capacity is not an important factor for you, but you also want a great processor that doesn’t shy away from heavy tasks, we recommend that you consider either the more powerful iBUYPOWER 9260 the CyberPower Xtreme options.

➡ If you’re more interested in design and are not on a budget, but still want to be able to run decent graphics and use a multiple-display setup, you can simply choose the SkyTech Archangel.”,”icon”:”/wp-content/themes/windowsreport/assets/images/svg/tip-lightbulb.svg”} /–>

MSI CUK MPG Trident

  • Intel Core i9-10900KF 10 core processor
  • 64GB DDR4 2933MHz RAM
  • 1TB NVMe SSD + 2TB 5400rpm HDD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 24GB GDDR6 graphics
  • Clutch GM11 mouse & Vigor GK30 keyboard
  • 3-Year CUK Limited Warranty
  • Even though useful, the warranty is limited

The MSI MPG Trident is truly a battleship of a PC, offering you unprecedented processing power and speed, a great GPU, and more hard drive space than you could use.

If you want to ensure that you will not need to invest in another PC for a few years, this option is for you.

The powerful i9-10900KF 10-core processor from Intel has a 20MB cache and runs with speeds from 3.7Ghz to 5.3 GHz at 62 W, ensuring that you will never experience lag, even if you’re going to expose it to the best graphics in existence, and run the world’s most processor-intensive applications like advanced programming.

To ensure that the power of the processor doesn’t go to waste, and every last bit of it can be used, this amazing device also comes with 64 GB of RAM, allowing you to run multiple demanding software, games, processing images, and play 4k quality videos at the same time on your multiple-monitor setup.

Storing your data on this powerful device comes easy, as sit comes loaded with 3 TB of data storage capability in total. You will have a 1 TB SSD, and also another 2 TB HDD running at 5400rpm.

As the cherry on the cake, to finish off this incredible setup, the GPU is a powerful and stable NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 with 24GB GDDR6.

This will ensure that the processing power will truly flourish and will enable you an incredibly immersive experience no matter if you’re playing games, watching 4K quality movies,  using demanding coding software, or rendering high-quality 3D products.


CyberpowerPC Gamer Supreme

  • Intel Core i7-10700K 3.8GHz CPU
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM
  • 1TB PCI-E NVMe SSD
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB
  • Liquid cooling system
  • More RAM on the GPU would help

The CyberpowerPC Gamer Supreme is another astonishing option if you’re interested in getting one of the top PCs on the market, which will allow you seamless multiple-monitor usage.

It comes loaded with the Windows 10 Home edition, so all you need to do to start using it is to plug the cables in and press the power button.

The i7-10700K at 3.8GHz from Intel impressed us with the processing power, not being far behind the i9 processor from the previously mentioned device. 

What makes a huge difference here is the price of the processor in comparison with the aforementioned option. The Intel i9-10900KF only performs 4% better on average, the i7 having only 3% less speed when looking at 1 core.

When it comes to the GPU, even though not as impressive, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB can handle most games and image-rendering software without an issue.

The decent 16GB DDR 4 RAM on this device will ensure that you won’t encounter problems while playing a 4K quality video on one of your monitors and browsing the internet on the other.

Even though it only has a 1TB NVMe SSD, the fast data processing speeds with surely be of help, and you can always invest in another SSD or HDD to expand it.

What makes the CyberpowerPC Gamer Supreme stand out from its competitors is its water cooling system.

Even though some might think that it’s only about the looks and wow-effect, a water-cooled system is incredibly silent compared to a device that uses fans to cool down the components.

This element can prove extremely efficient if you want to reduce noise, but still get the best cooling effect possible at this point in time.


iBUYPOWER 9260

  • Intel Core i7-9700F 8-Core processor
  • 16GB DDR4 RAM
  • 240GB SSD + 1TB HDD
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB
  • Assembled in the U.S.
  • RAM needs upgrading
  • Small SSD

In case of looking for a good computer for multi-monitor setups, let us tell you from the start that the iBUYPOWER Element 9260 gaming computer desktop is worthy of your attention. Even though not as powerful as the previous models we covered in this guide, it still packs a punch.

The powerful Intel Core i7-9700F 8-Core running 3.0 GHz is overall, only 9% slower than the processor of the previous option.

To break this information down, the 1-core tests have shown that the i7-9700F scored 89.2 points, while the i7-10700K has scored 92.3. This also applies to both 2-core, 4-core, and 8-core tests, averaging a 10% difference between the two.

The iBuyPower 9260 has a 1TB HDD and only a 240GB SSD, and even though that might seem enough to some users, it is important to note that the SSD is most likely not big enough.

When it comes to the GPU, the CyberpowerPC uses the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB which is a very capable device, offering very good scores on both rendering and overclocking tests.

While comparing the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB found in this device with the GPU from the previously mentioned PC, we see that CSGO has been played at 240 EFps, GTA V at 86 EFps, and Overwatch at 99 EFps.

As you can see, even though we’re dealing with demanding games, the GTX 1660 has performed well across the board.

To ensure that you can use it as soon as it’s set up, it comes with Windows 10 Home installed, and with bloatware removed entirely.


CyberPower Xtreme

  • Intel Core i5-9400F 2. 9GHz 6-Core
  • 8GB DDR4 RAM
  • 1TB HDD
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 6GB
  • Window side panel
  • Thick keyboard keys

The CyberPower Gamer Xtreme is a good choice for those of you that love to play, but having just one monitor just doesn’t cut it anymore. This of course requires the processor of your PC to be capable to handle two monitors (or more) running at full capacity, and at the same time, the GPU should be able to render images at a high level as well.

This PC covers both these elements, using an Intel Core i5-9400F running at 2.9GHz and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 with 6GB of memory as a GPU.

When it comes to the RAM, the CyberPower Extreme offers you an 8GB DDR4 component, which is sure to be able to take on most of the tasks you can throw at it at one moment.

 The element that impresses more with this device is the design of the computer case, offering you a glimpse into the inside workings of the PC by using a window side case panel.

Added to this, it also features a custom RGB lighting feature on the case, and also comes bundled with an RGB 7  color gaming mouse and a keyboard.

As you can see, this device features good high-quality components that will make your games run smoothly, and the high amount of USB ports and 1 HDMI and 1 display port will surely help considerably.

To ensure that you can start using it as soon as the package arrives, the PC comes with Windows 10 Home Edition already installed, thus all you need to do is plug it in the wall socket, and you’re ready for some serious gaming.


SkyTech Archangel

  • AMD RYZEN 3 1200 4-Core 3.1 GHz
  • 1 TB 7200RPM HDD
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GPU
  • 8GB DDR4 RAM
  • No bloatware
  • Not enough USB 3.0 ports
  • No SSD
  • Not suitable for using as workstation

If you plan on having a multi-monitor setup strictly for gaming, but your budget can handle it, then the Skytech Archangel is the right choice for you.

It might not be as strong as the PCs we mentioned previously in this article, but overall, it is still an amazing option that can offer you hours and hours of exciting double-display usage.

The processor on this PC is an AMD RYZEN 3 1200 4-Core running at 3.1 GHz, and even though it can’t be compared with the other processor units covered previously in this guide, it works well for gaming and handles the load even better with normal desktop usage.

When it comes to using this processor for a workstation-like environment, you might think twice, as from time to time you might have issues with slowing and lagging. 

That being said, the SkyTech Archangel brings you immersive graphics powered by using the Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti graphics card, making it optimized for 1080p gaming and partnered with 8GB 2400 MHz memory.

Even though it only contains a 1TB HDD, meaning it will be a lot slower than an SSD, the size enables you to store considerable amounts of data, so it shouldn’t pose a problem.

To ensure that you won’t need to worry about the maintenance of your PC too much, this device comes with a 1-year warranty on parts and labor, and also lifetime free U.S. technical support.


Bottom runners

In this following section, you can explore some other great PCs for running multiple-display setups that didn’t make our Top 5 list for a variety of reasons.

This doesn’t mean that they are not capable of doing a good job, but their components are a bit more limited that the list presented above.

➡ iBUYPOWER Trace 4 MR 180A

A greatly designed computer case that offers a light show while running, the Trace 4MR 180A is running an Nvidia GeForce GT 710 GPU and uses an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor.

➡ iBUYPOWER ARCB 108Av2

The slick looking ARCB 108Av2 desktop is powered by a AMD Ryzen 3 3100 processor, and uses a Nvidia GT 710 with 1GB as a GPU.

Even if not the best option, it still is capable of delivering good quality graphics on multiple display setups.

➡ Alarco Gaming PC

For a low budget, the Alarco Gaming PC is one of the best options you can buy. Even though, as expected, it can’t be compared when it comes to the Top 5 lists, the price is considerably lower as well.

It is powered by an Intel i5 3.10GHz, it has 8GB RAM, and an Nvidia GTX 650 GPU with 1 GB, which makes it a good-enough option in some cases.


Regardless of whether you are using them for gaming or if you just love multitasking at work, having a multi-monitor setup does come with its share of perks.

That is why having a PC that can support that efficiently is extremely important. While in theory, any computer can support multi-monitor setups, only powerful ones can make having them worthwhile.

Have you checked out our top picks? Don’t hesitate to let us know your choice by using the comments area below. 

Microsoft simplifies Windows 10 optional monthly updates

In April, Microsoft released the last non-security update and paused the so-called C and D releases to concentrate only on the security updates in the face of the global pandemic.

Based on feedback, Microsoft announced that they will resume optional releases in July of 2020 for Windows 10 and Windows Server, version 1809 and later.

There was, however, an exception, as Microsoft just released an optional update to fix printing problems that started to occur after June security updates.

However, that update is only available in the Microsoft Update Catalog and not in Windows Update.

Microsoft changes the update process

With this announcement, Microsoft also specifies that they will also change the update process to simplify it.

First, in response to feedback, these validated, production-quality optional releases will be now called Preview releases for clarity, and will be offered only for Windows 10 and Windows Server, version 1809 and later.

The naming will also change in the release title from the Windows Update page so that you know exactly what the update is all about.

Windows 10 optional update example

The preview releases will only appear in the C week

To simplify update management for the IT department, the Preview releases will be delivered only in the C week. So there will be a specific week in a month dedicated to C releases.

However, if you’re an Insider, you will receive the C updates in the Release Preview Channel in the B week.

Microsoft specified that there won’t be any change to the cumulative monthly security updates (B release) or Update Tuesday releases.

Also for those who use Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) to manage updates, you will no longer see Preview (or C) releases for Windows 10 or Windows Server in the WSUS channel.

What do you think about the new update system for optional, non-security updates? Let us know in the comments below.

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Windows 10 2004 segment heap boosts Edge memory efficiency

There’s no doubt that Windows 10 2004 has some inherent flaws in its design. But it offers plenty of positives on top of the functional features it introduced, such as the new Cortana digital assistant and Hello authentication in safe mode.

For starters, Microsoft Edge users on Windows 10 2004 have the update to thank for the browser’s improved memory usage.

Windows 10 2004 boosts Edge memory efficiency by 27%

The new Chromium-based Edge uses your RAM more efficiently, but only on the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, says Microsoft.

Apparently, the latest version of Windows 10 to enter general availability offers segment heap memory enhancements. In turn, Win32 apps leverage it to use system RAM more efficiently.

According to an internal test by Microsoft, Edge uses 27% less memory on Windows 10 version 2004 devices.

With the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, Microsoft Edge has leveraged the Windows segment heap memory improvements now available for Win32 applications to manage memory more efficiently. Early internal testing results of devices on the May 2020 Update are showing a memory usage reduction of up to 27% when browsing with Microsoft Edge.

Edge’s better memory management should let you accomplish more when browsing the internet. For example, you should be able to open more tabs with richer content than possible on other versions of Windows.

Apart from that, the memory usage reduction when browsing with Edge should also free your RAM for other applications running on your PC.

It’s not yet clear whether or not Chrome behaves the same way on Windows 10 2004. The browser is Chromium-based, just like Microsoft Edge. But it doesn’t have a very good reputation when it comes to efficient RAM usage.

Edge has been getting tons of built-in improvements lately, from an integrated spellchecker to the new surfing-themed game. It has to be efficient in RAM usage to continue delivering a superior user experience.

Feel free to share your thoughts on Edge or Windows 10 2004 in the comments section below.

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Microsoft acquires data modeling vendor ADRM Software

Microsoft has announced the acquisition of ADRM Software, a leading provider of large-scale industry data models that are used by companies as “information blueprints.” The Redmond giant will use the data models designed by ADRM with Azure’s storage and compute for creating its own intelligent data lakes, with the intent of bringing together information from various lines of business.

For those unfamiliar, large-scale data models are basically used by hundreds of organizations around the world, and ADRM’s models cover a wide range of industries such as financial services, healthcare, and communications. These organizations use them as information blueprints in order to build, redefine, and integrate them into their own business concepts over a long period of time, and it helps them to build interoperability in their existing ecosystems.

Microsoft ADRM acquisition

According to Microsoft, most businesses are currently struggling to get access to a comprehensive view of their data in order to leverage its full potential. “Data and AI are the foundation of modern technological innovation, yet businesses today struggle to unlock the full value data has to offer as fragmented data estates hinder digital transformation. Without a comprehensive and integrated view of their data, companies are at a competitive disadvantage, which hinders digital adoption and data-driven innovation,” said Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Azure Global Industry Ravi Krishnaswamy in a press release today.

In order to address these issues, Microsoft said their Azure team excited to collaborate with ADRM and is looking forward to driving the digital transformation journeys of their customers and partners around the globe.

Windows 10/11 21H1 brings new WSL features and map data update

Following a trail of leaks, Microsoft released what it’s supposed to be the first build of Windows 10 21H1, codename Iron, with just a few new features but rich on fixes.

And we are saying that Insider Preview Build 20150 is supposed to be the first build of Windows 10 21H1 because Microsoft doesn’t write anywhere on their announcement about this build being tied up to Windows 10 21H1.

It’s been a crowded period with Microsoft also releasing the Windows 10 20H2 for the Beta Channel, the former Slow ring, and issuing optional updates to fix printing issues caused by other June patch updates. 

The Insider Preview Build 20150 was released only for the Dev Channel (the former Fast ring).

First, we remind you that Microsoft decided to name the builds in this format: last two digits of the year followed by the first or second half of the year.

So Windows 10 21H1 is set to be released for the general public in the first half of 2021.

What’s new in Windows 10 21H1?

If you’re a programmer, you’re probably going to be excited about three new WSL features:

  • GPU compute – A feature that allows your Linux binaries to leverage your GPU. That makes it possible to do more machine learning development and data science workflows directly in WSL.
  • A new command: wsl –install – allows you to install WSL with just one command.
  • The new command wsl –update – which gives you the ability to easily manage the Linux kernel version used by WSL 2 distros. 

Windows 10 21H1 WSL and GPU

Maps app will use data from TomTom

Microsoft also announced on the Windows Blogs that the Bing Maps Team started to update the Maps app for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel (Fast ring) to use the new map data from TomTom.

If you’re not aware, in February of 2019, Microsoft and TomTom announced that that they will incorporate all of TomTom’s map and traffic data across Microsoft Azure and Bing, and to power the Azure Maps.

Other improvements coming with Windows 10 21H1 include a new search box on the default app settings pages and a new Korean IME.

A long list of minor fixes

Microsoft also published a long list of minor fixes coming with the new Windows 10 21H1.

That includes issues like Visual Studio windows not accepting clicks, broken icons in several parts of the Windows 10 UI, or Search not accepting typed input.

What are your thoughts about the new update? What new other features you were expecting? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

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Xbox One consoles are getting support for DTS:X for Headphones spatial audio technology

Microsoft’s Xbox One consoles will soon support a new spatial audio technology to improve your gaming and video experience. Xbox Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring can now use the Xbox Insider Hub to try the DTS Sound Unbound app, which will enable the new Headset Format Audio setting called DTS:X for Headphones.

As you may know, the DTS Sound Unbound app made its way to the Windows 10 Microsoft Store last year, where it can be used to unlock the DTS:X and DTS Headphone:X spatial audio technologies on PCs. Xbox One consoles will only support DTS:X for Headphones for now, and you’ll also need to sign up for a free 24-hour trial license that can be extended indefinitely during the testing period.

The DTS:X for headphones spatial audio format should make your games and media apps sound more immersive, though it’s not the only spatial audio technology supported on Xbox One. Microsoft has its own Windows Sonic format that is completely free to use on Xbox One and Windows 10. Dolby has also launched the Dolby Access app can on both platforms, which can be used to unlock the increasingly popular Dolby Atmos format that more and more Xbox One games are supporting natively.

If gaming enthusiasts generally care more about graphics and frame rates, spatial audio can also completely change your gaming experience, especially if you play online shooters where hearing where your enemies are coming from can give you a real edge. Next-gen consoles should put a bigger emphasis on spatial audio, with the Xbox Series X coming with custom audio hardware to offload audio processing from the CPU.

A win for Team No Sticker? Xbox Chief Phil Spencer says no HDMI sticker on Xbox Series X

Xbox consoles have all come with a black HDMI sticker on the front in recent years, and it’s safe to say that some Xbox fans don’t like that at all. The HDMI sticker controversy is a bit of a joke on social networks, with Team No Sticker, representing those who remove the HDMI sticker from the console the minute they unbox the console, and by Team Sticker, those that leave the HDMI sticker on their consoles indefinitely.

A couple of hours ago, Windows Central’s video game guru Jez Corden, tweeted a mockup image of an Xbox Series X console with the infamous HDMI sticker on the front. While the tweet was meant a joke, Xbox head Phil Spencer quickly responded to it, confirming that no HDMI sticker would be placed on the newest addition to the Xbox family.

 

It’s good to see that Phil Spencer looks to be on Team No Sticker. As you can tell by the picture of the Xbox Series X in Corden’s tweet, the HDMI sticker would not look good on the Xbox Series X and its minimalist design.

At the July 2020 Xbox event, Microsoft plans to showcase first-party next-gen gameplay and the arsenal of games and features on the Xbox Series X. There is also a rumor that Microsoft will reveal a second next-gen Xbox codenamed “Lockhart“, which will be less powerful, but also much cheaper than the Xbox Series X.

FIX: No access-control-allow-origin header error in Angular

One of the most common error messages Angular developers can encounter in their day to day work is: no access-control-allow-origin header present on the requested resource.

This is not a specific Angular problem, but a CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) header issue. It could mean that the back-end server is configured to work on a different port or domain.


How do I fix the No access-control error on Windows 10?

1. Make changes at the server levelweb-server-apache-iis

If you have access to the server, enable CROS requests by adding Access-Control-Allow-Origin: *   header. After that, configure cors entry, under system.webServer in web.config file, as in the example below.

  • <?xml version=”1.0″?>
  •  <configuration>
  • <system.webServer>
  • <cors enabled=“true”>
  • <add origin=“https://someorigin.domain.com”>
  • <allowMethods>
  • <add method=“GET” />
  • <add method=“HEAD” />
  • </allowMethods>
  • </add>
  • </cors>
  • </system.webServer>
  • </configuration>

Here,  cors will allow GET and HEAD requests from https://someorigin.domain.com/.

Also, if you’re using IIS (Internet Information Services) you would need to download IIS CORS Module.

Be careful to specify a domain or a list of domains instead of *. Otherwise, cross-origin requests to the server would be enabled from anywhere.

On Apache, in the configuration file, you need to add the line Header set Access-Control-Allow-Origin ‘*’.  Again, it is wise to replace the ‘*’, with a list of sources from where the requests would be made.


2. Run your own proxy server

  1. Firstly, we’ll create a proxy configuration file, in the root Angular folder, called src/proxy.conf.json, and write the following code in it:
    • {"/api":
    • "target":"https://localhost:6000","secure": false }
    • }
  2. Secondly, in the angular.json file, add the proxyConfig option in the serve target:
    • "serve": {
    • "builder": "     ",
    • "options": { "proxyConfig": "src/proxy.conf.json" }
    • }
  3. Now run the current configuration with the ng serve command.

A proxy server would forward your requests to the remote server. Next, we are going to see how to configure a proxy server.

Requests for data in Angular are API calls to localhost, on port 4200, like this location:

  • https://localhost:4200/api/datareq.

However, in the example above, we assumed that the requested data is at this location:

  • https://localhost:6000/api/datareq.

Interested in good proxy solutions? Check out this list of dedicated tools


3. Disable the Same Origin Policy in your browser

Note: this particular method is not recommended since this can expose your browser (and your system) to major security risks.

If everything else is not working, you can resort to disabling the Same Origin Policy in the browser. However be careful, as this would expose your browser (and your system) to major security risks.

For Google Chrome, in Windows 10, open Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following command:

C:Program Files (x86)GoogleChromeApplicationchrome.exe" --disable-web-security --disable-gpu --user-data-dir=~/chromeTemp..

In conclusion, no access-control-allow-origin header present on the requested resource error message is a server-side issue.

For Angular developers, modifying server configuration or using a proxy server should work just fine.

Tell us what you think of this guide in the comment section below.



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Digital pre-orders open for Madden NFL 21 video game on Xbox One consoles

The latest entry in the Madden NFL video game franchise, Madden NFL 21, is now available to digitally pre-order and pre-download on Microsoft’s family of Xbox One consoles ahead of its August 28th release date.

Madden NFL 21 supports local multiplayer for up to four players, online matches with up to six, and will play in 4K Ultra HD on an Xbox One X console and the next gen Xbox Series X. A unique version of Madden HFL 21 for the Xbox Series X has been confirmed and all owners of the Xbox One version will get a free upgrade due to the Smart Delivery feature.

Here’s the official game description:

A new generation is leaving its mark on the NFL. Will you rise to the occasion? Change the game, and take control of your own legacy.

  • Madden NFL 21 delivers new features and modes including:
  • Face of the Franchise: Rise to Fame: Rise to fame and become immortalized in Madden NFL 21 as you transcend NFL history and shape your own path to greatness.
  • Take Control: Master innovative running enhancements and live playbooks to run up the score in Madden NFL 21.
  • X-Factor 2.0: New X-Factor abilities, fresh out of the lab, are designed to elevate the stars of a new generation in Madden NFL 21.

Madden NFL 21 is currently available in three different bundles and pre-ordering any of them will unlock one of 32 NFL Team Elite Packs, five MUT Gold Team Fantasy Packs, and one Uniform Pack.

The Standard Edition comes with the base game while the Madden NFL 21 Deluxe Edition comes with the game plus three-day early access and seven MUT Gold Team Fantasy Packs. The Madden NFL 21 MVP Edition includes the game and a Power Up for the Lamar Jackson Elite Item as an extra pre-order bonus plus three-day early access, 12 MUT Gold Team Fantasy Packs, one large Quicksell Training Pack, the MCS Ultimate Champion Pack, and one Lamar Jackson Elite Item.

Are you hyped for Madden NFL 21? Let us know which version you’re going to pre-order in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest and YouTube for more tech content.


Madden NFL 21: Deluxe Edition
Madden NFL 21: Deluxe Edition


Madden NFL 21: MVP Edition
Madden NFL 21: MVP Edition

FIX: Yellow triangle with exclamation point in Word

A yellow triangle with an exclamation point in Word indicates a problem with your Office account. It affects all of Microsoft’s Office versions, on all devices.

However, before you try any of the fixes we describe below, please make sure you are connected to the Internet.


How do I fix the yellow triangle issue in Word?

1. Sign-in into your Office account.

That yellow triangle with the exclamation point in Word may just show you that you haven’t signed in yet.

Enter your information for your Office account and sign in either from the online client of flom the PC client that you’ve downloaded.


2. Sign out from your Microsoft Office account and sign in again.

  1. Start Microsoft Word, go to File menu, then go to Account and press the Sign out button. microsoft word-account-sign out
  2. Now restart Microsoft Word, go to File, Account, press Sign in and type in your credentials.
    • That annoying yellow triangle should be gone.microsoft-word-sign-in-button

3. Switch account

If the above solution doesn’t work, instead of signing out and signing back in, press Switch account button and use the same e-mail (or phone, or Skype id) and the same password that you used before.

This may do the trick.microsoft word-account-sign out-button


Need to download Office 365 but don’t know how? Learn by reading this article!


4. Call in Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant

  1. Download Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant.
  2. Run the .exe file and agree to Microsoft Services Agreement.
  3. After that choose the application that has the issue and click Next.
  4. Search for a problem with a description close to the yellow triangle with an exclamation point in Word and click Next.
  5. Try the solution offered by Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant or follow the suggestions if no solution is found.

The Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant runs tests on Office products currently installed on your machine and if it finds any problems it’s going to either offer you a solution or suggest what to do next or contact Microsoft Support.

If you ever encounter the yellow triangle with an exclamation point in Word issue, try one of the solutions that we suggest in this article.

Please feel free to share with us your experience related to this article in the comments section below.



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Money in Excel lets you track your financial transactions

Excel is one of the core Microsoft 365 applications, and just like Teams, OneDrive, Outlook, and the rest, it gets functional improvements from time to time. Well, Microsoft recently announced a partnership with Plaid to create Money in Excel, a personal finance management solution.

Money in Excel is now available to Microsoft 365 users

US-based Microsoft 365 Personal and Family users can start using Money in Excel right away. To get started, they simply need to download a template built for the solution.

The personal finance tool plugs into your bank accounts with the help of a third-party plugin. It tracks all your financial transactions. Specifically, it automatically extracts your credit card, loan, or investment account data and presents it to you on your Excelspreadsheet.

The objective of using Money in Excel is to simplify your everyday financial management workflows.

Money in Excel will automatically import your transaction information from all your accounts into one workbook. You no longer need to spend hours manually setting up a personal finance spreadsheet from scratch; Money in Excel does it for you in just a few seconds.

For sure, Money in Excel is a consumer-facing feature that changes the way you track your financial goals using Excel. For instance, it includes analytics that deliver insights into your spending habits across various categories for any specific period.

To keep your spending in check, the app detects and notifies you about any deviation from your regular cash outflows. It lets you know when you’re trying to withdraw more than you have in your bank account. Any extra-ordinary spending is on the app’s radar too.

You can use solution on your smartphone, although you might miss out on some core app functionalities. But Windows 10, Microsoft Edge, and Chrome are the recommended platforms for running the application.

Do you think Money in Excel is an ideal alternative to traditional personal finance management tools? You can always share your thoughts or raise any concern about it via the comments section below.

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Don’t run chkdsk to fix Windows 10 2004 Storage Spaces bug

After Windows 10 2004 launched, it didn’t take long before users started reporting issues associated with using or installing it. In addition, Microsoft has acknowledged multiple bugs resulting from installing the May 2020 update.

For example, we recently reported how the latest minor OS update from Microsoft is causing storage problems for some Windows 10 PC users. Well, the Redmond tech giant confirmed another issue affecting the Storage Spaces technology that enables users to protect data from hard drive failures.

Storage Spaces access problems in Windows 10 2004

After updating to Windows 10 2004, some users have noticed issues affecting Storage Spaces configurations. Some are unable to optimally use the feature, while others can’t access it altogether.

Microsoft adds that Storage Spaces partitions may display as Raw in Disk Manager, with certain configurations.

Devices using Storage Spaces might have issues using or accessing their Storage Spaces after updating to Windows 10, version 2004 (the May 2020 Update) and Windows Server, version 2004.  When using some configurations, partition for Storage Spaces might show as RAW in Disk Manager.

Unfortunately, Microsoft says there’s no workaround for the issue. You shouldn’t even run the chkdsk command on a machine with the Storage Spaces bug, the company cautions.

So, affected users have to wait for Microsoft to complete its investigations and provide a fix.

Meanwhile, Microsoft revealed an AI system it’s training to automatically deliver Windows 10 2004 to devices approaching EoS. It has already started building the machine learning model that will be intelligently selecting the right candidates for the OS upgrade.

You still can manually get the new OS via Windows Update by selecting Check for Updates.

Nonetheless, always remember to back up your system before installing an update like Windows 10 2004. Doing so ensures that you can roll back any unpleasant changes you experience after updating.

Don’t forget to leave your feedback or ask any question in the comments section below.

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GoDaddy Office 365 Review: What Is It and How to Set It Up?

Since Microsoft and GoDaddy’s partnership in 2014, the latter started selling Office 365 through its platform. You can purchase such a subscription (multi-year) straight from GoDaddy at a lower price.

At first sight, it might appear like you’ve struck gold, but the reality is somewhat different. Let’s rewind for a bit.

Office 365, now called Microsoft 365, is a cloud-based service brought to you by Microsoft. This service lets you access Office apps such as Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Access.

GoDaddy Microsoft 365 does not exist

So that you know, GoDaddy never dropped the Office 365 name. So, to avoid any confusion in this article, we’ll refer to Office 365 as GoDaddy’s version and Microsoft 365 will be Microsoft’s version.

There are also some other subtle differences. For instance, Microsoft 365 includes Windows 10 and the Enterprise Mobility Suite, whereas Office 365 only bundles Office-specific tools.

GoDaddy Office 365 vs Microsoft Office 365

We’ve already established that there are many differences between the two products we’re discussing. The name is the most obvious one, and Microsoft 365 also bundles additional software and options.

What does GoDaddy Office 365 include:

  • 5 licenses for the desktop versions of the office applications
  • An Office 365 email address based on your custom domain
  • GoDaddy sign-in portal for Office 365
  • Simplified (fewer) administrative options
  • Custom control panel
  • 1 TB cloud storage space
  • Initial promotional price, after which it’s $14.99/mo.

What does Microsoft 365 include:

  • All Office 365 benefits
  • Windows 10
  • Enterprise Mobility + Security
  • All administrative options
  • Original control panel
  • 1-year custom domain for free
  • 1 TB cloud storage space
  • Office apps on phones and tablets
  • $14.99/user/month for monthly plans or $12.5/user/month for annual commitment

How to set up Office 365 on GoDaddy

  1. Go to the GoDaddy portal
  2. Purchase an Office 365 subscription
  3. Sign in to your GoDaddy account
  4. Access the Email & Office dashboard
  5. Choose the domain you want to associate your email with
  6. Create the email address you want (choose a username and a name)
  7. Define a password and type it into the designated box
  8. Type your previous email address in the Send account info to field
  9. Hit the Create button
  10. Once you’ve created the Office 365 Email, go to the GoDaddy Office 365 sign-in portalGoDaddy Office 365 portal
  11. Log into your account using the credentials specified above (email + password)

GoDaddy Office 365 pros and cons

If you choose to go with GoDaddy Office 365, you’ll benefit from features such as:

  • One-click setup (regardless of the plan you choose)
  • Select your domain, register it, and receive email address suggestion
  • Custom admin panel simplifies the full suite of Microsoft productivity tools
  • Purchasing a multi-year plan costs less than Microsoft’s version

However, reportedly things aren’t so great in reality, as many users reported experiencing various integration-related issues. Namely:

  • Signing in through the GoDaddy Office 365 UI, it triggers various token authentication errors (SSO)
  • Sometimes, certain apps, such as Outlook, and Bing require you to log in over and over again
  • Poor tech support that suggests contacting Microsoft for more technical issues
  • Inability to upgrade Windows 10 from the control panel (no option)
  • Confusing password reset procedure (attempting to reset the password takes you to the GoDaddy portal)
  • The custom admin panel lacks a lot of options, which makes it (paradoxically) harder to use
  • Fewer Office 365 options than Microsoft’s version

Thus, if you’ve already purchased an Office 365 subscription from GoDaddy, the only logical action would be to migrate to Microsoft 365. However, this is a tedious process, and you will require aid from GoDaddy’s customer support.

GoDaddy Office 365 seems to be more for less

The bottom line is, even though GoDaddy Office 365 might be cheaper, it’s mainly because it’s a lighter version of the original product. It offers lesser functions and custom administration options and is reportedly still more complicated.

If you purchase a multi-year Office 365 subscription from GoDaddy, you might figure it’s cheaper than buying a Microsoft 365 subscription directly from Microsoft. However, in the long run, you might realize that GoDaddy charges you more for less.

Snapdragon-powered Lenovo Yoga 5G ships on June 18

A number of top smartphone models have 5G capabilities. But the PC world is largely devoid of a device in use that has that feature. Well, that’s set to change with the arrival of the Lenovo Yoga 5G in the U.S.

Starting June 18, you can buy the Lenovo Yoga 5G, according to Microsoft.   The laptop, which starts at $1,399.99, is the first PC in the world to support the fastest internet connectivity technology available today.

Lenovo Yoga 5G specs

Support for 5G is a potential game changer regardless of how you use Lenovo Yoga 5G or Lenovo Flex 5G. Its high-speed network connectivity could be up to 10 times (or more) faster than 4G, which would be ideal for downloading massive files.

As you might imagine, 5G should work great for video conferencing, live streaming, and file sharing too.

Microsoft adds:

Thanks to that platform, you can stay online with up-to-24-hours battery life. When secure, stable Wi-Fi isn’t available, the 5G network provides faster and more reliable connectivity options when streaming, real-time collaborating, video-chatting, gaming or file-transferring.

In addition, the Windows 10PC uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G processor with a built-in modem. This microchip has become synonymous with 5G devices nowadays.

Lenovo says that the Flex 5G laptop comes with a 24-hour battery life. That’s a useful feature, especially when you need to stay connected and keep working for long hours while off the grid.

Apparently, the device’s current microchip boasts superior thermal efficiency compared with previous-gen Qualcomm processors. The feature enables it to save up to 60% of computing power. That’s how a fully-charged Lenovo Yoga 5G battery lasts 24 hours.

The laptop will be available in other select regions, including Europe and Asia, later this year.

Recently, Lenovo launched the Yoga Duet 7i and IdeaPad Duet 3i laptops.

Are you excited about the new Lenovo Yoga 5G PC? Feel free to let us know or ask any question via the comments section below.

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ARK packet loss: What is it and how to fix it?

ARK: Survival Evolved, or shortly just ARK, is an awesome action-adventure game released in 2017. You find yourself stranded on a mysterious island and need to do everything you can to survive.

However, don’t expect ARK to treat you like a basic wood camper. No, building a fire is the last thing you’ll need to worry about in this game. In fact, you’ll have to tame or kill primeval creatures on the island.

In your survival-based journey, you might even find other players. It’s your choice whether you help each other survive, or engage in some good player-vs-player action.

Now if you choose to play ARK all by yourself, you might not even need this article. However, it’s the multiplayer that bugs us all every now and then with the same old issues.

High latency/ping, jitter, random disconnection, and even the infamous packet loss are among these issues.

What is packet loss in ARK?

Generally speaking, packet loss has the same behavior regardless of where you encounter it, even in ARK. It occurs whenever packets of data that you send or receive never reach their destination point.

That shouldn’t be such a problem, considering that we transmit tens of millions of packets daily. Some of them might not make it to their destination, but they are usually quickly replaced by others.

However, in online games such as ARK, it can get problematic if such an episode lasts for several seconds, or minutes. Usually, packet loss triggers other issues such as unbearable latency, rubberbanding, and even disconnection.

More often than not, network congestion is the one causing packet loss. Thus, leaking packets usually fixes itself if you just give it time. Additionally, you might want to avoid peak hours, if you’re aware of them.

How to fix packet loss in ARK?

1. Try using a VPN

  1. Download Private Internet Access to your PCARK PIA
  2. Install it
  3. Launch PIA and log into your account
  4. Choose a fast server
  5. Launch ARK
  6. Check to see if the problem still persists

Private Internet Access is a great all-round VPN from Kape Technologies. This VPN can improve your packet loss, but only if the issue occurs on your ISP’s side.

For instance, if your network is improperly routed, or if your ISP throttles your bandwidth, PIA might improve things.

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

Leaking packets in ARK? PIA might be of help.
$2.85/mo. Buy it now

However, the reasons for using a VPN shouldn’t be reduced to improving ping or packet loss. VPNs are outstanding tools that can help you enhance your privacy, secure your connection, and even circumvent geoblocking.

Thus, even though it might not improve packet loss 100% of the time, it’s still wise to invest in a VPN.

2. Troubleshoot your connection

  1. Launch CMD with administrator rights
  2. Locate the address of the ARK server that leaks packets
  3. Run the pathping x.x.x.x (x.x.x.x = address of the ARK server) command in CMDCMD pathping
  4. Locate the hop that’s losing packets
  5. Depending on your test results, take any of the following actions:
    • Check and replace/repair/upgrade/update any faulty components of your home network (PC, cables, router)
    • Switch to wired if you’re using Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi leaks packets more often)
    • Call your ISP to look into the matter if there’s something wrong on their side
    • Contact the server host and inform them of your findings

Truth be told, there’s no immediate magic fix for packet loss. As we’ve mentioned above, most of the time it’s caused by network congestion and fixes itself.

However, if you notice a pattern in its occurrence, stepping in might be the smart thing to do.

ARK packet loss can be solved most of the times

To sum it up, if you’re having problems with packet loss in ARK, the best thing would be to wait it off. More often than not, it’s caused by network congestion, which, given enough time, passes as swiftly as it came by.

The next best thing would be trying to fix it by yourself, and sometimes using a VPN is the simplest way to tackle this issue. If the VPN didn’t work as expected, try troubleshooting your connection, isolating the issue, and fixing it one step at a time.

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Emails surface detailing Microsoft’s facial recognition pitch to DEA shortly before new stance

Microsoft might have earned some civil justice cred last week when news outlets reported on its newly adopted stance on facial recognition that needs to be “grounded in human rights” graced the headline of several news outlets, but it seems the company’s altruism may have been forced rather than earned according to newly surfaced emails.

BuzzFeed News is reporting that until recently, Microsoft has tried on several occasions to sell its facial recognition technology to the government over the years and while the company specifically called out local enforcement through their recent advocacy, as recently as 2018 it tried to pitch its facial recognition to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Documents gathered by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) details conversations between Microsoft and various federal agencies regarding the sale and purchase of the software providers’ facial recognition technology.

In particular,

“Great chatting with you yesterday. Here is a recap of what I have in mind.

I am getting the Microsoft Cognitive Services Group to come in from Redmond to discuss use-cases for their Media Services. As you may be aware, Microsoft Azure has many of these services (Translation, Transcription, Video Processing, Facial Recognition, etc.) running the Public Azure. Microsoft has only some of these services running in the Microsoft Azure Government (MAG) Cloud and they are looking at what else needs to be transitioned over to MAG.

They are also looking at what needs to be developed. The great news is that MAG is FISMA-FEDRAMP High, the same as Firebird, so we can do Law Enforcement Sensitive things in it. I am kicking off a pilot project and would like to start thinking about a variety of sample recordings (video and audio) that we could play with to exercise these services. Perhaps you have some that are not sensitive that we could use?”

While the name of the officer has been redacted for security purposes, the person with whom Microsoft was supposed to meet with, holds the title of Chief Technology Officer for the DEA.

In November 2017, DEA reps made a trip to Microsoft’s Reston, Virginia office to get a first-hand demo of its Azure-based cognitive services that included facial recognition technology with an emphasis on “Face API and develop a face database.”

Communications between Microsoft and the DEA imply there was no documented evidence that anything became of the meetings and, Microsoft president Brad Smith spoke on behalf of the company in July 2017  eventually stress these need for thoughtful government regulations” regarding the use of facial recognition in law enforcement.

At the moment, it’s unclear whether Microsoft’s new stance on the use of facial recognition is tied to its seemingly failed pitches to government agencies or if it was developed in parallel and the timing of events is coincidental.

As an aside, a senior Microsoft SME attempted to meet once again with the DEA shortly after Smith’s open call for stricter regulations but before the company’s public declaration to not sell facial recognition to law enforcement until the company was satisfied with new laws set in place. In November 2018, the unnamed Microsoft SME sent another email to a DEA rep asking for a meeting, once again, regarding the use of Microsoft’s facial recognition technology.

While the ACLU’s lawsuit which has brought the email communications to light it doesn’t seem to cover recent communications between Microsoft and government agencies in regard to facial recognition. It remains unclear if the company is now using legalese to skirt around its own definition of law enforcement involvement to eventually service the government with facial recognition technology.

Despite Microsoft’s recent stance on facial recognition, the company does maintain several contracts with other law enforcement agencies in the US that include the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Defense (DoD) which has caused a bit of consternation among the company’s employees.

In the end, Microsoft can only be judge by its actions and thus far, its facial recognition technology hasn’t made its way to law enforcement, how long that holds is up to the software company.

VLC media player update fixes denial of service crash bug

Why would someone launch a denial of service attack just to crash your VLC media player?

A malicious actor could do it for fun, no? Or maybe they found a new way to steal your information. But, whatever their intention is, a flaw in the VLC app could let them do exactly that!

That’s why the folks at VideoLAN recommend that you update to VLC 3.0.11 for Windows 10, which patches the vulnerability.

VLC media player patches crash vulnerability

Tommy Muir alerted VideoLAN to the CVE-2020-13428 flaw that affects the VLC media player.

In a typical CVE-2020-13428 exploit, an attacker remotely delivers a specially crafted script that causes a buffer overflow affecting the VLC H26X packetizer.

They could send you the malware disguised as a genuine media file. They could also deliver it in the form of a media stream.

Once you open the specially crafted file, the malware starts executing.

After that, the bad actor may be able to crash your media player in a denial of service attack. Alternatively, they could gain your user privileges and execute arbitrary scripts.

While these issues in themselves are most likely to just crash the player, we can’t exclude that they could be combined to leak user information or remotely execute code. ASLR and DEP help reduce the likelihood of code execution, but may be bypassed.

The VLC media player takes advantage of address space layout randomization (ASLR), a memory protection technique that minimizes the risk of buffer-overflow attacks. Apart from that, it also leverages data execution prevention (DEP) to guard against the effects of malware and viruses.

But VideoLAN warns that an attacker may still breach ASLR and DEP and succeed in their CVE-2020-13428 attack.

Most probably, the company received a proof of concept from Muir, rather than evidence of an ongoing exploit in the wild. So, you should be safe for now, although updating to the latest version of the VLC media player should be a priority.

Do you use the VLC media player for Windows 10, and are you experiencing any crash issues? Kindly let us know or ask any questions via the comments section below.

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FIX: MTG Arena fatal error in GC GetThreadContext failed

Magic: The Gathering Arena is the digital version of the Magic: The Gathering card game. The game received positive reviews since its launch for Microsoft Windows .

However, people raised some issues about errors that appear at launch or during gameplay. Next, we’ll give you some solutions how to get rid of the fatal error in GC ‘GetThreadContext failed’ error message.


How do I fix the GetThreadContext failed error in MTG Arena?

1. Turn off or uninstall FACEIT Client.

FACEIT is a solution, for clients and servers, that aims to detect cheats in online games or software that could help players break rules during the game.

If it’s installed on your system, simply turn it off and try launching MTG Arena. If the problem persists, uninstall FACEIT client, reboot your computer and try again.

This time, you should have more success.


2. Add MTG Arena to your antivirus exception list.

Antivirus-general-image

Like in many other cases, when it comes to security solutions, these could also stand in the way of perfectly legit applications. Users have reported that after an update to their antivirus software, a fatal error in GC GetThreadContext failed suddenly appeared.

For some of them, it was just as simple as adding MTG Arena on the exception list of their AV. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work all the time. You may need to resort to another security software.


Looking for a solid antivirus tool? Check out this detailed article for our top picks!


3. Turn off DEP for MTG Arena in Windows 10.

system-advanced-system-settings
System-advancedsettings-advanced-performance
data-execution-prevention-tab
  1. Open Control Panel, go to System, and then click on Advanced system settings in the left upper corner.
  2. Now, System Properties window should be open.
  3. Go to the Advanced tab, and click on Settings in the Performance area.
  4. In the Performance window, go to the Data Execution Prevention tab
  5. Make sure you check Turn on DEP for all programs except those that I select and click on the Add button.
  6. At this last step, you need to navigate to the executable of the application, select it and then click Apply.
    • DEP should not be a problem anymore for MTG Arena.

Though usually, DEP doesn’t affect the running of newer applications, we can’t exclude it from our set of solutions. To turn off DEP for MTG Arena follow the steps listed above.

These are the fixes to help gamers eliminate the annoying fatal error in GC GetThreadContext failed in MTG Arena.

We also have a new guide on MTG Arena network error, so don’t miss it. Many users encountered Asset error detected in MTG Arena, but we covered that one in a separate guide.

Let us know which of the solutions listed above helped you solve your MTG issue by leaving us a message in the comments section below.

Will upcoming Windows 10 21H1 bring Win 32 containers?

It’s almost a month now since Microsoft accidentally revealed that Windows 10 21H1 would hit the Fast ring toward the end of June 2020. Well, the build is likely to go live today, according to a tweet by Alumia.

Yesterday, build 20H2 left the Fast ring, which means that the channel has or will get a new occupant soon. But what features is 21H1 bringing?

Windows 10 21H1 set to go live in the Fast ring

Twitter user Alumia-Italia, who has build credibility for leaking accurate prerelease info on Windows and other Microsoft apps, posted a screenshot of Windows 10 21H1 download options.

The image includes the preview build’s number, 21050.

Alumia adds that 21H1 is going live today, and the package will include ISOs for the OS.

Well, speculations that Microsoft would push 21H1 to Windows insiders around this week started surfacing last week.

As you may know, 21H1 is a major Windows 10 update, unlike 20H2, which hit the Slow ring yesterday. The build is likely to offer a much-improved user interface with a new Start menu, for starters.

But not everything is clear about what specifically 21H1 brings. For example, will it offer insiders an opportunity to test Win32 app containers?

Containerization would be a major change for Windows. That’s because it’s a revolutionary architecture that allows apps a significant level of independence from the operating system.

Originally, the container technology was coming to Windows 10X. But rumors have it that such core features may be available in other versions of Windows 10 too.

What’s more, Microsoft appears to be shifting away from the tradition of tying new features to specific OS releases. As such, if you test any new feature in, say, 21H1, it may not necessary become available with the release of that specific build.

In other words, even if Windows 10 21H1 preview build 21050 supported Win32 containers, the feature could end up in another release version of Windows.

As always, you can share your thoughts or ask any questions in the comments section below.

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Microsoft fixes Windows 10 printer issues after June updates

Microsoft announced in the Message center that they issued new out-of-band updates to fix the printing problems that occurred for some users after the updates released in June.

It probably sounds complicated but we will clear this out. We previously reported about a Patch Tuesday update that causes printing problems and more.

To refresh your memory, this is Microsoft’s known issue:

After installing this update, certain printers might fail to print. The print spooler might throw an error or close unexpectedly when attempting to print, and no output will come from the affected printer.

The issue might also affect software-based printers, such as when printing to PDF.

As they were many users affected by this problem, Microsoft issued updates for every major build from 1803 to 1909.

How can I download and install the updates?

First of all, Microsoft advises that only the users that are affected by this printing problem should download and install these patches.

The KB4567512, KB4567513, and KB4567514 are optional updates and are available only on the Microsoft Update Catalog.

That means that you won’t find them in Windows Update and will not install automatically.

For Windows 10, version 1803, you need to install KB4567514

For Windows 10, version 1809, you need to install KB4567513

For Windows 10, version 1903, you need to install KB4567512

For Windows 10, version 1909, you need to install KB4567512

Microsoft added that for other affected versions of Windows they will issue updates in the coming days.

How can I see what is my Windows 10 version?

If you don’t know what version of Windows 10 you have installed, it’s easy to check.

Press the Windows key + R, type winver and select OK. The version will be shown in the second row.

How to check Windows 10 version

Do you have problems with your printer since the update? Tell us your story in the comments section.

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Windows 10 Insider build 20150 is out in the Fast Ring with WSL updates

Microsoft has just announced the release of the Windows 10 preview build 20150 for Windows Insiders in the Fast Ring, which will soon become the “Dev channel.” Despite the big bump in the build number, there are no major changes in this build, though the Windows Subsystem for Linux is getting some love.

Three new WSL features are available in this build with GPU compute, WSL install, and WSL Update. Fast Ring Insiders will also find an updated Maps app that now uses TomTom data, as well as minor improvements for the Settings apps.

You can find the full list of new features, bug fixes, and known issues below:

What’s new in Build 20150

Three new Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) features: GPU compute, WSL install, and WSL update

This build contains three new exciting WSL features. The first is GPU compute: a feature that allows your Linux binaries to leverage your GPU, which makes it possible to do more machine learning development and data science workflows directly in WSL. Secondly, we’ve added a new command: `wsl –install` which allows you to install WSL with just one command. Lastly, we’ve added `wsl –update` which gives you the ability to easily manage the Linux kernel version used by WSL 2 distros. To view a summary of these announcements please read this post on the Windows Command line blog, and for in-depth details on GPU compute in WSL please read this post on the Windows Developer blog.

A TensorFlow Docker container running an ML training script inside WSL 2 along with Task Manager showing GPU activity.

Other updates for Insiders

Updating the map data in the Maps app

Earlier this month, the Bing Maps Team announced they’ve started gradually rolling out the new TomTom base map data to Bing Maps and Microsoft first party products. As part of this process, we’re slowly updating the Maps app for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel (Fast ring) to use the new map data from TomTom. We’re asking Insiders to submit feedback on any issues they see as a result of this change directly from the Maps app by selecting Suggest a change at the lower right corner of the app.

General changes & improvements

  • With this week’s build, we’ll be starting to roll out the new search box on the default app settings pages As part of this, we’ve done some work to improve the performance of the search box.
  • The new Korean IME is now available again for Insiders to use.
  • Based on feedback, we’re updating the text of the Settings > Privacy > Location page to clarify that the icon displayed when your location is being used will be displayed in the taskbar.

Fixes

  • We fixed an issue resulting in Visual Studio windows not consistently accepting clicks.
  • We’ve fixed an issue where the Documents and Downloads sections in Settings > Privacy was showing a broken icon next to their name (just a rectangle).
  • We fixed an issue where, if you paused Windows Update while a new build was downloading and then closed Settings, when you reopened Settings the Windows Update page may appear blank.
  • We fixed an issue where updates made when editing VPN networks in Settings might not persist.
  • We fixed an issue where the copy button under Settings > Network & Internet-Status > Properties wasn’t actually copying the content to the clipboard.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in the data usage number in Network & Internet Settings not displaying correctly in Japanese if the data usage was less than 1 MB.
  • We fixed a crash some Insiders were experiencing when opening Sound Settings.
  • We fixed an issue where the Optimize Drives window position wasn’t preserved on elevation.
  • We fixed a typo in the group policies under User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Component > File Explorer > Do not move deleted files to the Recycle Bin.
  • We fixed an issue resulting in the On-Screen Keyboard no longer displaying text predictions.
  • We fixed an issue where double-clicking a OneDrive file in File Explorer might unexpectedly show a notification saying, “Windows Defender SmartScreen is downloading from OneDrive.”
  • We fixed an issue where Resource Monitor could end up showing CPU usage at more than 100 percent.
  • We fixed an issue that could result in qaa-Latn unexpectedly appearing in your list of keyboards after upgrading.
  • We fixed an issue where, with multiple input methods, typing in your password incorrectly on the login screen would result in your keyboard changing back to your default input method (if that’s not what you were typing with).
  • We fixed an issue where the touch keyboard space bar label would disappear when pressing it while using Japanese curve-flick input in abc mode.
  • We fixed an issue that could result in your browser not launching in the foreground after selecting a web link from another app.
  • We fixed an issue that could result in Search not accepting typed input.
  • We fixed an issue where, if pinned to Start, the Windows Security app tile would be missing an icon when the tile was medium sized.
  • We’ve made some updates to improve performance of the Windows Security app if there are a large number of detections.
  • We fixed a few issues that could result in your PC bugchecking.

Known issues

  • We’re working on a fix for an issue causing some systems to crash with a HYPERVISOR_ERROR bugcheck.
  • We’re looking into reports of the update process hanging for extended periods of time when attempting to install a new build.
  • We’re aware of an issue where Notepad might fail to reopen files which were automatically saved during a PC upgrade (or restart, if enabled in Settings). Documents can be recovered from %localappdata%Notepad.

In case you missed it, Microsoft announced some big changes for the Windows Insider program earlier this week. The Fast Ring will become the new Dev channel later this month, but it will keep receiving builds with experimental features that are not tied to a specific Windows release. The Slow ring is also becoming the Beta channel and should receive new builds more frequently, and Microsoft actually released the first 20H2 build for those Insiders yesterday.

Update 1PM PT: ISOs for the build 20150 are also available to download from the Windows Insider Preview Downloads page.

Microsoft Defender ATP gets new UEFI scanner

Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection, Microsoft’s preventive technology designed to help enterprise users detect and respond to security threats, is getting a new UEFI scanner to protect against hardware attacks. In a blog post today, Microsoft announced that it’s expanding the protection capabilities of Microsoft Defender ATP to the firmware level by introducing a new Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) scanner.

The new UEFI scanner basically interacts with the motherboard chipset by reading the firmware file system at runtime. “The UEFI scanner is a new component of the built-in antivirus solution on Windows 10 and gives Microsoft Defender ATP the unique ability to scan inside of the firmware filesystem and perform security assessment. It integrates insights from our partner chipset manufacturers and further expands the comprehensive endpoint protection provided by Microsoft Defender ATP,” explained the Microsoft Defender ATP Team.

According to Microsoft, the UEFI scanner uses various new solution components including the UEFI anti-rootkit, full filesystem scanner, and detection engine in order to perform dynamic analysis for threat detection. Microsoft Defender ATP customers will get the threat detection alerts in the Microsoft Defender Security Center, and they can then analyze them to respond to suspicious activities at the firmware level in their organizational environments. Moreover, your security operations teams can hunt for these threats with the help of the advanced hunting capabilities in Microsoft Defender ATP.

Overall, this is a welcoming change for companies using Windows Defender ATP, and it should beef up Microsoft’s efforts to protect its enterprise customers. “With its UEFI scanner, Microsoft Defender ATP gets even richer visibility into threats at the firmware level, where attackers have been increasingly focusing their efforts on,” said the Microsoft Defender ATP Team today. “Security operations teams can use this new level of visibility, along with the rich set of detection and response capabilities in Microsoft Defender ATP, to investigate and contain such advanced attacks.”

Microsoft touts reduced memory usage for Microsoft Edge on the Windows 10 May 2020 Update

Microsoft’s new Chromium-based Edge browser is running more efficiently on the freshly-released Windows 10 May 2020 Update, the company said today. Microsoft claims that the new browser can use close to 30% less memory on the new version of the OS due to segment heap memory improvements for Win32 apps.

“With the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, Microsoft Edge has leveraged the Windows segment heap memory improvements now available for Win32 applications to manage memory more efficiently. Early internal testing results of devices on the May 2020 Update are showing a memory usage reduction of up to 27% when browsing with Microsoft Edge,” the company explained.

It’s important to note that Microsoft Edge’s memory usage should vary across PCs, but Microsoft still expects users to have a “better experience” when using its new browser on the May 2020 Update. That may well convince more Chrome users to give Edge a try, as Google’s web browser is notorious for being a memory and battery hog.

Microsoft has started rolling out its new Edge browser to all Windows 10 PCs via Windows Update, which will replace the legacy Edge that is no longer in development. The upcoming Windows 10 20H2 update, to be available later this fall, will also be the first version of Windows 10 to ship with the new Microsoft Edge, the software giant announced yesterday.

PowerPoint Live is now generally available

PowerPoint Live is now generally available. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced new AI-enabled experiences for Powerpoint, Word, and Excel. This latest announcement comes directly from Microsoft in a post on the Microsoft 365 blog. Here’s a video look at how Live Presentations work in PowerPoint works.

Now, when giving a PowerPoint Live presentation, presenters can keep their audience engaged by allowing them to access your presentation on whatever device they are using. PowerPoint Live also allows the audience to look through your PowerPoint slides at their own pace without the need to interrupt your presentation.

In addition to all these capabilities, Microsoft uses the power of artificial intelligence (AI), so that your audience can access your presentation using their own preferred settings on their device, including live subtitles in their preferred language and assist any audience members with hearing disabilities.

After the PowerPoint Live session, audience members can provide feedback to the presenter, with an optional survey provided by Microsoft Forms to help the presenter improve their presentation skills. In addition, PowerPoint Presenter Coach for Android is now generally available, allowing you to get feedback and coaching on how to best deliver your own upcoming presentation using your mobile Android device.

Windows 10 20H2 installs faster and includes Microsoft Edge

Microsoft’s Director of Program Management, Windows Servicing, and Delivery, John Cable, announced on the Windows Blog the new update plans for future releases on Windows 10.

And those plans started with the release of the Windows 10 20H2 for the Insiders in the Beta Channel, the former Slow ring.

What is new about Windows 10 20H2?

First of all, Microsoft cleared out the numerical naming scheme and decided on the year and period version.

So if this is the Windows 10 20H2 build, it’s because it’s going to be released for the general public in this year’s second half.

However, in a small note, they specified that they will still use a friendly name, such as the May 2020 Update, in communication with consumers.

As for the new features of the Windows 10 20H2, Cable was pretty brief:

Windows 10, version 20H2 will offer a scoped set of features to improve performance and enhance quality.

It will also be the first version of Windows 10 to include the new Microsoft Edge, based on Chromium.

In a nutshell, that means that this is a minor release in the style resembling a cumulative upgrade rather than a major one. However, things can still change until the fall release.

It’s worth mentioning that the new build 20H2 Build 19042.330 for the insiders, also includes fixes from the KB4557957 update.

Windows 10 20H2 will install quicker

Anyone running the May 2020 Update and updating to Windows 10, version 20H2 will have a faster installation experience because the update will install like a monthly update

, mentioned Cable in the blog post.

However, if you own an older build, you will wait longer, just like for a major update.

The Microsoft official added that the main focus of the 20H2 feature update will be on improved performance and quality, rather than on a large number of brand-new features.

How can I install the new Windows 10 20H2 update?

Windows 10 20H2 is available only for Insiders who joined the Beta Channel and look for the update in Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.

Once you download and install it, you will get regular 20H2 updates via Windows Update.

What do you think about the new Microsoft approach? Leave us your thought in the comments section below.

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How to use filters in Microsoft Teams to find the messages and items you need most

The more you use Microsoft Teams, the more it will get populated with messages and other items such as files. This might make it tricky to find things like a specific document your colleague left you, or a specific message which mentioned something important. Luckily, Microsoft Teams makes it easy to find these things with its filter function. Here’s a look at how you can use it.

How to filter your search

Once you run a search in Microsoft Teams, you’ll notice that you’ll see some tabs along the top of the search results. It will say Messages, People, and Files. This is your first way of filtering. It the item you’re looking for is a message, click messages. If it is a person, click people, and if it is a file, click Files. These separate things out a bit to help make finding what you’re looking for easier.

Additionally, you do have access to other filters below that. When looking for messages, you can click the From box and type a name to narrow down who the message originated from. You also can choose Type to narrow down where the message originated from, be it a channel or a chat. Finally, you’ll also see options for more filters. This includes by subject, date range, the Team the message is from, or the Channel. You even can choose if it has an attachment, or if you were @ mentioned.

When searching for files specifically, you’ll find some helpful filters, too. You can use the filter to see which Team the file came from, the file type, as well as when it was last modified.

How to filter your chats

Filtering goes beyond the search. If you’ve got a lot of chat messages in Teams, you also can filter through the list with some additional controls. By default, the filter is by name, but if you press the . . . you also can filter beyond that to include unread messages, muted conversations, or meetings. It’s a great way to get the messages or things you need first, without worrying about clicking through a long list.

How to filter your channels and Teams

Finally, there is the ability to filter your channels and your Teams. To do this, you’ll want to look for the icon next to where it says Teams. It looks like an upside-down beaker. When you click it, you’ll be able to narrow down your list of teams and channels. From here, you can sort through and search for teams or channels. It’s useful if you’re in more than one channel or team.

Tips for chat, and more

Our tips for filtering in Teams are just one area of our recent coverage. We’ve been going over all kinds of Teams topics. These include some tips for how you can get the most out of chat in Teams, how to manage your notifications, get the most out of your camera, and more. If you have some tips of your own let us know in the comments below!

Get one month of EA Access for just 99 cents and play more than 80 EA games on Xbox One

Xbox One owners can get a cool deal on EA Access subscriptions this week. For a limited time, EA is offering one month of EA Access for just 99 cents instead of $4.99, and for that price, you’ll be able to play more than 80 EA games for free including Star Wars Battlefront 2, FIFA 20, or Battlefield 5.

EA Access was the first game subscription service to launch on Xbox One consoles back in 2014, three years before Microsoft launched its own Xbox Game Pass alternative. EA Access went to launch on PlayStation 4 last year, and it’s also coming to Steam very soon.

EA Access is much cheaper than Xbox Game Pass at just $4.99 a month, or $29.99 a year, though subscribers usually need to wait six months or more before new EA games join the catalog. Microsoft does it differently with Xbox Game Studio titles, which are now available on Xbox Game Pass on day one.

Still, EA Access remains a really good deal if you’re a fan of EA’s game franchise. The service also offers 10% off on EA digital purchases from the Xbox Store, as well as 10-hours “Play First” trials for upcoming games.

While there’s no E3 2020 this year, EA will hold an “EA Play Live” digital event tomorrow at 4PM PT. The company is expected to reveal more details about Star Wars: Squadrons, its new space combat simulation game that will ship on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows on October 2, 2020.

EA Play
EA Play
Developer:
Electronic Arts
Price:
$5.99

Lenovo updates its ThinkPad line with brighter screens, larger batteries and LTE options

Lenovo just announced updates to its ThinkPad P Series Mobile workstations that bring more control and more configurations to the SMB crowd.

Some of the latest improvements include new screen sizes, Ultra Performance Modes, the latest 10th Gen Intel Core processors, rebuilt chassis with up to 30 percent larger CPU heat sinks, and larger battery sizes just to list a few.

For those unaware, Lenovo’s new ThinkPad P series includes the ThinkPad P15, and P17 (successors of the P53 and 73) and the beast ThinkPad P1 Gen 3.

As previously mentioned, Lenovo is priding itself on its redesigned airflow makeup that adds up to 13 percent more airflow for the P15 and P17,  this time around. Leveraging the new airflow design are two other components that should help boost overall productivity from the device that includes a larger CPU heat sink for the devices as wells as Lenovo’s Ultra Performance Mode that allows users to tax the processors more before hitting that fan noise barrier.

As part of a customization initiative, Lenovo also opted for a new daughtercard design for CPU and GPU placement which forgoes the tried and true soldered solutions of the past and allows the company to offer more customized GPU and CPU configurations out of the box. For instance, the ThinkPad P15 and P17 come equipped with NVIDIA Quadro RTX GPU’s but offer support for higher GPU wattage if necessary.

“Professionals across industries require the highest level of power and performance from their mobile workstations to meet the demands of their workflow,” said Sandeep Gupte, senior director of professional visualization, NVIDIA “Powered by NVIDIA Quadro RTX, Lenovo is offering a truly customizable and full-powered workstation experience – whether people care on the go or at home.”

Other niceties coming to the P lineup also include new 84WHr batteries, configuration support of up to 4TB of storage, UHD Dolby Vision HDR displays, and a possible 128GB DDR4 memory options for the P15 and P17 devices.

Moving over to the flagship P device in the ThinkPad P1 (the P version of the X1 Extreme) customers will now get a slightly redesigned chassis housing that improves speaker quality, an anti-smudge coating on the cover, and brand new UHD LCD display option that kicks out 600-nits of brightness. There will also be available in select markets, an LTE WAN configuration for remote workers.

Last but not least, Lenovo is tossing in an update to its ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 and ThinkPad P15v device that will offer a 10th Gen Intel processors with support up to i9 options, NVIDIA GeForce 1650Ti or Quadro P629 GPU graphics support, 15 and 15.6-inch displays that also push out their own 600-nits of brightness and optional CAT16 LTE-A Wireless WAN support.

What’s new:

  • All equipped with high-performance 10th Gen Intel H series mobile processors
  • Feature the new Ultra Performance Mode, exclusive to these systems, allowing users to take full control of their performance setting
  • The ThinkPad P15 and P17 (Follow-ons of the P53 and P73) will boast additional shared features – including a new 94WHr battery and up to 4TB of storage, along with up to 128GB DDR4 of memory and UHD Dolby Vision HDR displays
  • The P15v offers increased flexibility within the 15” space. With a UHD 600-nit LCD display and the NVIDIA Quadro P620 GPU
  • X1 Extreme Gen 3 offers new WiFi 6 and optional CAT16 LTE-A Wireless WAN

Most of Lenovo’s latest updates will begin shipping in July at the earliest.

  • The ThinkPad P15 and P17 will be available from July, starting at $1,979 and $2119, respectively.
  • The ThinkPad P1 Gen 3 will be available from July, starting at $2,019
  • The ThinkPad P15v will be available from July, starting at $1,349.

Microsoft acknowledges Storage Space issues in the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, suggests a fix

Microsoft has acknowledged a new bug that appears to be plaguing users running the Windows 10 May 2020 Update. In a support document today (via Techdows), Microsoft confirmed that it is currently investigating reports from users currently unable to create a storage pool using the Storage spaces feature on the Windows 10 May 2020 Update.

“Devices using Storage Spaces might have issues using or accessing their Storage Spaces after updating to Windows 10, version 2004 (the May 2020 Update) and Windows Server, version 2004. When using some configurations, partition for Storage Spaces might show as RAW in Disk Manager. We do not recommend running the chkdsk command on any device affected by this issue,” the support document reads.

If you rely on Storage Spaces, Microsoft recommends that you should follow these steps to mark them as read-only:

  1. Open Start menu, type PowerShell, Right-click on Windows PowerShell, and then select Run as administrator.
  2. Once the PowerShell dialog opens on your screen, type the following command and hit the enter button: get-virtualdisk | ? WriteCacheSize -gt 0 | get-disk | set-disk -IsReadOnly $true

This command will automatically set your Storage Spaces to read-only, and you will no longer be able to write on them. It is worth noting that your device will still be usable, and previously corrupted volumes should remain readable. Alternatively, you can also roll back to a previous version of Windows 10 until Microsoft releases a permanent fix for this problem.

In a separate announcement, Microsoft said that the company is now using machine learning to pick devices that are compatible with the Windows 10 May 2020 Update. “Today we are slowly beginning the training of our machine learning (ML) based process used to intelligently select and automatically update devices approaching end of service,” Microsoft said yesterday. If you haven’t been able to install the Windows 10 May 2020 Update so far, you may want to give Windows Update another look.

Pavilion Gaming 16 vs Pavilion Gaming 17: Which is better?

HP Pavilion Gaming 16 launched on June 2, 2020, and you can buy it for $799.99. There are very few gaming laptops of its size (16.1-inch), although its predecessor, Pavilion Gaming 17, is certainly larger.

If you’re wondering whether upgrading from model 17 to 16 makes sense, a look at critical specifications can settle the question. Since both are gaming laptops, key differentiators in areas like GPU, processor, and RAM should help you decide.

What are HP Pavilion Gaming 16 specs?

If you enjoying playing video games on a Windows 10 PC, HP Pavilion Gaming 16 has the ideal hardware specs for you. The device supports up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, which should deliver sufficient computing power for CPU-intensive games.

In addition, it sports NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q design graphics. The GPU is relatively fast and ideal for games that utilize real-time ray-tracing. The device boasts DDR4 RAM.

The incorporation of Max-Q design enables the laptop to harness the full power of the NVIDIA GPU without compromising thermal efficiency. Laptops with this type of a GPU are usually perfect for a quiet, superfast gaming experience.

Also, this 16-1-inch laptop sports micro-edge bezels that let you have more acres of display space. A refresh rate of 144 Hz and screen resolution of 1080p combine to give a seamless gaming and viewing experience.

Similarly, the HP Pavilion Gaming 16 supports WiFi 6.0, which is the fasted Wi-Fi standard available today.

In addition, HP claims that the latest Pavilion laptop for gamers features dual storage configurations. As such, it lets you utilize an SSD drive for your OS and a traditional drive for your other storage needs.

A comparison with HP Pavilion Gaming 17

HP gaming laptop

Both HP Pavilion Gaming 16 and its predecessor are Windows 10 gaming machines. The two devices sport a similar exterior look too, starting with their angular black chassis and the green keyboard trims.

Likewise, both laptops include the WiFi 6.0 connectivity option. According to HP, the devices offer fast battery charge (50% in 45 minutes with the device shut down).

Display-wise, the older model is larger, at 17.3-inch. But both come with an anti-glare feature, and they support a full high definition resolution of up to 1080p. Their refresh rate is also the same (144 Hz).

The two laptops though differ in an area that impacts gaming performance in a big way—graphics capabilities. While both sport midrange gaming GPUs, the latest model has a more advanced and powerful graphics card.

Looking at the specs for GTX 1660 Ti (on Pavilion Gaming 17) and RTX 2060 (on Pavilion Gaming 16), you may easily see that the latter is superior in key areas like ray tracing. Generally, the entire RTX family offers better graphics and DLSS processing.

Also, don’t forget to take processing power into account. Both devices can support multiple Intel processor models, but Gaming 16 comes with up to 10th gen Intel Core i7 processor.

The older Pavilion supports up to 9th gen Intel Core i7 processor, which also packs a punch.

SpecsPavilion Gaming 16Pavilion Gaming 17
ProcessorUp to 10th gen Intel Core i7Up to 9th gen Intel Core i7
GraphicsUp to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q design graphicsUp to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
Display size 16.1"17.3"
ResolutionFHD 1080pFHD 1080p
ConnectivityWiFi 6.0WiFi 6.0

HP Pavilion Gaming 16 is an improvement on its predecessor

In a nutshell, HP Pavilion Gaming 16 gives you superior options for hardware specs. It performs better in areas that matter to gamers, including processing power. Plus, a comparison of the supported GPUs for each model reveals that the latest Pavilion offers the better graphics performance.

If things like screen size are important to you, then Pavilion Gaming 17 has a clear advantage over its successor.

But you probably still want to buy Gaming 16 if you consider the price factor. For starters, both devices are for the budget-sensitive gamer. However, you get more in the latest model for a starting price of roughly $800.00.

Are you ready to explore the HP Pavilion Gaming 16 laptop? Kindly let us know by commenting via the comments section below.

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GameInput issue affecting Windows 10 2004 users resolved

Installing Windows 10 2004 can cause multiple bugs that affect different types of PC software and hardware, as you may already know.

As such, Microsoft applies a safeguard hold on affected machines in some cases. As a result, users of these PCs can’t download and install the Windows 10 May 2020 update until a solution is available.

But the company has so far fixed some of the bugs. In addition, it has lifted the temporary compatibility block it had put on some of the affected PCs.

The incompatibility issue affecting apps or games with GameInput Redistributable is a perfect case in point.

Windows 10 2004 GameInput compatibility block is no more

After Microsoft rolled out the new Windows 10 version 2004, it applied a compatibility block on devices with GameInput Redistributable installed. It had discovered an incompatibility issue preventing affected apps and games from accepting mouse input.

Usually, the shareware installs in the background as part of an app or game installation. As such, you may not even know that you have it on your machine.

Well, Microsoft lifted the compatibility block on May 2020 Update machines with the app. It made this decision after figuring out that the compatibility bug didn’t impact any version of the appliaction that’s currently on Windows 10 PCs.

After further investigation, we have found that this issue does not affect any version of GameInput Redistributable in use. The safeguard hold has been removed.

This news means that you can now install Windows 10 version 2004 on a PC with GameInput Redistributable. In addition, the software shouldn’t prevent apps and games that use it from capturing mouse input.

Also, the Windows 10 Resolved issues page mentions that Avast solved a bug preventing some users from opening Microsoft Office apps.

Installing KB4557957 caused the glitch, which affected various versions of Windows 10, including 2004, 1909, and 1903.

Are you able to install Windows 10 2004? If you’re encountering any issues, please let us know via the comments section below.

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Microsoft Surface Go 2 first impressions: Lots of potential

Microsoft’s Surface Go line seemed to be an answer in search of a question when the company first unveiled it, actually, many questions. Among some of the questions, people might have had when weighing the options between a relatively pocketable mini Surface or its bigger well known Pro brother is, why?

Over the next few weeks, I’ll see if this little device can answer that question.

On paper, the Surface Go is only a shadow of the Pro with a less powerful processor, smaller screen, smaller keyboard attachment, and handcuffed with Windows 10 S out of the box, but hell if it isn’t a well-crafted piece of hardware that warrants a double-take when looking at future PC purchases.

The Surface Go 2 comes with the same meticulously and almost child-proof packaging as any other Surface device, but when you finally claw the device out of its outer sarcophagus, you’re met with the relatively lightweight PC, long-held proprietary charging cable and seemingly unnecessary paperwork. For those fortunate enough to afford the attaching keyboard, there is some extra packaging to go through, but you won’t cut yourself or lose part of a fingernail in the process.

Together, the attached Microsoft Signature keyboard and Surface Go 2 feel about a heavy as Moleskin notebook (give or take a few ounces), and because of the size, I found myself toting it back and forth between rooms similar to my paper and pen notebook. Unfortunately, the review unit I received didn’t include the majestic Surface Pen, so a requisite review will be done san 4,096 points of pressure sensitivity.

The Surface Go 2 looks and feels like a mini Surface by all accounts, the bezels are similar, the aspect ratios (albeit shrunken) are similar, camera and speaker placements are the same and even the miniature keyboard attachment connects the same pogo pins with the same satisfying click noise.

So far, my experience with the Surface Go 2 has been relatively positive. I’m limiting myself to working in Windows 10 S like anyone else who purchases the device. Right off the bat though, the limitations of Windows 10 S became apparent, downloading the new Xbox app on Windows 10 couldn’t be performed. While I was able to download games such as State of Decay and Minecraft Dungeons, actually playing them were no-gos.

Disappointing.

My game testing on this device might be limited to just the remastered Streets of Rage game.

As for productivity, everything else has worked surprisingly well. Opening Excel and PowerPoint projects were a breeze and web browsing was pretty smooth.

Perhaps, due to the processor, there is a noticeable lag in opening apps for someone coming from a 16GB Intel i5 workstation.

I’ll be putting it through its paces over the next couple of weeks. At $600 plus, Microsoft has a steep asking price for the whole package, but from what I’ve used it for in my limited experience, it’s served well for writing and researching a few articles and catching up Avatar the Last Airbender on Netflix quite nicely.