SCHENKER is updating the KEY series with three new models for 2024. As the most powerful laptop in the portfolio, the 17.3-inch KEY 17 Pro desktop replacement workstation receives a significant upgrade to its comprehensive features: two Thunderbolt 5 ports allow for maximum flexibility. With the fastest laptop processor, the Intel Core i9-14900HX, and graphics cards up to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, the Varjo-Ready-certified KEY 17 Pro excels as a powerful, professional VR and content creation workstation. New additions to the product range include the 14-inch SCHENKER KEY 14 with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and the 16-inch KEY 16 Pro with an Intel Core i9-14900HX. Both models feature graphics cards up to the GeForce RTX 4070 and are NVIDIA GeForce RTX Studio certified.

SCHENKER KEY 17 Pro: Desktop Replacement Workstation with Two Thunderbolt 5 Ports, PCIe 5.0 SSD, Optional UHD Display, and Varjo-Ready Certification
The SCHENKER KEY 17 Pro (M24) succeeds its predecessor with a crucial upgrade: two Thunderbolt 4 ports have been replaced by two Thunderbolt 5 ports with a total bandwidth of 80 Gbps (shared by both ports, depending on the bandwidth requirement per connection) for the best display experience. This laptop provides maximum performance with the next generation of Thunderbolt 5 peripherals, such as multifunctional docking stations and high-performance external storage solutions or the newest DP2.1 based displays. One of these multi-purpose ports can also support charging the workstation with up to 100 watts. The significantly increased bandwidth compared to the previous generation allows for the operation of up to three external 4K monitors at 144 Hz or dual 6K displays. Thunderbolt 5 technology offers maximum flexibility, being backwards compatible with existing Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3 and USB peripherals. Additionally, Thunderbolt Share enables direct data exchange and ultra-low-latency screen sharing between two computers.

Magewell's USB Capture family has long been the gold standard for professional video capture devices, earning a reputation for being the easiest and most reliable way to bring video and audio signals into software for live streaming, video conferencing, medical imaging and more. Magewell has expanded the renowned product line with the unveiling of a new model that captures video sources up to 4K resolution at 60 frames per second - the USB Capture HDMI 4K Pro. The new model will be demonstrated alongside other Magewell innovations in stand 7.A44 at the IBC2024 exhibition in Amsterdam from September 13 to 16.

Magewell's compact USB Capture devices enable computers including laptops to capture high-quality AV signals through a USB interface, with no additional power source required. The new USB Capture HDMI 4K Pro offers everything that users love about the existing USB Capture HDMI 4K Plus model, while leveraging 20 Gbps USB transfer performance on compatible host systems to enable the capture of 4K video at higher frame rates and color precision.

Gabriel Ferraz, maintainer of the TechPowerUp SSD database and content creator, recently published an article that shows the relationship between SLC (Single-Level Cell) cache technology and its performance impact on SSDs. Using a Pichau Aldrin Pro 2 TB SSD featuring an Innogrit IG5236 controller and YMTC 128-layer TLC NAND, Gabriel has uncovered both the advantages and potential drawbacks of this feature. The article reveals that with SLC cache enabled, which acts as a high-speed buffer, the SSD achieved remarkable write speeds of up to 6.5 GB/s, but only until 691 GB had been written. Beyond that, speeds dropped to 2.2 GB/s and then to 860 MB/s as the drive filled up.

Disabling the SLC cache delivers more consistent performance results that are 2.1 GB/s across the whole capacity of the SSD, but with lower peak performance. Testing also examined the impact on power consumption and efficiency. With the SLC cache active, the SSD consumed approximately 5 W of power while achieving over 3000 MB/s bandwidth. Disabling the cache reduced power consumption but at the cost of halving the bandwidth to around 1900 MB/s, resulting in lower overall efficiency. Maximum power consumption with cache enabled peaked at 7.3 W, compared to a lower figure when operating in constant TLC mode. Below, you can see some performance benchmarks published on The Overclock Page.

AMD's Ryzen processors have received a significant performance upgrade, thanks to the recent Windows 11 24H2 update. This development addresses initial disappointments with the Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" series performance, particularly in gaming applications. The update, which improves branch prediction capabilities, has resulted in substantial gains for both the Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" and Ryzen 7000 "Zen 4" CPU lineups. According to tests by Hardware Unboxed, Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" CPUs have shown double-digit performance increases across multiple game titles, a boost typically seen only between generational upgrades.

Interestingly, contrary to AMD's initial claims, the performance gains are not limited to the Zen 5 architecture. The Ryzen 7000 "Zen 4" processors have also benefited from the update, with minimal performance differences observed between comparable Zen 5 and Zen 4 models after the update. This development marks a crucial turning point for AMD, addressing earlier criticisms and narrowing the gap between reported and expected performance figures. As users install the Windows 11 24H2 update, they can expect enhanced gaming experiences across a wide range of titles, highlighting the complex interplay between hardware capabilities and software optimization in modern computing. Below are the results from Hardware Unboxed benchmarks.

Microsoft has officially confirmed plans to phase out the Windows Control Panel, a feature that has been a key to the operating system since its inception in 1985. The tech giant recently stated on its support website, "The Control Panel is in the process of being deprecated in favor of the Settings app, which offers a more modern and streamlined experience." The Control Panel has undergone numerous transformations over its 39-year lifespan and has been a familiar tool for Windows users across generations. Its impending retirement signifies a major shift in Microsoft's approach to user interface design and system management. The Settings app, introduced with Windows 8 in 2012, has gradually absorbed the functionalities of the Control Panel. Despite rumors of its demise circulating for a while, this is the first time Microsoft has officially acknowledged the Control Panel's deprecation.

The company still needs to specify an exact timeline for the complete removal of this legacy feature. Microsoft is encouraging users to utilize the Settings app whenever possible, stating, "While the Control Panel still exists for compatibility reasons and to provide access to some settings that have not yet migrated, you are encouraged to use the Settings app, whenever possible." The Control Panel's longevity can be attributed primarily to two factors: ongoing compatibility concerns and the presence of certain functions not yet available in the Settings app. Microsoft's need to maintain backward compatibility with older software and hardware configurations has been a critical driver behind the Control Panel's continued inclusion in Windows. This legacy support ensures that users can still access essential system settings and utilities that still need to be successfully migrated to the more modern Settings interface. However, the complete transition is now seemingly ready.

Multiple users have recently reported that the August 13 Windows 11 update causes issues with dual-boot Linux/Windows configurations. However, the issues are actually related to changes in UEFI Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (SBAT) policies. The issue stems from Microsoft enforcing SBAT and revoking old, exploitable certificates. Many Linux distributions use self-signed UEFI shims, which are no longer allowed due to known exploits. The new update revokes the SBAT certificates on affected, known exploitable versions of GRUB shipped with some Linux distributions. This can result in error messages like "Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation" or "Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation." To resolve this issue, Linux users need to update GRUB or disable the SBAT policy on the Linux side.

It's important to note that this is not primarily a Microsoft problem, but rather a necessary security update that affects some Linux distributions using outdated or vulnerable bootloaders. For more information on SBAT revocations and the boot process, users can refer to the Ubuntu Discourse here. This problem particularly impacts software developers and gaming enthusiasts who rely on dual-boot setups. As always, it's good practice for users to back up their data before performing any system updates. Considering alternatives like using virtual machines is also a good choice for users relying on older Linux distributions.

Primate Labs, the developer behind the popular Geekbench benchmarking suite, has launched Geekbench AI—a comprehensive benchmark tool designed to measure the artificial intelligence capabilities of various devices. Geekbench AI, previously known as Geekbench ML during its preview phase, has now reached version 1.0. The benchmark is available on multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS, making it accessible to many users and developers. One of Geekbench AI's key features is its multifaceted approach to scoring. The benchmark utilizes three distinct precision levels: single-precision, half-precision, and quantized data. This evaluation aims to provide a more accurate representation of AI performance across different hardware designs.

In addition to speed, Geekbench AI places a strong emphasis on accuracy. The benchmark assesses how closely each test's output matches the expected results, offering insights into the trade-offs between performance and precision. The release of Geekbench AI 1.0 brings support for new frameworks, including OpenVINO, ONNX, and Qualcomm QNN, expanding its compatibility across various platforms. Primate Labs has also implemented measures to ensure fair comparisons, such as enforcing minimum runtime durations for each workload. The company noted that Samsung and NVIDIA are already utilizing the software to measure their chip performance in-house, showing that adoption is already strong. While the benchmark provides valuable insights, real-world AI applications are still limited, and reliance on a few benchmarks may paint a partial picture. Nevertheless, Geekbench AI represents a significant step forward in standardizing AI performance measurement, potentially influencing future consumer choices in the AI-driven tech market. Results from the benchmark runs can be seen here.

According to The Verge, Valve confirmed its intention to extend support for its Linux-based SteamOS to rival gaming handhelds, including the ASUS ROG Ally. This move marks a significant step towards realizing Valve's decade-old vision of a widespread "Steam Machine" ecosystem. Lawrence Yang, a designer at Valve, confirmed to The Verge that the company is actively working on adding support for additional handhelds to SteamOS. This revelation came after eagle-eyed observers spotted a curious line in Valve's latest SteamOS 3.6.9 Beta release notes mentioning the addition of "support for extra ROG Ally keys." While the development is still in progress, Yang emphasized that SteamOS isn't quite ready for out-of-the-box use on rival devices. However, he assured that the team is making "steady progress" towards this goal.

This initiative doesn't necessarily mean that manufacturers like ASUS will officially endorse Valve's installer or ship their devices with SteamOS preinstalled. Many companies, including ASUS, have cited various reasons for sticking with Windows, including Microsoft's dedicated validation teams that ensure compatibility across diverse hardware configurations. Other devices, such as Lenovo Legion Go, AYANEO, and GPD Pocket 4, ship with Windows, but it could be interesting to see with SteamOS. Alongside support for third-party handhelds, Valve is also working on a general release of SteamOS 3 for non-handheld PCs. Finally, Valve hasn't forgotten about its promise to enable dual-booting on Steam Deck devices. While there's no specific timeline, Mr. Yang confirmed that it remains a priority for the company. We remain to see how this will materialize, and with added bells and whistles to SteamOS, the adoption of Linux-based gaming could be pushed even further.

Game Science, the developer behind the highly anticipated action RPG "Black Myth: Wukong," has released a free benchmark tool on Steam for its upcoming game. This standalone application, separate from the main game, allows PC users to evaluate their hardware performance and system compatibility in preparation for the game's launch. The "Black Myth: Wukong Benchmark Tool" offers a unique glimpse into the game's visuals by rendering a real-time in-game sequence. While not playable, it provides valuable insights into how well a user's system will handle the game's demanding graphics and performance requirements. One of the tool's standout features is its customization options. Users can tweak various graphics settings to preview the game's visuals and performance under different configurations. This flexibility allows gamers to find the optimal balance between visual fidelity and smooth gameplay for their specific hardware setup.

However, Game Science has cautioned that due to the complexity and variability of gaming scenarios, the benchmark results may not fully represent the final gaming experience. This caveat shows the tool's role as a guide rather than a definitive measure of performance. The benchmark tool's system requirements offer a clear picture of the hardware needed to run "Black Myth: Wukong." At a minimum, users will need a Windows 10 system with an Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and either an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB or AMD Radeon RX 580 8 GB graphics card. For an optimal experience, the recommended specifications include an Intel Core i7-9700 or AMD Ryzen 5 5500 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, or Intel Arc A750 graphics card. Interestingly, the benchmark tool supports DLSS, FSR, and XeSS technologies, indicating that the final game will likely include these performance-enhancing features. The developers also strongly recommend using an SSD for storage.

Cable Matters, a leader in developing cutting-edge connectivity solutions, introduces a USB4 20 Gbps Switch, meeting the diverse needs of today's dynamic remote workforce. This versatile, powerful device seamlessly blends performance, adaptability, and cost efficiency, offering users an unparalleled connectivity solution.

"The vision of this product grew from the needs of today's remote workforce," says Jeff Jiang, CEO of Cable Matters. "People are doing more than ever with multiple devices and require connectivity solutions that provide performance and flexibility at an affordable price." Unlike traditional switches, the USB4 20 Gbps Switch is engineered to handle two USB-C, USB4 or Thunderbolt enabled devices concurrently, effortlessly scaling to match the demands of gadget-intensive users. Users can instantly share a USB-C, USB4 or Thunderbolt monitor or docking station between two devices, and easily switch between them using either the unit's button or the included remote control.

Interesting things are happening in the gaming community, as Windows 10 operating system has seen an increase in its user base on the Steam platform, while Windows 11 has dipped below the 46% mark for the first time since its launch. According to the latest July data from Steam's hardware and software survey, Windows 10's share rose to 47.69%, marking a significant uptick that contrasts with Windows 11's decline to 45.73%. This trend highlights a growing preference among gamers for the older operating system, which is often praised for its stability and compatibility with a wide range of games and hardware. Many users have expressed concerns over Windows 11's performance and its stringent hardware requirements, which have made it less accessible for some gamers, especially those without the TPM 2.0-enhanced system.

The shift in user demographics is particularly interesting given that Windows 11 was designed with gaming enhancements in mind, including features like DirectStorage and Auto HDR. However, the adoption rate appears to be hampered by issues related to compatibility and performance, leading many gamers to stick with the more familiar and reliable Windows 10. This trend could prompt Microsoft to reevaluate its approach to Windows 11, particularly in terms of addressing user concerns and enhancing compatibility with existing hardware. Other OSes are seeing stagnation, especially with Linux-based distributions recording zero change. Apple's OSX stands at 1.37%, a +0.06% increase from last month.

Industry leader AAEON has expanded its RISC computing product portfolio with the release of the SRG-IMX8PL and PICO-IMX8PL, a Mini PC and 2.5" PICO-ITX board, respectively. Both products are powered by the NXP i.MX 8M Plus platform, featuring a quad-core Arm Cortex -A53 processor with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) operating at up to 2.3 TOPS.

Built to provide cost-efficient IoT Gateway solutions in rugged environments, the SRG-IMX8PL and PICO-IMX8PL both offer wide temperature ranges of -40°C to 80°C with the use of a fanless heatsink, a 9 V to 36 V power input range. The SRG-IMX8PL Mini PC also features enhanced shock, drop, and vibration resistance. Dual LAN ports with IEEE 1588 and TSN capabilities, alongside Wi-Fi and 4G module support via M.2 2230 E-Key and full-size mini card, provide each device with broad connectivity options for industrial IoT use. Additionally, both the PICO-IMX8PL and SRG-IMX8PL support a wide range of operating systems, including Debian 11, Android 13, Windows 10 IoT, and Yocto, as well as data communication protocols such as Modbus, MQTT, and OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA).

Qualcomm has started accepting preorders for its Snapdragon Dev Kit for Windows, based on the Snapdragon X Elite processor. Initially announced in May, the device is now available for preorder through Arrow at a competitive price point of $899. Despite its relatively high cost compared to typical mini PCs, it undercuts most recent laptops equipped with Snapdragon X processors, making it an attractive option for both developers and power users alike. Measuring a mere 199 x 175 x 35 mm, it comes equipped with 32 GB of LPDDR5x RAM, a 512 GB NVMe SSD, and support for the latest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5 technologies. The connectivity options are equally robust, featuring three USB4 Type-C ports, two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, an HDMI output, and an Ethernet port.

This mini PC's heart lies the Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-00-1DE) processor. This chip houses 12 Oryon CPU cores capable of reaching speeds up to 3.8 GHz, with a dual-core boost potential of 4.3 GHz. The processor also integrates Adreno graphics, delivering up to 4.6 TFLOPS of performance, and a Hexagon NPU capable of up to 45 TOPS for AI tasks. While similar to its laptop counterpart, the X1E-84-100, this version is optimized for desktop use. It can consume up to 80 watts of power, enabling superior sustained performance without the constraints of battery life or heat dissipation typically associated with mobile devices. This dev kit is made primarily to optimize x86-64 software to run on the Arm platform; hence, removing the power limit is beneficial for translating the code to Windows on Arm. The Snapdragon Dev Kit for Windows ships with a 180 W power adapter and comes pre-installed with Windows 11, making it ready for immediate use upon arrival.

Just a few months after hiring Ben Skeggs, a lead maintainer of the open-source NVIDIA GPU driver for Linux kernel, NVIDIA has announced a complete transition to open-source GPU kernel modules in its upcoming R560 driver release for Linux. This decision comes two years after the company's initial foray into open-source territory with the R515 driver in May 2022. The tech giant began focusing on data center compute GPUs, while GeForce and Workstation GPU support remained in the alpha stages. Now, after extensive development and optimization, NVIDIA reports that its open-source modules have achieved performance parity with, and in some cases surpassed, their closed-source counterparts. This transition brings a host of new capabilities, including heterogeneous memory management support, confidential computing features, and compatibility with NVIDIA's Grace platform's coherent memory architectures.

The move to open-source is expected to foster greater collaboration within the Linux ecosystem and potentially lead to faster bug fixes and feature improvements. However, not all GPUs will be compatible with the new open-source modules. While cutting-edge platforms like NVIDIA Grace Hopper and Blackwell will require open-source drivers, older GPUs from the Maxwell, Pascal, or Volta architectures must stick with proprietary drivers. NVIDIA has developed a detection helper script to guide driver selection for users who are unsure about compatibility. The shift also brings changes to NVIDIA's installation processes. The default driver version for most installation methods will now be the open-source variant. This affects package managers with the CUDA meta package, run file installations and even Windows Subsystem for Linux.

The much-anticipated revolution in AI-powered personal computing seems to be off to a slower start than expected. Qualcomm's Snapdragon X CPUs, touted as game-changers in the AI PC market, have struggled to gain significant traction since their launch. Recent data from PassMark, a popular benchmarking software, reveals that Snapdragon X CPUs account for a mere 0.3% of submissions in the past 30 days. This is a massive contrast to the 99.7% share held by traditional x86 processors from Intel and AMD, which raises questions about the immediate future of ARM-based PCs. The underwhelming adoption comes despite bold predictions from industry leaders. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon had projected that ARM-based CPUs could capture up to 50% of the Windows PC market by 2029. Similarly, ARM's CEO anticipated a shift away from x86's long-standing dominance.

However, it turns out that these PCs are primarily bought for the battery life, not their AI capabilities. Of course, it's premature to declare Arm's Windows venture a failure. The AI PC market is still in its infancy, and upcoming mid-tier laptops featuring Snapdragon X Elite CPUs could boost adoption rates. A lot of time still needs to pass before the volume of these PCs reaches millions of units shipped by x86 makers. The true test will come with the launch of AMD's Ryzen AI 300 and Intel's Lunar Lake CPUs, providing a clearer picture of how ARM-based options compare in AI performance. As the AI PC landscape evolves, Qualcomm faces mounting pressure. NVIDIA's anticipated entry into the market and significant performance improvements in next-generation x86 processors from Intel and AMD pose a massive challenge. The coming months will be crucial in determining whether Snapdragon X CPUs can live up to their initial hype and carve out a significant place in the AI PC ecosystem.

The PC market gathered momentum in Q2 2024, with worldwide shipments of desktops and notebooks up 3.4% year-on-year, reaching 62.8 million units. Shipments of notebooks (including mobile workstations) hit 50 million units, growing 4%. Desktops (including desktop workstations), which constitute 20% of the total PC market, experienced a slight 1% growth, totaling 12.8 million units. The stage is now set for accelerated growth as the refresh cycle driven by the Windows 11 transition and AI PC adoption ramps up over the next four quarters.

"The PC industry is going from strength to strength with a third consecutive quarter of growth," said Ishan Dutt, Principal Analyst at Canalys. "The market turnaround is coinciding with exciting announcements from vendors and chipset manufacturers as their AI PC roadmaps transition from promise to reality. The quarter culminated with the launch of the first Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon processors and more clarity around Apple's AI strategy with the announcement of the Apple Intelligence suite of features for Mac, iPad and iPhone. Beyond these innovations, the market will start to benefit even more from its biggest tailwind - a ramp-up in PC demand driven by the Windows 11 refresh cycle. The vast majority of channel partners surveyed by Canalys in June indicated that Windows 10 end-of-life is likely to impact customer refresh plans most in either the second half of 2024 or the first half of 2025, suggesting that shipment growth will only gather steam in upcoming quarters."

The recent launch of Copilot+ PCs, a collaboration between Microsoft and Qualcomm, has taken an unexpected turn in the market. While these devices were promoted for their artificial intelligence capabilities, a Bloomberg report reveals that consumers are primarily drawn to them for their impressive battery life. The Snapdragon X-powered Copilot+ PCs have made a significant impact, securing 20% of global PC sales during their launch week. However, industry analyst Avi Greengart points out that the extended battery life, not the AI features, is driving these sales. Microsoft introduced three AI-powered features exclusive to these PCs: Cocreator, Windows Studio Effects, and Live Captions with Translation. Despite these innovations, many users find these features non-essential for daily use. The delay of the anticipated Recall feature due to privacy concerns has further dampened enthusiasm for the AI aspects of these devices.

The slow reception of on-device AI capabilities extends beyond consumer preferences to the software industry. Major companies like Adobe, Salesforce, and SentinelOne declined Microsoft's request to optimize their apps for the new hardware, citing resource constraints and the limited market share of AI-capable PCs. Gregor Steward, SentinelOne's VP for AI, suggests it could take years before AI PCs are widespread enough to justify app optimization. Analysts project that by 2028, only 40% of new computers will be AI-capable. Despite these challenges, Qualcomm remains optimistic about the future of AI PCs. While the concept may currently be more on the marketing side, the introduction of Arm-based Windows laptops offers a welcome alternative to the Intel-AMD duopoly. As the technology evolves and adoption increases, on-device AI features may become more prevalent and useful. The imminent arrival of AMD Ryzen AI 300 series and Intel Lunar Lake chips promises to expand the Copilot+ PC space further. For now, however, it appears that superior battery life remains the primary selling point for consumers.

0patch plans to combat Microsoft's ending Windows 10 support by offering unofficial security updates for the 2015 operating system. Microsoft is ending Windows 10 security updates on October 14, 2025, after which the OS will stop receiving patches for vulnerabilities. The Redmond giant will provide you with an option to update your Windows 10 build, however, with a hefty fee slapped. Extended Security Updates (ESU) pricing structure follows a tiered model that doubles each year. From October 2025 to October 2026, the cost is $61 per device. The following year, from October 2026 to October 2027, the price increases to $122 per device. In the final year, spanning October 2027 to October 2028, the cost rises to $244 per device. For users planning to maintain Windows 10 until October 2028, the total expense over the three-year period would amount to $427 per device.

However, 0patch, a company focused on providing unofficial security updates for Windows OSes, will provide Windows 10 users with free and paid security updates post-end of service. Their system focuses on delivering targeted "micropatches" for critical vulnerabilities that emerge after Microsoft's official support ends. These micropatches are designed to be extremely precise and minimal, often consisting of just a few CPU instructions. A key feature of 0patch's approach is its non-invasive nature. The patches are applied directly to running processes in the computer's memory, leaving the original Microsoft files untouched. This method allows for rapid deployment of security fixes without requiring system reboots or interrupting user activities. The patching process is designed to be seamless and virtually unnoticeable to users. For instance, a user working on a document wouldn't experience any disruption while a micropatch is being applied. This approach is particularly beneficial for servers, where continuous uptime is crucial, as patches can be implemented without any downtime.

PC (excluding tablets) shipments to the United States grew 5% year-on-year to 14.8 million units in Q1 2024. The consumer and SMB segments were the key growth drivers, both witnessing shipment increases above 9% year-on-year in the first quarter. With a strong start to the year, the market is now poised for a healthy recovery trajectory amid the ongoing Windows refresh cycle. Total PC shipments to the US are expected to hit 69 million units in 2024 before growing another 8% to 75 million units in 2025.

For the third consecutive quarter, the consumer segment showed the best performance in the US market. "Continued discounting after the holiday season boosted consumer demand for PCs into the start of 2024," said Greg Davis, Analyst at Canalys. "However, the first quarter also saw an uptick in commercial sector performance. Shipment growth in small and medium businesses indicates that the anticipated refresh brought by the Windows 10 end-of-life is underway. With enterprise customers set to follow suit, the near-term outlook for the market remains highly positive."

Kensington, a worldwide leader of desktop computing and mobility solutions for IT, business, and home office professionals, today announced the availability of the Pro Fit Ergo KB675 EQ TKL Rechargeable Keyboard. Winner of a 2024 Red Dot Design award in the product design category, the keyboard is compatible with Windows and macOS and features an ergonomically-sculpted TKL (tenkeyless) design that delivers style, comfort, and performance for use in the office and on the road.

Designed to position the wrists and arms in an ergonomically correct position to promote a more natural posture, the Pro Fit Ergo KB675 EQ TKL Rechargeable Keyboard (K75491) minimizes strain and discomfort when utilizing the keyboard over extended periods. Compared to a traditional, flat keyboard, the ergonomic design of the KB675 keyboard can potentially reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries (RSIs), such as carpal tunnel syndrome and other typing-related issues, which could require medical treatment or result in lost time at work.

Samsung Electronics today announced the immediate availability of the new Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge in select markets. With next-level AI processing performance and intelligent hybrid AI integrations, the Galaxy Book4 Edge advances the era of AI and introduces users to new levels of seamless work, play and creation on their PC.

"The Galaxy Book4 Edge marks the beginning of a whole new category of PCs, and for Samsung, a continued commitment to expand the power of Galaxy AI and offer the most hyperconnected mobile AI ecosystem yet," said TM Roh, President and Head of the Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. "Developed in close collaboration with our industry partners, we believe this next-generation AI PC will redefine the market and more importantly, give people cutting-edge ways to be more productive and creative in their everyday lives."

Microsoft has made a last-minute decision to pull its much-debated "Recall" feature from the Windows 11 24H2 update set to launch on June 18th. Instead, the company will roll out Recall as a preview through the Windows Insider Program while it works to build user trust and address security concerns. Recall, one of the flagship features of 24H2, creates a searchable 30-day timeline of a user's activities including files, webpages, and screenshots. However, since its announcement on May 20th, Recall has faced heavy criticism over potential privacy risks from storing user data in unencrypted plain text files. Security researcher Kevin Beaumont labeled Recall a "security nightmare" after finding it logged activities to a SQLite database accessible by non-admin accounts. This raised alarms about the depths of user behavior tracked and stored locally on PCs.

Initially, Microsoft had planned for Recall to be enabled by default in 24H2. However, following the backlash, the company backtracked on June 7th, making it an opt-in feature requiring Windows Hello authentication and adding encryption. Those adjustments were still not enough to satisfy Microsoft. In a new blog post, the firm stated Recall did not yet meet its "own standards of quality and security" and that it "must be trustworthy, secure and robust" before a wider rollout. By moving Recall to the Insider Program for further testing and refinement, Microsoft is giving itself more time to get the technology right and rebuild user confidence. A future blog will provide instructions for Insiders to preview Recall on compatible Copilot+ PCs with added security protections.

AMD late Tuesday released the latest version of its Chipset Software. This is an important piece of software that, besides providing drivers for the various onboard SoC interfaces of the processor and chipset, provides your Windows operating system with software-side processor power-management (PPM) awareness. Version 6.05.28.016 is the latest version of it, supporting AMD 300-series, 400-series, 500-series, and 600-series chipsets. Version 6.05.28.016 adds support for the new Windows 11 24H2 Update. Support is added for a new program (possibly the latest version of Ryzen Master). The release also adds a few unspecified bug-fixes.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Chipset Software 6.05.28.016The change-log follows.

Microsoft has unexpectedly halted the rollout of the upcoming Windows 11 24H2 update to Windows Insiders on the Release Preview Channel. The pause was quietly announced through an update to the original release blog post, which had initially touted the preview's new features like Wi-Fi 7 support, Sudo for Windows, Rust in the Windows kernel, and various UI enhancements. Microsoft has not provided an official reason for hitting the brakes on the 24H2 preview rollout. Brandon LeBlanc, the Windows Insider Senior Program Manager, simply stated, "We are working to get it rolling out again shortly."

However, a glimpse at the Microsoft Feedback Hub reveals a multitude of issues reported by Insiders testing the 24H2 build. Complaints range from application freezes and performance degradation to VPN connectivity problems. Some users have even taken to social media to voice their frustrations, with one describing the Arm version as a "disastrous, worst 'release' preview I can remember." The Release Preview Channel is typically recommended for commercial users and those wanting to test upcoming Windows releases before general availability. Meanwhile, the Dev Channel caters to users who are comfortable with instability and rough edges. As The Register notes, the current situation echoes Microsoft's troubled rollout of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, which contained a data deletion bug.

Keychron prides itself in bringing the typing comfort and performance of gaming keyboards to the productivity and creator space. At the 2024 Computex, the company showed us their latest performance productivity keyboards. The first of these is the Q HE. This keyboard features magnetic switches for configurable actuation point; hot-swappable keyswitches and keycaps, a gasket mounting design for the switches; a CNC milled aluminium unibody, and 1000 Hz interface polling rate. This is a wireless keyboard, and features both 2.4 GHz RF (better latencies) and Bluetooth (more convenient). You can even plug it in and use it as a wired keyboard. The model shown is optimized for Macs, as you can tell from the Command keys, but there is a physical switch to enable a "Windows mode," which turns the Command keys to Win keys.

The Keychron B Pro series is a lightweight keyboard, with low-profile keys that use scissor-type mechanical keyswitches. The keyboard is barely half a centimeter thick, and since there's no lighting, the battery life is as high as 9 months. Interfaces include USB (type-C), 2.4 GHz RF, and Bluetooth. Just like the Q HE, this keyboard is Mac-friendly, and a switch lets you toggle between Mac and Windows modes.