But neither the minister nor the dairy company would reveal the substance of the discussions. Read...

A gaffe in its annual plan meant property owners faced a 12.8 percent rates hike rather than the 9.9 percent advertised. Read...

UKTV, which presents the award, said it wanted to `reflect on how we continue to support comedy`. Read...

When it comes to PCWorld’s Amazon Prime Day coverage, it’s my job to handle the monitor segment—and this year, it didn’t escape my notice that, despite a general downward trend in OLED prices, the cheapest one during Prime Day was about 20 percent more expensive than last year. But here’s another AOC OLED monitor that’s now cheaper than it was during Prime Day, currently sitting at a price of $427.69. This AOC Q27G4ZD monitor hits all the same points as the budget OLED mainstays (yes, I know, “budget” is a relative term with OLEDs), with a 27-inch 2560×1440 panel, a speedy 240Hz refresh rate, and a depressing lack of USB-C functionality. You do get three inputs (two HDMI and one DisplayPort) for handling multiple machines or consoles, though, and there are four USB-A ports for connecting a few accessories. But yeah, this doesn’t make a great pairing with a gaming laptop. But as a budget-friendly upgrade for your desktop setup, this is a great choice. AOC offers G-Sync compatibility, a 3-year Dead Pixel warranty (though it doesn’t say anything about burn-in), and VESA compatibility for adding a monitor arm. This is the best price I’ve seen for an OLED monitor in months, and I don’t know how long it’ll stick around, so hop on it if you’ve been waiting. But if it’s not quite what you’re looking for, check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best monitors on the market for other options. Get this 27-inch 1440p OLED monitor at its cheapest ever priceBuy now on Amazon Read...

The best home security camera is one that you can set up in minutes and requires no maintenance whatsoever. The Eufy SoloCam S220 checks both of those boxes, and it’s currently on sale for super cheap on Amazon with a stunning 49% discount. At just under $67, it’s sitting very close to the cheapest price it’s ever been! Installing this camera is a breeze and takes only a few minutes of your time. You just have to pick a spot, screw in the mount, and snap the camera into place. Then, pair it up to the Eufy app on your phone and connect it to your home Wi-Fi network. It has a solar panel built right into the camera, so there’s no need for wires and no batteries to replace. Once you have it set up, it’s good to go. The SoloCam S220 will endure whatever weather comes its way thanks to its IP67 rating, and it only needs about 3 hours of sunlight to stay charged and fully operational. It captures footage in crisp 2560×1440 resolution (marketed as 2K) with a 135-degree viewing angle, with vivid detail whether it’s day or night. And with built-in AI, it knows what it’s looking at and sends you movement notifications accordingly. Don’t miss this chance to grab the Eufy SoloCam S220 for just $67 on Amazon! That’s a great price to pay for peace of mind at home. Save 49% on this 1440p solar-powered Wi-Fi security cameraBuy now at Amazon Read...

OpenAI recently told Axios that their AI tool ChatGPT handles over 2.5 billion user instructions every single day. That’s the equivalent of about 1.7 million instructions per minute or 29,000 per second. This is a stark increase from December 2024, when ChatGPT was handling about 1 billion messages per day. Having launched in November 2022, it’s become one of the fastest growing consumer apps of all time. In comparison, Google’s search engine handles around 14 billion searches daily. Sure, the services fulfill different purposes so it isn’t an apples-to-oranges comparison, but it’s a neat comparison nonetheless. (Google mainly presents links to web pages while ChatGPT directly “converses” with users and helps perform tasks.) Read...

We’ve known for a while that Lenovo is working on an updated model of its oddball, Nintendo Switch-inspired PC gaming handheld. But now it looks like someone has gotten their hands all over it. A 20-minute video of the device has been posted to YouTube, showing off its various features and full hardware specs. According to a Reddit post, a factory shutdown in China resulted in a bunch of pre-production hardware that, ahem, went on a bit of a walkabout… and the hands-on video was posted to Chinese video site BiliBili before being mirrored to YouTube. Exactly how close this device is to a final production design can’t be known… but speaking as someone who’s been following phone leaks for almost 15 years, I’d say this looks pretty close to finished. In the 20-minute video, you can see the user go through most of the physical functions of the device, including the removable side controllers that return from the original Legion Go, various bits of Windows, and what information is available from within Windows itself. Notably, the Lenovo Legion Go 2 prototype is using an 8.8-inch OLED screen with a 16:10 1920×1200 resolution and a refresh rate of 144Hz, putting it well above most of the competition in both size and quality. Most of that was already confirmed at CES 2025 way back in January, at least for the prototype, but it’s nice to see it in action. We also knew from CES that the device was running a new Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor at 3.3GHz with “up to” 32GB of RAM (double the original model). The same info said it was using a 74-watt-hour battery (huge for this form factor) and up to 2TB of storage, though the one in the video seems to only be using 1TB. Heading to about the 19:20 mark in the video, you can see the user remove the device’s rear plate, showing off a dual-chamber battery design, active cooling, and what looks like an 80mm M.2 SSD bay. A little later, you get a size comparison with the Switch 2 and a live weighing of 938 grams (about 10 percent heavier than the original). Full disclosure: I don’t speak Chinese, so there might be more interesting goodies that I’m missing from the video. One thing that’s unmistakable is that it’s running Windows 11 with more grace than most PC handhelds manage, and a bit of extra user interface on top. The OS of a PC gaming handheld has become a sticking point as of late, with Lenovo itself debuting the first third-party handheld running SteamOS like Valve’s Steam Deck. It’s worth noting that the smaller, cheaper Legion Go S gets noticeably better performance running SteamOS than Windows in many games. Lenovo still hasn’t said much about its plans for the release of the Legion Go 2, except that it hopes to do so later in 2025. Pricing remains the biggest question mark for me. The original model starts at $700, while the standard and Steam versions of the newer Legion Go S start at $730 and $600, respectively. Read...

We could all use some extra USB-C cables around the house, what with the growing number of devices we all have these days. Keep the extras shoved into every bag, backpack, and drawer and you’ll never be left scrambling to find one in a pinch. Right now, you can snag a pair of ultra-fast 6.6-foot USB-C cables for just $9.48, or 41% off their usual price. What a steal! These USB-C cables by Iniu support up to 240W of charging power. That’s extremely fast and will be able to recharge any phone or laptop in minutes, not hours (assuming you have the right charger that can supply that much charging power, of course). From smartphones to tablets to gaming handhelds to MacBook Pros, you’re more than covered. The cables in this two-pack are each 6.6-feet long, which is fantastic because you’ll be able to use your devices even while you’re charging them. The cables are covered with braided nylon so they’ll remain durable across thousands of bends and coils, and they’re long enough that you can plug in without inconveniencing yourself. At this price, you can’t go wrong. Get a pair of these 240W USB-C charging cables for only $9.48 while you still can because this price won’t last very long. Two ultra-fast USB-C cables for $9.48 is a proper bargainBuy now at Amazon Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Very obvious when the webcam is in use Very good image quality, though at 1080p, 30Hz Works fine in low light Windows Hello was quick and accurate Cons Had trouble resuming from sleep or from a dock Subpar mics and audio quality Our Verdict NexiGo’s HelloCam performs quite well as a 1080p webcam, but has some issues with Consistent performance and noise filtering. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: NexiGo HelloCam Retailer Price $55.99 View Deal NexiGo $69.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Customers seem to really like NexiGo’s HelloCam, an otherwise solid 1080p webcam with Windows Hello capabilities. I’m less impressed, as some standout features actually proved to be a bit of a problem in certain situations. Two NexiGo HelloCams exist on online shelves: the basic HelloCam, reviewed here, and the HelloCam Pro. The Pro costs about $85 at press time, and adds 60Hz frame rates as well as some other, smaller improvements. (I do like the smooth streaming that a 60Hz camera provides, but it’s up to you whether you want to spend the extra money.) Like the name suggests, the HelloCam supports Windows Hello, one of a small group of webcams that can “recognize” you and log you in to your PC using biometric recognition and a depth camera to distinguish your features. In addition, the HelloCam works as an ordinary webcam, either replacing the one found on your laptop or providing a way to interact with friends and colleagues on video calls for those who own a desktop PC. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best Windows Hello webcams for comparison. NexiGo HelloCam features and design NexigGo’s webcam was packaged in a small brown box, with the webcam, cable, manual, and that’s about it. The camera itself can clip on to your laptop, or else you can mount it on a tripod using the small screw hole. The webcam then attaches to your PC via a cable that’s more than a yard long, with plenty of room. On one end, a USB-C connector plugs into the webcam; on the other, NexiGo uses an older USB-A connector to connect to your PC. The webcam fit onto a few laptops and my desktop displays without issue. NexiGo’s HelloCam uses the same “jaws” approach as many others, with a top jaw (and an overhanging lip) hooking over the front of your monitor, and a small bottom jaw bracing the bottom. Some webcams like this one also include a separate bottom lip that can fold back, providing a smooth surface to hold it steady. It’s a small thing, but it shows how the manufacturer goes the extra mile, and provides you some peace of mind that a casual adjustment isn’t going to send the webcam flying. Still, most webcams sit rather precariously while attached to a laptop’s display. NexiGo’s HelloCam, with its bright orange-red shutter closed.Mark Hachman / Foundry NexiGo’s Hellocam is plug-and-play, which means you can simply connect it and begin using it. NexiGo does provide optional utility software, however, which can be downloaded and installed to adjust the camera’s brightness and more. Most settings are already managed by Windows. Others aren’t, like backlight compensation and sharpness. Though NexiGo discloses this, downloading the utility software asked for permission to provide cookies to over 50 different services, which you can refuse. The webcam ships with a one-year warranty, but you can increase that to a free two years of coverage by registering your product within a few days by scanning the HTML glyph on the box. NexiGo uses the same software for all of its webcams, so you’ll probably see focus adjustments in the software which aren’t available to you, as the basic HelloCam is a fixed-focus, 1080p device. Webcams never attach well to a thin laptop screen. Even the addition of a swiveling surfacer at the bottom of the webcam’s jaws (obscured here) doesn’t hold it solidly in place.Mark Hachman / Foundry NexiGo HelloCam performance The niftiest trick the HelloCam performs is its automatic lens shutter, a physical shutter that opens and closes behind the lens glass. It’s a little disconcerting not to be able to manually uncover the webcam’s lens with a finger or a switch, but when you enter a Zoom or Google Meet — or just the Windows Camera app — the camera shutter just clicks open, instantly. When you exit the app, the shutter closes, with an audible snap. It’s actually rather cool. You can also manually open and close the shutter (but only within a video app) by tapping the small NexiGo label to the left of the lens. A small LED also lights up to tell you that the webcam is in use. Cool, yes, but sometimes a bit of a problem too. The webcam seemed to have some issues waking up with the laptop, as well as when it was attached to a dock. If the laptop was up and running, and I locked the screen, the HelloCam never failed. Otherwise, I had to manually resort to a PIN on a few occasions. Another Windows Hello webcam I tested (on the same laptop as well as another device) never suffered the same issues. My guess is that NexiGo has been very conscious of limiting the webcam’s use to only when it’s needed, and that’s sometimes an issue. The niftiest trick the HelloCam performs is its automatic lens shutter. Mark Hachman / Foundry As a webcam, the HelloCam is surprisingly good. Even in my gloomy office lighting conditions the image looks impressive. (My shirt is more lime green than olive, however, so the color might be a bit off.) Upstairs, in more natural light (below) it doesn’t look too bad, either. My test laptop also lacks an NPU; while the Windows Studio Effects options (background blur, noise filtering, and more) showed up when I opened the Windows Camera app, none actually worked. These functions are usually built into Zoom, Meet, and Teams, however, and use the CPU instead. There is hardly any noise filtering whatsoever. I typically test this by playing back music and/or white noise while I talk into the webcam mic using Windows’ Sound Recorder app, and with the HelloCam the background noises were pretty obvious. I don’t like this, as noise filtering can cut out the unexpected background noises (vacuuming, a baby crying, children playing) that can sound unprofessional while working at home. Mark Hachman / Foundry Windows Hello performance My test laptop doesn’t include a Windows Hello webcam, though Windows Hello is built into a fingerprint reader. Setting up Windows Hello with the NexiGo HelloCam was a snap: I connected the webcam, entered the Windows 11 Settings menu, then set up face logins. I then looked into the camera, and Windows Hello recorded my face in a few seconds. I was able to lock and then unlock my PC using the webcam repeatedly. Initially, Hello defaulted to the fingerprint option, though I was able to configure it to use the camera instead. The webcam’s shutter opened and the PC recognized me in less than a second, as it should. As I noted above, however, the HelloCam had some problems when I would use it at the beginning of my day, or when swapping a notebook in and out. I basically work in the conditions that you see in my office webcam shot, above. I also tested the webcam in a dark hallway with the lights off and my face illuminated by my laptop’s display. I was able to log in and out repeatedly. The webcam also continued to recognize me after a haircut. It’s a challenge to test Windows Hello capabilities, as I lack an identical twin and don’t cut my hair all that often. For what I asked of it, the NexiGo HelloCam did the job. Should you buy the NexiGo HelloCam? NexiGo’s HelloCam produced surprisingly good images, but two things hold it back: its poor audio quality and the lack of consistent performance when waking up from sleep. (You might be able to get away with it by using your laptop’s mic, instead.) NexiGo’s HelloCam Pro has fluttered around our list of the best Windows Hello webcams for months, and I can certainly appreciate that customers have enjoyed their purchase. While the NexiGo HelloCam has its bright spots, I’d consider its Pro and some of our other recommended Windows Hello webcams instead. Read...

According to a new support document (spotted by Windows Latest), Microsoft plans to end support for Office applications installed through the Microsoft Store. Starting October 2025, those versions of Office apps will stop getting new features. Starting December 2026, they’ll stop receiving security updates as well. This move may be inconvenient if you’re using the Microsoft Store versions, but it’s a reasonable one. Instead of having to support two different ways to use Office apps, Microsoft can now focus its efforts on one—the one that isn’t tied to Windows Updates or the Microsoft Store. Microsoft is encouraging users to switch to the Click-to-Run versions of Office, which is a faster and more flexible way to install apps compared to using traditional MSI installer files or AppX packages from the Microsoft Store (which offer limited support for enterprise solutions). With Click-to-Run, Office apps can be used even before the entire suite is downloaded and installed, installation sizes are minimized because you can skip unnecessary components, and multiple versions of Office can be installed on one PC without version conflicts. Updates are streamed and automatically handled in the background, too. Which type of Office do you have? To check which Office version you have, open an Office app and navigate to File > Account, then look under “About [the application].” You should see a Version number, a Build number, and an indication of either “Microsoft Store” or “Click-to-Run.” To switch to the Click-to-Run version, you’ll need to reinstall Office using the Microsoft 365 Apps installer. This installer automatically detects if you have the Microsoft Store version, and if so, removed that version and replaces it with the Click-to-Run version. Further reading: Should you buy Office 2024 or subscribe to Microsoft 365? Here are the pros and cons Read...