Xbox Game Pass is getting a lot more expensive—up to 50 percent more expensive for the all-you-can-eat Ultimate tier—which is a problem for a service that appeals to players based on its relative affordability. It looks like Brad Chacos isn’t the only one cancelling before the higher prices hit, as the Game Pass website is straining under increased traffic. Yesterday, posters on the Xbox subreddit noticed that when they tried to cancel their Game Pass subscriptions, they were met with errors on the Microsoft My Access website where you manage your various Microsoft-associated accounts. Apparently, a considerable number of users found themselves unable to cancel Game Pass, met with this message: “We couldn’t load your subscriptions. Refresh and we’ll try again.” The Reddit post (spotted by Windows Central) implies that Microsoft is blocking people from cancelling their subscriptions. That seems unlikely to me. With Hanlon’s Razor in full effect, I’d say it’s more likely that the news of the price increase just nudged a lot of people to do some quick budgeting match and drop the sub. (Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, et al. are probably used to the same dips by now.) Perhaps it’s unsurprising that a 50 percent jump—from $20/month to $30/month for the most popular tier—would cause a rush to leave the service… but the idea that it would overload Microsoft of all companies is a bit telling. The increase in price isn’t without some added benefits. Game Pass Ultimate now includes more classic Ubisoft games and the Fortnite Crew subscription for the mega-popular Fortnite, and the lower tiers (some of which are also getting more expensive) get some extra games and features. Microsoft is pushing its streaming options especially hard, in combination with its “This is an Xbox” campaign. But Game Pass is Microsoft’s push to create a new and dominant platform for gaming everywhere, as the Xbox console now lags far behind Sony and Nintendo. Game Pass is supposed to be the crowning feature of the new Asus ROG Xbox Ally, and it’ll be front and center when the new gaming-focused Windows 11 interface arrives for other PC gaming handhelds. Prices are going up everywhere, including for the unpopular Xbox itself (oh wait, that was the first increase in Xbox prices this year, it happened again) but kneecapping your value proposition just as you’re teaming up to sell new hardware seems less than wise to me. Read...

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At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Competitive handheld performance Big and beautiful OLED display Detachable controllers Surprisingly quiet Cons Expensive Windows isn’t ready for handhelds yet Glossy display isn’t ideal in direct sunlight A little heavy Our Verdict The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is an awesome handheld gaming PC with the best display you’ll find on a handheld gaming PC. The hardware is excellent, but the high price and the Windows 11 experience are huge drawbacks. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Lenovo Legion Go 2 Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is a high-end handheld gaming PC that outshines the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X in many ways. The huge 8.8-inch OLED display is beautiful, and you’re getting everything from a built-in kickstand to detachable controllers for flexibility. For a handheld gaming PC, this is great hardware. There are two huge elephants in the room here, so let’s get them out of the way so I can review the Lenovo Legion Go 2 for what it is. Lenovo Legion Go 2: The elephants First, Windows 11 still isn’t ready for a gaming handheld. When I reviewed the Lenovo Legion Go S, I noted how much of a mess the interface is compared to the Steam Deck I own. For example, Windows 11 has a “gamepad” keyboard layout that lets you navigate with the on-screen keyboard with the joysticks, but it’s not activated by default. You have to tap into the little settings menu in the on-screen keyboard and turn it on before you can use said on-screen keyboard with the joysticks. Many people will miss this buried setting. Why is this not activated by default on a handheld gaming PC? Windows 11 is full of issues like this. The good news is that Microsoft is making Windows better for handheld PCs, but the bad news is that Legion Go 2 owners will have to wait for the fix. The Legion Go 2 will get it in “Spring 2026.” If you want it sooner, you’ll have to buy Asus’s ROG Xbox Ally, which will be available in mid-October, shortly after the launch of this Lenovo’s Legion Go 2. I haven’t yet gone hands on with ROG Xbox Ally console, but from a user experience standpoint, I imagine its optimized Windows experience for handheld PCs is going to be much better than the Legion Go 2 at launch. (There’s already a leaked way to enable it on any handheld, but your mileage may vary.) The second elephant in the room is pricing. The Legion Go 2 we reviewed is $1,349 at launch, and the base model starts at $1,099. Handheld PC gaming started off with surprisingly affordable hardware, but this device costs more than many gaming laptops. It’s a premium device. Tariffs are almost certainly to blame for part of this. But deals can still be found — as I write this, it’s the Steam Autumn Sale and you can grab a base-model Steam Deck for $319.20. You’d have to really want higher-end hardware (without a polished operating system experience) to pick this over a Steam Deck. However, if you are looking for a high-end handheld experience and you don’t mind the extra expense — and if you know what you’re getting into with the Windows operating system quirks on a device like this one — this handheld combines the latest high-end handheld-optimized hardware with a beautiful OLED display in a nice form factor, and I really enjoyed playing with it. Lenovo Legion Go 2: Specs The Lenovo Legion Go 2 has an AMD Ryzen Z2 processor with AMD Radeon 890M-class graphics. I reviewed the $1,349 model, which comes with AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme hardware and 32GB of RAM. Bear in mind that the base model comes with AMD Ryzen Z2 hardware and 16GB of RAM, so it won’t perform at the same level. Under the hood, this is RDNA 3.5 — the same graphics you’ll find in Ryzen AI 300 series (Strix Point) laptops, but tuned for a handheld where power usage is critical. There’s a lot to like here: The RAM is soldered, but the internal SSD is user upgradable. Plus, this machine’s USB4 ports mean external GPUs are a possibility. Model number: Lenovo Legion Go 2 83N0000BUS CPU: AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme Memory: 32 GB LPDDR5x-8000 RAM Graphics/GPU: AMD Radeon 890M NPU: None Display: 8.8-inch 1920×1200 OLED display with touch screen and up to 144Hz variable refresh rate Storage: 1 TB M.2 SSD Webcam: None Connectivity: 2x USB Type-C (USB4), 1x combo audio jack, 1x microSD card reader Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 Biometrics: Fingerprint reader Battery capacity: 74 Watt-hours Dimensions: 11.64 x 5.38 x 1.66 inches Weight: 2.03 pounds MSRP: $1,349 as tested Lenovo Legion Go 2: Design and build quality Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is made of black plastic — Lenovo calls this color “Eclipse Black.” It’s a thoughtful design that feels good to hold, and the plastic is high-quality. Lenovo has really gone above and beyond thinking through ways to make the hardware better than many competing consoles, including the Steam Deck I own and the Legion Go S I reviewed. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 isn’t trying to be the lightest console — it has a big 8.8-inch OLED screen — so it’s no surprise it’s a little on the heavy side. But the extra weight is a fair trade for the higher-end hardware and larger screen. For example, you can easily detach the side controllers like you’re using a Nintendo Switch. The Legion Go 2 also has a built-in kickstand, so you can easily prop it up and use it on any surface. The power button has a built-in fingerprint reader so you don’t have to tap a PIN into the sign-in screen each time you wake the console. While the side controllers are detachable, you have to press a button on the back of each one to detach them. While attached, they feel incredibly secure. Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Legion Go 2 isn’t trying to be the lightest console — it has a big 8.8-inch OLED screen — so it’s no surprise it’s a little on the heavy side. At 2.02 pounds (compared to 1.41 pounds for a Steam Deck OLED), that’s a real factor. It’s not that it’s too heavy to hold, but the weight discourages me from holding it in certain positions for extended periods of time. But the extra weight is a fair trade for the higher-end hardware and larger screen. Lenovo Legion Go 2: Joysticks, controls, and trackpad Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Legion Go 2 touts Hall Effect joysticks for a smooth experience and no stick drift, and they feel great. The buttons on the Lenovo Legion Go 2 feel great. Lenovo has also added a few extra buttons for accessing Legion software features, the desktop, and Alt+Tabbing between apps. On the top of the handheld, you’ll find power and volume buttons. The right controller can be used in “FPS Mode” — you detach it, snap it into a base, and flip a switch on the bottom. Then you can hold it and move it around. While it looks like a joystick, it’s more like a virtual mouse. I didn’t find it particularly ergonomic in my experiments with it, but perhaps you’ll love it if you put some time into learning it. This handheld also has a good-size trackpad on the right controller, and it’s just the right side and shape to use the mouse with your thumb. After the extremely tiny trackpad on the Lenovo Legion Go S, this one feels excellent. But it’s not like a Steam Deck’s trackpads — there’s no haptic feedback here. It’s a convenient way to accomplish some mouse input, but I wouldn’t want to use it all the time. The display here is also a touch screen with multi-touch. That’s often critical for navigating Windows, but it does mean you’re encouraged to put fingerprint smudges on the display. Lenovo Legion Go 2: Display and speakers Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Legion Go 2’s display is one of its standout features. It’s an 8.8-inch OLED screen on a handheld PC. What’s not to like? I’m not sure I’d even want a larger screen than this one when I’m holding it this close to my face! With HDR support and up to 1,100 nits of peak HDR brightness and a variable refresh rate up to 144Hz, it’s beautiful. And the display doesn’t seem to massively cut into battery life, either. The battery life was ticking down at a reasonable rate that felt similar to other gaming handhelds I’ve used, despite this higher-end display. While this is a vivid OLED display, it has a glossy surface. It’s prone to reflections in bright environments like direct sunlight. If you’ll be using this as a handheld console outdoors in challenging lighting environments, that’s going to be a problem: You may want to look for a device with a more anti-reflective screen. But glossy screens look beautiful in the right lighting, and this one is no exception. Foundry / Chris Hoffman The HDR support was another place where Windows 11 doesn’t make sense on this handheld: By default, Windows disabled HDR on this device while it was unplugged “to save battery life.” That’s yet another example of Windows not understanding these devices. The speakers here are great for gaming. They had more than enough volume, and the chunky sounds of firing a shotgun in Doom: The Dark Ages were satisfying. Naturally, there’s not a lot of bass in a handheld console. Lenovo Legion Go 2: Microphone and biometrics The Lenovo Legion Go 2 has a dual-array microphone setup. The microphone sounds fine, and the audio is clear enough for in-game chat on a handheld gaming device. It’s a little muffled — this doesn’t sound like a high-end business laptop mic picking up crystal-clear audio for Zoom meetings. But it’s plenty good for voice chatting while gaming. There’s no webcam on the Lenovo Legion Go 2, but you probably wouldn’t want one and it might be a challenge to fit it into the bezel. Lenovo put a fingerprint reader into the power button, and it works extremely well. When you wake the Legion Go 2 by pressing the power button, it can instantly sign you into Windows with Windows Hello. You just have to rest your finger on it for a split-second longer. It makes the experience of waking the console fast and streamlines a major pain point Windows 11 has on a gaming handheld. Lenovo Legion Go 2: Connectivity Foundry / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Legion Go 2 has two USB Type-C ports, and both of them are USB4. You’ll find one on the top of the handheld and one on the bottom. It comes with a USB-C charger, so it’ll charge through one of these ports. Because these are speedy USB4 ports, this handheld should be ready for external GPUs, too. Aside from the two USB-C ports, you’ll find a combo audio jack and a microSD card slot on the bottom of the handheld. That’s it, and it’s plenty of ports for handheld gaming PC. If you want more ports when using it at a desk, you can connect a dock to the USB-C port. This device has both Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. I’d prefer to see Wi-Fi 7 at this point, especially in a premium $1,349 handheld gaming PC, but most people don’t have Wi-Fi 7 yet anyway. Lenovo Legion Go 2: Performance The Lenovo Legion Go 2 had solid performance. I was able to play Doom: The Dark Ages, and while I prefer shooting demons with a higher FPS, it was technically playable. Treating this like a console, I fired up games like Sonic X Shadow Generations and saw buttery-smooth performance. The reality is that, while handhelds are improving a lot, their graphics performance is far from high-end desktop or laptop GPUs. If you’re mainly looking to play the latest high-end, most-demanding games, these may not be ideal. But the hardware here offers incredible smooth performance in older games. I was impressed by how quiet the fans stayed, even in demanding games like Doom: The Dark Ages. The speakers could easily drown them out, and the console itself stayed comfortable, with cool air being sucked in on the underside of the device and blown out the vents on the top. Playing a lightweight 2D game like Deltarune, they were so quiet I could only just barely hear them once I muted the game. As always when we review gaming PCs, we ran the Lenovo Legion Go 2 through our standard benchmarks to see how it performs. The results show us how it performed against previous generation hardware (I benchmarked the Lenovo Legion Go S) as well as modern gaming laptops. Spoiler: It’s a big upgrade over the last Lenovo handheld I reviewed. In many workloads, the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme hardware in the Legion Go 2 was often nearly twice as fast as the AMD Ryzen Z2 Go hardware in the Legion Go S. Foundry / Chris Hoffman First, we run PCMark 10 to get an idea of overall system performance. This is designed as an overall system performance benchmark, but CPU performance is a big factor. With an overall PCMark 10 score of 7,285, overall performance was quite good. The AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme hardware here is substantially ahead of the lower-end AMD Ryzen Z2 Go hardware in the Lenovo Legion Go S. It scored on par with lower-end gaming laptops. Foundry / Chris Hoffman Next, we run Cinebench R20. This is a heavily multithreaded benchmark that focuses on overall CPU performance. It’s a quick benchmark, so cooling under extended workloads isn’t a factor. But, since it’s heavily multithreaded, CPUs with more cores have a huge advantage. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 with its eight-core Ryzen Z2 Extreme CPU produced a multi-threaded score of 5,239, a huge jump over the Legion Go S. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t catch up to larger and more power-hungry gaming laptops, but this is very respectable for a handheld PC. Foundry / Chris Hoffman We also run an encode with Handbrake. This is another heavily multithreaded benchmark, but it runs over an extended period. This demands the PC’s cooling kick in, and many PCs will throttle and slow down under load. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 completed the encode process in 1,076 seconds, which is nearly 18 minutes. That’s only a bit slower than gaming laptops with AMD Ryzen hardware. It’s also a massive improvement over the Legion Go S’s performance here. Foundry / Chris Hoffman Next, we run a graphical benchmark, just like we do on gaming laptops. First, we run 3Dmark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. With an overall 3DMark Time Spy score of 3,984, the Lenovo Legion Go 2 showed substantial improvements over the Legion Go S. The HP Elitebook X G1a in the chart here isn’t a gaming laptop, it’s a premium business laptop with a similar GPU. That’s a perfect example of what you’re getting here — higher-end integrated graphics from AMD. Compared to gaming laptops with beefy discrete GPUs, this machine is far behind on GPU performance. But that’s the idea. It’s designed for handheld use, possibly away from an electrical outlet. Big gaming laptops need to be plugged in to deliver solid gaming performance. Foundry / Chris Hoffman After that, we run the benchmark built into Shadow of the Tomb Raider, an older game, but one that’s very useful for comparing performance across hardware. With an average FPS of 40, Shadow of the Tomb Raider was playable on the highest settings here, unlike on the Lenovo Legion Go S. You’ll get even smoother performance if you nudge the settings down, but once again this is a great example of the relative performance of a handheld vs. a traditional gaming laptop. Foundry / Chris Hoffman Finally, we run the benchmark in Metro Exodus. This is a very demanding game, and we run it with extreme detail settings. With an average FPS of 14 in our standard benchmark, the Lenovo Legion Go 2 was substantially faster than the Legion Go S here — nearly twice as fast. But you can see how much faster gaming laptops are. Overall, the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme and its Radeon 890M-class graphics delivered solid performance for a handheld gaming PC. Lenovo Legion Go 2: Battery life The Lenovo Legion Go 2 has a 74 Watt-hour battery along with AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme hardware, which can operate between 15W and 35W of TDP. The precise battery life you’re going to get will heavily depend on how you use the handheld. A less demanding game will use much less power. Also, you can configure power usage by pressing the button at the top of the right controller and choosing your preferred thermal mode. “Performance” will deliver more hardware power for gaming but drain the battery faster, for example. Depending on the game you’re playing, lower thermal settings may be just fine. Foundry / Chris Hoffman For our standard Windows PC battery benchmark, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled until the PC suspends itself. We set the screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. This is a best-case scenario for any PC since local video playback is so efficient, and real battery life in day-to-day use is always going to be less than this. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 lasted 796 minutes in this test — that’s over 13 hours and beats even the HP Elitebook X G1a, which is a business laptop. This hardware can really scale down and sip electricity when you aren’t playing demanding games. Lenovo Legion Go 2: Conclusion The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is a high-end handheld gaming PC. The AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor and its Radeon 890M-class graphics delivered solid performance and efficiency for a handheld gaming PC, the screen is big and beautiful, and the hardware is well thought out. You get detachable controllers and a kickstand for extra flexibility, too. But, between the Windows handheld experience and tariffs driving up the cost of hardware, Lenovo is fighting an uphill battle here. At $1,349, you could currently buy a $999 gaming laptop and a $319 Steam Deck and come out ahead with a more powerful laptop at your desk and a more lightweight handheld for on-the-go gaming. But if you want a handheld gaming PC with higher-end premium hardware — that 8.8-inch OLED is nice — and you’re willing to wait for an improved software experience or deal with the realities of Windows 11 today, you’ll be happy with this, assuming you’re ready to spend this much cash. Read...

If you’re curious about which web browsers are the most popular as of this moment, here are the latest figures from Statcounter. Looking across all possible platforms—that includes desktop PCs, laptops, mobile phones, and tablets—Google Chrome remains the undisputed leader with a market share of 71.77 percent. What’s interesting here is that this is the highest market share Chrome has ever had, meaning Google’s browser is more popular now than ever. In second place is Apple’s Safari with a market share of 13.9 percent, most of which are iPhone users. Next comes Microsoft Edge with 4.67 percent, Mozilla Firefox with 2.17 percent, Samsung Internet with 1.86 percent, and Opera with 1.74 percent. This is great news for Google, who almost had to sell off Chrome in an anti-trust judgment. Turns out, users just can’t seem to give up Chrome even after issues like hidden malicious extensions and AI being baked straight into the browser. Further reading: Essential Chrome features you should be using Read...

Windows 11 version 25H2, the next major feature update for Microsoft’s operating system, started rolling out in waves on September 30. Despite being categorized as an “enablement update,” the scope of the changes is considerable. The basic architecture remains identical to version 24H2, which means there are no new hardware requirements. If you don’t already have Windows 11, or just need a new license, you can grab it for 50 percent off on the PCWorld Software store right now. For all systems that are already running on Windows 11 24H2, the upgrade requires minimal effort. A small enablement package activates the new functions without the need for a complete reinstallation or in-place upgrade. This procedure not only saves time, but also significantly reduces downtime. Devices with older versions such as 23H2 or Windows 10, on the other hand, must go through the classic, more extensive upgrade process. Windows Latest Thanks to the “Shared Servicing Branch”, many new features are already distributed in 24H2, but are deactivated until the Enablement Package activates them. Users benefit from around 40 percent smaller update packages thanks to the combination of servicing stack updates and other cumulative updates, which further shortens the installation time. New start menu with extended control options The revised start menu is one of the most visible changes in 25H2. It shows the pinned apps at the top, a section with recommended content such as recently used documents or programs in the middle and the complete app list below. The latter can be displayed in three modes, as a category view, as a compact grid, or as a classic list. Users can control the scope dynamically using buttons such as “Show all” or “Show less”. New personalization settings allow more pinned apps to be displayed by default or recommendations to be hidden completely. Frequently used and recently installed apps can also be displayed or hidden as desired. Companies benefit from the largely retained basic structure, as adjustments to documentation and training material are minimal. Restrictions still exist. Categories cannot yet be renamed or created, drag & drop currently only works from “All” to “Pinned”, and touch navigation currently lacks support for swipe up gestures. The start menu is supplemented by the option to display system folders such as “Settings” or “Explorer” as fixed icons in the bottom bar, which enables quick access to frequently used functions. Further reading: Windows 11’s new-look Start menu is a huge upgrade. Let’s dive in Direct integration of smartphones via Phone Link With the new start menu integration of “Phone Link”, the connection between PC and smartphone takes center stage even more. Users can exchange files between PC and mobile devices via drag & drop, send images from Explorer directly “to my phone” or retrieve messages and content from the Start menu. The setup requires a Microsoft account for the app, but not for the Windows login. In private households, this simplifies the management of media and documents; in companies, it enables uncomplicated connection of service devices. Content can be synchronized via local networks or even mobile data connections. The implementation is considered to be more stable than in previous pre-release versions, in which Phone Link was often prone to errors. Windows Customizable widgets on the lock screen The lock screen display can be expanded with widgets, including weather, stock market prices, countdown counters or customized information sources. These elements can be customized to keep important data directly in view without unlocking the desktop. A new feature is the “Discover widgets” function, which displays suggestions for other available widgets and simplifies the selection process. For companies, this can be a way of providing employees with status information or appointments, while private users can keep an eye on birthdays or deadlines, for example. Currently, changes only take effect after a restart, which is likely to be optimized in the final version. Optimized energy management and performance diagnostics A new mechanism for throttling the CPU during idle phases reduces power consumption and extends battery life, which particularly affects mobile work devices and notebooks. In addition, Windows automatically records diagnostic data when the system reacts slowly. These logs can be sent to Microsoft via the feedback hub in order to identify the causes of performance problems more quickly. For the user, these are stored locally in the system under “%systemRoot%\Temp\DiagOutputDir\Whesvc” and are only transmitted when feedback is active. Extensions in the file explorer and in the search The File Explorer displays person icons in the “Recommended” area under the “Activity” column to make it easier to recognise who has recently worked on a file, but only when using a business or school account. In the search options, the direct link to the Bing search history has been removed; instead, access is centralised via the data protection dashboard. This change reduces redundant menu items and bundles data protection controls in one place. Higher quality system drivers through CodeQL analysis Higher quality standards will apply to driver signing in the future. Every kernel-mode driver (except graphics drivers) must pass a CodeQL scan before WHCP certification. This analysis uncovers potential errors or security gaps at an early stage and forces manufacturers to rectify them before the driver is released for Windows. This means more stable systems for OEM manufacturers and companies and a lower crash and incompatibility rate for private users. AI-supported functions and Copilot optimizations New functions are activated on devices with NPU, the so-called Copilot PCs. These include image descriptions for screen readers, live subtitles with translation options (currently still with crash problems), and intelligent text actions in “Click to Do”. The latter enables context-dependent processing of text content, such as recognizing and automatically processing certain entries. In addition, the search field in the top bar of “Click to Do” has been removed to simplify the interface. Users report long waiting times when using the app for the first time after model or build updates, which must be taken into account in corporate environments during rollouts. A new addition is the option to enter your own words in the Windows dictionary, which offers clear benefits for both private writers and companies with industry-specific vocabulary. Quick Machine Recovery and gamepad control of the on-screen keyboard With version 25H2, Windows 11 will receive an extended self-repair function, which will be introduced under the name “Quick Machine Recovery”. It builds on the Windows Recovery Environment, but extends it with the ability to automatically obtain updates or repair scripts from the Internet to resolve boot problems. If the system recognizes repeated boot errors, it automatically switches to the recovery environment, establishes a network connection and searches for suitable corrections via Windows Update. Administrators can specify whether this process should take place completely without user intervention. Activation is possible both locally, for example via configuration using Reagentc and XML files, and centrally via Intune policies. Parameters for waiting time, restart intervals and even WLAN login data can be predefined so that devices without a LAN connection can also be integrated. In Home editions, cloud-supported repair will be active by default in the future; in Pro and Enterprise environments, it must be specifically enabled. After a successful repair, Windows restarts automatically; if the repair is unsuccessful, the cycle is repeated according to the defined specifications. Thanks to this automation, Quick Machine Recovery reduces the administration effort and significantly shortens downtimes in both company networks and private installations. Thomas Joos New data protection dialogues and administrator protection 25H2 comes with revised data protection dialogues that offer more transparency when applications access data and system functions. An additional protection mechanism has been introduced for administrators, which makes unauthorized changes to the system more difficult and provides greater protection for security-critical actions. This gives companies an additional layer of security without having to resort to third-party solutions. Thomas Joos Further functional improvements and known problems Taskbar scaling adapts better to different display sizes and DPI settings. Context menus in Explorer have been optimized, new sharing options have been added, and Voice Access has been further developed. Support for Chinese and Japanese has been expanded, and in the settings under “Privacy and security” you can now see which applications are accessing Windows generative AI models. In current builds, this display is already visible in the user interface, but the full functionality will only be activated in a later update. Further adjustments relate to the toolbox, which has been improved in terms of its operation and integration. Microsoft has also fixed several bugs, such as truncated content in the notification center when the clock display is activated or a problem with dbgcore.dll, which could cause explorer.exe and other applications to crash. Known problems still exist, however: the Xbox controller can trigger a bug check on some systems when connected via Bluetooth. The Microsoft Changjie input method currently works incorrectly, which can be avoided by resetting to the previous IME version. In addition, Windows 11 25H2 supports touch keyboard control with a gamepad for the first time. This function, originally planned for 24H2, allows the on-screen keyboard to be operated without a mouse or touchscreen, which can be relevant in special application scenarios, such as on console-based workstations or for accessibility adaptations. Update strategy, insider options and rollback Microsoft emphasizes stability in 25H2. Many functions are already included in 24H2 and are only activated with the Enablement Package. For private users, this means a smooth upgrade without long installation times; for companies, it means the option to test only the new functions instead of recertifying the entire system environment. The update follows the shared servicing branch approach, which has also been used for previous upgrades, for example from 22H2 to 23H2. Mark Hachman After the official release, Microsoft offers a time window to leave the Windows Insider program and receive regular updates again. It’s also possible to completely reset 25H2 to 24H2 by uninstalling the Enablement Package without reinstalling the operating system; all 25H2 functions will then be deactivated immediately. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Works without Wi-Fi or wired power Affordable data plans starting at $5/month Solar-backed rechargeable battery 360-degree pan/tilt plus zoom for wide coverage Cons Limited live session views Photo-first design won’t suit everyone Live view sessions take several seconds to activate Night vision clarity is basic Our Verdict A practical, affordable option for keeping tabs on remote property, so long as you’re comfortable with its photo-first approach to home security. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Tactacam Defend 360 Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Keeping an eye on vacation and other remote properties has always been a challenge. They often sit outside the reach of both Wi-Fi coverage and electrical power, leaving them uncovered by traditional security cameras. Tactacam, best known for its hunting and action cameras, is stepping into that gap with the Defend 360. It’s a solar-powered, LTE-connected camera built to operate where standard systems can’t, offering broad coverage and remote access in a single, self-contained unit. At $199.99, plus an mandatory subscription for connectivity, it aims to bring off-grid security within reach of everyday users. Design and features The dome-style Defend 360 is built for the outdoors. Its housing is weather-resistant, with an IP65 rating indicating it’s dustproof and protected against water projected in jets from any direction. (You can read more about IP codes at the preceding link.) Power comes from a combination of a 10,000mAh rechargeable battery and an integrated solar panel that keeps it perpetually charged to eliminate the hassle of extension cords or periodic battery swaps. The Tactacam Defend 360 connects to the internet via an LTE connection, which makes it well-suited to remote locations where Wi-Fi isn’t available. The camera’s core features are all geared toward use at a remote location. You get a full 360-degree pan-tilt-zoom to cover wide areas, 1080p video resolution with 4K photo capture, and motion alerts to flag activity. The camera connects to the internet via its LTE radio and automatically locks onto the strongest available carrier. A SIM is pre-installed, so you don’t have to deal with activation headaches or track down a card–and carrier–yourself. The Defend 360 includes a solar panel you can attach directly to the camera or next to it. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Because the Defend 360 relies on LTE rather than Wi-Fi, you’ll need a data plan to transmit photos and live video between the camera and your phone. Tactacam manages these plans directly through its app and web portal, so you don’t need to set up service with a carrier yourself. Service plans are tiered. The Starter Plan begins at $5 per month ($55/year) and includes 250 photo notifications and three live viewing sessions per month, with 60 days of storage in the cloud. The Pro Plan costs $13 per month ($120/year) and unlocks unlimited photo notifications and five live viewing sessions per month. The Premium Plan runs $19 per month ($175/year) and adds expanded compatibility across cameras. There’s also a $9-per-month Plus add-on that enables unlimited remote downloads and on-demand access with a full year of cloud storage across all cameras on the account. Setup and performance The camera works with both Tactacam’s Defend app and its Reveal app, giving you flexibility if you already own Tactacam gear. This was my first time using a Tacatacam camera so I went with the Defend app. The first thing you must do is create an account and select a subscription plan through the camera system’s web portal. Next, you’ll log into the mobile app using that same account info to begin the pairing process. During this app-guided setup, the camera connects to whichever carrier offers the strongest signal in the area. The camera’s power switch and charging port are protected from the elements behind a rubber tab. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry To install the camera, you need to attach the mounting bracket to a wall or post with the included hardware. The camera twists into the bracket and locks in place, and the antenna screws onto its side. The solar panel can be mounted directly to the camera or separately on a nearby surface for better sun exposure. Tactacam recommends aiming the panel south at a 30–40 degree angle for optimal exposure. Once the panel is connected with its short cable, the system is ready to run on renewable power. The Tactacam Defend 360 works a little differently than the Wi-Fi cameras most people are familiar with. Instead of streaming video for every motion event, it primarily delivers still photos when it detects activity. This approach uses far less data and battery, which is important in remote areas with sketchy coverage. You can request higher-resolution stills or start a live view session in 1080p resolution when you need a closer look, but those count against your monthly plan unless you’ve paid for the unlimited Plus add-on. The camera can also send low-resolution check-in pictures at regular intervals, giving you both a status update and a snapshot of what it sees without burning through data. This monitoring approach is reflected in the app design, On the home screen, you see the most recent still photo (or a check-in image) rather than a live feed. If you want real-time video, you tap into a live view session, which activates on demand. Each time you do, the system needs several seconds to “wake up” the camera, establish the LTE link, and start the feed. The app shows this step-by-step—waking up, getting ready, connecting—before the video appears. Once live, you can pan and tilt with on-screen arrows, zoom in, snap stills, or toggle audio. You’ll also find real-time camera status info here, including battery level, available storage, and signal strength. There are also options for modifying video length, motion detection sensitivity and scheduling, and check-in frequency. The Defend app displays the latest captured event or check-in photo while live video is on demand and limited to a certain number of live view sessions as determined by your service plan. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Video isn’t the Defend 360’s primary focus—it’s there as a supplement when you need eyes on something in real time. The 1080p stream, which is standard for cellular cameras, is clear enough to confirm whether it’s a deer in the yard or a truck pulling into the drive, and the 360-degree pan/tilt gives you broad coverage that fixed cameras can’t match. You won’t get cinematic detail, and night vision is the usual grainy, black-and-white infrared, but both are adequate for spot checks. If you’re running more than one Defend 360—or mixing it with other Tactacam models—the app has a handy site-management feature. It lets you group cameras by location, so you can monitor a cabin, farm, or job site at a glance. Each site shows the latest check-in photos and status for every camera tied to it, making it easier to keep track of multiple units without jumping between screens. Should you buy the Tactacam Defend 360 Cellular Security Camera? At $199.99, plus a $5/month starter plan, the Defend 360 sits in the same price bracket as other cellular cameras like the Arlo Go 2 and eufy 4G LTE Cam S330. The difference comes after purchase: Tactacam’s service plans start lower and are managed entirely in its own app, while competitors typically tack on steeper monthly fees and tie you to a particular carrier. That likely makes the Defend 360 cheaper to operate over time, especially if you’re running multiple units. Where you’ll feel the trade-offs is in how it works. The Defend 360 leans on event-triggered still photos and check-ins, with live video available only when you request it. That design keeps data and power use low, which is exactly what you need in places Wi-Fi cameras can’t go. On the flipside, it can leave you feeling restricted if you’re used to continuous video streaming. If your priority is simple, dependable coverage for a cabin, farm, or job site, the Defend 360 makes a lot of sense. If you expect the kind of seamless video experience you’d get from a Wi-Fi camera, you’ll be frustrated by its limitations. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. Read...

Gaming laptops can get pretty expensive, but what if I said you could get a brand-new RTX 50-series laptop from a reputable brand for well under $1,000? Like, almost budget-tier pricing. Well, right now you can snag this Acer Nitro V 16 AI for just $699 at Walmart. Yup, that isn’t a typo. Normally $899, Walmart has it with a $200 discount online. Acer’s Nitro V line of gaming laptops is one of our favorites for price-friendly machines, and the 16 AI (model ANV16-42-R309) is a step up. Equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 240 processor, 16GB of fast DDR5 RAM, and a fast 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD, this is several levels better than most laptops in this range. It’s a smooth experience with Windows 11, able to juggle dozens of apps and Chrome tabs without breaking a sweat, making it perfect for work, study, and leisure. And, of course, gaming. The Nitro V 16 AI comes with a brand-spanking-new RTX 5050 graphics card that unlocks all the latest Nvidia gaming features, including DLSS 4. You’ll love it on this laptop’s 16-inch color-accurate IPS screen with crisp 1920×1200 resolution and speedy 180Hz refresh rate for those high-frame-rate games. Seriously, an RTX 5050 is a crazy inclusion on any $699 laptop. It’s all rounded out with a cutting-edge USB4 port, a full-sized HDMI port, three fast USB-A ports, an Ethernet port, a full-sized keyboard with numpad, Copilot key, and backlighting. The 76-watt-hour battery is good for about 6 hours of real usage, though it isn’t the most portable at nearly an inch thick and just over 5 pounds in weight. The Acer Nitro V 16 AI is a steal for $699, so grab it via Walmart before this insane deal expires. At this price, it even beats out some of our favorite gaming laptops under $1,000! This Ryzen-powered RTX 5050 laptop is downright crazy for $699Buy now on Walmart.com Read...

Anyone following the recent chatter about Google’s latest Nest cameras won’t be surprised by the company’s unveiling today of its revamped, first-party offerings: one outdoor Nest camera, one indoor cam, and a video doorbell, just as predicted.  What was surprising was news is that Google is turning to a frequent collaborator—Walmart—to offer a pair of additional budget-priced security cameras that will be “deeply integrated” into Google’s new Gemini for Home ecosystem, complete with bells and whistles such as AI video descriptions and zoomed-in notification previews.  Walmart has developed an indoor security camera and a video doorbell that will be marketed under the retailer’s Onn brand.Walmart But first, let’s cover Google’s new first party cameras, all of which had been previously leaked: the second-generation Nest Outdoor Camera ($149.99), the third-gen Nest Indoor Camera ($99.99), and the second-gen Nest Doorbell ($179.99).  The new Nest Cam trio consists only of wired models, with Google Nest and Home head Anish Kattukaran explaining that the “steady stream of video” from the always-on wired cams fits nicely with Gemini for Home’s ability to synthesize video footage and other smart home signals into its daily “home digest” summaries. (Kattukaran emphasized that Google is “still very excited” about battery-powered security cameras, even if none are being announced today.)  All three cameras boast 2K HDR video resolution, up from 1080p on the previous models. The new Nest Outdoor Camera and Nest Indoor Camera will both offer a 152-degree field of view, expanded from 130 and 135 degrees respectively, while the revamped Nest Doorbell gets a 166-degree FOV with a 1:1 aspect ratio that will capture visitors from head to toe.  The 3rd-gen wired Nest Cam Indoor will also be available in Berry to match the new Google Home Speaker.Google Also new are zoomed-in previews—that is, image previews attached to mobile notifications that are zoomed in on the activity that triggered the mobile alert. You’ll also be able to zoom and crop video events in the Google Home app.  Now for the curve ball: two additional cameras, each of which come from Walmart’s Onn brand, known for its well-regarded line of Google TV-powered streaming video players.  Two Google Home-compatible security cameras from Onn are on tap: the Indoor Camera Wired for $22.96, and the Video Doorbell Wired for $49.86. Both cameras will boast 1080p video quality. Both are pictured above. The 3rd-gen Nest Doorbell Wired in its familiar Linen finish.Google Few other details about the two Walmart cams were given during Google’s pre-brief, but Kattukaran noted that the cameras will be “deeply integrated” into Gemini for Home, including the “full experience” and “all of those camera improvements” slated for the new Nest cameras.   Nice, but keep in mind that the best new Google security camera features require Nest Aware—er, Google Home Premium, the new name for Google’s smart home subscription service.   The 2nd-generation Nest Cam Outdoor, shown here in its Hazel finish, will look familiar to Nest aficionados. Google The zoomed-in previews, for example, are included in the Standard tier of Google Home Premium, which gives you 30 days of video history for all your cameras, plus other features for $10 a month. For 60 days of video history along with Gemini’s AI video descriptions and daily smart home briefings, you must sign up for the Advanced version of Google Home Premium for $20 a month. (We have more details about the new Google Home Premium plans here.) That said, Google is getting more generous with video history for those who don’t pay up for a Google Home Premium plan.  Moving forward, free Google Home camera users will get six hours of video event history (up from three hours), with a 10-second video clip added to each event.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best security cameras. Also, be sure to check our complete coverage of Google’s Gemini for Home rollout, including details on the new Google Home Speaker and new Google Home Premium subscription plans. Read...

“Hey Google, set bedroom lamp to 50 percent.” Such stilted voice commands have been the stuff of smart home for years, but with Gemini for Home, Google is promising a smart home you can have an actual conversation with.  That idea—of a smart home that understands the big picture and can act with context in mind—underpins Google’s ambitious Gemini for Home plans, which it’s rolling out today following months of slow buildup.  The Gemini voice assistant is just one part of Google’s Gemini for Home pitch. There’s also new hardware, including a refreshed lineup of security cameras and an all-new smart speaker, along with a faster, streamlined Google Home app (more on the app in a moment) and a rebranded subscription plan (say goodbye to Nest Aware).  Gemini promises to make home automations much easier to create.Google During a briefing prior to its big Gemini for Home reveal, Anish Kattukaran, director of product management for Google Home and Nest, painted the picture of a Gemini-powered smart home that can truly see and hear what’s going on in your household, as well as understand your intentions when you give it commands.  Of course, the proof’s in the pudding, and as Kattukaran himself emphasized, Gemini’s performance needs to be as reliable as that of its predecessor, Google Assistant (which has had its own reliability hiccups over the past several months). As anyone who’s ever fallen victim to a ChatGPT hallucination knows, asking an LLM to perform a task repeatedly and in a predictable manner is no small feat.  That’s why Google is plotting a slow phase-in for Gemini at Home, with an early access period beginning this month. Most existing Google smart speakers, displays, and security cameras will work with Gemini for Home, with the freewheeling Google Live chat mode (which lets you have lengthy back-and-forths with Gemini without the need for the “Hey Google” wake word) restricted to the Google Nest Hub, the Nest Hub Max, and the new Google Home Speaker.  Screenshots from the new Google Home app.Google Of course, Google isn’t alone in its AI ambitions for the smart home. Amazon just revealed its own line of revamped Echo smart speakers and smart displays powered by Alexa+ (which has been in an early access mode for the past several months), while Apple is expected to eventually roll out new HomePod smart speakers powered by a AI-enhanced Siri (which has been delayed to next year, at the earliest).   We’ve already seen some of Gemini’s abilities in the smart home, including its ability to describe the action in video clips captured by Nest security cameras. But with help from the new Google Home app, Gemini will gain new abilities, such as delivering a “home brief” that summarizes the past 24 hours of your Nest video history.  You’ll also be able to ask Gemini questions about your home (such as “Is the front door locked?” or “What time did the kids come home”) or ask it to draft smart automations on the fly, using natural language (“At night, if the house is empty, make it look like someone’s home”), Kattukaran said.   Underpinning Gemini for Home is the new Google Home app, which—among other features—will boast 70-percent faster startup times, as well as 80-percent fewer crashes and better memory and battery optimization, according to Kattukaran.  A streamlined three-tabbed interface (Home, Activity, and Automations) lets you jump from device controls, activity feeds, and smart routines, along with one-handed gestures that let you swipe between broad device categories. The new Nest cameras can attach names to familiar faces and describe what they’re doing in front of the camera.Google The new app promises faster scrubbing of camera videos, as well as the YouTube-style ability to double-tap one side of a video thumbnail or the other to jump forward or backward in the clip.  In another change, the Google Home activity feed will include entries from connected third-party smart devices, not just Google’s own first-party cameras and gadgets.   “This [Activity] tab will now become the canonical history of your entire home,” Kattukaran said. “Anything that happens in your home that’s connected into your [Google Home] ecosystem, you see the whole history right here now.”  Sitting at the top of the new Google Home app is a Gemini-powered “Ask Home” chat box that lets you ask questions about or issue commands to your smart home, anything from “What happened today” or “Who ate the plants” to “Create an automation” or “Turn on the living room TV.”  Naturally, Gemini’s best smart home features, such as the home brief and AI notifications, will be locked behind a paywall, with Google Home Premium replacing the former Nest Aware subscription plans.   Gemini will still perform basic smart home duties (such as those once handled by Google Assistant, which is being phased out in favor of Gemini) for free.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers. Also, be sure to check our complete coverage of Google’s Gemini for Home rollout, including details on the new Google Home Speaker, new Nest Cams, and new Google Home Premium subscription plans. Read...

Weeks after sneaking it into a product demo and teasing it on social media, Google has finally taken the wraps off its first new smart speaker in five years, but we’ll have to wait a little longer before we can get our hands on one.  The $99 Google Home Speaker—yes, Google dropped the “Nest” branding for the new device—has been built for Gemini, Google says, and it boasts features like 360-degree audio and the ability to pair with the Google TV Streamer.   But unlike Google’s new Nest security cameras (Google is sticking with the “Nest” moniker for its smart cams, at least for now), which are available for purchase now, the Google Home Speaker won’t go on sale until spring 2026.  That delay is a “very deliberate and intentional choice” that will give Google time to roll out and “perfect” Gemini for Home on its existing smart speakers and displays, said Anish Kattukaran, director of product management for Google Home and Nest.  The Google Home Speaker in Porcelain (the shot up top is the speaker in Berry). Note the light ring at the bottom of the speaker.Google Wrapped in “eco-friendly” 3D-knit yarn and available in four colors (hazel, porcelain, berry, and jade), the Google Home Speaker arrives with an Alexa-style light right encircling its base, good for offering “expressive visual feedback of what Gemini is doing at any given moment,” including whether it’s listening, processing a voice command, or entering into the conversational Gemini Live mode.  Inside, the speaker packs a custom processor that will “handle a lot of Gemini’s advanced AI,” including Gemini Live, Kattukaran said, while audio processing will help Gemini hear better by cutting down on background noise, reverb, and echos.  Speaking of audio, the Google Home Speaker will support 360-degree audio, good for spreading sound around the room, and you’ll also be able to pair two of the speakers together for stereo sound, similar to what’s possible with Google’s older Nest Mini and Nest Audio speakers.  Besides creating stereo pairs, you’ll also be able to connect one or more Google Home Speakers with the Google TV Streamer. That means you could use two of the speakers for outputting the left and right audio channels from Google’s streaming video player, just as you can use Apple’s HomePod speakers to output sound from an Apple TV 4K.  From this Google-supplied phot of the bottom of the Google Home Speaker, it appears it will have a fixed cable.Google One detail left unsaid about the Google Home Speaker during the company’s pre-brief session was its home hub capabilities, including whether the speaker will act as a Thread border router for Matter devices. We’ve reached out to Google for more information.  Asked when Google might finally reveal a new smart display—the last one was 2022’s second-generation Google Nest Hub—Kattukaran declined to offer a timeline, but said the company remains “deeply committed to that category and we will have more to share next year.”  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers. Also, be sure to check our complete coverage of Google’s Gemini for Home rollout, including details on new Nest Cams and the new Google Home Premium subscription plans. Read...