Use your face or finger to log into accounts using Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge now supports the Web Authentication specification for password-free logins. Support actually appeared in Build 17723 for Windows Insider Fast Ring participants and Build 18204 in the Skip Ahead program last week, but Microsoft didn’t mention the feature until this week’s report.
Microsoft patent points to a 2-screen device for 3-way video calls
Although Microsoft’s two-screen pocket-sized Andromeda device appears to be dead in the water for now, the company apparently still has multi-screen devices on its radar. A patent application published earlier this month describes a hinged multi-screen device that supports three-way video calling.
Microsoft will take charge of your Windows 10 device in a monthly lease
Microsoft is supposedly gearing up to launch a subscription service for Windows 10 that will see customers paying a monthly fee for leasing the entire PC, not just the operating system. Dubbed as Microsoft Managed Desktop, the company would manage the device on an operating system level.
Intel’s 10nm ‘Cannon Lake’ processors won’t arrive until the 2019 holiday season
Intel chief engineering officer Venkata Renduchintala said the company’s 10mn processors won’t appear in products until the 2019 holiday season. He revealed the new launch window during Intel’s second quarter 2018 financial results conference call, reporting that the yields are improving.
New Spectre attack lets hackers steal data without having to run local code on PCs
A new white paper by researchers at the Graz University of Technology reveals a new attack called NetSpectre. Unlike the internet-based Spectre attack that requires a hacker to run code locally on the target PC, this version can steal data from the target PC’s memory without running any local code.
Updated Apple patent suggests MacBook Pro will eventually sport touchscreens
A patent application indicates that the MacBook Pro may eventually include a touchscreen. The hint stems from a patent describing wireless charging between two or more devices. Illustrations show a mobile phone and smartwatch physically resting in a laptop’s touchpad area, receiving a charge.
Reality shines into your ‘Minecraft’ escape via Windows Mixed Reality Flashlight
What’s great about VR is that you can get the full building experience in Minecraft given the blocky world consumes your entire view. The drawback is that you don’t have visual access to the real world without lifting the headset or completely removing the device altogether. Microsoft has a fix.
Apple’s MacBook Pro throttling fix seems to be working
A recent benchmark showed Intel’s Core i9-8950HK CPU in Apple’s latest 15-inch MacBook Pro severely throttled in performance presumably due to cooling issues. Apple has since confirmed the problem and released a software fix which appears to have cleared up most users problems, restoring the MacBook Pro's performance.
Apple’s T2 chip may be causing issues in iMac Pro and 2018 MacBook Pros
Many iMac Pro owners have reportedly suffered kernel panics since they hit the market at the end of 2017. You can find a handful of threads on Apple’s community forums detailing the trials and tribulations customers are experiencing, speculating that the T2 security chip may be the culprit.
Leak shows Intel’s 9th-gen Core i7 desktop CPU won’t have hyper-threading
A supposed leak listed on a Chinese forum (now removed) suggests that Intel will not provide hyper-threading technology on its ninth-generation Core i7-9700K processor. This news is notable because this would be Intel’s first Core i7 part in recent history served up without hyper-threading.
Microsoft provides free lessons for quantum computing basics
Want to learn more about quantum computing and how to program in the Q# language? Microsoft just launched Quantum Katas, an open source project that provides you with tutorials for learning at your own pace. According to Microsoft, these exercises are based on three learning principles.
Google bets on blockchain technology with two new Google Cloud partnerships
Google will support distributed ledger technology, aka blockchain, on the Google Cloud Platform. The reveal arrives by way of the company’s announcement regarding the Google Cloud Next ’18 conference in San Francisco. Google will have a 50-minute session talking about developing blockchain apps.
The Apple T2 chip in the latest MacBook Pros offer a deeper level of security
Apple surprised customers with a sudden (but expected) hardware refresh of its 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros without an on-stage introduction. The updated models include the T2 security chip first introduced in 2017’s iMac Pro providing a secure boot, encrypted storage and live “Hey Siri” commands.
Email shows Nvidia’s GTX 11 Series will start being released in late August
A leaked email purportedly written by a Nvidia graphics card partner for a retailer provides the release dates of the upcoming GeForce GTX 11 Series. The letter also confirms what we’ve heard over the last several months: That Nvidia pushed back the launch due to unsold GTX 10 Series stock.
Turn your Surface Pro into a cheap Surface Studio with Kensington’s dock
Want a Surface Studio but don’t want to pay the premium price? Kensington can make your dream come true through a new docking station built for the cheaper Surface Pro. It essentially holds Microsoft’s detachable in an all-in-one-PC-style configuration while expanding the device’s connectivity.
AMD’s Ryzen desktop CPUs for 2019 may double the core count
Although we’re still waiting for AMD to release new low-end second-generation Ryzen processors, AMD appears to be betting big on 2019. If current rumors are correct, Ryzen 3000 Series mainstream desktop processors arriving next year will sport up to 16 cores based on its Zen 2 design.
Congressman says we should be banned from mining, using cryptocurrency
Congressman Brad Sherman believes the government should prohibit U.S. citizens from mining and using cryptocurrency. He made the statement Wednesday, adding that as a medium of exchange, cryptocurrencies accomplish nothing except facilitating narcotics trafficking, terrorism, and tax evasion.
Microsoft promises to show off new Xbox bundles during Gamescom
Microsoft is heading to Gamescom next month to showcase all-new Xbox bundles and accessories. The company isn’t revealing any details prior to the show, but merely states that gamers should expect “a few surprises." The big reveal will take place during a special broadcast of Inside Xbox.
Dell’s refresh of the XPS 13 2-in-1 series dips its toes into Intel’s Amber Lake
Intel said its eighth-generation “Amber Lake” Y-series processors would arrive later this year. One month later, the Chilean arm of Dell leaked an upcoming 13-inch XPS 2-in-1 device sporting five processor options, two of which are Amber Lake CPUs: the Core i5-8200Y and the Core i7-8500Y.
Hackers allegedly used cryptocurrency in attack against Clinton campaign
An 11-count indictment filed against 12 Russian military intelligence officers reveals that the group allegedly used cryptocurrency to remain anonymous in a scheme against the Clinton campaign in 2016. They used these digital coins to pay for the website used to release stolen election-related documents.
Microsoft patent paves way for a touch- and smudge-free tablet future
While touchscreens are great for navigating on smartphones and tablets, your greasy fingers leave annoying prints on the surface, blurring the view. Microsoft aims to change that by implementing a design that relies on touch-free input. This design appears in a granted patent published on July 10.
Google Chrome now consumes more memory due to a new Spectre fix
Version 67 of Google’s Chrome browser for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chrome OS now includes a new security feature called Site Isolation. This new component protects web surfers against Spectre-based attacks on the internet but for a price: 10 to 13 percent more system memory consumption.
Bring magic to your desktop with a $699 external GPU for MacBook Pros, iMacs
Blackmagic Design teamed up with Apple to create an external graphics card enclosure with a built-in AMD Radeon Pro 580. Called the Blackmagic eGPU, it connects to Mac devices via a Thunderbolt 3 port (40GBps). It’s available now through Apple’s online shop and its brick-and-mortar stores.
AT&T to sell the Magic Leap One Creator Edition AR headset in U.S. this summer
AT&T said it signed a deal to be the exclusive wireless distributor of Magic Leap’s products in the United States. First up to bat will be the Magic Leap One Creator Edition headset that will be sold in select stores in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco this summer.
