PCWorld (USA)

10 steps every new laptop owner should take

Anew laptop feels like a fresh digital start: fast, clean, and ready for anything. But before you dive in, it’s wise to perform a quick system check, because many devices come with unnecessary software, suboptimal settings, and disabled security...

Here’s How

Iknow I’m not alone in the frustration that comes from dreaded Windows updates hitting at the worst times. The small, incremental updates aren’t too bad, but the larger updates that turn up every so often can be a real source of stress—that is, until...

WINDOWS 11’S ANNUAL UPDATE IS HERE

INSIDE: DISCOVER WINDOWS 11’S SECRET GOD MODE

HOW CHATGPT CAN SAVE YOU HOURS IN MERE SECONDS

Got cable? Now’s a great time to threaten you’ll cancel

Last week, I secured my lowest price for Spectrum internet in years. All it took was a call to Spectrum’s retention department, which is where you end up after telling the automated system you want to cancel your service. After a mildly tedious...

News

Whether you embrace it or not, AI is shaping the future of Google Search. Google is bringing AI Mode to Google Search for every U.S. user. Google in May 2024 launched AI Overviews ( fave.co/3kkfhz3), which aims to answer your question before showing...

20 travel gadgets you need for your next trip or vacation

20 TRAVEL GADGETS YOU NEED FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP OR VACATIONA

Microsoft’s worst software flop was secretly packed with Windows for years

In the mid-1990s, Microsoft DOS dominated most PCS. Those who were a step ahead might’ve been using Windows 3.1, but even that was a superimposed user interface on top of MS-DOS ( fave.co/4lq9gla). Windows was still pretty darn unfamiliar to people...

PC survival skills: 5 things every PC user should know

When will your computer die? Be assured, it’s a question of when and not if. Though I can’t give you a precise date, I can tell you the next best thing: all the skills you need to know to be prepared for it. The most crucial part of your PC, assuming...

20 APPS GREAT, WINDOWS FREE

Best of CES 2025

You never know what you’re going to get with CES. Of course, we knew we’d hear a lot about Ai—check—and there’d be announcements of new CPUS and GPUS— also check. But you just never know how the all the pomp and hoo-ha of this annual mega tech event is...

The U.S. Justice Department wants to break up Google and Chrome

One day after Bloomberg’s initial report, it’s now official ( fave. co/3zfrgo0): The Department of Justice has requested that the judge in the antitrust case order Google to divest itself of the Chrome browser. The prosecutors are also suggesting that...

TESTED: INTEL LUNAR LAKE LAPTOPS IGNITE BATTERY LIFE WARS

How a VR game helped me lose 100 pounds

Two years ago I weighed 330 pounds. That’s just shy of 150 kilograms, if you’re not using Freedom Units. On August 7 my scale showed 229.4 pounds (104 kilos). While that’s by no means slim for a 5-foot-10 man, and I intend to lose more, I think it’s...

CHECK IN ON YOUR FRIENDS

It’s okay to not be okay. Learn how to reach out to a friend about their mental health at Seizetheawkward.org.

7 WARNING SIGNS YOUR PC HAS BEEN HACKED

Intel and AMD need to deliver better laptop battery life