Even Microsoft is rumored to have a large tablet coming

<figure class="postimage"><img alt="Even Microsoft is rumored to have a large tablet coming" src="http://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Screen-Shot-2014-12-22-at-11.43.57-AM-820x385.png" /></figure><br/><div class="content"><br/><br/>If the 12-inch <a href="http://www.slashgear.com/tags/surface-pro-3/">Surface Pro 3</a> isn't big enough for you, worry not. Rumors are now pointing to the possibility that <a href="http://www.slashgear.com/tags/microsoft/">Microsoft</a> might unveil a variety of Surface Pro 4 hybrids in October, with models differing not only in internal specs like before. This time, there might also be differences in sizes, with 13- and 14- inch variants said to also be available. This makes Microsoft just one of the latest big names to join the growing list of device makers trying to revitalize the tablet market by stretching their sizes further.<br/><br/>The late Steve Jobs might be turning in his grave because of this, so it is somewhat ironic that <a href="http://www.slashgear.com/tags/apple/">Apple</a> might be the source of "inspiration" for these latest rumors. There has already been some talk for quite a few years now that OEMs are starting to consider bigger tablets because phablets have started to cannibalize the smaller tablet market. However, only Samsung has responded positively with its 12.2 inch Galaxy Note PRO and Galaxy Tab PRO. Now Samsung is <a href="http://www.slashgear.com/size-might-be-the-only-notable-thing-in-samsungs-18-inch-tablet-24399036/">rumored to be eyeing</a> an even larger 18-inch size.<br/><br/>[ad id="3403"]<br/><br/>Amazon was also rumored to be planning a large Fire tablet, 12 inches this time. That, however, might now only be a remote possibility due to the retail giant <a href="http://www.slashgear.com/fire-phone-2-unlikely-as-amazon-scales-back-consumer-devices-26399502/">adopting a more conservative approach</a> to creating dubiously profitable consumer devices.<br/><br/>Apple's supposed reason for a larger iPad Pro is to woo enterprise customers. But that hasn't exactly been a problem for Microsoft, so this new rumor might be a bit perplexing. A 13 or 14 inch Surface Pro 4 would take the line dangerously close to regular laptop size. And to some extent, that might be intentional. Microsoft has always pitted its Surface Pro line against MacBooks, and these new sizes will definitely heat things up even more.<br/><br/>But if that happens, Microsoft can no longer call the Surface Pro 4 a "tablet that can replace your laptop" because it will practically be a laptop already.<br/><br/></div>

Even Microsoft is rumored to have a large tablet coming

If the 12-inch Surface Pro 3 isn't big enough for you, worry not. Rumors are now pointing to the possibility that Microsoft might unveil a variety of Surface Pro 4 hybrids in October, with models diff…

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Vysor lets you manage your Android smartphone from your PC

<img alt="" src="http://www.techspot.com/images2/news/ts3_thumbs/2015/08/2015-08-25-ts3_thumbs-edf.png" /><br/><br/>Tired of needing to leave your computer to go find your phone when it chimes in the other room? There’s a new app, for Android devices only, that lets you manage your smartphone right from Chrome. The free app, <a href="http://www.vysor.io/">named Vysor</a>, was created by Koushik Dutta, maker of other Android apps such as AllCast Rom Manager, Voice Plus and more.<br/><br/>Using the Vysor web app for Chrome is simple. Just launch the Chrome app, enable USB debugging on the phone and connect to the computer via USB. Then ADB connects to the mobile device, Vysor is installed, and the mobile screen appears on the Windows or Mac computer.<br/><br/>[ad id="3403"]<br/><br/>After that, Vysor is ready to be used to control the Android device. Use it on your own or share it with a group via Vysor Sync. One key difference, when looking at similar apps, is that with Vysor you don’t have to root your device to run the app.<br/><br/>Currently the app is in beta, so some glitches can be expected, but it works on Mac and Windows PC because the desktop component takes place inside Chrome.<br/><br/>Dutta writes in a Google Plus post that he sees<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/110558071969009568835/posts/apks3X53ukN"> Vysor as a developer tool</a> - not just a way to avoid getting up from your computer.<br/><br/>He says, "Vysor gives you all the benefits of a physical device, but with the ease and integration of an emulator in your development environment."<br/><br/><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qAHTini67GA?rel=0&showinfo=0&modestbranding=1&vq=hd720&autohide=1" width="761" height="467" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Vysor lets you manage your Android smartphone from your PC

Tired of needing to leave your computer to go find your phone when it chimes in the other room? There’s a new app, for Android devices only, that lets you manage your smartphone right from Chrome. The…

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Six things you should know about the Huawei Watch

<h3><img alt="Huawei Watch" class=" lazy-image lazy-image-loading lazyautosizes lazyloaded" data-sizes="auto" data-src="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Huawei/Huawei%20Watch/Huawei-Watch-320-80.jpg" data-srcset="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Huawei/Huawei%20Watch/Huawei-Watch-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Huawei/Huawei%20Watch/Huawei-Watch-650-80.jpg 650w" sizes="522px" src="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Huawei/Huawei%20Watch/Huawei-Watch-50-80.jpg" srcset="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Huawei/Huawei%20Watch/Huawei-Watch-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Huawei/Huawei%20Watch/Huawei-Watch-650-80.jpg 650w" /></h3><br/><h3>Introduction</h3><br/><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/wearables/huawei-watch-1286545/review">Huawei's Watch</a> has been a long time coming – it was officially announced at<a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/wearables/huawei-has-made-the-most-beautiful-android-wear-smartwatch-yet-1286515">MWC 2015</a> at the start of March. Since then little else has been revealed, and we've been sitting patiently and twiddling our thumbs.<br/><br/>We got some brief hands-on time with an early version of the Watch at the show, but it wasn't running the final software and didn't deliver the full experience. That's was a bad idea in our book – the demo was clearly pushed out early in an attempt to make sure Huawei doesn't fall any further behind its rivals in the wearables stakes.<br/><br/>When we were invited to Huawei HQ in Shenzen, China, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to find out more, so we dug around for the latest information on everything from the design to the launch date – here's what we discovered...<br/><h3>1. It's coming "very soon"</h3><br/><div><figure><img alt="Huawei Watch" class=" lazy-image lazy-image-loading optional-image lazyautosizes lazyloaded" data-sizes="auto" data-src="http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Huawei/Huawei_Watch_hero-320-80.jpg" data-srcset="http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Huawei/Huawei_Watch_hero-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Huawei/Huawei_Watch_hero-650-80.jpg 650w" sizes="602px" src="http://cdn0.beta.static.techradar.futurecdn.net/media/img/missing-image.svg" srcset="http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Huawei/Huawei_Watch_hero-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn0.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Huawei/Huawei_Watch_hero-650-80.jpg 650w" /></figure></div><br/>Huawei's Watch was announced more than six months ago now, and it still isn't adorning our wrists. Many observers are starting to suspect that there are some issues with the device, but it's more likely that the watch was just announced prematurely.<br/><br/>The fact that the devices at the launch weren't running any software at all suggests it was pushed through to the announcement stage a little early to make sure Huawei didn't fall any further behind its Android Wear competitors.<br/><br/>Wearable Product Design Manager at Huawei, Pan, told techradar: "Very soon you will see it in the market." So rumours of the Watch launching in the next few weeks seem to hold water – could we see something at IFA 2015?<br/><h3>2. It's still in testing</h3><br/><div><figure><img alt="Huawei Watch" class=" lazy-image lazy-image-loading optional-image lazyautosizes lazyloaded" data-sizes="auto" data-src="http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_clockface-320-80.jpg" data-srcset="http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_clockface-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_clockface-650-80.jpg 650w" sizes="602px" src="http://cdn0.beta.static.techradar.futurecdn.net/media/img/missing-image.svg" srcset="http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_clockface-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_clockface-650-80.jpg 650w" /></figure></div><br/>Even though we've heard the Huawei Watch will be launching in the near future, we know it's still going through the testing process. We managed to get some time around the Huawei testing facilities in Shenzen and in the environmental testing room we spotted a couple of hidden Huawei Watch displays.<br/><br/>On the other hand, it may be that the company is already working on the follow-up to the Huawei Watch and it's already hit the testing process.<br/><br/>There was no sign of the rest of the Watch housing, but these watch faces were inside a machine that drops the temperature from high to really low to see how the device handles the change.<br/><br/>According to Pan, Huawei Watch has gone through over 650 hours of quality testing to check that it's not going to get damaged easily.<br/><h3>3. No Emotion UI or OS tweaking</h3><br/><div><figure><img alt="Moto 360 on Android Wear" class=" lazy-image lazy-image-loading optional-image lazyautosizes lazyloaded" data-sizes="auto" data-src="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Motorola/Moto%20360/Review/moto-360-google-now-flight-320-80.jpg" data-srcset="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Motorola/Moto%20360/Review/moto-360-google-now-flight-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Motorola/Moto%20360/Review/moto-360-google-now-flight-650-80.jpg 650w" sizes="602px" src="http://cdn0.beta.static.techradar.futurecdn.net/media/img/missing-image.svg" srcset="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Motorola/Moto%20360/Review/moto-360-google-now-flight-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Motorola/Moto%20360/Review/moto-360-google-now-flight-650-80.jpg 650w" /></figure></div><br/>Huawei is all about customising the interface. Emotion UI on the phones is a bone of contention for some users with its different approach to Android design.<br/><br/>Those won't be available on the Watch OS though – it's strictly an Android Wear affair here. The unique look of Emotion UI isn't going to make the jump, and there won't be any big changes in the way you interact with the Huawei Watch compared with a <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/wearables/moto-360-1264259/review">Moto 360</a>.<br/><br/>Pan told techradar: "To a certain extent we can customise but we can't go very deep, we provide the watch faces for people to choose."<br/><h3>[ad id="3403"]</h3><br/><h3>4. Employees are already wearing them</h3><br/><div><figure><img alt="Huawei Watch back" class=" lazy-image lazy-image-loading optional-image lazyautosizes lazyloaded" data-sizes="auto" data-src="http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_back2-320-80.jpg" data-srcset="http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_back2-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_back2-650-80.jpg 650w" sizes="602px" src="http://cdn0.beta.static.techradar.futurecdn.net/media/img/missing-image.svg" srcset="http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_back2-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn1.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_back2-650-80.jpg 650w" /></figure></div><br/>In my few days exploring the Huawei campus I noticed a few people had some interesting wristwear. I know for certain that at least three employees around the factory and campus in general were wearing the Huawei Watch, although it wasn't clear how complete they were.<br/><br/>They may have been early builds, or could even be a new version of the Watch, but whenever we approached employees with questions on their choice of gadget they backed away, muttering that they couldn't talk about it.<br/><h3>5. Battery life is 2 to 3 days</h3><br/><div><figure><img alt="Huawei Watch OS" class=" lazy-image lazy-image-loading optional-image lazyautosizes lazyloaded" data-sizes="auto" data-src="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_weather-320-80.jpg" data-srcset="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_weather-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_weather-650-80.jpg 650w" sizes="602px" src="http://cdn0.beta.static.techradar.futurecdn.net/media/img/missing-image.svg" srcset="http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_weather-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn4.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Huawei/Huawei_watch/hwatch_weather-650-80.jpg 650w" /></figure></div><br/>Battery is a big concern on smartwatches, and the Huawei Watch is no exception. We now know there's a 300mAh cell under the hood, but there's no precise figure for how long that's going to last.<br/><br/>Pan told us: "I don't use it very heavily, so two or three days." That sounds like the average kind of Android Wear battery life, and it makes sense as it's a similar cell to those we've seen in other watches.<br/><br/>If you manage to get a full three days life out of the watch while actually using the screen, however, then we'd be impressed – that's unheard of so far.<br/><h3>6. It's been in development for years</h3><br/><div><figure><img alt="Android Wear" class=" lazy-image lazy-image-loading optional-image lazyautosizes lazyloaded" data-sizes="auto" data-src="http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Android%20Wear/Android%20Wear%20face%20collection-320-80.jpg" data-srcset="http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Android%20Wear/Android%20Wear%20face%20collection-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Android%20Wear/Android%20Wear%20face%20collection-650-80.jpg 650w" sizes="602px" src="http://cdn0.beta.static.techradar.futurecdn.net/media/img/missing-image.svg" srcset="http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Android%20Wear/Android%20Wear%20face%20collection-320-80.jpg 320w, http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/Watches/Android%20Wear/Android%20Wear%20face%20collection-650-80.jpg 650w" /></figure></div><br/>Huawei hasn't just thrown the Watch out after no research at all – a representative confirmed to techradar it has been in development for over two years.<br/><br/>That means it was being developed before the general public even knew Android Wear was a thing – it wasn't announced until March 2014.<br/><br/>Huawei may have even started creating its own OS to run on the wearable before it knew Android Wear existed, and then decided to switch midway through the R&D process.

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Six things you should know about the Huawei Watch

IntroductionHuawei's Watch has been a long time coming – it was officially announced atMWC 2015 at the start of March. Since then little else has been revealed, and we've been sitting patiently and tw…

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Adobe's next mobile photo editor could be revealed in October

<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2015/08/26/adobe-project-rigel-photoshop/"><img alt="Adobe Photoshop Express" data-credit="Engadget - Philip Palermo" data-mep="931640" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/7e71875ef8f1c6cbcc81a9ccbb70e99/202537459/DSCF8815-2.jpg" /></a><br/><br/>[ad id="3403"]<br/><br/>When Adobe announced it was <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2015/05/21/rip-adobe-photoshop-touch/">discontinuing</a> its mobile Photoshop Touch app earlier this year, it hinted at greater things to come in a mysterious project code-named "<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2015/05/21/rip-adobe-photoshop-touch/">Project Rigel</a>." While it listed a vague "late 2015" availability at the time, a recent <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/with-project-rigel-adobe-hopes-to-bring-photoshop-to-the-mobile-masses/" target="_blank"><em>CNET</em></a> report suggests we'll be formally introduced to Adobe's new offering this October. The company's latest pro-level mobile effort will reportedly come in the form of a free iOS editing app that looks to offer much of the desktop software's capability wrapped in a touch-friendly UI that won't scare away novices.<br/><br/>There still aren't many details, but <em>CNET</em> says the app is expected to make its official debut at Adobe's Max conference in October. We can expect desktop tools that professionals are used to combined with menus and tools designed to be precisely controlled with a fingertip rather than a more accurate mouse pointer or stylus.<br/><br/>Of course, Project Rigel isn't Adobe's first entry built for smartphones and tablets. Previous efforts include the discontinued Photoshop Touch and the more consumer-oriented <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/11/adobe-photoshop-express-update/">Photoshop Express</a> (pictured above). It also offers <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/30/lightroom-mobile/">Lightroom for mobile</a>, but the app (available on iOS and <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/15/adobe-lightroom-mobile-android/">Android</a>) feels more like a powerful companion to its desktop sibling rather than a standalone option for mobile photogs. Project Rigel could represent the company's strongest push yet to make an impact in the mobile market, but it looks like we'll have to wait a little longer to find out.

Adobe's next mobile photo editor could be revealed in October

[ad id="3403"]When Adobe announced it was discontinuing its mobile Photoshop Touch app earlier this year, it hinted at greater things to come in a mysterious project code-named "Project Rigel." While …

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LG is betting on battery life to win the tablet war

LG believes that tablets are still a thing; it’s <a href="http://www.lgnewsroom.com/2015/08/lg-delivers-the-perfect-multimedia-companion-with-g-pad-ii-10-1/" target="_blank">unveiled the G Pad II 10.1</a> to take on the few tablets still doing the rounds, with a large display, decent specs and a massive battery to keep it in the running.<br/><br/>The latest in the G Pad series runs Android 5.1.1 and comes with a 10.1-inch 1920×1200 pixel screen, a 2.26GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage and a 7,400mAh battery.<br/><div class="postContent-image"><br/><div class="postContent-image-wrap"><img alt="The G Pad II features a metallic Brilliant Bronze finish" class="size-full wp-image-910693" height="533" src="http://cdn1.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/08/The-G-Pad-II-features-a-metallic-Brilliant-Bronze-finish.jpg" width="800" /></div><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption"><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption-sharer"></div><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption-content">[ad id="3403"]</div><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption-content">The G Pad II features a metallic Brilliant Bronze finish</div><br/></div><br/></div><br/>There’s also a MicroSD slot to expand storage space, a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel camera on the front. One variant will bring LTE support too.<br/><br/>The G Pad II comes pre-loaded with Microsoft Office and 100GB of free OneDrive cloud storage, good for two years.<br/><br/>Will it be enough to impress tablet users? Besides the large battery, LG hopes you’ll be interested in the G Pad II for its price, which the company says will be the same as <a href="http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2014/05/12/lg-announces-new-7-inch-8-inch-10-1-inch-g-pad-tablets/" target="_blank">its predecessor</a> (the original G Pad 10.1 <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2462452,00.asp" target="_blank">went for $250</a> at launch).<br/><br/>The device will be on show for the first time at the <a href="http://www.ifa-berlin.de/en/" target="_blank">IFA 2015</a> trade show in Berlin next month. LG will announce prices for both Wi-Fi and LTE variants when they launch across North America, Europe and Asia.

LG is betting on battery life to win the tablet war

LG believes that tablets are still a thing; it’s unveiled the G Pad II 10.1 to take on the few tablets still doing the rounds, with a large display, decent specs and a massive battery to keep it in th…

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WhatsApp for Android lets you set custom notifications for your favorite contacts

<img alt="" src="http://cdn1.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/08/WhatsApp-Android-520x245.jpg" /><br/><br/>[ad id="3403"]<br/><br/>WhatsApp has updated its messaging app on Android with a bunch of useful new features today, giving users better control over notifications from individual contacts.<br/><br/>The ability to toggle the read status of chats <a href="http://thenextweb.com/apps/2015/07/22/whatsapp-for-android-now-makes-sure-you-never-miss-a-conversation/" target="_blank">showed up in an earlier build</a> last month, but it’s here for all users now. Long-press on a conversation in the Chats list to mark it as read or unread.<br/><br/><img alt="Mark as unread" class="aligncenter wp-image-902102 size-large" height="744" src="http://cdn1.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/07/Mark-as-unread-520x744.jpg" width="520" /><br/><br/>Of course, this feature won’t affect the read status on messages within your conversation — it’s only there to make it easier to spot or ignore them.<br/><br/>Open up a conversation and tap View Contact, and you’ll spot new options for custom notifications. There are settings for vibration alerts, lights, pop-ups and audio tones.<br/><br/>This should make it easier to spot messages from people you care about, without having to unlock your device.<br/><div class="postContent-image"><br/><div class="postContent-image-wrap"><img alt="Set notifications for each contact" class="size-full wp-image-911089" height="711" src="http://cdn1.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/08/Set-notifications-for-each-contact.jpg" width="800" /></div><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption"><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption-sharer"></div><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption-content">Set notifications for each contact</div><br/></div><br/></div><br/>You can also mute conversations with individual contacts for preset periods, just like with group chats — though you’d probably have to be rather rude to do that!<br/><div class="postContent-image"><br/><div class="postContent-image-wrap"><img alt="You can now mute conversations from individual contacts" class="size-full wp-image-911090" height="889" src="http://cdn1.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/08/You-can-now-mute-conversations-from-individual-contacts.jpg" width="500" /></div><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption"><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption-sharer"></div><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption-content">You can now mute conversations from individual contacts</div><br/></div><br/></div><br/>WhatsApp has also introduced skin tone variations for several existing emoji. Long-press the hand emoji to find them in pop-ups. Oh, and there’s a new Vulcan salute if you need it.<br/><div class="postContent-image"><br/><div class="postContent-image-wrap"><img alt="Long-press emoji to reveal skin tone variations" class="size-full wp-image-911093" height="711" src="http://cdn1.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/08/Long-press-emoji-to-reveal-skin-tone-variations.jpg" width="800" /></div><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption"><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption-sharer"></div><br/><div class="postContent-image-caption-content">Long-press emoji to reveal skin tone variations</div><br/></div><br/></div><br/>Additionally, the latest version also brings an option in the<em>Chats and calls</em> menu to reduce data usage when making calls. As we noted with last month’s build, this feature didn’t affect call quality negatively, so feel free to give it a go.

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WhatsApp for Android lets you set custom notifications for your favorite contacts

[ad id="3403"]WhatsApp has updated its messaging app on Android with a bunch of useful new features today, giving users better control over notifications from individual contacts.The ability to toggle…

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TuneIn Premium streams live sports, music and audiobooks for $8 a month

<div><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2015/08/25/tunein-premium-live-sports-audiobooks-music/"><img alt="" data-credit="TuneIn" data-mep="928383" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/2f6cb22b60b4e2d2436074c6596f3a98/202523792/tunein.jpg" /></a></div><br/>[ad id="3403"]<br/><br/>The ability to <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/06/sling-tv-final-four-troubles/">livestream television</a>, especially sports, is handy while you're away from home. But what about the times (driving, working, etc.) when you can't give a screen your undivided attention? You <em>could</em> opt for an all-audio option. With <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/25/tunein-radio-chromecast/">TuneIn's</a> new subscription service, you won't have to worry about missing Major League Baseball, Barclays Premier League or Bundesliga action. For MLB games, you can choose between either the home or away feed for every game from spring training through the World Series. The BPL play-by-play is provided by talkSPORT, and while all Bundesliga matches will stream in German, only select match-ups will be available in English.<br/><div class="post-gallery"></div><br/>The $8 a month ($8.99 CAD/month and £5.99/month) TuneIn Premium option not only serves up access to live radio coverage of those sports leagues, but it all offers over 600 commercial-free music stations, 40,000 <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/06/scribd-audiobook-service-launch/">audiobooks</a> (including language learning programs) and content from TuneIn's existing free tier. The new service is available starting today on the web and via Android and iOS apps in the US, Canada and the UK. If you don't happen to live in one of those areas, plans to roll the service out to additional countries are in the works.

TuneIn Premium streams live sports, music and audiobooks for $8 a month

[ad id="3403"]The ability to livestream television, especially sports, is handy while you're away from home. But what about the times (driving, working, etc.) when you can't give a screen your undivid…

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Try to act surprised: there's a new Nexus tablet in the works

<div class="box"><img alt="Nexus 9" class="" sizes="auto" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/Google/Nexus%209/Hands%20on%202/Nexus%209%20review%20(12)-320-80.JPG" srcset="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/Google/Nexus%209/Hands%20on%202/Nexus%209%20review%20(12)-320-80.JPG 320w, http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/Google/Nexus%209/Hands%20on%202/Nexus%209%20review%20(12)-480-80.JPG 480w, http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/Google/Nexus%209/Hands%20on%202/Nexus%209%20review%20(12)-650-80.JPG 650w, http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/tablets/Google/Nexus%209/Hands%20on%202/Nexus%209%20review%20(12)-970-80.JPG 970w" /><br/><div id="picad_share_holder"></div><br/><div id="picad_div"><br/><div id="picad_overlay_div"><br/><div id="picad_overlay_holder"><br/><div id="ism_ol_holder_ad"><br/><div id="ism_ol_txt_holder"><br/><div class="title"></div><br/>[ad id="3403"]</div><br/><div id="ism_info_v2_1" class="ism_info_v2"></div><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div><br/></div><br/><div id="article-body" class="text-copy bodyCopy auto"><br/><br/>All the Nexus focus right now is pointing toward the new phones – the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/nexus-6-2015-release-date-news-and-rumors-1302229">Nexus 6</a>2015 rumoured to be made by Huawei and the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/this-is-probably-our-first-glimpse-at-the-nexus-5-in-the-flesh-1301970">Nexus 5</a> 2015 reportedly built by LG.<br/><br/>Speculation about a new Nexus tablet has also started with the "Nexus 8" appearing in the GeekBench 3 benchmarking software.<br/><br/>According to the specs detailed the tablet will have an octa-core 1.3GHz CPU suggesting it'll be a MediaTek processor this time rather than a Snapdragon version.<br/><br/>The benchmarking reveals it's currently running on Android 5.1.1 software but we'd expect it to be running Android 6.0 Marshmallow when it actually launches.<br/><h3>Still no Nexus 10 2</h3><br/>At the moment there's no hint who will be making the device – it's usually the same company that makes the phone, so we'd predict it's going to be either Huawei or LG.<br/><br/>Both manufacturers have history with tablets and have created satisfactory devices before; maybe being part of the Nexus program will push one of them to glory.<br/><br/>Benchmarking tests can be fiddled with so this may all be an elaborate practical joke but the last three years have seen Nexus tablets released alongside phones, so there's every reason to believe a new Nexus slate is coming.<br/><br/></div>

Try to act surprised: there's a new Nexus tablet in the works

[ad id="3403"]All the Nexus focus right now is pointing toward the new phones – the Nexus 62015 rumoured to be made by Huawei and the Nexus 5 2015 reportedly built by LG.Speculation about a new Nexus …

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MIT's newest 3D printer spouts 10 materials at a time

<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2015/08/24/mits-newest-3d-printer-spouts-10-materials-at-a-time/"><img alt="" data-credit="MIT" data-mep="928450" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/deffd83358957e2939a5fc4e897ab034/202524352/Screen+Shot+2015-08-24+at+1.55.14+PM.png" /></a><br/><br/>[ad id="3403"]<br/><br/>One of the biggest hindrances to current 3D printers is that they almost exclusively stick to a single precursor be it plastic, metal <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2015/08/21/mit-figured-out-how-to-3d-print-using-glass-instead-of-plastic/">or glass</a>. At most, you can get one that extrudes three materials at a time and they're going set you back <a href="http://3dprint.com/14431/objet500-connex1-connex2/" target="_blank">a quarter of a million dollars</a>. However, a team of researchers at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (<a href="https://www.csail.mit.edu/" target="_blank">CSAIL</a>) have debuted a novel solution that allows users to create more complex items in a fraction of the time and cost by printing up to ten different materials simultaneously.<br/><div class="fluid-width-video-wrapper"><iframe id="fitvid60645" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/poRFPjiB9vw?wmode=opaque" width="300" height="150" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div><br/>Dubbed the MultiFab, this machine doesn't extrude materials. Instead, it mixes microscopic droplets of photopolymers together and shoots them through inkjet-style printers. The system is also quite complex despite being constructed primarily from off-the-shelf components. A central computer directs the printer while receiving a continual stream of data from a 40-micron resolution 3D scanner and camera array as the item is being created. This feedback data -- which measures in the dozens of gigabytes -- allows the machine to correct and re-calibrate itself as the item is being printed. It also allows the user to place other objects, say a CPU chip, into the project and then print around it. The team envisions users being able to place a cellphone in the machine and 3D-print a case directly onto it.<br/><br/>"The platform opens up new possibilities for manufacturing, giving researchers and hobbyists alike the power to create objects that have previously been difficult or even impossible to print."says Javier Ramos, CSAIL research engineer at CSAIL co-author of the paper. The team believes that the technology could easily be scaled for use in commercial and hobbyist applications alike.

MIT's newest 3D printer spouts 10 materials at a time

[ad id="3403"]One of the biggest hindrances to current 3D printers is that they almost exclusively stick to a single precursor be it plastic, metal or glass. At most, you can get one that extrudes thr…

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Mirror your Android device on your Mac or PC with Vysor

<p class="p2 image-container"></p><br/><p class="p2 image-container"><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2015/08/25/vysor-screen-mirroring-developers/"><img alt="" data-credit="Vysor" data-mep="928854" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/35cfa86c3c64152effa0a55752abdf64/202526575/vysorio.jpg" /></a></p><br/><p class="p2">[ad id="3403"]</p><br/><p class="p2"><span class="s1">There are plenty of ways to <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/17/allcast-web-mirroring-for-any-phone/">mirror your smartphone</a> onto your desktop, but none are as apparently easy (or snappy) as this one. Vysor has been cooked-up by <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/10/12/allcast-ios-beta/">AllCast</a> creator Koush as a seamless way to mirror your Android device's display onto a Windows, Linux or Mac computer. All you'll need to do is connect one to the other over USB and install the Chrome plugin and in a few seconds, you should be able to control your phone with a keyboard and mouse. It may have been intended as a developer tool, but one keen-eyed Reddit user spotted the app while it was in private beta and shared it with the world.</span></p><br/><p class="p1"><span class="s1">As Koush himself points out in the second video below, one feature that hasn't been noticed was Vysor Share. With it, users can remotely control a smartphone from another machine through the internet, as long as both PCs have the app installed. That way, power users can actually push (or pull) updates to far-off phones using Android's Debug Bridge functionality. In the future, the developer is hoping to tweak this offering to enable developers to connect to multiple devices at a time. Right now, users are asked to just give it a try and offer your feedback, <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/vysor-beta/gidgenkbbabolejbgbpnhbimgjbffefm?authuser=1" target="_blank">so </a></span><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/vysor-beta/gidgenkbbabolejbgbpnhbimgjbffefm?authuser=1" target="_blank">have at it!</a></p><br/><br/><center><br/><div class="fluid-width-video-wrapper"><iframe id="fitvid556386" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qAHTini67GA?wmode=opaque" width="300" height="150" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div><br/></center><center><br/><div class="fluid-width-video-wrapper"><iframe id="fitvid659321" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/chi_GTppqV0?wmode=opaque" width="300" height="150" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div><br/></center><br/><div class="post-meta"></div>

Mirror your Android device on your Mac or PC with Vysor

[ad id="3403"]There are plenty of ways to mirror your smartphone onto your desktop, but none are as apparently easy (or snappy) as this one. Vysor has been cooked-up by AllCast creator Koush as a seam…

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The best web browser of 2015: Firefox, Chrome, Edge, IE, and Opera compared

<div class="deck"><br/><h2>We put the screws to all five modern browsers, testing them in all manner of scenarios. If you're looking for a fast, efficient, convenient browser, we've found two that we think you'll like.</h2><br/></div><br/><div class="imageContainer580xX"><figure id="page-lede" class="oneUp"><img alt="pcw browsers primary" class="largeImage imgId100609192 " src="http://core3.staticworld.net/images/article/2015/08/pcw-browsers-primary-100609192-large.jpg" /></figure>The best browsers go beyond benchmarks, racing through real-world webpages as well as canned routines. They’re easy to set up, flexible and extensible, and connect other devices and services into an ecosystem.<br/><br/>Look, throwing a few benchmarks at a browser just doesn’t cut it any more. Just as you expect us to test graphics cards against the latest games, we think your browsers should be tested against a collection of live sites. Can they handle dozens of tabs at once? Or do they shudder, struggle, and crash, chewing through your PC’s processor and memory?<br/><br/>To pick a winner, we put Google Chrome, Microsoft’s Edge and Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera to the test, barring Apple’s abandoned Safari for Windows. We used the latest available version of each browser, except for Firefox, which upgraded to Firefox 40 late in our testing. And we also tried to look at each browser holistically: How easy was each to install and set up? Does Opera make it simple to switch from Chrome, for example?<br/><br/>You’ve already seen part of our tests, where we showed you how much of an impact enabling Adobe Flash can have on your system. <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2960741/browsers/tested-how-flash-destroys-your-browsers-performance.html#tk.twt_pcworld">Disabling or refusing to load Flash can seriously improve performance</a>—some sites, like YouTube, have begun to transition to less CPU-intensive HTML5 streams. Still, other readers pointed out that they simply need to run Flash on their favorite sites. That’s fine—we tested with and without Flash, so you’ll have a sense for which browser performs best, in either case.<br/><br/>Oh, and Microsoft: We found that your new Edge browser isn’t <em>quite</em> as fast as you make it out to be. (Sorry!) But it still demonstrated definite improvement over Internet Explorer.<br/><h2>The benchmark numbers favor Chrome and Firefox</h2><br/>We do consider benchmarks to be a valuable indicator of performance, just not a wholly defining one. Still, they’re the numbers that users want to see, so we’ll oblige. We used a Lenovo Yoga 12 notebook with a 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-5600U inside, running a 64-bit copy of Windows 10 Pro on 8GB of memory as our test bed.<br/><br/>We tested Chrome 44, Windows 10’s Edge 12, Firefox 39, Internet Explorer 11, and Opera 31 against two popular (though unsupported) benchmarks—Sunspider 1.0.2 and Peacekeeper—just for reference purposes. But we’d encourage you to pay attention to the more modern benchmarks, including Jet Stream,  Octane 2.0, <a href="https://www.webkit.org/blog/3395/speedometer-benchmark-for-web-app-responsiveness/">Speedometer</a>, and WebXPRT. The latter two are especially useful, as they try to mirror actual interaction with web apps. We also tested using Oort Online’s graphics benchmark as well as the standardized HTML5test—which is not so much a benchmark, but an evaluation of how compatible a browser is with the HTML5 standard for Web development.<br/><br/>From our testing, Chrome and Firefox topped the Speedometer and WebXPRT tests, respectively. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Google was the fastest browser under the Google-authored Octane 2.0 benchmark. But Microsoft’s Edge led the pack in the Jet Stream benchmark—which includes the Sunspider tests, which Edge led as well. (For all of the benchmarks, a higher number is better; the one exception is Sunspider, which records its score in the time it took to run.)<br/><br/><aside id="" class="nativo-promo smartphone tablet desktop"></aside><figure class="large "><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/08/browser-testing-benchmarks-1st-set-100607510-orig.png"><img alt="browser testing benchmarks 1st set" height="405" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2015/08/browser-testing-benchmarks-1st-set-100607510-large.png" width="580" /></a><figcaption>Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox do well here. (A higher result is better, except for the Sunspider benchmark.)<br/><br/></figcaption></figure>What’s surprising about Edge is that it led the pack in the Jet Stream benchmark, but fell way behind on Speedometer, only to record a quite reasonable score in WebXPRT. (Microsoft claims that Edge is faster than Chrome in the Google-authored Octane 2.0 benchmark as well, but our results don’t indicate that.)<br/><br/>Chrome flopped on the Sunspider test; the only test Firefox failed equally miserably in was the Oort Online benchmark, which draws a <em>Minecraft</em>-like landscape using the browser.<br/><br/><figure class="large "><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/08/browser-testing-benchmarks-2nd-set-100607511-orig.png"><img alt="browser testing benchmarks 2nd set" height="379" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2015/08/browser-testing-benchmarks-2nd-set-100607511-large.png" width="580" /></a></figure>For whatever reason, I noticed some graphical glitches as Edge rendered the Oort landscape, including problems drawing a shadow that slid across the bay in the night scene. But Oort proved even more problematic for Firefox, rendering “snow” as flashing lights and rain as a series of lines. (We’ve included the test result, but take it with a grain of salt.) Internet Explorer 11 simply couldn’t run the Oort benchmark at all.<br/><br/>We also included the HTML5test compatibility test, which measures how compatible each browser is with the latest HTML5 Web standards. Although some developers focus extensively on each browser’s score, even the test developer isn’t too concerned:<br/><br/><iframe id="twitter-widget-i1440359758534711309" class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" title="Twitter Tweet" width="300" height="150" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-tweet-id="627949805210324993"></iframe><br/><br/>And the only one that fails that test, of course, is the semi-retired Internet Explorer 11.<br/><br/>What does all this mean? It doesn’t indicate a clear win for any specific browser, including Chrome. Based on our benchmark tests, many of the browsers will handle the modern web just fine.<br/><br/><em>Next page: Real-world testing and "the convenience factor."</em><br/><h2>Real-world testing: Opera makes its case</h2><br/>Opera Software has always lived on the periphery, with what <a href="http://www.netmarketshare.com/">NetApplications</a> says is just 1.34 percent of the worldwide browser market. With <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2968992/browsers/opera-software-considers-sale-after-lowering-financial-expectations.html">Opera considering putting itself up for sale</a>, it may not be long for this world. But in terms of real-world browser performance, Opera is worth a long hard look while you still can.<br/><br/>Why? Because in real-world browser tests, Chrome and Opera performed very well.<br/><br/>It’s important to know how each browser will actually perform while surfing the live web. Testing this is a challenge—some canny Web sites constantly tweak their content, and ads will vary from one visit to the next.  But we tried to minimize the time over which we visited each site to help minimize variation.<br/><br/>We used a selection of 30 live sites, from Amazon to CNN to iMore to PCWorld, as well as a three-tab subset of each, to see how performance scaled. Our tests included adding each site to a new tab, one after another, to weakly approximate how a user might keep adding new tabs—but quickly, so as to stress-test the browser itself. Finally, we evaluated them with Adobe Flash turned on and off. (Both Opera and Firefox don’t natively ship with Flash, so we tested without, then downloaded the Flash plugin.)<br/><br/>After loading all 30 tabs, we waited 30 seconds, then totaled the total CPU and memory consumption of both the app itself, the background processes, and the separate Flash process, if applicable.<br/><br/>So what does all this mean? If you own a mid-range and low-end PC, you might have purchased one without a lot of memory, or with a less powerful CPU. In that case, you might consider switching your browser to something that’s more efficient.<br/><br/>This chart contains a lot of information; you can click it to enlarge it. But what you should focus on are the differences in memory consumption (the yellow bars) and the differences in CPU consumption. We’ve included the raw data in a table at the bottom of the chart. In each case, a lower number indicates a more efficient browser, with the one exception being Firefox (with Flash)’s zero scores, which we’ll cover below.<br/><br/><figure class="large "><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/08/browsers-real-world-testing-final-100607506-orig.png"><img alt="browsers real world testing final" height="455" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2015/08/browsers-real-world-testing-final-100607506-large.png" width="580" /></a></figure>Oddly enough, we noted an actual <em>decrease</em> in CPU consumption when Flash was enabled on the three-tab test, specifically within Edge, Firefox, and Opera—perhaps because the Flash plugin was more efficient at lighter workloads. As our previous report indicated, however, CPU and memory consumption soared when we started throwing tab after tab at each browser.<br/><br/>The other discrepancy that you may note is that Chrome, with Flash enabled, consumes nearly the memory that Edge does <em>without</em> Flash enabled. We double-checked this, but we did so on another day, where Edge’s memory consumption was even higher than what we recorded. (That’s probably due to just a difference in the ads and video the sites displayed.)<br/><br/>Chrome has a reputation for sucking up all the memory you can throw at it, and these numbers prove that out. But it also consumes relatively little of your CPU—which, if you scale down your tab use, makes its impact on your PC manageable. Opera, however, really shines. In fact, without Flash, Opera consumed just 6.6 percent of the CPU and 1.83GB of RAM during our stress test. With Flash on, Opera consumed 3.47GB of memory and 81.2 percent of my computer’s CPU.<br/><br/>And Mozilla was getting on so well—but with Flash on, tabs essentially descended into suspended animation until they were clicked on, then began slowly loading. It was awful. “Tombstoning” tabs that aren’t being used is acceptable, but please, load them first, Mozilla!<br/><br/>Finally, we tried loading pages, then timing how fast before the page became “navigable”—in other words, how soon one could scroll down. Fortunately, all the browsers we tested did well, although some were faster than others; Chrome and Opera did exceedingly well, especially with Flash turned off. In all, however, we’d say that any browser that can load pages at three seconds or less will suit your needs. (Keep in mind that the time to load pages depends in part on your Internet connection and the content of the page itself.)<br/><br/><figure class="large "><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/08/browser-page-load-time-100607459-orig.png"><img alt="browser page load time" height="378" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2015/08/browser-page-load-time-100607459-large.png" width="580" /></a></figure><br/><h2>The convenience factor</h2><br/>Since all of these browsers are free, ideally you should be able to download every one and evaluate it for yourself. And each browser makes it quite easy to pluck bookmarks and settings from their rivals, especially from Chrome and Internet Explorer. But manually <em>exporting</em> bookmarks is another story. It’s almost like telling the browser that you’re fed up with it—and Firefox, for example, passive-aggressively <a href="https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/export-firefox-bookmarks-to-backup-or-transfer">buries the export bookmarks command </a>a few menus deep. Even stranger, Opera claims that you can<a href="http://help.opera.com/Windows/12.10/en/importexport.html">export bookmarks from its Settings menu</a>, but only the <em>import </em>option appears to have remained in Opera 31.<br/><br/><figure class="medium right"><img alt="browser opera signin" height="309" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2015/08/browser-opera-signin-100607730-medium.png" width="300" /><small class="credit">MARK HACHMAN</small><figcaption>Many browsers, including Opera, now allow you to sync your information across multiple devices.<br/><br/></figcaption></figure>More and more, however, browsers are using a single sign-on password to identify you, store your bookmarks online, and make shifting from PC to PC a snap—provided that you keep the same browser, of course.<br/><br/>Chrome, for example, makes setting itself up on a new PC literally as simple as downloading the browser, installing it, and entering your username and password. You may have to double-check that the bookmark bar is enabled, for example, but after that your bookmarks and stored passwords will load automatically. (As always, make sure that “master” passwords like these are complex.)<br/><br/>Chrome isn’t alone in this, either. Firefox’s Sync syncs your tabs, bookmarks, preferences and passwords, while Opera syncs your bookmarks, tabs, the “Speed Dial” homepage, and preferences and settings.<br/><br/>That’s an area where Edge needs improvement. Edge can import favorites/bookmarks from other browsers, manually, but doesn’t keep a persistent list of favorites across machines—at least not yet. But if you save a new favorite in IE11, it’s instantly available across your other PCs. Other browsers—not Edge—also allow you to access your desktop bookmarks within their corresponding mobile apps.<br/><br/><figure class="large "><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/08/edge-home-page-info-100607732-orig.png"><img alt="edge homepage info" height="313" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2015/08/edge-home-page-info-100607732-large.png" width="580" /></a><figcaption>You can configure the Microsoft Edge homepage to show you information that allows you to start your day. (<a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2010900/ighome-gives-displaced-igoogle-users-a-familiar-home.html">iGoogle</a> did this too, years ago.)<br/><br/></figcaption></figure>It’s also interesting that, more and more, browsers are moving away from the concept of a “homepage” in favor of something like Edge or Opera, where the browser opens to an index page, with news and information curated by the browser company itself. But you still have options to set your own homepage in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.<br/><br/>Honestly, all of the browsers we tested were relatively easy to set up and install, with features to import bookmarks and settings either from other browsers or other installations. You may have your own preferences, but it’s a relative dead heat.<br/><br/><em>Final page: Little extras and PCWorld names the best browser of 2015</em><br/><h2>Going beyond the web</h2><br/>Modern browsers, however, go beyond merely surfing the web. Most come with a number of intangible benefits that you might not know about.<br/><br/>Perhaps you’d like your browser to serve as a BitTorrent client, for example. In the early days, you’d need to download a separate, specific program for that. Today, those capabilities can be added via plugins or addons—which most browsers offer, but not Edge, yet. (This can be more than a convenience; Edge will store your passwords, but not in an encrypted password manager like LastPass.)<br/><br/>If there’s one reason to use Firefox, it’s because of the plugin capability. Mozilla has a <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/">site entirely dedicated to plugins</a>, and they’re organized by type and popularity. Installing a plugin is as easy as clicking through a couple of notifications, then restarting your browser. And given the market share of Chrome—and the plugin popularity of Firefox—you’ll find developers who will focus on those two first. A good example is <a href="http://www.one-tab.com/">OneTab</a>, which transforms all of your open tabs into a text-based list, dramatically cutting your browser’s memory consumption. Note that the more plugins you add and enable, the more memory and CPU power your browser will consume.<br/><br/>Opera doesn’t appear to have nearly the number of available <a href="https://addons.opera.com/en/extensions/?tag=sidebar&order=popular&language=en">plugins</a> that Firefox does, but it does have a unique twist: a “sidebar” along the left hand side that can be used for widgets, like a calculator or even your<a href="https://addons.opera.com/en/extensions/details/tweetdeck-sidebar/?display=en"> Twitter feed</a>. Opera is also extensible via wallpaper-like themes, but they’re far less impressive.<br/><br/><figure class="large "><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/08/chrome-settings-100607729-orig.png"><img alt="chrome settings" height="360" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2015/08/chrome-settings-100607729-large.png" width="580" /></a><small class="credit">MARK HACHMAN</small><figcaption>Chrome hides a wealth of options to manage what you see on the Web, but only if you want to explore.<br/><br/></figcaption></figure>But you’ll also notice browsers adding more and more functionality right in the app itself. Firefox includes a Firefox-to-Firefox videoconferencing service called Firefox Hello that works right in your browser, and you can save webpages to a Pocket service for later reading. And this is where Edge shines—its digital assistant, Cortana, is built right in, and there are Reading View options and a service to mark up webpages, called Web Notes. Cortana does an excellent job supplying context, and it’s certainly one of the reasons to give Edge a try.<br/><br/><figure class="medium left"><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="https://cms-images.idgesg.net/images/article/2015/07/edge-cortana-from-the-side-100598348-orig.png"><img alt="Microsoft edge cortana from the side" height="161" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2015/07/edge-cortana-from-the-side-100598348-medium.png" width="300" /></a><small class="credit">MARK HACHMAN</small><figcaption>Right-click a term, and Microsoft Edge’s Cortana swoops in to assist.<br/><br/></figcaption></figure>Over time, we expect that this will be one area where Edge and Chrome will attempt to “pull away,” as it were. In a way, it’s similar to the race in office suites: a number of apps mimic functionality that Microsoft Office had a few years ago. But Microsoft has begun building intelligence into Office, and Edge, elevating them over their competition. Given that Chrome is also the front door to Google Now on the PC, we may eventually see Google try to out-Cortana Cortana on her home turf.<br/><br/><aside class="pullquote"><q>Read on to learn which is the best browser of 2015. But if these mainstream browsers don't cut it for you, we have <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2898509/10-obscure-highly-specialized-browsers-that-will-make-you-forget-about-chrome-firefox-and-ie.html">ten more alternative browsers you may have never heard of</a>.</q></aside><br/><h2>Chrome narrowly beats Opera</h2><br/>So who wins? Here’s the way we see it.<br/><br/>Give credit where credit is due: Edge’s performance has improved to the point that it’s competitive, though perhaps not as much as Microsoft would make it seem. Still, its lack of extensibility and proper syncing drag it down, at least until they’re added later this year. Firefox also performed admirably, until it bogged down under our real-world stress test. We also believe Opera would be a terrific choice for you, since it zips through benchmarks and real-world tests alike. Sure, it lacks the tight OS and service integration of Chrome, IE, and Edge—but some may see that as a bonus, too.<br/><br/>All that said, we still think Google’s Chrome is the best of the bunch.<br/><br/>Chrome has a well-deserved reputation for glomming on to and gobbling up any available memory, and our benchmarks prove it. But it’s stable, extensible, performs well, integrates into other services, and reveals its depths and complexity only if you actively seek it out. For that reason, Google Chrome remains our browser of choice, with Opera just behind.<br/><br/></div>

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The best web browser of 2015: Firefox, Chrome, Edge, IE, and Opera compared

We put the screws to all five modern browsers, testing them in all manner of scenarios. If you're looking for a fast, efficient, convenient browser, we've found two that we think you'll like.The best …

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Laptop Buying Tips for Students

<img alt="sf-student-laptop-guide" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-221513" height="350" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/sf-student-laptop-guide.jpg" width="675" /><br/><br/>Going off to high school or college without a decent laptop is like refusing to use pencil and paper. It instantly puts a ceiling on how much students can learn, how far they can go and how many lifelong abilities they can acquire. Don’t just buy whatever is on sale; you need the <em>right</em>laptop for your student’s purposes.<br/><br/>Whether you’re a student yourself or are shopping for one, we’ve compiled eight tips on choosing the right student laptop to enhance learning now and in the future. Here are our quick tips, plus all the details you need to know.<br/><h2>Quick Tips</h2><br/><ol><br/> <li><strong>Go portable:</strong> 11 to 14 inches in size is good for students.</li><br/> <li><strong>Durability matters: </strong>Push on the design to see if it flexes too much. Metal is preferred over plastic if you have the budget.</li><br/> <li><strong>Recommended specs: </strong>Intel Core i3, 6GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive or larger (but SSD is better), 802.11ac Wi-Fi if possible .</li><br/> <li><strong>OS Options:</strong> Chromebooks are good for younger students; Windows is great for productivity, and OS X is easy to use and best for iPhone owners (if you can afford a Mac).</li><br/> <li><strong>Battery life: </strong>Shoot for 6 hours or more, and read Laptop Mag’s reviews for the results of our testing.</li><br/> <li><strong>Keyboard and touchpad: </strong>Test-drive these controls in the store when possible for key feel and a smooth or jerky performance in the pad.</li><br/> <li><strong>Consider a 2-in-1: </strong>A hybrid laptop and tablet gives you more flexibility, and prices are coming down.</li><br/></ol><br/><div></div><br/><div><br/><h3>1. Pick a portable size</h3><br/><p class="Normal1"><img alt="toshiba chromebook 2 g01" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276703" height="400" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/toshiba-chromebook-2-g01-620x400.jpg" width="620" /></p><br/><p class="Normal1">The No. 1 complaint among students regarding their laptops is weight. Lugging around a 17-inch, 7-pound monstrosity is impractical, so don’t assume you need a massive machine. Try to keep weight to a minimum. For the portable academic, look for laptops that weigh 4 to 5 pounds at most and that have screens 11 to 14 inches in size.</p><br/><p class="Normal1">Younger students can get by with an 11-inch laptop, but typing space and screen visibility are often a concern at that size. The bigger the student, the larger the laptop he or she is likely to need for comfortable use. If you want to go with the smallest choice available, either to save money or to increase portability, consider a 2-in-1 hybrid or a Chromebook such as the <a href="http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/dell-inspiron-11-3000-2-in-1">Dell Inspiron 11 3000</a> or <a href="http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/toshiba-chromebook-2">Toshiba Chromebook 2</a>. Hybrids offer touch-screen capabilities, and you can use them as notebooks or tablets.</p><br/><p class="Normal1">Whatever the size, ensure the laptop can use external peripherals. Having plenty of USB ports allow for mice and bigger keyboards to be attached later, while an HDMI port or monitor output lets you connect to a bigger display when not in the classroom.</p><br/><br/><h3 class="Normal1"><strong>2. Pay for better design</strong></h3><br/><img alt="apple macbook air 11inch w g02" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276706" height="400" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/apple-macbook-air-11inch-w-g02-620x400.jpg" width="620" /><br/><br/>Of course, cost is a concern, particularly for the cash-strapped college student. But that doesn’t mean you’re going to be happy toting around a chintzy machine. Our advice? Push-test the laptop. Just give it a shove with your fingers. The more it flexes, the more you should avoid it. Not all plastics are created equal, so if the machine reacts like it’s cheap or wiggles and bends, it’s probably not going to last.<br/><br/>If you have more to spend, look for aluminum, magnesium-alloy or carbon-fiber bodies for sturdiness you can count on. Also consider uni-body construction, a la the Apple MacBook Air 13, in which the entire chassis is made from a single piece of durable metal.<br/><h3><strong>3. Get specs for the long haul</strong></h3><br/>You want something that isn’t going to be obsolete the minute you walk off the showroom floor. A faster CPU not only improves speed, but is also better for multitasking. Ramping up the RAM will improve performance, while the type of hard drive can also add performance, as well as reliability. Here’s what to look for in those areas:<br/><br/><strong>CPU:</strong> If you want a system that will still be going strong after a couple years, opt for one of Intel’s 5th generation Core processors, also known as Broadwell. You should look to Intel’s Core i3, i5 or i7 line of processors, since those will give you the most for your money. To save a little cash, you can also go with AMD’s A-line, as they provide comparable performance to Intel, though they can also drain the laptop’s battery more quickly.<br/><br/>If you’re on a tight budget, a Pentium or Celeron CPU will suffice for light productivity work, and Intel’s Core M processor delivers good performance in slim and light designs. However, Core M models haven’t offered the longest battery life.<br/><br/><strong>RAM:</strong> 4GB is the bare minimum RAM you should have in a laptop, but you’re better off with 6GB. That will run everything you need without dragging you down or interfering with multitasking. Pick computers with upgradeable RAM wherever possible, so that down the line you can ramp it up to 8, or even 16GB. RAM is reasonably inexpensive and easy to install, so starting low with the option to upgrade will give you a lot more flexibility and power in the years to come.<br/><br/><strong>Hard Drive:</strong> Aim for speed over size. You can store stuff on a cheap external drive, in a thumb drive or in the cloud if need be. What you can’t do is get better performance out of your laptop thanks to a glut of storage space. For starters, 5,400-rpms is what you want in a drive speed, but if you can find a 7,200-rpm model, then you will get faster boot times, better loading speed and more rapid data retrieval. Going with a hard disk drive (HDD) is fine. A hybrid drive that combines HDD and solid-state drive (SSD) specs is better. Best of all, go with a SSD if you can. They tend to cost more, but there are no moving parts so failure is less frequent and everything runs significantly faster.<br/><br/><strong>Wi-Fi:</strong> Look for a dual-band Wi-Fi card that can handle both older routers and the more modern ones (802.11b/g/n/ac). The newest AC standard is three times faster than the previous N standard.<br/><br/><strong>USB Ports:</strong> You should have at least two USB ports, preferably one that supports faster USB 3.0 speeds.<br/><br/><strong>Display:</strong> A 1366 x 768-pixel resolution is fine for most tasks, but opt for 1600 x 900-pixel resolution or higher if you want to fit two windows comfortably side by side. At the high end of the spectrum, for the 4K consumer, you’ll want something like the 3840 x 2160-pixels on the Asus ZenBook Pro UX501, but that’ll cost you.<br/><br/><strong>MORE: <a href="http://blog.laptopmag.com/best-backpack-students">10 Best Back-to-School Laptop Backpacks</a></strong><br/><h3>4. Get the right OS</h3><br/><img alt="windows10" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276704" height="400" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/windows10-620x400.jpg" width="620" /><br/><br/>Consider the operating system. If you’re heading off to college, check with the university about software requirements. Sometimes schools will need you to have a specific kind of operating system.<br/><br/>Windows 8 and 8.1 machines come with a free upgrade to Windows 10, so you’ll be totally up to date. Windows 10 revives the traditional Start button and integrates Microsoft’s digital assistant, Cortana.<br/><br/><img alt="mission control" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276705" height="400" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/mission_control.jpg" width="675" /><br/><br/>OS X aficionados are going to need to stick with MacBooks. El Capitan, Apple’s fall update to OS X, does have a lot going for it. New features include Split View and an improved Spotlight. If you own an iPhone, it will integrate well with your Mac, including text messages and calls.<br/><br/>Chromebooks, while offering limited software options, could be just the thing for the truly budget-conscious shopper who is comfortable doing everything online. These devices start at just $149 and are increasingly accepted by some school districts.<br/><h3>5. Look for 6 hours or more of battery life</h3><br/>Don’t tether yourself to an outlet. Get a laptop that promises quality battery life, and opt for an extended or secondary battery whenever possible. In general, you’re better off buying a system with more than 6 hours of juice, regardless of the price. The average for mainstream laptops is 6 hours, 52 minutes, based on the Laptop Mag Battery Test (continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi). However, some models, such as the <a href="http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/lenovo-thinkpad-t450s">Lenovo ThinkPad T450s</a>, can last for 15:26, with the right battery.<br/><h3> 6. Check the keyboard and touchpad</h3><br/>The keyboard should be springy and comfortable, not mushy. The touchpad is equally important; you’ll want to make sure the responsiveness is smooth and that multitouch gestures like pinch-to-zoom are appropriately reactive. It’s best if you can try before you buy to confirm your personal preferences are taken into account.<br/><h3>7. Consider a tablet hybrid</h3><br/>Laptop-tablet hybrids can handle a lot of work while giving you the flexibility and low cost of a tablet. The $499 <a href="http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/tablets/microsoft-surface-3">Microsoft Surface 3 </a>($629 with the keyboard cover) is our top pick in this category. If you prefer a flip-around design to a detachable, the Dell Inspiron 11 3000 is another great option. It costs $449 for a Pentium CPU and $549 for Core i3, and includes the keyboard.<br/><br/></div>

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Laptop Buying Tips for Students

Going off to high school or college without a decent laptop is like refusing to use pencil and paper. It instantly puts a ceiling on how much students can learn, how far they can go and how many lifel…

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Chromebooks vs. Windows 10 Laptops: What Should You Buy?

<img alt="Chrome OS vs Windows 10" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276548" height="530" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/1438983122.png" width="675" /><br/><br/>Chromebooks have quickly grown from a curiosity to a force to be reckoned with. Offering a simple and stripped-down experience, Google’s Chrome OS is extremely easy to use (if you can use a browser, you’re good), and it comes inside several affordable laptops that cost as little as $159. However, Microsoft isn’t taking this threat lightly.<br/><br/>With the launch of Windows 10, users can take advantage of a much-improved Start menu, along with the helpful Cortana assistant. Existing Windows-machine owners can upgrade to Windows 10 for free. Despite the new OS, Windows-device prices remain the same — you’ll find a number of Windows-powered laptops that cost less than $300, and many under $500 offer touch displays.<br/><div></div><br/><strong>MORE: <a href="http://blog.laptopmag.com/how-to-upgrade-windows-10">How to Upgrade to Windows 10</a></strong><br/><br/>So, which computing platform is truly the best? To answer that question, we put both Windows and Chrome OS to the test and compared them in 12 rounds of head-to-head competition.<br/><h2>Interface</h2><br/>Compared to the two distinct environments of Windows 8.1, Windows 10 feels more integrated and seamless. Pressing the Start button reveals the new Start menu, filled with your most used programs and recently installed apps on the left (similar to on Windows 8). To the right is a wider panel, where you can pin tiles that are animated with updates. The taskbar has been updated to include a Cortana search bar next to the Start button and small icons that show which programs are open.<br/><br/>On the bottom right of the desktop, Windows 10 adds a notification icon that, when clicked, brings you to the new Action Center, where you can see alerts from apps that are both active and dormant. There are also quick settings in this notification menu in the form of tiles.<br/><br/><img alt="Windows 10" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276533" height="400" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/win10-2-601x400.jpg" width="601" /><br/><br/>In the newest version of Chrome OS, the Start-like button sits on the bottom-left corner. When pressed, the Launcher pop-up features a Google search bar (and the most recent Google Doodle), with a list of your most recently opened apps. Scrolling down reveals Google Now info cards, which give you information like local weather, suggested articles based on your search activity, and calendar updates.<br/><br/>The taskbar in Chrome OS shows icons for currently active apps, as well as shortcuts to essential Google apps, such as Docs, Drive and YouTube. Basic settings, such as Wi-Fi and Time, are accessed on the bottom right. Chrome OS was built as a Web-first operating system, so apps usually run in a Chrome browser window. The same is true for apps that can run offline.<br/><br/><img alt="Chrome launcher" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276531" height="379" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/chromeos-8.jpg" width="551" /><br/><br/>Both Windows 10 and Chrome are great for working in side-by-side windows. For each OS, all you need to do is drag a window to one side, where it snaps to half-screen mode. However, Windows lets you snap up to four windows, compared to two for Chrome OS.<br/><br/>Another thing to consider is touch-friendly devices. There are Windows 10 and Chrome OS laptops with touch screens, but Windows 10 makes the most out of those displays. The operating system has tablet mode, which removes your taskbar icons and puts all apps in full-screen mode, leaving you with a minimalist workspace that removes a lot of desktop distractions. And with the new universal apps in the Windows app store, you’ll be able to run most of your favorite programs in both desktop and tablet modes.<br/><br/><strong>Winner: Chrome OS.</strong> Though it’s less versatile, Chrome OS offers a simpler and more straightforward interface than Windows 10.<br/><h2>Cortana vs. Google Now</h2><br/>In many ways, the new Cortana in Windows 10 is a lot like Google Now in Chrome. Clicking on the Cortana search bar brings up a window with useful information, including the weather, your next calendar appointment and local restaurants to check out. If you have “Hey, Cortana” enabled, you can say that phrase to bring up a window and ask any question you want. I asked, “How do you get from New York City to D.C.?” and Cortana brought up a Bing search-results page with a map of the route between the two cities.<br/><br/><img alt="Cortana" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276535" height="400" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/win10-1-601x400.jpg" width="601" /><br/><br/>On the flip side, Chrome OS has a similar feature you can enable in settings, called “OK, Google” that will let you ask Google Now questions when the Launcher is open or when a blank Chrome tab is open. When asked the same question (“How do you get from New York City to D.C.?”), Google Now brought up a similar search page in Google with a map of the route. In addition, the voice assistant spoke to me, saying it takes 4 hours and 9 minutes to get to Washington, D.C., from Manhattan with light traffic. Google Now tends to speak more than Cortana, audibly giving you related information about what you initially searched for.<br/><br/>However, Cortana does a lot more than Google Now: You can perform natural-language searches for files on your laptop, dictate emails, book appointments and, yes, tell jokes.<br/><br/><strong>Winner: Windows 10.</strong> Cortana is more versatile than Google Now.<br/><h2>Apps and Software</h2><br/>For a laptop to be fully functional, you’ll need a few basic programs, including ones for productivity, photo editing, video editing, video playback, music playback and a browser. For Windows laptops and Chromebooks, all of that’s possible, but Google’s OS is still a work in progress.<br/><br/>If there’s a program you want to run, chances are, Windows supports it. And that goes for most games as well. Looking for a more tabletlike experience, or have a system with a touch screen? Currently, there are more than 205,000 apps in the Windows Store.<br/><br/><img alt="Windows 10 store" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276538" height="400" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/win10-4-601x400.jpg" width="601" /><br/><br/>Some of our favorite Windows 10 apps include Facebook, Kindle and Flipboard. All three of those options offer interactive Live Tiles to keep you updated on what’s happening in the world. The Dropbox app on Windows 10 is clean and simple to use, as is Adobe Photoshop Express.<br/><br/>Chrome OS is basically a big browser, so if you can run a program or play a game through a website, you can use it on Chrome. There isn’t exactly software to download, but there is a decent array of apps. Keep in mind, however, that if a game requires Adobe Flash or a dedicated plugin, you won’t be able to open it on Chrome.<br/><br/>The Chrome Web Store currently offers thousands of apps, though Google doesn’t provide the exact number. A few dozen of those apps offer at least some offline functionality, such as Kindle Cloud Reader and Google Drive for reading and editing on the go. Also, you can change the settings in some programs, like Google Docs, to access them offline. In addition, Google has connected some Chrome and Android apps, such as Evernote and Spotify, for a seamless experience across devices.<br/><br/><img alt="Chrome Web Store" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276540" height="379" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/chromeos-2.jpg" width="675" /><br/><br/>The Duolingo app brings the smartphone language-learning app to the Chrome desktop with simplicity and a clean design. Windows 10 has yet to sport a Spotify or Pandora app, but both music-streaming offerings can be found on Chromebooks. However, you can download Spotify’s desktop program and use it from your Windows 10 device. Pandora can be streamed simply from a Web browser tab.<br/><br/>There are plenty of programs that don’t run on Chromebooks, such as CyberLink PowerDirector. Chrome OS does support popular options such as Microsoft Word, Photoshop Express, Spotify and Facebook. But in almost all cases, the “app” is simply a launcher for the accompanying website.<br/><br/><strong>Winner: Windows 10.</strong> In this case, more is better.<br/><h2>Photo and Video Editing</h2><br/>Windows 10 offers a plethora of photo-editing programs, including support for Photoshop Elements. Adobe’s creative suite and many other options simply don’t exist on Chromebooks.<br/><br/>What you will find on the Web-based Chrome OS platform are some basic editing options, such as Photoshop Express and Pixlr Editor. Using the latter, we took a high-resolution photo of a tiger and quickly added effects, an overlay and text, and adjusted the color for brightness, contrast, focal blur and much more. It’s an easy-to-navigate program with straightforward tools. For casual photo editors, these are likely to be what you need. You won’t be able to access Photoshop Express offline, but Pixlr Editor works the same online as it does offline.<br/><br/><img alt="Chrome OS" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276534" height="379" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/chromeos-3.jpg" width="675" /><br/><br/>With Windows 10 came the introduction of Microsoft’s new Photos app, which has basic photo-editing tools. When you open a photo in the app, you can choose the option to edit it from the top-right navigation bar, which opens up tools on the right and left sides of the photo. In basic fixes, you’ll find options like auto-enhance, which bumps up the contrast and saturation and, in some cases, straightens out an image; rotate; crop; and retouch. For more controlled editing, you can manipulate light (brightness, contrast, highlights and shadows) and colors (temperature, tint and saturation), and there are filters and effects to give your photos more personality.<br/><br/><img alt="win10 9" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276544" height="400" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/win10-9-601x400.jpg" width="601" /><br/><br/>Anyone who has used mobile photo editors like Instagram and Afterlight will easily get the hang of the new Windows Photos app. More serious photographers will want to download programs like Adobe Photoshop to have full control over their images, which is not an option on Chrome OS.<br/><br/><strong>MORE: <a href="http://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-photo-editing-software,review-1972.html">Best Photo Editing Software</a></strong><br/><br/>Filmmakers will also find the Chrome Web Store a lonely place. You will find simple, no-frills options, such as Magisto and WeVideo, that offer auto-correction and editing with a few clicks. But you won’t find CyberLink PowerDirector and its professional suite of tools. That falls to the Windows 10 crowd, exclusively.<br/><br/><strong>Winner: Windows 10.</strong> Beginners and pros alike get the most options in a Windows 10 laptop.<br/><h2>Web Browsing</h2><br/>Do you prefer a variety of browsers? Microsoft Windows wins hands down. You can download and install almost any browser you want on a PC, including Safari, Firefox or Chrome. Windows 10 also comes with the new Edge browser from Microsoft. On a Chromebook, you get only one option: Chrome. Considering how good Chrome is, that’s not necessarily terrible, but we’d prefer a choice.<br/><br/><img alt="Chrome Browser" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276542" height="379" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/chromeos-4.jpg" width="675" /><br/><br/>On our benchmark tests, Chrome proved to be more efficient than Edge. On the Peacekeeper test, which measures overall browser performance, Chrome scored 4,068, beating Edge’s score of 2,607. On the Browsermark test, which tests the browser’s ability to do things like resize windows and render graphics, Chrome notched 5,591, clearly trumping Edge’s 2,882 score. Edge, however, is marginally faster than Chrome, scoring 746 on the Speed-Battle test (which times how long the browser takes to open JavaScript). Chrome scored slightly lower, at 704.<br/><br/>Edge took a few notes out of Chrome’s book. Both browsers have personal-assistant integration — Edge with Cortana, and Chrome with Google Now — making it easier for you to search and browse the Web at the same time. Edge even has a window on the side of the browser for Cortana, so you don’t have to leave your current tab to use it. Also, Microsoft said that, soon, developers will be able to create Edge-specific extensions, and those that already know how to make Chrome extensions will find it easier to do so.<br/><br/><img alt="Microsoft Edge Browser" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276536" height="400" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/win10-5-601x400.jpg" width="601" /><br/><br/>Edge sets itself apart with a few other tricks, like Markups, which turn Web pages into notebook pages. You can draw and scribble on tabs to make notes and then export the image to share with others. It also has Read mode, which takes away extraneous links, graphics and menus on Web pages when you’re trying to read articles.<br/><br/><strong>Winner: Chrome.</strong> Despite Edge’s special features, Chrome performs better and is easier to use.<br/><h2>File Management</h2><br/>Windows still provides a traditional and familiar folder of files, which appears in the simple File Explorer program. You can also save to your desktop, pin documents to the bar and create new folders in a jiffy. You can even access your Microsoft OneDrive files to see what you’ve stored in the cloud.<br/><br/><img alt="win10 files" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276545" height="400" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/win10-files-601x400.jpg" width="601" /><br/><br/>There’s also a Files folder in the main menu for Chromebooks. But it’s not in the Start menu by default, as it is on Windows 10. From here, you can access your Google Drive files or any files that have been downloaded and saved to the machine’s storage drive.<br/><br/><img alt="Chrome OS File Manager" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276539" height="379" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/chromeos-5.jpg" width="675" /><br/><br/>The main drawback for Chromebook users is the smaller amount of space you’re likely to have on your machine’s hard drive. The HP Chromebook 14, for example, offers 16GB of local storage, and Google offers 15GB of cloud storage for free. For two years, you can access 100GB of Drive cloud storage for free, but then you’ll have to pay $1.99 per month for 100GB of additional storage if you need it. Also, you can purchase up to 1TB of online space for $9.99 per month, if you need more.<br/><br/>In comparison, the Windows-powered Acer Aspire V3 comes with a 500GB hard drive, and 15GB of OneDrive storage is available for free through a Microsoft account. You can access files on your Windows 10 PC via the Start menu in File Explorer. Also, with Cortana integration, you can type in commands, such as “Show me photos from last week,” and it will bring up files that fit those criteria.<br/><br/><strong>Winner: Windows 10.</strong> Those who keep tons of photos, videos and other files will want the local storage space that Windows offers.<br/><h2>Productivity</h2><br/>Being the go-to business-friendly operating system, Windows 10 is the standard when it comes to getting stuff done. As such, many businesses use software that is only compatible with Windows. For instance, you won’t be using AutoCAD design software on a Chromebook.<br/><br/>Microsoft’s own Office suite — which includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint — is also the standard bearer for productivity software. But that’s not your only option on a Windows machine. You can use Google Drive, OpenOffice or any number of third-party software programs.<br/><br/><img alt="Microsoft Word" class="aligncenter wp-image-276529 size-full" height="449" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/win10-7.jpg" width="675" /><br/><br/>On Chromebooks, you can still access Word, Excel and PowerPoint, but they’re Microsoft’s Web-only versions of the apps available through OneDrive. These options require that you be online to use them. You can download files to your local storage and edit them there, but your system will open them as Google Drive files.<br/><br/>There are third-party productivity options for Chrome OS, including Zoho and Polaris, but most of those programs require a Web connection as well. Google Drive, however, works offline, and we really like the real-time collaborative editing and number of useful add-ons. Also, Microsoft has created Chrome apps for its office suite of tools — including Word, Excel and PowerPoint — so you can create and edit those documents on a Chrome OS. In typical fashion, they are Web apps you need to download and install to use, and they are available only for online use.<br/><br/><img alt="Google Drive" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276528" height="379" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/chromeos-6.jpg" width="675" /><br/><br/><strong>Winner: Windows 10.</strong> If you’re not wedded to Google Drive for all your productivity needs, Windows is the way to go.<br/><h2>Gaming</h2><br/>Most hard-core games require some serious specs, including discrete graphics chips, plenty of onboard storage and advanced processing power. That’s totally doable on a high-end Windows 10 machine, such as the Asus ROG G751JY, but the lower-end machines won’t be able to handle it. The same is true of Chromebooks, though most hard-core games aren’t available for the Chrome OS platform.<br/><br/><img alt="Chrome OS Games" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276537" height="379" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/chromeos-7.jpg" width="675" /><br/><br/>As such, you will not be able to download or play World of Warcraft, Grand Theft Auto V, Diablo III, League of Legends or Dota 2 on a Chromebook. The games simply aren’t supported by Google’s operating system. You will find some casual and popular games in the Chrome Web Store — including Despicable Me: Minion Rush, Need for Speed World and Plants vs. Zombies — so it’s not a total bust. Of course, all those same casual games are available on Windows 10 as well.<br/><br/><img alt="Windows Games" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276530" height="400" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/win10-8-601x400.jpg" width="601" /><br/><br/>Another perk Microsoft added is the ability to stream Xbox One games to a Windows 10 PC. With the Xbox One app installed on a Windows 10 device, you can hook up an Xbox One controller to the computer and play titles you’d normally play on your console. Just note that another person can’t use your Xbox at the same time.<br/><br/><strong>Winner: Windows 10.</strong> You simply cannot run many of the games you might want to play on a Chromebook.<br/><h2>Media Playback</h2><br/>Neither Windows 10 nor Chrome OS supports every file type ever made, but on Microsoft-powered machines, you have the option of downloading codecs to play those files on your laptop. QuickTime files, among several other types, cannot be played back on a Chromebook.<br/><br/>For media files, Chromebooks support .3gp, .avi, .mov, .mp4, m4v, .mp3, .mkv, .ogv, .ogm, .ogg, .oga. .webm and .wav. That means there’s no .aac file support, and thus no iTunes. You also won’t find .h264 files, which is the backdrop for some 60 percent of all Web videos and the default codec that many cameras record in. Chrome OS doesn’t support .tiff files for images, either.<br/><br/>In addition to all the file types supported by Google’s OS, Microsoft’s Windows Media Center natively supports .aac, .asf, .asx, .m2ts, .m3u, .mpg, .mpeg, .qt, .wmv, .vod and .wma files. You can also play optical discs on Windows 10 with the necessary hardware, but you won’t be able to play DVDs or Blu-ray discs on a Chromebook.<br/><br/><strong>Winner: Windows 10.</strong> You’re unlikely to find a file you can’t play on Windows 10.<br/><h2>Security</h2><br/>Windows has long been a known target for hackers looking to infect PCs with viruses, malware, botnets and keyloggers. In fact, the very first thing anyone should do with a new Windows laptop is install an antivirus suite. However, Microsoft’s Windows Defender does come built in, and that’s better than nothing.<br/><br/>Windows Defender runs in the background and notifies you if you need to take actions, such as performing a virus removal. The SmartScreen feature also warns you when it doesn’t recognize an app, to help prevent phishing attacks. Plus, the secure-boot feature means that every time you turn on your laptop, it will check itself for digital certificates of authenticity before it boots. That means it will not load infected software.<br/><br/><img alt="win10 security" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276546" height="400" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/win10-security-601x400.jpg" width="601" /><br/><br/>Cloud customers have access to a few extra security features. Device Guard protects Windows 10 machines from any unknown software that hasn’t been approved by an official vendor or Microsoft itself. In an effort to expand on its biometric systems, Microsoft is enabling Windows Hello to unlock devices just by using fingerprint scanners. Also, if you have an Intel RealSense camera, you can use your face to access your device or Microsoft Passport without a PIN.<br/>Chromebooks have not yet caught the eye of many hackers. But more than that, Google promotes the security of its operating system as a key selling point. A Chromebook automatically checks for and applies security updates, while including Web filters and sandboxing media. Also, Chrome OS doesn’t support Flash, so any security issues surrounding it won’t affect the system.<br/><br/>If something does get into your Chrome OS system, restoring it to its factory settings requires only a couple of clicks on the mouse pad. The only security problem Chromebook owners really face is thieves looking to hack the sites you use, where a lot of personal data is stored.<br/><br/><strong>Winner: Chrome OS.</strong> Assuming you can keep your Google password to yourself, you’re safer in Chrome.<br/><br/><strong>MORE: <a href="http://www.tomsguide.com/us/mobile-security-guide,review-1918.html">Mobile Security Guide: Everything You Need to Know</a></strong><br/><h2>Hardware Options</h2><br/>Variety is the spice of life, and fewer types of technology offer as much variety as Windows PCs. The screens alone can range in size from 11 to 18 inches, both with and without touch capability. Eight major manufacturers create Windows laptops, offering Intel and AMD chips, onboard memory that varies wildly from 2GB to 16GB, and storage sizes that go up to the terabyte level.<br/><br/><img alt="1438983094" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-276547" height="257" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/1438983094-670x257.png" width="670" /><br/><br/>Some Windows machines are plastic, and some are metal. Some come in nonstandard colors. Some are meant to be portable, while others are more deskbound. There truly is an option for everyone when it comes to Windows.<br/>The Chromebook market is smaller. In fact, there are only 13 current models, made by six companies. The display size ranges from 11 to 15 inches, but most are smaller than 15 inches. Only a couple of models offer a touch screen. Chromebooks are incredibly portable, though, usually weighing between 2 and 4 pounds.<br/><br/><strong>Winner: Windows 10.</strong> Microsoft’s ecosystem gives you more options, which means you’re more likely to find something you really like.<br/><h2>Value</h2><br/>With variety comes a wide range of prices for Windows 10 laptops, topping out at a few thousand dollars for a gaming rig or high-powered workstation. At the opposite extreme, you’ll find budget laptops that cost as little as $200. However, with those low-cost devices, you’ll be giving up processing power, screen size and other amenities.<br/><br/>The Windows-powered HP Stream 11 costs just $199, and for that price, you get 6 hours and 34 minutes of battery life, a comfortable keyboard and a cute design. The 11.6-inch model with a 32GB flash drive and an Intel Celeron CPU handles everyday computing tasks fine, but it wouldn’t be up for video editing or demanding games.<br/><br/>The price range for Chromebooks is much narrower, generally ranging between $200 and $400. Our favorite Chromebook is the Toshiba Chromebook 2 — for $329, you get nearly 8 hours of battery life, an attractive design and a brilliant 1080p display. You’ll also enjoy an Intel CPU, but only a 16GB SSD.<br/><br/><strong>Winner: Chrome OS.</strong> Chromebooks offer more bang for your buck.<br/><h2>Overall Winner: Windows 10</h2><br/>Microsoft’s Windows came out on top in this battle, winning 8 out of 12 rounds. It simply offers shoppers more — more apps, more photo- and video-editing options, more productivity programs, more games, more file-type support and more hardware options. You can also do more offline.<br/><br/>If you’re a budget-conscious shopper who is comfortable living in the cloud and you want to get stuff done in a secure yet simple environment, a Chromebook will suit you nicely. However, if you need power and versatility, Windows 10 reigns supreme.<br/><br/><iframe id="ibgiframe" src="http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/plugins/laptop-ibg/ibgiframe.php?id=254562&curquestion=1" width="300" height="150" frameborder="0" scrolling="NO" seamless=""></iframe>

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Chromebooks vs. Windows 10 Laptops: What Should You Buy?

Chromebooks have quickly grown from a curiosity to a force to be reckoned with. Offering a simple and stripped-down experience, Google’s Chrome OS is extremely easy to use (if you can use a browser, y…

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