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AtomMan G1 Pro: Big performance in a compact desktop that leans into trade-offs
6 days ago•Source: CNET
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RTX Spark Laptop Showdown: eight premium notebooks ranked
Tom’s Guide tested Nvidia’s RTX Spark laptops launching this fall and ranked eight premium notebooks, placing the Surface Laptop Ultra and Asus ProArt P14 in S-Tier for standout build quality and features (including a groundbreaking haptic touchpad and OLED display, respectively). The MSI Prestige Flip N16 AI+, Asus ProArt P16 and HP Omnibook X14 land in A-Tier, while HP Omnibook 16 Ultra, Lenovo Yoga Pro 9N and Dell XPS 16 Creator Edition sit in B-Tier. Nvidia notes Spark is the top-tier chip in a broader family and prices could be steep, with these laptops largely being rebadged designs with adjusted cooling; final choices come down to priorities like keyboard feel, display quality, and portability.
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Chrome's hidden 4GB AI model stash prompts consent questions
A 4GB file named weights.bin has surfaced in Chrome folders, tied to Gemini Nano on-device AI that runs features like autofill and text summaries; Google says the model is downloaded to keep on-device features ready and has added an opt-out, but concerns remain about transparency and consent as users may not be clearly informed of the storage impact. Deleting it may not be permanent if related AI features stay enabled.
One Giant Screen, Not Two: How a 40-inch Ultrawide Changed My Workflow
Tech writer and desk-setup hobbyist Anthony Spadafora explains why he swapped his multi-monitor rig for a single 40-inch Innocn ultrawide, arguing the extra width provides a more seamless workflow than two or more displays. After years of experimenting with stacked/dual/triple monitors and juggling Mac and Windows, he finds the ultrawide’s continuous workspace improves focus and multitasking, making a second screen feel redundant for many tasks, though personal preference still matters.
Apple’s AR glasses aim to outpace Meta with iPhone-tight, AI-driven wearables
Tom's Guide reports Mark Gurman saying Apple will unveil its first AR glasses in the September/October window this year, with a early-2027 rollout. Apple plans a display-free first-gen pair focused on tight iPhone integration, premium acetate frames in multiple styles, and a substantially upgraded Siri (potential Gemini integration). Beyond glasses, Apple is eyeing AI wearables like AirPods with cameras and an AI pendant to broaden its wearable ecosystem, all as part of a strategy to blunt Meta’s momentum ahead of the holidays.
Two AIs Build PCs: ChatGPT Edges Gemini in the Showdown
TechRadar pits ChatGPT and Gemini against its own PC expert to see which AI can assemble the better desktop build. ChatGPT’s Ryzen 5 7600 + RX 9070 XT-based configuration narrowly beats Gemini’s Ryzen 7 9700X + RTX 5070, with similar RAM, SSD, cooling, PSU, and a Fractal North case in both proposals. The article notes the margin is small and invites readers to watch the full episode to see which build ultimately wins.
Disgruntled researcher leaks Defender zero-days, leaving Windows users exposed
A disgruntled security researcher leaked three Microsoft Defender zero-days—BlueHammer, RedSun and UnDefend—exposing over a billion Windows users; BlueHammer has been patched in the April 2026 updates, while RedSun and UnDefend remain unpatched but are already being exploited in the wild. Users should install the April 2026 security updates now and monitor for future patches, with additional antivirus protection to bolster defenses.
Intel Core Series 3 debuts for mainstream laptops with AI boost
Intel's Core Series 3 chips, codenamed Wildcat Lake, target mainstream and value laptops with the same 18A process as Core Ultra Series 3. They deliver up to 47% better single-thread and 41% better multi-thread performance, plus up to 2.8x GPU AI performance vs a five-year-old PC, and up to 64% lower power vs last-gen Core 7 150U. The top six-core Core 7 360 can reach 4.8GHz with 17 TOPS NPU; Intel promises all-day battery life (about 12.5 hours office, 18.5 hours streaming), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports. Laptops from Acer, ASUS, Dell, Samsung and Lenovo will adopt Core Series 3 in 2026.
108 Chrome extensions quietly exfiltrate data and inject ads across sites — remove them now
Security researchers found 108 malicious Chrome extensions—designed as games, utilities, or add-ons—that quietly siphon user data and inject ads across every site. Despite different publishers, all stolen data is sent to a single command-and-control server; 54 extensions harvest Gmail addresses, full names, and Google 'sub' IDs to build a persistent profile. If you have any of these extensions installed, delete them via Chrome or Edge extensions manager. To stay safe, download only trusted extensions, inspect permissions, enable Enhanced Safe Browsing, and consider antivirus and identity protection to guard against similar threats.
Claude lands in Word, turning documents into a cross-app AI workflow
Anthropic's Claude is now integrated with Microsoft Word, allowing AI-powered questioning with clickable citations, formatting‑preserving edits, and replies to comment threads; it can also pull data from open Excel files and work across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for streamlined, cross‑app document workflows. The integration is in beta for Team and Enterprise plans.
Windows 11 bug traps C: drive access on some Samsung laptops, Microsoft investigating
A bug tied to the February 2026 Windows 11 security update (KB5077181) is locking users out of the C: drive on certain Samsung laptops with the error “C:\ is not accessible – Access denied.” Microsoft says it’s investigating with Samsung and will issue a fix; affected users can roll back the update or pause installation if not yet installed. While Samsung Share app is suspected, this isn’t confirmed and workarounds should be used with caution.
Video editing in 2026: 32GB RAM is the sweet spot
An opinion piece argues that RAM matters for video editing but more RAM isn’t a cure-all amid a RAM shortage and rising prices. For most 4K editing, 32GB is a practical sweet spot; 64GB benefits longer timelines and heavier VFX, while 8–16GB is usually insufficient. Budget-minded editors can use DDR4 on older systems or proxy media, though DDR5 kits remain costly. The RAM crunch could ease around 2028 as prices normalize.