Inhaltsverzeichnis für February 2018 in PCWorld

Massive security vulnerabilities in modern CPUs are forcing a redesign of the kernel software at the heart of all major operating systems. Since the issues— dubbed Meltdown and Spectre—exist in the CPU hardware itself, Windows, Linux, Android, macOS, iOS, Chromebooks, and other operating systems all need to protect against it. And worse, plugging the hole can negatively affect your PC’s performance. Everyday home users shouldn’t panic too much though. Just apply all available updates and keep your antivirus software vigilant, as ever. If you want to dive right into the action without all the background information, we’ve also created a focused guide on how to protect your PC against Meltdown and Spectre. Here’s a high-level look at what you need to know about Meltdown and Spectre, in plain language. Be…

An ominous Spectre hung over CES 2018’s PC announcements, as the industry grapples with how to protect against devastating CPU exploits that melt down security on damned near every computer on the planet. But put all that aside for now: 2017 was one of the best years for PC hardware ever, and at CES 2018, the PC kept the pedal firmly planted to the metal. Intel and AMD joined forces on a powerful chip. Nvidia pushed gaming displays way past the limits of what we’ve seen so far. Next-gen routers and VR headsets made their debut. Heck, Asus used an optical illusion to make multi-monitor setups even more immersive! Let’s dig into the 10 big CES reveals that PC enthusiasts need to know about, starting with a doozy. 1. INTEL <3 AMD…

Microsoft fittingly released Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17074 in the late hours of a recent Thursday afternoon. The new build adds improvements to Quiet Hours, which will automatically dial down notifications, as well as a host of other improvements such as autofilling forms in Microsoft Edge. As might be expected, Microsoft’s first Insider build of 2018 is a large one. Though the majority of changes might be classified as cosmetic rather than substantive, one of the most significant areas of improvements includes ebooks, whose interface now is both more user-friendly and consistent. It’s also worth noting that, while Microsoft has reportedly rolled out mitigations for the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities in its January rollup updates, this new patch also includes (possibly new) mitigations to protect Windows Insiders from both…

Earbud makers have been busy doing away with wires—a good thing whether or not your phone still has a headset jack. You no longer have to deal with cords if you don’t want to. True wireless earbuds connect to one another and your audio source via Bluetooth. No wires mean no inline microphones or controls, but truly wireless earbuds sound just as good as traditional Bluetooth counterparts. They also boast all of the features we’ve come to expect from earbuds designed to work with your smartphone, tablet, or PC. Since Apple’s AirPods became a runaway hit, an endless stream of companies have rolled out their own true wireless earbuds and earphones. As you might expect, not all of them are worth your time or money—so we’ve got your back with…

When one product is better in one aspect, but it’s competitor is stronger in another, the easy answer is to recommend both. You might want a Sony TV in your home theater, for instance, but Anthem’s A/V receiver, Bowers & Wilkins’ speakers, and a subwoofer from SVS. Well that dog won’t hunt when it comes to smart speakers, especially if you’re looking to control your smart home. No one wants to remember one wake word to turn on a light, a second to stream music, and a third to lock the front door. With this in mind, I evaluated the two most popular smart speakers—the Amazon Echo and Google’s Home—using seven important criteria, but giving smart home control the heaviest weight. If you can’t stand the suspense, my current opinion…

E very Android phone is different, and so is taking screenshots with them. Even though Android 4 introduced screenshots for all with the power-and-volume-down-key combo, nailing it can still be tricky. That’s why some phone makers have introduced new methods. We’re here to help: Just find your Android phone on the list below to learn the various ways to snap, share, and save a screenshot. ACER PHONES • Hold down the power and volume-down buttons for a couple of seconds. • Pull down the notification panel to reach quick settings and tap the Screenshot icon. ASUS PHONES • Hold down the power and volume-down buttons for a couple of seconds. • Pull down the notification panel to reach quick settings and tap the Screenshot icon. GOOGLE PHONES • Nexus: Hold…

AMD dropped a blockbuster at CES, unveiling its plans for a 2nd-gen Threadripper, Zen 2, Zen 3, and its next-nextgeneration 7nm GPUs. The company even broke out a new mobile Vega chip. And that’s not even the company’s full list of upcoming products, which includes two new Ryzen APUs with integrated Vega graphics. The executive summary is that AMD’s serious about regaining its reputation for fast chips. “For us, it is all about high-performance computing,” said AMD CEO Lisa Su. “Highperformance computing is absolutely the most exciting part of the semiconductor industry today.” RYZEN APUS WITH VEGA GRAPHICS For all those people obsessed with building the ultimate budget gaming PC, AMD offers two new low-cost chips. • The Ryzen 5 2400G will feature four cores with SMT and run at…

CES may be all about consumer electronics, but sadly that doesn’t really include phones. Most companies hold off until the spring to unveil their newest handsets, and there hasn’t been a big Android splash at CES since Google unveiled the Nexus One back in 2010. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t any Android news coming out of Las Vegas this week. While the Intel-AMD love affair (see page 15) and Google Assistant-powered speakers might have snagged most of the headlines, Android fans still found enough to entertain them. Here’s a look at eight things you might have missed: 1. MOTO MODS Lenovo’s Moto Mods were all the rage a year ago, but the fad isn’t completely over. During its keynote, Lenovo showed off two new magnetic Moto Mods for its Z2 Force and…

Say what you will about 2017, it was one hell of a year for video games. PCWorld’s annual Game of the Year awards and the accompanying list of the best PC games you might have missed were packed to the rafters this time, and there were even more superb games waiting in the wings. The most anticipated PC games of 2018 have a lot to live up to. But you know what? They just might. There are already quite a few cool games on the horizon, be they games that meant to release in 2018 or games that slipped out of 2017 by accident. Monster Hunter finally comes to PC, Far Cry 5 finally goes to Montana, and Star Citizen—ha, just kidding. Star Citizen isn’t releasing in 2018. Probably. Below you’ll find…

The Lenovo Ideapad Miix 520 aspires to compete with Microsoft’s Surface Pro, and it checks nearly all of the boxes: excellent performance; a bright, highresolution display; and a comfortable typing experience. Only in battery life does it fall well short. Nevertheless, the Miix 520 is a great alternative to the pricier Surface lineup. As Windows tablets coalesce toward the 12.2-inch panel size used by the Miix 520, comparing them is all about trade-offs. The Miix 520, which is currently available in only one configuration (currently about $990 on Amazon), upgrades the typical tablet display from 1080p to a 1920x1200 panel. But that higher resolution affects battery life, as you’ll see in our tests. The other major features are detailed below. BASIC SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES Display: 12.2-inch (1920 x 1200) IPS…

Rakuten Kobo’s latest e-reader, the Kobo Aura One Limited Edition, looks identical to the year-old Kobo Aura One. But with 32GB of storage and a few new software tricks up its sleeve, it’s designed to go blowfor- blow with Amazon’s outstanding 2017 Kindle Oasis. While it isn’t quite up to the task, it still has a lot to offer certain readers. PRICING, SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES The Kobo Aura One Limited Edition’s not cheap. At $280 from Rakuten Kobo, it costs as much as Amazon’s 32GB Kindle Oasis with “Special Offers” (ads at the bottom of the screen) and $50 more than Kobo’s original Aura One. Those willing to pay the premium will be rewarded with 32GB of storage, four times the amount that the original Aura One provides. For readers…

A pair of nasty CPU flaws recently exposed have serious ramifications for home computer users. Meltdown and Spectre let attackers access protected information in your PC’s kernel memory, potentially revealing sensitive details like passwords, cryptographic keys, personal photos and email, or anything else you’ve used on your computer. These are serious flaws. Fortunately, CPU and operating system vendors pushed out patches fast, and you can protect your PC from Meltdown and Spectre to some degree. It’s not a quick one-and-done deal, though. They’re two very different CPU flaws that touch every part of your operating system, from hardware to software to the operating system itself. Check out PCWorld’s Meltdown and Spectre FAQ on page 7 for everything you need to know about the vulnerabilities themselves. We’ve cut through the technical…

Intel’s startling marriage with AMD’s graphics chips has finally borne fruit, as Intel announced five new Core H-series chips that use two variants of the AMD “Vega M” GPU. The combination of Intel and AMD technology should outperform a last-gen system with a discrete Nvidia chip, Intel says. You can jump straight to our performance section on page 21 to learn more about Intel’s claims. The new 8th-generation, quad-core Core i5 and Core i7 chips, together with what AMD calls the Radeon RX Vega M GPU, will power laptops from Dell and HP. They’ll also appear in new Intel-branded “Hades Canyon” NUCs, with prices beginning at $799 and $999, Intel said. Intel’s announcement at CES adds a significant amount of detail to the bombshell AMD and Intel dropped in November.…

Creative had the demo to beat at this year’s CES. The company showed an early prototype of a product it calls Super X-Fi Headphone Audio. And it blew my mind. Done right, object-based audio such as Dolby Atmos can be the next best thing to being at a live performance. The only problem is that the cost of the equipment to reproduce it at home can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Creative says its Super X-Fi Headphone Audio Holography (how’s that for a mouthful?) can replicate the experience—positioning audio events in 3D space around your head—with headphones. But Creative’s technology isn’t limited to decoding object-based audio, it also works with stereo recordings. The technology relies on a smartphone app that captures a picture of each of your ears, so…

As a performance junkie, I’m less concerned about the security risks of the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities (see page 115)—after all, there are no known exploits in use today—than I am about a performance hit from the fixes. And from what I’m seeing, my concerns are warranted. My sole experience with a fully updated platform so far is with Microsoft’s original Surface Book. It’s based on an Intel Skylake Core i7-6700U and has 16GB of LPDDR3 and a 512GB Samsung 950 Pro NVMe drive. The Surface Book is running the 64-bit Windows 10 Pro Fall Creator’s Update. I basically drove the machine for most of a week at CES, and on that Friday morning when I fired it up at home, I found that Microsoft had pushed out two pairs…

Slovakia-based ESET is a security company that wants to do it all. Its Internet Security suite aims to monitor and destroy malware through its entire life cycle (before and after execution), the company has AV suites for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and it offers protection for smart home devices. ESET has some pretty big aims. Here’s how it all shakes out in the 2018 version of ESET Internet Security. When you first start up ESET you’re presented with a basic information page that includes the image of a mildly creepy android and the message that you’re protected. From this dashboard you can start a quick scan, use ESET’s sandboxed browser for banking and online shopping protection, or check out the security status of all the devices on your home network.…

2017 might have been a standout year for PC enthusiasts, but these early weeks of 2018 are nothing short of a nightmare for PC gamers. Graphics card prices are downright ludicrous, as the cryptocurrency craze skyrockets in lock-step with Bitcoin’s rising price. That’s nothing new. Miners have been inflating graphics card prices since the middle of the year. But the damage was limited to the middle of the market for most of 2017. Currently, virtually every gaming-class graphics card is affected. The theoretically $200 3GB GeForce GTX 1060 currently goes for $380 to $550—when you can find it in stock, that is. The Radeon RX 570, RX 580, and 6GB GTX 1060—graphics cards with suggested retail prices of $200 to $250—are selling for $500 to $800 on Newegg. And if…

Excel created pivot tables to improve upon its convoluted, weak reporting features (which are still available). The pivot table is actually a collection of tools that Excel uses to help you create better reports from complex, multi-file spreadsheet data. You filter, sort, reorganize, calculate, and summarize your spreadsheet databases, then extract specific information into a report. For example, your spreadsheet may contain 25 field columns, but you only need four of these fields for your report. The Pivot Table tools allow you to sift that data in, literally, seconds—a huge improvement over Excel’s previous reporting capabilities. To make it easier for you to practice the tasks we’re about to describe, go to (go. pcworld.com/crtx) and follow the instructions to create a sample relational database. SINGLE “FLAT-FILE” PIVOT TABLE REPORTS Pivot…