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Yesterday, Mozilla released Firefox version 137.0 for Windows, macOS, and Linux, introducing new features and some security fixes. The headlining feature is the new built-in ability to organize and save tab groups. Prior to this, you had to use a third-party extension like Simple Tab Groups or Panorama View. Now, Firefox has caught up with Chromium-based browsers with native tab grouping. Furthermore, the Firefox address bar now offers enhanced search functions, and the developers have again patched a number of security flaws. Firefox ESR and Tor Browser also got security updates. Mozilla plans to release Firefox 138 on April 29, 2025. What’s new in Firefox 137? Following the introduction of vertical tabs in Firefox 136, Firefox 137 now offers the option of organizing tabs into groups. You can assign a name and color to each tab group, and you can close tab groups to be reopened again later. Both vertical tabs and tab groups have been among the most requested features for Firefox, especially as they’ve been available in other browsers like Chrome and Vivaldi for some time. Mozilla’s developers have given the address bar a fresh makeover, too. In particular, they’ve revised the search functions. A standardized search button in the address bar now simplifies switching between search engines and search modes. Firefox recognizes whether you’re currently on a page with a search function and offers to use it and integrate it into Firefox. The address bar can now also be used as a calculator, similar to the Google search bar. Not all new features are immediately available to all users. Some of them may only be rolled out gradually over the coming weeks. Security updates in Firefox 137 Mozilla’s 2025-20 Security Advisory report shows at least eight fixed vulnerabilities in Firefox 137. Mozilla only gives a high risk rating for one of the entries among individual vulnerabilities reported by external researchers. For example, CVE-2025-3028 can lead to a use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability if JavaScript code runs while a page is being transformed by the XSLT processor. There are also two summarized entries on internally discovered vulnerabilities, which also have high risk ratings. Exploitation of these vulnerabilities can lead to memory errors that can potentially be exploited to inject and execute arbitrary code. Mozilla doesn’t provide any information on the exact number of vulnerabilities covered here. Updates for Firefox ESR and Tor Browser Mozilla has updated its long-term versions Firefox ESR 128 and ESR 115 to patch vulnerabilities. At least three vulnerabilities have been closed in Firefox ESR 128.9.0 and exactly one in Firefox ESR 115.22.0, namely the UAF vulnerability CVE-2025-3028 mentioned above. The updated Tor Browser 14.0.9 is based on Firefox ESR 128.9.0. An update for Tor Browser 13.5 to version 13.5.15 is also available if you’re running Windows 7 or 8.1 or macOS 10.13 or 10.14. This should make it clear that the Tor project is following Mozilla’s example and will continue to support the old operating systems at least until September. Further reading: Reasons to switch from Chrome to Firefox Read...

By now, you’ve heard of the U.S.’s decision to levy tariffs on imports—all goods made in China, as well as select materials worldwide, like steel and aluminum. At the time of this article’s publishing, taxes on products coming from Canada and Mexico also were likely to begin early April, with additional tariffs proposed for more materials and products worldwide. I covered the details about these tariffs in a FAQ, as well as a set of highlights for a shorter way to get up to speed on the situation. I also created a breakout of sample cost increases so you could better see what actual purchases could look like. But most news has focused on the immediate dollars-and-cents effect of these new taxes. What’s been talked about less are the other ways tariffs will impact the tech industry—consequences that could dampen or even drive back certain aspects that we currently take for granted. At best, we’ll see a temporary blow. At worst, we could feel this hit for years to come. Harder to obtain Technology has become more available to the masses over time. Long ago, personal computers were a rare luxury, found only in homes of enthusiasts or the well-to-do. But as popularity rose, devices and hardware became easier to get. People wanted to spend their money on fresh gear—and so supply became more plentiful. Remember when EVGA made graphics cards? Yeah, they don’t any longer, after looking at the cost of that part of their business. Let’s hope the tariffs don’t cause other companies to make similar moves within tech.Brad Chacos / Foundry But when prices go up, demand goes down. Companies already have an incentive to slow the rollout of new products due to the economic instability brought about by the tariffs. If you add on a weakened appetite from consumers for discretionary purchases, vendors have reason to pull back on the production. They may become slower to release successors to products or even a wider variety of products. In particular, smaller companies decide to pause or stop product lines.  Industry insiders expressed this very sentiment to me when discussing the tariffs and their effect. Without the ability to make accurate forecasts, businesses have to proceed with more caution. They’ll either produce less of their usual devices or hardware—or opt out of selling certain items altogether. After years of ever-growing options for consumers, shrinking down to fewer choices will be a sad step backward. Price stagnation (or even increases) Intel’s Kaby Lake Core i7-7700X launched just a couple of months before AMD’s first-generation Ryzen CPUs, sporting a 4-core, 8-thread processor. By fall, its Coffee Lake Core i7-8700K successor had added two more cores and four more threads. Competition makes a difference.Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry Innovation and competition help lower costs for technology. Manufacturing becomes more efficient, growing demand spreads production costs over a wider field, and/or the tech is succeeded by something even fresher. But if tech gear becomes less varied and harder to get, those factors won’t be as dependable as an influence on price. How much you’ll pay for a laptop, phone, or piece of hardware will likely stick where it is—or go up. As my colleague Gordon Mah Ung loved to point out, Intel sold consumers 4-core, 8-thread CPUs for years, always at similar MSRPs. And when Team Blue launched its first 10-core processor, the suggested price was a staggering $1,723. Fast forward a year, after AMD released its first generation of Ryzen chips, and Intel’s top consumer chip had inched up in core count, with the $359 Intel Core i7-8700K sporting 6 cores and 12 threads. Its closest rivals? The $329 Ryzen 7 1700 and $399 Ryzen 7 1700X, both of which sported 8 cores and 16 threads. This history lesson shows that consumers get less value when fewer options exist. Companies can charge whatever they want when faced with less pressure to keep pushing the envelope. Slower release of new products Should early adopters become more reluctant to try out new gadgets, companies could stop trying novel new form factors, like this tri-fold smartphone.Luke Baker If you’re a company facing economic uncertainty, how much would you want to invest in different products? Likewise, if you’re a consumer looking at devices with fewer or smaller upgrades that cost as much as the previous model, will you want to buy anything new? It’s a bit of a standoff, and one that the tariffs could spark. For example, let’s say you’re used to buying a replacement phone every two years. But if the features don’t change dramatically, and prices remain high (especially for flagship models), perhaps you’ll stick to what you’ve already got in your pocket. Companies might then not push novel form factors as hard, like tri-fold phones and other variants. Similarly, Nvidia and AMD could continue to delay their attention to budget gamers, instead choosing to focus on graphics cards that will bring in more cash. Sure, Intel is the lone holdout for the budget range, but its market share remains low, and its launches aren’t as regular. Budget gamers might then continue to hold out, biding their time with progressively lower graphics settings and frame rates. (But real talk, if your GTX 970 still does it for you, keep rocking that GPU until its well-deserved retirement.) So while engineers will continue to announce newer protocols and standards (think Wi-Fi 7 or PCIe 7.0), the time to an actual launch may be much further in the future than we’re used to. And that pace change could feel like a screeching halt compared to the boom of the past couple of decades, depending on how big a slowdown is. Unpredictable pricing A close up of a circuit board. Copper is often used in circuit board traces.Michael Schwarzenberger / Pixabay Until recent years, technology’s progress also often resulted in a predictable routine for prices, too. Current devices got cheaper, and the stuff that replaced them often stayed the same price or even lowered, thanks to improved manufacturing or higher demand. Before the tariffs, that reliability in pricing trends started to waver due to factors like rising production costs. And now with these additional taxes dropped on top, we consumers may no longer be able to trust in steady pricing. First, as companies shift manufacturing locations, their logistical costs will increase. But how much is still to be determined, based on resources (e.g., new staff hiring, training, etc.) and the ability for a business to absorb current tariff costs. Some larger corporations may take a hit in an effort to keep their part of the industry more stable, for example. Additional tariffs could also cause sudden changes to MSRPs. Given how the current U.S. import tariffs were enacted, more could be announced very suddenly as well, with a notice of just a few days. Graphics cards enthusiasts (and just PC gamers in general) know how painful supply shortages can be, especially when it comes to street prices.EVGA The prospect of new tariffs looms large, too—in February, the U.S. executive branch proposed a 25 percent tariff on all semiconductors, with the intent to sharply raise the tax over time. More recently, a 25 percent tariff on copper was suggested. (You’ll find copper in circuit boards, wiring, and a lot more related to tech.) If these tariffs stack on top of the existing 20 percent on all Chinese-made goods, you could see a sharp rise in costs for products with multiple components affected by these additional taxes. Another wrinkle: When I last spoke with industry insiders, multiple sources told me they were still learning exactly how the tariffs would be applied. So they themselves are scrambling to adjust and adapt. Finally, if costs go up and availability decreases (as discussed above), you may have more trouble predicting actual retail prices. Street prices could go a bit wild, too. We can look at the GPU market for a glimpse into that chaotic, terrible universe: Few cards are available at the announced price, and any remaining stock is higher due to partner cards adding on extras. Any other cards are only available through resellers at huge markups. Before the pandemic, you could easily shop for devices and hardware, with the expectation of regular sales or discounts. Now surplus budgeting may be a requirement whenever you’re preparing for a new purchase. Read...

Just like how dust collects in your humble abode during the winter months, your PC can also accumulate superfluous files and folders over a period of time. To make room for new programs and photos, you’ve got to give your computer a good cleaning. Fortunately, Windows offers a whole range of built-in functions and tools to help with this task. There are also third-party programs that can analyze your system and identify unnecessary files. Remove programs that are no longer needed Many users install software for one task and then never touch again. With Windows 11, you can delete the installed programs and apps directly in the Start menu.Foundry As part of the spring clean, you should specifically search for these programs and uninstall them. To do this, open the Windows 11 Start menu, click on All, and carefully go through the list of installed applications. If you find a program that you no longer need, right-click on it and click on Uninstall. Windows uses the relevant uninstall routine to remove programs. However, this often does not work properly and leaves behind various folders and files on the hard drive. Specialized uninstall tools such as the full version of Ascomp Cleaning Suite, Revo Uninstaller, or Iobit Unistaller are more thorough. They track down files, folders, and registry entries left behind by uninstall programs and delete them. Revo Uninstaller can also remove Windows apps that you don’t need.Revo Uninstaller Revo Uninstaller has a hunting mode in which you drag a crosshair over the icon of the program to be removed on the desktop or in the taskbar. After right-clicking, you can then remove the software without an uninstall routine or remove it from Windows Autostart. Remove unnecessary Windows apps and system features Windows sets up a whole range of system apps and games during installation, many of which you will never call up or cannot use at all. These include, for example, weather and camera apps, Skype preview, or the two Xbox programs. They cannot be removed via the list of apps in the Start menu. Instead, you need Powershell. Type Powershell in the search field of the taskbar and click on Run as administrator. The table below shows which command you can use to uninstall the respective app. Windows appPowershell uninstall commandWeatherGet-AppxPackage *bingweather* | Remove-AppxPackage3D BuilderGet-AppxPackageGet*3dbuilder*| Remove-AppxPackageAlarm & ClockGet-AppxPackage *windowsalarms*| Remove-AppxPackageCompanion for phoneGet-AppxPackage *windowsphone*| Remove-AppxPackageFirst stepsGet-AppxPackage *getstarted*| Remove-AppxPackageFilms & TVGet-AppxPackage *zunevideo*| Remove-AppxPackageFinancesGet-AppxPackage *bingfinance*| Remove-AppxPackagePhotosGet-AppxPackage *photos*| Remove-AppxPackageGroove MusicGet-AppxPackage *zunemusic*| Remove-AppxPackageCameraGet-AppxPackage *windowscamera*| Remove-AppxPackageMapsGet-AppxPackage *windowsmaps*| Remove-AppxPackageContactsGet-AppxPackage *people*| Remove-AppxPackageMail & CalendarGet-AppxPackage *windowscommunicationsapps*| Remove-AppxPackageMessagesGet-AppxPackage *bingnews*| Remove-AppxPackageGet OfficeGet-AppxPackage *officehub*| Remove-AppxPackageOne NoteGet-AppxPackage *onenote*| Remove-AppxPackageCalculatorGet-AppxPackage *windowscalculator*| Remove-AppxPackageSkype PreviewGet-AppxPackage *skypeapp*| Remove-AppxPackageSportsGet-AppxPackage *bingsports*| Remove-AppxPackageVoice RecorderGet-AppxPackage *soundrecorder*| Remove-AppxPackageXbox Identity ProviderGet-AppxPackage *xboxIdentityprovider*| Remove-AppxPackageXboxGet-AppxPackage *xboxapp*| Remove-AppxPackagePowershell lets you uninstall specific Microsoft apps with a command-line instruction. If you want to reinstall an app later, you can do this via the Microsoft Store. Removing apps using the freeware version of Ccleaner is easier than entering Powershell commands manually. Under Extras > Uninstall, the tool displays a list of existing applications, which also includes apps from the Microsoft Store. A number of features that most users never need can be deactivated via the Windows Control Panel. Foundry In addition to its own apps, Windows also contains a number of features that are active by default but are not required by many users. You can access the associated switches by typing Control Panel into the search field in the taskbar and clicking on the relevant term. In the icon view, click on Programs and Features and in the following window on Turn Windows features on or off. As a home user, you can usually uncheck the boxes in front of “API support for remote differential compression,” “Windows Media Player Legacy (App)” under “Media features,” “Print and document services,” and “Host-enabled web kernel for Internet information services.” Use Windows’ own cleaning service Windows does not rely on external cleaning help when it comes to deleting unnecessary files and programs. The operating system comes with an internal cleaning service that can work automatically in the background, but can also be fine-tuned manually. Windows 11 offers automatic maintenance of the hard drive memory. You can find it in the Settings of the operating system under System > Storage. Make sure that the switch for “Storage Sense” is set to On. To check which areas are covered by Storage Sense, click on them once. In the next window, there should be a tick next to “Clean up temporary files.” The switch for “Automatic User content cleanup” should also be set to On. You can retain the default setting for the options below. You can use Storage Sense to have Windows 11 automatically clean certain folders of obsolete files. Foundry It is only worth considering setting the option “Delete files in my ‘Downloads’ folder that have not been opened for over” to “30 days.” In this way, you can ensure that Windows deletes files in your download folder under C:\Users\[your_name]\Downloads is cleaned up regularly. Once you have changed this setting, you can scroll down and click on “Run memory optimization now” to perform an initial cleaning run. It will start immediately. There are other cleaning options in Windows. The classic one is Disk Cleanup — a tool that has been available in the operating system since time immemorial. You call it up by typing cleanmgr in the search field of the taskbar and clicking on the suggestion. Now select a drive and click on OK. You can now also find most of the functions of this tool in the Settings of Windows 11 — for example under System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations. In the following window, you can empty the recycle bin or clear the Downloads folder in your Windows profile. Click on “Show advanced options” to open a window with offers for deleting temporary files. You can normally accept the default settings at this point. To delete, click on “Remove files” in the upper part of the window. Then go back to the previous window by first clicking on the three dots next to “Temporary files” and then on “Cleanup recommendations.” Scroll down and click on the down arrows next to “Large or unused files,” “Files synchronized with the cloud,” and “Unused apps.” Take a look at the list of files and apps and tick everything you no longer need. Then click on the “Clean up X MB” button in each case. Find and delete duplicate photos in large collections High-resolution digital photos are among the biggest space hogs on your hard drive. It is therefore worth going through your own photo collection from time to time and looking for duplicates that can be deleted. As such collections can often contain several thousand images, you should leave this work to software. There are two groups of programs that search for duplicate photos: Some compare the photos based on the file names alone. Others are able to identify identical or even similar motifs. This last group includes Duplicate Photos Fixer Pro, which is available in a free and a paid version. However, the differences are small. The free version can only delete up to 15 images at the touch of a button, all others have to be removed manually. And you don’t get any support. Both versions work at high speed and with astonishing accuracy. Reset Windows 11 Over time, Windows 11 accumulates all kinds of clutter — including orphaned folders and files, cache content, photos, and videos that are no longer needed and much more. The easiest way to get rid of this junk data is to reinstall it. You don’t need a boot stick or other boot media to do this, but can use a Windows function. When resetting, you have the choice of keeping your existing files and programs or completely reinstalling Windows.Foundry Attention: Before you start, you should always back up the data you want to keep. For example, copy email archives, locally stored photos, documents you still need, database files, and similarly important files to a second drive or to the cloud so that they are not lost. Then get started: Open the Settings of Windows 11 and go to System > Recovery > Reset PC. In the first window of the wizard, click on “Remove everything” and then on “Local reinstallation” — the “Cloud download” that is also offered can take several hours depending on the connection speed. After clicking on Next and Reset, Windows will restore your PC to its original state. Read...

VPNs, or virtual private networks, can help you do a lot of things online that you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. From accessing websites and services in other countries to providing an extra layer of security to things such as banking or torrenting. But the single most popular usage of a VPN is to enhance privacy by hiding your internet activity. Many wonder though, will using a VPN keep your activity completely private online? I’ll make this really simple: No, a VPN does not provide you with 100 percent privacy online. In fact, no privacy tool can completely hide your digital presence or keep you anonymous. So, there you have it, question answered, right? Not so fast. Just because a VPN, or anything else for that matter, can’t deliver total privacy, doesn’t mean they aren’t worth using. Some privacy is better than none and keeping your traffic hidden from certain prying eyes, like your ISP (Internet Service Provider), can come with useful advantages. The very best VPNs are powerful tools that everyone should be using regardless. Privacy vs. anonymity I think it’s important here to first distinguish between online privacy and anonymity. Online privacy means obfuscating or hiding your activity from snooping third parties such as your ISP or hackers on a public Wi-Fi network. But while your activity can be hidden to a degree, websites will still store cookies and basic information about your last visit. Online anonymity, however, means that you leave utterly zero trace of your presence while connected to the internet. And when I say 100 percent privacy, I mean total anonymity. This is nigh impossible in today’s world of pervasive online trackers and vast meta-data consumption. If we can’t remain completely anonymous online, is there still a benefit to remaining private? Yes, absolutely. Keeping your online activities as private as possible is crucial to maintaining control over your data, maximizing freedom, and avoiding unwanted digital risks.  While a VPN won’t keep you anonymous, it does encrypt your data and hide it from outside observers, helping to maintain higher levels of privacy. Best vpn for privacy Mullvad Read our review What does a VPN hide? IP address Your IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical label assigned to your device that can be used to identify you and your location. A VPN masks it by rerouting your traffic through a remote VPN server. This way, websites and other third parties will see the IP address of the VPN server rather than your actual IP while connected. Browsing activity A VPN can hide your browsing activity from your ISP. While connected to a VPN, the client encrypts the traffic leaving your device so that any snooping third parties can’t decipher what you’re doing online. Your ISP will know that you’re using a VPN, but will no longer see your specific online activity. It’s worth noting that even in private browsing mode, an ISP can still monitor your traffic, that’s why it’s best to use it in combination with a VPN for the greatest effect. Location Since your IP address is linked to your location, and it’s not too difficult for anyone savvy enough to find your IP address, that means that your actual location is easily discoverable while online. A VPN encrypts your data and reroutes it through a VPN server so anyone tracking you will only see the VPN server location instead of your actual location. Downloads Just like your browsing history, a VPN hides your downloads from your ISP and other third parties. Your ISP will still be able to see the amount of data you’re downloading, but not the actual file names or content themselves. As a side note, a VPN by itself will not keep you safe from accidentally downloading malicious files. You should always make sure you’re downloading legitimate files from sources you trust—and always use some form of antivirus software! Further reading: VPNs and the law: How often does law enforcement actually request VPN logs? VPNs themselves Sometimes websites can recognize and block traffic coming from a VPN connection. However, if your VPN service provides obfuscated servers you may even be able to hide the fact that you’re using a VPN thanks to these extra stealthy connections. What does a VPN not hide? Data you provide to websites Using a VPN doesn’t hide your identity from sites that you willingly provide information to, such as social media or shopping sites. Any information that you provide to these sites, any photos or comments you post will all be tied back to you even with a VPN connection. Sure, your ISP won’t be able to see that you’re currently scrolling on TikTok, but as soon as you sign in to your account and like that video, there is a record and timestamp of that activity connected to you. This is why, with or without a VPN, it’s practically impossible to be 100 percent anonymous online. No matter how many steps you take, it’s likely that you’ll still be unwittingly sharing and revealing your identity and location to someone. Total bandwidth usage While a VPN may be able to obfuscate and hide the names and contents of the files you’re downloading and the sites you’re visiting, it can’t hide from your ISP how much bandwidth all of that is taking up. They won’t be able to see that you’re downloading a large torrent file, but they can see that you used 20GB of data. Cookies and browsing history A VPN can hide your search history from your ISP and other third parties, but it doesn’t hide it from the actual websites you visit. Google can still see and track your search queries. The same goes for website cookies that track your activity and remember your preferences—think login info or items you added to your shopping cart.  In order to hide these you will need to take the additional steps of using a private browsing mode or regularly clearing cookies on your device. Likewise, if you’re worried about your search history remaining private, it’s best to choose a search engine that prioritizes user privacy. Your device from online threats Keeping your online activity more private can help mitigate some threats such as certain hacks or cyberattacks, but a VPN by itself will not provide complete protection against malware or viruses. It’s best to always use a trusted antivirus software in tandem with your VPN for better security. Can you be tracked online with a VPN? This infographic from NordVPN shows the relative protections you can expect against various third parties with a VPN connection. NordVPN The answer to this question ultimately comes down to what sort of tracking you’re worried about. If you use a VPN, but log into your Google account, then Google will still be able to see what sites you visit and the content you view. To mitigate tracking by Big Tech entities, you’ll need to use alternatives such as private browsers, privacy-first email services, and anti-tracking extensions. If you’re instead worried about your ISP tracking you or you live under a totalitarian regime, then a VPN will be more useful. It’s worth noting though, that even with a VPN, a government or third party with enough resources and know-how can still find a way to connect you to your online traffic. A VPN can make it more difficult to track your activity online, but never impossible.  Thankfully, for the vast majority of us, a VPN will be enough to keep our digital lives hidden from ISPs and the like. And this is important because certain activities that our ISPs can punish us for aren’t illegal. Things such as the sharing of legal torrent files or accessing geo-blocked content is frowned upon by these groups, but it isn’t necessarily against the law. Using a VPN legally is a good way to bypass these excessive third-party restrictions while not being tracked. How to choose a trustworthy VPN Best Overall VPN NordVPN Read our review Best Prices Today: $3.39 at NordVPN (Monthly) I believe that VPNs are worthwhile services that can help you maintain more control over your online privacy and data. If you do decide to use a VPN, it’s extremely important that you choose a trustworthy service. A reliable VPN provider will make privacy a paramount concern first and foremost by maintaining a zero-logs policy and backing it up with regular independent audit reports. Questions you should ask before choosing a private VPN are: Does it have a no-logs policy? Has it undergone any independent audits of its servers? Is the VPN company located in a country with strong individual data privacy laws? All of these will give you an idea of whether or not a VPN is focused on user privacy and transparent with its data collection policies. If you’re trying to be extra cautious, then look for VPNs with RAM-only servers that don’t store any persistent user data due to their very nature. You may also want to seek out and use obfuscated VPN servers so that it’s more difficult for third parties to know you’re even connected to a VPN. Some VPNs, such as Mullvad, even offer anonymous login credentials and payment methods to further separate a user from being associated with the service. Finally, take a look at the extra security features a VPN offers. Services such as NordVPN and Surfshark provide advanced cybersecurity tools that block ads and trackers, keep you from accidentally visiting malicious sites, and monitor files you download for malware. By offering a multitude of security-enhancing features, a VPN can make your online experience much safer. Read...

The new Plex app for mobile arrived only a day ago, but user forums and the Plex subreddit are blowing up with complaints about buggy performance, missing features, and a cluttered, confusing interface.  Yes, all this sounds familiar, although it’s not yet clear if we’re seeing a typical rough landing for an app revamp or a Sonos-level dumpster fire. Plex does have a laundry list of issues it plans to address in the coming weeks (again, déjà vu), and the laggy, stuttering app performance will hopefully improve over time. We’ll be watching.  In the meantime, there are some Plex “new experience” issues we can tackle right now, starting with the Live TV, Discover, and On Demand tabs at the bottom of the screen. You can’t swap them out with other options, unfortunately, but you can make them go away.  Another “new experience” feature we can hide are the user reviews for movies and TV shows in your Plex library. If you love seeing what random folks thought about the content on your Plex media servers, then hey, leave ‘em be. Want to hide them? No problem.  Hide the Live TV tab  Personally, I’m a fan of the Live TV tab on the new Plex app because I use Plex as an over-the-air DVR, and the tab gives me quicker access to the live programming grid. But the Live TV tab also houses Plex’s various live streaming channels, and it will appear at the bottom of the screen even if you’re not a Plex DVR user.  Again, we can’t replace the Live TV tab with something else, but at least we can hide it. For this, you’ll need to access your server settings on the Plex web app.  Go to the Plex web interface, tap the Settings icon in the top-right cover of the screen (the one that looks like a wrench), and then click Online Media Sources in the left-hand column.  Under the Live TV heading, click the drop-down menu and select Disabled.  Relaunch the new Plex app on your mobile device. If you’re not a Plex DVR user, the Live TV tab should be completely gone. If you are using the Plex DVR, the tab will still be there, but you should only see your over-the-air channels.  To hide the Live TV tab from the new Plex app, select “Disabled” under “Live TV” in the Online Media Sources settings for your Plex server. Ben Patterson/Foundry Hide the On Demand tab  Plex Media Server users likely don’t have much need for Plex’s On Demand content, which includes ad-supported movies and TV shows as well as access to movie rentals. Luckily, you can hide the On Demand tab, just as you can with the Live TV tab.  Again, go back to the Plex settings screen on the web, then click Online Media Sources.  Under the Movies & Shows setting, click the drop-down and select Disabled.  Hide the Discover tab  The Discover tab on the new Plex app aggregates trending movies and TV shows amongst Plex users, as well as recommendations on any streaming services that you’ve previously selected. Don’t care what other Plex users are watching? Then hide the tab.  Once more, head for the Plex settings screen on the web, click Online Media Sources, then head over to the Discover section.  Under the Discover Source heading, click the drop-down, then select Disabled.  Hide user reviews (or all reviews)  I like seeing review snippets from critics on the title detail pages of my Plex library content, but reviews from random Plex users? Not so much. Fortunately, you can hide user reviews—or all reviews–from the Plex app.  This time, we’re going straight to the new Plex app. Fire it up, tap Settings, then tap Experience.  Tap the Ratings and Reviews From setting, then pick an option; the choices include Plex users & critics, Plex users only, Critics only, and No one.  The app will reload after picking a new option, and if you opted to hide some or all reviews, they should now be gone. Read...

Microsoft has finally made all Copilot+ PCs—not just the Snapdragon ones—eligible for all of its AI-powered Copilot+ features. Well, almost. If you’ve been paying attention, you know that the Windows world is badly fragmented. Not only are users split between Windows 10 and Windows 11, but Windows 11 users aren’t even all on the same version. Now, over the past year, AI has added another wrinkle with Microsoft mainly developing its Copilot+ PC features for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X platform while neglecting AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 and Intel’s Core Ultra 200 series processors. Fortunately, that’s changing. On Monday, Microsoft wrote in a blog post that PCs powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 series, Intel Core Ultra 200V, and Snapdragon X series processors are all eligible for “exclusive Copilot+ PC experiences like Live Captions, Cocreator, Restyle Image, and Image Creator.” The word “like” offers some wiggle room, since other AI-powered experiences—such as the ability to resize photos—is only available in the Photos app on PCs running on a Snapdragon chip. Still, it’s a major step up for AMD and Intel. Microsoft and its partners launched Copilot+ PCs in May 2024, showing off all of its favored AI features on Snapdragon machines. Although Microsoft promised that it would soon bring those features to Copilot+ PCs powered by AMD and Intel, months passed… Microsoft then eventually released Windows Recall for Copilot+ Snapdragon PCs, then offered that feature to AMD and Intel-based Copilot+ PCs in December. There are still exceptions, however. Monday’s blog post also mentioned Voice Access, an easier way to talk to your PC “using more descriptive and flexible language.” But nope. That feature is only for Copilot+ PCs with a Snapdragon chip, not for AMD or Intel PCs (which will receive Voice Access capabilities later this year). “Some of these innovative experiences for Copilot+ PCs are available via the March 2025 Windows non-security preview update (which requires the November 2024 non-security preview update),” Microsoft wrote. “Over the next month, we will gradually roll out these features via the Windows controlled feature rollout (CFR) to consumers.” If you own a Copilot+ PC with a qualifying AMD or Intel chip, the best way to get the new updates is to go to Settings > Windows Update and turn on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.” Either check frequently for the new update or just let it be pushed to your PC. Read...

By now, you’ve heard of the U.S.’s decision to levy tariffs on imports—all goods made in China, as well as select materials worldwide, like steel and aluminum. At the time of this article’s publishing, taxes on products coming from Canada and Mexico also were likely to begin early April, with additional tariffs proposed for more materials and products worldwide. I covered the details about these tariffs in a FAQ, as well as a set of highlights for a shorter way to get up to speed on the situation. I also created a breakout of sample cost increases so you could better see what actual purchases could look like. But most news has focused on the immediate dollars-and-cents effect of these new taxes. What’s been talked about less are the other ways tariffs will impact the tech industry—consequences that could dampen or even drive back certain aspects that we currently take for granted. At best, we’ll see a temporary blow. At worst, we could feel this hit for years to come. Harder to obtain Technology has become more available to the masses over time. Long ago, personal computers were a rare luxury, found only in homes of enthusiasts or the well-to-do. But as popularity rose, devices and hardware became easier to get. People wanted to spend their money on fresh gear—and so supply became more plentiful. Remember when EVGA made graphics cards? Yeah, they don’t any longer, after looking at the cost of that part of their business. Let’s hope the tariffs don’t cause other companies to make similar moves within tech.Brad Chacos / Foundry But when prices go up, demand goes down. Companies already have an incentive to slow the rollout of new products due to the economic instability brought about by the tariffs. If you add on a weakened appetite from consumers for discretionary purchases, vendors have reason to pull back on the production. They may become slower to release successors to products or even a wider variety of products. In particular, smaller companies decide to pause or stop product lines.  Industry insiders expressed this very sentiment to me when discussing the tariffs and their effect. Without the ability to make accurate forecasts, businesses have to proceed with more caution. They’ll either produce less of their usual devices or hardware—or opt out of selling certain items altogether. After years of ever-growing options for consumers, shrinking down to fewer choices will be a sad step backward. Price stagnation (or even increases) Intel’s Kaby Lake Core i7-7700X launched just a couple of months before AMD’s first-generation Ryzen CPUs, sporting a 4-core, 8-thread processor. By fall, its Coffee Lake Core i7-8700K successor had added two more cores and four more threads. Competition makes a difference.Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry Innovation and competition help lower costs for technology. Manufacturing becomes more efficient, growing demand spreads production costs over a wider field, and/or the tech is succeeded by something even fresher. But if tech gear becomes less varied and harder to get, those factors won’t be as dependable as an influence on price. How much you’ll pay for a laptop, phone, or piece of hardware will likely stick where it is—or go up. As my colleague Gordon Mah Ung loved to point out, Intel sold consumers 4-core, 8-thread CPUs for years, always at similar MSRPs. And when Team Blue launched its first 10-core processor, the suggested price was a staggering $1,723. Fast forward a year, after AMD released its first generation of Ryzen chips, and Intel’s top consumer chip had inched up in core count, with the $359 Intel Core i7-8700K sporting 6 cores and 12 threads. Its closest rivals? The $329 Ryzen 7 1700 and $399 Ryzen 7 1700X, both of which sported 8 cores and 16 threads. This history lesson shows that consumers get less value when fewer options exist. Companies can charge whatever they want when faced with less pressure to keep pushing the envelope. Slower release of new products Should early adopters become more reluctant to try out new gadgets, companies could stop trying novel new form factors, like this tri-fold smartphone.Luke Baker If you’re a company facing economic uncertainty, how much would you want to invest in different products? Likewise, if you’re a consumer looking at devices with fewer or smaller upgrades that cost as much as the previous model, will you want to buy anything new? It’s a bit of a standoff, and one that the tariffs could spark. For example, let’s say you’re used to buying a replacement phone every two years. But if the features don’t change dramatically, and prices remain high (especially for flagship models), perhaps you’ll stick to what you’ve already got in your pocket. Companies might then not push novel form factors as hard, like tri-fold phones and other variants. Similarly, Nvidia and AMD could continue to delay their attention to budget gamers, instead choosing to focus on graphics cards that will bring in more cash. Sure, Intel is the lone holdout for the budget range, but its market share remains low, and its launches aren’t as regular. Budget gamers might then continue to hold out, biding their time with progressively lower graphics settings and frame rates. (But real talk, if your GTX 970 still does it for you, keep rocking that GPU until its well-deserved retirement.) So while engineers will continue to announce newer protocols and standards (think Wi-Fi 7 or PCIe 7.0), the time to an actual launch may be much further in the future than we’re used to. And that pace change could feel like a screeching halt compared to the boom of the past couple of decades, depending on how big a slowdown is. Unpredictable pricing A close up of a circuit board. Copper is often used in circuit board traces.Michael Schwarzenberger / Pixabay Until recent years, technology’s progress also often resulted in a predictable routine for prices, too. Current devices got cheaper, and the stuff that replaced them often stayed the same price or even lowered, thanks to improved manufacturing or higher demand. Before the tariffs, that reliability in pricing trends started to waver due to factors like rising production costs. And now with these additional taxes dropped on top, we consumers may no longer be able to trust in steady pricing. First, as companies shift manufacturing locations, their logistical costs will increase. But how much is still to be determined, based on resources (e.g., new staff hiring, training, etc.) and the ability for a business to absorb current tariff costs. Some larger corporations may take a hit in an effort to keep their part of the industry more stable, for example. Additional tariffs could also cause sudden changes to MSRPs. Given how the current U.S. import tariffs were enacted, more could be announced very suddenly as well, with a notice of just a few days. Graphics cards enthusiasts (and just PC gamers in general) know how painful supply shortages can be, especially when it comes to street prices.EVGA The prospect of new tariffs looms large, too—in February, the U.S. executive branch proposed a 25 percent tariff on all semiconductors, with the intent to sharply raise the tax over time. More recently, a 25 percent tariff on copper was suggested. (You’ll find copper in circuit boards, wiring, and a lot more related to tech.) If these tariffs stack on top of the existing 20 percent on all Chinese-made goods, you could see a sharp rise in costs for products with multiple components affected by these additional taxes. Another wrinkle: When I last spoke with industry insiders, multiple sources told me they were still learning exactly how the tariffs would be applied. So they themselves are scrambling to adjust and adapt. Finally, if costs go up and availability decreases (as discussed above), you may have more trouble predicting actual retail prices. Street prices could go a bit wild, too. We can look at the GPU market for a glimpse into that chaotic, terrible universe: Few cards are available at the announced price, and any remaining stock is higher due to partner cards adding on extras. Any other cards are only available through resellers at huge markups. Before the pandemic, you could easily shop for devices and hardware, with the expectation of regular sales or discounts. Now surplus budgeting may be a requirement whenever you’re preparing for a new purchase. Read...