The US House speaker said that a congressional panel should not release a report examining allegations of sexual misconduct against Donald Trump`s choice for US attorney general. Read...

ChatGPT and other similar AI chatbots are becoming a bigger part of everyday life for many people. Though a Windows app for ChatGPT has been available for some time, it’s only been for those who have ponied up for a premium plan — until now. The Windows app for ChatGPT is now available to all, just like the web and mobile apps. You can download it from the Microsoft Store. Poking around a bit in the Windows app, it seems more or less the same as the interface I’ve tested on my Android phone, though of course in Windows it’s easier to input larger amounts of text or submit images for scanning. It has the popular conversation mode along with a handful of digital voice options, but it’s just as restrictive as it is elsewhere — I hit the freebie interaction limit in just a few minutes. (And just in case my editor is looking over my shoulder: don’t worry, I’m only testing the app out. I promise this news post was written with my fleshy, human fingers.) Those who do spring for ChatGPT’s premium service, which starts at $20 per month for individual users, will likely find the Windows app far more useful. While it’s largely the same as the web interface, having a dedicated window on your desktop will be a boon to those who integrate it into their workflows. Whether or not it’s worth paying for a premium AI chatbot? Well, that’ll depend on how you use it. And not for nothing, it’s another point for OpenAI to tick in competition with Microsoft’s home-grown AI product, Copilot. Anecdotally, ChatGPT is much more positively received by general users, whereas Microsoft is more interested in integrating Copilot into core Windows features, from the taskbar to Office to Paint. Further reading: ChatGPT Plus vs. Copilot Pro, compared Read...

The church is working with the government and all stakeholders on education and awareness about the impact of drug use on individuals, families, and society in general as a whole. Read...

Early Black Friday deals on Chromebooks have begun at Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers. I’m on the hunt for the best Chromebook sales, and I’ve already found some worth snatching up. Black Friday 2024 could be weird. America’s new president is promising 60 percent tariffs on goods coming from China next year, which will raise prices across all kinds of categories, including electronics. Should that happen, snapping up a Chromebook deal now would be prudent. I’ve listed the best Chromebook deals that I can find, followed by an explanation of why I think you should buy them. I’ve been tracking Chromebook deals during Black Friday for the past several years, so I have a good idea of what to buy and how much you should pay. (If you’d like more information, I recommend reading the FAQ at the bottom below this list of early Black Friday Chromebook deals.) Best early Black Friday budget Chromebook deals Acer Chromebook 315 (Celeron N4500/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 15.6-inch 1080p display), now $139.00 (22% off at Walmart) Asus Chromebook CM1402 (Kompanio 520/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display), now $129.00 (57% off at Best Buy) Asus Chromebook CX1 (Celeron N4500/4GB RAM/128GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display), now $159.00 (31% off at Walmart) Samsung Chromebook 4 (Celeron N4000/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 15.6-inch 1080p display), now $209.00 (35% off at Amazon) Lenovo 14-inch Chromebook (Kompanio 520/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display), now $206.99 (31% off at Amazon) Asus Chromebook CM14 (Kompanio 520/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 14-inch 768p display), now $166.00 (41% off at Amazon) Asus Chromebook C424 (Celeron N4020/4GB RAM/128GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display), now $196.00 (22% off at Amazon) Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3 (2023) (Kompanio 520/4GB RAM/64GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display), now $203.85 (8% off at Amazon) Budget Chromebooks are all about the tradeoffs. In this case, there aren’t any deals with 8GB of RAM, which is what I’d prefer. Among these, the Acer Chromebook 315 gives you the most for your money, including a nice big display and a relatively modern processor. The Celeron N4500 is faster in single-threaded tasks than the Arm-based Kompanio with battery life. The Acer 315, Asus CM1402, and the Asus CX1 are all good, thrifty choices. Samsung Chromebooks tend to be a bit overpriced, but they also tend to have lovely displays, which is why I’ve included the Chromebook 4 and placed it pretty highly. Personally, I also like Lenovo’s keyboards, and a lot of Chromebooks end up skimping on their keyboards. I’m just not a fan of Asus keyboards, for example. The last three entrants in this current list of deals, including the Asus CM14 and Asus C424, have weaknesses. What’s wonderful is that we’re still seeing cost-effective budget Chromebooks with 1080p screens… but the CM14 has a lower-resolution 768p screen that you won’t be as happy with it as you would with alternatives, and the C424 has one of the slower Celeron processors available. As for the Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3? It’s a modern Chromebook, as the “2023” indicates, but it’s just a little bit more expensive than the others. Best early Black Friday mid-range Chromebook deals Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (Refurbished) (Core i3-1215U/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, 15.6-inch 1080p display), now $199.99 (47% off at Walmart) Acer Chromebook Plus 515 (Core i3-1215U/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, 15.6-inch 1080p display), now $299.00 (25% off at Best Buy) Lenovo Flex 3 (Pentium Silver N6000/8GB RAM/64GB eMMC, 15.6-inch 1080p display), now $328.99 (31% off at Best Buy) HP 2-in-1 Chromebook (Core i3-N305/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, 14-inch 1080p display), now $399.00 (37% off at Best Buy) Asus Chromebook Plus CX5601 (Core i3-1215U/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, 16-inch 1920×1200 display), now $479.00 (20% off at Best Buy) Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (Core i5-1335U/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, 14-inch 1920×1200 display), now $529.99 (24% off at Best Buy) I almost never include refurbished Chromebooks in deal recommendations, but this one’s an exception. Why? Because the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 is the same exact Chromebook as one of the better deals on the list, just refurbished — and $100 cheaper. For a Chromebook, that’s big! A Chromebook Plus with that hardware for $199.99 is a very, very sweet deal. Just pay attention to the return policy in case something snuck past quality control. The one thing I’m a bit suspicious of, however, is the fact that Intel’s 12th- and 13th-gen Core chips sucked down a decent amount of power. The Pentium Silver and Core i3-N305 inside the Lenovo Flex 3 and HP 2-in-1 will absolutely have longer battery life, though markedly less performance. If you expect your Chromebook to be plugged into the wall most of the time, however, you can opt for other Chromebooks instead. I quite like the Asus Chromebook Plus CX5601 and Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714, as well. These Chromebook Plus laptops offer higher performance for higher prices, with add-ons like Thunderbolt ports. These are honestly great machines, but just not as budget-friendly as some of the other choices. If you’ve decided that a Chromebook isn’t for you and you’d prefer a laptop instead, check out our Black Friday laptop deals and our Black Friday deals shopping page. FAQ 1. When is Black Friday? Officially, this year’s Black Friday takes place on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. Cyber Monday is the following Monday, or Dec. 2, 2024. 2. When do Black Friday Chromebook deals begin? Early Black Friday sales have already begun at several retailers, though sales should ramp up as Black Friday nears. Retailers haven’t been shy about adding early sales to unload inventory before the Black Friday craziness begins. Note that early Black Friday sales can sometimes include a “sneaky season,” where retailers add sales, then raise prices, and then discount again for Black Friday. 3. What should you pay for a Black Friday Chromebook deal? I’m actually surprised that there’s as many early Chromebook deals as there have been for 2024. Good deals, too! Last year, there simply weren’t as many deals before Black Friday proper. I’d expect budget Chromebook deal prices to drop below $100 for Black Friday on a model or two, but $129 or $139 for an early Black Friday deal is surprisingly impressive. I usually like mid-range Chromebooks to be about $250 or so, but we’ll see what we end up with. Early mid-range Chromebook prices aren’t bad right now. In general, I’d expect the type of Chromebooks we recommend (see below for more detail on that) to be priced below $350 in the weeks leading up to Black Friday. Prices should drop a bit more as Black Friday approaches. In general, we put our top picks at the top of our lists. I absolutely factor price into my picks, but I’m looking for value: the best bang for your buck. I feel like I’ve really benefited from a good deal when I get the most for my money, and that’s what I want to help you get, too. 4. What features should I look for in a Black Friday Chromebook? We still prioritize three things when looking for a Chromebook deal: memory, the display (size and resolution), and the CPU. Retailers are still trying to unload Chromebooks with 4GB of RAM, 768p screens, and ancient processors. Ignore those, for the most part. Some can be justified as budget Chromebook options, but I really feel that you deserve a Chromebook with at least 8GB of RAM, a 1080p screen or better (with screen sizes above 13 inches, if possible), and a relatively modern CPU. I don’t put a lot of weight on the CPU, if only because a Chromebook doesn’t need a lot of horsepower behind it. A 1080p screen offers a comfortable laptop-like viewing experience. Be aware that “HD” does not mean 1080p! It basically means 768p, which is going to be a bit hard on your eyes. “Full HD” or “FHD” equates to 1080p. Our recommended CPUs include Intel Celerons, Intel Pentiums, Intel Core chips, AMD Ryzen processors, and Arm chips from MediaTek or Qualcomm. All of those have their pros and cons, though the performance differences probably won’t matter as much as additional memory. More memory (that is, 8GB rather than 4GB of RAM) allows for more browser tabs and a smoother browser experience. Onboard storage really doesn’t matter all that much, though an SSD of at least 32GB is preferable for storing apps, documents, screenshots, and the like. If you’re familiar with our lengthy laptops versus Chromebooks explainer, you know that one of the potential gotchas is buying a Chromebook whose support window expires soon. Google now supports new Chromebooks for up to 10 years, so this is less of a concern. 5. Which Chromebook does PCWorld rate highest? Our editors regularly review Chromebooks, so make sure to check our rankings of the best Chromebooks of 2024. We recommend a wide range of price points, and the article offers a great primer on Chromebook shopping. What’s more, some of our top picks will likely go on sale before or during Black Friday. Read...

It might be early, but Black Friday desktop PC deals have begun. Some retailers have already launched early deals on everything from home office computers to gaming PCs to all-in-ones. What’s more, many retailers are offering price protection so you can make your purchase now and rest assured you’ll end up with the best price. We’re already seeing great discounts on gaming PCs and all-in-ones from Best Buy, Dell, HP, Newegg, and more. We’ll continue to track down and highlight the best PC computer deals leading up to and during Black Friday 2024, so check back later if you don’t spot one you like yet. Best early Black Friday gaming desktop PC deals Skytech Chronos, Core i5-12400F/RTX 4060/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $899.99 (14% off on Amazon) Alienware Aurora R16, Core i7-14700F/RTX 4070/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,399.99 (30% off on Dell) Alienware Aurora R16, Core i9-14900KF/RTX 4090/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $2,999.99 (19% off on Dell) Thermaltake LCGS Quartz i460 R4, Core i5-13400F/RTX 4060/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $849.99 (6% off on Amazon) ViprTech Overlord, Ryzen 5 5600X/RTX 4070/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,199.99 (14% off on Walmart) iBuyPower Y40, Ryzen 7 7700/RTX 4070/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,439.00 (10% off on Walmart) Acer Predator Orion 3000, Core i7-13700F/RTX 4070/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,199.99 (29% off on Newegg) The Skytech Chronos that’s $150 off on Amazon is a solid early Black Friday deal for a budget gaming PC. With a Core i5-12400F CPU and RTX 4060 GPU, you’ll get excellent frame rates while gaming at 1080p with the latest AAA games. But then there’s also Dell, who kicked off Black Friday with a pair of excellent deals on its Alienware Aurora R16 gaming desktop models. The first is a strong mid-range build for $600 off and the second is a higher-end build that’s $700 off. Both deals offer very affordable prices for their respective specs, but if I had the cash, the tricked-out build with a Core i9-14900KF CPU and RTX 4090 GPU would be hard to pass up. Best early Black Friday mainstream desktop PC deals Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini, Core i5-13500H/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $509.99 (21% off on Lenovo) HP Slim Desktop, Core i5-14400/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $499.99 (28% off on HP) Dell Inspiron Desktop, Core i7-14700/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $849.99 (23% off on Dell) Apple Mac Mini M2 2023, M2/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $469.00 (22% off on Amazon) Lenovo is offering the IdeaCentre Mini for $140 off on its website during its early Black Friday sale. This mini PC, with an impressively small footprint and great productivity features, is a must-have if desktop space is in short supply and you don’t want to sacrifice performance. Mac fans need not miss out either, as there’s a rare deal on the M2 Mac Mini for $130 off on Amazon. The M2 is still a solid CPU, and considering that the M4 Mac Mini was just announced, it’s the perfect time to buy the older version at a discount. You’re still getting a capable mini desktop, but without the exorbitant price of a new-gen Apple product. Best early Black Friday all-in-one computer deals Dell Inspiron 24 AiO, Ryzen 5 7530U/16GB RAM/1TB SSD/24-inch 1080p touch display, $799.99 (20% off on Dell) Lenovo Yoga AiO 9i, Core i9-13900H/RTX 4050/32GB RAM/1TB SSD/31.5-inch 4K display, $1,999.99 (13% off on Lenovo) Asus Zen AiO 24, Ryzen 7 5825U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 1080p touch display, $789.00 (31% off on Amazon) Apple iMac M3 2023, M3/8GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 5K Retina display, $1,399.00 (18% off on Amazon) I really like the Dell Inspiron 24 AiO deal for $200 off on Dell’s website. It might not look like the most mind-blowing AiO, but don’t let that fool you. Good performance features and a handy touch display make this a standout all-in-one Black Friday sale. Alternatively, the striking Lenovo Yoga AiO 9i is discounted by $300 on Lenovo’s website. This flagship all-in-one PC is outfitted with a dazzling 31.5-inch 4K display and powered by a robust Intel Core i9-13900H CPU. Plus, in case you want to do some moderate gaming, they even throw in a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU as well. That’s a solid price for a powerful AiO config, and it’s definitely worth jumping on. FAQ 1. When is Black Friday? Black Friday 2024 falls on Friday, Nov 29. However, many retailers have already started to offer great discounts on desktop computers. Keep your eyes tuned to PCWorld for the best desktop PC deal alerts. We’ll be covering discounts now through November and on to Cyber Monday, Dec 2. 2. What should I look for in a Black Friday computer deal? When looking to get a new computer, make sure to get at least an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5. Either will provide plenty of processing power for everyday computing tasks. If you don’t intend to do any PC gaming, then feel free to save some money with integrated graphics. But if you are looking to get your game on, we recommend a minimum of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, as these are the least expensive discrete graphics cards that can handle ray tracing well. If you want the latest and greatest, opt for one of Nvidia’s newer GPUs (RTX 4060, 4070, 4080, or 4090). These are more expensive, but they give you top-of-the-line performance, especially the RTX 4080 and 4090 cards. As for RAM, shoot for a minimum of 16GB for gaming and ideally 32GB for content creation (e.g., video editing and rendering tasks). But for general-purpose web browsing and office tasks, 8GB of RAM should suffice. Storage size depends on your personal needs, but it’s generally good to opt for an SSD over a standard HDD as they’re much faster and don’t significantly affect the price of a desktop PC. A good starting place for most desktop PCs is 512GB of SSD storage, but if you have large files to store (such as videos or games), then you should go for at least 1TB of capacity. Additionally, if you intend to go for an all-in-one with an integrated display, look for a screen with a minimum resolution of 1080p. 3. What are good websites to find Black Friday computer deals? There are tons of sites that sell computers on Black Friday, but scouring through all of them would take you a lot of time. That’s why we do it for you here and highlight the best deals we find. Even so, you need to be smart about where you look at any given time of the year. During holiday shopping times like Black Friday, your best bet is to check first-party vendor websites. These include the retail storefronts of popular computer manufacturers such as HP, Dell, and Lenovo. However, if you can’t find anything you like there, then you can expand your search to reputable third-party retailers such as Amazon, Adorama, Walmart, Best Buy, and Newegg. Oftentimes these websites offer limited “Deal of the Day” or “Flash Deal” type sales in hopes of getting rid of excess stock. On the upside, you can score still-decent PCs at a steep discount if you time it right. Read...

It might seem early, but VPN deals have already begun for Black Friday — and these early deals from VPN providers look to be among the best ever. What’s more, you can make your purchase now and rest assured you’re getting the best price. Most VPN services start their discounts early and run the same deals through the entirety of the holiday season. We’re already seeing some great discounts on our Editors’ Choice picks, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, and more. We’ll continue to track down and highlight the best VPN deals on offer leading up to and during Black Friday 2024. Best early Black Friday VPN deals ExpressVPN, $4.99 per month for 24 months + 6 free months (61% off at ExpressVPN) Surfshark VPN, $2.49 per month for 24 months + 4 free months (86% off at Surfshark) NordVPN, $4.49 per month for 24 months + 3 free months (70% off at NordVPN) Private Internet Access, $2.03 per month for 36 months + 3 free months (83% off at PIA) Proton VPN, $2.99 per month for 12 months (70% off at ProtonVPN) PrivadoVPN, $1.99 per month for 24 months + 3 free months (82% off at Privado VPN) IPVanish VPN, $2.19 per month for 24 months (83% off at IPVanish) Our Editors’ Choice and top overall VPN pick, ExpressVPN is offering a great deal on its long-term 2-year plan for $4.99 per month (61 percent off). The real kicker, though, is the extremely generous six extra months thrown in for new subscribers. That means not only are you getting the best VPN on the market at a steep discount, but you’ll also enjoy the service for an additional half of a year without paying an extra cent. Surfshark is another of our top picks here at PCWorld, and this one’s on sale for just $2.49 per month for two years (86 percent off). They also provide an additional four extra months for free when you sign up. Alternatively, you could opt for the NordVPN deal that’s currently $4.49 per month for two years (70 percent off). Both services come with a stacked line-up of privacy and security features. Personally, I think the Surfshark deal is a bit better — it comes with fewer features and the speeds are just a tad slower, but the price can’t be beat. FAQ 1. When is Black Friday? This year, Black Friday falls on Friday, Nov 29. However, many services have already started offering great discounts on VPNs. Keep your eyes tuned to PCWorld for the best VPN deal alerts. We’ll be covering discounts now through November and on to Cyber Monday, Dec 2. 2. What is a VPN? A VPN creates a secure tunnel between your PC and the internet. You connect to a VPN server, which can be located in the United States or a foreign country (like France or Japan). Your web traffic then goes through that server to make it appear as though you’re browsing from that server’s location and not from your actual location. When you’re using a VPN, it’s difficult for others to snoop on your web-browsing activity. Only you, the VPN service, and the website you’re visiting will know what you’re up to.  A VPN can be a great solution to a variety of concerns, such as online privacy, anonymity, greater security on public Wi-Fi, and, of course, spoofing locations. 3. What should I look for in a Black Friday VPN deal? There are a few things you should keep in mind when shopping for a good VPN deal. The first thing to consider is, of course, your budget. How much are you willing to spend each month? How much can you afford to drop on a longer-term plan with an upfront payment? You’ll also need to determine how long you intend to use the VPN. Do you just need it for a short trip? A few months? Or forever? The very best VPN deals are generally on longer-term plans for 2 or 3 years. After you decide on your budget and how long you’ll use the VPN, next you can start comparing features. Look at the number of servers and locations for each VPN. A good starting point is to look for services that have at least 1,000 servers and 30 or more country locations. The next thing to consider is VPN speed. This may be tricky to do since you aren’t likely to be able to test connection speeds without first paying to use the service. Reading reviews online will give you a general estimate. Look for reviews, like ours, that give you a relative average of connection speeds rather than direct Mbps speed comparisons for a more accurate picture. Finally, compare each VPN’s privacy protections. Does it have a no-logs policy? Has it undergone any independent audits of its servers? Where is the VPN company located? All of these are critical and you’ll want to go with a VPN that has clear and transparent data collection policies. Read...

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