Chromebooks work exceptionally well straight out of the box. With an easy setup process and an operating system that just works, they’re perfect for less techy folk. But Chromebooks are also great for more experienced users like myself. In fact, I personally made the switch from a Windows PC to a Chromebook and haven’t looked back. While ChromeOS may not be as customizable as Linux or even Windows, it offers plenty of power if you know what to do. After tweaking some of the more basic settings, here are the next steps you should take if you want to level up your Chromebook skills and do more with less. Learn all the useful keyboard shortcuts Dave Parrack / Foundry Honestly, if there’s only one thing you do to enhance your productivity, let it be this: memorize as many keyboard shortcuts as you can and train yourself to use them every day. Keyboard shortcuts offer the most bang for your buck, and that’s true whether you’re on a Chromebook or otherwise. It’s extremely inefficient to move your hand from keyboard to mouse, then move the cursor to where it needs to go, to press buttons and navigate menus. Why bother when you can often do it all with a single keystroke? And that inefficiency really adds up over the course of a day. You can view a list of all possible keyboard shortcuts in ChromeOS by using the Ctrl + Search + S keyboard shortcut. Alternatively, use your mouse to navigate to Settings > Device > Keyboard and inputs > View keyboard shortcuts. (See how much faster it is to just use the keyboard shortcut?!) What’s nice is that you can even customize some of these keystroke combinations, which is useful for frequently used actions. Pin oft-used apps to your shelf Dave Parrack / Foundry While pinning apps to your Chromebook shelf is a basic feature, a lot of regular users seem to skip this step for some reason. If you find yourself launching the same apps over and over—maybe even on a daily basis—then pinning them to the shelf means they’re instantly available without needing to open the launcher and locate the app every time. To pin an app to your Chromebook shelf, open the launcher in the bottom-left of your screen. Find the app you want to pin to your shelf, then right-click on it. Select Pin to shelf to instantly pin it. You can later unpin an app by right-clicking on it in the shelf and selecting Unpin. Use split screen for multitasking windows Dave Parrack / Foundry I don’t blame anyone for using multiple monitors for productivity. Extra screen real estate is a godsend, and it can be hard to be efficient when you’re constantly flipping back and forth between apps. But you don’t need multiple monitors to multitask, especially if you have a larger display with a 1080p or even 4K resolution. Before you shell out for a portable monitor or two, try using ChromeOS’s built-in split screen feature for stacking two windows side by side. To split the screen, you have a few methods you can use: Hover over the Maximize/Restore button in any window to open the window layout menu, where you’ll see options for Split, Partial, Full, and Float. Choose Split to create two equally sized windows. Drag the title bar of any window to either side of the screen, then release the window to snap it to that side and fill that half of the screen. Then select another window to fill the opposide side. Use the Alt + [ keyboard shortcut to snap a window to the left side of the screen. Use Alt + ] to snap to the right side. Organize windows across multiple “desks” Dave Parrack / Foundry You know the saying “out of sight, out of mind”? One way to boost productivity is to keep those distracting apps and windows out of sight, only turning to them when you actually need them. In ChromeOS, you can do this using virtual desktops called “desks,” with each desk housing its own set of windows that don’t appear on other desks. To create an addition desk, tap the Show Windows key on your keyboard. Then, at the top right, click the Add new desk button. You can have up to a total of 8 desks. You can also use the Show Windows key to switch between desks, rename desks, show or hide desks, move tabs or windows between desks, and even combine desks together. You might also want to learn the Shift + Search + 1 through 8 keyboard shortcuts to instantly switch between your various desks, or the Search + [ and Search + ] shortcuts to switch to left or right desks, respectively. Use the search function to find files Dave Parrack / Foundry ChromeOS has a surprisingly capable search feature that makes it easy to find any file, app, shortcut, and more. It’s a shame more people don’t use it. If you’ve ever used the Spotlight search feature on macOS, then you kind of know what I’m talking about. To access the search tool, open the launcher by clicking the Launcher button at the bottom left on the shelf (or tapping the Search key on your keyboard). You’ll see a search bar, which you can click to focus and start typing whatever you want to look for. As you type, ChromeOS will make suggestions while showing matching results sorted into categories (e.g., websites, files, apps, etc.), with the best matches at the top. Click the result that best fits what you were looking for, and you’ll be whisked straight to it. Connect an external keyboard and mouse Dave Parrack / Foundry If you want a fuller desktop-style experience than your Chromebook can offer, consider connecting an external keyboard and mouse. You can do so either via USB or Bluetooth depending on your specific gear and the port availability on your specific Chromebook. Connecting an external keyboard and/or mouse via USB is as simple as plugging them in. Connecting via Bluetooth requires you to enable Bluetooth from the menu in the bottom right, then pairing your devices by following the on-screen instructions. Explore the Crosh terminal Dave Parrack / Foundry Crosh is ChromeOS’s developer shell—a command-line interface that can be used to perform all kinds of tasks. Think Command Prompt in Windows or Terminal in macOS. And while Crosh isn’t something the average user would ever need (or want) to explore, ChromeOS power users should take advantage if they want to do advanced things. To access Crosh, you can use the Ctrl + Alt + T keyboard shortcut. Once open, type help for a list of commands you can use in Crosh. Only use Crosh if you feel the need to delve deeper into ChromeOS, as the majority of users don’t need to do so. Commands that you may want to use include memory_test to see information about your Chromebook’s memory, battery_test [seconds] to check battery health with a battery discharge test, and ping [domain] to run a ping test. Enable the Linux subsystem for more apps Dave Parrack / Foundry If you’ve done everything you can to maximize ChromeOS productivity but still feel limited, and if you’re a techy power user with a tinkerer’s mind, then you might want to enable Linux on your Chromebook. Enabling Linux on ChromeOS (sometimes called Crostini) is an easy way to expand the power of your Chromebook. You basically get a Linux container than runs within ChromeOS, allowing you to run full-blown Linux apps that behave as if they were native ChromeOS apps, all while benefiting from ChromeOS’s usability and battery management. To get started, go to Settings > About ChromeOS. Under the Developers subcategory, navigate to Linux development environment, click on Set up, then follow the on-screen instructions. After setup is complete, you’ll have access to a Linux environment where you can run Linux commands and install Linux apps. Note that since Linux runs in its own environment, you have to manually mark certain files and folders if you want them to be accessible to Linux apps. It’s easy to do, though. Just right-click any file or folder and select Share with Linux. Boom! Maybe consider experimental features Dave Parrack / Foundry In ChromeOS, a “flag” is an experimental setting that hasn’t yet made it into the operating system’s stable release. By tweaking flags, you can essentially test out features that are still in the works. But do so at your own risk because experimental features may cause hardware, software, or security issues, according to Google. To access ChromeOS’s experimental features, open Chrome and type chrome://flags in the address bar. You’ll be taken to a special flags page with all the available flags on your version of ChromeOS, along with a search bar for quickly finding the ones you need. Some flags that can improve your Chromebook performance and productivity include #enable-zero-copy (which allows data to be transferred without extra copies) and #smooth-scrolling (which makes page scrolling smoother). You can also use flags to tweak the look and feel of the Chrome browser itself. Alternatively, you can gain access to even more experimental features by switching to the Beta or Dev releases. The Beta channel is low risk and updated every 4 weeks while the Dev channel is buggier and updated once or twice every week. But I don’t recommend doing this if you’re on a work machine and need long-term stability. Further reading: The best Chromebooks you can buy this year Read...

Several users are now reporting that Google Search has swapped its classic “I’m Feeling Lucky” button for an “AI Mode” button instead. In some cases, the AI Mode button appears to the right of the search bar with the I’m Feeling Lucky button remaining in its usual spot. AI Mode is an experimental feature that offers an AI-generated search experience powered by Google’s Gemini 2.0 language model. Google spokesperson Ashley Thompson told The Verge that the search engine’s AI Mode is currently only visible to a limited number of users in Google’s experimental Labs environment. It’s unclear at this point when—or if—the redesign could become the new standard for Google Search. You can see some examples of the new design in the tweets below: I see this… AI Mode button next to Google Search. pic.twitter.com/zacHHA5AwH— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) May 10, 2025 Read...

Well, it’s official: Apple is finally nixing support for its old Home architecture, meaning those relying on the previous version of Apple’s Home framework have some decisions to make.  In a revision to a support article, Apple says that it will end support for the previous version of its Home app starting in fall 2025, right around the time when iOS 19 is expected to drop, MacRumors reports.  If you don’t update, you face “interruptions with your accessories and automations,” Apple warns. In other words, you’ll lose control of your Apple HomeKit-connected smart devices.  Apple’s move to ditch its old Home app has been a long time in coming. The new Apple Home architecture made its debut back in December 2022, bringing with it the promise of “more reliable and efficient” operation of HomeKit-compatible smart home products.  The new Home architecture also landed with a key change—namely, that you could no longer use an iPad as your “home hub.” Instead, you had to switch either to an Apple TV 4K or a HomePod. That’s a key reason why many Apple Home users never switched to the new Home architecture.  Another reason many Home users hesitated to switch was that the transition to the “new” Home architecture was a rocky one. As soon as the revamped architecture arrived as part of iOS 16.2, Home users began reporting a variety of problems, including frozen home hubs and HomeKit devices stuck in an “Updating status” loop.  Apple ultimately pulled the new Home architecture for retooling, before finally reintroducing it in February 2023 with the release of iOS 16.4. I’ve been using the new architecture since its re-release and haven’t had any serious issues.  Up until now, the new Home architecture has remained optional, meaning that Apple Home users who were either still using an iPad as their home hub or simply leery of making the switch could stick with the old framework.  But as we’re now learning, Apple will pull the plug on the old Apple Home app in the fall, and if you don’t jump ship on the legacy Home architecture, you’ll be locked out of your smart home.  So if you’re still using the old Apple Home app, here’s what you need to do before Apple finally drops support.  Make a home hub decision  Still using your iPad as a home hub? As I previously mentioned, the new Apple Home architecture only allows an Apple TV 4K or a HomePod (either the full-sized HomePod or a HomePod mini) to act as a home hub. That means you’ll need to make some tough decisions.  One option is simply to not use a home hub in your Apple Home setup. You’d still be able to control your HomeKit devices while you’re at home, but without a home hub, you’ll lose out-of-home control, and you also won’t be able to share Apple Home control with others or set up Home automations.  The other option is to cough up for a new home hub device. The cheapest way to go is a HomePod mini, which retails for $99 (discounts are relatively rare, but you can occasionally find one in the $80 ballpark). The full-size HomePod costs a lofty $299 but offers upgraded audio performance.  Meanwhile, a new Apple TV 4K starts at $129 for 64GB of storage, while a $149 model doubles the storage to 128GB while adding an ethernet port.  Update your Apple devices  Next, you’ll need to update your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, HomePod, and Apple Watch to at least iOS 16.2. Any apple devices that aren’t updated to iOS 16.2 or better will lose access to an Apple Home environment that’s using the new architecture.  Also, keep in mind that anyone else who wants access to your Apple Home devices will need to update their devices, too.  Update the Apple Home app  Finally, the moment of truth. Open the Home app, tap the More button in the top-right corner (it’s the small circular one with three dots in the middle), tap Home Settings, then Software Update.  Follow the prompts, and voilà—you’ve updated the Home app, meaning you Apple Home is now running on the new architecture. Congrats, and good luck. Read...

1. USB audio controllers Beacn Fumbling around for the volume key or audio settings on a PC can be a killjoy at times. But what if you could just reach out and turn a knob to control your game volume and game audio settings or to mute or mix your sound wherever it may be coming from — your PC speakers, headset, or your apps? Wouldn’t that be a luxury? USB audio controllers let you do just that without you having to touch your PC keyboard. They’re ideal if you have multiple audio sources on the go for gaming, streaming, chats, or music and you want to manage them. These devices come in a variety of forms, from simple ones with just knobs like the ones from PCPanel, to more sophisticated ones (like the Beacn Mix Create) with color displays and buttons — so there’s a level of functionality to fit all needs. Buy the PC Panel Pro for $99.99 Buy the Beacn Mix Create for $219 2. Customizable keyboard touch bars Corsair The more information you have about your PC’s hardware or the game you’re playing, the more control you ultimately have. A second display or mini touchscreen can be used to display facts and figures or extra screens, but for a more curated experience some gamers have turned to using customizable keyboard touch bars. Corsair’s iCue Nexus is the only product that really fits that description. It’s a 5-inch touchscreen bar that works with Corsair’s iCue software app, on which you can load your own personalized screens, system monitoring stats, and custom commands. You can even control your devices from the screen’s tiny interface, without having to disturb whatever it is you’re doing on your main display. Buy the Corsair icue nexus for $91.97 3. AI Noise Cancelling Mic Adaptors (or digital-to-analog converters) Asus If you’ve got a wired headset that doesn’t have noise cancellation, then you can give it noise cancellation just by fitting one of these adapters to the end. Asus’ ROG Clavis gaming DAC works with any 3.5mm headset and also microphones and mobile devices too. The noise cancellation is performed at the level of the adapter itself, so you don’t have to worry about loading up drivers. Users say the noise cancellation is very good, in that it blocks out most ambient noise in your environment, so that you can enjoy your gaming audio the way it was meant to be listened to. Buy the Asus ROG Clavis gaming DAC for $106.37 4. Macro pads Keebmonkey Some gamers might be familiar with macro pads. These handy devices not only expand the key load at a player’s fingertips, but they also allow players to trigger off macros and other commands faster than they otherwise could on a keyboard. Macro pads come in a variety of sizes and shapes and with different key configurations. One that’s quite popular is the Megalodon Triple Knob Macropad, which has just about everything you’d need for gaming. It sports 16 programmable hot swappable keys and three knobs, as well as RGB backlighting and a tiny LCD screen which shows you which layers you’re in. It’s also made from anodized aluminum, so it has a very solid build that won’t easily break. buy the Megalodon Triple Knob Macropad for $79 4. Swiftpoint gaming mice Swiftpoint Among PC gaming mice, the mice from Swiftpoint stand out in the pack because of their huge array of features. The company’s latest mouse, the Swiftpoint Z2, for example, is the only mouse I’ve reviewed that has different depths of button actuation with haptic feedback, as well as a gyroscope and that also converts into a joystick — yep that’s right, it’s also a joystick! On top of those features, it also has a mini-OLED display. The Z2 is also the most customizable mouse I’ve ever used, with 13 programmable buttons and 20 profiles. They sell out very quickly, so picking one up isn’t always easy. Buy the Swiftpoint Z2 for $199.99 Read...

BNZ chief executive Dan Huggins says it is a solid result in the current economic environment. Read...

Every file and every program leaves traces in your system: It accesses other files, uses Windows resources, makes entries in the registry, and possibly installs additional software. In the best-case scenario, you will only clutter up your Windows if the software’s uninstall routine does not delete all associated files and registry entries. In the worst-case scenario, malware will infect your system or ransomware will encrypt your files. If you want to try out new programs or open unknown files, it is best to do this in a particularly secure environment that is separate from the running system: This is exactly what a sandbox offers. If you open a program in a sandbox, it works as expected, but cannot make any permanent changes to the system or access resources outside its environment — the sandbox prevents this, redirects access, and deletes all activities of the program and itself when you close it. With a sandbox, you can therefore try out new software or install programs from dubious sources with less risk, surf potentially unsafe websites, and keep your system clean. We will show you various ways of setting up and using a suitable sandbox for programs and files under Windows: These range from Windows on-board resources and virtual systems to browsers and programs with their own sandbox function. We describe the Sandboxie-Plus software in particular detail — the simplest and most practical sandbox solution for most users. Further reading: Is a hacker logged into your Google account? Here’s how to tell Sandbox for the browser You probably already use a sandbox: Current browsers such as Chrome and Firefox use this protection technology. They rely on Windows security mechanisms: This has the advantage that they can guarantee a high level of protection without having to use a lot of resources, which could result in websites opening slowly, for example. Like most browsers, Chrome opens each tab in its own isolated process, which can be seen in the Task Manager. All websites are shielded from each other. IDG Each browser tab is opened in its own sandbox. This prevents Chrome and others from automatically downloading programs on a website or running malicious scripts. This process also protects against attacks that are executed via a website without an antivirus program raising the alarm (zero-day exploits). Each tab of the browser runs as an isolated process and has no access to other tabs or the system. It also starts with very limited rights — which is why you usually have to authorize a website’s access to the computer camera, for example. In addition, the separation of the individual tabs should mean that the crash of a website does not paralyze the entire browser, but only the corresponding tab. How and whether the browser sandbox works can be observed in the Windows Task Manager: Under “Processes” you can see that numerous other processes are running under the “Google Chrome” entry — these are the separate sandboxes of the individual tabs. Further reading: How to turn a USB flash drive into a secure login key for your PC You can find out more details by entering the command chrome://sandbox/ in the browser address bar: The tabs here are called “Renderer” — this is the function that displays web pages. Each should also appear in the “Sandbox” column and in the next column with the note “Lockdown.” Like the “Untrusted” entry to the right, this means that this process has very few access rights to the system. IDG Nevertheless, you should always update your browser, as hackers often try to exploit the sandbox via other security vulnerabilities in order to give scripts and programs on a website more access rights. Programs with a built-in sandbox Windows also uses a sandbox for certain programs: Apps from the Microsoft Store — the so-called UWP apps (Universal Windows Platform) — run in an isolated process with reduced rights. This means they can be uninstalled without leaving any residue. In many cases, you must also authorize them to access files or hardware such as the camera or microphone. However, only a few users use UWP apps. The more frequently installed standard programs — the so-called desktop apps — run without a sandbox and rights restrictions. You also give many UWP apps certain rights during installation. You can check what these are before installation on the app page in the Microsoft Store under the entry “This app can” and after installation in the Windows settings under “Privacy > App permissions.” You can revoke these rights there — although this often means that the app no longer functions correctly. Programs from the Microsoft Store run in an isolated environment: However, they often request numerous rights during installation, which undermine this protection.Foundry From version 24H2, Windows 11 also supports a sandbox function for normal programs — Win32 App Isolation. However, manufacturers must incorporate this into their software for the protection to work. Acrobat Reader offers a secure sandbox function for PDF documents: If you receive a PDF as an attachment from an email or an insecure source, you can prevent code contained in the document from being executed or you from being taken to a nefarious website when you click on a link in the PDF. To use the PDF sandbox, go to “Settings > Security (advanced)” in the Reader menu and activate the “Enable protected mode on startup” option. Additional protection is provided by the “Protected view” below, where you can choose whether it should apply to all PDFs or only to those from insecure sources. The Reader then opens the PDF in read-only mode, which means it cannot be filled in and usually cannot be saved or printed. Free special tool Sandboxie-Plus The small open source tool Sandboxie-Plus is ideal for running all suspicious files and programs in isolation. You install it as usual under Windows and can then start the desired content directly in a sandbox container. The complete range of functions of Sandboxie-Plus costs $40 per year: You can pay the programmer directly via Paypal or you can buy a supporter certificate on the website. For use on a home computer, however, the free basic functions, which we present below, are sufficient. With Sandboxie-Plus, programs can be started in an isolated environment: They cannot access the system and can be removed without leaving any residue.Foundry Sandboxie-Plus is available in versions for standard Windows and for Arm Windows. The tool can also be installed as a mobile app on a USB stick. After installation, you will be greeted by a setup wizard where you first select the option “Personal, for non-commercial use” for the free functions. In the next window, you can obtain a so-called evaluation certificate by clicking on the red, underlined text: This allows you to test the software with all functions for 10 days. Otherwise, click on “Next.” For the user interface, you can choose between an expert and a beginner mode as well as a light or dark mode for the display. It is best to accept the default settings and click “Next” again. Finish setting up the software in the last window by clicking on “Finish.” In the following window for the “Global settings,” you do not need to adjust anything and click on “OK.” Running risky programs in Sandboxie-Plus Sandboxie-Plus starts with a two-part interface: At the top you will see the entry for a “DefaultBox.” You can start suspicious programs in this box. In the lower window, the tool logs all actions and settings. The user interface can also be called up by right-clicking on the tool icon in the system tray and selecting “Show / Hide.” To start software safely in a sandbox, click on “Sandbox > Run in sandbox.” Confirm the settings in the next window with “OK.” Another window then appears: Enter the name of the software that you want to start in Sandboxie-Plus and confirm with “OK.” If you do not know the exact name or the tool cannot find a program that matches your input, you can call up the software directly with the Explorer via “Search.” This start procedure is recommended for programs that you have installed but want to start again in the secure environment — for example, your web browser: If you call it up again in the sandbox, you can use it to visit suspicious websites without risk. The program then starts: The corresponding EXE file appears in the top window of Sandboxie-Plus. You can recognize that software is running in the sandbox by two features: Its name in the program window begins and ends with a diamond symbol — for example, if you open the Chrome browser in the sandbox and drag the mouse to its icon in the taskbar, it will say [#] New Tab – Google Chrome [#]. If you move the mouse to the top edge of the program window, a yellow frame appears. There is also a window finder in Sandboxie-Plus under “Sandbox — Is the window in a sandbox?” There, click on the circle in the small program window on the left, hold down the left mouse button and release it in the window of the program whose status you want to check: The answer to the question will then appear in the window finder. Sandboxie-Plus is also entered in the context menu of Windows Explorer: You can then call up the desired program with a right-click and the command “Start Sandboxed.” For example, software that you have just downloaded can be installed in the sandbox by starting the corresponding EXE or installation file with Sandboxie-Plus. It is advisable to run each program and each file in its own sandbox: When starting via Sandboxie-Plus or the context menu, select the entry “Run in a new sandbox” in the next window and then “Standard sandbox.” You can also give each sandbox a meaningful name here. Important programs can be started particularly quickly in Sandboxie-Plus, for example your browser, your email program, or Windows Explorer: Click on an existing sandbox in the top right-hand corner of the tool window. Then select “Start > Standard programs” and then the desired software. Open and check suspicious files Like programs, individual files can also be opened in an isolated sandbox. Sandboxie-Plus starts the default program for this file — for example Word for a DOCX file. If the program crashes, change a setting in Sandboxie-Plus: Open the file in a new sandbox as described. In the window in which you select “Standard Sandbox” as the box type, tick the “Configure advanced options” option at the bottom right. After clicking on “Next,” select “Version 1” for “Virtualization scheme,” click on “Next” several times, and finish with “Finish.” With Sandboxie-Plus, you can tell whether a software really works in the sandbox by the yellow frame around the program window and the hashtags before and after the program name at the top.IDG Important: A program that you start in the sandbox can only read files outside the sandbox and cannot change them. If you open a file within the sandboxed software, it can be changed, but this has no effect on the original file: For example, if you start Outlook in the sandbox and delete an email there, it will still be there when you open Outlook normally. Emails with suspicious attachments can be examined in this way: You open your mail program in the sandbox and open the attachment. If it seems suspicious or comes from an unexpected sender, delete the sandbox and then delete the email in your normal email program without opening it or looking at the attachment. Sandboxie-Plus isolates programs and files by creating separate directories for them: These are located in the program directory “C:\Sandbox\username,” where there is a separate folder for each sandbox. The tool also stores changes made by the isolated program in the registry there. In this way, no traces remain in the system when you delete the corresponding sandbox. You can do this by right-clicking on the desired sandbox in the upper window of Sandboxie-Plus and selecting “Remove sandbox” from the context menu. If you want to keep the sandbox but close the programs running in it, select the “Close all processes” command in the context menu. Alternative: Virtual PC A virtual PC (VPC) is also suitable for starting risky programs or opening suspicious files. Windows includes the Windows Sandbox for this purpose. It is a VPC based on Microsoft’s Hyper-V virtualization software, but is only included in Windows Pro. You also need to install it first: You do this via the Control Panel and “Enable or disable Windows features.” Select the “Windows Sandbox” entry there and restart the computer. You will then find the program as “Windows Sandbox” in the selection of installed apps. After starting, another Windows desktop opens as the user interface of the virtual PC: You operate this as you would your normal system — so you can install and try out programs in the Windows Sandbox. You can copy and paste suspicious files from the main system to the virtual Windows. Since the Windows 11 update 22H2, the VPC also supports a restart that preserves its data and applications. However, this only applies if you only restart the sandbox: If you close the VPC window or restart the main system, the contents of the sandbox will be deleted. If you are using Windows Home, you can use free virtualization programs such as Virtualbox for a VPC. However, the virtual computer needs an operating system — if it is to be Windows, you will need an additional lisence for this. A VPC is largely isolated from the main system and is a secure test environment. Compared to Sandboxie-Plus, however, it is oversized if you only occasionally want to try out unknown programs or open suspicious email attachments: You have to install your own operating system in the VPC, which places correspondingly high demands on your computer’s hardware. This applies on the one hand to CPU performance, but above all to RAM: You should provide at least 4GB of RAM exclusively for the virtual system; more RAM significantly increases the ease of use of the VPC. It is also not ideal for a quick file check: You have to start the VPC like a normal system and wait until the virtual Windows is ready for use. Read...

Worried about the environment and the loss of skills, some people are resisting the rise of AI. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Accomplishes its goal: provides a usable AR workspace XReal glasses are lightweight and comfortable Cons Numerous bugs Subscription cost is a significant investment Our Verdict Sightful’s Spacetop is undoubtedly useful as a massive AR alternative for those who can’t access a number of physical displays. But a number of fixable bugs still soured my experience, capped off by a fairly hefty subscription price. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Sightful Spacetop Bundle Retailer Price Sightful $899 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Sightful’s Spacetop, a gigantic augmented-reality supplemental monitor for your PC, succeeds as a concept. But it still needs some fine-tuning before you’ll be completely happy with it, especially at the price Sightful is charging. So, what is the Sightful Spacetop experience? Imagine looking through a swim mask at the night sky, made up of a regular grid of small stars. Upon this grid floats a small taskbar and various Windows windows, which you can move around and drag, just like a desktop. Spacetop functions as a massive virtual screen that seamlessly replaces your laptop’s monitor. Look up, down, and to the sides, and you can see your windows and apps. There’s a small floating taskbar for in-Spacetop navigation. You can run Teams or Slack in one corner and Outlook in another since it’s all in Windows. Instead of a swim mask, however, you’re using a pair of XReal augmented-reality glasses. Does it work? Absolutely. However, I felt like I was wrestling with the interface as much as using it, which isn’t a strong endorsement. There are workarounds, however. The biggest obstacle to this review, sadly, was probably myself—a product of the pre-PC educational system. Sightful concept art showing what it’s like to use the Spacetop. It’s pretty close to the real thing.Sightful The Spacetop bundle: Out of the box and setup Sightful debuted Spacetop in May of 2023, when it was a quasi-headless laptop with the XReal glasses directly built into the device. Since then, Sightful has retooled the device to run as a subscription-based app on top of a new generation of AI PCs and made the Sightful app Windows native. (Before, the Sightful Spacetop was essentially a Chromebook.) Now, the Sightful Spacetop costs $899, including a pair of $699 XReal Air Ultra 2 AR glasses that serve as the Spacetop display. You’ll need to supply your own AI PC, too. If you fall in love with the Spacetop, you’ll need to pay $200 for a year’s subscription; the bundle already ships with a year’s worth of Spacetop service. That’s a pricey package, in the neighborhood of what Adobe charges per month for Photoshop. At least the glasses are yours to keep, regardless. Sightful asked me to review the Spacetop software rather than write about my experiences with the XReal glasses or the associated laptop. That’s not entirely possible, as it’s a holistic experience. XReal’s XReal Air Ultra 2 AR glasses, sitting on top of the HP laptop Sightful provided for review purposes.Mark Hachman / Foundry Sightful provided me with an HP AIPC laptop with Spacetop already provisioned upon it. Spacetop’s app appears to be just a Windows app, and Sightful’s representatives said that it can be moved from laptop to laptop just like a normal Windows app. However, I was unable to test the setup process myself. (“Customers who purchase the Spacetop Bundle receive a link to create an account and download the software (regular MSI installer), then, following the installation, are required to log in once to activate their license on the laptop,” a Sightful representative said when I asked about setup. “If a customer purchased an optical attachment, they get a link to upload their prescription, and the attachment is shipped together with the XReal glasses to them.” The optical attachments are just prescription inserts. XReal’s glasses don’t allow room for eyeglasses, but you can ask Sightful to serve as a go-between if you need prescription lenses. Prescription single-lens inserts cost $50, while prescription progressive lenses cost $150. As part of this review, I supplied my prescription to Sightful, which installed prescription lenses. (I’m not sure what will happen if your prescription worsens, or if you want to swap them out for progressive lenses.) The Xreal glasses are lightweight and comfortable. Note the prescription inserts.Jennifer Sundberg XReal’s glasses come bundled, and XReal has no connection to Sightful’s Spacetop other than that. Still, the Air Ultra 2 glasses weigh just 83 grams, and that’s absolutely critical on a device you plan to wear for potentially hours. The glasses felt lightweight, comfortable, and open to the side. They also include small audio speakers. That’s comforting in an unfamiliar environment, like a coffee shop, where you’d like to have an awareness of your surroundings. But on a plane or in a hotel room — trusted locations, for which you might buy the Spacetop for working — you might find the gaps to the side a bit distracting. It’s a trade off. Spacetop: AR as a productivity device Plug in the XReal glasses, and you’ll see a duplicate of your laptop’s screen, floating in your vision. You’ll need to launch the Spacetop app to get what you paid for: the AR environment, which extends your view about 180 degrees in all directions. If you were to lie on your back and look up, your AR workspace would be about what you could see in the sky above. XReal’s OLED displays supply 1080p per eye at up to 120Hz, so I didn’t feel like I needed to make any adjustments to the font size or via Windows settings. I could read my Windows apps perfectly well, and any text was legible without needing me to adjust anything. XReal rates XReal Air Ultra 2’s field of view (FOV) at 52 degrees. I tried to reproduce the familiar environment of my desktop: a large landscape display in the center of my desk, with a second portrait display to one side and my laptop just below. Multiple physical monitors confine you to the space they offer. But Windows does offer Windows Snap, which allows you to quickly align windows in various configurations. Spacetop doesn’t provide this feature, so I had to manually adjust various apps and windows until I achieved the desired alignment. The layout appears to be persistent, though, so there’s that. (I’d really like to show you what you can see as you’re using Spacetop, but I can’t really show it off. Screenshots don’t really work, though I’ve included one below. Even trying to share your screen via Zoom displays a pair of screens, as both of the XReal’s displays are projected.) Mark Hachman / Foundry Look up, and the virtual space extends to about your ceiling. On my setup, the “bottom” of the workspace reached the top of my laptop tray in front of me, extending to about 90 degrees to either side. You can adjust the AR display by moving it closer or farther away or tilting it. The little dots that describe the virtual landscape layout don’t always signal how far you can go, but dragging a window to the side will expand the AR space until it can go no further—a bit like adding new tables and charts to an Excel spreadsheet. In the center of your screen perches the Spacetop toolbar, which basically stands as a minimalist representation of your Windows toolbar. You can open and launch apps via a Start-like button to the left, access Windows settings, and more. Unfortunately, it just sits there, plopped in the center of your screen, without any easy way to move it around. That becomes a pain when it accidentally blocks part of your windows, which have to be readjusted to accommodate it. Sightful representatives say that the toolbar is not adjustable; I’d say it needs to be. Spacetop’s toolbar sits plopped in the center of your screen. Yes, you can put windows above and below it, but it seems like it should live somewhere else. Note that the apps menu only pops out when you click on the grid icon, on the left of the toolbar.Mark Hachman / Foundry There’s one more interesting twist: travel mode. Let’s say that you’re waiting for an appointment and need to move into a conference room. When used normally, what you see in the Spacetop environment won’t change orientation if you move about. In travel mode, Spacetop syncs the center of its workspace to the way your laptop is facing, helping you to keep everything in its place. I never really thought about it, but it’s a smart idea which works. If you get “lost,” a small little icon will show you the location of your mouse cursor. . Glitches don’t overwhelm Spacetop, but they are there Spacetop: a gigantic virtual display for your laptop. That’s easy enough to understand. But the road to that experience is bumpier than it needs to be. I really disliked two things about the Spacetop experience. First, the app provides you a window with your laptop’s desktop in case you need to access any files stored there. I was able to move that screen around, like a window, with absolutely no issues at all. But other windows—a collection of Microsoft Edge browser tabs, for example—sometimes would glitch repeatedly and wouldn’t move. I challenge anyone to not have to look at their keyboard while navigating these shortcuts!Mark Hachman / Foundry I think that has to do with being a left-handed user, and possibly that certain elements within the Spacetop environment respected my choice of mouse/taskbar buttons, and others did not. (When I dropped out of the Spacetop environment, the laptop’s trackpad worked as expected for moving apps and windows around.) That drove me mildly insane until I connected a mouse to the laptop. As a left-handed user, I’m not impressed. Second, I’m not sure if I triggered a CTRL LOCK function on the laptop, but the application absolutely refused to allow me to type a URL inside Edge until I tapped the CTRL key a few times. (Typing “O” would bring me to a File “Open” function within File Explorer instead.) I solved my issue by tapping the ESC or CTRL keys until the problem went away. I also encountered a couple of other bugs, including one where the audio would cut out over the XReal speakers unless I adjusted the spatial sound within Windows. In another, a small Favorites window within Edge apparently hooked onto the toolbar and wouldn’t let go. Other popup windows, several of which asked for confirmation, weren’t responsive until I repeatedly tried to interact with them. Not a glitch, just a restriction. Apparently Spacetop is a connected application.Mark Hachman / Foundry But the biggest handicap? Me, unfortunately. What Spacetop instantly exposed was that I’m not the typist I thought I was. I learned typing as sort of a hybrid of two- and multi-fingering, and I work best upon a familiar keyboard. The associated XReal glasses basically block you from looking at your fingers for any reason, so I found that the unfamiliar laptop keyboard caused me to make more errors than usual. I wanted to check my finger placement before I began typing, which the glasses wouldn’t allow me to do. Eventually, I learned to “cheat” by stealing glances down below the glasses to make sure that I wasn’t accidentally tapping the CAPS LOCK key when I was trying to type the characters simply next to it. The issue wasn’t Sightful’s fault. But it still meant that I preferred my traditional laptop keyboard, and I ended up feeling more productive in my everyday work environment. But yes, Sightful’s Spacetop can be used to get work done. I previously tried Meta’s implementation of a virtual workspace within Horizon Worlds, and it just didn’t work; the virtual displays were too “far away” and low-resolution that I couldn’t really see myself getting anything done. Spacetop running on top of the XReal glasses works, and I liked it the more I used it. Is Spacetop better than your home office? Was using the Spacetop comfortable? Surprisingly so, though I grew into it. Originally, I found it easiest to work in quick bursts before I solved some of my pointing issues. As I became more familiar, I worked for longer stretches. I wrote a draft of this review entirely within the Spacetop environment. It was as easy to pull up supplementary documentation in separate windows as it was within a more conventional laptop with multiple monitors. XReal’s glasses provide audio, so I was able to skim a video on the web and jot notes as well. My wife burst out laughing when she took this picture, but at least it’s a little less dorky than the Apple Vision Pro or a Meta headset.Jennifer Sundberg But there’s definitely some element of fatigue. My eyes grew somewhat tired after a while, and I found I needed to take breaks. I also felt some traces of vertigo on a single occasion. I think I solved it by adjusting how much light the XReal glasses let in—from nearly black to nearly transparent— all by tapping a button on the glasses. It also makes Spacetop well-suited for both indoor and outdoor work. Over time, the unfamiliar weight of the glasses caused a slight strain on my neck. All told, I got to the point I would work for about 45 minutes to an hour at a time. I do think my experience improved over time, and I’m not entirely sure why. I didn’t specifically test how long the laptop battery would last, though I noticed it drop from 48 percent to 21 percent in about 45 minutes, as measured by the toolbar battery meter. Most planes now offer power plugs, so I don’t think this will be an issue. I still prefer my trusty desktop setup, though plugging in a USB mouse to the laptop made the Spacetop experience significantly better. On the other hand, certain scenarios throw you into situations where you simply don’t have the luxury of working under your preferred conditions, such as on a plane. I didn’t hop a flight to write this review, but I did simply flip off my screens and use my keyboard drawer as a tray table, writing this review under those conditions. Would I recommend it? If I flew to Asia every week, would I find value in the Spacetop? I think I would. Sure, Windows already offers you options to see “more” than just a single screen’s worth of data, especially via the virtual desktop feature that allows you to slide screens’ worth of data back and forth. I do like the option to keep a few lightly used apps off to the side, however, and Spacetop accomplishes that nicely. Is it all worth $899 plus $200 per year? That’s the real question. For the premium flyer zipping back and forth on a corporate dime, yeah, maybe. But for the average consumer? Probably not. This is a one-trick Apple Vision Pro for the Windows world. A useful trick, yes, but an expensive one. Read...

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Potaka said caulerpa’s impact was `disastrous and catastrophic` on beaches and the health of the whenua, and clearly impacted the wairua of the environment. Read...