Search

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Microsoft's October Patch Tuesday includes 117 updates and addresses five zero-day vulnerabilities. The updates affect Windows, SQL Server, Microsoft Excel, and Visual Studio, with the Windows updates requiring immediate attention and extensive testing due to their coverage of networking, kernel and core GDI components, and Microsoft Hyper-V. Testing should also focus on printing and internally developed applications for SQL Server. Known issues from previous updates have been resolved, but there are compatibility and security challenges with Windows 11 24H2 that may require application and firmware updates. Microsoft has advised waiting for the next release before serious testing and deployment. Readiness provides an infographic outlining the risks associated with each update. Testing guidance is provided for SQL Server and Windows, with specific recommendations for each product area. Mitigations and workarounds are also offered for identified vulnerabilities. Microsoft released updates for the Chromium browser project, Windows, Microsoft Office, Microsoft SQL Server, and Microsoft development platforms. No updates were published for Adobe Reader, but critical updates for Reader, Acrobat, and a third-party application (CURL) are available. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

According to TP-Link, all routers with Wi-Fi 7 support the Easy-Mesh standard: this allows a mesh Wi-Fi network to be set up even with Wi-Fi routers from different manufacturers. WI-FI 7 ROUTERS FROM ASUS AND NETGEAR Asus' first two Wi-Fi-7 routers, the ROG Rapture GT-BE98 (fave.co/3qxOouy) and RT-BE96U (fave.co/45sGyB6), are aimed primarily at gamers and network professionals who want to benefit from higher Wi-Fi speeds. TP-Link router with Wi-Fi 7 TP-Link announced seven mesh systems and routers with Wi-Fi 7 earlier this year, and two models are already available: The $700 Archer BE900 (fave.co/3QFqQhM) is a quad-band router that can establish four Wi-Fi connections over 6 GHz, twice 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz. In many cases, it also provides faster speeds for Wi-Fi connections than Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 5 because it uses better antennas or more powerful hardware than your current router. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The tiny AMD reference RX 7600 hits much higher temperatures than the other GPUs we tested, but don't be fooled: 75 degrees Celsius is still plenty cool for a graphics card, and in exchange for the higher temps, AMD gives you darn near utterly silent noise levels. Memory and GPU clock speeds are up, stream processor and RT accelerator counts are up, and AI accelerators make their debut as part of AMD's AI push. SPECS AND FEATURES AMD built the Radeon RX 7600 using the same RDNA 3 graphics cores that debuted in the flagship 7900-series GPUs (fave. co/3kFEZ0q). Sure, this GPU packs in AMD's second-gen RT accelerator hardware, which shined in the monstrous Radeon RX 7900 XTX, but as you can see in the benchmarks below, it pretty much sucks down here on more affordable hardware, especially without an assist from FSR image upscaling. [Extracted from the article]

We've also chosen benchmarks that show how Nvidia's new DLSS 3 Frame Generation (fave.co/3uTG8nh) can supercharge frame rates and visual smoothness even more by inserting AI-generated frames between every GPU-rendered frame. DEPARTMENTS Finally, Nvidia's 70-class GeForce graphics cards get more than 8GB of memory. The RTX 4070 also supports AV1 encoding, unlike previous-gen GPUs, while its incredible power efficiency let Nvidia make its Founders Edition model nice and tiny. If you want a 4K graphics card around this price range, complete with more memory, consider AMD's last-generation Radeon RX 6800 XT (fave.co/3TpMdBP) or 6900 XT (fave.co/3TpMdBP) instead (or the 6850 XT and 6950 XT variants). [Extracted from the article]

GLO:pcw/01feb23:65n1.jpg GRAPH: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti: Hobbled and wildly overpriced gl This isn't a worst-case test; this is a GPU-bound game running at a GPU-bound resolution to gauge performance when the graphics card is sweating hard. Part of the reason why Nvidia and AMD are keeping prices so high is to move their stockpiled last-gen GPUs now that cryptocurrency has crashed, at carefully managed high prices. If you do more with your GPU than simply play games, or if you consider peak ray-tracing performance a priority, target an Nvidia GPU. Nvidia and AMD's flagships, the GeForce RTX 4090 (fave.co/3O1pryL) and Radeon RX 7900 XTX (fave.co/3kFEZ0q), offer stunning performance gains over their predecessors for similar prices. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

AMD's FSR 2 runs on standard GPU shaders rather than requiring specialized hardware and boosts frame rates by about 30fps on the 7900 duo and the older Radeon RX 6900 XT alike. The design helps AMD keep costs down on both nodes, and no doubt helps the Radeon RX 7900 XTX and XT achieve their more palatable prices. AMD's new RDNA 3-powered $999 Radeon RX 7900 XTX and $899 Radeon 7900 XT finally hit the streets on Tuesday, December 13, primed for battle with Nvidia's monstrous GeForce RTX 4090 (fave.co/3O1pryL). [Extracted from the article]

Nvidia's 40-series flagship chews through futuristic ray-traced games too, propelled by more-advanced 3rd-gen RT cores and a radical new Frame Generation DLSS 3 feature that doubles (or more) frame rates yet again with a heaping helping of AI. DEPARTMENTS Nvidia's $1,599 GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card (fave. co/3DOEuWk) sports a luxury price tag, but you get a truly luxurious gaming experience in return. Nvidia claims the RTX 4090 FE "delivers the highest airflow ever measured in a discrete Nvidia GPU, achieving 15 percent more airflow than an RTX 3090 at the same acoustic level." Each game is tested using its in-game benchmark, sanity checked by Nvidia's FrameView tool (fave. co/3T8Cbpa), at the highest possible graphics presets unless otherwise noted, with VSync, frame rate caps, real-time ray-tracing or DLSS effects, and FreeSync/G-Sync disabled, along with any other vendor-specific technologies like FidelityFX tools or Nvidia Reflex. [Extracted from the article]

Earlier this year, HP doubled down on its so-called "dynamic security" policy, issuing firmware updates for its printers that blocked the use of third-party ink. If you want to be trusted, you have to be trustworthy, and when companies like HP poison the well with anti-consumer restrictions, it teaches people to regard firmware updates with suspicion (or in the case of that one friend of mine, open hostility). [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

PLAY LIST A network audio streamer is designed to serve as a central hub for all your digital audio sources. In other words, I could add the CXN (v2) as an AirPlay endpoint and Chromecast endpoint and create native AirPlay and Chromecast speaker groupings using the CXN (v2) in both. PRICE $1,099 COMPANY Cambridge Audio PHOTO (COLOR): The Cambridge Audio CXN (v2) doesn't have a huge display on its front panel, but it conveys a lot of information in the space afforded to it. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article serves as a guide for library patrons on how to set up Windows 11 Hyper-V virtual machines. It explains that Hyper-V is a hypervisor that enables users to create, run, and manage virtual machines on a physical computer. The article outlines the requirements for setting up a Windows 11 virtual machine, including the necessary Windows edition, CPU, RAM, graphics, and VM generation. It then discusses two methods for creating Hyper-V VMs in Windows 11: using Hyper-V Manager and using Dev Home (Preview). The article concludes by explaining the process of creating VMs using both methods, providing detailed instructions and screenshots for reference. The author also shares their experience using Dev Home and highlights its advantages, while noting its limitations. They express hope for future improvements in the VM creation process. [Extracted from the article]

If you're looking for an ultra-compact, sleek, and great-sounding on-ear headphone then look no further than AKG's Y500 Wireless. There's a trick I noticed while wearing these headphones that I thought I'd pass on for those who find that the Y500 are too snug (or too loose): Pivoting the ear cups up relieved pressure on the top of my head. PHOTO (COLOR): The AKG Y500 headphones have memory foam ear-pads with a perforation pattern that forms a subtle letter Y. [Extracted from the article]

This article serves as a buyer's guide for purchasing PCs for enterprise use. It advises that the decision on which PCs to buy should be based on factors such as buying direct vs. using resellers, technology factors, user considerations, support factors, financial and purchasing considerations, environmental considerations, geographic factors, and finding a reseller in your region. The article also discusses the top PC vendors globally and for business use, as well as the importance of choosing business-class computers with Intel's vPro technology. It explores options beyond standard Windows PCs, such as thin clients and desktop as a service, and highlights the increasing demand for user choice in device selection. The article also provides insights into the use of Macs, Linux PCs, Chromebooks, and iPads in business settings. When choosing a PC supplier, IT departments should consider factors such as the vendor's ability to provide services beyond the initial purchase, financial considerations, environmental considerations, geographic considerations, and finding a reputable reseller. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Gigabyte's motherboard backdoor installs software updates from unsecured web servers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-consumer firmware from companies like HP makes life harder for those of us serving as informal tech support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If you have a Kingston SSD, the lyrics to Coldplay's 'The Scientist' might be hiding in a driver file on your PC right now [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After failing to extract a ransom, hackers have posted firmware keys for dozens of MSI products and hundreds that use Intel Boot Guard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article serves as a guide to the updates for Windows 11, specifically focusing on the most recent version, 23H2. It explains that Microsoft is continuously working on improving Windows 11 by addressing bugs, releasing security patches, and occasionally introducing new features. The article provides a summary of each update, including the release date and a link to Microsoft's announcement. It also offers instructions on how to install updates and directs readers to additional resources for further information. The updates for Windows 11 include the addition of websites to the Recommended section of the Start menu based on browsing history, with the option to remove them. Bug fixes related to the search box tooltip and the disappearance of the search button have also been addressed. Furthermore, there are updates to features like Copilot for Windows, as well as improvements to File Manager, Paint, and other apps. The updates also encompass security enhancements and bug fixes. This document provides comprehensive information about various updates and builds for Windows 11. It covers details about bug fixes, security updates, and new features introduced in each update. The document also highlights known issues and offers recommendations for IT administrators. The updates address a range of issues, including performance improvements, security enhancements, and bug fixes. It is crucial for users to apply these updates to ensure the stability and security of their Windows 11 systems. This document offers valuable information about various Windows 11 builds and updates. It presents release dates, bug fixes, security updates, and known issues for each build. [Extracted from the article]

MSI BIOS firmware and other data was stolen in a recent attack, so the company is asking users to be careful to only download from official sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers helpful tips for preventing malware in universal service bus (USB) thumbdrive from entering the personal computer (PC). Topics covered include buying a personal thrumbdrive to prevent BadUSB firmware-based attacks and not plugging or inserting untrusted USB drive into the computer. Also mentioned are selecting a thumbdrive storage device with hardware encryption and a digitally signed firmware that can only be altered or reprogrammed by the manufacturer.

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Razer says that it is making a firmware update to its 2022 Razer Blade 14 lineup, turning on 40Gbps USB4 ports that were just 10Gbps USB-C ports before. Pluton security technology is also being added. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the embedding of modern Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) binary blob of software into a personal computer's hardware as of 2015. Topics covered include the blob's remote management and monitoring features that pose potential security and privacy threats, and the inability of the free software Coreboot to gain control of PCs with modern Intel processors. Also noted is the use of Intel's Boot Guard by PC makers to help secure UEFI firmware from malware.

The article offers information on how to protect computers from the Shellshock bug. Topics discussed include the use of the Bash shell command line tool in Unix-based systems as a means for attackers to penetrate the system, protective measures such as determining vulnerability of units to Shellshock, applying a firewall, and recompiling Bash with Xcode. Also included are ensuring an updated firmware, and installing the latest security updates especially on Linus and OS X operating systems.

The article discusses ways on how to reset and delete password for Microsoft Windows 8. Topics discussed include the use of a hack or third party tool to reset local accounts, cautions on resetting a password, and need for computer users to temporarily disable Windows 8's Secure Boot and Unified Extensible Firmware Interface features.

Dell security flaw from 2009 affects "hundreds of millions" of PCs: How to fix it DEPARTMENTS First, the bad news: Security researchers recently discovered five high-severity flaws in Dell's firmware update driver - and they've been pushed to customer computers ever since 2009. We strongly recommend visiting Dell's DSA-2021-088 security page (go.pcworld.com/dsup) for full details on the complex steps that are potentially needed to plug the hole (and to witness the truly staggering list of affected Dell computers). [Extracted from the article]

ESET said Tuesday that it has discovered a UEFI firmware vulnerability that can allow an attacker to modify the firmware and execute whatever code they choose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asus also recommends resetting the router to factory default settings and changing the default administrator password. Today Asus is telling owners of its Wi-Fi routers to update their firmware in order to protect against the Cyclops Blink botnet. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of PC Welt Plus is the property of IDG Communications, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)