Month: April 2020

Computer manufacturing giant Dell released on Friday a new security tool that detects attacks attempting to modify a computer’s BIOS component.

Named the Dell SafeBIOS Events & Indicators of Attack, the tool works by detecting changes to a Dell computer’s BIOS configuration and raising an alert in companies’ management consoles.

The tool’s purpose is to give system administrators the ability to isolate workstations that may have been compromised, to be set aside for remediation.

The tool is not meant to replace the full capabilities of an endpoint security system (antivirus). Instead, the tool is intended to provide protection against a series of attacks (BIOS attacks) that most antivirus products are not engineered to handle or detect.

“Detection at this level allows organizations to respond to advanced threats quickly and successfully, interrupting the attack chain before it’s able to do more damage,” the company said on Friday.

Dell said the tool will be provided for free to all its enterprise customers. The tool has already been made available for download as part of the Dell Trusted Device solution.

The Dell SafeBIOS Events & Indicators of Attack tool is just the latest Dell security offering the company has made available to its customers in recent weeks. Since the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Dell has offered existing customers flexible endpoint security solutions to help them:

Better secure today’s new working model as quickly as possible with VMware Carbon Black who has eliminated endpoint limits until June 20, 2020.

Pressure test remote work deploymentswith Secureworks’ accelerated vulnerability assessments, and get faster deployment and flexible payment options for Secureworks’ managed detection and response and incident response solutions.

Securely deploy work-from-home deviceswith Dell Technologies who is offering temporary licenses for Dell Encryption until May 15, 2020.

Apparently, having six different variants of the GeForce GT 710 simply isn’t enough for Asus. As spotted by Japanese publication Hermitage Akihabara, Asus has quietly added a new seventh variant to the mix.

The new Asus GeForce GT 710, which goes under the GT710-4H-SL-2GD5 part number, features a friendly, single-slot design with a passive cooling solution and dimensions of 6.57 x 4.13 x 0.74 inches (16.7 x 10.5 x 1.9cm). The GeForce GT 710 doesn’t even require a PCIe 3.0 slot; it’s perfectly happy on a PCIe 2.0 x1 interface, presenting the opportunity to use the graphics card on older motherboards that lack a PCIe 3.0 slot.

Asus’ latest Kepler-powered graphics card is based on the GK208 silicon that comes sporting 192 CUDA cores that clock up to 954 MHz. There’s also 2GB of GDDR5 memory running at 5,012 MHz across a 64-bit memory bus. The GeForce GT 710 isn’t the type of graphics card that you would use to game on. Instead, it’s an affordable option for users that are looking for a upgrade above integrated graphics or want to use multiple monitors simultaneously.

The design of the display outputs is what separates this specific GeForce GT 710 from Asus’ previous models. The GT710-4H-SL-2GD5 comes with four HDMI ports so it can accommodate up to four 4K monitors. 

Originally, Kepler didn’t natively support the HDMI 2.0 standard, which is required to push 4K at 60 Hz over an HDMI port. Through a technique called chroma subsampling, Nvidia was able to let the Kepler-based graphics card output an image at the aforementioned resolution and refresh rate. There are still some caveats though.

The GT710-4H-SL-2GD5 can only do 60 Hz if paired with a single monitor. When two or more monitors are used at the same time, the refresh rate drops down to 30 Hz.

Although not many are left, the GeForce GT 710, which came out in January 2016, is still in circulation. Online retailers typically sell the graphics cards for $50-$100, depending on the brand. 

A 2-in-1 laptop offers the best of both worlds: a good laptop experience for longer working and gaming sessions where a decent keyboard is required, and a tablet, making it great for media viewing, scrolling through social media feeds and touch-screen gaming.

But the best 2-in-1 laptops aren’t quite the same as the best laptops or the best tablets. They’re something in between and finding one that has the best bits of both device types isn’t easy. There are some great devices out there, though.

Whether you need high performance, long battery life, a great display or a combination of everything, here are five of the best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy.

Surface Go

Size: 10-inches

Resolution: 1,800 x 1,200

Battery life: Up to nine hours

The Surface Go is the baby of Microsoft’s Surface line, which means it has the weakest hardware, but also by far the most affordable price. At around $400 for the base version, it comes with a decent Intel Pentium Gold CPU, up to 8GB of RAM, and options for storage that stretch up to 128GB of high-speed SSD space. It’s not breaking records, but it’s an impressively capable little device.

This isn’t going to be a great piece of kit to edit video on and it’s certainly not something you would use for high-end gaming, but it’s a tablet with a full-fat Windows 10 experience (though it ships in S mode, you can change it) offering the full suite of Windows applications and services. You’ll want to pay the $130 extra for the excellent Type Cover keyboard attachment to give you full laptop-like functionality, but that still keeps the price well below that of the Surface Go’s contemporaries.

With optional LTE connectivity, a USB-C port and a detailed display with a great contrast ratio, the Surface Go is a fantastic little 2-in-1 that can works well as both a laptop and a tablet at a very affordable price.

Dell XPS 15 2-in-1

Size: 15-inches

Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080

Battery life: Up to 16 hours

Dell’s iconic XPS laptops are stellar almost across the board, but the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 is easily one of the best convertible laptops in the world. It doesn’t have the latest hardware like some of its smaller siblings, but it has a unique hardware profile which makes it a fantastic option for anyone who wants to work and play on a solid 2-in-1 design.

Packing an eighth-generation Intel Kaby Lake G CPU under the hood, this 2-in-1 combines Intel processing power with AMD graphics for a uniquely versatile machine. That makes it decent at playing entry-level indie titles and older AAA games, as well as being fantastically nippy for web browsing and managing your photo libraries. Combined with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 256GB of super-fast NVMe storage, this 2-in-1 has one of the most capable hardware lineups in this list.

The 1080p screen might be a deal-breaker for some, but you can upgrade it to a 4K panel if you don’t mind sacrificing the excellent battery life, which in ideal circumstances can last well beyond a single workday.

The only real downside with it is the weight. At just over 4.3 pounds, it’s not svelte and you can feel that in tablet mode, but if you need a 2-in-1 that is mostly a laptop and sometimes a tablet, then this 2-in-1 could be for you.

Surface Pro 7

Size: 12-inches

Resolution: 2,736 x 1,824

Battery life: Up to 10.5 hours

The flagship of Microsoft’s Surface line at the start of 2020, the Surface Pro 7 evolved what was already a classic design into something a little more modern and a little more capable. It’s not the most futuristic-looking devices, with somewhat chunky bezels, but that does make it easier to grip in tablet mode, and the overall design of the Pro 7 is excellent, in both build quality and component choice.

Under the hood, you’ll find up to a quad-core 10th-generation Core i7 Intel Ice Lake processor, with 11th-generation Iris Plus graphics. That’s not only a capable, efficient processor but impressively capable GPU too, making this a device that you can work and play on with ease. Esports titles and older AAA games will play just fine on this device, and thanks to its highly pixel-dense display, you can expect your games and work to look fantastic too.

This generation finally added a USB-C port, so alongside more typical USB-A and headphone ports, you’ll find plenty of accessories that you can add to this without needing to break out an adapter.

As with the Surface Go, you’ll want to buy the Type Cover to give this convertible laptop full laptop-functionality, but by making it an extra the Surface Pro stays extremely light when in tablet mode, as just 1.7 pounds.

HP Spectre X360 13

Size: 13-inches

Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080

Battery life: Up to 22 hours

If you want a striking design for your convertible laptop, then the HP Spectre X360 13 is it. Combining angular lines, with a unique color profile and fantastic built quality, this is a 2-in-1 that makes a statement. It stands out from the crowd of black and silver laptops with its subtle gold accents and has powerful, capable hardware under the hood too.

The latest configuration sports a 10th-generation Intel Ice Lake CPU (up to Core i7) with the option of two or four cores, and Intel Iris Pro graphics, making this a professional looking 2-in-1 that is more than capable of doing some Esports gaming in the off-hours. With up to 16GB of memory and up to 2TB of super-fast NMVe storage, the Spectre X360 absolutely zips along, whether in tablet or laptop mode.

At 1080p, the stock screen isn’t the most detailed, but there is the option of a 4K AMOLED panel which looks fantastic but does eat into battery life, so you’ll need to weigh up that consideration against your budget when it comes to configuring your particular model.

Battery life is excellent whatever hardware you pick though, and you’ll have no trouble making it through a full workday with this laptop. It does get a little toasty, so you may want to consider a laptop cooling pad when using it over extended periods or for intense tasks, but it’s an excellent 2-in-1, no matter what you want to use it for.

Surface Book 2

Size: 13.5 or 15-inches

Resolution: 3,000 x 2,000

Battery life: Up to 17 hours

The original battery life king of 2-in-1s, the Surface Book 2 is a little older than some of the other top 2-in-1s, but it hasn’t fallen far behind and still offers a compelling mix of hardware performance, portability and detail to make it one of the most exciting convertible laptops you can buy today.

Inside it packs an Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU from the seventh and eighth generation and up to 16GB of memory. That’s combined with an optional Nvidia graphics card — either the GTX 1050 or 1060 depending on the physical size you opt for. That makes this 2-in-1 more than capable of handling even midrange games with ease at great frame rates.

This is a stealth gaming 2-in-1 in all but name.

The display is one of the best out there, with a high resolution in the productive and versatile 3:2 aspect ratio — great for browsing websites in both laptop and tablet mode.

But one of the most exciting features of the Surface Book 2 is that its display is entirely detachable. That does mean you sacrifice GPU power and some battery life in tablet mode, but it drops the weight from 3-4 pounds to well under two pounds when in tablet mode. That makes it possible to turn this otherwise powerful and sturdy laptop into a lightweight and portable tablet in seconds.

Windows 10 users have been handed another update blow as a patch from Microsoft can end up bricking your PC. Just recently Windows 10 fans were being warned about an unpatched security vulnerability that affected all versions of the market leading OS. And now once again PC owners are being warned about another issue affecting Windows 10.

This time around the problem is with Microsoft’s new KB4541335 Windows update which has been causing a number of different issues.

Most notably, some Windows 10 users have reported the download has ‘bricked’ their machines – turning them effectively into a makeshift paperweight.

Others have reported of unusually high CPU and memory usage after installing the KB4541335 update.

Elsewhere, some Windows 10 users have also been hit with the infamous ‘Blue Screen of Death’.

Reports of the latest issues affecting Microsoft’s flagship OS were revealed in a post by Komando.

The good news, however, is that KB4541335 is an optional update that you can choose to skip for now.

You can choose to roll back your OS to a more secure build of Windows 10 if you installed the patch in question within the last 10 days.

But before you do that make sure you have backed up your files as you don’t want to lose anything important should an unexpected issue arise.

Here is how to rollback to a previous version of Windows 10

• Go to the Start Menu and click the Settings icon

• Click ‘Update & Security’ and then select the Windows Update tab which can be found on the left-hand side

• You then need to click the View update history option followed by Uninstall updates

• In the Control Panel page find the KB4541335 update to uninstall it. If it isn’t there then that means you haven’t installed the update

The news comes after Windows 10 users were warned about another bug which could not have come at a worse time.

The bug affects those using the Windows 10 May 2019 Update or November 2019 Update and is caused by patch KB4535996.

The reason the bug is so troublesome is that some Windows 10 users have reported it affects the internet connectivity of their PCs.

And in some cases this has prevented work-critical apps such as Office 365 from getting online.

Which, if you’re one of the scores of people working from home right now amid the coronavirus pandemic, would be a particular tricky problem to deal with.

To make matters worse for Windows 10 fans, this issue is more likely to crop up when a PC is connecting or disconnecting from a VPN.

And this is an issue for those working from home as – in many cases – connecting to a private network is necessary to operate outside the office.

Microsoft are reportedly rushing out an April update to fix the Windows 10 issue.

The Samsung Galaxy Fold was touted as a smartphone and tablet in one device, but it wound up not being very good in either mode. The front 4.6-inch display was too tiny, and the even the unfolded 7.3-inch display was smaller than most tablets, including the 7.9-inch iPad mini.

Now comes word that Samsung plans to supersize the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2’s display while slimming down the design. But there’s also some potential bad news for this foldable phone, which means there’s plenty of room for the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 to make some noise.

According to Korean publication ETNews, the Galaxy Fold 2 will open from side to side like the original Galaxy Fold, but the new projected screen size is projected to be “around 8 inches.” That would be the largest display on a phone yet.

The report also cites an industry insider who says that, “Overall, it is similar to the Galaxy Fold, but I know that it is capable of reducing weight.” 

The current Galaxy Fold weighs a whopping 9.5 ounces. To put that in perspective, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra with its 6.9-inch display weighs 7.7 ounces, and that’s a pretty heavy phone. So getting the Galaxy Fold 2 under even 9 ounces would be an accomplishment.

Galaxy Fold 2 Rumor)- Increased external display size- No S-PEN- Around 229g- Martian Green, Astro Blue added(Colors may vary depending on the region to be released)source : https://t.co/YIhxVlUpE0April 13, 2020

The ETNews report says that the Galaxy Fold 2 is on track for an August launch, and that mass production will take place between June and July. The Galaxy Note 20 is expected to be unveiled at the same summer event.

According to a blog post on Naver out of South Korea (via SamMobile), the Galaxy Fold 2 could weigh around 229 grams, which translates to only 8 ounces. But it’s hard to believe that Samsung would shave off 1.5 ounces while making the display that much larger.

Last but not least, the blog post says that the Galaxy Fold 2 will come in Martian Green and Astro Blue, though color options will vary by region.

The bad news is that this leaker says that there will not be an S Pen on the Galaxy Fold 2. This rumored feature would make the Fold 2 more versatile, but it looks like the S Pen will be relegated to the Samsung Galaxy Note 20. The Note 20 is also rumored to feature new S Pen capabilities, owing to its Canvas codename, along with a screen that could surpass 7 inches.

Another leak points to Samsung offering two versions of the Galaxy Note 20. One would be the Galaxy Note 20 and the other a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra with more advanced cameras.

The jury is still very much out on foldable phones, especially because of their high prices and lingering durability concerns. The Galaxy Fold costs nearly $2,000, and Samsung’s smaller $1,400 Galaxy Z Flip isn’t cheap either. So Samsung will have to find a way to better justify the premium with the Galaxy Fold 2. 

But, overall, the Galaxy Note 20 could mind up exciting more people, because it should be the more accessible of the two flagship phones.