Now that Microsoft has launched its Teams Premium service, it's shaking up the free offering for work — and not everyone will be happy. The company is retiring the existing Teams Free version for small business in favor of the similarly-titled Teams (free) on April 12th, and legacy data won't carry over. Your office will have to pay for at least the Teams Essentials plan ($4 per user per month) to preserve chats, meetings, channels and other key info.
As Windows Centralexplains, the new Teams (free) tier will require a new account. Data in the old app, now rebadged as Teams Free (classic), will be deleted. Anything you haven't saved by then will be gone, including shared files you haven't downloaded.
We've asked Microsoft for comment. This won't affect personal use, but it could prove to be a headache for small firms that previously relied on the free Teams to coordinate. They'll either have to start paying or they'll lose access to past discussions, not to mention deal with the headache of recreating their channel setups. This won't necessarily lead customers to switch to alternatives like Slack, particularly if they're heavily invested in Microsoft's ecosystem. It might, however, prompt outfits to reevaluate their plans if they can't justify many paid services.
You didn't have to wait too long to get Razer's largest Blade systems to date. The company has revealed that the new Blade 16 and Blade 18 gaming laptops will be available tomorrow, February 8th. The 16- and 18-inch systems respectively start at $2,700 and $2,900, although the configurations launching this week are strictly high-end models with RTX 4080 or 4090 graphics — you'll have to spend at least $3,600 ($3,800 for the 18-inch model) to get something quickly. The 'entry' variants with RTX 4060 or 4070 GPUs will be available February 22nd.
Each portable has its own set of tricks. The new Blade 16 has a unique dual-mode mini-LED display that can switch between a media-friendly 4K 120Hz picture and a gaming-oriented FHD+ (1,920 x 1,200) 240Hz image. The Blade 18, meanwhile, is a giant desktop replacement with a six-speaker spatial audio setup. Both use 13th-gen Intel Core i9 HX processors, and their RTX 40 series mobile graphics run at full power — a peak 175W for the RTX 4080 and 4090. You won't do much gaming on battery, then, but this could save you from buying a tower PC for demanding games.
Accordingly, Razer is updating its Synapse software to enable CPU overclocking on the Blade 16 and Blade 18. You can modify the core voltage, the maximum wattage for boost power and even the time that boost is allowed to run. Don't expect the results you'd get from overclocking a desktop (you're working within the limits of a laptop chassis), but this may help you squeeze some extra frames per second out of your machine.
OnePlus is finally ready to take the wraps off its first tablet, and it's just different enough that it might be worth considering in a sea of Android slates. The OnePlus Pad revolves around an 11.6-inch display with an unusual 7:5 aspect ratio and a speedy 144Hz refresh rate — this might be your pick if you're a gamer or avid reader. The design also stands out with an easier-to-grip "2.5D" edge and a central camera hump you're less likely to cover with your fingers.
Some technical details aren't available as we write this, but the OnePlus Pad will be reasonably quick thanks to MediaTek's Dimensity 9000 chip and up to 12GB of RAM. Battery life might be healthy, too. The 9,510mAh power pack reportedly offers up to 14.5 hours of video playback, and 67W SuperVOOC fast charging can top up the tablet in 80 minutes. Dolby Atmos, meanwhile, promises cinematic audio.
You won't have to hunt for accessories, either. The OnePlus Pad will ship with a pen (the Stylo) and a magnetic keyboard. The software will be familiar, although there are some appreciated touches if you also have a OnePlus phone. The Pad can easily use a handset as a cellular data hotspot, for instance.
Don't expect to buy one right away. Release dates and pricing for the OnePlus Pad will be available in the "coming weeks," the company says. As such, it's too early to say if this represents a good value compared to the Galaxy Tabs and iPads that dominate the higher-end tablet space.
OnePlus
Not that OnePlus is leaning solely on a tablet. The company has introduced the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, the expected sequel to its 2021 wireless earbuds. They're some of the first earbuds to support Android 13's official spatial audio implementation with compatible content, such as Disney+ and YouTube videos. If you have a OnePlus 11, you can expect Dolby Atmos support with head tracking.
Regardless of how you listen, audio quality is also a focus — complete with an unusual collaboration. OnePlus claims a studio-like sound thanks to dual drivers (with an 11mm woofer and 6mm tweeter) developed with help from Dynaudio, and LHDC 4.0 Bluetooth audio that's close to wired fidelity. And if the usual custom equalizers aren't enough to fine-tune the characteristics, composer Hans Zimmer has created his own EQ, Soundscape, to emphasize the brighter tones and wider soundstages of movie soundtracks. Improved active noise cancellation (particularly for human voices) and lower-latency Bluetooth 5.3 LE are also available, and a 10-minute charge is enough to deliver 10 hours of listening (39 hours total with the case).
The Buds Pro 2 will be available in the US on February 16th for $179 (£179 in the UK). It's evident OnePlus is hoping to match or undercut competing products like the Pixel Buds Pro and second-gen AirPods Pro.
And yes, it wouldn't be a OnePlus announcement without teasing future hardware. The brand is hinting at plans to unveil both its first mechanical keyboard, the OnePlus Featuring Keyboard 81 Pro (a team-up with Keychron. below) and the OnePlus 11 Concept, a still-mysterious prototype phone with "imaginative" design and "industry-first" features. You won't hear more about these in earnest until Mobile World Congress in late February.
Apple's App Store policies require that the Chrome browser on iOS uses the WebKit engine rather than the usual Blink, but that isn't stopping Google from indulging in a "what if" scenario. The Register has noticed that Google recently started work on an experiment that would port Blink to iOS. The project is limited to the stripped-down "content_shell" app rather than Chrome, and the Chromium team working on the effort stresses that it's not a "shippable product." It's only meant to test graphics and input performance, the company says.
In a statement, a Google spokesperson told Engadget the Blink port is only a "prototype" that's part of a larger open source initiative. It won't be available to the public, and the company will "continue to abide" by Apple's rules.
It's not clear why Google wants to test Blink on iOS in the first place, though. If Apple's policies stay firm, Google won't be allowed to release any Blink-based software. Only those experienced enough to compile and run content_shell may get a taste of the experience.
The timing may not be coincidental, though. The US government wants Apple and Google to open up their platforms, giving users ways to install apps that aren't governed by first-party store policies. Rumors have also swirled that Apple may allow third-party app stores on iOS to please European regulators. If Apple ever loosens its approach, Google's head start on porting Blink could help it switch Chrome's web engine relatively quickly.
A change like that could shake up browser competition on iOS. Apple's WebKit requirement theoretically aids security by limiting the avenues for web exploits, but it also gives third-party browsers fewer ways to stand out — they can't use custom engines that might be faster or more feature-laden than Apple's Safari. As on Android or the desktop, an alternative browser would offer more than just a different interface.
You might not have to wait long to see how Microsoft and OpenAI deepen their relationship. Microsoft has confirmed plans for an event tomorrow (invitations were sent out last week) at its Redmond headquarters at 1PM Eastern. The company will only say that chief Satya Nadella will share details on some "exciting projects," but it's expected to show its integration of ChatGPT into Bing and other uses of the conversational AI technology.
The news comes shortly after Google offered a first look at Bard, its take on a ChatGPT-style service.
Cloud gaming libraries normally get larger, but Amazon Luna's appears to be shrinking — for now, at least. 9to5Googlenotes that the paid Luna+ tier will lose 53 games in February. Many of these are older or niche titles you won't necessarily miss, but that does mean losing classics like No More Heroes (gone February 11th) as well as more recent titles like The Medium (February 9th).
We've asked Amazon for comment. In a statement to 9to5Google, a spokesperson said only that Amazon was "refreshing" its content as part of a goal to keep its collection "as fresh as possible."
The issue, as you might guess, is that this isn't an isolated situation. Amazon dropped another 46 games from Luna+ in December, and some of these were from well-known franchises like the Yakuza series. CloudDosagereports the February cull will leave Luna+ with 175 games. That could make it a tough sell if you're willing to pay for variety. Microsoft's Game Pass and Sony's PlayStation Plus Premium are more expensive, but promise access to hundreds of games (if frequently from the back catalog).
The shrinking selection doesn't come at a great time, either. Google shut down Stadia just last month, and that service didn't bleed games. Amazon's platform won't necessarily suffer the same fate, but it's not entering a thriving market — and those rivals that are left sometimes offer perks you won't find with Luna, such as GeForce Now's 240Hz mode.
It's a good time to buy a smartwatch if you're committed to improving your fitness this year. Amazon is selling the 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 8 with a Product Red case and matching Sport Band for $329, or a steep $70 off. That's the best price we've seen for Apple's latest wearable to date, and could make it an easy choice if you're an iPhone user. The latest 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE in Starlight is also discounted to just $219 (normally $249) if you're happy with the essentials.
The Apple Watch Series 8 is a modest update compared to its predecessor, but that still makes it one of the best smartwatches on the market. It's fast with a beautiful display, a wide range of apps and tight integration with the Apple ecosystem. Crash detection can help notify first responders in an emergency, while a temperature sensor can help users tracking their ovulation cycles. This is the smartwatch you want if you're an iPhone owner and value all-round performance.
It's not for everyone. Android users can't even consider it, of course, but you may want a dedicated fitness watch if detailed exercise tracking is vital. You may also want to look at alternatives (including the Apple Watch Ultra) if you want more than a day of battery life with full functionality. For that matter, there's a chance the Apple Watch Series 8 is overkill. If you don't care for an always-on display or advanced health sensors, the second-gen SE offers many of the 8's core features at a considerably lower price.
PC shipments are plunging due to a tough economy and the pandemic recovery, and that's proving to be especially painful for Dell. The company is laying off about five percent of its workforce, or roughly 6,650 employees, to cope with a "challenging global economic environment." Earlier cost reduction measures like an external hiring freeze weren't enough, according to operations chief Jeff Clarke. A market that "continues to erode" requires further action, he says.
The layoffs include organizational changes and "resets," Clarke says. This includes streamlined sales and services, as well as engineering that focuses on "priority offerings." Bloombergnotes the job cuts will bring Dell's employee count to its lowest in six years, and 39,000 below what it had at the start of the pandemic in January 2020.
Dell was one of the major beneficiaries of the pandemic as people rushed to buy PCs for remote work. Now that the boom is over, however, the firm's dependence on computers (approximately 55 percent of its revenue) is becoming a liability — particularly in an economic climate where purchasing power is dropping. Gartner and IDC both estimate that Dell's shipments plunged 16 percent in 2022 compared to the year before, and 37 percent in the last quarter. That's one of the worst declines among major PC vendors, and only Acer fared worse in the fourth quarter with a 41 percent drop.
This is just the latest in a series of layoffs this year, and it comes just months after key rival HP said it would lay off as many as 6,000 workers. Few tech companies have avoided taking a hit in recent months, and even relatively successful brands like Apple are still grappling with falling sales. Simply speaking, Dell might only recover once the industry as a whole has turned a corner.
Don't worry if you're still scrambling to get a streaming media player in time for Super Bowl LVII next week — you can get a very capable device for less than you might pay for drinks and snacks. Amazon is once again selling the Fire TV Stick 4K Max at a record low price of $35. That's $20 below the usual, and an easy choice if you want high-quality live sports on a budget. There are also discounts on the Fire TV Stick Lite (down to $20) and the Fire TV Stick 4K (down to $30).
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is still one of the more powerful streaming dongles you can buy. It can handle 4K HDR in multiple formats (including Dolby Vision and HDR10+) with Dolby Atmos surround, and it's speedy enough for cloud gaming. You can expect access to many apps and services, including sports providers like ESPN. Not surprisingly, it's also well-integrated with Amazon's Alexa ecosystem. You can use the voice-capable remote to control your smart home, and you can even get a live view of your video doorbell while you're watching the big game.
This is still a budget streamer. The 8GB of storage won't be practical for on-device games, and you'll miss out on Fire TV Cube perks like hands-free voice and home theater device integration. You'll also want to look elsewhere if you're heavily invested in a non-Amazon platform — the Apple TV 4K and Google Chromecast are better (if often more expensive) choices for their respective brands' devotees. At $35, though, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is difficult to top in terms of sheer value for money.
Scientists will soon have a spaceborne tool to study environmental changes at a very high resolution, and you won't have long to wait to learn more about it. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is holding a question and answer session today (February 3rd) at 5PM Eastern to discuss NISAR (NASA-ISRO SAR), an Earth-mapping satellite built in tandem with the Indian Space Research Organization. It's not launching from India until early 2024 and is planned to operate for three years, but it includes breakthrough tech that could help understand Earth and cope with natural disasters.
NISAR is the first radar imaging satellite to use dual frequencies (the L and S microwave bands). This will let it systematically map the Earth's crust at an exceptional level of detail — it can detect changes under 1cm (0.4in) across. That will let NISAR observe even subtle nuances of earthquakes, tsunamis and other disasters. It will also help monitor long-term processes, including the crust's evolution, ecosystem disruptions and ice sheet collapses.
See NISAR in @NASAJPL's clean room today at 5pm ET (2200 UTC). Set to launch from India in 2024, it will measure the movement of Earth’s surfaces to provide info on trends that affect global challenges like food security. https://t.co/6Hi8AyIQ1D
Access to data will also play an important role. NISAR offers worldwide coverage every 12 days, making time-based imagery more practical. The mission team hopes to make data readily available to the public in one to two days, but can deliver that data within hours in an emergency. Anyone willing to parse the information can make use of it.
With an estimated $1.5 billion price, NISAR is expected to be the most expensive Earth imaging satellite to date. The investment may be worthwhile, though. The satellite's data could help governments react to and prepare for natural disasters, and improve humanity's understandings of climate change and threats to food security.
