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Commentary: Microsoft wants everything to be an Xbox. How about Windows gaming handhelds?

Anker released these items today so you can be among the first to get your hands on one -- and save $10 in the process.

Xgimi rises into CES 2025 with a clever ascending screen with a built-in soundbar.

Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections No. 577 for Wednesday, Jan. 8.

Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1,299 for Wednesday, Jan. 8.

Amazon and Best Buy have this top-rated tablet on sale for just $279 -- the same price we saw during recent holiday sales.

Blue Origin hopes New Glenn, named for space legend John Glenn, will make it safely to orbit for the inaugural test flight of a rocket that could rival those in Elon Musk's SpaceX fleet.

Forget going to the doctor's office; these companies are putting the power of tracking every aspect of your health into our own hands. But do you really want to know?

Florida federal judge Aileen Cannon ordered the Justice Department not to share Jack Smith's final report until a federal appeals court resolves the legal fight.

(Image credit: Drew Angerer)

It can read both micro and full-size cards and boasts transfer speeds of up to 5Gbps. And right now, Amazon Prime members can pick it up for $9 off.

The latest iteration of Apple's famous AirPods brings new features and a new design, and now you can get yours for less than you might expect.

• A 2021 T-Mobile data leak exposed millions of customer's data
• Washington State is now suing the telecoms giant
• The suit alleges that T-Mobile failed to protect and notify customers

The US state of Washington is taking legal action against telecommunications giant T-Mobile over consumer protections failures following a 2021 data breach which exposed up to 79 million consumers worldwide, including the social security numbers of almost 184,000 customers in the state.

As part of Washington’s lawsuit, the state claims T-Mobile failed to ‘adequately secure sensitive personal information of more than 2 million Washingtonians’. This failure, the state claims, left those consumers vulnerable to fraud and identity theft.

The suit claims that the breach was ‘entirely avoidable’ and explains T-Mobile had years to fix key vulnerabilities in its cybersecurity systems, and failed to properly address them. A lack of security monitoring meant T-Mobile was unaware of the breach.

T-Mobile customers mislead

The suit alleges T-Mobile deliberately downplayed the severity of the breach to affected consumers, and omitted critical information, which in turn affected customer’s ability to ‘adequately assess their risk of identity theft or fraud’.

The firm sent out texts to affected customers, but failed to include legally required information. Customers who didn’t have their card details or social security numbers compromised were informed of such, but those who did, weren’t given any information about the exposure.

According to the suit, T-Mobile used ‘weak credentials’ and an ‘easily guessable username and password’, and the exposed data appeared for sale on the dark web almost immediately after it was stolen.

T-Mobile has recently agreed to pay an over $15 million penalty to the FCC as part of a settlement deal following a string of high-profile data breaches between 2021 and 2023. The company was also ordered to make significant changes to its cybersecurity infrastructure, and adopt more robust identity and access management frameworks.

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For just $40, the Razer Kishi V2 can transform your phone into an incredible handheld gaming device.

After a couple of years of development, the world's first rollable display laptop, the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable, was finally unveiled at CES 2025 this week.

The laptop, which can transition from a 14-inch landscape display to a 16.7-inch vertical display with a single button press, was first shown off two years ago as a concept device, but has now made the transition to production for 2025.

Powered by the Intel Core Ultra 200V series (up to a Core Ultra 7), the laptop will also feature up to 32GB of LPDDR5x memory and up to 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD storage. As a Lunar Lake-powered laptop, it'll also feature Intel Xe2 graphics, making it a good, lightweight choice for graphic designers who do a lot of work on portrait documents.

Throw in Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, 2x2W Harman/Kardon speakers, and a dual mic array with 5MP IR webcam, and you have more than a niche laptop with a cool gimmick, but a powerful mobile workstation machine for professional users.

That said, the rollable display aspect of the laptop is the show stealer here, and anyone who values a vertical display, like software engineers or business users who work with a lot of documents, are going to be hard-pressed to find another laptop like the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable.

More than a cool form factor, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable is genuinely functional in a way other laptops can't be

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The clamshell laptop form factor is one of those designs that I'd considered a 'solved problem'. If you want a portable computer, this is the best way to design it, with a display that folds down onto the keyboard.

And since the keyboard layout is also a solved problem, laptops are mostly stuck with a landscape orientation, with older 4:3 ratio displays being the tallest they've been able to practically be.

For anyone who needs or wants a vertical orientation for their laptop, you've been out of luck and been forced to rely on portable monitors, which isn't an ideal solution for portability.

With the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable though, you really do have an innovation that addresses this specific need, making it much more functional than a lot of other concept-to-production designs I've seen in laptops over the years (foldable display laptops being a perfect example).

And while dual-screen laptops exist, they're somewhat hampered by the extra peripherals required to make them work, like a wireless keyboard and folding stand to hold them upright. With the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable though, you have everything in one complete unit, meaning you won't have to worry about misplacing anything that you'll need to make everything work.

Of course, one thing that the new laptop introduces that we haven't needed to worry about since we got rid of spinning-disk HDD laptops is the introduction of moving mechanical parts, which can wear out over time.

A rollable display laptop isn't great if the motor that rolls out the display breaks and now you can't roll it up (or down, if you're really unlucky), but by the time that happens, it might be time to upgrade the laptop anyway, and you just might have a whole lot more rollable display laptops on the market to choose from.

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• Nvidia unveils new GeForce RTX 5090, RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5070 graphics cards at CES 2025
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• Lenovo ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 runs on Intel's Core Ultra 9 CPU
• It supports vPro and targets businesses and enterprise customers
• Surprisingly, it includes a powerful Nvidia Geforce RTX 4050 GPU

Lenovo has unveiled the ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6, the latest addition to its ThinkCentre desktop lineup, blending powerful hardware with AI-driven productivity features in a sleek all-in-one design.

The new desktop, which will be released in Q1 2025 with an expected starting price of $2,539, is powered by Intel Core Ultra processors with Intel vPro and comes with up to 64GB of DDR5 memory. For storage you can have up to three M.2 SSDs with a combined capacity of 3TB, and it even allows you to add an external optical disk drive to the setup, a rarity in modern systems.

Visuals are delivered through a 27-inch QHD near-edgeless display with a 120Hz refresh rate, In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology, and 99% sRGB coverage. Audio is supported by dual 5W speakers with Dolby Atmos, there's an integrated 5MP RGBIR camera with an IR radar sensor for enhanced security and AI noise suppression technology.

On-device personal AI capabilities

Graphics performance is bolstered by the option for an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, making the system capable of handling seriously graphically intensive tasks. Connectivity includes a Thunderbolt 4/USB4 port, multiple USB-A and USB-C ports, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, a 3-in-1 card reader, and Intel Ethernet. Wireless options include up to Wi-Fi 7.

The M90a Pro Gen 6 offers on-device personal AI capabilities through Lenovo AI Now, while Lenovo Focus Sound uses AI to direct audio output specifically to the user’s position for added privacy during virtual meetings.

Human Presence Detection 2.0 automatically locks the screen when the user steps away, and additional security features include BIOS-based Smart USB protection, Intel Context Sensing Technology, and a dTPM 2.0 chip.

Designed for comfort and durability, the M90a Pro Gen 6 features a full-function ergonomic stand, Eyesafe-certified low blue light technology, and IP55-rated water and dust resistance. Lenovo also offers Premier Support Plus and CO2 Offset Services, allowing users to access premium support options while contributing to environmental sustainability.

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• Nvidia’s Reflex 2 reveal packed a nugget of info about the RTX 5090
• Team Green shared that the flagship GPU can run Valorant at 800+ fps
• The graphics card does this with an input lag of under 3ms, too

Among Nvidia’s cluster of CES 2025 revelations, including new RTX 5000 graphics cards, there were several nuggets that hugged the GPU ground, flying under the proverbial radar. One of those was neural texture compression which we discussed earlier (it sounds superb), and another was a quick footnote from Team Green in the unveiling of Reflex 2 – and it shows just how fast the RTX 5090 is in Valorant, a popular esports shooter.

Actually, you might have missed the reveal of Reflex 2 itself, which is the sequel to the original Nvidia Reflex tech that’s designed to reduce input lag (mitigating the lag that DLSS Frame Generation, and now DLSS 4’s Multi Frame Generation, hits the gamer with).

Nvidia explored Reflex 2 at length in a blog post, the gist of which is that it now offers an up to 75% reduction in latency (compared to 50% on average for the predecessor technology). It does this by augmenting the low latency mode with a new ‘frame warp’ feature.

TweakTown noticed that later in this post, Nvidia brings up a couple of examples of the latency reduction achieved with Reflex 2, and one of the games highlighted is Valorant.

Here’s what Nvidia tells us: “In Riot Games’ Valorant, a CPU-bottlenecked game that runs blazingly fast, at 800+ fps on the new GeForce RTX 5090, PC latency averages under 3ms using Reflex 2 Frame Warp – one of the lowest latency figures we’ve measured in a first-person shooter.”

So, in a top-end gaming PC (presumably) with an RTX 5090, the graphics card pushes Valorant over 800 frames per second, and does so with an input latency of under 3ms, which is super-speedy.

Analysis: How high do you need to go?

Isn’t 800 fps a crazy figure? Well, yeah, it is. That’s partly because Valorant is an undemanding game designed for esports and silky frame rates, which even a rusty old PC can make a decent fist of running. Also, super-high frame rates are generally only chased by pro gamers willing to fork out for a ludicrously expensive gaming PC anyway (the RTX 5090 certainly comes laden with an appropriately weighty price tag).

Indeed, 800 fps far exceeds even the best gaming monitor’s refresh rate among existing models – and even outdoes the ridiculous still-to-be-released 750Hz model (Koorui G7) that popped up at CES 2025.

However, when Nvidia says Valorant exceeds 800 fps, that’s a peak frame rate, not an average – and often it will be below the average (by definition). So, it’s not quite as silly as it sounds (but even a peak of 800 fps is still, naturally enough, massive overkill for most folks).

Interestingly, PC gamers have already shown off Valorant running at jaw-dropping frame rates in the past – actually 1,000 fps plus, in spikes – but that’s on The Range (practice map), and we’re assuming Nvidia’s testing was fully in-game here. Furthermore, seemingly a more recent update has made it more difficult to obtain high fps in Valorant, too (for some players, at least as far as we can tell from reports).

At any rate, what you really need for the ultimate in smoothness is for any given game to never drop below an absolute low frame rate of the maximum speed in Hertz of your high refresh rate monitor, in an ideal situation. Again, though, this is pipe dream stuff for all but the wealthiest PC enthusiasts out there.

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• New Dell UltraSharp monitors can reach a 3000:1 contrast ratio thanks to EIPSB tech
• They are the first 4K displays to receive a 5-star eye comfort certification
• I love that there's a TB4 connectivity hub which paves the way for daisychaining

Struggling with eye strain from your desktop monitor? Dell could have the solution to your woes, as its new Dell UltraSharp monitor range marks the launch of the world’s first 4K monitors with a five-star eye comfort certification.

Certified by TÜV Rheinland, this rating means the monitors offer a range of eye wellness features, such as lower blue light emissions. The firm said the monitor series reduces up to 30% more blue light compared to competitor models.

Better still, Dell insists this change doesn’t affect color accuracy, which is a real win-win for users.

What’s in store with the new UltraSharp series?

Ambient light sensors are another key talking point for Dell, as the UltraSharp range now adjusts brightness and color temperatures to match user environments, thereby reducing further eye fatigue.

Meanwhile, new low reflectance capabilities reduce glare, helping improve focus in office settings, according to Dell.

These comfort features come equipped in the new UltraSharp 32 and 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitors, designed specifically for professionals. Dell unveiled the launch of the new monitor ranges ahead of CES 2025.

Both monitors offer what Dell claimed is the “world’s first” enhanced IPS Black technology - providing 47% deeper blacks and an 89% ambient contrast ratio improvement in typical office environments when compared to conventional IPS.

Similarly, the UltraSharp range now boasts a 3,000:1 contrast ratio as well as VESA DisplayHDR and 4K resolution for improved color accuracy and depth.

The tech giant described the new monitor range as the “ultimate productivity powerhouse”, owing to a raft of new integrated features and capabilities.

These include an integrated Thunderbolt 4 connectivity hub, USB-A and C capabilities, and RJ45 ports.

Meanwhile, both monitors include 140W power delivery features via USB-C for compatible PCs in addition to front-facing ports to deliver 15W USB-C charging for phones and various accessories.

Eye comfort monitors are all the rage

The launch of the new UltraSharp range comes amid a sharpened industry focus on improving eye comfort for both casual and professional users.

Ahead of CES 2025, Samsung unveiled the launch of its new ViewFinity S8 monitor, which includes an ‘eye-saver’ mode and flicker-free features to reduce user eye strain.

The TÜV-certified monitor series adjusts color temperatures based on environmental lighting factors to limit fatigue during prolonged use - particularly in office spaces.

LG’s QHD monitors, unveiled in October 2024, also targeted improvements for users in this regard through the inclusion of a Reader Mode aimed at reducing eye fatigue when reading documents.

Similar to Samsung’s latest S8 series, these include a ‘flicker safe mode’ to minimize screen flickering and limit strain.

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• The macOS Dock debuted 25 years ago, becoming an iconic and user-friendly design feature
• Developer James Thomson shaped the Dock’s origins, drawing inspiration from his DragThing app
• The Dock inspired industry-wide innovations, shaping Microsoft’s taskbar and modern desktop interfaces

If you’ve ever used a Mac, you can’t have failed to notice the row of app icons that runs along the bottom of the screen.

As every regular macOS user knows, this is the Dock, a now iconic (although pretty subtle) feature that keeps essential apps at the ready, just a click away, as well as any you want to add - and it’s now officially 25 years old. It’s become a core element that macOS users have come to expect in every new edition of the operating system, and it has an interesting backstory.

The Dock's origin story goes something like this: Back in the late 1990s, Apple was building a new operating system, Mac OS X, to replace its older system, Mac OS 9. One of the standout features was the Dock, which was introduced in Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah. The Dock didn’t always look the way it does now; at first, it was just a row of plain square icons. The polished, glossy design we recognize today came later, thanks to a designer’s prototype, and it was Apple developer James Thomson’s job to turn those ideas into real, working code.

James Thomson is known for creating a popular calculator app called PCalc and he had also previously designed a Mac app called DragThing. This app worked like an early version of the Dock, letting users keep shortcuts to apps and files visible and more easily accessible on their desktops. It was actually his work on DragThing that landed him a job at Apple, where he was asked to help build the Dock.

(Image credit: Shutterstock) From Ireland to iconic

The project, code-named “Überbar,” was top secret. Thomson recalls in musings on his blog about strict measures to keep things under wraps, including rumors that leaked screenshots could be traced back to specific computers.

Thomson lived in Ireland while working for Apple, but Steve Jobs apparently wasn’t thrilled about a key developer being so far from the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California (where Apple still resides today). Jobs insisted that Thomson relocate permanently to the U.S. — or else. Thomson refused and ultimately quit his job before the Mac OS X Dock was completed. Another engineer rewrote it for the final release of Mac OS X.

Even though Thomson didn’t stay at Apple, the experience helped him revive DragThing for Mac OS X, and PCalc continues to thrive today. The Dock, of course, has become a signature feature of macOS, and it’s a testament to how simple, user-friendly design can stand the test of time.

How macOS set the stage for modern interface design

The macOS Dock significantly influenced the design evolution of Microsoft’s taskbar, particularly with the introduction of Windows 7 in 2009. Before this, the Windows taskbar was primarily a space for open program windows and the Start button (which itself turns 31 this year!), but Apple’s Dock demonstrated how combining app shortcuts with live, interactive icons could make using an operating system easier and more intuitive.

Inspired by the Dock’s ability to merge app launching and multitasking, Microsoft revamped the taskbar in Windows 7 to include pinned apps, allowing users to keep frequently used programs accessible at all times - a feature that still exists in Windows 11 today, and is unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon.

For all the (well-documented) failings of Windows 7, this shift not only modernized Windows’ interface but also showcased how innovation by one company can drive user-centric design improvements that everyone in the industry adopts. After all, the interface of virtually every Android phone on the market today is very clearly ‘inspired’ by the original iPhone’s tile-based UI - because it just works.

The macOS Dock’s 25-year journey is a testament to how thoughtful design can leave a lasting mark, not just on its own platform but across the wider tech landscape. From influencing Microsoft’s taskbar to shaping how we interact with our devices daily, the Dock remains an iconic piece of digital history. As technology continues to evolve, I’m excited to see how companies, including Apple, build on these foundations, creating new features that redefine how we interact with our devices and the software on them for years to come.

If you’re interested in learning more about how the Dock was developed, I would really recommend reading James Thomson’s retellings on his blog.

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