All articles tagged with #desktop
Google’s Desktop Camera on the Play Store hints at Android being tailored for desktop form factors, showing a simplified, desktop-friendly UI that resembles ChromeOS and signals Google’s push for native desktop utilities, though the app is currently incompatible with most devices.
System76 continues refining its Rust-based COSMIC desktop with Epoch 1 updates for Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS, adding features like rounded window corners for all windows, improved multi-monitor handling, default tab-to-click, audio auto-routing fixes, better icon handling in the Application Library, X11 window activation in the compositor, crash fixes, new Files settings including network path entry in the breadcrumb bar, and 2FA VPN support across COSMIC Settings.
Framework has raised RAM prices for its Desktop and Mainframe systems in response to higher supplier costs, adding about $40 to the 32GB and 64GB options and $460 to the 128GB configuration (new prices: $1,139 for 32GB, $1,639 for 64GB, $2,459 for 128GB). Existing pre-orders will keep the old pricing, and Framework says it will lower RAM prices again when market conditions calm, as RAM costs rise amid AI and data-center demand.
The Anker Nano Charger is a compact, powerful desktop charger with six ports (four USB-C and two USB-A) offering 130W total power, designed to reduce cable clutter and efficiently charge multiple devices simultaneously, though it lacks wireless charging and a display.
The Framework Desktop, despite being less modular than its laptop counterparts, offers a compact, powerful, and customizable small form factor PC suitable for gaming and content creation, with a unique design and no bloatware.
A user attempts to switch from Linux to FreeBSD, highlighting that FreeBSD, a UNIX derivative, offers a robust and easy-to-set-up desktop experience with features like a single package manager, ZFS, and VM support, though it faces some compatibility and refinement challenges compared to Linux.
Spotify has introduced a miniplayer for its desktop app, offering support for music, video, and podcasts. The feature, available for Spotify Premium users, allows for discreet control over content and can be resized to fit user preferences. It operates independently of the main desktop window and is designed to enhance the user experience while working.
Spotify has finally introduced a Miniplayer feature for its desktop app, allowing Premium subscribers to access quick playback controls in a resizable floating window. This long-requested feature enables users to change tracks, select playlists, and adjust volume while using other applications. The Miniplayer, available by clicking a square icon in the lower right corner of the app, offers a square aspect ratio for videos and a minimal bar for less intrusive control. This addition potentially eliminates the need for third-party apps and may eventually extend to free plan users.
Spotify has introduced a new miniplayer for its desktop app, allowing Premium subscribers to switch between video and audio-only formats and resize the player to better fit their desktop layout.
Google Meet is introducing face touch-up filters for its desktop web app, following the feature's initial launch on mobile last year. Users can choose from two filters, subtle and smoothing, to lightly touch up their complexion before meetings. The filters apply light effects such as complexion smoothing, under-eye lightening, and eye whitening, with the option to toggle Portrait touch-up on or off. The feature will be available to paid users on specific plans, and Google is catching up to competitors like Zoom and Microsoft Teams in offering face filters for video conferencing.
The Alienware Aurora R15 Gaming Desktop offers top-notch performance with an AMD Ryzen 7-7700X Processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070Ti, advanced cooling mechanisms, and stunning graphics. Its sleek design and current 22% discount on Amazon make it a compelling choice for gamers seeking a powerful and immersive gaming experience.
A leaked sample of Intel's upcoming Arrow Lake-S Desktop CPU suggests it may feature 24 cores and 24 threads without hyper-threading and AVX-512 support. The exclusion of hyper-threading could be due to the increasing number of cores and the evolving needs of consumer-based PC applications. Additionally, the CPUs may not support AVX-512 instructions, possibly to differentiate client platforms from corporate and server segments. The Arrow Lake-S chips will feature Lion Cove P-Core and Skymont E-Core architecture, with rumored SKUs offering various core/thread configurations. Intel is expected to launch these CPUs for gaming platforms later this year.
Transferring large files between a laptop and desktop can be done using portable storage devices like external SSDs or flash drives with Thunderbolt 3 or 4, USB 3.2 Gen 2, or USB 3.0. Wireless options like Nearby Sharing for Windows PCs and AirDrop for Macs are also available if both devices run the same operating system. However, using cloud storage platforms like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox is recommended to keep files in sync and avoid manual labor and potential syncing issues.
Google has introduced new generative AI features to Chrome for Macs and Windows PCs, including a Tab Organizer, Generative AI themes, and a Help Me Write option. These features are now available with the release of Chrome (M121) and will first be available to users in the US. The Generative AI themes feature allows users to create custom Chrome themes using AI, while the Help Me Write option assists users in writing more efficiently on the web.
Asus has taken over Intel's NUC designs but has confirmed that the NUC Extreme line will not be making a comeback, leaving fans without the option to pair the tiny hardware with full desktop-powered GPUs. The company's alternative for gamers is the ROG NUC, which features high-powered laptop components, but lacks the ability to accommodate full-sized desktop GPUs. The larger size of the NUC Extreme 12 and 13 models, comparable to Mini-ITX cases, may have contributed to the decision to discontinue the line. As a result, enthusiasts seeking maximum PC gaming power in a compact form may need to consider ITX builds as an alternative.