CONTENTS AUGUST 2021
COVER STORY
INTEL VS. AMD The battles for CPU supremacy won and lost along the way can tell us a lot about the future of silicon.
WHAT’S NEW NOW HANDS ON WITH MACOS MONTEREY: IMPROVEMENTS ABOUND Apple levels up FaceTime, maps, and privacy, and much more.
INGENUITY MARS HELICOPTER SMASHES RECORDS ON ITS NINTH FLIGHT NASA deemed this the chopper’s most challenging trip yet.
DONATE YOUR VOICE TO HELP THE FUTURE OF SPEECH RECOGNITION All about The Mozilla Common Voice project.
Photo credit: (top image) Apple; (left image)Nasa; (right image) Mozilla
REVIEWS CONSUMER ELECTRONICS Fitbit Luxe Sennheiser CX True Wireless Valve Index VR Kit
HARDWARE Fitbit Luxe
Durabook S14I Mushkin Gamma
SOFTWARE & APPS Chegg Bitdefender Premium VPN
Durabook S14I
Chegg
COMMENTARY CAROL MANGIS
SASCHA SEGAN
First Word: Which CPU Will Reign Supreme?
What the Heck Is Up With OnePlus?
OLIVER RIST READER INPUT
Is DaaS the Killer App for Hybrid Work?
Your Comments
TIPS & HOW TOS HOW TO INSTALL A VPN ON YOUR ROUTER Router VPNs protect any device connecting through them.
THE BEST SHOPPING APPS TO COMPARE PRICES Are you getting a deal when you click ‘add to cart?’
HOW TO MANAGE YOUR GOOGLE PRIVACY SETTINGS Dig into Google’s account dashboard to see what the company knows about you.
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FIRST WORD LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
e’ve been covering personal computing here at PCMag for many years (since 1982, to be exact). And in that time, we’ve witnessed and reported on a lot of technology competition—but very little has rivaled the battle of the chips, between Intel and AMD.
W Which CPU Will Reign Supreme? @cmangis
It’s been a virtual seesaw of CPU superiority between the two makers, with behemoth Intel PRQRSROL]LQJ DW ¿UVW EXW XQGHUGRJ $0' FRPLQJ IURP EHKLQG WR PDNH LW D UHDO ¿JKW ,I FRPSHWLWLRQ drives innovation—and I think there’s little doubt that it does—these two companies should probably thank each other for at least some of the technical gains each has made in the past couple of decades. And the battle is far from over (if it ever actually does end). Our cover-story writer, PCMag Hardware Analyst Tom Brant, has taken on the task of chronicling the epic battle. This wasn’t a simple task—he researched, talked to analysts, and did his own analysis over a period of several months. But the resulting story lays it all out, discussing milestones, reversals of fortune, and how computing might be evolving as a result. carol_mangis@pcmag.com
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CAN CRYPTOCURRENCY REPLACE THE US DOLLAR?
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WHAT’S NEW NOW APPLE
Hands on With macOS Monterey: Improvements Abound Photo credit: Apple
BY EDWARD MENDELSON
T
he public beta of macOS Monterey, released by Apple in early July, doesn’t look surprisingly new. Exceptions include Safari, which gets a dynamically resizing tab bar and other conveniences, and FaceTime, which gets a background-blurring portrait mode and screen-sharing features. $V \RX JHW PRUH IDPLOLDU ZLWK 0RQWHUH\ KRZHYHU \RX¶OO ¿QG LPSURYHPHQWV DQG conveniences everywhere and may wonder how you managed without them.
This is because Apple’s annual updates to the Mac operating system tend to have a regular rhythm. Massive updates arrive on even-numbered years: Big Sur, for example, the 2020 update to macOS that was DOVR WKH ¿UVW YHUVLRQ WKDW UDQ RQ $SSOH 6LOLFRQ hardware. Updates in odd-numbered years, such as Monterey, look more or less like the previous version but come with under-the-hood improvements that may do more for you than dazzling interface changes. By contrast, Microsoft has released few major updates to Windows 10 over the past couple years—though Windows 11, which also recently entered public beta, breaks with that pattern in a major way. As always with beta versions of operating systems, and especially with early betas, you shouldn’t install the Monterey beta on the Mac you use for work. Either install it on a Mac that you don’t absolutely need or don’t install it at all, because things will always go wrong—and Apple makes it extremely hard to downgrade to a previous version, especially on an Apple Silicon Mac. Expert users may want to create a separate volume on their hard disk and install Monterey into it while continuing to use Big Sur on an existing volume, but I strongly recommend against trying this, at least until a later release of the public beta. I’ll divide this preview into Monterey’s visible, in-yourIDFH LPSURYHPHQWV DQG LWV VLJQL¿FDQW KLGGHQ improvements. First, the visible ones. The most technically spectacular feature, called Universal &RQWURO LVQ¶W HQDEOHG LQ WKH ¿UVW EHWD²EXW ZKHQ LW arrives, it will let you drag your cursor to the edge of the screen and then drag it onto an iPad sitting next to it. You can work on your iPad (modifying a photo, for example) and then drag your work back to the Mac. In Apple’s it-just-works tradition, this feature won’t require any setup.
Either install it on a Mac that you don’t absolutely need or don’t install it at all, because things will always go wrong.
VISIBLE NEW FEATURES You can see other visible changes now. For example, when you start up Safari and open a few tabs, you’ll see that the old, familiar tabs now look like buttons, with the current page getting a larger button than the rest, and with a three-dot RYHUÀRZ PHQX WKDW OHDGV WR VKDULQJ ERRNPDUNLQJ DQG RWKHU IHDWXUHV $V \RX visit a few sites, you’ll notice that the toolbar and tab bar change color to be more consistent with the color scheme of the page in the current tab, so you’ll get a black tab bar when you visit washingtonpost.com but a brown tab bar when you visit washingtonacademy.org. As in Google Chrome, you can collect WDEV LQWR WDE JURXSV EXW 6DIDUL¶V LPSOHPHQWDWLRQ LV PRUH HOHJDQW DQG ÀH[LEOH than Chrome’s, because you can save and organize tab groups in Safari’s sidebar. Firefox users need to install an extension to get similar functionality.
A new Quick Note feature works system-wide but is especially useful in Safari. You can use a keyboard shortcut, a screen hot corner, or menu shortcuts to create a note that gets saved to the Notes application. If you’ve selected something on-screen, the selection goes into the Quick Note, and if you’ve selected some text in a page in Safari and added it to a Note, the selection is still highlighted when you return to the same page later. It may not be immediately clear that if you want the highlight to stop appearing on the page, you must delete it from the note, but that gives you an idea of how deeply integrated Quick Note is with the rest of the OS.
Apple’s macOS Montery features a new GoogleEarth-style 3D globe, more fun than useful.
One visually impressive feature is a Google-Earth-style 3D globe in the Maps app, but that’s more fun than useful. What’s really useful in Maps is a 360-degree street view for selected cities, as in Google Maps, which appears in a picture-in-picture window in the corner of the Maps window but can expand to full-screen. Apple’s transit map is clearer than ever and will include what Apple FDOOV ³NH\ EXV URXWHV ´ EXW , GLGQ¶W VHH WKHVH LQ WKH ¿UVW EHWD Apple makes a big deal of improved FaceTime features. A new “spatial audio” IHDWXUH DGGV D VWHUHR H̆HFW ZKHQ PRUH WKDQ RQH SHUVRQ LV RQ WKH FDOO VR WKH caller’s voice seems to emerge from their position in the FaceTime window. And a “wide spectrum” mode lets your mic capture all the sounds in the room, which Apple points out can be useful for music lessons. The Mac version of FaceTime gets the Portrait mode that’s already on iOS, which blurs the background of the picture. FaceTime takes its cue from Zoom by providing a grid view, with each person in a call appearing in a separate tile. A new SharePlay to the Mac feature lets you use your Mac to display content from another device in the same way you can use AirPlay to display content to a TV. Someone at Apple has decided that it’s really good to share, so web content that someone shares with you via Messages is accessible from Safari’s sidebar, and news stories that someone shares with you are clickable in the News app. This same open-handedness extends to movies and TV shows sent over
Messages that appear in your Apple TV app. If you decide that your friends are RYHUVKDULQJ \RX FDQ ¿QH WXQH RU WXUQ R̆ WKLV IHDWXUH LQ 0HVVDJHV¶ 3UHIHUHQFHV in a new Shared with You tab.
One welcome visibility feature makes things less visible when you want to concentrate. A Focus option is similar to Windows 10’s “Focus assist” feature EXW JRHV EH\RQG WKDW LQ VRPH ZD\V ,W HQKDQFHV DQG ¿QH WXQHV WKH H[LVWLQJ ³'R Not Disturb,” blocking text messages and optionally sending a canned reply to any messages that arrive when it’s turned on. Even better, you can set this option on your Mac or iOS device and have it apply to all your other devices. <RX FDQ ¿QH WXQH )RFXV WR DOORZ QRWL¿FDWLRQV IURP FRQWDFWV RU DSSV WKDW \RX GRQ¶W ZDQW WR EORFN DQG WKH 0HVVDJHV DSS ZLOO R̆HU WR OHW \RX PXWH DQ especially active thread that you’re not participating in. $ VPDOO LQWHUIDFH FKDQJH WKDW ZLOO PDNH D ELJ GL̆HUHQFH IRU PDQ\ XVHUV LV D QHZ Passwords tab in System Preferences. Instead of navigating to the Keychain Access app or Safari’s Preferences pane, you get a one-stop list of passwords, complete with optional warnings about compromised or reused passwords. Otherwise, System Preferences seems to have no surprises—or, at least, none jumped out at me. ,I \RX¶YH EHHQ XVLQJ 6KRUWFXWV RQ L26 \RX ZRQ¶W EH VXUSULVHG WR ¿QG WKHP LQ Monterey, with even more power, including easy access to scripting features
formerly available (but more awkwardly) through the Automator app or by writing AppleScript apps, as only expert-level users can do. Shortcuts propagate WR \RXU RWKHU GHYLFHV WKDW VXSSRUW WKHP DQG DIWHU \RX ¿QG WKH 6HWWLQJV PHQX for a shortcut, you can add them to the top-line menu or Services menu. I’m impressed by how easy it is to create a basic Shortcut, but don’t expect the process to be intuitive. You need to spend some time studying Apple’s prebuilt examples. For example, I wanted to create a shortcut that calculated a yearly cost by multiplying the number in the clipboard by 12. If you’ve had no programming experience, you may not realize that you can’t simply display the result of the calculation. You have to create a variable with the result and then navigate a few menus in order to create an alert that displays it. If you have an Apple Silicon Mac, you can use Live Text in photos, a feature pioneered by Google Lens that lets you select text in a photo and send it by a message or, if it’s an address, look it up in Maps. I’m deeply impressed by how fast and accurate Apple’s OCR is, even on distorted images. Monterey makes Apple’s Translate feature available system-wide, so you can select text in an image, right-click, and choose Translate from the pop-up menu. NEW HIDDEN FEATURES Now for a few almost-invisible features. The Mail app enhances privacy by hiding your IP address when a message loads remote content—a common trick used by spammers and advertisers to see whether you opened a message. When you install Monterey, it asks whether you want to enable this feature. If you don’t enable it when installing, you can always switch it on from Mail’s Preferences.
You can now erase all the data on your Mac instantly, including fingerprint data.
When it’s time to sell your Mac, or if you want to start fresh with a new installation of the OS, the System Preferences app now includes an Erase All Content and Settings option on the top-line menu to erase all your data, LQFOXGLQJ ¿QJHUSULQW GDWD <RX GRQ¶W QHHG WR ERRW XS WR WKH 5HFRYHU\ Environment and erase the disk. Instead, after accepting multiple warnings, you let the System Preferences app wipe your data instantly. It performs this trick by irreversibly clearing a hidden decryption password that macOS applies by default to your disk, so that when the password is cleared, no one can read the data on your disk. Windows 10 has always had a similarly Reset with Remove Everything option among its Settings, but the new Mac option works instantly. HOW RELIABLE IS THE BETA? /LNH DOO RI $SSOH¶V ¿UVW SXEOLF EHWDV LW¶V QRW UHOLDEOH HQRXJK WR XVH RQ \RXU workhorse machine. For me, almost everything worked quickly and smoothly except for one crash in the Shortcuts app when I was trying to create a new shortcut. I’ve created about a dozen Applescript-based apps over the years, and I use the freeware Wineskin Winery app to run Windows apps on a Mac. Almost everything worked perfectly out of the box. Monterey warned me that I will need to rewrite an app that used the Python programming language, because Apple will exclude it from a future macOS version—but this was only a warning, DQG WKH DSS UDQ SHUIHFWO\ DIWHU WKH ¿UVW WLPH WKH ZDUQLQJ DSSHDUHG One app that I’m working on, which runs a Windows-based self-contained Flash applet (the kind that still runs even in operating systems without support
for Flash in browsers or the Flash Player) under the Wine emulator, crashed in WKH EHWD EXW WKDW PD\ EH D ¿[DEOH EXJ LQ 0RQWHUH\ /DVW \HDU ZKHQ , UHSRUWHG VLPLODUO\ REVFXUH EXJV WKH\ DOO JRW ¿[HG D FRXSOH RI EHWDV ODWHU HYHQ WKRXJK , may have been the only developer who encountered them.
Photo credit: Apple
A MORE SECURE, MORE CONVENIENT MACOS The security and convenience features that Apple built into Monterey are impressive, and we at PCMag.com expect to recommend the upgrade to HYHU\RQH ZLWK D FRPSDWLEOH 0DF²EXW ZH WKLQN \RX RXJKW WR KROG R̆ RQ WKH XSJUDGH XQWLO DW OHDVW WKH ¿UVW RU VHFRQG SRLQW UHOHDVH ZKHQ $SSOH ZLOO KDYH ironed out the inevitable bugs and third-party vendors will have updated their apps. If you’re already living and working in Apple’s universe, macOS Monterey ZLOO RQO\ FRQ¿UP \RXU FKRLFH
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WHAT’S NEW NOW SPACE
Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Smashes Records on Its Ninth Flight BY STEPHANIE MLOT
Photo credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
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Ingenuity made the harrowing trip without a hitch, collecting closeup images of the nearby Séítah terrain.
WHAT’S NEW NOW VOICE TECHNOLOGY
Your Voice Can Help Shape the Future of Speech Recognition
Photo credit: Mozilla
BY S.C. STUART
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The project is part of the Mozilla Foundation’s larger mission to ensure the internet is a global public resource.
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Mozilla Executive Director Mark Surman
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The further $3.4 million in financial support...will go toward developing support for native African languages.
Chenai Chair, Special Advisor for Africa Innovation at Mozilla
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Oliver Ris
COMMENTARY
Is DaaS the Killer App for Hybrid Work? It seems that hybrid work, the “new normal,” might be pushing desktop as a service (DaaS) into the rank of front-and-center business tool, up from the minor curiosity it was only two years ago. That notion is due to some sudden and formidable market movement, most recently from Microsoft. Microsoft has had a virtual desktop service for a while—Azure Virtual Desktop, formerly called Windows Virtual Desktop. A rumor recently mongered by Mary Jo Foley, the queen of Microsoft leaks, has it that Microsoft will be announcing yet another DaaS development next week during Microsoft’s Inspire virtual conference. The new service will probably be called Cloud PC, and instead of supplanting Azure VD, it’ll be its own product aimed at general businesses and available as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription. Azure VD is designed to let its customers use Azure’s glut of services, not those from Microsoft 365, so there’s room for both. Also, why have one vaguely named platform when you can have two? Microsoft’s not alone. Back in March, another rumor was hawked by The Register. The gist: Alibaba Cloud was already testing a DaaS service
Oliver Rist is the Executive Editor of Business at PCMag. He can be reached at oliver_rist@pcmag. com.
Oliver Ris
of its own, and that the company is looking to make its service available in both Windows and PDF26 ÀDYRUV $QG WKDW¶V DOO VHSDUDWH IURP 'DD6 solutions that already exist, a list that includes not just Microsoft but also Amazon WorkSpaces, Citrix Managed Desktop, and VMware Horizon, to name just a few. SO WHAT’S DAAS, AND WHY IS IT DIFFERENT FROM VDI? The basic concept of DaaS is pretty straightforward. If you’ve explored using virtualization to run Windows on a Mac, then it’s a similar concept, just managed by someone else up in the cloud-o-sphere. For businesses, the tech ¿UVW VWDUWHG LQ WKH GDWD FHQWHU DQG XVHG virtualization servers to push desktops to users. This is called virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). You sit at your desk and log into your desktop just as you would any other networked app, but instead of an app showing up, it’s your whole desktop, complete with all your apps—and you’re already signed into them, too. The idea is that the hardware you need to run VDI on the client side is much cheaper, because you’ll use $250 thin clients instead of $1,000plus PCs and notebooks. IT also has a much easier time managing centralized desktops from a security and patching angle than when they’re GLVWULEXWHG WKURXJKRXW WKH ṘFH ZLWK ; DOZD\V strolling through an airport somewhere. 'DD6 LV MXVW WKH FORXG YHUVLRQ <RX SD\ ; SHU desktop (user) per month, and those users can VLJQ LQWR D IXOO\ FRQ¿JXUHG GHVNWRS WKDW¶V EHLQJ
@OliverPRist
Oliver Ris
VHUYHG DQG PDQDJHG E\ D [ ,7 VWD̆ $QG WKRVH users are logging into their very own desktops, WRR QRW WKH VDPH SUH FRQ¿JXUHG RQHV HYHU\ WLPH <RXU XVHUV ZLOO EH DEOH WR FRQ¿JXUH WKHLU RZQ settings, including text size, wallpaper, and browser shortcuts, and that’ll be persistent every time they log in. DaaS had been a slow adoption prior to the SDQGHPLF EHFDXVH LW R̆HUHG DOO WKH VXSSRVHG EHQH¿WV RI 9', EXW DOO WKH VDPH SUREOHPV WRR and with an even nastier network issue—namely, the interwebs. And just like VDI, its cost isn’t easily discernible. The cost of VDI turned out to be much higher than businesses expected. The idea was to deploy cheap thin clients and then decrease IT manhours by serving up centrally managed VMs to that low-cost hardware. In real life, though, VDI ran into several cost issues, not the least of which was licensing. Vendors such as Microsoft were selling their VDI platforms with a per-user license and then double-dipping by charging another per-user fee for the desktop OS and sometimes the apps, too. The idea of an easier management time for IT didn’t work out either. Turns out, no one told app vendors about VDI, so a lot of mainstream software had trouble working with it. That meant help desk calls increased, and along with that, IT costs. And all that’s before we get into the network issues. VDI vendors consider 100 to just under 200 milliseconds worth of latency to be
Your users will be able to configure their own settings, including text size, wallpaper, and browser shortcuts.
Oliver Ris
‘acceptable’ in a VDI scenario. But if you’ve ever actually tried to work on a desktop that needs 200 milliseconds to respond to your mouse clicks, you’ll remember wondering whether your PC was built by druids. To keep that latency under control, IT folks started serving up VDI from multiple geographic locations so servers could be as close as possible to users. That’s pricey. So that’s a lot of holes in VDI’s bullet-riddled ERG\ :K\ LV 'DD6 JRLQJ WR EH GL̆HUHQW" %HFDXVH the pandemic has made this tech a perfect remote work solution on paper, and vendors want to cash in. That tends to make them smarter. WHY DAAS MIGHT BE THE KILLER APP FOR HYBRID WORK The pandemic has taught IT guys one thing: Managing remote workers at home can be a skullfracturing migraine. There are too many variables IT can’t control, so when users call with problems, it’s next to impossible to help them. 1HWZRUN FRQQHFWLRQV DQG D ELJ EXFNHW RI GL̆HUHQW home network routers are problems made worse by users moving from their work-issued laptops to their personal devices. That opens IT up to an ocean of possible hardware clients they know nothing about. Now tack on all those shadow IT teams that have signed their workers up for apps IT doesn’t even know about, and you’ll understand why your support people are hiding under their blankets all day. Now, picture DaaS. Basically, it’s VDI managed E\ DQ DOZD\V RQ WKLUG SDUW\ ,7 VWD̆ <RX GRQ¶W need to worry about which devices your users are working on as long as they meet a list of basic hardware requirements. Security and access are
The pandemic has made this tech a perfect remote work solution on paper, and vendors want to cash in.
Oliver Ris
handled on the DaaS vendor side and so is the app list — no more shadow IT headaches, because if it’s not on the list of apps in the DaaS catalog, IT isn’t responsible for it. And with vendors like 0LFURVRIW R̆HULQJ 'DD6 ZLWK D SUH VHW DSS license, you can actually hold out hope for VRPHWKLQJ VHPL FRVW H̆HFWLYH WRR Yes, the network is still a problem. You need a fat internet pipe to work DaaS right, and that’s GL̇FXOW WR GHSOR\ DFURVV KRPH XVHUV 7KHQ DJDLQ most broadband connections are fat enough to handle at least one or two DaaS clients, with some VoIP calls and other home tasks thrown in, too. Gaming and video-streaming might be problems, but that’s still a wait-and-see issue, because DaaS vendors are getting smarter about deployment. Again taking Microsoft as an example, the company has more than 60 data centers around the globe, and it’s combining those with edge computing to serve up Azure VD right now. All those locations place Azure VD clients very close to most users, so latency issues are minimized. Vendors are also getting smarter about local caching and bandwidth management. BUT REAL LIFE DOWNSIDES REMAIN So you can expect DaaS to work better than it ever has by year’s end. But will that be enough? There are still several gotchas for which the vendors’ marketing machines haven’t given a clear answer. The big one is security. Sure, all your clients are in one back-end fabric, which means managing endpoint protection and identity management is easier. It’s also more secure from the perspective that the DaaS vendor
You need a fat internet pipe to work DaaS right, and that’s difficult to deploy across home users.
Oliver Ris
can build a blockade laced with virtual barbed wire and Dobermans to keep the bad guys out. But if a bad guy does get in—and experience tells XV WKDW RQH RU PRUH RI WKHP GH¿QLWHO\ ZLOO²ZHOO that’s going to be…bad. Now they have access to the DaaS server, which could mean they’d have access to every client simultaneously. That’s “could,” not necessarily “will,” but depending on your cloud app and storage architecture, they might have your services and data, too. Drop a ransomware scenario on that, and you’ll have CFOs and IT guys taking long baths with their toasters. As with anything even semi-new, the key is going to be going slow and smart. First, you test, then you jump. And that testing needs to start with cost. How much is DaaS going to cost, and I mean down to the nickel, versus how much your standard IT support costs in a permanent new normal? If you’re wondering how much hybrid work is really going to cost, using DaaS is going to have a big impact. Question is, which way? Facing $100+ per user per month is a DaaS probability; then again, it could be a standard remote-access support price, too. So you’ve got to be very smart about why you’re investing that money and make sure you’re getting some ROI above what you’re doing now. The architecture is going to matter, too. Network latency is part of that, and you’d think that’s the DaaS vendor’s issue, but it’s also going to be your problem. The vendors will need to worry about the wild and wooly internet, but that last hop onto your users’ home routers is going to be on you. That needs to be tested, and if someone’s on
Drop a ransomware scenario on that, and you’ll have CFOs and IT guys taking long baths with their toasters.
Oliver Ris
an unacceptably slow connection, you’ll need to ¿JXUH RXW ZK\ DQG ¿[ LW %RWWRP OLQH (YHQ LI WKH DaaS dollar numbers add up, you won’t be able to roll this out whole-hog. One user group at a time will be the name of the game, so for quite a while, you’ll have both DaaS and standard remote work IT problems at the same time. Security? I think that’s simply going to be an ongoing risk as with everything else in the cloud, DQG \RX¶OO HLWKHU WDNH LW RU \RX ZRQ¶W (YHU\ 'DD6 vendor is going to trumpet support for a long list of regulations, so compliance probably won’t be DQ LVVXH %XW \RX¶OO QHHG WR ¿JXUH RXW D WLHUHG protection architecture that keeps not only your clients safe but your data, too; and you won’t be able to do that with all your eggs in a single vendor’s basket. That means more than one cloud and more cost. From where I’m sitting, though, all my naysaying is about solvable problems. VDI is a proven technology, so the foundation for DaaS is sound. (YHU\WKLQJ HOVH LV MXVW D PDWWHU RI WLPH
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Bottom line: Even if the DaaS dollar numbers add up, you won’t be able to roll this out whole-hog.
Sascha Sega
COMMENTARY
What the Heck Is Up With OnePlus?
O
nePlus used to be a bit like Apple. Regimented, focused, and broadly charismatic, the phone maker revealed its devices bit by bit and always controlled its message. But as we’ve been chronicling in recent months, the company’s communications are now all over the place. Some of OnePlus’ recent attempts to broaden its appeal have worked out well. The low-cost Nord line vastly boosted OnePlus sales in the US. (Our review of the Nord N200 5G determined that it’s pretty good.) With the new Nord 2, which won’t be sold here, OnePlus is experimenting with the Mediatek Dimensity 1200 chipset’s customization package, which may provide better performance than similarly priced Qualcomm processors.
But you might not know that OnePlus is developing interesting products, because it’s lost control of its story. After merging some RSHUDWLRQV ZLWK LWV VLVWHU ¿UP 2SSR WKH company delivered a muddy, confusing narrative DERXW KRZ WKRVH FKDQJHV ZLOO D̆HFW SKRQHV IURP ERWK EUDQGV $QG D WUDGHPDUN ¿OLQJ IRU D 2QH3OXV 3DG²SUHVXPDEO\ WKH FRPSDQ\¶V ¿UVW WDEOHW²LV fueling plentiful discussion without a word from OnePlus’ publicity team.
Sascha Segan is the lead mobile analyst for PC Magazine. His commentary has also appeared on Fox News, CNBC, CNN, and various radio stations and newspapers around the world.
Sascha Sega
Now the company also has to contend with an AnandTech story showing that the OnePlus 9 Pro has been throttling popular applications, including Chrome and Twitter, for the sake of heat and battery management. This makes benchmark results a bit out of whack, depending upon which app you’re using to test. Several industry experts—Adam Conway from XDA, Andy Boxall from Digital Trends, and Cam Bunton from PocketLint—have pointed out that this is more a communication issue than a technical one. As the AnandTech story observes, no actual phone users noticed this. There haven’t been complaints that the OnePlus 9 Pro is slow— just the opposite. As Boxall tweeted: “I revisited the OnePlus 9 Pro the other week, and at absolutely no time did I think “ohh, so slow.” I did, however, think “ohh, so fast” at least once, and comment on the excellent battery life.Throttling here is a problem only if you endlessly run benchmark tests.” OnePlus could have gotten out ahead of this inevitable discovery with the message that “OnePlus stops apps from draining your battery for no reason.” Or it could have had a toggle for Extreme mode vs. Optimized mode and defaulted WR 2SWLPL]HG²2QH3OXV IDQV ORYH WKDW VWX̆ Instead, it gave XDA’s Mishaal Rahman a rather VWL̆ UHVSRQVH DERXW KRZ WKH RSWLPL]DWLRQ ³KHOSHG to provide a smooth experience while reducing power consumption.” I can’t help but feel that an earlier OnePlus might even have taken the opportunity to change the
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Sascha Sega
conversation on benchmarking phones entirely. It could point out that synthetic mobile benchmarks haven’t represented the full picture of user experience for quite some time; note that Android LV EHKLQG :LQGRZV LQ R̆HULQJ UHDOLVWLF application-based benchmarks; and say that the 9 3UR R̆HUV D ³EXUGHQOHVV´ UHDO ZRUOG H[SHULHQFH maybe with some charts of web page loading times. But so far, OnePlus is not doing any of those things. :LOO WKLV D̆HFW 2QH3OXV¶ VDOHV" 7KH FRPSDQ\¶V fandom has always been a big part of its success. Keeping up good messaging keeps the fans happy, ZKLFK LQ WXUQ UDLVHV LWV SUR¿OH RYHU FRPSHWLWRUV such as Motorola, TCL, and ZTE. In the hypercompetitive budget mobile market where its Nord phones live, a bit of mystique can go a long way, and its absence could hurt OnePlus’ bottom line. Meanwhile, OnePlus founder Carl Pei is making earbuds under his new Nothing brand name, and trying to recapture the classic OnePlus magic, trickling out a feature or a detail at a time. “Will you cover the price of the new earbuds as a VWDQGDORQH VWRU\"´ KLV 35 WHDP DVNHG PH <HV we did.) That’s old-school OnePlus, stretching out the story to grab news cycle after news cycle. But at the same time—they’re earbuds. I can’t get that excited about earbuds. Do earbuds have fans as SDVVLRQDWH DV SKRQH IDQV" , EHW WKH\ GR ,¶P MXVW not one of them.
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Keeping up good messaging keeps the fans happy, which in turn raises its profile over competitors.
REVIEWS CONSUMER ELECTRONICSW
Fitbit Luxe: Sleek and Stylish BY ANGELA MOSCARITOLO
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Fitbit Luxe PROS Slim, jewelry-inspired design with a metal case. Color touch screen. Tracks heart rate variability. CONS No built-in GPS, altimeter, or NFC. Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring not available at launch. BOTTOM LINE The sleek, styleforward Fitbit Luxe offers all the basics you want from a fitness tracker in a design that looks more like jewelry than gym wear.
Photo credit: Fitbit
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Left to right: Fitbit Luxe, Fitbit Inspire 2, Fitbit Charge 4 (Photos by Angela Moscaritolo)
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In testing, the Luxe accurately measured my speed during a 10-mile ride on the VanMoof X3 electric bike.
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PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION
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AUGUST 2021
REVIEWS CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
Sennheiser CX True Wireless: High-Quality Audio BY TIM GIDEON
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any of the true wireless earphones we test these days are built with noise cancelation or exercise in mind. That’s great, but you typically pay a premium for active noise cancelation or a fully waterproof, J\P IULHQGO\ EXLOG 6HQQHKVLHU¶V &; 7UXH :LUHOHVV HDUSKRQHV WDNH D GL̆HUHQW approach. They lack a wide array of extra features and stick to the basics— namely, audio quality. They support high-quality AAC and AptX Bluetooth
codecs, which is uncommon in this price range, and they let you customize the sound signature via app with adjustable EQ. That makes the Sennheiser CX 7UXH :LUHOHVV HDUSKRQHV DQ H[FHOOHQW DXGLR ¿UVW WUXH wireless option, especially if you’re shopping on a strict budget. SIMPLE BUT STYLISH Available in black or white, the CX True Wireless earpieces look streamlined and simple, with a slightly ER[\ VKDSH WKDW KHOSV SURYLGH D VHFXUH ¿W ZLWKRXW HDU ¿QV 7KH ¿QLVK PD\ ORRN PDWWH EXW LW¶V VOLSSHU\ VR LW¶V HDV\ WR VHQG WKH HDUSLHFHV À\LQJ ZKHQ SODFLQJ WKHP LQ your ears or taking them out of the case. Touch-sensitive outer panels on either earpiece control the various basic functions. A single tap on either controls playback or answers calls, a double tap controls track navigation (left ear for backward, right ear for forward), a triple tap summons your mobile device’s voice assistant, and a long hold adjusts the volume (left ear for down, right ear for up).
Sennheiser CX True Wireless PROS Rich, bass-forward sound with highfrequency definition. Adjustable EQ. Waterresistant build. Excellent battery life. CONS In-canal fit can alter sound signature. EQ could offer more precise control. BOTTOM LINE Sennheiser’s audiophile-friendly CX True Wireless earphones offer good battery life and highquality audio performance for a refreshingly affordable price.
The earpieces have a modest IPX4 rating, which means they can withstand light splashes or misting but VKRXOGQ¶W EH VXEPHUJHG RU ULQVHG R̆ 7KLV LV SDU IRU WKH course for most true wireless pairs that aren’t sportsfocused, and the modest protection should still be enough to handle sweat or light rain. The rating doesn’t apply to the charging case, so don’t get it wet, and make sure earpieces are dry before docking them.
Photo credit: Sennheiser worldwide
7KH FKDUJLQJ FDVH LV VKRUW EXW ZLGH ZLWK D ÀLS WRS OLG and a single status LED on the front panel. The included USB-C-to-USB-A charging cable connects to the USB-C port on the back panel. Four pairs of silicone eartips in various sizes are also included.
Photo credit: Sennheiser worldwide
Sennheiser’s Smart Control app for Android and iOS works with all of the company’s headphones, including the CX True Wireless. Rather than a typical ¿YH EDQG IDGHU EDVHG (4 LW XVHV VOLJKWO\ FRQIXVLQJ DQLPDWHG FXUYHV WR DGMXVW the audio balance. You can switch to a typical fader-based EQ, but both the curves and faders have only three bands (bass, mids, and treble) rather than the PRUH VWDQGDUG ¿YH EDQGV RI VSHFL¿F IUHTXHQF\ UDQJHV 7KH DSS KDV SOHQW\ WR R̆HU EH\RQG (4 LQFOXGLQJ FRQWURO FXVWRPL]DWLRQ sidetone (how much of your own voice you hear during phone calls) adjustment, WRJJOLQJ YRLFH SURPSWV DQG VHWWLQJ DXWR SRZHU R̆ WLPLQJ ,W DOVR SURYLGHV useful readouts, such as which codec you’re currently listening through and KRZ PXFK EDWWHU\ OLIH LV OHIW $QG RI FRXUVH LW OHWV \RX XSGDWH WKH ¿UPZDUH RQ WKH HDUSKRQHV ZLWK WKH DGGHG EHQH¿W RI DFWXDOO\ OLVWLQJ ZKLFK EXJV RU LVVXHV ZHUH ¿[HG The earphones are compatible with Bluetooth 5.2 and support AAC, AptX, and SBC Bluetooth codecs. Sennheiser says the earpieces can last up to 9 hours per charge with about 18 more hours of use in the charging case. These are excellent numbers for true wireless earphones, but your results will vary with your volume levels. CX TRUE WIRELESS PERFORMANCE It’s possible to create a very secure in-canal seal with the earpieces without TXLWH JHWWLQJ WKH EHVW VRXQGLQJ DXGLR , ¿UVW UDQ WKURXJK P\ WHVW VXLWH wondering why the audio sounded so muddy, with overwhelming bass and dulled high-mids. This wasn’t in line with what Sennheiser headphones usually sound like, so I took the earpieces out and put them back in with a stronger
WZLVW 7KDW GLG WKH WULFN UHVXOWLQJ LQ FULVS KLJK PLGV ZKLOH VWLOO R̆HULQJ SOHQW\ RI EDVV GHSWK ,Q FDQDO ¿W LV D WULFN\ WKLQJ DQG HYHU\RQH ZLOO KDYH WKHLU RZQ experience, but if they sound dull, you should try adjusting the earphones physically before playing with the EQ. On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the earphones deliver powerful thump and don’t distort at high, unwise volume levels. At more moderate levels, the bass depth is still strong with reasonably matched high-frequency presence. Bill Callahan’s “Drover,” a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the general sound signature. The drums on this track get some added thunder with strong bass boosting without sounding unnaturally heavy. Callahan’s baritone vocals are rich in the low-mids with a reasonable amount of treble edge to keep things somewhat crisp. This is a bass-forward sound signature, but the vocals, acoustic strums, and higher-register percussion still get plenty of high-mid detail.
Photo credit: Sennheiser worldwide
On Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild,” the kick drum loop gets some added thump from the bass-forward sound signature, along with enough high-mid presence for its attack to retain its punchiness. The vinyl crackle and hiss in the background also move forward a bit in the mix, while the sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with solid depth. There’s plenty
RI FULVSQHVV DQG GH¿QLWLRQ LQ WKH KLJK PLGV DQG KLJKV when the earpieces are properly sealed in your ears. Orchestral tracks, such as the opening scene from John Adams’ “The Gospel According to the Other Mary,” get added bass depth that doesn’t sound muddy. The higher-register brass, strings, and vocals get enough treble presence to retain their place in the spotlight. Again, if the earphones sound less crisp than they VKRXOG WU\ DGMXVWLQJ WKH ¿W EHIRUH DGMXVWLQJ WKH (4 7KH PLF R̆HUV VROLG LQWHOOLJLELOLW\ 8VLQJ WKH 9RLFH Memos app on an iPhone, we could understand every word we recorded. There was some typical Bluetooth distortion in the mix, but the mic’s signal is relatively strong, and on a decent mobile connection, anyone you talk to should be able to hear you clearly. AFFORDABLE AUDIO-FIRST EARPHONES Sennheiser’s CX True Wireless earphones manage to FDUYH RXW D VSRW LQ WKH LQFUHDVLQJO\ FURZGHG ¿HOG RI VXE $150 wire-free models, thanks to strong sound quality, WHUUL¿F EDWWHU\ OLIH DQG KLJK TXDOLW\ %OXHWRRWK FRGHF support. We wish the EQ were a little less simple, but it’s still a big step up from the many models that don’t provide any audio adjustments. In this price range, we’re also fans of the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro HDUSKRQHV ZKLFK R̆HU VXUSULVLQJO\ JRRG DFWLYH noise cancelation, and the JBL True Wireless Flash X earphones ($170), which are fully waterproof and better suited for exercise. If you can spend more, we’re also ELJ IDQV RI 6HQQKHLVHU¶V &; %7 ZKLFK R̆HUV the best true wireless audio quality for the price. For $130, though, the CX True Wireless earphones are a far PRUH D̆RUGDEOH DOWHUQDWLYH IRU DQ\RQH VHHNLQJ WUXH wireless in-ears with a focus on quality audio.
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The higherregister brass, strings, and vocals get enough treble presence to retain their place in the spotlight.
REVIEWS CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
Valve Index VR Kit: Most Impressive VR Headset Yet BY WILL GREENWALD
A
t $999 for the full headset, controllers, and base stations package, the Valve Index is an expensive PC-tethered virtual-reality (VR) system. The headset itself, while capable, doesn’t do much to rise above the competition besides delivering a smoother 120Hz refresh rate. The controllers, WKRXJK ZRZHG XV ZLWK WKHLU LQGLYLGXDO ¿QJHU WUDFNLQJ DQG PXFK PRUH QDWXUDO immersive feel than other VR controllers we’ve tested. They’re the stars of the
show and the reason the Valve Index earns our Editors’ Choice award for tethered VR headsets. (Though if you already have a Vive headset with base stations, you can add the controllers for $279 and save a ton of money.) The standalone Oculus Quest 2, another Editors’ Choice SLFN LV D PXFK PRUH D̆RUGDEOH KHDGVHW WKDW¶V VLPSOHU to use, lacks cables, and doesn’t require a PC or console to work. But the Index lets you enjoy smoother action, much more advanced graphics, and controllers that are a huge leap ahead of what Oculus uses. The Quest is a good entry-level, all-around VR headset; the Valve Index is for VR enthusiasts and dedicated PC gamers. SOLID, STANDARD HEADSET The Index is a fairly cookie-cutter PC-tethered virtualreality headset, with a large face-mounted display connected to a sturdy adjustable head harness. The entire assembly is black and looks like a larger and more elaborate version of the Oculus Rift S. The front section is mostly matte-black plastic with a glossy-black IURQW SDQHO WKDW FRPHV R̆ WR UHYHDO D UHFHVV ZLWK D 86% port Valve calls the “frunk.” The frunk currently doesn’t KDYH DQ\ ṘFLDO XVH QRU GRHV 9DOYH KDYH DQ\ SXEOLF plans for the compartment. In theory, it could eventually hold additional sensor modules, but right QRZ LW¶V H̆HFWLYHO\ XVHOHVV What isn’t useless are the two cameras located below the front plate that provide a unique room view while you’re using SteamVR. The cameras highlight nearby objects with 2D or 3D outlines, letting you know when you’re near anything that can trip you, even when you’re in the SteamVR Chaperone boundaries. The view also shows your hands, so you can accurately reach out for physical objects while wearing the headset. It’s a much more useful feature than the camera passthrough
Valve Index VR Kit PROS Immersive fingertracking controllers. High 120Hz refresh rate delivers smooth motion. Lots of VR software available on PC via SteamVR. CONS Expensive. Occasionally frustrating tethered design. BOTTOM LINE The Valve Index is the most impressive consumer VR headset we’ve seen yet, entirely because of its revolutionary fingertracking controllers.
RQ WKH 2FXOXV 5LIW KHDGVHWV EHFDXVH LW GLVSOD\V D QDWXUDO ¿HOG RI YLHZ ZLWK LWV 3D tracking rather than the very awkward, limited view you get with a direct camera feed. The headset’s harness consists of two large, curved plastic bands for the back of the head. They’re padded with soft memory foam covered in anti-microbial fabric (the same materials as the facemask part of the display) and a fabric strap that goes over the top of the head. The harness’s sides connect to the headset WKURXJK WKLQ VWL̆ SODVWLF EDQGV WKDW R̆HU D IHZ VSULQJ\ LQFKHV RI JLYH ZKHQ \RX don the headset. The plastic arcs on the back of the harness have a ratcheting dial for tightening the headset securely, and Velcro fasteners let you adjust the WRS IDEULF VWUDS¶V OHQJWK IRU D EHWWHU ¿W
If the Index feels loose on your head after making all the possible adjustments, you can use the included foam insert to add an additional layer of thick padding IRU D PRUH VHFXUH ¿W $IWHU , PDGH VRPH PLQRU DGMXVWPHQWV WKH KHDGVHW ¿W securely and comfortably on my large head, aided largely by the soft fabric and memory foam against my face and the back of my head. $ IRRW FDEOH UXQV IURP WKH KHDGVHW DURXQG WKH OHIW VLGH RI WKH KDUQHVV DQG out the back to connect to a three-foot breakaway cable. The second cable EUDQFKHV R̆ LQWR WKUHH FRQQHFWRUV 'LVSOD\3RUW 86% DQG 3RZHU
7KH 'LVSOD\3RUW DQG 86% SOXJV FRQQHFW WR \RXU FRPSXWHU ZKLOH WKH 3RZHU port connects to the included power adapter. Yes, the headset requires its own separate power, and its adapter is a wall brick, so make sure you have an open outlet.
Speaking of plugging things into the wall, the two base stations require their own outlets and are necessary to track the headset’s position in a room. Each base station is a 3-by-2.5-by-2.5-inch black box with a curved front for holding all its sensors. Each one has a dedicated wall adapter with an approximately 10-foot cable that ends in an awkward brick. The base stations’ screw mounts FRQQHFW WR WKH LQFOXGHG DGMXVWDEOH VWDQGV DQG WKH\ FDQ EH VHW RQ D ÀDW VXUIDFH or mounted on a wall (mounting hardware is included). If you buy the headset without the base stations, you can use the slightly larger HTC Vive and Vive Cosmos Elite base stations instead. THE MAIN EVENT: THE CONTROLLERS 7KH 9DOYH ,QGH[ FRQWUROOHUV DUH WKH PRVW LQWHUHVWLQJ SDUW RI WKH SDFNDJH $W ¿UVW glance, they look similar to Oculus Touch and HTC Vive controllers. Each has a large, grippable handle; a front trigger; a circular control surface on the top with two face buttons; a system button; an analog stick; a touch-sensitive strip; and a large, plastic arc mounted on the outside for tracking the controller’s RULHQWDWLRQ DQG SRVLWLRQ $Q DGGLWLRQDO DGMXVWDEOH IDEULF VWUDS UXQV EHWZHHQ
the handle and the plastic arc that curves over your knuckles to keep the controller comfortably in hand HYHQ ZKHQ \RX OHW JR ZLWK DOO ¿QJHUV D ZULVW VWUDS LV also built-in, of course). The controllers’ truly unique aspect is built into the KDQGOHV 6HQVRUV LQGLYLGXDOO\ WUDFN HDFK ¿QJHU VR \RX can use your hands to their fullest in VR. This is a big leap compared with the Oculus Touch and other FRQWUROOHUV WKDW IROORZ LQGH[ ¿QJHU DQG WKXPE movements but don’t provide total control over each ¿QJHU 7KH ¿QJHU WUDFNLQJ ZRUNV ZHOO EXW LW LVQ¶W SHUIHFW <RXU LQGH[ ¿QJHU FXUYHV DURXQG WKH WULJJHU QHDU WKH controller’s top in order to be properly sensed, not DURXQG WKH JULS WKDW WKH UHVW RI \RXU ¿QJHUV ZUDS DURXQG ,W IHHOV D ELW XQQDWXUDO DW ¿UVW EHFDXVH WKH JULS below the trigger is easily large enough to hold all four RI P\ ¿QJHUV ZLWK URRP WR VSDUH $IWHU , JRW XVHG WR that, the tracking was mostly accurate, and I could UHOLDEO\ PRYH HDFK ¿QJHU (DFK ¿QJHU¶V UHJLVWHUHG IXOO ÀH[LQJ PRWLRQ SDUWLFXODUO\ P\ PLGGOH DQG ULQJ ¿QJHUV ZDV D ELW ¿GJHW\ WKRXJK ,W ZDVQ¶W HQRXJK WR IHHO MHUN\ or unnatural, but it made the experience fall slightly short of total and precise motor control in VR.
The controllers’ truly unique aspect is built into the handles. Sensors individually track each finger.
GETTING READY FOR VR ,QWHUQDOO\ WKH 9DOYH ,QGH[ XVHV /&'V WR SURYLGH D E\ LPDJH IRU each eye. The LCDs have a 120Hz refresh rate, and they’re backwardFRPSDWLEOH WR +] DQG +] DQG LQFOXGHG DQ H[SHULPHQWDO +] PRGH For comparison, the Oculus Quest 2 displays 1,920 by 1,832 pixels, and the Vive &RVPRV GLVSOD\V E\ IRU HDFK H\H EXW WKHLU UHIUHVK UDWHV WRS RXW at 90Hz).
The Valve Index’s hardware requirements are relatively light for a tethered VR KHDGVHW 9DOYH OLVWV D GXDO FRUH &38 ZLWK K\SHU WKUHDGLQJ DQG DQ 1YLGLD *H)RUFH *7; RU $0' 5DGHRQ 5; *38 DV WKH PLQLPXP VSHFV WKH FRPSDQ\ UHFRPPHQGV D TXDG FRUH &38 DQG 1YLGLD *H)RUFH *7; RU EHWWHU *38 IRU EHWWHU SHUIRUPDQFH +DOI /LIH $O\[¶V LQFOXGHG ZLWK WKH 9DOYH ,QGH[ UHTXLUHPHQWV DUH D ELW PRUH VSHFL¿F DQG LQFOXGH DQ ,QWHO &RUH L RU 5\]HQ &38 DQ $0' 5DGHRQ 5; RU 1YLGLD *H)RUFH *7; *38 ZLWK DW OHDVW *% RI 5$0 DQG DW OHDVW *% RI V\VWHP PHPRU\ )RU WKHVH aren’t insurmountable gaming-PC specs, though you’ll enjoy better performance LI \RXU ULJ KDV D QHZHU RU IDVWHU &38 RU *38 DQG PRUH 5$0 Setting up the Index has multiple steps, but they’re all pretty direct, especially RQFH \RX¶YH ¿JXUHG RXW KRZ WR SOXJ HYHU\WKLQJ LQ DQG ZKHUH WKH EDVH VWDWLRQV VKRXOG JR DQG FOHDUHG RXW DQ DUHD RI DW OHDVW E\ IHHW IRU \RXU SOD\ DUHD unless you want to use the constricted stationary mode). You plug in the base
VWDWLRQV ¿UVW DQG WKHQ \RX FRQQHFW WKH KHDGVHW WR \RXU 3& DQG WKH SRZHU adapter. Open Steam, and you’ll be prompted to install SteamVR, if it’s not already on your system. Once SteamVR is up and running, it should detect the headset, base stations, and controllers, after you turn them on by holding the system buttons for a moment. SteamVR then prompts you to set up your play space. First, you set your initial position by standing in the middle of your play area, pointing a FRQWUROOHU DW \RXU PRQLWRU DQG SXOOLQJ WKH WULJJHU 7KHQ \RX VHW WKH ÀRRU KHLJKW E\ VHWWLQJ D FRQWUROOHU RQ WKH ÀRRU DQG SXOOLQJ WKH WULJJHU DJDLQ )LQDOO\ \RX determine the edge of your play area by holding the trigger down and drawing the tip of the controller along where you want the boundaries to be set. It’s an easy process, though physically moving the controller around the edges of your SOD\ DUHD LV VOLJKWO\ OHVV FRQYHQLHQW WKDQ MXVW SRLQWLQJ D 95 ODVHU DW WKH ÀRRU DQG drawing those boundaries, as you can with the Oculus Quest 2.
PLAYING WITH VALVE , SOD\HG $SHUWXUH +DQG /DEV IUHH DQG +DOI /LIH $O\[ LQFOXGHG ZLWK WKH Index) on the Valve Index. To start, both VR games look excellent on the headset. While it has a slightly lower resolution than the Oculus Quest 2 and Vive Cosmos, the Index still produces a picture that’s bright, colorful, and VKDUS , GLGQ¶W QRWLFH DQ\ VLJQL¿FDQW SL[HODWLRQ RU JUDLQLQHVV LQ HLWKHU JDPH DQG I could easily see details both virtually close and far away.
7KH +] UHIUHVK UDWH LV D EHQH¿FLDO DVSHFW WKDW PDNHV ORRNLQJ DURXQG DQG PRYLQJ VPRRWK DQG ÀXLG , VZLWFKHG WR VPRRWK GLUHFWLRQDO PRWLRQ LQ +DOI /LIH $O\[ ZKLFK UHSODFHV WKH GHIDXOW VQDSSLQJ EHWZHHQ GLUHFWLRQV ZLWK D TXLFN EODFN ÀDVK WR PRUH FRQYHQWLRQDO turning with the right analog stick on the controller. Thanks to the clean movement, I didn’t experience any motion sickness or disorientation. Though, to be fair, I prefer this movement scheme to the snap-around default in most VR games. The Index controllers are technically impressive and easily the most advanced we’ve seen in a consumer headset (enterprise-level and development hardware have access to much more precise and expensive motion tracking, but they’re out of reach for most users, DQG PRVW JDPHV FDQ¶W WDNH DGYDQWDJH RI WKHP $V SURPLVHG WKH\ GHWHFW HDFK LQGLYLGXDO ¿QJHU JULS ZKLFK translates into nearly fully functional VR hands. The inner straps keep the controllers connected to your hands even when you let go of the handles, which means you can comfortably move your open hands in 95 DV HDVLO\ DV \RX FDQ PRYH D ¿VW RU JULSSLQJ FODZ 2I course, you should still use the wrist straps, because the hand straps aren’t tight enough to keep the controllers IURP À\LQJ R̆ ZLWK ZLOG PRWLRQV $SHUWXUH +DQG /DEV GHPRQVWUDWHV WKH FRQWUROOHUV¶ H̆HFWLYHQHVV E\ ZDONLQJ \RX WKURXJK ZDYLQJ KDQG VKDNHV ¿VW EXPSV DQG PDQLSXODWLQJ REMHFWV (YHU\ LQWHUDFWLRQ IHOW QDWXUDO DQG WKH FRQWUROOHUV R̆HUHG gentle vibrations to indicate when I touched a robotic hand or other object. Vibration adds to the immersive, ¿QJHU GHWHFWLRQ H̆HFW E\ OHWWLQJ \RX NQRZ ZKHQ \RX¶UH directly interacting with something in-game. It can’t UHSODFH IHHOLQJ VRPHWKLQJ ZLWK \RXU ¿QJHUWLSV EXW LW¶V D good start.
The inner straps keep the controllers connected to your hands even when you let go of the handles.
+DOI /LIH $O\[ LV D PXFK PRUH IXOO JDPH WKDQ D VWDQG DQG LQWHUDFW H[SHULHQFH VXFK DV $SHUWXUH +DQG /DEV VR , VSHQW PRUH WLPH ZLWK LW ,W SOD\V ZHOO ZLWK WKH ,QGH[ FRQWUROOHUV R̆HULQJ WKH VDPH LQGLYLGXDO ¿QJHU FRQWUROV DQG IRUFH feedback. This translates into precise controls for manipulating objects, shooting guns, and solving puzzles with the multitool. Handling the pistol and VKRWJXQ LQ WKH JDPH IHHOV QDWXUDO ERWK ZLWK VLPSO\ ¿ULQJ ERWK ZHDSRQV DQG UHORDGLQJ WKHP E\ XVLQJ P\ R̆ KDQG WR WDNH DPPXQLWLRQ RXW RI P\ EDFNSDFN sliding in a magazine or some shells, and pulling the slide to chamber them. The controllers have excellent position tracking, so these two-handed interactions DUH LQWXLWLYH 0XOWLWRRO SX]]OHV DOVR ZRUN ZHOO ZLWK WKH FRQWUROOHUV R̆HULQJ WKH VDPH ¿QH SRVLWLRQ DQG RULHQWDWLRQ WUDFNLQJ WKDW OHW PH SUHFLVHO\ DUUDQJH holographic power lines.
NOT A PERFECT PACKAGE While revolutionary, the Index controllers still have a few minor frustrations to FRQVLGHU )LUVW ZKLOH WKH ¿QJHU GHWHFWLRQ LV LPPHUVLYH LW LVQ¶W FRPSOHWHO\ DQG PRVWO\ IRFXVHV RQ \RXU JULS 'HOLFDWH ¿QJHU ÀH[HV²HVSHFLDOO\ \RXU PLGGOH ULQJ DQG SLQN\ ¿QJHUV²DUHQ¶W WUDFNHG QHDUO\ DV ZHOO DV \RXU LQGH[ ¿QJHU DQG thumb. You probably couldn’t type quickly on a VR keyboard using these FRQWUROOHUV 7KLV LV D PLQRU FRPSODLQW EHFDXVH IROORZLQJ \RXU ¿QJHUV WKDW precisely isn’t necessary in most games, and gestures (full-hand grips, and pistol grips with the ability to pull triggers) are handled perfectly. Of course, this
KLJKOLJKWV KRZ WKH LQGLYLGXDO ¿QJHU WUDFNLQJ LV PRVWO\ useful for immersion when looking at your hands and doesn’t serve much of a function when you’re playing in virtual reality. The controllers’ natural-feeling grip still takes a bit to get used to, because of the more conventional physical controls. While the handles are large enough to accommodate even my big hands, you need to rest your LQGH[ ¿QJHUV RYHU WKH WULJJHUV KLJKHU XS RQ WKH controllers. I found myself repeatedly gripping the KDQGOHV ZLWK DOO RI P\ ¿QJHUV ZKHQ WU\LQJ WR JHW D JULS and it took some time to get acclimated to returning P\ LQGH[ ¿QJHUV WR WKH WULJJHUV LQVWHDG 7KH controllers’ face buttons are also slightly awkward; I could naturally rest my thumbs on the analog sticks or touchpads, but the two physical buttons always felt a OLWWOH ELW IDU DQG R̆ DQJOH IRU PH WR SUHVV HDVLO\ Despite these quibbles, the Index controllers are the most natural-feeling VR controllers I’ve tested. They PDNH JULSSLQJ DQG RWKHU ¿QH LQWHUDFWLRQV LQ 95 PXFK more precise and intuitive, even if they aren’t quite the VDPH DV XVLQJ \RXU RZQ KDQGV ,W¶V DQ LPSUHVVLYH H̆HFW that reaches past the grip trigger of the Oculus Touch controllers for a new level of immersion.
The handles are large enough to accommodate even my big hands, but you need to rest your index fingers over the triggers.
Two other Valve Index aspects lead to more frustrations to consider, one of which is fundamental to all tethered VR headsets. The cable that runs from the KHDGVHW WR \RXU FRPSXWHU LV ORQJ ÀH[LEOH DQG JHQHUDOO\ UHVWV FRPIRUWDEO\ RQ WKH ÀRRU ZLWKRXW FXUOLQJ XSZDUG WR PDNH LW HDV\ WR WULS RYHU ,W¶V VWLOO D SK\VLFDO cable that runs from the headset to your PC, though, and that means you need to mind where it is as you play, especially in games where you turn around a lot. Every tethered VR headset has this problem, because the wired connection lets it run VR software with much more advanced graphics than a standalone VR headset can with its mobile processor. It’s a necessary evil for this type of VR system, but you need to keep it in mind while playing. The other problem is the headset’s use of base stations to track position and movement. With the base stations properly placed, your head movements will be consistently and smoothly reproduced in VR. The base stations track controller position, too, and depending on their location, they can temporarily lose tracking when you turn around and your body blocks the line of sight between the controllers and the base stations. The layout of my test space required me to place the base stations at wide angles in front of me, to the left and right. This resulted in the controllers freezing for a few moments when I was turned away from the base stations. Ideally, you can put the base stations at opposite corners of a room, in which case you should be fully covered. This isn’t possible for every room, though.
REVOLUTIONARY VR CONTROL Despite a handful of frustrations, the Valve Index is the most impressive VR system we’ve seen to date, thanks WR LWV UHYROXWLRQDU\ FRQWUROOHUV 7KHLU LQGLYLGXDO ¿QJHU WUDFNLQJ WHFK²DQG WKH DELOLW\ WR XVH WKHP ZLWK \RXU KDQGV RSHQ DV ZHOO DV JULSSLQJ WKH KDQGOHV²SURGXFHV a much more immersive VR experience than we’ve seen and felt with other controllers. They simply feel amazing to use, even if there’s little point in extending only your pinky in most VR games. Whether this experience is worth $1,000 depends on your budget, your commitment to VR, and if you have a PC capable of running it. The full package is expensive for a VR headset, even a tethered one (the Vive Cosmos is only $700). The headset-and-controllers bundle is more reasonably priced at $750, but the system requires the base stations to function. If you already own an HTC Vive, Vive Pro 2, or Vive Cosmos Elite, though, you can put their base stations to work and simply add the controllers for $280. They work separately with the HTC headsets and base stations, so you don’t need to buy the full kit for the full experience (though the standard Vive has a resolution of only 1,200 by 1,080 per eye at 90Hz, so you might want to get an Index headset, too). If you want to simply dabble in VR and don’t want to invest that much money into it, the Oculus Quest 2 remains our favorite headset for its accessibility and ease of use. It’s a standalone headset without any cables WR WULS RYHU DQG R̆HUV D FRPSUHKHQVLYH 95 H[SHULHQFH with a strong ecosystem for just $300. The Valve Index is our new favorite tethered VR system, though, and the choice to go with if money (and cables) are no issue, for the best possible control and graphics. The Valve Index is our Editors’ Choice pick for PC-tethered VR headsets.
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Despite a handful of frustrations, the Valve Index is the most impressive VR system we’ve seen to date.
REVIEWS HARDWARE
Durabook S14I: Tough Semi-Rugged Laptop BY ERIC GREVSTAD
B
X\HUV RI UXJJHG ODSWRSV VWXUG\ V\VWHPV GHVLJQHG WR EH EROWHG WR ¿UVW responders’ dashboards or dropped onto rocky ground, make a distinction between “semi-rugged” and “fully rugged” notebooks— machines rated to survive a fall of three feet versus six feet, say, or pouring rain versus a high-pressure hose. Its maker calls the Durabook S14I ($3,004 as tested) “one step above semi-rugged,” meaning it’s not the most bulletproof
laptop you can buy, but it’s still formidably tough, versatile, and well-equipped. The S14I hits a sweet spot for users whose work takes them (and their gear) into harm’s way. The only thing keeping it from an Editors’ Choice award is its mediocre battery life. You’ll GH¿QLWHO\ ZDQW WR ¿OO LWV PRGXODU ED\ ZLWK WKH DYDLODEOH second battery pack instead of the DVD drive found in our test unit. MAY EXPERIENCE SOME TURBULENCE The Durabook S14I (technically S14I-G2, to GL̆HUHQWLDWH LW IURP D SUHGHFHVVRU ZLWK WK *HQHUDWLRQ instead of 11th Generation Intel processors) is built to withstand a drop of four feet, one foot more than two ULYDO LQFK ODSWRSV IRU ¿HOG ZRUNHUV WKH 'HOO /DWLWXGH 5424 Rugged and the Panasonic Toughbook 55. Its IP53 ingress protection rating means it’s secure against dust and sprays of water but not against pressurized jets or immersion. As you’d expect, it’s no ultraportable—its aluminummagnesium alloy chassis weighs 5.07 pounds, a bit more than the 4.6-pound Panasonic but noticeably less WKDQ WKH SRXQG 'HOO DQG IDU OHVV WKDQ WKH pounds of the latter’s six-foot-droppable sibling, the
Durabook S14I PROS Shrugs off abuse that would smash most laptops. Brilliant 1080p touch screen. Highly configurable. Peppy 11th Gen Core i7 CPU. CONS Pricey. Slightly awkward keyboard, and balky touchpad. Weak audio. Disappointing battery life. BOTTOM LINE Technically a semirugged laptop, the Durabook S14I survives almost as much torture as fully rugged units. Field workers and first responders should be well satisfied, as long as they invest in its optional second battery.
/DWLWXGH 5XJJHG ([WUHPH $W E\ E\ LQFKHV LW¶V EXONLHU WKDQ WKH OHVV ZHOO DUPRUHG DQG PXFK OHVV FRVWO\ $FHU (QGXUR 1 E\ E\ inches), closer to the Toughbook 55 (1.3 by 13.6 by 10.7 inches). $W RXU WHVW XQLW LV IDU IURP FKHDS WKRXJK D FRPSDUDEOH /DWLWXGH , FRQ¿JXUHG DW 'HOO¶V VLWH ZDV DERXW PRUH ,W FRPELQHV D &RUH L * CPU, 16GB of memory, a 512GB NVMe solid-state drive, a touch screen with full +' E\ SL[HO UHVROXWLRQ :L )L DQG :LQGRZV 3UR 2SWLRQV WKDW RXU V\VWHP ODFNHG LQFOXGH D 6,0 FDUG IRU * /7( PRELOH EURDGEDQG D EDFNOLW NH\ERDUG D ¿QJHUSULQW UHDGHU DQG D IDFH UHFRJQLWLRQ ZHEFDP Don’t expect the thin bezels or near-borderless display of today’s sleek QRWHERRNV /LIW WKH OLG D WZR KDQGHG MRE VLQFH LW¶V ODWFKHG GRZQ DQG \RX¶OO see the screen set in a sizable armored plate. A sliding shutter covers the webcam centered at top. There’s a carrying handle on the front edge and ¿QJHUQDLO EUHDNLQJ FRYHUV RU GRRUV RYHU DOO WKH SRUWV H[FHSW RGGO\ WKH $& adapter connector).
:H OLNH WR VHH D 7KXQGHUEROW SRUW RQ ODSWRSV FRVWLQJ RYHU OHW DORQH RYHU EXW H[FHSW IRU WKDW RPLVVLRQ WKH 'XUDERRN R̆HUV DPSOH FRQQHFWLYLW\ 2Q WKH ULJKW VLGH DUH DQ DXGLR MDFN DQ 6' FDUG VORW DQ RQ R̆ VZLWFK IRU WKH :L )L UDGLR D 86% SRUW DQG WZR 86% 7\SH $ SRUWV $W OHIW DUH D 6PDUW&DUG reader, a hole for the supplied stylus, and the modular bay holding our unit’s optical drive.
Around back are HDMI and VGA video outputs, a USB 3.2 Type-C port, and serial and Ethernet ports. Sliding latches on the bottom let you remove the storage caddy (which can hold two M.2 solid-state drives) and the contents of the modular bay (either the DVD drive, a second battery, or a third SSD). CAN YOU BEAT THIS LAPTOP? As usual with borrowed review units, I didn’t abuse the S14I to the absolute OLPLWV RI LWV HQGXUDQFH EXW , GLG NQRFN LW IURP P\ ODS WR D FDUSHWHG ÀRRU D IDOO of about two feet) while in use and dropped it from three to four feet, both open DQG FORVHG D IHZ WLPHV 2QH RI WKH VLGH GRRUV SRSSHG RSHQ D FRXSOH RI WLPHV but nothing untoward happened. I also gave it a soaking under the kitchen faucet, which didn’t faze it. At the top of the keyboard, along with the power button, are two customizable EXWWRQV ZKLFK E\ GHIDXOW WRJJOH VWHDOWK PRGH WXUQLQJ R̆ WKH VFUHHQ EDFNOLJKW /('V DQG VSHDNHUV DQG F\FOH WKURXJK WRXFK VFUHHQ PRGHV GHSHQGLQJ RQ ZKHWKHU \RX¶UH XVLQJ WKH VW\OXV JORYHV RU \RXU ¿QJHU RU DUH GHDOLQJ ZLWK D wet display.
7KH VWL̆ NH\ERDUG R̆HUV GHGLFDWHG +RPH (QG 3DJH Up, and Page Down keys, though the Delete key is on the bottom row instead of in the top-right corner where it belongs and the cursor arrow keys are in an odd T instead of the usual inverted T formation. (The down, not up, arrow is the one set apart from the other three.) The two-button touchpad is too small, and like some others on rugged laptops that are engineered to be FRPSDWLEOH ZLWK JORYHG ¿QJHUV VRPHWLPHV VNLSSHG RU ignored the touch of a bare hand.
5DWHG DW QLWV RI EULJKWQHVV WKH S WRXFK screen is readable in outdoor sunlight and actually too bright or washed out if turned all the way up LQGRRUV² EULJKWQHVV LV ¿QH DQG HYHQ LV perfectly usable. Colors are fair if not really vivid, YLHZLQJ DQJOHV DUH EURDG DQG ¿QH GHWDLOV DUH VKDUS , could have used a bit more contrast. 7KH ZHEFDP R̆HUV VKDUSHU S LQVWHDG RI WKH XVXDO marginal 720p resolution; it captures relatively well-lit and colorful images with a bit of noise or static. The S14I’s audio is about the weakest I’ve heard, though, IURP D ODSWRS ÀDW WLQQ\ DQG DZIXOO\ TXLHW HYHQ DW PD[ volume. There’s no hint of bass, and you can’t hear overlapping tracks. Durabook keeps its systems free of bloatware and backs them with a three-year warranty.
Colors are fair if not really vivid, viewing angles are broad, and fine details are sharp. I could have used a bit more contrast.
ON THE TEST BENCH (INDOORS FOR A CHANGE) )RU RXU EHQFKPDUN FKDUWV , FRPSDUHG WKH 'XUDERRN 6 , WR WKUHH RWKHU VHPL rugged 14-inch laptops: the Panasonic Toughbook 55, Acer Enduro N3, and Dell /DWLWXGH 5XJJHG 7KDW OHIW RQH VSRW ZKLFK , ¿OOHG ZLWK D LQFK Durabook stablemate, the Durabook S15AB. You can see these survivalists’ basic specs in the table below.
Productivity and media tests: PCMark 10 is a holistic performance suite GHYHORSHG E\ WKH EHQFKPDUN VSHFLDOLVWV DW 8/ IRUPHUO\ )XWXUHPDUN ,WV SULPDU\ WHVW VLPXODWHV GL̆HUHQW UHDO ZRUOG SURGXFWLYLW\ DQG FRQWHQW FUHDWLRQ ZRUNÀRZV :H XVH LW WR DVVHVV RYHUDOO V\VWHP SHUIRUPDQFH IRU ṘFH FHQWULF tasks such as word processing, spreadsheeting, web browsing, and YLGHRFRQIHUHQFLQJ :H DOVR XVH D VWRUDJH VXEWHVW IURP 3&0DUN WR DVVHVV WKH speed of a system’s boot drive. The S14I led the way, the only laptop here to clear the 4,000-point hurdle that we consider means excellent productivity in PCMark 10. (Not that rugged ODSWRSV OLNH WKHVH VSHQG D ORW RI WLPH SUHSDULQJ ṘFH SUHVHQWDWLRQV LQ ([FHO DQG 3RZHU3RLQW EXW VWLOO 3&0DUN ¶V VWRUDJH PHDVXUHPHQW LV HDV\ IRU WRGD\¶V speedy SSDs. Next is Maxon’s CPU-crunching Cinebench R15 test, which is fully threaded to make use of all available processor cores and threads. Cinebench stresses the
CPU rather than the GPU to render a complex image. The result is a proprietary score indicating a PC’s suitability for processor-intensive workloads. Cinebench is often a good predictor of our Handbrake video editing benchmark, in which we put a stopwatch on systems as they transcode a brief movie from . UHVROXWLRQ GRZQ WR S ,W WRR LV D WRXJK WHVW IRU PXOWL FRUH PXOWL threaded CPUs; lower times are better. The only Core i7 and only 11th Generation Intel processor here, the S14I’s quadcore Core i7-1165G7 easily outran its competitors. It doesn’t claim to be a CAD or 3D rendering workstation, but the machine’s more than powerful enough for everyday applications. :H DOVR UXQ D FXVWRP $GREH 3KRWRVKRS LPDJH HGLWLQJ EHQFKPDUN 8VLQJ DQ HDUO\ UHOHDVH RI WKH &UHDWLYH &ORXG YHUVLRQ RI 3KRWRVKRS ZH DSSO\ D VHULHV RI FRPSOH[ ¿OWHUV DQG H̆HFWV WR D VWDQGDUG -3(* WHVW LPDJH :H WLPH HDFK operation and add up the total (lower times are better). The Photoshop test stresses the CPU, storage subsystem, and RAM, but it can also take advantage RI PRVW *38V WR VSHHG XS WKH SURFHVV RI DSSO\LQJ ¿OWHUV This test was another easy win for the 14-inch Durabook, though Photoshop is hardly a high priority for rugged laptops, and its screen falls short of professional imaging quality.
Graphics tests: :H WHVW :LQGRZV V\VWHPV¶ UHODWLYH JUDSKLFV PXVFOH ZLWK WZR JDPLQJ VLPXODWLRQV '0DUN DQG 6XSHUSRVLWLRQ 7KH ¿UVW KDV WZR 'LUHFW; VXEWHVWV 6N\ 'LYHU DQG )LUH 6WULNH VXLWDEOH IRU PDLQVWUHDP 3&V ZLWK LQWHJUDWHG graphics and higher-end gaming rigs respectively. The second uses the Unigine engine to render and pan through a detailed 3D scene at two resolution and image quality settings with results measured in frames per second (fps); 30fps is usually considered a fair target for smooth animation while avid gamers prefer 60fps or higher. 7KH &RUH L * ¶V ,ULV ;H LQWHJUDWHG JUDSKLFV DUH PRUH FDSDEOH WKDQ ,QWHO¶V older UHD Graphics, but still miles behind even a modest dedicated GPU. 'XUDERRN VD\V WKH 6 , FDQ EH RUGHUHG ZLWK DQ 1YLGLD *H)RUFH *7; dedicated chip, for users who may need a modicum of local GPU acceleration for specialized tasks, but it’ll never be mistaken for a gaming laptop. Battery rundown test: After fully recharging the laptop, we set up the machine in power-save mode (as opposed to balanced or high-performance mode) where available and make a few other battery-conserving tweaks in SUHSDUDWLRQ IRU RXU XQSOXJJHG YLGHR UXQGRZQ WHVW :H DOVR WXUQ :L )L R̆ putting the laptop into airplane mode.) In this test, we loop a video—a locally VWRUHG S ¿OH RI WKH %OHQGHU )RXQGDWLRQ VKRUW ¿OP Tears of Steel—with screen brightness set at 50% and volume at 100% until the system quits. The only positive here is that 50% brightness on the S14I is much sunnier than on most other notebooks; I tried this test twice, but the Durabook showed less VWDPLQD WKDQ D V\VWHP EXLOW IRU ¿HOG ZRUN VKRXOG %X\HUV VKRXOG unquestionably opt for the second battery pack rather than the DVD drive. THE STRONG, ALMOST SILENT TYPE 7KRXJK H[SHQVLYH WKH 'XUDERRN 6 , FRVWV VLJQL¿FDQWO\ OHVV WKDQ IXOO\ UXJJHG laptops while being almost as resistant to drops, weather, and damage. Again, with better battery life (and maybe better sound) it would have earned Editors’ &KRLFH KRQRUV (YHQ DV LV LW GHVHUYHV D SODFH RQ RXWGRRU DQG IDFWRU\ ÀRRU workers’ short lists.
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Mushkin Gamma: High-Performance SSD BY TONY HOFFMAN
I
n recent years, computer memory producer Mushkin has made a name for itself in the market for low-priced internal SSDs, but with its Gamma GULYH WKH FRPSDQ\ KDV WULHG D FKDQJH LQ WDFN²DQG ODUJHO\ SXOOV LW R̆ 7KH *DPPD LV D PLG SULFHG 0 3&, ([SUHVV 66' ,W FRVWV FRQVLGHUDEO\ PRUH SHU JLJDE\WH WKDQ WKH DOVR WHVWHG 0XVKNLQ 'HOWD RU WKH $'$7$ ;3* *DPPL[ 6 /LWH²RXU EXGJHW 3&, ([SUHVV 66' GDUOLQJ RI WKH PRPHQW²DQG LV GHVLJQHG IRU HOLWH SHUIRUPDQFH $OWKRXJK LW IDOOV VKRUW RI XQVHDWLQJ WKH (GLWRUV¶ &KRLFH ZLQQLQJ 6DPVXQJ 66' 3UR DV RXU IDYRUHG KLJK HQG 3&, ([SUHVV GULYH LW SURYHV LWV PHWWOH DV D VSHHG\ FDSDEOH HQWU\ QRQHWKHOHVV
LIFE IN THE PCI EXPRESS 4.0 FAST LANE $ IRXU ODQH 3&, ([SUHVV 3&,H GULYH WKH 0XVKNLQ *DPPD FRPHV LQ WKH 0 7\SH ³JXPVWLFN´ IRUP IDFWRU FRPPRQ DPRQJ WRGD\¶V LQWHUQDO 66'V ,W HPSOR\V WKH 190H SURWRFRO RYHU WKH 3&,H EXV DQG IHDWXUHV D 3KLVRQ ( FRQWUROOHU 7KH RQ PRGXOH PHPRU\ LV EDVHG RQ 0LFURQ¶V OD\HU ' WULSOH OHYHO FHOO 7/& 1$1' ÀDVK Although the Gamma is backward-compatible with PRWKHUERDUGV WKDW VXSSRUW 3&, ([SUHVV WR JHW anything like the peak read/write speeds discussed below, you need a system with a motherboard whose FKLSVHW VXSSRUWV 3&, ([SUHVV 7KLV LQFOXGHV D VHOHFW group of late-model AMD desktop motherboards for 5\]HQ FKLSV DV ZHOO DV ,QWHO = EDVHG ERDUGV GHVLJQHG IRU WK *HQHUDWLRQ DQG WK *HQHUDWLRQ ³5RFNHW /DNH´ &38V /DSWRSV ZLWK XSJUDGDEOH DQG UHDFKDEOH 0 VORWV VXSSRUWLQJ 3&,H DUH SUHWW\ WKLQ RQ WKH JURXQG 2Q WKH GHVNWRS VLGH \RX¶OO SUREDEO\ KDYH WR XSJUDGH \RXU PRWKHUERDUG LI LW¶V D SUHEXLOW system more than a year or two old, as few apart from WKH YHU\ QHZHVW FXUUHQWO\ VXSSRUW 3&,H RQ WKHLU 0 VORWV XQOHVV WKH\ DUH WRS VKHOI DQG $0' EDVHG
Mushkin Gamma PROS Fast sequential read/ write speeds. High PCMark 10 Overall Score and copy-test performance. AES hardware-based encryption. CONS Lacks SSD management software. BOTTOM LINE With the Gamma, Mushkin steps away from its budget-drive roots to deliver a highly capable, highperformance PCI Express 4.0 M.2 SSD— albeit without frills in the blister pack.
7KH *DPPD ODFNV D KHDW VSUHDGHU EXW LWV ¿UPZDUH²WKH 0XVKNLQ (QKDQFHG 'DWD SURWHFWLRQ 6XLWH 0('6 ²LQFOXGHV WKHUPDO PRQLWRULQJ DQG SRZHU PDQDJHPHQW D KRVW RI GDWD SURWHFWLRQ IHDWXUHV DQG $(6 ELW DQG ELW KDUGZDUH HQFU\SWLRQ <RX GRQ¶W JHW DQ\ VRIWZDUH ZLWK WKH GULYH WKRXJK 7KH *DPPD ODFNV DQ 66' PDQDJHPHQW VRIWZDUH VXLWH DQG WRROV OLNH 6DPVXQJ¶V 0DJLFLDQ DQG 'DWD 0LJUDWLRQ DSS <RX¶OO KDYH WR VXSSO\ \RXU RZQ XWLOLWLHV IRU WDVNV VXFK DV FRS\LQJ GULYHV
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²ZKLFK XVHV OHVV ZULWH GXUDEOH 4/& PHPRU\²LV UDWHG DW MXVW 7%: IRU 7% 7%: IRU LWV 7% YHUVLRQ DQG 7%: IRU LWV 7% PRGHO 7KH ³WHUDE\WHV ZULWWHQ´ VSHF LV DQ HVWLPDWH according to the manufacturer, of how much data can be written to the drive EHIRUH VRPH FHOOV EHJLQ WR IDLO DQG JHW WDNHQ RXW RI VHUYLFH
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The Gamma lacks an SSDmanagement software suite and tools like Samsung’s Magician and Data Migration app.
TESTING THE MUSHKIN GAMMA: WICKEDFAST SEQUENTIAL READ/WRITE SPEEDS :H WHVW 3&,H VROLG VWDWH GULYHV RQ D GHVNWRS V\VWHP ZLWK DQ 06, *RGOLNH ; PRWKHUERDUG DQG DQ $0' 5\]HQ &38 LQVWDOOHG 7KH WHVWEHG KDV *% RI ''5 &RUVDLU 'RPLQDWRU 5$0 FORFNHG WR 0+] DQG D *H)RUFH 57; JUDSKLFV FDUG UXQQLQJ GLVSOD\ GXWLHV PCMark 10 overall storage test 3&0DUN ¶V RYHUDOO VWRUDJH EHQFKPDUN IURP 8/²WKH ZRUOG¶V leading independent benchmark developer—runs a full VODWH RI W\SLFDO GULYH DFFHVV WDVNV 7KH VFRUHV EHORZ WDJJHG DV WKH 2YHUDOO 6FRUH DUH WKH VRIWZDUH¶V sanctioned results, representing how well a drive GRHV WKURXJKRXW WKH HQWLUH 3&0DUN UXQ After that are some more granular measures derived IURP 3&0DUN ¶V EDFNJURXQG ³WUDFHV ´ 7KHVH represent a simulation of how quickly a drive is FDSDEOH RI H[HFXWLQJ WKH NH\ NLQGV RI ¿OH UHDGV WR ODXQFK D SDUWLFXODU SURJUDP RU LQ WKH FDVH RI RXU ¿UVW WUDFH :LQGRZV FRPSOHWLQJ WKH RSHUDWLQJ V\VWHP VWDUWXS SURFHGXUH 1H[W FRPHV D JDPH ODXQFKLQJ WHVW VHW ZKLFK VLPXODWHV how quickly a drive can read shallow-depth small UDQGRP . SDFNDJHV RQH RI WKH PRUH FRPPRQO\ XVHG ¿OH EORFN VL]HV IRU JDPH LQVWDOODWLRQV 7KH GULYHV DUH DOVR SXW WKURXJK D ODXQFK WHVW IRU $GREH FUHDWLYH DSSV As anyone who works with video or images in Adobe 3UHPLHUH 3UR RU 3KRWRVKRS FDQ WHOO \RX WKHVH SRZHUIXO SURJUDPV FDQ OHDYH \RX ZDLWLQJ ZKLOH WKH\ ODXQFK )LQDOO\ WKHUH DUH WKH 3&0DUN FRS\ WHVWV DOVR GHULYHG IURP 3&0DUN WUDFHV 7KHVH QXPEHUV PLJKW ORRN ORZ compared with the straight sequential-throughput QXPEHUV DFKLHYHG LQ EHQFKPDUNV VXFK DV &U\VWDO
The Gamma posted a high PCMark 10 Overall Score of 2,370, with only four of our 21 comparison drives scoring higher.
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In Crystal DiskMark 4K read and write testing, the Gamma turned in one of the better results in the read portion.
,Q &U\VWDO 'LVN0DUN . UHDG DQG ZULWH WHVWLQJ WKH *DPPD WXUQHG LQ RQH RI WKH EHWWHU UHVXOWV LQ WKH UHDG SRUWLRQ ZLWK RQO\ WKH 6DPVXQJ 66' 3UR SURYLQJ VLJQL¿FDQWO\ IDVWHU 7KH *DPPD¶V ZULWH UHVXOWV ZHUH DYHUDJH UHODWLYH WR RXU FRPSDULVRQ GULYHV ,WV $6 66' VFRUHV IRU ,62 VSHHG SURJUDP VSHHG DQG JDPH VSHHG ZHUH DOO SUHWW\ PXFK LQ WKH PLGGOH RI WKH SDFN ONE LICKETY-SPLIT SSD 8QOLNH SDVW 0XVKNLQ LQWHUQDO 66'V WKH 0XVKNLQ *DPPD LVQ¶W D EDUJDLQ EDVHPHQW GZHOOHU ,W¶V PLG SULFHG UHODWLYH WR RWKHU 3&, ([SUHVV GULYHV rather than value-oriented, and geared for high performance, as evidenced by LWV DELOLW\ WR FRPH FORVH WR LWV EOLVWHULQJ VHTXHQWLDO UHDG ZULWH VSHHG UDWLQJV *HQHUDOO\ LWV EHQFKPDUN VFRUHV UDQJHG IURP DYHUDJH IRU LWV FODVV ZKLFK LV E\ GH¿QLWLRQ ³IDVW´ LQ D ODUJHU VHQVH WR H[FHOOHQW LQ VHYHUDO FDVHV DSSURDFKLQJ RU HYHQ H[FHHGLQJ WKRVH RI RXU (GLWRUV¶ &KRLFH SLFN IRU WKH FDWHJRU\ WKH 6DPVXQJ 66' 3UR /LNH WKH 66' 3UR WKH *DPPD LQFOXGHV ELW KDUGZDUH EDVHG HQFU\SWLRQ EXW LW ODFNV WKH 6DPVXQJ¶V 66' PDWXUH UREXVW PDQDJHPHQW DQG GDWD PLJUDWLRQ VRIWZDUH 6WLOO WKH 0XVKNLQ *DPPD UHSUHVHQWV 0XVKNLQ¶V UHVSHFWDEOH HQWU\²UHSOHWH ZLWK ÀDVKHV RI EULOOLDQFH²LQWR WKH DUHQD IRU KLJK SHUIRUPDQFH 66'V
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Chegg: Unique Online Learning BY JILL DUFFY
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Bitdefender Premium VPN: Affordable, Clean Design BY MAX EDDY & KIM KEY
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PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION
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AUGUST 2021
WILL THE BATTLE FOR CPU SUPREMACY PUSH THE RIVALS TOGETHER? BY TOM BRANT
Cover illustration: Bob Al-Greene
FEATURES
For years, neither company has been able to claim absolute victory. But as Amazon, Apple, Google, and other tech giants design and manufacture their own processors, will AMD and Intel circle their wagons? Email can be a killer: Just ask New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who discovered some scandalous messages during a multinational investigation of Intel, the American semiconductor giant. The Intel emails, made public by Cuomo in 2009 when he was New York’s state attorney general, appeared to show that the company was taking a carrot-andstick approach to ensuring that its customers used Intel processors for all, or nearly all, of the PCs that they sold. This might not rank as one of history’s most revelatory email brouhahas, but it was a vital factor in a billion-dollar settlement that would drastically change the semiconductor industry—and the ZLGHU WHFK ZRUOG WKDW UHOLHV RQ LW 7KH H̆HFW LV VWLOO IHOW LQ FRXUWURRPV DQG boardrooms worldwide and is, without a doubt, in the back of the minds of salespeople the world over. And it’s still a driving factor behind one of today’s ¿HUFHVW WHFK ULYDOULHV $GYDQFHG 0LFUR 'HYLFHV $0' YHUVXV ,QWHO 3UHYLRXVO\ WKH VXFFHVVHV DQG IDLOXUHV RI $0' DQG ,QWHO ZHUH RI LQWHUHVW PDLQO\ WR D QLFKH DQG XQOLNHO\ FRDOLWLRQ RI 3& EXLOGLQJ HQWKXVLDVWV ZKR OLNH WR RYHUFORFN WULFNHG RXW JDPLQJ ULJV ,7 H[HFXWLYHV ZKR EX\ ZRUNVWDWLRQV DQG VHUYHUV E\ WKH WUXFNORDG ODZ\HUV ZKR UHOLVK OLWLJLRXV ULYDOULHV DQG LQYHVWRUV ZKR UDFH WR FKHFN WKHLU %ORRPEHUJ WHUPLQDOV DW DQ\ KLQW RI D VFDQGDO %XW WKH legal battles and quest for technical superiority of the two tech behemoths have taken on new relevance today, when PCs are enjoying a resurgence of interest from home-bound consumers, and Apple, Qualcomm, and other new entrants to the semiconductor industry are poised to shake up the dynamic. The rivalry EHWZHHQ ,QWHO DQG $0' LV DOVR HQWHULQJ D QHZ HUD DW D WLPH ZKHQ FKLS VKRUWDJHV are roiling large swathes of the global economy. Neither company is likely to claim absolute victory, but the battles won and lost along the way tell us a lot about the future of silicon.
MULTITHREADING THE NEEDLE ,Q DQ\ WHOOLQJ RI KRZ $0' DQG ,QWHO JRW LQWR VXFK DQ HSLF VWUXJJOH LQ WKH ¿UVW place, the spring of 2001 is a great place to start. That April, Intel’s engineers were immersed in one of the company’s most ambitious silicon-development projects and were likely facing intense deadline pressure—in a little more than a year’s time, Intel planned to bring multithreading to its consumer processors, a move that would help transform the capabilities of PCs and the software that runs on them. 0XOWLWKUHDGLQJ ZKLFK ,QWHO FDOOV ³+\SHU 7KUHDGLQJ ´ VWDQGV DSDUW IURP PDQ\ silicon engineering concepts in that it’s relatively simple for laypeople to understand. At its most basic level, a computer transfers demands from a piece RI VRIWZDUH WR WKH FHQWUDO SURFHVVLQJ XQLW &38 7KHVH WUDQVIHUV DUH NQRZQ DV WKUHDGV ,I WKH VRIWZDUH DQG WKH &38 FDQ HDFK KDQGOH PXOWLSOH WKUHDGV DW RQFH WKH V\VWHP¶V ḢFLHQF\ LPSURYHV JUHDWO\ DQG SURFHVVLQJ WLPHV FDQ EH VODVKHG The concept of multithreading has been around, theoretically, since the 1950s. 7KH WHFKQRORJ\ FDPH FORVH WR D FRPPHUFLDO ODXQFK LQ WKH V ZLWK WKH QHYHU UHOHDVHG '(& $OSKD (9 SURFHVVRU )RU PRVW RI WKH KLVWRU\ RI FRQVXPHU 3&V WKRXJK &38V KDQGOHG RQO\ D VLQJOH WKUHDG DW D WLPH <RX KLW (QWHU RU FOLFNHG D mouse button, the software sent an instruction to the processor, and the processor sent back a calculation. It was a straightforward—if limited—
Intel’s HyperThreading: The CPU exposes two execution contexts for each physical core: One physical core now works like two “logical cores” that can handle different software threads. Photo credit: Intel
approach to computing, but it carried us through the dot-com era and helped usher in the internet-connected world of PCs we enjoy today. Intel certainly wasn’t the only semiconductor maker racing to implement multithreading technology on consumer PCs, but it had a lot to lose if another FRPSDQ\ ZHQW WR PDUNHW ZLWK WKH WHFKQRORJ\ ¿UVW 2QH competitor in particular was likely furrowing the brows RI ,QWHO¶V & VXLWH WKDW $SULO $0' $OWKRXJK ,QWHO enjoyed a commanding share of the PC processor PDUNHW LQ LW ZDV JLYLQJ XS JURXQG WR WKH 7H[DV EDVHG ¿UP ZKLFK ZDV ,QWHO¶V RQO\ VHULRXV FRPSHWLWLRQ %\ WKH HQG RI ,QWHO RZQHG RI WKH 3& SURFHVVRU PDUNHW GRZQ IURP LQ ,W KDG FHGHG SRLQWV RI VKDUH WR $0' ZKLFK JUHZ IURP LQ WR LQ
As the multithreading project raced toward completion, a legal storm was brewing that had just as much potential to impact Intel’s dominant position in the silicon industry.
So, in addition to the pressures that Intel engineers OLNHO\ IHOW WKDW VSULQJ WR GHOLYHU WKH +\SHU 7KUHDGLQJ project on time, they were undoubtedly aware that their research could have an impact on Intel’s position in the semiconductor market for years to come. TRUST AND ANTITRUST As the multithreading project raced toward completion, a legal storm was brewing that had just as much potential to impact Intel’s dominant position in the VLOLFRQ LQGXVWU\ 2Q $SULO WKH (XURSHDQ &RPPLVLRQ FRQ¿UPHG WKDW LW KDG RSHQHG DQ DQWLWUXVW LQYHVWLJDWLRQ of Intel. Europe’s competition regulator had received FRPSODLQWV IURP $0' D \HDU HDUOLHU VXJJHVWLQJ WKDW Intel was unfairly abusing its dominance on two levels. 7KH ¿UVW ZDV D PLQRU WHFKQLFDO LVVXH UHODWHG WR ,QWHO¶V V\VWHP EXV ZKLFK FRQQHFWV WKH &38 WR WKH PRWKHUERDUG DQG ZRXOG VRRQ EH GLVPLVVHG %XW WKH second was potentially more serious: It posited that Intel’s agreements with PC makers and retailers—in
Intel Pentium 4 chip Photo credit: Wikimedia / Konstantin Lanzet
which the company would pay rebates based on the percentage of PCs shipped with Intel processors— violated antitrust rules. 3XEOLFO\ ,QWHO VKUXJJHG R̆ WKH QHZV $ FRPSDQ\ VSRNHVSHUVRQ FODLPHG WKDW WKH SUDFWLFH ZDV ³IDLU DQG ODZIXO ´ 7KH (XURSHDQ &RPPLVVLRQ DFNQRZOHGJHG that the rebate issue wasn’t itself a problem but was rather tied to Intel’s success in the market. ‘’Loyalty VFKHPHV DUH ¿QH ZKHQ WKH FRPSDQ\ XVLQJ WKHP LV not dominant,’’ a Commission spokesperson said. %XW WKH FRPSODLQWV PXVW KDYH UHYHUEHUDWHG throughout the company at a time when another tech JLDQW²0LFURVRIW²ZDV QHDULQJ WKH HQG RI LWV RZQ HSLF DQWLWUXVW ODZVXLW 7KH 86 FDVH DJDLQVW 0LFURVRIW ZRXOG EH VHWWOHG WKDW DXWXPQ 3DUWO\ DV D UHVXOW RI 0LFURVRIW¶V WURXEOHV ,QWHO SURFODLPHG WKH LQWULFDFLHV of its antitrust compliance program to anyone who ZRXOG OLVWHQ )RXQGHU DQG IRUPHU &(2 $QG\ *URYH who had overseen the transformation of Intel into the world’s largest semiconductor company, spoke FDQGLGO\ DERXW DQWLWUXVW FKDOOHQJHV ³:H SD\ marketing, business development, and sales people to EH DJJUHVVLYH ´ KH WROG WKH +DUYDUG %XVLQHVV 5HYLHZ WKDW VSULQJ ³+RZ GR \RX LPSRVH WKLV QHZ JXDUG EDQG [margin of safety] behavior on a group of people for ZKRP DQWLWUXVW LV DQWLWKHWLFDO"´ Intel’s answer was to simulate antitrust investigations at regular intervals, according to Grove. The company’s legal department would seize the records of a random management employee and even stage a mock deposition, as though the manager were under a real investigation. Surely this would be enough to discourage any kind of illegal anticompetitive behavior.
Top: Andy Grove, Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore (1978) Bottom: Andy Grove
INTEL PULLS AHEAD )RU D WLPH LW VHHPHG VR $ IHZ PRQWKV ODWHU the events of September 11 diverted the world’s attention from the troubles of 6LOLFRQ 9DOOH\ 7KH (XURSHDQ &RPPLVVLRQ GURSSHG SDUW RI LWV LQYHVWLJDWLRQ D UHSULHYH WKDW ZRXOG SURYH WR EH VKRUW OLYHG $QG Intel’s silicon was winning plenty of praise. 7KH ODXQFK RI +\SHU 7KUHDGLQJ RQ ;HRQ processors in early 2002 was a success. 8VLQJ D 'HOO 3RZHU(GJH VHUYHU RQH RI WKH ¿UVW FRPSXWHUV WR HPSOR\ WKH QHZ technology, PC Magazine in July 2002 recorded performance gains approaching LQ WKH QXPEHU RI UHTXHVWV SHU VHFRQG the server could handle, as well as total WKURXJKSXW ³7KDW¶V QRW EDG FRQVLGHULQJ that the technology is free: Intel did not UDLVH ;HRQ SULFHV ZKHQ LW DGGHG +\SHU 7KUHDGLQJ ´ &RQWULEXWLQJ (GLWRU -RKQ 5 'HODQH\ ZURWH DW WKH WLPH 7KH +\SHU 7KUHDGLQJ UROORXW SURFHHGHG VORZO\ EXW VXUHO\ DSSHDULQJ RQ WKH ¿UVW FRQVXPHU IRFXVHG 3HQWLXP 3&V WKH IROORZLQJ \HDU ,Q 2FWREHU PC Magazine’V WHVWV RI YLGHR HGLWLQJ VRIWZDUH RQ D *+] 3HQWLXP V\VWHP ZLWK *% RI PHPRU\ UXQQLQJ :LQGRZV ;3 IRXQG WKDW +\SHU 7KUHDGLQJ DOZD\V \LHOGHG IDVWHU VFRUHV WKDQ 3&V HTXLSSHG ZLWK QRQ +\SHU 7KUHDGLQJ SURFHVVRUV )RU \HDUV FRQVXPHUV KDG FRPSDULVRQ VKRSSHG 3&V EDVHG RQ WKHLU FORFN speeds, but now the number of cores and threads was shaping up to be just as important. 0HDQZKLOH $0'¶V PDUNHW VKDUH UHPDLQHG SHJJHG WRZDUG WKH ERWWRP RI WKH VFDOH 7R VRPH LQGXVWU\ ZDWFKHUV DQG SHUKDSV WR ,QWHO¶V GHOLJKW WKH FRPSDQ\ VHHPHG PLUHG LQ D WHFKQRORJLFDO IXQN $0' UHOHDVHG LWV VHFRQG JHQHUDWLRQ ,WDQLXP ELW SURFHVVRU DURXQG WKH VDPH WLPH DV ,QWHO ODXQFKHG LWV +\SHU 7KUHDGLQJ ;HRQ EXW DGRSWLRQ RI WKH $0' FKLS ZDV OXNHZDUP DW EHVW %RWK FRPSDQLHV ZHUH KRSLQJ IRU ZKDW ZH ZRXOG UHIHU WR WRGD\ DV D ³NLOOHU DSS´²WKH SODQQHG ELW YHUVLRQ RI :LQGRZV ;3
$0' H[HFXWLYHV ZHQW RQ WKH R̆HQVLYH WRR ³:H started this challenge because Intel has been delivering inferior technology and scrambling to keep up, but because of their marketing muscle it’s not always clear WKH\ DUH VWUXJJOLQJ ´ $0'¶V WKHQ±FKLHI PDUNHWLQJ ṘFHU +HQUL 5LFKDUG WROG &11 LQ 6HSWHPEHU ³7KH EHVW ZD\ IRU XV WR H[SRVH WKHLU SUHGLFDPHQW LV to challenge them in the court of public opinion to VKRZ WKDW WKHLU WHFKQRORJ\ MXVW GRHVQ¶W PDWFK XS ZLWK RXUV ´ %XW $0'¶V VDOYRV VHHPHG WR KDYH OLWWOH H̆HFW 7KH company’s market share gained a bit but remained dismal, and Intel continued to occupy a commanding OHDG LQ WKH 3& PDUNHW $0'¶V VKDUH RI WKH PDUNHW IRU
AMD’s salvos seemed to have little effect. The company’s market share gained a bit but remained dismal, and Intel continued to occupy a commanding lead in the PC market.
AMD’s Henri Richard holding the industry’s first “native” quad-core x86 server (2006).
Photo credit: legitreviews.com
$0' IRFXVHG SDUW RI LWV DWWHQWLRQ RQ RWKHU W\SHV RI processors that didn’t compete directly with Intel. In 2006, the company made a momentous acquisition: the graphics-processing company ATI, a major player in the PDUNHW IRU FRQVXPHU *38V $0' XVHG $7,¶V H[SHUWLVH WR ODXQFK D QHZ SURGXFW OLQH FDOOHG )XVLRQ &RPELQLQJ &38 DQG *38 IXQFWLRQV RQWR D VLQJOH GLH )XVLRQ FRXOG be used not only in PCs but also in other types of FRQVXPHU HOHFWURQLFV VXFK DV JDPH FRQVROHV )XVLRQ chips eventually found their way into the Sony 3OD\6WDWLRQ DQG 0LFURVRIW ;ER[ FRQVROHV $0' DOVR WRXWHG LWV FRQVXPHU IRFXVHG $WKORQ ;3 processors as superior to Intel’s Pentium counterparts. In advertisements, the company tried to use benchmark UHVXOWV WR WXUQ ,QWHO¶V RZQ FODLPV WKDW WKH EHVW processor is the one that completes the task in the least DPRXQW RI WLPH DJDLQVW LW $ IXOO SDJH PDJD]LQH DG SURFODLPHG ³,QWHO WDONV DERXW SHUIRUPDQFH $0' $WKORQ ;3 GHOLYHUV LW ´ $ IHZ EHQFKPDUN SHUIRUPDQFH JUDSKV EHORZ FODLPHG WR VKRZ WKDW WKH $WKORQ ;3 RXWSHUIRUPHG D *+] 3HQWLXP SURFHVVRU E\ XS WR
GHVNWRS SURFHVVRUV SHDNHG DW LQ DFFRUGLQJ WR GDWD IURP 0HUFXU\ 5HVHDUFK ,WV QRWHERRN SURFHVVRU PDUNHW VKDUH SHDN LQ ZDV HYHQ ORZHU DW %RWK FRPSDQLHV DQQRXQFHG WKHLU ¿UVW GXDO FRUH FRQVXPHU 3&V LQ 6HSWHPEHU SURPLVLQJ DQRWKHU UHYROXWLRQDU\ SHUIRUPDQFH OHDS WR ULYDO WKDW RI PXOWLWKUHDGLQJ %XW LW ZDV ,QWHO¶V ¿UVW GXDO FRUH HQWUDQW WKH 3HQWLXP ([WUHPH (GLWLRQ ZKLFK DOVR VXSSRUWHG +\SHU 7KUHDGLQJ WKDW FDSWLYDWHG the media and the public. PC Magazine WHVWHG WKH ¿UVW 3HQWLXP ([WUHPH (GLWLRQ LQ 0D\ DQG IRXQG WKDW LW KDQGLO\ RXWFODVVHG VLQJOH FRUH FKLSV IURP ERWK FRPSDQLHV RQ QHDUO\ HYHU\ FRPSXWLQJ WDVN H[FHSW JDPLQJ ,QWHO¶V PDUNHW VKDUH VN\URFNHWHG DJDLQ 0HDVXUHG E\ KRZ PDQ\ 3& RZQHUV XSORDGHG WKHLU SHUIRUPDQFH EHQFKPDUN UHVXOWV WR WKH 3DVV0DUN GDWDEDVH WKH QXPEHU RI ,QWHO &38V LQ XVH OHDSW QHDUO\ LQ WKH ¿UVW TXDUWHU RI DORQH $0' FKLSV VDZ D FRPPHQVXUDWH GHFOLQH $0' ZDV GRLQJ EHWWHU LQ WKH VHUYHU market, with market share roughly equal to Intel’s, but both companies spent DQG VWLOO VSHQG D VLJQL¿FDQW SRUWLRQ RI WKHLU PDUNHWLQJ EXGJHW RQ 3& enthusiasts, who are most likely to upload their benchmark scores. So the benchmark measurement was a powerful albeit symbolic feather in Intel’s cap. THE INTEL INVESTIGATION GOES WORLDWIDE $V ,QWHO EDWWOHG ZLWK $0' IRU WHFKQRORJLFDO superiority and market-share wins in the early 2000s, its legal troubles did not quietly disappear, as Andy Grove might have hoped. The European Commission dismissed the technical complaints from 2001, but it continued to investigate the rebate payments. $QG $0' ODXQFKHG QHZ FRPSODLQWV ZLWK competition authorities around the globe—in -DSDQ 6RXWK .RUHD DQG WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 7KH -DSDQHVH LQYHVWLJDWLRQ EHJDQ LQ DQG centered on issues that were much the same as WKH RQHV WKDW $0' KDG RULJLQDOO\ EURXJKW before the European competition watchdog. $IWHU PRQWKV WKH -DSDQ )DLU 7UDGH &RPPLVVLRQ -)7& UXOHG WKDW ,QWHO¶V -DSDQHVH
VXEVLGLDU\ KDG R̆HUHG UHEDWHV RU RWKHU PDUNHWLQJ LQFHQWLYHV WR WKH FRXQWU\¶V ¿YH ODUJHVW 3& PDNHUV ZLWK WKH FRQGLWLRQ WKDW WKH\ XVH ,QWHO SURFHVVRUV IRU PRVW PRGHOV VROG ,QWHO R̆HUHG LWV 2(0 FXVWRPHUV WKUHH UHEDWH WLHUV DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH ¿QGLQJV 8VH ,QWHO FKLSV LQ HYHU\ 3& XVH ,QWHO FKLSV LQ RI 3&V VROG RU UHVHUYH RQH VHULHV RI 3&V IRU QRQ ,QWHO FKLSV DQG XVH ,QWHO FKLSV LQ all the others. 7KH UHVXOW DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH -)7& ZDV WKDW WKH HQWLUH UHPDLQGHU RI WKH PDUNHW WKRVH 3&V ZLWK QRQ ,QWHO FKLSV VROG LQ -DSDQ ZKLFK ZHUH PRVWO\ VXSSOLHG E\ $0' DQG WKH QRZ GHIXQFW 7UDQVPHWD FUDWHUHG GURSSLQJ IURP LQ WR LQ -DSDQHVH DXWKRULWLHV R̆HUHG ,QWHO D SURSRVDO WKDW VHHPV ODXJKDEO\ OHQLHQW E\ WKH VWDQGDUGV RI MXGJPHQWV \HW WR FRPH $FFHSW WKH ¿QGLQJV DQG HQG WKH UHEDWH SURJUDP LQ -DSDQ DQG QR FKDUJHV RU ¿QHV ZRXOG EH OHYLHG 7KH company would not even have to admit to any wrongdoing. Intel took the deal. )RU $0' WKH -DSDQ FDVH ZDV ³D VWHS LQ WKH ULJKW GLUHFWLRQ ´ EXW WKH FRPSODLQWV ZHUH IDU IURP RYHU ,Q $0' VXHG ,QWHO LQ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV DQG .RUHD alleging the same anti- competitive rebate practices. Armed with the Japanese GHFLVLRQ DQG ,QWHO¶V DFFHSWDQFH RI LW $0' FODLPHG LQ LWV 86 'LVWULFW &RXUW ¿OLQJ that Intel’s practices were also illegal under American antitrust law. This private lawsuit was consolidated with several other class-action lawsuits. Naturally, ,QWHO REMHFWHG WR $0'¶V FRPSODLQWV²LW KDG QRW DGPLWWHG WR DQ\ ZURQJGRLQJ LQ any international cases thus far—and asked the court to dismiss the case. In ,QWHO¶V PRWLRQ WR GLVPLVV ZDV GHQLHG DQG WKH FDVH ZDV VFKHGXOHG IRU WULDO in 2009. 6RPH RI WKH PRVW HSLF DQG H[SHQVLYH PDQHXYHULQJ LQ PRGHUQ OHJDO KLVWRU\ ensued, ensuring that the battle between the two silicon giants would be UHPHPEHUHG DV PXFK IRU LWV OHJDO LQQRYDWLRQV DV LWV WHFKQLFDO RQHV %\ RQH XQṘFLDO PHDVXUH LQ HDUO\ ,QWHO KDG DOUHDG\ VSHQW DW OHDVW PLOOLRQ RQ OHJDO UHSUHVHQWDWLRQ IRU WKH $0' ODZVXLW LQ WKH 86 $QG WKH (XURSHDQ LQYHVWLJDWLRQ ZDV VWLOO RQJRLQJ ,Q WZR VHSDUDWH VHWV RI FKDUJHV LQ DQG WKH (XURSHDQ 8QLRQ FRPSHWLWLRQ DXWKRULW\ FRUURERUDWHG -DSDQ¶V ¿QGLQJV and added a few of its own. Intel had apparently abused its dominant position in the market for PC processors, not only through rebates but also by paying computer makers to delay or cancel product lines and selling server processors below their actual cost of production.
,Q WKH FRXUVH RI DUJXLQJ LWV SRVLWLRQ LQ (XURSH $0' ZRQ D VLJQL¿FDQW DQFLOODU\ 86 6XSUHPH &RXUW YLFWRU\ LQ ZKLFK WKH FRXUW UXOHG LQ WKDW OLWLJDQWV LQ IRUHLJQ OHJDO SURFHHGLQJV FDQ UHTXHVW HYLGHQFH LQ D 86 IHGHUDO FRXUW 7KLV VR FDOOHG ³6HFWLRQ GLVFRYHU\´ KDV EHHQ used several times since, most notably in recent developments in the decades-long, Kafka-esque pollution dispute between Chevron and the indigenous inhabitants of the Amazon rainforest. %XW IRU QRQ ODZ\HUV WKH PRVW PHPRUDEOH SDUW RI WKH OHJDO EDWWOHV EHWZHHQ $0' DQG ,QWHO E\ IDU DUH WKH aforementioned emails that Andrew Cuomo presented WR WKH FRXUW RI SXEOLF RSLQLRQ DV WKH 86 DQG (XURSHDQ cases came to a preliminary conclusion in 2009. Intel DJUHHG WR SD\ ELOOLRQ WR VHWWOH DOO RXWVWDQGLQJ GLVSXWHV ZLWK $0' LQ WKH 86 0HDQZKLOH (XURSHDQ ṘFLDOV OHYLHG D ¼ ELOOLRQ ELOOLRQ ¿QH ZLWK D trove of damning emails to lend credibility to the H\HEURZ UDLVLQJ DPRXQW ,QWHO LV VWLOO DSSHDOLQJ WKDW ¿QH today, but the messages have been made public—thanks in part to Cuomo, who included many of them in yet DQRWKHU DQWLWUXVW VXLW ¿OHG LQ ODWH If you’re a fan of legal wrangling, it’s worth scanning the details of Cuomo’s complaint with a giant tub of SRSFRUQ KDQG\ <RX¶OO GLVFRYHU WKDW H[HFXWLYHV DW +3 DQG 'HOO ZHUH DOOHJHGO\ EHVLGH WKHPVHOYHV ZLWK ZRUU\ EHFDXVH WKH\ EHOLHYHG $0'¶V 2SWHURQ FKLSV ZHUH technologically superior to Intel’s, but they thought WKDW ZLWKRXW ,QWHO¶V ¿QDQFLDO VXSSRUW WKH\ FRXOGQ¶W make money. You’ll read about how Intel was allegedly ³SUHSDUHG IRU MLKDG LI 'HOO MRLQV WKH $0' H[RGXV ´ 7KH RULJLQDO (XURSHDQ FRPSODLQW UHSODFHV ³MLKDG´ ZLWK ³DOO RXW ZDU´ EHFDXVH FRPPLVVLRQHUV EHOLHYHG WKDW WKH RULJLQDO ZRUGLQJ ZDV WRR R̆HQVLYH &XRPR SHUKDSV FRXUWLQJ FRQWURYHUV\ ZHQW ZLWK WKH RULJLQDO
If you’re a fan of legal wrangling, it’s worth scanning the details of Cuomo’s complaint with a giant tub of popcorn handy.
Intel disputed the relevancy of the emails, claiming in a statement to The New York Times that the European LQYHVWLJDWLRQ ZDV KHDY\ RQ ³VSHFXODWLRQ IRXQG LQ HPDLOV from lower-level employees that did not participate in WKH QHJRWLDWLRQ RI WKH UHOHYDQW DJUHHPHQWV ´ DQG WKDW WKH PHVVDJHV ZHUH FLWHG ³LI WKH\ IDYRUHG WKH FRPPLVVLRQ¶V FDVH ´ $ IHGHUDO FRXUW VDLG &XRPR FRXOG not seek damages for many of the sensational allegations in the suit, and it was settled by his successor, Eric Schneiderman, in 2012 for just PLOOLRQ AMD FINDS ITS ZEN 'DPQLQJ GHWDLOV ELOOLRQ GROODU ¿QHV WHFKQLFDO RQH XSPDQVKLS DQG VFDQGDORXV HPDLOV DVLGH WKH $0' ,QWHO EDWWOH LV IDU IURP RYHU %XW WZR VXUSULVLQJ WKLQJV KDSSHQHG LQ WKDW ZLOO OLNHO\ GH¿QH WKH QH[W SKDVH RI WKH EDWWOH 2QH IDYRUHG ,QWHO 7KH European Court of Justice agreed with Intel’s DSSHDO RI WKH ¼ ELOOLRQ ¿QH UHPDQGLQJ LW back to the competition authority in a retrial that is still ongoing. The second surprise is technical: After years of trying to compete ZLWK ,QWHO XVLQJ 2SWHURQ DQG $WKORQ SURFHVVRUV $0' ODXQFKHG DQ HQWLUHO\ QHZ SURFHVVRU DUFKLWHFWXUH FDOOHG ³=HQ ´ WR UDYH reviews and reassuring market-share gains. 7R GDWH WKHUH KDYH EHHQ ¿YH JHQHUDWLRQV RI =HQ EDVHG SURFHVVRUV VROG XQGHU WZR PDLQ EUDQGV²5\]HQ IRU FRQVXPHU 3&V DQG ZRUNVWDWLRQV DQG (S\F IRU VHUYHUV 7KHLU performance has bested Intel competitors on many benchmark tests and real-world applications, thanks ERWK WR WKH ḢFLHQF\ RI WKHLU PXOWLFRUH PXOWLWKUHDGHG GHVLJQV DQG WKH IDFW WKDW $0' KDV VROG PDQ\ RI WKHP IRU OHVV WKDQ FRPSHWLQJ ,QWHO &RUH DQG ;HRQ SURGXFWV go for.
Damning details, billiondollar fines, technical oneupmanship, and scandalous emails aside, the AMD-Intel battle is far from over.
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Photo credit: AMD
'U 6X¶V PRYH WR $0' LQ FDPH DPLG D PXOWL year management overhaul. In just two years, she went from senior vice president to chief operating ṘFHU WR &(2 2QH RI KHU ¿UVW VLJQL¿FDQW VWUDWHJLF decisions was to double down on the company’s business for PC processors, instead of abandoning LW WR IRFXV RQ UH¿QLQJ )XVLRQ IRU FRQVROHV DQG RWKHU HOHFWURQLFV 7R GR VR 'U 6X KDG WR IUHH $0' from the setbacks it had faced in developing its $WKORQ FKLSV LQFOXGLQJ ¿QGLQJ PRUH UHVHDUFK DQG development capacity. She negotiated a breakup in ZLWK $0'¶V IRUPHU VXSSOLHU *OREDO)RXQGULHV ZKLFK FRVW D FRRO PLOOLRQ LQ termination fees.
2QH RI WKH FRPSDQ\¶V PRVW FUXFLDO SDUWQHUV LV 7DLZDQ 6HPLFRQGXFWRU 0DQXIDFWXULQJ &RPSDQ\ 760& ZKRVH IDEULFDWLRQ IDFLOLWLHV IDEV DVVHPEOH WKH =HQ FKLSV 8QOLNH ,QWHO ZKLFK RZQV LWV RZQ IDEV $0' outsources almost all chip production. Still, once HYHU\WKLQJ FDPH WRJHWKHU WKH =HQ ODXQFK FRXOGQ¶W KDYH EHHQ EHWWHU WLPHG WR FRLQFLGH ZLWK WKH FOLPD[ RI negative attention that Intel had garnered with its ELOOLRQV RI GROODUV LQ SURSRVHG ¿QHV IRU DOOHJHG DQWL competitive concerns. $GG LQ $0'¶V UHPDUNDEOH WHFKQLFDO DGYDQFHV VR GL̆HUHQW IURP LWV ÀDJJLQJ $WKORQ DQG ); SURGXFWV RI D decade earlier, and you get a remarkable result: The company’s market share is coming back from the brink DW DQ LPSUHVVLYH FOLS 7XUQLQJ WR WKH 3DVV0DUN benchmark database once more, it’s clear that the share RI 3&V ZLWK ,QWHO &38V SHDNHG LQ ODWH DW DQG WKHQ EHJDQ D ¿WIXO GHFOLQH )ROORZLQJ D SUHFLSLWRXV ULVH LQ WKH WKLUG TXDUWHU RI ZKLFK PLUURUV ¶V SUHFLSLWRXV GURS $0'¶V VKDUH RI WKH LQVWDOOHG &38 EDVH QRZ VWDQGV DW WR ,QWHO¶V 7KDW ¿JXUH LQFOXGHV DOO &38 FDWHJRULHV²ODSWRSV FRQVXPHU GHVNWRSV DQG VHUYHUV :KHQ \RX OLPLW WKH 3DVV0DUN GDWD WR MXVW GHVNWRS FKLSV $0'¶V UHYHUVDO RI IRUWXQHV LV HYHQ PRUH VLJQL¿FDQW $0' VOLJKWO\ VXUSDVVHG ,QWHO LQ WKLV FDWHJRU\ LQ WKH ¿UVW TXDUWHU RI DQG WKH WZR FRPSDQLHV DUH QRZ HVVHQWLDOO\ WLHG IRU GHVNWRS &38V 0HDVXUHG E\ VDOHV RI QHZ SURGXFWV WKH PDUNHW VKDUH trends are slightly less dramatic but still represent a win IRU $0' 7KH FRPSDQ\¶V VKDUH RI QRWHERRN SURFHVVRUV UHDFKHG ODVW \HDU XS IURP MXVW LQ DFFRUGLQJ WR 0HUFXU\ 5HVHDUFK $QG GXULQJ WKH VDPH ¿YH \HDU SHULRG ,QWHO¶V QRWHERRN SURFHVVRU PDUNHW VKDUH GHFOLQHG IURP WR
Measured by sales of new products, the market-share trends are slightly less dramatic but still represent a win for AMD.
COVID-19 RESETS THE BATTLE $W WKLV SRLQW DQ\RQH ZKR GHFODUHV $0' DVFHQGDQW YHUVXV D ÀDJJLQJ ,QWHO LV FUHGLEOH²WKH VFUDSS\ 7H[DV XQGHUGRJ KDV SOHQW\ RI UHDVRQV WR FHOHEUDWH %XW such a declaration would be premature, not only because the jury is still very much out on Intel’s alleged anti-competitive practices in Europe. In fact, the SURFHVVRU VLWXDWLRQ WRGD\ LV MXVW DV FRPSOLFDWHG DV LW ZDV ZKHQ $0' FODLPHG technical superiority over the far-better-selling Intel chips in its advertisements PRUH WKDQ \HDUV DJR 7KLV FRPSOH[LW\ KDV PDQ\ FRQWULEXWLQJ IDFWRUV EXW WZR RI WKH ODUJHVW DUH WKH UHVXOW RI H[RJHQRXV VKRFNV WKDW QHLWKHU $0' QRU ,QWHO FRXOG KDYH UHDVRQDEO\ SUHGLFWHG LQFOXGLQJ WKH H̆HFWV RI &29,'
Photo credit: Top PC vendors, according to IDC
Against the odds, the multithreaded desktop processor that originally pitted $0' DJDLQVW ,QWHO LV VHHLQJ D UHVXUJHQFH RI LQWHUHVW ,QGXVWU\ H[SHUWV DQG consumers once believed desktop PCs were a dying breed, taking a backseat to SKRQHV WDEOHWV DQG ZDWFKHV ,Q ZKHQ $0' DQG ,QWHO ZHUH VWLOO LQ WKH heat of battle, declining PC sales had vendors wringing their hands and trying to ¿QG ZD\V WR PDNH WKH 3& PRUH YLWDO WR D SHUVRQ¶V FRPSXWLQJ H[SHULHQFH
%XW WKH &29,' SDQGHPLF FKDQJHG DOO WKDW 3& VDOHV VN\URFNHWHG HDUO\ LQ WKH pandemic, as many white-collar workers and parents of school-age kids worldwide realized that they might be working and learning from home for the foreseeable future. Last year, PC vendors shipped 302 million units across the JOREH DQ DQQXDO LQFUHDVH RI DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH UHVHDUFK ¿UP ,'& ³7R SXW things into perspective, the last time the PC market saw annual growth of this PDJQLWXGH ZDV ZKHQ WKH PDUNHW JUHZ ´ WKH FRPSDQ\ VDLG LQ D
Photo by SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images
research note. According to data collected by Canalys, global shipments of GHVNWRSV QRWHERRNV DQG ZRUNVWDWLRQV LQ WKH ¿UVW TXDUWHU RI LQFUHDVHG E\ DQ HYHQ JUHDWHU \HDU RYHU \HDU 7KH UDZ QXPEHUV² PLOOLRQ XQLWV²DOVR make it the highest Q1 shipment order since 2012, though some of that is WHPSHUHG E\ WKH IDFW WKDW PXFK RI WKH ZRUOG ZDV XQGHU ORFNGRZQ LQ WKH ¿UVW quarter of 2020, which hampered shipments of everything. 5LVLQJ GHPDQG DQG &29,' LQGXFHG VKRUWDJHV LQ PDWHULDOV DQG SURGXFWLRQ FDSDFLW\ KDYH FRQVSLUHG WR FUHDWH D SHUIHFW VWRUP IRU $0' 760& VLPSO\ KDV QR IDE FDSDFLW\ WR VSDUH DQG HYHQ LI LW GLG $0' PLJKW QRW QHFHVVDULO\ JHW WR XVH LW ULJKW DZD\ 760& IDEV DOVR PDNH FKLSV IRU PDQ\ RWKHU FRPSDQLHV LQFOXGLQJ Apple and Qualcomm. These clients typically book chip orders months or even \HDUV LQ DGYDQFH DQG 760& &(2 & & :HL VDLG GXULQJ KLV FRPSDQ\¶V ODVW HDUQLQJV FDOO WKDW LW LV ZLWQHVVLQJ ³VWURQJ GHPDQG´ IRU LWV PDQXIDFWXULQJ FDSDELOLWLHV ZKLFK ZLOO NHHS FKLS VXSSOLHV WLJKW IRU DW OHDVW WKH QH[W PRQWKV 7KH WULFNOHGRZQ UHVXOW LV WKDW LW FDQ EH GL̇FXOW WR ¿QG 5\]HQ RU (S\F EDVHG FRPSXWHUV :KLOH WKH 3DVVPDUN GDWD SDLQWV D URV\ SLFWXUH IRU $0' LQ WHUPV RI WKH &38 SUHIHUHQFHV RI 3& SHUIRUPDQFH HQWKXVLDVWV PDQ\ FRQVXPHUV FDUH PRUH DERXW ZKHWKHU WKH\ FDQ EX\ D EDVLF QHZ ODSWRS IRU KRPHZRUN RU =RRP FDOOV ,Q WKLV UHVSHFW $0'¶V SLFWXUH LV QRW VR URV\ $FFRUGLQJ WR 0HUFXU\ 5HVHDUFK WKH FRPSDQ\¶V FKLSV ZHUH LQ MXVW RI 3&V VROG LQ WKH VHFRQG TXDUWHU RI GXULQJ WKH KHLJKW RI WKH SDQGHPLF 7KDW¶V XS VLJQL¿FDQWO\ IURP RI QHZ 3&V VROG LQ EXW LW VWLOO UHSUHVHQWV D VPDOO VKDUH RI WKH PDUNHW for new PCs.
Intel has faced production shortages as well, but the output of its dedicated fabs has mitigated the situation. Now, some industry watchers are predicting that the GL̆HULQJ PDQXIDFWXULQJ FDSDELOLWLHV RI WKH WZR combatants will open new battlefronts in the future. As Intel doubles down on its manufacturing strategy, LQFOXGLQJ FRPPLWWLQJ ELOOLRQ IRU WZR QHZ IDEV LQ $UL]RQD LW FRXOG DFWXDOO\ EH SOD\LQJ ULJKW LQWR $0'¶V hands. Loath to cede manufacturing prowess to Intel, 760& FRXOG DZDUG $0' PRUH PDQXIDFWXULQJ FDSDFLW\ ³FHPHQWLQJ WKH FRPSDQ\¶V [ SURFHVV WHFKQRORJ\ OHDGHUVKLS IRU WKH IRUHVHHDEOH IXWXUH ´ DFFRUGLQJ WR one analyst. In other words, it’s too soon to declare that because HYHU\RQH ZDQWV 3&V DQG $0' FDQ¶W SURGXFH FKLSV IDVW HQRXJK ,QWHO ZLOO EHQH¿W ,QGHHG $0' DQQRXQFHG D QHZ ³ '´ FKLS VWDFNLQJ WHFKQRORJ\ DW &RPSXWH[ LQ -XQH WKDW WDNHV DGYDQWDJH RI 760&¶V ODWHVW PDQXIDFWXULQJ FDSDELOLWLHV %\ DGGLQJ D VHFRQG OD\HU RI FDFKH PHPRU\ RQ WRS RI WKH VWDQGDUG SURFHVVRU $0' FDQ H̆HFWLYHO\ WULSOH WKH DPRXQW RI FDFKH WKH &38 FDQ access, potentially reducing latency and speeding up many applications. Intel is working on chip stacking WRR EXW 760& VD\V LW LV WKHRUHWLFDOO\ FDSDEOH RI SURGXFLQJ XS WR FKLS OD\HUV VR $0' KDV D ORW RI headroom for future technical innovations. The second unforeseen aspect that adds to the FRPSOH[LW\ RI WKH $0' ,QWHO ULYDOU\ LV WKDW ,QWHO corporate leadership, once a stable succession of HQJLQHHUV WXUQHG H[HFXWLYHV KDV H[SHULHQFHG XQSUHFHGHQWHG WXUQRYHU LQ UHFHQW \HDUV )ROORZLQJ WKH UHWLUHPHQW RI &(2 3DXO 2WHOOLQL ZKRVH HPDLOV OLWWHUHG &XRPR¶V WURYH WKH FRPSDQ\ KDV JRQH WKURXJK WKUHH RWKHU WRS ERVVHV LQ HLJKW \HDUV %RE 6ZDQ ZKR occupied the job for little more than a year before he VWHSSHG GRZQ LQ )HEUXDU\ LQKHULWHG PDVVLYH
In other words, it’s too soon to declare that because everyone wants PCs and AMD can’t produce chips fast enough, Intel will benefit
production problems and many suspicious employees, QRW WR PHQWLRQ WKH FRPSHWLWLYH WKUHDW IURP $0' 6ZDQ attempted to improve internal communication and FDPDUDGHULH XQYHLOLQJ D ³2QH ,QWHO´ VORJDQ DQG H[WROOLQJ HPSOR\HHV WR KRQRU WUXWK DQG WUDQVSDUHQF\ LQ WKHLU GHDOLQJV ZLWK FXVWRPHUV +H PDGH LW KLV PLVVLRQ WR transform the company culture, pivoting it away from $QG\ *URYH¶V ³RQO\ WKH SDUDQRLG VXUYLYH´ DSSURDFK &XUUHQW &(2 3DW *HOVLQJHU KDV VR IDU HFKRHG Grove in taking a more combative approach. Like 'U /LVD 6X *HOVLQJHU LV DQ HQJLQHHU ZLWK GHHS URRWV LQ WKH VHPLFRQGXFWRU LQGXVWU\ +H VSHQW decades working at Grove’s Intel, helping to GHVLJQ JURXQGEUHDNLQJ SURFHVVRUV LQ WKH V EHIRUH GHFDPSLQJ IRU (0& LQ %XW XQOLNH 'U 6X DQG KHU VKDNHXS DW $0' KH KDV JLYHQ QR indication that Intel will undertake a major shift away from its traditional research, development, and manufacturing methods. Instead, Gelsinger is doubling down on in-house fabs as a means of FDWFKLQJ XS ZLWK $0' DQG 760& *HOVLQJHU DOVR reportedly told employees in January that Intel PXVW ³GHOLYHU EHWWHU SURGXFWV WR WKH 3& HFRV\VWHP than any possible thing [made by] a lifestyle FRPSDQ\ LQ &XSHUWLQR ´ D UHIHUHQFH WR $SSOH¶V 2020 decision to begin ditching Intel processors LQ LWV 0DF GHVNWRSV DQG ODSWRSV LQ IDYRU RI SURSULHWDU\ VLOLFRQ OLNH WKH 0 FKLS COULD THIS FIERCE RIVALRY FIZZLE? Indeed, it is Gelisinger’s swipe at Apple that represents perhaps the biggest change to the terms of the Intel$0' ULYDOU\ RYHU WKH QH[W GHFDGH RU VR $V LPSUHVVLYH DV $SSOH¶V 0 FKLS LV LW¶V WULYLDO LQ D ELJJHU PDUNHW SLFWXUH VHQVH DW WKH PRPHQW²0DFV DUH D GURS LQ WKH EXFNHW RI RYHUDOO 3& VDOHV ,QVWHDG LW¶V ZKDW WKH 0 represents that could have a lasting impact on the way
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger
,QWHO DQG $0' GR EXVLQHVV /RQJWLPH ,QWHO DQG $0' clients may no longer rely on the two semiconductor veterans for all of their chip needs. The Apple shift away from Intel is just beginning, and VR DUH RWKHU H̆RUWV VXFK DV 4XDOFRPP¶V 6QDSGUDJRQ FKLSV IRU 3&V %XW RQ WKH VHUYHU VLGH RI WKH LQGXVWU\ WKH transformation has been underway for years. Amazon, )DFHERRN DQG *RRJOH DUH VSHQGLQJ VPDOO IRUWXQHV WR design their own server chips that can power everything from simple data cold storage to machine-learning algorithms. Their performance capabilities aren’t DQ\WKLQJ WR ZULWH KRPH DERXW²$PD]RQ :HE 6HUYLFHV¶ ¿UVW FXVWRP FRUH SURFHVVRU ODXQFKHG LQ LV UHSRUWHGO\ OHVV FDSDEOH WKDQ HYHQ ¿YH FRUHV RI ,QWHO¶V ;HRQ ( Y &38 IURP %XW LI $0' DQG ,QWHO DUH WHPSWHG WR JORDW LW ZRXOG EH to their own detriment. This is no longer purely a game RI ;HRQ YHUVXV (S\F DQG 2SHUWRQ LQ WKH VHUYHU PDUNHW (YHQ LI WKH $:6 FKLS FDQ¶W PDWFK D ;HRQ¶V SRZHU LW requires no sales agreement and no middlemen. And plenty of servers don’t require powerful silicon at all, LQVWHDG UXQQLQJ RQO\ VSHFLDOL]HG DUWL¿FLDO LQWHOOLJHQFH
Amazon, Facebook, and Google are spending small fortunes to design their own server chips that can power everything from simple data cold storage to machinelearning algorithms.
Photo credit: Google
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Google tensor processing unit
The fact that Amazon, Apple, Google, and other tech giants can now design WKHLU RZQ SURFHVVRUV LI ,QWHO DQG $0' GRQ¶W R̆HU VXLWDEOH VROXWLRQV FRXOG profoundly alter the semiconductor industry at a time when its veterans are facing protracted silicon supply problems. If that happens, a rebate scheme that runs afoul of anti-monopoly rules would be a quaint anachronism rather than a ELOOLRQ GROODU EOXQGHU 7KHUH ZRXOG EH QR SRVLWLRQ WR PRQRSROL]H 5DWKHU WKDQ ORFNLQJ KRUQV $0' DQG ,QWHO FRXOG TXLFNO\ ¿QG WKHPVHOYHV FLUFOLQJ WKH ZDJRQV WR ZDUG R̆ FRPSHWLWLRQ IURP GR]HQV RI SULYDWH ODEHO SURFHVVRUV It’s a bittersweet vision from the perspective of PC enthusiasts and old-school ,7 H[HFV 7R PDQ\ WKH GHFDGHV ORQJ $0' ,QWHO ULYDOU\ LV VRPHWKLQJ RI D SDVWLPH 7R ODZ\HUV DQG 2(0V LW ZDV RFFDVLRQDOO\ D YHU\ SUR¿WDEOH RQH %XW LI budding silicon from the likes of Apple and Amazon already rival that of FRPSDQLHV ZLWK GHFDGHV RI H[SHULHQFH LQ VHPLFRQGXFWRU HQJLQHHULQJ WKHUH PLJKW QRW EH DQ RSSRUWXQLW\ OHIW IRU HLWKHU $0' RU ,QWHO WR GRQ D FURZQ LQ WKH decade to come. PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION
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AUGUST 2021
TIPS & HOW TOS VPNS
How To Install a VPN on Your Router BY DANIEL BRAME
T
hese days, you need as much internet security as you can get. From telecommuting to simply watching your favorite show on a smart TV, the average consumer’s attack surface is three to four times the size as it was when most of us had only one PC. That’s not only a worry—it’s also a chore, since you need to install protective software on all those devices. But while you can’t get around installing separate antivirus software on every device, you can at least make your virtual private network (VPN) concerns less aggravating by skipping the per-device procedure and simply installing a blanket VPN on your router.
WHY GET A VPN? VPNs are internet security must-haves for a number of reasons. First, they make your computer appear as if it’s in a geographic location other than where you actually are. That’s because you’re logging into a server operated by the VPN provider and then running your web sessions from there. So when cookies or Big Bad Government Agencies try to locate you from your web activities, WKH\¶OO ¿QG WKH 931 SURYLGHU¶V VHUYHU QRW \RX (YHQ better, hundreds or thousands of people will be doing the same thing using the same server. But VPNs do more than anonymize your session—they DOVR HQFU\SW \RXU WUḊF 931V FDQ XVH D YDULHW\ RI GL̆HUHQW HQFU\SWLRQ PHWKRGV EXW WKH PRVW SRSXODU LV WKH $(6 ELW RU ELW VWDQGDUG &RPELQH WKDW ZLWK anonymization, and you’ve got a scenario where your ORFDWLRQ LV KLGGHQ DQG \RXU LQGLYLGXDO HQFU\SWHG WUḊF VWUHDP LV ULGLFXORXVO\ GL̇FXOW WR SLFN RXW EHFDXVH \RXU stream of encrypted gobbledygook is one of hundreds or thousands of other streams of encrypted gobbledygook pouring into and out of that same server farm. 7KDW¶V WKH GUDZ RI D 931 <RX JHW DOO WKRVH EHQH¿WV MXVW by installing a simple web client on your device and making sure it’s active before starting any other web or cloud session. But if your home has multiple devices, especially if you think some of them might be running connected software that starts before you’ve even had a chance to activate your VPN, something more constant might be required. That’s when you opt for installing a VPN client on your wireless router; anyone using your local network to browse the web or access a cloud service will automatically be using the VPN, because they can’t JHW RXW WR WKH LQWHUQHW ZLWKRXW MXPSLQJ WKURXJK WKDW always-on hoop.
You’ve got a scenario where your location is hidden and your encrypted traffic stream is ridiculously difficult to pick out.
MANY KINDS OF VPN ROUTERS Today, while some routers support connecting to VPN services via OpenVPN or WKH 3RLQW WR 3RLQW 7XQQHOLQJ 3URWRFRO 3373 \RX SUREDEO\ ZRQ¶W ¿QG WKLV feature on most consumer-oriented routers. It’s also not a lightweight chore to FRQ¿JXUH 6RPH RI WKH PRUH H[SHQVLYH URXWHUV ZLOO VXSSRUW 931V XVLQJ WKRVH features, especially if the manufacturer is looking to sell them into small businesses as well as homes. Also, a few (growing) number of VPN providers have taken on the task of PDNLQJ VXUH \RX FDQ LQVWDOO WKHLU 931 FOLHQW RQ D URXWHU¶V ¿UPZDUH²PRUH RQ that below. But those clients usually aren’t universal, so you’ll need a router from the VPN provider’s compatibility list. While that’s great, you’re probably happy with your current router, and dropping the bucks for a whole new router MXVW WR JHW D 931 FOLHQW PLJKW QRW EH DQ DWWUDFWLYH RSWLRQ 7KLV OHDYHV \RX WR KXQW IRU DOWHUQDWLYH ¿UPZDUH WKDW¶OO VXSSRUW HLWKHU 2SHQ931 or your chosen VPN provider’s client. The most popular of these is DD-WRT, though another option is Tomato, for those who have a Broadcom-based router. DD-WRT is the more mature of the two and works on many routers, both old and new. $OWHUQDWLYHO\ \RX FDQ WXUQ DQ ROG [ 3& LQWR D URXWHU E\ DGGLQJ DQ H[WUD QHWZRUN SRUW YLD DQ H[SDQVLRQ FDUG DQG WKHQ LQVWDOOLQJ '' :57 RQ WKDW 7KLV does take a bit of additional work, but if you’ve got the chops, it’s a great way of building yourself a highly customizable and very capable router without much added cost. Most folks, however, will stick to installing DD-WRT on their compatible router, which is not only what it’s intended to do but is also a great way to XSGDWH DQG H[SDQG \RXU QHWZRUNLQJ FDSDELOLWLHV 7KH RQO\ GRZQVLGH RI XVLQJ your router this way is that you can void your warranty, or worse, render the router completely inoperable if things go very wrong. The best way to avoid this is to make sure you’re installing DD-WRT on a router that’s not only supported but has been supported for a good, long while. 7KH ORQJHU \RXU URXWHU¶V EHHQ VXSSRUWHG WKH VPRRWKHU WKH ¿UPZDUH LQVWDOO ZLOO go, since the development team will have had lots of time to smooth out any NLQNV <RX VKRXOG DOVR ¿QG D VXSSRUW IRUXP ZLWK XVHUV IDPLOLDU ZLWK ERWK \RXU
router and DD-WRT. Some router manufacturers have such forums connected WR WKHLU VXSSRUW SDJHV EXW PRUH RIWHQ \RX¶OO ¿QG WKHP LQ LQGHSHQGHQW ZHE locations, such as the main DD-WRT website or Reddit. To write this article, I upgraded three routers. Two of them carried the Linksys EUDQG²QDPHO\ WKH /$3$& $& 'XDO %DQG $FFHVV 3RLQW DQG WKH :57 $& Y :KLOH WKH XSJUDGH RQ WKH /$3$& IDLOHG SUREDEO\ EHFDXVH LW¶V QRW D IXOO ÀHGJHG URXWHU WKH SURFHVV ZRUNHG ¿QH RQ WKH :57 $& )RU JULQV , GHFLGHG WR GR DQRWKHU LQVWDOODWLRQ RQ DQ ROG JHQHULF :LQGRZV 3& WKDW , RXW¿WWHG ZLWK WZR JLJDELW QHWZRUN LQWHUIDFH FDUGV 1,&V 7KDW SURFHVV DOVR ZHQW ¿QH DQG ZKLOH LW¶V FHUWDLQO\ EXONLHU WKDQ WKH :57 $& LW¶V VWLOO WKH IDVWHU RI WKH WZR GETTING TO YOUR ROUTER CONFIGURATION (YHU\ URXWHU LV D OLWWOH ELW GL̆HUHQW EXW PRVW /LQNV\V URXWHUV IROORZ D VLPLODU SDWWHUQ ZKHQ LW FRPHV WR ORJLQ DQG PDNLQJ FKDQJHV WR WKH FRQ¿JXUDWLRQ 7KDW SURFHVV LV DOVR VLPLODU WR ZKDW \RX¶OO ¿QG RQ PRVW RWKHU URXWHU EUDQGV WRR VR LW¶V D JRRG H[DPSOH IRU WKLV DUWLFOH 7KH ¿UVW WKLQJ WR GR LV ¿JXUH RXW ZKDW \RXU URXWHU¶V LQWHUQHW 3URWRFRO ,3 DGGUHVV LV 7R GR WKLV RQ 0LFURVRIW :LQGRZV FOLFN WKH 6WDUW PHQX W\SH LQ &RPPDQG 3URPSW DQG FOLFN (QWHU 7KHQ W\SH LQ LSFRQ¿J DQG FOLFN (QWHU DJDLQ <RX VKRXOG VHH WKH VDPH WKLQJ DV LQ WKH VFUHHQVKRW EHORZ WKRXJK ZLWK GL̆HUHQW DGGUHVV QXPEHUV <RXU URXWHU¶V ,3 DGGUHVV ZLOO EH OLVWHG DV WKH 'HIDXOW *DWHZD\ +HUH WKDW¶V 1H[W RSHQ \RXU EURZVHU DQG W\SH LQ \RXU URXWHU¶V ,3 DGGUHVV DV WKH 85/ KWWS ?? 7KDW¶OO JHW \RX WR D ORJLQ SURPSW IRU \RXU URXWHU¶V administration console. If you’ve never changed the username and password
You’ll encounter this screen when searching for your router’s IP address on a Windows 10 PC.
for your router, then looking up your router model on the Linksys website should lead you to a support page where the default credentials are listed. If it’s not /LQNV\V WKHQ MXVW ¿QG \RXU RULJLQDO LQVWDOODWLRQ LQVWUXFWLRQV IURP ZKHQ \RX ¿UVW LQVWDOOHG WKH URXWHU and the default credentials will be there. If that document is long gone, then head over to your router PDNHU¶V ZHEVLWH DQG ¿QG WKH LQVWUXFWLRQV IRU VHWWLQJ your router back to factory defaults. The default credentials should be there, too. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to call your router’s support line and ask. Once you get access to the router’s administrator IXQFWLRQV \RX¶OO ZDQW WR ¿QG WKH FRQVROH WKDW DOORZV D ¿UPZDUH XSGDWH *HQHUDOO\ WKLV ZLOO EH IRXQG XQGHU WKH $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ WDE )RU VSHFL¿F LQVWUXFWLRQV IRU Linksys routers, check the company’s website. Other router vendors will have similar instructions available on their support pages.
Head to your router maker’s website and find the instructions for setting your router back to factory defaults.
Linksys provides intructions on how to upgrade its routers’ firmware.
DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING DD-WRT This step is arguably the most important, since you can potentially “brick” (that is, render inoperable) your router if anything goes wrong. This could happen
EHFDXVH RI LQFRPSDWLELOLW\ RQ WKH VRIWZDUH VLGH RU EHFDXVH \RX VX̆HU D SRZHU RXWDJH DW D FULWLFDO VWHS RI WKH XSGDWH SURFHVV ,¶P QRW WU\LQJ WR VFDUH \RX R̆² WKH YDVW PDMRULW\ RI '' :57 LQVWDOOV UXQ MXVW ¿QH²EXW WKH UHDOLW\ LV WKDW VRPHWKLQJ EDG FRXOG KDSSHQ WR WKH URXWHU VR SOHDVH H[HUFLVH FDXWLRQ Navigate to this page (https://dd-wrt.com/support/router-database/) and enter your router’s model name. You’ll get a list of potential candidates. Pick the one that matches your router’s brand and model number, and then download the ELQ ¿OH
From the Linksys website
1RZ IURP WKH )LUPZDUH 8SGDWH VFUHHQ XSORDG WKH ELQ ¿OH DQG ZDLW ,I HYHU\WKLQJ ZRUNHG DV LW VKRXOG WKHQ \RXU URXWHU ZLOO EH UXQQLQJ '' :57 DQG is therefore compatible with OpenVPN. If things go south, and your router decides that you aren’t on speaking terms anymore, don’t panic. That happened WR PH ZKHQ , WULHG XSJUDGLQJ WKH /LQNV\V /$3$& $FFHVV 3RLQW -XVW GR ZKDW , GLG *R WR WKLV SDJH KWWSV ZLNL GG ZUW FRP ZLNL LQGH[ SKS 5HFRYHUB IURPBDB%DGB)ODVK DQG IROORZ WKH LQVWUXFWLRQV H[DFWO\ :LWK DQ\ OXFN \RX¶OO get back to a good starting place to try again. Once everything lights up the way it’s supposed to, the default IP address of a QHZ '' :57 LQVWDOO LV KWWS $JDLQ HQWHU WKDW DGGUHVV LQWR \RXU 3&¶V ZHE EURZVHU DV D 85/ DQG \RX¶OO VHH D VFUHHQ WKDW SURPSWV \RX WR UHVHW the default username and password. After that step, you can move on to the EDVLFV RI \RXU QHZ URXWHU¶V FRQ¿JXUDWLRQ SURFHVV )RU EXVLQHVV XVHUV DQG WKRVH ZLWK PRUH DGYDQFHG QHWZRUN UHTXLUHPHQWV '' :57 R̆HUV D ORW RI DGYDQFHG possibilities, so running through everything is beyond the scope of this article.
DD-WRT offers a lot of advanced possibilities.
But for most home and small business implementations, you’ll need to set the connection type for your wide area network (WAN), which really means your internet provider. Generally speaking, this will usually be found under the '\QDPLF +RVW &RQ¿JXUDWLRQ 3URWRFRO '+&3 VR LI \RX DUHQ¶W VXUH WKDW¶V D good place to start. SETTING UP THE VPN CLIENT First, get your router talking to the internet on one side and your local area network on the other. Then set up any more advanced network settings you need, such as Quality of Service (QoS) or access controls. Only when the router is fully humming should you consider installing your VPN client.
To do that, you will need to navigate to the VPN tab under Services. From there, FKHFN WKH (QDEOH %XEEOH QH[W WR ³6WDUW 2SHQ 931 &OLHQW ´ $W WKLV SRLQW WKHUH LV QR VLQJOH VHW RI LQVWUXFWLRQV WR PDNH WKLV ZRUN -XVW IROORZ WKH LQVWUXFWLRQV IRU your VPN brand, and you’ll be right on track. CHECK YOUR HANDIWORK DD-WRT has a nice Status tab with a VPN section that shows whether you’re FRQQHFWHG DQG HYHU\WKLQJ ZRUNHG DV DQWLFLSDWHG ,I \RX ZDQW WR JR WKH H[WUD mile, then you can check your IP by typing “What is my IP?” into Google. You VKRXOG JHW VRPHWKLQJ EDFN WKDW¶V GL̆HUHQW WKDQ ZKDW \RX VWDUWHG ZLWK VLQFH \RX¶OO EH VXU¿QJ WR *RRJOH IURP \RXU 931 YHQGRU¶V VHUYHU UDWKHU WKDQ \RXU 3& LI \RXU 931 LV ZRUNLQJ SURSHUO\ ,I WKDW KDSSHQV JUHDW MRE <RX FDQ QRZ EURZVH the web with more anonymity on all your connected devices.
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TIPS & HOW TOS SHOPPING
The Best Shopping Apps to Compare Prices BY CHANDRA STEELE
S
hopping online isn’t as simple as it seems. With so many places to buy the same product, you want to be sure that when you hit “purchase,” you’ve secured the best price. That’s where price-comparison apps come in. A quick search can make sure you’ve found the best bargain and maybe even an additional coupon code. There are plenty of price-comparison apps to help, and we’ve shopped around for the best of them.
ShopSavvy (Available on iOS, Android)
Shop smarter with ShopSavvy. The app lets you search for the items you are interested in buying and see how much they are both in stores and online. You FDQ DOVR EURZVH WKURXJK XVHU UHYLHZV DQG ¿QG RXW ZKHQ PDMRU VWRUHV DUH holding sales.
BuyVia (Available on iOS, Android)
Buying tech products? BuyVia compares prices at national and local outlets and lets you set up alerts (including location-based) for products. When you’re in a VWRUH DQG XQVXUH LI WKH SULFH RQ WKH VKHOI LV WKH ORZHVW \RX FDQ ¿QG XVH WKH 83& EDUFRGH VFDQQHU WR JHW DQ DQVZHU RQ WKH VSRW %X\9LD DOVR VLPSOL¿HV WHFK MDUJRQ IRU JLIW EX\HUV DQG TXRWHV UHYLHZV LQFOXGLQJ 3&0DJ¶V LQ LWV SURGXFW descriptions, recommending who it would make a good gift for and how they can use it.
Price.com (Available on iOS)
3ULFH FRP VHDUFKHV WKH ELJ VLWHV DQG WKH VPDOO IRU WKH ORZHVW SULFHV FRXSRQ codes, and recommendations. It has a barcode scanner but also lets you search from photos you’ve snapped. So if you’re looking to replace, say, a speaker, take a picture of your current one and suggestions pop up.
Mycartsavings (Available on iOS, Android)
:KHWKHU \RXU FDUW LV RQOLQH RU ,5/ 0\FDUWVDYLQJV KDV D EDVNHWIXO RI ERXQW\ IRU you. The app will track the price of an item and alert you when it reaches the amount you’re willing to pay. If you’re multitasking, you can search the app with your voice.
Amazon (Available on iOS, Android)
The Amazon app has a barcode scanner you can use when you’re in a store to ¿QG WKH LWHP RQ $PD]RQ DQG FKHFN LWV SULFH &KRRVH WKH FDPHUD LFRQ QH[W WR WKH VHDUFK EDU DQG KROG LW RYHU D EDUFRGH 7KH DSS DOVR LQFOXGHV $OH[D ZKLFK FDQ play music or audiobooks while you shop.
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TIPS & HOW TOS PRIVACY
How to Manage Your Google Privacy Settings BY ERIC GRIFFITH
A
privacy policy is meant to be a contract between you and a company— big tech companies in particular—that ensures these companies are keeping your data safe. One company that has an enormous amount of your data, from email and photos to videos to documents, is Google. The Google Privacy Policy has been “updated” 37 times since its inception in 1999; updates typically happen three or four times a year. To its credit, Google makes all the changes in the policy pretty obvious and provides an archive of all previous policies.
It can and will change to suit Google, or to suit new laws and regulations Google has to follow. For example, in 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) completely changed how big companies handle customer data. Even though it’s an EU regulation, the GDPR touched any company with personally LGHQWL¿DEOH LQIR 3,, RQ FXVWRPHUV WKHUH 7KDW¶V GH¿QLWHO\ *RRJOH GDPR doesn’t necessarily help those of us in the United States, but there are ways to take control of what Google has on you. That means mastering your Google My Account dashboard. CONTROLLING YOUR GOOGLE PRIVACY My Account is meant to be a one-stop spot to take control of your privacy and security when it comes to this monolithic company. Rather than visiting settings for every individual Google service—Gmail, Google Drive, Android phones, the Chrome browser(s), YouTube, and a hundred others—you change global settings here. Mostly. Go to My Account and do two things right away: a Security Checkup and a Privacy Checkup.
If you have multiple Google accounts—say, one for work and one you use personally—choose the one you want to check from the menu at the upper-right RI WKH GHVNWRS VFUHHQ 8VLQJ D GL̆HUHQW DYDWDU SKRWR IRU HDFK DFFRXQW ZLOO KHOS you better distinguish between them.) 2Q WKH 0\ $FFRXQW SDJH WKH 85/ ZLOO EH D OLWWOH GL̆HUHQW IRU HDFK *RRJOH account you have. It’ll end with /u/0 for the default account, /u/1 for the second, and so forth. Do a security check for each account. Find Security Checkup at security.google.com/settings/security/secureaccount (or click Take action in the Critical Security issues found box).
It will take you through a number of cards to check items such as: • Your devices (what’s signed in to the account) • Known compromised passwords you’ve saved • Third-party access • Recent security activity • 6WHS 9HUL¿FDWLRQ ZKHWKHU LW¶V RQ RU QRW
• Gmail settings
Any items marked with a yellow or red warning (an exclamation point in a circle) should get a once-over. For example, when you see devices you no longer use listed under Your Devices, nix them. Third-party access lists apps and services that have access to your Google data, some of which could be problematic. Delete those, too. The Your saved passwords section R̆HUV D FKHFN RQ WKH SDVVZRUGV VWRUHG in your browser, which is probably Google’s Chrome. This is invaluable, because Google can tell you which passwords have been leaked or hacked and whether you’re still using them. Click Go to Password Checkup and run it. It’ll show you not only compromised passwords but also reused passwords (that’s a big no-no) and accounts using weak passwords. Take an evening to change them all (and start using a password manager, while you’re at it). ,I \RX KDYHQ¶W DOUHDG\ DFWLYDWHG VWHS YHUL¿FDWLRQ GR VR 1HZ DFFRXQWV VKRXOG VRRQ EH JHWWLQJ VWHS YHUL¿FDWLRQ DXWRPDWLFDOO\ :LWK WZR IDFWRU authentication (2FA) activated, you can’t sign into your Google account with a password alone; you’ll need a secondary method of authentication. It adds an extra step, but if someone guesses or steals your password, that won’t be enough information to sign into your account.
To authenticate, you’ll receive a code sent via voice or text message or displayed inside an authenticator app. Or select the Google “prompt” feature, which displays a QRWL¿FDWLRQ RQ \RXU SKRQH DVNLQJ ZKHWKHU \RX¶UH WU\LQJ WR VLJQ LQWR \RXU DFFRXQW 7R ¿QG WKH SURPSW RSHQ WKH Google or Gmail app on your phone; tap yes. Security Checkup is also a good place to set up extra security options; backup phone numbers, for example. Here, you can grab backup key codes for those times when you can’t use your phone or set up a hardware security key. Scroll to Your Devices and revoke them all if you want to force a full 2FA login on all future devices. If you’ve created any app passwords—unique SDVVZRUGV IRU VSHFL¿F VHUYLFHV WKDW GRQ¶W XVH WUDGLWLRQDO Gmail logins, such as game consoles—revoke them as needed. This is also where you generate new app passwords, but with most modern hardware, they’re a WKLQJ RI WKH SDVW 0DNH VXUH \RX¶YH ¿OOHG LQ WKH Account recovery options with a recovery email and phone number preferably not related to Google. Third-party access is a review of the apps, websites, and devices connected via your Google account credentials or with access to your account. It could be something as obscure as a Google Chrome extension that works with Gmail or some Google Docs add-on that you don’t remember installing. Remove any you’re not using or don’t recognize. If you get rid of something you need, you can always give it permission again later. Corporate users can also see the Advanced Protection Program option, which protects against targeted phishing attacks and much more. :KHQ \RX¶UH GRQH LQ WKH 6HFXULW\ &KHFNXS JR EDFN WR
You can grab backup key codes for those times when you can’t use your phone or set up a hardware security key.
My Account and under Personal Info > Password, Google will tell you how long it’s been since you last changed your Google account password. If it’s been over a year, consider yourself thoroughly disgraced in the eyes of the tech gods. Change it right now. PRIVACY CHECKUP Back at the My Account page, under Privacy suggestions available, click Review Suggestions to start a multi-step Privacy Checkup that lets you review how *RRJOH XVHV \RXU GDWD 6XJJHVWLRQV DUH R̆HUHG DW WKH WRS RI WKH SDJH EXW VFUROO down to hit all the key privacy settings available. Set up an auto-delete on use of your Location History. Keeping a Location History that spans across all the devices that use your Google account can be KDQG\²VD\ IRU UH ¿QGLQJ SODFHV \RX¶YH EHHQ DQG ZDQW WR JR WR DJDLQ XVLQJ Google Maps. But it’s also one of many data points on you that Google can use for targeted ads. You can set up auto-delete with a click or skip it.
In fact, you can instruct Google not to track Web & App Activity or to easily delete it after a few months. That goes for all the info Google collects any time you use any Google service or product. Ads in various spots will not be very targeted and seem random after that, but that’s how advertising worked for hundreds of years before the internet and Madison Avenue teamed up. :KHQ \RX DXWRPDWLFDOO\ GHOHWH \RXU YouTube history, then the videos you like and save, the channels to which you subscribe, and what shows up on your <RX7XEH DFWLYLW\ IHHG DUH DOO D̆HFWHG ,W FDQ DOVR OLPLW ZKDW KDSSHQV RQ
connected accounts (such as Twitter) and manage the privacy of videos you upload (public, private, or unlisted). The Google Photos SULYDF\ RSWLRQ WKDW FRPHV QH[W LV OLPLWHG WR WXUQLQJ R̆ WKH ability for better face-matching and another important option: removing geolocation on items shared by a link. That means when you share a photo of yourself, a stalker type can’t look at the metadata on the image and pinpoint \RXU ORFDWLRQ 1RWH WKDW LW DSSOLHV RQO\ WR FRQWHQW VKDUHG YLD D OLQN The Help People Connect with you option is about hiding your registered SKRQH QXPEHUV RQ *RRJOH VR WKH\ FDQ¶W EH XVHG E\ RWKHUV WR ¿QG \RX IRU WKLQJV such as video chats. If you have a Google Voice account, it will also appear here. Uncheck all the boxes to make them private. :KHQ \RX JR EDFN WR 0\ $FFRXQW DQG FOLFN Data & Personalization, you’ll ¿QG RWKHU VHWWLQJV WR WZHDN WKDW DUH DOVR LPSRUWDQW WR SULYDF\ HYHQ WKRXJK WKH\ aren’t part of the privacy checkup. For example, Ad Settings let you fully check if Google’s commercials are personalized for you (which means more tracking of your data) or not.
Be sure to check the Inactive Account Manager. It helps you plan ahead for the day your account becomes inactive. Google will help you determine when that inactivity kicks in—after 3, 6, 9, or 12 months of you not using Google tools—and you can set up the account to be shared with someone you trust.
PERSONALIZATION MATTERS Back at the My Account section, hit Data & Personalization. This is the nitty-gritty of preventing your personal data and Google usage from being used. Google says this data is used only to help your future activities, but it is essentially how Google learns about you, and that future help is for how you use its products, such as Google Maps or Google Assistant. This is how those tools seem to know what you want before you even ask. (You’ll see a lot of overlap here from what you found in the privacy and security checkups above.) A check mark appears next to all the items collecting data, but you can toggle WKHP R̆ (DFK VHFWLRQ LQFOXGHV D OLQN WKDW UHDGV ³0DQDJH $FWLYLW\´ ZLWK GL̆HUHQW RSWLRQV IRU HDFK 8QGHU Location History > Manage Activity, for example, you’ll see what’s called the Google Maps Timeline: a map displaying locations where you were logged into Google. Mine showed trips to Florida from years past, my time in the Mediterranean on a cruise, and of course, all stops around my home state. There’s even route info if you used Google Maps to get somewhere. Limit it all if you don’t think it’s helping you. Consider limiting your location services, so Google (and Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, and so on) stop tracking your physical presence via your phone. Remember, Google makes the majority of its billions by showing you ads in search results, on its other products, and across the internet. You’re not going to WXUQ DGYHUWLVLQJ R̆ KHUH IRU WKDW \RX QHHG DQ DG EORFNHU SURJUDP $OO \RX FDQ do is limit how much you are targeted.
You can click Go to Ad Settings to see the list of topics you (supposedly) like. &OLFN WKH LFRQ QH[W WR DQ\ WRSLFV WKDW \RX GRQ¶W IHHO DFWXDO D̆HFWLRQ IRU 2U KLW WKH WRJJOH XS WRS WR WXUQ R̆ DOO SHUVRQDOL]DWLRQ WKRXJK *RRJOH ZLOO SRS XS D warning about why it will make ads you see “less useful.” You can set your gender (which you can customize!) and age. Visit AdChoices, and you can opt out of personalized Google Ads on non-Google sites.
MY ACTIVITY If you want to see all your activity in one place, not just separated by service, check out myactivity.google.com, which shows you everything you’ve done that’s remotely Google-related. The amount of data is pretty staggering. :DQW WR GHOHWH D GD\¶V RU GDWH UDQJH¶V ZRUWK RI GDWD" 2U HUDVH DOO \RXU GDWD E\ *RRJOH SURGXFW VR \RX ORVH <RX7XEH DFWLYLW\ IRU H[DPSOH EXW QRWKLQJ HOVH " Do it. You can even pick a keyword to search and delete the related activity. Click the Delete activity by link in the left navigation. TAKEOUT YOUR DATA :RQGHULQJ H[DFWO\ ZKDW *RRJOH KDV RQ \RX" 'RZQORDG DOO WKH GDWD DQG FKHFN LW out via Google Takeout. To be clear, this doesn’t remove any data from Google servers—it just shows you what Google has stored. Even if you should delete your account, it’s unlikely all this data gets deleted entirely. Maybe someday, the US will have GDPR-like laws that force Google to allow that. For now, go to
takeout.google.com. You’ll see the giant list of products Alphabet (Google’s SDUHQW FRPSDQ\ R̆HUV DQG RI ZKLFK \RX DUH SUREDEO\ D FXVWRPHU
Untoggle any that you don’t care about, and click Next step at the bottom of WKH SDJH <RX¶UH R̆HUHG DQ DUFKLYH ¿OH LQ =,3 RU 7*= IRUPDW \RX FDQ VHW D maximum size for the archive, up to 50GB. If you have more than that stored ZLWK *RRJOH \RX¶OO KDYH WR GRZQORDG PXOWLSOH ¿OHV <RX FDQ KDYH D OLQN HPDLOHG WR \RX RU WR KDYH WKH ¿OHV VHQW GLUHFWO\ WR *RRJOH 'ULYH 'URSER[ %R[ RU Microsoft OneDrive. Be patient: This could take hours or days. Most of what I got was an archive of Gmail messages, which is not something you can use instantly. That’s because the email archive comes in one big MBOX IRUPDW ¿OH 7KH HDVLHVW ZD\ WR DFFHVV DOO WKRVH ROG PHVVDJHV LV WR JHW D IUHH desktop email client with native MBOX support, such as Mozilla Thunderbird, DYDLODEOH IRU :LQGRZV 0DF RU /LQX[ LQ DOPRVW DQ\ ODQJXDJH Google Drive documents were, however, instantly usable—they all arrive FRQYHUWHG LQWR WKHLU 0LFURVRIW 2̇FH IRUPDW HTXLYDOHQWV 'RLQJ D 7DNHRXW RI WKLV GDWD LV D PXVW LI \RX¶UH OHDYLQJ D FRPSDQ\ WKDW XVHV *RRJOH :RUNVSDFH (formerly G Suite.)
1RZ LPDJLQH \RX¶YH XSORDGHG RU FUHDWHG \HDUV¶ ZRUWK RI YouTube videos, Hangouts chats, documents in Drive, images on Google Photos, and more. It gets big, fast. All of that data is on servers to help Google make a perfect SUR¿OH RI \RX OTHER TIPS FOR PRIVACY Remember, almost every browser has a privacy mode— Google Chrome calls it Incognito—in which you can surf without cookies or anything else tracking you. Even the mobile browsers on smartphones support it. You could always just delete your entire Google account and walk away. But that’s a bit drastic, especially since there are literally hundreds of sites and services that use your Google credentials for logins. :KDWHYHU \RXU IHHOLQJV DERXW SULYDF\ LW EHKRRYHV \RX to take a glance through the settings above. You’re ERXQG WR ¿QG VRPHWKLQJ *RRJOH¶V GRLQJ WKDW GRHVQ¶W VLW right. Be thankful it gives us as much control over privacy as it does (or maybe thank the regulators who force Google’s hand). It’s still not enough for the truly security and privacy obsessed, but it helps with a balance of feeling good while getting the most out of the RWKHUZLVH H[FHOOHQW VHUYLFHV WKH FRPSDQ\ R̆HUV
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You could always just delete your entire Google account and walk away. But that’s a bit drastic.
WHAT’S NEW NOW THE WHY AXIS
What Will Be the HighestPaying IT Career 5 Years From Now? BY OLIVER RIST
D
uring and since the pandemic, many workers have considered a job change, often to keep working from home: As many businesses PDQGDWH D UHWXUQ WR WKH ṘFH WKHLU HPSOR\HHV ZRXOG UDWKHU FKDQJH jobs than go back to their cubes. If you’re among these adventurers, and you’re HYHQ D OLWWOH WHFK VDYY\ \RX QRW RQO\ KDYH RSWLRQV²\RX FDQ DOVR WXUQ D MRE FKDQJH LQWR D VLJQL¿FDQW VDODU\ ERRVW E\ IRFXVLQJ RQ F\EHUVHFXULW\ 7KHUH DUH D VHULHV RI KLJK SD\LQJ ,7 VNLOOV \RX FRXOG FKDVH EXW QRQH KDYH PRUH SRWHQWLDO WKDQ VHFXULW\ %DVHG RQ DQ 2FWREHU VWXG\ IURP %XUQLQJ *ODVV 7HFKQRORJLHV GHSHQGLQJ RQ WKH VHFXULW\ VNLOO \RX GHFLGH WR FKDVH \RX¶OO VHH
¿YH \HDU SURMHFWHG JURZWK XS WR DQG D VLJQL¿FDQW SRWHQWLDO DQQXDO VDODU\ EXPS RQ DYHUDJH EHWZHHQ DQG GHSHQGLQJ RQ WKH GLVFLSOLQH 7KH DUHD ZLWK WKH PRVW SRWHQWLDO LV DSSOLFDWLRQ GHYHORSPHQW VHFXULW\ DQG LW¶V SUREDEO\ WKH RQH WKDW¶OO get you the most thanks from customers and users, VLQFH \RX¶OO EH PDNLQJ WKHLU DSSV DQG FORXG VHUYLFHV VDIHU 7KLV VNLOO LV EHVW LI \RX¶UH FXUUHQWO\ D GHYHORSHU VLQFH \RX¶OO EH IRFXVLQJ RQ PDNLQJ FRGH DV EXOOHWSURRI DV SRVVLEOH &ORXG VHFXULW\ LV WKH QH[W DUHD ZLWK WKH PRVW SRWHQWLDO JURZWK DQG LV OLNHO\ WKH EHVW ¿W IRU JHQHUDOLVW ,7 SURV ORRNLQJ WR PRYH LQWR 'HY2SV DQG VRIWZDUH GH¿QHG QHWZRUNLQJ 6'1 %XW LW¶V DOVR D JRRG GLUHFWLRQ IRU WHFKQRORJ\ DUFKLWHFWV DQG FRQVXOWDQWV 6LQFH DOO WKH SRSXODU SXEOLF FORXGV KDYH WKHLU RZQ 'HY2SV WRROV %XUQLQJ *ODVV EURNH GRZQ ZKLFK FORXGV ZLOO OLNHO\ VHH WKH PRVW JURZWK LQ WKLV VNLOO FDWHJRU\ 0LFURVRIW $]XUH WRSSHG WKH OLVW ZLWK JURZWK FORVHO\ IROORZHG E\ *RRJOH &ORXG ZKLFK VKRXOG VHH XS WR JURZWK ,I \RX¶UH QRW DQ ,7 SURIHVVLRQDO \RX FDQ VWLOO SUR¿W IURP WKH F\EHUVHFXULW\ ERRP 'LVFLSOLQHV LQFOXGLQJ ULVN DVVHVVPHQW UHJXODWRU\ FRPSOLDQFH DQDO\VLV DQG YHUWLFDO VHFXULW\ PHDVXUHV OLNH WKRVH IRU KHDOWKFDUH DFWXDOO\ KLUH QRQ WHFKQLFDO SHUVRQQHO 7KHVH MREV FDQ JR WR DQ\ WHFK VDYY\ SURIHVVLRQDO EXW HVSHFLDOO\ DWWRUQH\V DXGLW VSHFLDOLVWV DQG SURMHFW PDQDJHUV
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This skill is best if you’re currently a developer, since you’ll be focusing on making code as bulletproof as possible.
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