Windows

Microsoft last week brought a Microsoft Teams chat integration to its first Windows 11 preview in the Dev Channel , and now is bringing Windows 11 to the more stable Beta channel. But, while the Windows 11 Insider Preview for the Beta channel is Build 22000.100 — the same build number as last week's Dev Channel preview with the Teams chat button — Microsoft warns this release for Beta users doesn't include the Teams integration. The Teams chat integration in Windows 11 is a new Chat button in the taskbar (WIN+C shortcut), replacing the Skype Meet Now button in Windows 10. "Insiders in the Beta Channel will not have Chat from Microsoft Teams . We will be looking to enable this for the Beta Channel in the coming weeks," Microsoft's Insider team explain in a blogpost . However, Microsoft also notes that those on the Dev Channel should consider moving to the Beta Channel now if they want more stable builds of Windows 11. Other changes that came with the Dev Channel build … [Read more...] about Windows 11 just hit beta – but there’s no Chat for Teams button just yet

Microsoft has posted advisory and detailed instructions on protecting Windows domain controllers and other Windows servers from the NTLM Relay Attack known as PetitPotam. The PetitPotam take on the NTLM Relay attack was discovered last week by French security researcher Gilles Lionel, as first reported by The Record . The tool Lionel posted can "coerce Windows hosts to authenticate to other machines via MS-EFSRPC EfsRpcOpenFileRaw function," he explains. In other words, the attack can make a remote Windows server authenticate with an attacker and share Microsoft NTLM authentication credentials and certificates. Microsoft notes that PetitPotam "is a classic NTLM Relay Attack" that it describes in a 2009 security advisory , which it says "can potentially be used in an attack on Windows domain controllers or other Windows servers." It says customers may be vulnerable to PetitPotam if NTLM authentication is enabled on a domain and Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) … [Read more...] about Microsoft: Here’s how to shield your Windows servers against this credential stealing attack

Microsoft appears to be holding off on introducing its Office for iOS and Android versions. ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley reports that Microsoft has decided to introduce its mobile Office variants later than originally planned. The Verge originally revealed Office for iOS in November, with an expected release early this year. Foley claims a roadmap for the future of Office includes release dates for Android and iOS in October 2014. The software giant is currently working on "Metro-style" versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote that will likely debut later this year. The leaked roadmap reportedly includes references to a new Office for Mac release in April 2014 alongside an Office RT and Office for Windows Phone refresh. If the dates are accurate then it's likely that Microsoft pushed back the planned release of its Office for iOS software to ensure full touch-friendly versions of its Windows clients were available. Office for iOS is expected to debut as part of an Office … [Read more...] about Office for iOS reportedly pushed to late 2014

Microsoft and Apple appear to be locked in a battle over Microsoft's SkyDrive cloud-storage app for iOS. The Next Web reports that the two companies are sparring over a 30 percent cut of revenue from purchases of SkyDrive storage. Microsoft's existing iOS app doesn't provide any options to increase storage within the app, but it does allow new users to sign up for 7GB of free space with the option to increase this via a subscription. Apple is reportedly blocking an update to the SkyDrive iOS app as Microsoft has not agreed to sharing 30 percent of the revenue it generates from sign ups through the SkyDrive app. Microsoft's SkyDrive app hasn't been updated in June and the company hasn't provided iPhone 5 display support during this time — although Microsoft's OneNote iOS has not been updated for iPhone 5 support either. The Next Web claims Microsoft has tried to compromise with Apple, including removing all subscription options from its iOS app update (these do not exist … [Read more...] about Microsoft confirms Apple is blocking its latest SkyDrive iOS app update

You can still find cheap Chromebooks with 11.6-inch non-touch screens for $199, but the market's moved upscale. Models like the $449 Samsung Chromebook Plus and $499 Asus Chromebook Flip C302CA are 2-in-1 laptop/tablet convertibles with bigger, higher-resolution touch displays in sleek aluminum cases—perks that help the Asus nab our Editors' Choice for consumer chromebooks . The Lenovo Flex 11 Chromebook ($279) is plastic, not aluminum, and it has an 11.6-inch display with just 1,366-by-768 rather than 1080p or higher resolution. But it's an IPS touch screen in a flip-and-fold convertible chassis. Straddling the consumer and classroom realms with vigor and value, the Flex almost unseated the Asus Chromebook Flip as our favorite mass-market Chromebook, until it sputtered in one torture test. Fully Flexible Besides being priced $70 below a comparably equipped Dell Chromebook 3189 Education 2-in-1 ($239.00 at Dell Technologies) , the Flex is slightly more compact at 0.8 by … [Read more...] about Lenovo Flex 11 Chromebook Review

The Asus Chromebook Flip (C302CA-DHM4) ($499) is priced to compete with entry-level Windows laptops, yet has the look and feel of a premium offering. Its metal body construction, backlit keyboard, beautiful screen, and long battery life make it a very attractive alternative to yet another plastic laptop. Although ostensibly an update of the Chromebook Flip ($249.00 at Amazon) , one of Asus's earlier convertible laptops, this iteration is all new, and an excellent evolution of the chromebook in general. High-Quality Design The body of the Chromebook Flip ($699.99 at Amazon) is all aluminum and glass, making it look like a silver Apple MacBook Pro ($808.85 at Amazon) on a smaller scale. Two hinges allow the lid to rotate 360 degrees, so you can use the Flip in Laptop, Stand, Tent, or Tablet mode. The last three modes hide the keyboard to give you unobstructed access to the touch screen. The laptop measures 0.53 by 11.96 by 8.26 inches (HWD) and weighs 2.43 pounds. That's … [Read more...] about Asus Chromebook Flip (C302CA-DHM4) Review

The Samsung Chromebook Plus ($449.99) combines the strengths of a laptop, like a stable hardware keyboard, with a tablet's light weight and responsive touch screen. This 2-in-1 convertible is also one of the new wave of chromebooks that can run Android apps, in addition to the browser-based ChromeOS. That means you can access the millions of apps, games, and utilities from the Google Play store. It is a bit pricey for a chromebook, due in part to its 2,400-by-1,600-resolution screen and premium, metal build, but these features and the included Samsung Pen make it worth a look, if you have a flexible budget and you don't need Windows. Metal Construction, Minimalist Design Like the Asus Chromebook Flip ($699.99 at Amazon) , the Chromebook Plus ($828.00 at Amazon) is built into a bright-silver, aluminum body that gives it a premium look and feel. The monochrome Chrome logo on the lid looks classy and minimal. It is quite thin and light at 0.5 by 11 by 8.7 inches (HWD) and … [Read more...] about Samsung Chromebook Plus Review

As its name implies, the Dell Chromebook 3189 Education 2-in-1 (starts at $349; $389 as tested) is a convertible laptop made with students in mind. It delivers all-day battery life, and is built tough enough to handle all the abuse that school-age children can dish out. And since it supports school-administered Google for Education accounts, this reasonably priced chromebook can be shared among students and managed by teachers or school IT staffers, making it a welcome addition to the classroom. Hanging Tough The Chromebook 3189 ($239.00 at Dell Technologies) has a rounded edge surrounding its black, polycarbonate exterior, but is otherwise devoid of any design flair. It measures 0.8 by 12 by 8.2 inches (HWD) and weighs 3.16 pounds. That's a bit thicker and heavier than the Asus Chromebook Flip ($699.99 at Amazon) , our top pick for chromebooks, but the Chromebook 3189's rugged construction is the reason for the added heft. Since it's MIL-STD 810G tested and rated, the … [Read more...] about Dell Chromebook 3189 Education 2-in-1 Review

Microsoft today sent out invitations for its previously rumored hardware event. It will take place in New York on October 6. What hardware will we see? The company tells us that it's for first-party Windows 10 devices, but beyond that, isn't providing specifics. It's believed that Microsoft will launch both the Surface Pro 4 and a pair of flagship Windows Phone devices, codenamed Cityman and Talkman. There's also talk of a Band 2 fitness device, though technically, this is very unlikely to be running Windows 10 in any of its many incarnations. While credible specs for the phones have leaked , both the Surface Pro 4 and the Band 2 are big unknowns. A Skylake processor is, at this point, an inevitability, and the basic form factor isn't going to change—Microsoft has said that Surface Pro 3 accessories will remain compatible with future devices—but beyond that, it's an unknown. Likewise, the updated Band is, like its predecessor, a complete mystery. The first Band caught the … [Read more...] about Microsoft’s big hardware event is October 6 in New York

Up until spring of 2021, only two of our leading password managers offered free service tiers that allowed you to synchronize and use your password manager across multiple devices. So when LastPass restricted its free service to use on only a single device in March , Bitwarden -- the only other app with the same offer -- sealed the deal and became the de facto champion of the free password manager game. But what do we know about Bitwarden? Is it as safe to use as LastPass? Is it as convenient and user-friendly? Is it as compatible across platforms, and packed with as many features? You bet your login it is. Bitwarden's open-source code base creates a transparent security foundation beneath its otherwise streamlined and designed-for-simplicity interface. This -- combined with its hyperflexible platform and browser compatibility and its feature-rich premium options -- push Bitwarden ahead of its competitors. My once long-held love of LastPass notwithstanding, I … [Read more...] about Bitwarden review: The best free password manager for 2021