OS - Page 4 of 39

(Image credit: Panasonic)

In a bid to overcome US restrictions on its Arm designs, Huawei’s HiSilicon has turned to the open-source RISC-V architecture and has even released its first RISC-V board for Harmony OS developers. Due to being blacklisted by the U.S. government, Huawei and its chip division HiSilicon do not have access to development and production technologies designed in America. The restrictions include many Arm processor architectures, including those used in various microcontrollers that Huawei uses widely.

HiSilicon’s HiSilicon Hi3861 development board is based on the company’s own Hi3861 controller. Huawei’s documentation doesn’t disclose exactly what the chip does, but it describes it as a main controller chip. The Hi3861 chip is accompanied by a serial port controller as well as a USB-C port. Among the more important aspects, the Hi3861 seems to have all the logic that enables USB-C functionality (e.g., synchronization and port alignment) and GPIO (general-purpose) pins.

(Image credit: HiSilicon)

Overall, the HiSilicon Hi3861 development board has rather vast (at least Raspberry Pi-like) capabilities, but not for a world that Huawei’s HiSilicon is used to, at least in terms of public opinion.

(Image credit: HiSilicon)

The Hi3861 is aimed mostly at the IoT market, whereas HiSilicon’s development efforts were historically aimed at high-margin smartphones, tablets, PCs, and embedded systems. But Huawei needs computing platforms to use for its other devices, so the HiSilicon Hi3861 is just what the doctor ordered at this time.

When it comes to high-volume products made by Huawei, a non-Arm-based chip makes exceptional sense and also gives the company experience working with an open-source architecture. Only time will tell if the company uses its RISC-V experience to develop other, more powerful devices.

(Image credit: Mr. Posnanski)

Math class just got even more fun! If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on the new TI-84 Plus CE Python Graphing Calculator from Texas Instruments, you now have the opportunity to tinker with CircuitPython! That’s right, it’s not just for the Raspberry Pi Pico and other microcontrollers.

In a recent blog post, Adafruit confirmed the news is official and CircuitPython is definitely coming with the new calculator. This confirmation was echoed by Texas Instruments in a follow-up Tweet.

The new development is referred to as TI-Python and it’s based on CircuitPython. It functions as an interpreter for Python scripts that, according to Texas Instruments, run independently from the CE OS calculations.

Adafruit dug a little deeper and discovered a few modules that come with the new TI-Python application and verified seven ranging from random number generators to ones that integrate directly with the CE OS.

The TI-84 Plus CE Python Graphing Calculator is listed available for sale in the UK but has yet to make its way to the US—although, Adafruit managed to find a teacher with one on Twitter. In the meantime, interested parties can sign up for update notifications. Read more about the TI-84 Plus CE Python Graphing Calculator in the official PDF provided by Texas Instruments.

Earlier this month, we learned that Microsoft may have shelved its plans for Windows 10X, a lighter version of the OS that was intended to compete with ChromeOS. As it turns out, the project isn’t just shelved – it won’t be releasing at all.

Today, Microsoft confirmed that it no longer plans to ship Windows 10X. Instead, some of the features developed for it will transition into Windows 10 through updates in the coming months.

Microsoft’s John Cable revealed as much in a post explaining how to download and install the Windows 10 May 2021 feature update, stating: “Instead of bringing a product called Windows 10X to market in 2021 like we originally intended, we are leveraging learnings from our journey thus far and accelerating the integration of key foundational 10X technology into other parts of Windows and products at the company.”

Microsoft had worked on Windows 10X for a couple of years and was originally planned to ship in 2020 alongside the Surface Neo dual-screen tablet. As development went on, Microsoft decided to spin Windows 10X into a ChromeOS competitor instead, focusing less on dual-display functionality and more on the single-screen experience.

Microsoft has not confirmed if the Surface Neo has also been cancelled.

KitGuru Says: Given what happened with Windows 10S and the multiple changes in direction during development of Windows 10X, this isn’t a huge surprise. Still, it will be interesting to see parts of the project live on in new Windows 10 updates.

Become a Patron!

(Image credit: Wu Caesar)

The 64bit RISC-V Raspberry Pi alternative we wrote about last month has turned up again, this time on Indiegogo, with a new name. The Nezha board, named after a protective deity in Chinese mythology, was also briefly listed for purchase directly from AliExpress but it seems that it has since been taken down. Nezha offers a low cost, point of entry into the RISC-V world for developers eager to try a new IoT platform.

(Image credit: Wu Caesar)

Buyers get a single-core Allwinner D1 64-bit RISC-V processor running at 1GHz, backed by 1GB of DDR3 RAM and 256MB of flash storage. The 40 pin GPIO looks to be Raspberry Pi compatible, but we would bet against being able to use HATs and other add-ons with it. Allwinner’s favoured OS is Tina, a fork of OpenWrt, itself a Linux project targeting embedded devices such as routers. It’s been around since 2004 and is optimized to fit in tiny spaces, generally being configured through the CLI. Debian 11 with a lightweight desktop environment is also available, while Fedora, Gentoo, and Ubuntu are also being worked on.

The board is available in a few bundles, such as the one with a 720p USB camera board, or an eight-inch capacitive touchscreen. A ‘full suite’ bundles those two with a six-mic array, that also comes with five hardware buttons, for around $170.

Performance isn’t expected to be great, as the board doesn’t feature a 3D GPU and the 1GHz single-core CPU will be weak in comparison to others. It’s perfect for anyone looking to play around with RISC-V architecture.

Remember that backing a crowdfunded project is not a guarantee of receiving the final product. Crowdfunding is not the same as a retail purchase and so due diligence is required before you invest.

Talk of a possible Spotify HiFi launch hit the headlines this week, but it seems the music streaming giant wants to focus on a new feature for Google Wear devices: offline listening.

In a keynote speech at the recent Google I/O developer conference, Spotify’s product lead for cars and wearables revealed plans to allow the company’s 350 million users to download music to their Google Wear smartwatch.

YouTube followed up with a similar announcement. The company’s YouTube Music app is also due to get an update that will let some 35 million users download tracks directly to their Wear OS watch.

Apple Watch users have enjoyed offline listening via Apple Music for years but Apple Watch does not currently support offline Spotify playback.

As yet, Spotify hasn’t said when new the offline listening feature will be available – only that the new Spotify app has been “rebuilt from the ground up for Wear”. YouTube Music is due to land on Wear OS devices “later this year”.

The announcements came as part of a major overhaul of Google’s flagging Wear OS. The latest version of the software was developed in partnership with Samsung and claims improved performance (apps open 30 percent faster, apparently) and a sleek user experience based on Samsung’s popular Tizen OS.

MORE:

Spotify HiFi is missing something – but will it matter?

Our verdict on the best music streaming services

Everything we know about Spotify HiFi so far

(Image credit: Cigent)

Phison and Cigent introduced a co-developed SSD platform that protects against ransomware and data theft with mechanisms built directly into the SSD’s firmware. The drives even automatically encrypt and hide data from prying eyes in the event of an attack. These ‘self-defending’ drives will be available to everyone this year.

Antiviruses can detect already-known malware and analyze programs’ behavior to detect potentially illicit behavior patterns. However, custom ransomware developed by hacker groups can remain undetected until it is too late, leaving systems open to attack. Therefore, it makes sense to protect data at the hardware level in many cases since this is usually secure from manipulation.

Cigent’s Secure SSD K2 and Secure SSD Denali drives are based on Phison’s PS5012-E12DC Crypto-SSD NVMe controllers and come with embedded firmware-based security features as well as Cigent Dynamic Data Defense Engine for Windows (D³E).

When a threat is detected, these drives automatically encrypt and hide sensitive files completely from the OS layer in ‘safe rooms.’ In fact, Cigent’s drives can work in a ‘Dual Mode’ that splits an SSD into independent private/secure and non-private storage partitions that are invisible to one another and adversaries. Meanwhile, to protect data against physical theft, Cigent’s drives also come equipped with attack detectors and sensors.

Furthermore, the Cigent Denali Secure SSD can actually detect ransomware (although it is unclear whether the firmware detects that a program encrypts data or the D³E software does it) and will support machine learning-based data protection later this year.

(Image credit: Cigent)

“The Cigent Secure SSD product family was developed by Cigent’s team of experts in data recovery and cybersecurity working in close cooperation with the cutting-edge storage experts at Phison,” said Greg Scasny, CTO of Cigent. “This combined team developed holistic data protection solutions with security built-in, making it virtually impossible for critical data and applications to be accessed from unauthorized sources. Software-only security is often easily bypassed, but our multi-patented, multi-layered self-defending storage can make critical data completely inaccessible and literally invisible to adversaries, giving customers peace of mind that their sensitive data and digital assets are safely stored and protected.”

Previously only available to select government agencies and the U.S. army, Cigent’s Secure SSDs will now be available to broader audiences. The K2 Secure SSD and D³E software are available now, starting at $299 for a 480GB drive. The Cigent Denali Secure SSDs will be available in Summer 2021. The drives come in 480GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations.

Additionally, Cigent has developed its FIPS 140-2 Level 2-certified Secure SSDs exclusively for the U.S. government and military.

Recently Singapore-based company Flexxon launched its X-Phy SSDs with ‘AI-based’ security features that seem to work similarly to the SSD platform developed by Cigent and Phison. It is unclear whether these drives use Phison’s E12DC controller, though.

Three years after Chrome OS first started offering support for Linux apps, the feature is leaving beta, the search giant announced during a Google I/O 2021 developer session. It’s happening in Chrome OS’s “next release,” which Android Central notes is version 91, due to enter the stable channel in the next couple of weeks.

Chrome OS as an operating system has always been based on Linux, but since 2018 its Linux development environment has offered access to a Linux terminal, which developers can use to run command line tools. The feature also allows full-fledged Linux apps to be installed and launched alongside your other apps. In addition to Linux apps, Chrome OS also supports Android apps.

As well as announcing the end of the beta, Google developer advocate Emilie Roberts touted a number of improvements Google has made to the Linux functionality in Chrome OS over the past year. These include a new terminal app, a faster update process that updates the Linux container at the same time as Chrome OS itself, as well as better support for USB devices.

Google’s announcement came exactly a year after Microsoft announced support for Linux GUI apps in Windows 10. Microsoft recently started testing Linux GUI apps on Windows, and the feature is expected to launch to all users later this year. It’s part of an initiative to better support developers that Microsoft kicked off in 2016.

As well as announcing that its Linux development environment is coming out of beta, Google shared a couple of additional updates about Chrome OS. It’s rolling out Android 11 to more machines, which will bring new features like better Android app optimization and a new dark theme. Fifty new Chromebooks are due to launch later this year, Google added.

Yesterday brought the momentous news that Google and Samsung will merge together their Wear OS and Tizen-based smartwatch platforms into a single operating system. The new software is currently being referred to as Wear, but that name could change as we get closer to the first devices that will ship with it.

The unified platform is intended to give Android smartwatches a huge boost and much simpler strategy. It will also allow developers to create apps and widgets for a single OS instead of splitting their efforts between Wear OS and Tizen. A lot of this is spelled out in more detail in the below video, but let’s also focus on the big highlights.

It’s going to be faster than Wear OS

Speed and responsiveness were one of the major talking points when Google and Samsung made this announcement during the I/O 2021 keynote. The companies are claiming that apps open up to 30 percent faster than they currently do on Wear OS. Google also promises “smooth user interface animations and motion,” which hasn’t always been a strength of Wear OS.

Battery life will be a step up, too

Samsung’s smartwatches were already routinely outlasting Wear OS products, so this doesn’t come as a surprise. The company is lending Google some hardware expertise to ensure better stamina. “Samsung implemented our best technology to provide optimized performances, and advanced sensor batching and low power display technology to ensure an efficient and long-lasting battery,” Samsung’s Janghyun Yoon wrote after Tuesday’s news. Google’s Bjorn Kilburn said customers can expect “handy optimizations like the ability to run the heart rate sensor continuously during the day, track your sleep overnight and still have battery for the next day.”

The next Samsung Galaxy Watch will run Wear

Samsung has confirmed that its next smartwatch — and all others in the pipeline — will run the unified Wear platform. But the company made sure to note that it will bring over some of its popular hardware elements, like the rotating bezel mechanism.

A standalone Google Maps app will do turn-by-turn directions

In a report from Wired, we learned that there are plans for a Google Maps app on Wear that features “a new user interface that will also work even if your phone is not with you.” That hints at cellular data support on the new unified platform.

Spotify and YouTube Music apps will support offline downloads

Spotify already allows owners of Samsung smartwatches to download songs for offline listening, and now that same convenience will be extended to Wear. That’s one thing Spotify for the Apple Watch still doesn’t do.

Google also confirmed that YouTube Music will be available on Wear. Like Spotify, it’ll include full support for offline listening.

Fitbit activity tracking will be built into the platform

Having completed its acquisition of Fitbit at the start of this year, Google will now integrate some of the brand’s health and activity tracking features into Wear. Future premium Fitbit wearables will also run the unified platform.

Device makers will be able to customize the look and feel

Google tried to emphasize on Tuesday that this platform isn’t just intended for itself and Samsung. “All device makers will be able to add a customized user experience on top of the platform,” Kilburn said. That’s going to prove important if Google wants to keep companies like Garmin on board with the new platform. And we can’t forget about the many traditional watchmakers — Fossil, Citizen, TAG Heuer, and others — that have gotten behind Wear OS in recent years in the absence of a flagship smartwatch from Google.

Apps should be faster and easier to develop with new APIs

Wear’s apps will use the latest Android development techniques like Jetpack and Kotlin to help reach the best possible performance. Google is also promising to make life easier for app makers with new APIs that cover Tiles, health services, watchfaces, complications, and more. And an activity indicator will show when certain functions are running in the background.

Some Wear OS smartwatches might get upgraded to Wear

There aren’t any firm promises yet, but Google at least didn’t outright say existing products won’t be updated to the new OS. The company told 9to5Google, “we will have more updates to share on timelines once the new version launches later this year.”

Samsung will not update Galaxy Watch models to Wear

Samsung will not be updating its Galaxy Watch line to Wear, but says it has no intention of leaving its current customers in the dust once it starts releasing Wear hardware. “For customers who already own the Tizen OS based Galaxy smartwatches, we are continuing to provide at least three years of software support after the product launch,” the company said Tuesday. However, it seems plausible there will be more than a few features and new Wear tricks that will never make their way to older Galaxy smartwatches.

Samsung will bring over its watchface designer tool

Some people out there really care about having a good watchface selection on a pricey smartwatch. Google and Samsung are promising a wide mix of styles, and Samsung told Wired its design tool — and many of the company’s own signature watchfaces — will be available on Wear.

The unknowns

Google and Samsung shared a decent chunk of information on day one, but we’re still left without answers to a few important questions. We should learn more details over the summer as we head into fall hardware season.

When will the first Wear smartwatch be available?
Is the underlying operating system closer to Wear OS or closer to Tizen? (Considering that developers will be using Android tools to build apps, it seems like the former.)
Will there be required helper apps like some of Samsung’s watches have needed?
Is Wear going to continue offering some semblance of iOS support?
What’s going to happen to Samsung Pay and Bixby? Are they both goners on the wrist?

Our Verdict

The HP Elite Folio is a long-lasting, quiet laptop/tablet combo, but it offers a middling performance for a high price.

For

+ Versatile design
+ Runs very cool and quiet
+ 3:2 Display
+ Full-sized stylus charges in keyboard
+ Long battery life

Against

– Display could be brighter
– Windows on Arm has app compatibility issues
– Middling performance
– Few ports
– Pricey

There are a few laptops that fall into what I call an “executive notebook.” These are high-end, sometimes overly designed business laptops that you rarely see the rank-and-file office worker use. The new HP Elite Folio ($1,747.20 to start, $2,063.36 as tested) seems destined, with its vegan leather exterior and high price tag, for the C-suite.

HP has gone with Windows on Arm here, which means that the laptop runs quiet and has excellent battery life. But even as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors get more powerful and Windows on Arm slowly improves, there are still compatibility and performance sacrifices, so it’s not always fitting for the

best ultrabooks

But for those who rely on a stylus for writing on-screen or want a versatile form factor for various situations, you may be able to overlook that as long as you don’t use compute-heavy software. And if you value style, of course.

Design of HP Elite Folio

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

HP’s new Folio means business. Or at least, it looks like it. The HP Elite Folio is a new, more professional take

on a previous design

. This laptop isn’t clad in metal, but rather polyurethane vinyl — or, as you might call it, vegan leather. Or as I call it, “

pleather

.” Unlike the old

Spectre x360 13

, which used real leather and came in brown, this is a more subdued black.

The result is a notebook that looks a bit like a briefcase, minus the handle, of course. If it didn’t have an HP logo on the lid under some stitching, I’d expect to see an intern carrying their resume in it. There’s no place to put your thumb to easily open the laptop, so I typically found myself requiring two hands to do so, which was a pain.

With the laptop open, it looks more traditional. There’s a 13.5-inch, 1920 x 1280 display in a 3:2 aspect ratio with a surprisingly thick bezel on the top. The deck features a backlit keyboard and also includes a spot to store and charge the included HP Slim Pen. This is a page straight out of the playbook Microsoft used with the

Surface Pro X

But the Surface Pro X is a true 2-in-1 detachable, and the Elite Folio has a different trick up its sleeve. The screen is on a hinge, and it can be brought forward into an easel mode that covers the keyboard but leaves the touchpad clear. You can also slide it further forward to be a tablet. (You could, if you wanted, also flip the screen upside down on the back of the device and use the display to watch videos or give presentations. This isn’t listed among HP’s options, but it works.)

The laptop looks like leather, but it doesn’t feel like it. It’s soft to the touch but definitely has a plasticky feel. For those wondering, yes, I did smell the laptop. While it pulls off a leather look, it can’t match the real thing’s fragrance.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

I can’t speak to how well this will hold up over months and years of use. In the immediate sense, it did manage to pick up minor scuffs or schmutz on my desk, but I could wipe it off with a damp cloth.

Port selection is extremely minimal, with a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port on either side of the laptop and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the right side.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

HP’s notebook is 2.92 pounds and measures 11.75 x 9.03 x 0.63 inches. That’s similar to the Lenovo Flex 5G (2.9 pounds, 12.7 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches), a convertible 2-in-1. The Microsoft Surface Pro X is 2.4 pounds (with the keyboard attached) and 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches. An Intel-based clamshell, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano, is 2 pounds and 12.7 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches.

HP Elite Folio Specifications

CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2
Graphics	Qualcomm Adreno 690 (integrated)
Memory	16GB LPDDR4-4266 SDRAM
Storage	512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Display	13.5-inch, 1920 x 1280 touchscreen
Networking	Qualcomm QCA639X Wi-Fi 6 Dual Band and Bluetooth 5, Qualcomm Snapdragon X20 LTE Cat 16
Ports	2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, nano SIM card slot
Camera	720p IR
Battery	46 WHr
Power Adapter	65 W
Operating System	Windows 10 Pro
Dimensions(WxDxH)	11.75 x 9.03 x 0.63 inches / 298.45 x 229.36 x 16 mm
Weight	2.92 pounds / 1.32 kg
Price (as configured)	$1,998.72

Windows 10 on Arm

The HP Elite Folio uses the latest Windows on Arm platform, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2. That comes with its benefits (long battery life, quiet), but in terms of performance and app compatibility, it’s certainly lacking.

To be clear, that’s the case on all Windows on Arm laptops at the moment. Apple has used Arm too on its most recent laptops with its

chips, with far greater success.

Windows on Arm can run 32-bit apps, but not 64-bit apps. That functionality is coming but is currently limited to Windows Insider builds, which you’re unlikely to see in a business environment. An increasing number of apps are running natively on Windows on Arm, including Office, browsers like Edge and Firefox, and some of Adobe’s, but the rest require emulation. Others that run natively include the popular media player VLC, Netflix, Twitter, Skype, and Windows Terminal.

Perhaps the most reliable place to get apps that work on the processor, native or not, is through the Windows store, which largely filters apps that don’t work with Arm.

Productivity Performance of HP Elite Folio

Here, we’re comparing the Folio, which has an 8cx Gen 2, with two other Arm laptops, the Lenovo Flex 5G with the last-gen Snapdragon, and the Microsoft Surface Pro X with SQ1, Microsoft’s entry-level offering. We also tossed the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano in the mix for a business notebook using an x86 platform, namely Intel’s 11th Gen processors.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

On Geekbench 5, which measures overall system performance, the HP Elite Folio notched a single-core score of 792 and a dual-core score of 3,115. The Lenovo Flex 5G’s 729/2,923 suggest the newer chip has its advantage in multi-core workloads, though this test is run through emulation, which has to be kept in mind. The Surface Pro X isn’t in this test, as we were still running Geekbench 4 when we tested it. The ThinkPad X1 Nano’s scores were 1,473/5,155, with the test running natively.

The Elite Folio transferred 25GB of files at 666.5 MBps, faster than both the Flex 5G and ThinkPad X1 Nano. The Surface Pro X was run on an older, 5GB version of the test, and that was the slowest of the batch.

Our Handbrake test currently doesn’t run on Arm chips, though it is starting to be included in early “nightly” builds. Our Cinebench R23 stress test is also incompatible with Arm. These will change when 64-bit support becomes a finalized part of Windows 10.

Display on HP Elite Folio

I’m glad that HP went with a 3:2 display on the Elite Folio. Simply put, 3:2 is the best aspect ratio for productivity laptop displays because the extra height lets you see more content on your screen at once. This 13.5-inch touchscreen has a resolution of 1920 x 1280.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

I found the laptop to be bright enough for productivity, but when you switch to multimedia, it’s a mixed bag. In the trailer for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the color red popped in car paint, lights and a number of outfits. But a series of dim scenes in a montage made me wish I could turn up the brightness (though the dimness made for great contrast in a scene with purple backlighting).

HP’s screen covers 70.7% of the

DCI-P3

color gamut, which is just about in line with the Surface Pro X and ThinkPad X1 Nano. The Lenovo Flex 5G was more vivid at 81.4%

The Folio was the dimmest of the bunch with an average of 390 nits. The Surface Pro X was the brightest, measuring 448 nits.

Keyboard, Touchpad and Stylus on HP Elite Folio

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

HP has implemented a keyboard with 1.3mm of travel into this small device. I didn’t have any issues with travel, but when I typed, I felt that the keys were a bit too stiff. It didn’t stop me from typing quickly; I hit 110 words per minute on the 10fastfingers.com typing test. But accuracy suffered slightly.

The 4.2 x 2.6-inch touchpad uses Windows precision drivers, and with a smooth, metal surface, I found it responsive and easy to glide my fingers against. Simple navigation and more complex gestures worked on the first try. It clicks a bit louder than some other touchpads, but I can get over that.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

HP’s Slim Pen lives in a dock above the keyboard, which also keeps it charged. It’s long and flat, more like a carpenter’s pencil than your standard writing instrument. It has a rocker on the side, which can be unwieldy because of how thin the buttons are. The button on the top, however, is easy to access. That comes at the expense of using it as an eraser like the Surface Pen, however.

I found that the Elite Folio’s screen offered solid palm rejection. The Pen uses Wacom drivers and offers 4,096 degrees of pressure sensitivity. HP claims it fast charges in 30 minutes, though in my use, it’s home in the laptop meant it was always topped off.

Audio on HP Elite Folio

HP’s partnership with Bang & Olufsen on its speakers continues to bear fruit. While there’s no software to tune the speakers yourself, they sound decent considering how thin this device is.

For instance, when I listened to Chvrches’ “He Said She Said,” the crashing drums, synths melodies and vocals were loud, clear and crisp. There was, however, a distinct lack of bass, which is a problem on many laptops.

One downside, however, is that the speakers vibrate a lot, and I could feel it under my hands on the touchpad and keyboard. While this isn’t unique to this laptop, it was far more distracting on the Folio than other devices.

Upgradeability of HP Elite Folio

In theory, the HP Elite Folio is upgradeable. HP has a video showing the process:

This is aimed at service technicians, and for good reason. The design means you have to do things in a weird order, like removing the pen slot from the keyboard before opening the

chassis

The RAM is soldered to the motherboard, but the SSD is upgradeable. The only rub there is that to actually change out the storage, you have to remove the entire thermal system. Some enthusiasts may be comfortable with that, but for most people, that’s a step too far.

Battery Life

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The Elite Folio’s Arm processor excels in the one place you would expect it: battery life. On our test, which involves browsing the web, running OpenGL tests and streaming video over Wi-Fi, all at 150 nits, the Folio lasted for 15 hours and 21 minutes. It was outclassed only by the Lenovo Flex 5G, using a last-gen Snapdragon processor, which ran for 17:30.

Microsoft’s Surface Pro X with the SQ1 ran for 9:30, while the Intel-based ThinkPad X1 Nano lasted for 12 hours flat.

Heat on HP Elite Folio

Because we couldn’t run our Cinebench R23 workload due to compatibility issues, we took the HP Elite Folio’s skin temperatures following 15 minutes of streaming video from YouTube. The fanless system was quiet and kept very cool.

The center of the keyboard, between the G and H keys, measured 27.8 degrees Celsius (82.04 degrees Fahrenheit). The touchpad was cooler at 26 degrees Celsius (78.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

The hottest point on the bottom of the laptop measured 30.3 degrees Celsius.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

720p

webcam in an executive notebook after more than a year of white-collar workers have been doing their jobs from home? Excuse me?

Stills and trial video from my desk, even in good lighting, were grainy. And colors, like a blue shirt I was wearing, were overly dark.

There is a physical webcam privacy switch, which covers the camera but doesn’t cut power to the hardware like some other HP laptops. It’s very small, and you need to use your fingernail to move it in either direction.

There are also IR sensors to log in to Windows 10 with facial recognition. This worked well, with the exception that you need both the cameras and the IR sensor for this to work. If you close the privacy cover, you can’t use it to log in. That’s a choice you have to make between privacy and convenience.

HP has limited the amount of software it includes on this laptop, which is a benefit, especially on an enterprise laptop. There are no crappy antivirus software trials or ports of phone games.

The two big pieces of software are HP Pen Settings, which lets you pair the included stylus and customize its functionality; and HP QuickDrop, which lets you send files and photos across your laptop and smartphone.

HP Pen Settings has a number of clever options, including assigning commands that would be useful to go through slides or play media while giving presentations. There’s also a way to get a virtual dial on the screen when holding a button down.

While this laptop has Microsoft Office preinstalled, at least it doesn’t include links to sponsored Microsoft Store applications.

HP sells the Elite Folio with a 1-year warranty. It can be boosted to three years for an extra $75.

As of this writing, HP is selling the Elite Folio in both a ready-to-ship configuration and customizable configurations.

The quick-ship one is $1,889 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2, 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD, as well as an LTE modem.

We reviewed it with 16GB of RAM, a 512GB storage and an LTE modem. That runs for $2,063.36.

If you want a 1,000-nit display with HP’s Sure View privacy, that’s an extra $169. A 4G modem is $201, while a 5G modem is $444.

The base model, with Windows 10 Home instead of Pro, 8GB of RAM, 128GB SSD and no mobile connection is $1,747.20.

Prices on the Folio seem to be fluctuating on HP’s website, so they may vary after this article was published.

Bottom Line

The HP Elite Folio review has a versatile design and, if you’re into the office chair aesthetic, a fake leather exterior that fits in any office.

HP’s Slim Pen is nice, and the fact that it is full-sized and can still charge by sitting in the system is a big plus for anyone who does a lot of writing on screen. The different screen modes will also be helpful for people who use touch screens a lot.

But while relying on the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 means long battery life and quiet operation, there are a series of small sacrifices that are made, largely based on Windows on Arm and app compatibility. Some apps work, some are emulated and 64-bit apps, while coming, aren’t ready for prime time right now, without downloading a beta version of the OS. These aren’t problems unique to the Elite Folio — they’re the same on the Lenovo Flex 5G and the Microsoft Surface Pro X.

If the chassis, touch screen and functionality allowed by the display-on-a-hinge design will make your job easier, this is worth considering. But for many, an x86 business notebook, like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano with an Intel processor, can run more software, do it faster, and is cheaper in some configurations.

Music streaming service Deezer has revamped its Apple Watch app to let you listen to music without an internet connection, the company has announced. Previously Deezer’s Apple Watch app has only been able to control music playback on a paired iPhone, but now paid subscribers can download songs for offline listening when they’re away from their phones.

Offline listening has previously been available with Apple Music as well as Pandora, but similar functionality is yet to appear in Spotify’s Apple Watch app. Spotify recently added the ability to stream music from Apple Watch without needing a paired iPhone, but the feature still requires a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. Meanwhile, Google just teased that Spotify users will soon be able to download tracks to Wear OS smartwatches, which makes it even more strange that it doesn’t offer a similar feature on Apple’s wearables.

Subscribers can download both Deezer playlists as well as their own personalized playlists for offline listening. Naturally, you’ll need enough storage on your Apple Watch to hold the files for offline listening. The streaming service doesn’t explicitly say which models of Apple Watch support the new feature, noting only that it requires the “latest Apple watch software.” Presumably this is referring to watchOS 7, which is available on Apple Watch devices going back to 2017’s Series 3.

The new Apple Watch feature follows Deezer’s upgraded integration with Apple’s HomePod smart speakers released earlier this month. The new functionality lets users control playback with Siri voice controls, and even make Deezer their default music service. Spotify is yet to offer the same option. Then again, with a fraction of Spotify’s market share, Deezer has to work a lot harder to try and catch up.

Spotify’s product lead for cars and wearables teased an exciting new feature coming to Wear devices during Google’s Developer Keynote on Tuesday: the ability for the streaming services’ 356 million users to download music directly to their watch, and listen to it at times when they don’t want to carry their phone (via XDA Developers). The feature isn’t included in the redesign that was just released, but Spotify says that it’s currently in the works.

The announcement came alongside Google’s reveal that it would be merging Wear OS with Samsung’s Tizen. During Tuesday’s I/O keynote, Google promised that the updated OS would bring faster performance and longer battery life, which are currently still issues for Wear OS watches.

The YouTube Music app is also getting an update, which will similarly add the ability to download music directly to Wear devices, allowing users to listen without a phone nearby.

YouTube Music will also support downloads.

Image: Google

Google’s smartwatch OS has lagged behind Apple’s in many ways, including offline music listening. The Apple Watch has been able to play songs downloaded through Apple Music when away from a phone for years, and it got to the point where Google decided to release its YouTube Music app for the Apple Watch before its own Wear OS. When Gizmodo put out an article last November on how listen to music phone-free on smartwatches, its Wear OS recommendation was more or less an app that acted as an MP3 player, requiring the transfer of local files that you already own.

Since the shutdown of Google Play Music, Wear OS users haven’t had many options for offline music. But now, Google’s Wear watches could potentially even leapfrog the Apple Watch when it comes to offline Spotify playback — to get your Spotify on an Apple Watch without carrying around your phone, you currently need an active internet connection to stream it to one of Apple’s pricier cellular Apple Watch models, a feature added late last year. Some other watches have had offline Spotify playback in the past, though, like Garmin’s flagship Forerunner sports watches and some Samsung Galaxy wearables.

You can check out the Spotify and YouTube Music app reveals for yourself in Google’s Wear-specific session from I/O. The YouTube Music announcement starts at 2:38, and the Spotify demo starts at 12:50 in the video below.

The foldable computer is almost here, and there will be a version of Windows 10 for it. But maybe not exactly the one you know. It’s called Windows 10X, and it is the operating system that will power dual-screen laptops and folding PCs.

Update, May 18, 2021: Microsoft has officially shelved Windows 10X, with plans to integrate some of its features into Windows 10. Microsoft mentioned the change in a blog post following reports of the change in early May.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

The operating system, which was codenamed Santorini internally, is based on the little-spoken of Windows Core OS. The brief version of Core OS is that it’s a stripped-down, simplified version of Windows that can be expanded or shrunk down to meet the needs of different devices.

Is Windows 10X like Windows 10 S?

No. Additions can be made to that Core, and Windows 10X offers “newly implemented support for running Win32 applications in a container.” wrote Windows and education corporate vice president Eran Meggido in a blog post.

That means that with Windows 10X, you won’t be limited to Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps. What we don’t know yet is if there are further limitations to a stripped down version of Windows 10.

When will Windows 10X be available? What devices will it be on?

Windows 10X was put on the back burner in May 2021 to integrate some of its features into Windows 10.

Windows 10X was at one point scheduled to launch in the fall 2020. It will power Microsoft’s own Surface Neo, as well as computers from partners including Lenovo, Dell, Asus and HP. Each of the devices were to be powered by Intel (Surface Neo, specifically, will use one of Intel’s Lakefield chips).

Lenovo confirmed to Tom’s Hardware that its foldable ThinkPad X1 device would use Windows 10X, though it launched with Windows 10 Pro prior to Microsoft changing its plans.. Asus would neither confirm nor deny if it planned to use Windows 10X for Project Precog. We have seen Concept Ori and Concept Duet — one with a foldable OLED panel and one with a hinge.

What can Windows 10X do?

Editors’ note: It’s unclear which Windows 10X features will be brought to Windows 10. The below summarizes what we knew about Windows 10X as its own operating system.

Frankly, we’re still in the dark on many of the specifics, though at its October event, Microsoft showed off some neat features that should make using a dual-screen device easier.

One of them was easy access to search. Another was that programs that are opened will show up on the side of the device in which it was invoked. And if you want it on two screens, you can pinch it and drag it to the center, which Microsoft referred to as “spanning.”

With the a Bluetooth keyboard (the Surface Neo has a magnetic one that covers part of one display), the “WonderBar” is invoked, with room for a touchbar, emojis, smaller screens or other menus.

Additionally, the extra space can be put to good use, like having Outlook in one window and opening new calendar invites or emails in the other without having to switch back and forth.

Microsoft has said that updates to Windows 10X will download and install in 90 seconds, which would be far faster than regular Windows 10.

There may be a little more we know. At Computex, Microsoft corporate vice president of operating systems Roanne Sones detailed a vision for a more modern Windows. That included seamless updates, security, 5G and LTE and sustained performance. She also discussed cloud connectivity, the ability to fit on several form factors, and inputs from pens, touch and even gaze.

Per leaks, the Start Menu will be referred to as the “Launcher,” which sounds more like a phone. Additionally, facial recognition with Windows Hello may be faster, with users skipping the step to dismiss the lock screen before going to the desktop.

Other leaked features include a modernized File Explorer, a quicker Action Center and a focus on Win32 apps and Progressive Web App (PWA) version of Office rather than UWP from its own store.

When will developers get their hands on Windows 10X?

Windows 10X is currently available through emulation with the Microsoft Emulator. You can see our hands-on with it here. You can get the emulator and image from the Microsoft Store. It requires Windows 10 Pro and the latest version of the Windows Insider build.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft chief product Panos Panay said that part of the reason for debuting the Surface Neo early was to empower developers to build experiences for its two screens. Perhaps we’ll hear more about it at the next Microsoft Build, which will take place between May 19 and May 21 in Seattle in 2020.

Photo Credits: Microsoft

This article is part of the Tom’s Hardware Glossary.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Microsoft has pulled the trigger on the May 2021 update and the patch is available to download right now. The update comes with a couple of new features like Windows hello multicamera support, the removal of the legacy Microsoft Edge browser, and a ton of bug fixes and other quality of life improvements to Windows 10.

If you want to download the update, you can either use Microsoft’s Update Assistant/Media Creation Tool or manually “check for updates” through Windows Update (in Settings). However, not every PC will have 21H1 available if you use the Windows Update method. This is perfectly normal as Microsoft releases new updates in ‘waves’ to ensure the reliability of the product.

If you use your PC for work or you need a stable system, we recommend waiting until Windows Update automatically installs 21H1, instead of manually updating to it. While this new May update does have a lot of bugs and improvements, plenty of Microsoft’s updates in the past have had major problems upon the first release.

Microsoft’s focus on bug fixes and quality of life for the 21H1 update makes a lot of sense, as the companies next big feature update for Windows 10 codenamed ‘Sun Valley’ is supposed to be the largest update to Windows 10 we’ve ever seen. Sun Valley plans to give Windows 10 a big overhaul to its user interface and also bring in features from its now canceled Windows 10X operating system.

Microsoft finally addressed the state of Windows 10X in a blog post about the May 2021 update. Reports of Windows 10X being shelved started showing earlier this month.

“Following a year-long exploration and engaging in conversations with customers, we realized that the technology of Windows 10X could be useful in more ways and serve more customers than we originally imagined. We concluded that the 10X technology shouldn’t just be confined to a subset of customers,” vice president of program management John Cable wrote.

“Instead of bringing a product called Windows 10X to market in 2021 like we originally intended, we are leveraging learnings from our journey thus far and accelerating the integration of key foundational 10X technology into other parts of Windows and products at the company.”

We’re unlikely to see too much of that here, but the upcoming 21H2 update may have a far bigger redesign.

Google just finished its live Google I/O 2021 keynote, where the company unveiled a huge number of announcements, including a new look coming to Android, a bunch of features coming to its Google Workspace productivity suite, and even a new AI that talked as if it were Pluto.

Nilay Patel and Dieter Bohn followed the whole thing in real time right here on our live blog. But if you just want to get caught up on the biggest news from the show, read on for our recap.

Android 12 has a radical and bubbly new look

Image: Google

Google revealed that Android 12 will have a brand-new “Material You” design with a whole lot of new changes. It offers a lot of color and customization, and the new mobile OS will even be able to change system colors to be able to better match your wallpaper. It also offers some new privacy features, including a new privacy dashboard. A beta will be available today, and it works with phones from 11 device makers.

Google is making Workspace more interconnected

Google announced “smart canvas,” a new initiative for its Workspace office software that will make it easier to work between products. Features include “smart chips” that let you link to other Workspace apps and the ability to start a Meet video call right from Google Doc, Sheet, or Slide.

Google showed off its new LaMDA AI language model and demoed conversations with Pluto and a paper airplane

Image: Google

Google CEO Sundar Pichai showed off some impressive (but pre-recorded) demos of someone having a conversation with an AI powered by its new LaMDA conversation technology. In the demos, the AI “talked” as Pluto and a paper airplane.

Google and Samsung are merging Wear OS and Tizen

Google announced Wear OS (now called just Wear) and Samsung’s Tizen will be combined into a unified platform. That should lead to apps launching faster and longer battery life.

Project Starline creates a 3D model of a person sitting across from you

Image: Google

Google demonstrated Project Starline, which uses high-resolution cameras and depth sensors to create a real-time 3D model of a person who is “sitting” across you to re-create the feeling of having a face-to-face meeting.

Google is building a camera that’s more inclusive of skin tone

Image: Google

Google is working on updates to its camera and imaging products to make them better at capturing and reproducing skin tones accurately in images.

Google Photos will be able to make animated photos from still shots

GIF: Google

Google Photos is getting impressive new “cinematic moments” that use two photos to create a moving image. You can see what they look like in the GIF above. Google is also adding new types of Memories, including ones based on visual patterns in your photos.

Google Photos will let you store photos in a locked folder

Image: Google

Google is adding a feature in Google Photos to let you store photos in a password-protected space on your phone. These photos won’t appear when you’re scrolling in the app. It’s launching first on Google Pixel and coming to more Android devices “throughout the year.”

Google will let you change a site’s password right from inside its password manager

GIF: Google

Google announced that it’s adding a way to change a stored password for a website right from inside Google’s password manager. It’s rolling out gradually to Chrome on Android in the US and will be widely available in the coming months.

Google Maps’ AR Live View tool will show more information

Google is making some changes to Google Maps, including rolling out new features for its Live View augmented reality tool. Google is also adding features to make maps more informative, such as showing different restaurants at different times of day, pointing out local landmarks if you’re visiting a new city, and showing how busy a certain area is.

Google is adding a privacy-friendly sandbox for machine learning data in Android

Google is adding a number of privacy-focused features to Android, including a sandbox in Android, the Private Compute Core, that will securely store data used for machine learning.

There are now 3 billion active Android devices globally

Google announced that there are now more than 3 billion active Android devices. That’s a lot!

Android will support digital car keys so you can unlock your car with your phone

Image: Google

Google will let “select Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones” work as digital car keys starting with Android 12. The feature supports UWB and NFC, though BMW is the only automaker confirmed to support Android’s digital car key so far.

Google debuts new health tool to identify skin conditions using your camera

Image: Google

Google revealed a new health tool that lets you take a photo of a problem skin area and answer questions about their skin type and symptoms to help you better identify skin conditions. Google aims to launch a pilot of the tool this year.

Google unveiled Android 12 at its opening I/O 2021 keynote, and now you can try the new update yourself as part of the first public beta. The Android 12 public beta is currently available for Google’s Pixel phones (Pixel 3 and up) and will also come to devices from OnePlus, Lenovo, Asus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Tecno, TCL, Vivo, Xiaomi, and ZTE. You can enroll your Pixel phone on Google’s Android beta site or find specific instructions for other supported phones on the Android Developers page.

Android 12 brings a cornucopia of new features, but the most exciting are the new visuals. Along with new animations, widgets, and a modified lock screen, Android 12 also offers theming, with the ability to change the colors used across the OS just by changing your wallpaper. Not all of the dramatic visual changes will be available in this first beta, but they should roll out over time as we get closer to release.

Google is tweaking other aspects of the Android experience as well, like notifications and quick settings. It’s also making some improvements to privacy and security, with indicators for when your phone’s camera or microphones are in use, and easier access to all of your apps’ various permissions in one dashboard. For a more in-depth look at Android 12, you can check out our full preview.