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Microsoft’s new Windows Search is exactly what Windows 11 needs

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Windows Search has been one of the most frustrating parts of Windows 11, and now Microsoft is addressing this with a significant overhaul. A new redesigned Windows Search is now in testing that is much faster, more capable, and a lot more modern. "This new Windows Search experience is built for speed," says Anshul Rawat , corporate vice president of the Windows product team at Microsoft. "It's built on WinUI 3 and is part of our broader investment in modernizing our core Windows experiences." Microsoft says early testing of this new search has shown "substantial improvements in performance and memory usage," meaning the company isn't adding … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/Jve7mFG

I only bought Pokémon Legends: Z-A during Prime Day, and it’s still on sale

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Pokémon trainers gearing up for battle. | Image: Nintendo After covering Amazon’s October sale for the last few days, only one item found its way into my shopping cart, and, lucky for you, it’s still on sale after the event’s conclusion. Pokémon Legends: Z-A for the Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 is $39.88 (usually $59.99 for Switch or $69.99 for Switch 2) at Amazon. The last Pokémon game I played was Let’s Go Eevee!, and Pokémon Moon prior to that, but the unique Lumiose City setting and real-time battles in the latest game have piqued my interest. Pokémon Legends: Z-A Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the first game in the main series with a real-time battling system instead of the traditional turn-based formula. You’re still catching pokémon, leveling up, trading, and battling in the game’s Paris-inspired setting, but the more action-oriented battles and smooth performance (on the Nintendo Switch 2) are very welcome. Where to Buy: $69 $39.99 at Amazon (...

The first Nvidia RTX Spark laptops cost up to $7,000

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The 15-inch Surface Laptop Ultra starts at $2,599. | Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge The first array of laptops powered by Nvidia's new RTX Spark chip are designed to compete with high-end MacBook Pros - and they've got some high-end prices to match. The flagship Surface Laptop Ultra and RTX Spark laptops from Dell , Lenovo , MSI , HP, and Asus start as low as $2,599 for configurations with an 18-core CPU, 24GB of unified memory, and 512GB of storage. That's close in price to a similarly specced 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro chip, though Apple includes 1TB of storage. But the prices for both RTX Spark and Apple laptops of course go much, much higher. Of the pricing we've seen so far, a kitted-out Asus ProArt P16 RTX Spark … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/mdKBDv1

Everything announced at Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra event

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Microsoft just wrapped up a big Windows and Surface-focused keynote in San Francisco. The biggest announcement was arguably the release details about the Surface Laptop Ultra , its new laptop that’s powered by Nvidia’s RTX Spark Arm-based chip. The machine will start at $2,599 for a configuration with an 8-core CPU, 24GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, and it will be released on October 16th. The laptop also has built-in magnetic USB-C charging instead of the proprietary Surface Connect magnetic charging port. The Verge ‘s Tom Warren published a deep dive all about the new laptop . Microsoft also announced that the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, a mini PC for developers, is available for preorder for $5,999 ahead of shipping in November. In addition, Microsoft shared details about some updates coming to Windows , including “Hybrid Intelligence” features that lets Copilot use files on your Windows PC to take actions and a new ...

Save on MacBooks, iPads and Apple Watches during October Prime Day

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The MacBook Air laptops are among the discounted Apple products. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Amazon’s October Big Deal Days are underway (lasting through tomorrow night), and we spotted a ton of Apple products and accessories in the sale, ranging from laptops and headphones to desktops and more. Some of the deals are only for Prime members , but other retailers are often matching or beating Amazon’s prices, and we’ll continue to update our coverage as we spot those deals. If your sights are set beyond what Apple makes, our main roundup has over 100 of the best deals from October Prime Day, and we’re keeping it updated throughout the sale. iPhone Air The iPhone Air is Apple’s thinnest iPhone yet at 5.6mm, featuring a 6.5-inch ProMotion display, a 48MP fusion camera, and an 18MP front camera with Center Stage support. But its single rear camera and “meh” battery life mean it’s not for everyone. Where to Buy: $999.99 $839.99 at Bes...

The Sonos Beam 2 soundbar is $140 off

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The Sonos Beam Gen 2 in white. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge The Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar is on sale for $359 at Amazon and Best Buy during October Prime Day, a healthy $140 discount from its usual price, and $10 lower than the previous Prime Day price. The biggest draw here may be obvious — its native connectivity to other Sonos products — though it’s also a really nice upgrade from your TV’s built-in speakers. Sonos Beam (Gen 2) The Beam isn’t as powerful as the Sonos Arc, nor can it match the flagship soundbar’s Dolby Atmos immersion bubble. But you still get room-filling surround sound for less money — and the Beam ties into the Sonos ecosystem for added convenience. Read our review. Where to Buy: $499 $359.99 at Amazon $499 $359 at Sonos $499 $359.99 at Best Buy Notably, the latest version of the Beam also adds Dolby Atmos support, albeit without upward-firing drivers to help complete the experience. Compared to the Bea...

All the drama around AI’s takeover of mathematics

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This past year, OpenAI, Anthropic, and other labs have announced breakthroughs on numerous long-standing mathematical problems, in some cases pushing well beyond what researchers expected current systems to be capable of — including resolving one of the famous Millennium Prize problems. But in classic Silicon Valley style, AI labs are moving fast and breaking things , barreling through the discipline with all the grace of a runaway bulldozer . Results that might normally have been celebrated have instead sparked backlash . AI labs say they are learning from earlier mistakes. Whether those promises bear fruit remains to be seen. Read on below for the latest updates in the AI takeover of mathematics. OpenAI keeps bulldozing mathematicians OpenAI wants to consult elite mathematicians about how to not fumble again OpenAI just wants to win Mathematicians want proof OpenAI didn’t use their w...