Technology

Common Sense Media flags gaps in ChatGPT’s teen safeguards, while OpenAI disputes the tests. Here’s what the findings mean for parents and educators.

The post ChatGPT Teen Safety Report Finds Gaps in Parental Alerts appeared first on TechRepublic.

Check out the latest on Anthropic’s Claude Haiku 5.5 and Sonnet 5.5, along with Gemini 4 Argon and Mistral Large 4.

Microsoft’s Execution Containers give Windows developers a “kill switch” and “YOLO mode” in terms of access for AI agents.

Quartz countertops are made through a process that releases crystalline silica, which can lead to numerous health conditions like silicosis.

Five states have sued TP-Link over router security and disclosure claims. Here's how the lawsuits, FCC restrictions, and firmware vulnerabilities affect existing owners.

The post TP-Link Faces 5 State Lawsuits: Are Its Routers Still Legal in the US? appeared first on TechRepublic.

TP-Link's Archer 8 Ultra brings Wi-Fi 8 to select markets, but high prices, limited client support, and unfinished features make Wi-Fi 7 the better buy for most users.

The post Wi-Fi 8 vs Wi-Fi 7: Is TP-Link’s Archer 8 Ultra Worth It? appeared first on TechRepublic.

This could be a game changer for AI note-taking and transcription.

Modern laptops have largely abandoned optical drives, which can be frustrating when you need to access an old DVD, install software from a disc, or back up important files. The Asus ZenDrive external DVD burner offers a straightforward solution without requiring you to replace your computer or install additional hardware.

Best for: Anyone with a Windows laptop, Mac, or desktop PC that needs an external DVD drive for reading discs, burning backups, or accessing older software and media.

The deal: The Asus ZenDrive external DVD burner is $38 (was $45) at Amazon.

Why it matters: Many newer computers no longer include optical drives, but this inexpensive accessory lets you continue using your existing CDs and DVDs, and creating brand new backups.

Zendrive Black External DVD Burner: was $44.99 now $37.88
This 13mm external DVD writer supports 8x DVD and 24x CD speeds, M-DISC archival media, USB-A and USB-C connections, Windows and Mac compatibility, Disc Encryption II, and Nero BackItUp software.View Deal

Why we recommend it

The Asus ZenDrive is essential for anyone who still has a collection of physical discs. It supports DVD reading and writing at up to 8x speed, and CDs at up to 24x. It also offers M-DISC support which is designed for long-term data preservation of things like photographs, family videos, and important documents.

It also includes Disc Encryption II, which provides password protection and hidden-file functionality for supported disc-writing tasks.

Both USB 2.0 and USB Type-C cables are included, allowing you to connect the drive to compatible Windows PCs and Macs without the need for a separate adapter.

Price context & historical value

The Asus ZenDrive was listed at $44.99 before Amazon reduced it to $37.88, saving buyers $7.11. It's not an enormous discount in dollar terms, but it brings the cost below $40. That's not the lowest it has been however. Back in 2021 it was $30, but it's unlikely to ever reach that price again. So, a good price for what I'd consider an essential for physical media fans like me.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Asus ZenDrive if...

You have CDs or DVDs that you still want to access, or you need a simple way to create physical backups. Its compact design makes it convenient to keep for occasional use.

❌ Skip the Asus ZenDrive if...

You no longer use physical discs or you need to read Blu-ray media, which this doesn't support. A USB flash drive or external SSD will generally be more practical for everyday file transfers.

• Shop all CD and DVD drives at Amazon

The company is expected to release a new HomePod and Apple TV next week.

Could they be the next “eye” phone? I spoke with the founders of Xpanceo to find out.

• Attackers hijacked three country-code domains to obtain fraudulent HTTPS certificates for major websites
• Fake certificates could enable convincing traffic interception and phishing against affected domains
• Google revoked the certificates, protected Chrome users, and warned impacted organizations

Cybercriminals recently managed to hijack three country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs) and used the access to generate HTTPS certificates covering several Google domains, as well as those belonging to other organizations. Google said the attack placed thousands of websites at risk, but stressed that the certificates have since been revoked.

According to Google, the domains that were hijacked are .gh (Ghana), .sl (Sierra Leone), and .as (American Samoa). During the attacks, the threat actors modified authoritative DNS records, obtaining HTTPS certificates covering not just Google, but other organizations, too.

In other words, any website operating on these domains was at risk, as well as all of the visitors. By manipulating authoritative DNS records, threat actors could redirect traffic away from legitimate websites and towards malicious ones under their control, all the while telling users they were visiting the legitimate one by showing the padlock icon. Visitors entering login credentials, payment information, or other data, would easily lose them to the attackers, and depending on the circumstances, they could also end up installing malware.

“Due to the nature of the attacks, we have no reason to believe the Certification Authorities (CAs) that issued the impacted certificates did anything wrong,” Google said.

Affecting major brands

Although Google blocked the unauthorized certificates in Chrome and worked to have them revoked, it warned that its interventions might not have identified every affected domain or protected users of other browsers.

“As part of our usual incident response process, we immediately acted to protect users by blocking the use of unauthorized certificates for Google properties in Chrome via CRLSets,” Google added. “We also worked with the issuing CAs to ensure the certificates were revoked to protect users in clients other than Chrome.”

The risk for websites wasn’t theoretical. Google said “several leading global brands and widely used online services” were impacted by these attacks, and stressed that all of the certificates used in these attacks were blocked.

“Where possible, we reached out to impacted organizations to alert them to our findings and actions,” Google concluded. The company did not say which of its own domains were affected, and did not want to name the victim companies. We also don’t know how many organizations were impacted.

Chrome users don’t need to take any action to be protected, it was said, but domain owners do have a thing or two to do. That includes performing ongoing monitoring of Certificate Transparency for all of the domains, and publishing restrictive CAA records with ACME account bindings.

Not the first rodeo

Attacks like this have happened before - in 2011, cybercriminals compromised Dutch Certificate Authority DigiNotar, generating 531 fraudulent certificates for domains belonging to Google, Microsoft, Mozilla, Skype, and more. Some of these certificates were allegedly used to intercept encrypted communications of Iranian internet users, and the incident ultimately forced major browser vendors to withdraw their trust in DigiNotar, putting the company out of business.

Earlier that year, threat actors stole an account belonging to a registration authority partnered with Comodo, obtaining nine fraudulent certificates for domains operated by Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and others. Something similar happened in 2015, when Google discovered that Symantec's Thawte-branded Certificate Authority had improperly issued an unauthorized certificate during internal testing, covering Google's domains.

This incident, however, was more of an internal failure and less of an attack. Subsequent investigations uncovered numerous additional misissued certificates.

“In parallel with domain-owner defenses, we will continue to work alongside the broader community to limit the impact of transient routing and DNS compromises on the safety of the web,” Google concluded. “To keep our users safe, we are committed to long-term HTTPS ecosystem improvements, such as reducing certificate validity and DCV reuse, through the Chrome Root Program and the new Chrome Quantum-resistant Root Program.”

Via Ars Technica

Spooky season has arrived, and Le Creuset is treating us to a full range of themed cookware. Officially, it's the Harvest Collection in the US, and the Autumn Collection in the UK, and it offers pumpkins in every configuration you could imagine — plus some you'd never have thought of. For instance, I didn't think you could turn a gravy boat or a butter dish into a pumpkin, but both are present and correct here. There are also plenty of bats sprinkled in, for good measure.

Le Creuset is known as a top-quality brand, and that's reflected here — this cookware is predominantly cast iron and stoneware, so it's built to last. The colorways are classy, too; the brand's signature volcanic orange is a perfect fit, and moody greens, mustard yellow and inky black help round out a sophisticated autumnal color palette. And there are thoughtful touches throughout, like the twisty, metal stem/handle on the large cast-iron dishes.

Of course, the price points are fairly lofty. But there are a handful of more budget-friendly options in the mix that'll let you get the look without breaking the bank — I'll be working towards a mini cocotte in every color. Scroll down to check out the full range in both the US and the UK.

US: Spook-tastic cookware

Hop down to the UK range

Le Creuset Signature Pumpkin Cocotte, Persimmon

Le Creuset Signature Pumpkin Cocotte, Forêt

Le Creuset Signature Pumpkin Cocotte, Licorice

Le Creuset Signature Pumpkin Cocotte, White

Le Creuset Signature Pumpkin Cocotte, Nectar

Le Creuset Signature Pumpkin Braiser, Persimmon

Le Creuset Signature Pumpkin Braiser, Nectar

Le Creuset Signature Pumpkin Braiser, Foret

Le Creuset Signature Pumpkin Braiser, Licorice

Le Creuset Signature Pumpkin Braiser, White

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Gravy Jug, White

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Gravy Jug, Persimmon

Le Creuset Signature Spatula with Bat Appliqué

Le Creuset Pumpkin Mini Cocotte, White

Le Creuset Pumpkin Mini Cocotte, Nectar

Le Creuset Pumpkin Mini Cocotte, Persimmon

Le Creuset Pumpkin Mini Cocotte, Persimmon, Forêt

Le Creuset Pumpkin Mini Cocotte, Persimmon, Black

Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Halloween Dishes, Set of 4, Multi

Le Creuset Mini French Oak Leaf Bowls, Set of 4

Le Creuset Bat Stockpot

Le Creuset Bat Mini Cocotte

Le Creuset Stoneware Bat Mug, Black

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Mug, Nectar

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Mug, Persimmon

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Mug, White

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Mug, Black

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Serving Bowl, 3L, Persimmon

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Serving Bowl, 3L, white

UK: Spook-tastic cookware

Le Creuset Cast Iron Pumpkin Casserole, 24cm, Volcanic

Le Creuset Cast Iron Pumpkin Casserole, 24cm, Forêt

Le Creuset Cast Iron Pumpkin Casserole, 24cm, White

Le Creuset Cast Iron Pumpkin Casserole, 24cm, Nectar

Le Creuset Cast Iron Pumpkin Casserole, 24cm, Sea Salt

Le Creuset Cast Iron Pumpkin Shallow Casserole, 24cm, Volcanic

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Gravy Jug

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Mini Casserole, 16cm, Volcanic

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Mini Casserole, 16cm, Forêt

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Mini Casserole, 16cm, Satin Black

Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Halloween Dishes, Set of 4, Multi

Le Creuset Stoneware Set of 4 Leaf Small Dishes

Le Creuset Stoneware Bat Petite Casserole

Le Creuset Cast Iron Wicked Elphaba Embossed Round Casserole, 24cm, Artichut

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Butter Dish, Volcanic

Le Creuset Stoneware Bat Mug, 400ml, Satin Black

Le Creuset Stoneware Bat Mug, 400ml, Volcanic

Le Creuset Stoneware 25cm Pumpkin Serving Plate, Volcanic

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Serving Plate

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Mug, Foret

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Mug, Volcano

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Mug, Black

Stoneware Pumpkin Mug, Garnet

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Serving Bowl, 3L, volcanic

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Bowl, 16cm, Volcanic

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Bowl, 14cm, Forêt

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Bowl, 14cm, Satin black

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Bowl, 14cm, White

Le Creuset Stoneware Pumpkin Serving Bowl, 3L, white

• License costs are a worry for 90% of VMware customers
• Multi-vendor and security complexities are limiting migration for many
• Some customers are staying with VMware but sourcing their own support

A new study has claimed a staggering 90% of decision-makers are considering VMware alternatives purely based on licensing costs.

But following other changes made to the virtualization stack under its not-so-new Broadcom ownership, two in three (66%) of those surveyed by Rimini Street are also considering third-party support.

That said, there's a big step between considering leaving VMware and actually migrating away, and many face the reality of not being able to without incurring high costs or encountering technical difficulties.

VMware customers aren't happy, but they're not switching away

Broadcom's licensing changes are the biggest offender, the study shows, with 90% of those considering an alternative impacted by higher licensing costs and 54% unhappy with the end of support for perpetual licenses.

Despite very clear dissatisfaction, half (48%) of existing perpetual licence customers don't actually have any plans to move away from VMware Cloud Foundation.

Still, the wheels are in motion with three in five surveyed businesses considering multi-hypervisor strategies, potentially as the first stage in a multi-step process to move away from VMware. The journey ahead isn't so simple, though, with operational complexity (40%), managing multiple vendors (38%), handling security with an expanded attack surface (37%) and ups killing workers (37%) all cited as challenges.

"The shift for current VMware users is not simply about replacing one vendor with another. It reflects a broader effort by enterprises to reduce dependency on a single provider," Unisphere lead analyst Joe McKendrick explained.

What we're seeing more of, though, is the adoption of third-party support for existing VMware packages instead of total migrations away from the company. One in five (18%) are already using third-party support.

"For many organizations, that means balancing support for existing environments with new investments designed to improve resilience, security and scalability over time," McKendrick added.

Amazon’s Fire tablets have historically been seen as low-cost, low-spec alternatives to the best Android tablets and best iPads, but now the mega-retailer has finally entered the premium tablet market with the Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro.

Yes, the ‘Fire’ nomenclature is gone — and, mercifully, Fire OS along with it. The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is the first Amazon tablet to support full Android, meaning users will be able to access the Google Play Store and its millions of streaming, gaming, and productivity apps, including Google Maps, YouTube, and Gmail.

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro — which is joined by the smaller Alexa Tablet 11 and Alexa Tablet 8 in a three-product lineup — is also the first Amazon tablet to feature baked-in Alexa+ integration, so it’s got AI chops to rival Apple’s Apple Intelligence-compatible iPads and Samsung’s premium Galaxy tablets.

In other words, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro is about as far away from the Amazon Fire Max 11 as the Kindle-maker could have gotten — and Amazon acknowledges that this distinctly premium product marks a dramatic change in strategy for the company.

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with the Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard and Alexa Tablet Pro PenFutureThe Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with the Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard and Alexa Tablet Pro PenFuture

“Without a doubt, this is the biggest leap we've ever made in developing tablets in our history,” Eric Saarnio, Vice President of Amazon Devices International, told me in a briefing for the new Alexa Tablet range. “And I'm incredibly excited about what the team has built.”

Despite their shortcomings, Amazon’s existing Fire tablets have been a hit for the company — “we've sold a ton of tablets over the years, and that’s something we're very proud of,” Saarnio says — but they’re loss-leader products designed to usher customers into Amazon’s digital ecosystem, rather than market-leading tablets in their own right.

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, by contrast, is a full-blown premium slate with specs to rival the Apple iPad Air (2026). It features a 12-inch, 120Hz display, up to 16GB of RAM, and 3x more CPU power than any previous Amazon tablet.

The Amazon Alexa Tablet comes in three sizes: 12, 11, and 8.7 inches (Image credit: Future)

Buyers can also choose to equip their Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with Amazon’s anti-glare Nanomatte technology, which improves visibility outdoors and makes on-screen text look as if it’s sitting on top of the display (I’ve seen it in person, and it’s not a million miles away from the nano‑texture finish on the iPhone Duo’s inner display).

Why has Amazon pumped such impressive specs (and, presumably, millions of dollars in development costs) into the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro? Because it recognizes that consumer habits are changing, and it wants to offer a one-stop-shop device for streamers, gamers, and productivity-focused users alike.

More than just an entertainment device

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro can be configured with an anti-glare Nanomatte display (Image credit: Amazon)

“The truth is, what people are using tablets for is really starting to evolve — and it’s the power of the cloud that’s changing things,” Saarnio told me.

“The ability to build and code is really powerful, and you can do that [now] from your tablets. And for sure, tablets are there for entertainment, and that's where it all starts. But I do think there’s this evolution starting to happen, where [people are] using tablets just to get things done.

Without a doubt, this is the biggest leap we've ever made in developing tablets in our history.

Eric Saarnio, VP of Amazon Devices International

“When we think about tablets going forward, I don't necessarily think they’re going to be a replacement for a laptop. But I do think they're going to be very powerful tools to both entertain and to help you be productive. And so, as we think about our next era in tablets, we wanted to bake all of that [into one device]. And we really landed on three big things [in the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro].

“First: performant, premium hardware, with exceptional screens that deliver for customers. Second: we're moving to full Android, and [granting] access to the Google Play Store, which will give customers the ability to access millions of apps that they enjoy today. And last but not least: we wanted to give them access to an assistant. So we’ve embedded Alexa+ into the tablet, along with access to everything they love about Amazon. To be clear, this isn't an app that we've added to the tablet: it’s actually baking the Alexa+ experience into it.”

The Dynamic Tab on the Amazon Alexa Tab 8FutureThe Alexa Smart Home interface on the Amazon Alexa Tab 8Future

Now available in the US, UK, and Australia, Alexa+ is Amazon’s cloud-based virtual assistant. It can respond to queries in natural language, control your smart home devices, and, of course, seamlessly interact with all other Amazon services. Notably, on the Alexa Tablet range, Alexa+ can look at what's on your screen (when given explicit permission to do so) and provide real-time, in-context assistance, similar to Gemini Live’s screen sharing functionality.

On the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, Tablet 11, and Tablet 8, Alexa+ lives in a dedicated Dynamic Tab in the top left corner of the screen, and can be expanded into a full-screen For You tab for more comprehensive interaction.

Alexa+ costs $19.99 / £19.99 / AU$29.99 per month, but is free for Prime members. It’s not yet clear how the service’s deep integration into the Alexa Tablet will function if you’re not subscribed to it.

Interestingly, the Alexa Tablet can also transform into a Kindle for a completely distraction-free experience. When activated, Kindle mode silences notifications, reduces blue light, and extends battery life. It’s particularly effective on the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro when paired with Amazon’s Nanomatte finish.

Kindle mode on the Amazon Alexa Tab 12 ProFutureKindle mode on the Amazon Alexa Tab 12 ProFuture

“What we think we've invented here is a tablet that doesn't, in any way, force you to compromise,” Saarnio concluded. “It's great for entertainment; it’s intelligent; it's great for productivity and helping you get things done. All in one package. And you get all of this starting at £500.”

That price reveal triggered an audible gasp in my briefing session. $549.99 / £499.99 is an extremely competitive price for a 12-inch tablet with a 120Hz display, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of starting storage. Even the top-end version of the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro (which comes with 16GB of RAM) costs just £599.99 (we’re awaiting confirmation of US and Australia pricing).

The iPad Air, for reference, starts at $749 / £749 / AU$1,249 following Apple’s June price increases. That device features a more powerful M4 chipset than the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, which runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 8400, but it’s smaller, at 11 inches, and has a static 60Hz display.

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As you'll see in the price section, the Alexa Tablet’s specs do get worse as you move down the price ladder (the Alexa Tablet 8, for instance, has a 60Hz refresh rate, 4GB of RAM, and no Nanomatte display option). But the value of the top-end bundles looks, on paper at least, exceptional — £729 for the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with Nanomatte display (256GB), Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard, and Alexa Tablet Pro Pen is still cheaper than Apple’s entry-level 11-inch iPad Air with 128GB of storage.

The big question, of course, is whether Amazon’s new tablets are any good. I’ve only been hands-on with the top-end Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, and my first impressions are positive — the Nanomatte screen looks great, the tablet’s aluminum construction is thin and light, and its access to the Google Play Store is going to please a lot of people. But we’ll need to put all three new devices through their paces before passing a full verdict on their value for money.

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, Alexa Tablet 11, and Alexa Tablet 8 — as well as new Amazon Kids Tablets — are available to pre-order now and will begin shipping October 19.

Pricing

The full Amazon Alexa Tablet range (Image credit: Amazon / Future)

Here's the full pricing information for the Amazon Alexa Tablet range (we'll update the below tables with US and Australia pricing when we have it):

Device

Configuration

Price

Amazon Alexa Tablet 8

4GB / 64GB

$229.99 / £199.99

Amazon Alexa Tablet 8

4GB / 128GB

TBC / £239.99

Amazon Alexa Tablet 11

8GB / 64GB

$329.99 / £289.99

Amazon Alexa Tablet 11

8GB / 128GB

TBC / £329.99

Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro

8GB / 128GB

$499.99 / £449.99

Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with Nanomatte display

8GB / 128GB

$549.99 / £499.99

Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with Nanomatte display

16GB / 256GB

TBC / £599.99

Accessories

Price

Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard

$149.99 / £129.99

Alexa Tablet Pro Pen

$89.99 / £79.99

Bundles

Price

Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard and Alexa Tablet Pro Pen

TBC / £589.99

Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with Nanomatte display (128GB), Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard and Alexa Tablet Pro Pen

TBC / £639.99

Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro with Nanomatte display (256GB), Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard and Alexa Tablet Pro Pen

TBC / £729

The new tablets tie together the Amazon media ecosystem so you can pick up where you left off from just about anywhere.

• AI has replaced entry-level work, so graduates are being hired to manage AI
• Goldman worries about its impacts on existing middle managers
• "We don’t quite know what’s going to happen to that group"

Goldman Sachs exec Kevin Sneader has shared (via Bloomberg) how he believes AI could change jobs in banking, and it doesn't necessarily mean that junior workers will be at a loss for jobs.

Instead, Sneader believes that new employees will take on management responsibility immediately, rather than waiting years for promotions.

Previously, young workers would have spent the first few years performing administrative work before progressing into management positions, but rather than progressing into managing humans, junior workers will now start off managing AI.

Junior bankers set to manage AI from day one

With agentic AI now capable of carrying out the routine, administrative tasks that junior workers used to do, entry-level roles will no longer be available. But that doesn't mean there's no room for new graduates – it just means that they'll need to oversee the AI doing those jobs.

"When our young folks now start work, they’re managing agents," he said. "They have to make the most of this virtual army that they’ve now got."

However, there is potentially one group of workers at risk from AI's impacts, and it could be middle management. In short, graduates being employed to manage AI could threaten the job security of middle managers, who would previously have looked after those graduates.

"We don’t quite know what’s going to happen to that group," Sneader added.

More broadly, it could mean that AI challenges the pyramid-like ladder that sectors like banking have previously worked to. If businesses no longer need large numbers of entry-level workers thanks to AI, it means they need fewer middle managers and fewer leaders, which could indeed have adverse impacts on jobs – just not for graduates.

The takeaway from this particular message isn't one of graduate unemployment, but rather a broader shift away from traditional working patterns and how it could impact the more experienced workers.

Argos has launched its Big Red Sale. Now, I've seen loads of 8GB laptop deals there, but as always, I'm begging you to avoid them. The low cost isn't worth the frustratingly sluggish performance. 16GB memory is plenty for day-to-day office multi-tasking without breaking the bank. And of all the ones in the Argos sale, I've 100% choose the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3.

• Best for: Remote workers and students who want good general performance for productivity tasks like running office software, browsing, and streaming.

• The deal: The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is now £664 (was £829) at Argos with code RED20, so 20% off or just shy of £166.

• Why we like it: This laptop comes with an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD. When we tested this machine, we found it "fairly portable for its size, is attractive enough, and has enough performance for most people’s day-to-day needs. With its low price, it’s a great value for those that just need a Windows computer."

IdeaPad Slim 3: was £829 now £663.2
This 16-inch Windows 11 Home laptop comes equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 5 322 processor, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and 512GB SSD. Ideal specs for working from home and my pick of the bunch on the Argos tech sale. Use code RED20 for the full discount.View Deal

Why we recommend it

We scored the attractively designed IdeaPad Slim 3 4 stars in our review.

This isn't a juggernaut workstation for 3D rendering, gaming, video editing and running a zillion LLMs all at once. And it's not meant to be.

As we found during our tests: "What it needs to do and does well enough is handle day-to-day tasks such as browsing, streaming, emails, word processing, and the like.

It's a reliable 16-inch laptop that in our tests delivered good overall performance for those who just need a decent Windows laptop for work. "good performance for day-to-day use."

Price context & historical value

There are plenty of 16GB laptop deals at Argos (you can check them out here), but this IdeaPad Slim 3 is the pick of the bunch thanks to the decent specs and real-world performance tests we've put it through. For comparison, it's just £24 more than the same model with 256GB SSD storage. That's half what you're paying for here.

The closest cheaper alternative in the sale is this Ryzen 5-powered 15.6-inch HP laptop, priced at £569 (was £579). But having owned several HP and Lenovo laptops over the years, I prefer Lenovo's overall build quality and performance. Personally, I'd choose the IdeaPad over it every time, but the specs are good enough too.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 if...

You work from home and need a laptop that's well-specced for general daily business tasks.

❌ Skip the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 if...

You want a powerhouse machine for demanding workloads. It's not built for it.

• See all deals in the Argos Big Red Sale

This was supposed to make me happier. I felt more isolated instead.

• Dyson Total Restore is a door-to-door cleaning and restoration service
• It's available for Dyson's cordless and wet floor cleaners
• It costs £99.99 and is now available in mainland Britain

If your vacuum cleaner or floor cleaner needs some love, Dyson has just launched a new refresh and restoration service that will get it working like new (or as close as possible). Dyson Total Restore, now available in the mainland Britain, is a door-to-door service that aims to improve your cleaner's performance and extend its lifespan

For £99.99 (plus the cost of any repairs not covered by your warranty), the cleaner will be collected from your home and delivered to Dyson's service and repair centre in Chippenham, where engineers will carry out an engineering assessment, which covers areas such as airflow, battery health, and motor performance.

Engineers will then complete an industrial-standard deep clean to improve the performance of your machine, fix repairable faults, and replace damaged or worn components with genuine Dyson parts..

Once the service is finished, your floor cleaner will be returned along with a label showing the last service date, and any replacement filters or wet rollers required. You will also received digital photos, a digital health check report, and a digital certificate of service.

"It's offering to consumers a better service and allowing our machines to be looked after and giving them a second wind," Dyson's Chief Engineer, Jake Dyson, told my colleague Ruth Hamilton in a recent interview. "So, if they come in for a spa day, they go back in the same condition they were when they were new. So, you always start again on the reliability curve and the abuse curve."

Is your cleaner supported?

Dyson Total Restore is available for cordless vacuums (from the Dyson V7 through to the V16 Piston Animal), as well as wet cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 and PencilWash. To find out whether your cleaner is supported, log in to your account on Dyson's website and select the ‘My Products’ page. Eligible machines will be clearly labelled.

If yours isn't included, or you're thinking of buying your first Dyson cleaner, take a look at our complete list of the best Dyson vacuums.

Dyson Total Restore is currently only available in Great Britain, but is expected to roll out internationally in the future.

• Windows 11 search is getting a major overhaul
• It'll be made faster, more efficient with RAM usage, and be tweaked to better understand what you're searching for
• Microsoft is also adding 'actions' to allow users to directly adjust Windows 11 options in the search box, a nifty and convenient touch

Microsoft has announced that it's forging onwards with making Windows 11's search function a faster and more streamlined experience.

In a blog post, Microsoft said it's rolling out this redesigned search experience to Windows 11 testers in the Experimental channel now (likely in a very limited fashion to begin with).

This new search is built on WinUI 3 (the contemporary interface framework for Windows 11), and as a result it'll be faster and will have less impact on your system resources. Microsoft boasts that: "Early testing shows substantial improvements in performance and memory usage, so [search] feels faster and more efficient from the moment you open it."

The search panel itself has been pared back to a single list, as opposed to the current implementation with the list on the left and the preview pane on the right. The interface therefore looks less cluttered, and it's easier to see what you're, well, searching for.

Microsoft also promises it'll work on ensuring that search more readily grasps what you're trying to find, with better handling of typos and guessing what you might mean if you're, say, attempting to find a system option and have entered the name incorrectly. This is work that the company already started in Windows 11, and the post notes that Microsoft will continue to fine-tune all this over the coming weeks.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

This is what's happening initially; then, later this year, Microsoft is going to bring more features into testing. That includes inline previews and details that give you all kinds of extra info on the file you're searching (like a thumbnail for an image along with its resolution and size).

Search queries like "weather in London" will bring up an in-line card (powered by Bing) with the relevant at-a-glance details, including the likes of temperature highs and lows for the day.

The other big step is to introduce 'actions' to Windows 11 search, meaning you can simply type a command to change settings in the OS directly from the search box. Microsoft shows an example of typing 'change to dark theme' which pops up the option, then you simply click apply and you're done.

You can type 'mute' to turn off sound, or 'dim my screen' to adjust the brightness level automatically, and issue a similar range of instructions via search.

Analysis: some polarized reactions

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Prostock-studio)

These are clearly useful changes, although as with much of the work to fix Windows 11 this year, one of the main questions is: why wasn't this done before? It's long been known that Windows 11 search is clunky and sluggish, with too much clutter in the panel — so why has it taken Microsoft so long to address these points?

A typical barb on Reddit runs like this: "It only took decades for Microsoft to sort this abysmal search out." Someone adds that: "The only time search was decent in Windows was in Windows 98 SE."

Okay, so this kind of flak isn't fair, as other Redditors point out, but you can certainly say that it's not acceptable that Windows 11's search has been in bad shape since the launch of the OS half a decade ago.

It's good to see meaningful movement towards a slicker search is happening, and I'll definitely take this. The actions are a nifty idea, too, for quickly changing options there and then (rather than simply locating the option, and having to use extra clicks to go into Settings and adjust what you want).

As others on Reddit note, this is sort of drafting some ideas over from PowerToys (the Run tool), and something I've previously argued is that Microsoft should port over some of the functionality in that suite of utilities so it's in Windows 11 by default. Maybe that's starting to happen.

Even so, there are folks on Reddit who don't want search to be anything but an ultra-streamlined search (rather than offering the likes of actions). This Windows 11 user complains: "Why isn't the search bar just for searching? Why does it do a million other things on top of it?"

Of course, everyone's entitled to their own take, but I don't agree, and there is a lot of streamlining work going on here which Microsoft should be commended for, with the additions on top being useful in my opinion. Still, it just goes to show that the level of Microsoft hate out there is still palpable, and whatever the software giant does, it'll have its critics.

One of the most important moves with search that's just gone live in the most recent Windows 11 update is the introduction of the ability to turn off web results clutter. Again, that was a long time coming, but at least Microsoft is getting there… finally.