News from the web

You should definitely be using a password manager. Data breaches are happening more frequently, and that flood of stolen info has made cracking passwords even easier. And it’s not just the “password12345” variety that is at risk—passwords that use variations on a single password or substituting numbers for letters are also vulnerable. ...   PC World

Is there such a thing as a monitor that’s too big? Asus doesn’t think so, especially when it comes to fancy OLED screens. That’s why it made the ROG Swift PG42UQ, a 4K gaming monitor that straddles the border between PC screen and TV. (It even comes with side ports and a remote control.) Normally $1,399, Amazon is selling it for just $999 today. ...   PC World

If you’re looking to pick up an affordable yet powerful laptop for office work or day-to-day use, you’re in luck. Dell’s currently selling the Inspiron 16 for just $729.99, which is a massive savings of $420. ...   PC World

MSI’s Claw looks like a lot of PC-based gaming handhelds that have come out in the last year to compete with the Steam Deck. But underneath it’s packing something wholly unique for the form factor: an Intel CPU and integrated GPU. And Intel’s new-ish Arc GPUs sometimes make huge gains with a little software tweaking. ...   PC World

For too long, PCs with Snapdragon Arm chips inside of them have been a mixed bag: some native apps run well, but others have stuttered and hung if they weren’t coded correctly. Those days may be over: the man in charge of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus says Qualcomm has addressed the compatibility issues. ...   PC World

At a glanceExpert's Rating ProsRespectable performanceLong battery lifeElegant designBrilliant OLED touchscreenConsHefty for a thin-and-lightDesign has usability issuesPricey for the performanceOur VerdictThe Dell XPS 14 is a looker, but even though it can offer respectable performance, it comes at such a high cost above competent — and often faster — competitors that ...   PC World

The internet is rife with ads, scams, and malware these days. You’re not going to stop using it, however, so it’s best to use it safely. With an AdGuard Family Plan, you and your family can enjoy not just a safer browsing experience but a better, and even faster one. Now through 4/30, you can get a lifetime subscription for more than $50 off. ...   PC World

Most of us charge our phones overnight. But having to disconnect it from the charger when you wake up to go the bathroom can be a hassle. So, why plug it in at all? With this 15W Nightlight Wireless Charging Pad, you can give your compatible phone a charge without having to unplug it when you get up. Right now, it’s $60 off. ...   PC World

Antivirus is a lot more than just antivirus these days, but you don’t have to fork over a hefty premium to get extra protections, even if it’s popular software. Just take today’s AVG Ultimate deal at Newegg — you can pay an incredibly low $18 to protect all your family’s gear for a whole two years. ...   PC World

USB-C cables get no respect. Most people shop for the lowest-priced cable and call it a day under the assumption that they are all the same. They’re not though, and here’s how I weed out the good cables from the bad cables in the review process. ...   PC World

A fresh PC usually feels shiny and exciting, except when it comes packed with extra software that you never asked for—like a trial of McAfee’s antivirus software. Inevitably, the evaluation period ends, and with it begins an onslaught of notifications asking you sign up for a paid subscription. Heck, sometimes the reminders begin long before the expiration date. ...   PC World

Microsoft is pushing advertising into every possible corner of Windows 11 that it can find, and the Start menu is definitely not a safe space. We reported a few weeks ago that Windows Insider builds were showing “Promoted” applications once again. In a shockingly short amount of time, that function has been pushed into the current Windows 11 wide release build. ...   PC World

Humans are terrible at passwords. Simply put, we suck at creating them, we can never remember them, and we share them way too freely. Indeed, the very thing that can ensure our online security has become our biggest obstacle to it. And if you think you have good reasons not to use a password manager, here is why you’re wrong. ...   PC World

Ugh, Alienware, you’re killing me here. I’m trying to save up for some new kayak gear, and you’re pushing your OLED ultrawide gaming monitor prices down to the lowest we’ve ever seen. Specifically, Best Buy has the Alienware AW3423DWF, our current pick for the best gaming monitor you can buy, for just $777.77. ...   PC World

Wondering what the numbering system for the next-gen AMD CPU you buy for your AM5 system will be called? Me too — frankly the names and numbers for modern CPUs make my head spin. But we have reliable information that the company is going with “Ryzen 9000” as the family name for the upcoming models, widely expected to debut later this year. ...   PC World

OLED monitors are the cream of the crop when it comes to gaming, and Samsung makes one of the biggest, widest ones out there. The Odyssey OLED G9 is 49 inches of super-saturated, perfect-black glory, but it doesn’t come cheap, with a regular retail price of $1799. But today Amazon is offering it at one of the best prices we’ve seen yet, just $1099. ...   PC World

When it comes to a lot of mechanical keyboard enthusiasts, smaller is better. A mainstream gaming company like Corsair isn’t going to be popping out keyboards without a number row, but this K70 Pro Mini Wireless RGB is about as small as you can find on a store shelf at 60 percent layout. At launch it went for over $150, but today you can pick one up at Amazon for just $63.99. ...   PC World

Gamers, as Samuel L. Jackson once famously said, you better hold onto your butts. If you’ve been looking around for a powerful yet affordable gaming laptop, you’re in luck, as we’ve unearthed an absolutely killer deal today. Dell’s selling the Alienware m16 for $1,049.99, which is a whopping $700 off of the original $1,749.99 price. ...   PC World

Qualcomm is now breaking down exactly how fast each of its new Snapdragon X Elite and Plus Arm processors are…but with a list of chips and a product number decoder that is virtually impenetrable to read, let alone say. Let’s face it: Processor naming schemes have become ridiculously complex. ...   PC World

An AI PC is the next big thing in PCs…or so a lot of companies would have you believe. But what is an AI PC, why should you buy one, and what — if anything — does an AI PC offer? While those answers are evolving over time, we can tell you what we know right now. ...   PC World

While there are many free office tools on the market, few utilities are as powerful as Microsoft Office. And right now, you don’t have to break the bank to get it. Now through 4/30, we’re offering Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows or Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for Mac for $200 off. Rated 4. ...   PC World

It’s probably fair to say that the Generative Fill feature within Adobe Photoshop has utterly transformed my photo-editing workflow. Today, Adobe just made it better — and spun off several additional features that complement Generative Fill, too. ...   PC World

Many people believe that Microsoft will eventually provide a version of Copilot that will run within Windows right on your PC. Microsoft may have just tipped its hand with a new AI model, or LLM, that is specifically designed to run on local devices. On Monday, Microsoft introduced “Phi-3-mini,” a 3. ...   PC World

As CPU makers push microprocessors even faster, a PC’s memory must keep up as well. JEDEC, a key chip standards body, has responded by issuing a new DDR5 memory standard that pushes speeds up to 8800Mbps. Put another way, that means that PC memory speeds will increase from DDR5-6800 to DDR5-8800, eventually. ...   PC World

F5 to copy, F6 to move, or F8 to delete: At the time, these were important shortcuts for quick file management in Norton Commander. The former standard tool among file managers is long gone, but Midnight Commander offers you an adequate replacement. ...   PC World

Antivirus software is a necessary tool in today’s online world. Attacks are only becoming more sophisticated, especially with the continued rise of AI. Even the most tech-savvy and cautious among us can drop their guard at wrong time or get tricked into exposing themselves to a malware, spyware, or ransomware vulnerability. ...   PC World

You can’t really beat the versatility of a 2-in-1 laptop. You can swing the screen around 360 degrees and use it like a tablet or prop it up like a painter’s easel for watching movies or sharing a work presentation. If you’re interested in picking up such a machine, you’re in luck. Today you can get the HP Pavilion x360 for just $459. ...   PC World

At a GlanceExpert's Rating ProsFile backup, sync, and imaging in one programEasy interface1TB of online storage for $20 extra with yearly license, $30 with perpetual licenseConsMinor interface glitches and sloppinessDoesn’t support VHD/VHDX Online storage only usable via BackupperOur VerdictWith the addition of online storage, Aomei Backupper 7 can now compete with Acronis and ...   PC World

The days of floppy disks and burned CDs may be long gone, but every once in a while you still need just a huge bucket of external storage. The frustrating thing is that the bigger the drives and files get, the longer the transfers take over USB. ...   PC World

Windows 11 Moment 5 is currently the latest version of Windows 11, released on April’s Patch Tuesday. The update prepares for the update to Windows 11 version 24H2, which will be released later this year, and adds some new features intended to simplify and streamline everyday tasks in Windows. ...   PC World

4drx has updated VirtualKeyboard to version 1.8.0. This version was designed to assist musicians in easily and efficiently creating MIDI loops. New... Read More   KVR Audio

Plugin Boutique has announced that Scaler 2 has been updated to version 2.9. This is a free update for current users and is now available with 33% off to new users until 12th May 2024.... Read More   KVR Audio

Bitwig has announced their first major update of 2024. This new update Bitwig Studio 5.2 comes with a new set of studio tools, a professional compressor Compressor+ which... Read More   KVR Audio

MonkeyC has released v1.1.0 of their randomizing sampler plugin, Rando. The update comes two months after the original launch of the plugin and brings many new features and improvements,... Read More   KVR Audio

XLN Audio has released Neon Dreams, an XOpak containing nostalgia-inducing, 1980s-infused beats and samples by the Synthwave artist Starcadian, ready to be used in XO. Here's... Read More   KVR Audio

Steinberg have announced VST Live 2, a major update to their live performance software making it one of the only systems on the market to combine MIDI, audio, VST instruments, mixing/sequencing... Read More   KVR Audio

New York City-based Authentic Soundware has announced the release of Space Age Voices, a new sample library for the full version of Native Instruments Kontakt that delivers the sound of... Read More   KVR Audio

Applied Acoustics Systems announces the official release of version 2.2 of its Multiphonics CV-2 modular synthesizer for macOS and Windows. This new version, a thematic update... Read More   KVR Audio

Fanan Team has released RandRobin a free random round robin module for windows. They say: RandRobin is a round robin effect emulation that emulates humanization for drum elements... Read More   KVR Audio

Tom Wolfe has released Ambient Dreams, a new ambient soundbank for Vital. Here's what Tom says about the release: Immerse yourself in the beauty of Ambient Dreams: a collection... Read More   KVR Audio

Heavyocity Media has announced the release of Analog Hybrid Drums, 'a new era of Damage percussion fusing maximum impact with raw intensity'. Heavyocity explains:... Read More   KVR Audio

TAQS.IM has released version 3.0 of SOLO, the World Synthesizer plugin for macOS and Windows. SOLO now includes a library of MIDI Phrases that you can drag and drop into your... Read More   KVR Audio

Luftrum has announced the release of Valia for U-He Diva, a soundset featuring 200 analog presets for Diva, aimed at 'the dark shadowy depths of science fiction cinema, infused with a dash... Read More   KVR Audio

Sonimus has updated StonEQ 4K to v1.1, adding native Apple Silicon support, and is offering it for $29 for a limited time (Reg. $59). Here's what they say: We are... Read More   KVR Audio

Harrison Audio has announced the release of Mixbus 10, the latest version of their Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), saying: Featuring Dolby Atmos native rendering, new integrated... Read More   KVR Audio

Sound Quest has announced that Midi Quest Pro, Midi Quest, and Midi Quest Essentials have all been updated to v13.0.2. The new release addresses recent changes made to Windows... Read More   KVR Audio

In celebration of Earth Day, Rhodes Music has announced its latest limited edition piano, the MK8 Earth Edition. Following the swift sell-out of the MK8/75AE within 15 minutes, Rhodes anticipates... Read More   KVR Audio

Toontrack has announced the release of the Cinematic Mallets EZkeys MIDI pack, a new MIDI expansion for EZkeys and EZkeys 2 inspired by soundtracks, scores and more. This release, developed... Read More   KVR Audio

Nomad Factory and Plugivery Distribution have announced Magnetic v3, Echoes v3, and Cosmos v3. These upgrades are also available as part of the newly enhanced Magnetics Bundle... Read More   KVR Audio

HoRNet Plugins has announced the release of the HoRNet HDS1 MK2, a new version of the plugin designed to simulate the classic sound of a guitar distortion pedal. This plugin is suitable... Read More   KVR Audio

Excite Audio has updated Motion: Harmonic to version 1.2.1. Motion: Harmonic v1.2.1 Changelog: Fixes a bug that caused Motion Harmonic to take over the DAW's undo history.... Read More   KVR Audio

Softube has released their Bad Speaker plug-in and introduced The Dirty, the Bad, and the Wasted Collection containing Bad Speaker, Wasted Space and Dirty Tape.... Read More   KVR Audio

Audiomodern has released Reanimatic, a Dark Techno expansion pack for Playbeat 3.0+. Reanimatic delivers a fat amount of production tools inspired by the dark Techno names of... Read More   KVR Audio

MusicDevelopments has updated RapidComposer to version 5.2.2. This update includes a new troubleshooting window and improves compatibility with macOS Sonoma.... Read More   KVR Audio

Rast Sound has updated SyncPlay to version 1.1, featuring enhanced preset management, undo function, support for the AAX format, and significant improvements in audio handling... Read More   KVR Audio

Tracktion and Dawesome have released MYTH, a synthesizer built around a unique resynthesis engine. Rather than traditional oscillators, MYTH utilizes machine learning to analyze and resynthesize... Read More   KVR Audio

Orastron, the Italian DSP firm that provides sound generation and processing algorithms to well-established music tech companies, has directly entered the customer market by launching the... Read More   KVR Audio

iPhone, iPad / Portable Studio / MultiTracks: D0TS Echoplex is a basic music sequencer designed to let you perform the Nine Inch Nails song “Echoplexâ€?. During the “Lights In The Skyâ€? tour, the band used to play this song with a giant sequencer at the background of the stage. D0TS Echoplex...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Education / Courses: Play guitar or want to learn how to play guitar? Download TrueFire’s app to your iOS device for access to over 50,000 video guitar lessons, 30,000 guitar tabs, and 20,000 jam tracks at your fingertips. TrueFire’s library of 1,000+ guitar courses covers all...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Instruments / Guitars: Introducing StringMaster, the original heart of the StringMaster family of applications that represent the pinnacle of advanced music applications for iPad and Mac, tailored for musicians ranging from relative beginners to seasoned guitarists. The StringMaster...   440Software