Do you use Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 on a Skylake computer? Microsoft will offer support through 2020 for Windows 7 and through 2023 for Windows 8, just as it will for other computers. This backpedals an earlier plan to drop support for Skylake computers as early as 2017.
Skylake, the sixth generation of Intel Core processors, became widely available after Windows 10’s release. As such, the vast majority of Skylake processors are shipped with machines running Windows 10. With this in mind, Microsoft stated earlier this year that Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 will only support Skylake computers through 2017. So far as we know, this was the first time Microsoft has dropped security updates for an otherwise supported operating system depending on processor model.
Some users were … not thrilled. The move was widely seen as a way to force users to upgrade to Windows 10, according to Forbes. Apparently that feedback got through to Microsoft, which extended support through 2018 back in March.
Extended support for Windows 7 ends on January 14, 2020; extended support for Windows 8/8.1 ends on January 10, 2023. The change brings Skylake computers running Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 in line with other computers.
Microsoft’s stated reason for the policy is that Windows 10 is optimized for Skylake, while Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 are not.
And things get more complicated if you want to buy a computer this fall and install an older version of Windows. Microsoft says seventh-generation processors, code-named Kaby Lake, will not be officially support by Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, meaning if you buy a computer with such a processor, downgrading is going to be tricky.
Nearly half of all computer users are still on Windows 7, according to NetMarketShare, but old operating systems can’t run on new hardware forever. We all gave up XP eventually. Don’t worry, though — in eight years die-hard Windows 10 users will be complaining about not wanting Windows 12. The cycle will continue.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.