There have been rumors all over the Web as of late, claiming that Microsoft will be charging fees to continue using Windows 10 after the free-for-one-year upgrade offer expires. Microsoft’s Gabriel Aul finally cleared the air on his Twitter account concerning this issue, according to Winbeta.org. The bottom line: There will be no annual fee for Windows 10.
A Twitter user had tweeted to Gabriel Aul, claiming that there needed to be more clarity surrounding what it means to receive a “free update for one year.” The individual, @OjJanne, said that the “statement leaves [the] door open for annual fees later.”
Aul promptly replied to the tweeter, “Please allow me to close that door for you: No annual fee for Windows 10.” Afterward, he linked to a page on the official Windows site, detailing answers to some of the most frequently asked questions on the new OS.
If you go to the Windows 10 FAQ page, there is an answer posted for the question, “Is the upgrade really free?” Microsoft specifies that the operating system will be free, and it is not a trial or introductory version. However, it notes that there is a limited time period to take advantage of the upgrade – Windows 10 is available free for one year from the time it debuts.
Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 device users are eligible for the free upgrade. It will become available, starting with tablets and PCs, on July 29. On its FAQ page, Microsoft makes it a point to specify that the deadline for this upgrade is July 29, 2016.
The company states that it will take approximately one hour for Windows 10 to be fully installed, although it may be quicker on newer devices. You can reserve the download on your existing device by opening the “Get Windows 10” app before July 29.
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.