Qualcomm and Microsoft teamed up to roll out its “Always Connected PC” platform at CES 2018, built around Snapdragon processors and always-on LTE connectivity. Now, cell carrier Sprint is cooking up a free data deal to lure Always Connected PC owners to its service. Anyone who brings an Always Connected PC — either the Lenovo Miix 630, HP Envy x2, or Asus NovaGo can get free LTE from Sprint until the end of 2018. That’s when the free data switches over to a standard monthly data plan.
The free LTE data disappears on December 31 but luckily Always Connected PC owners are not on the hook if they just want to swing by for the free data and cancel before the end date. That means if you currently have one of the aforementioned laptops, you can snag unlimited free LTE from Sprint without any obligation.
If you’re planning on taking advantage of the deal, be warned that you will be required to turn on autopay so remember to set a calendar reminder to cancel before December 31. Or stick around.
Qualcomm and Microsoft’s joint effort to put Always Connected PCs is still a work in progress. By most accounts, the laptops come close to delivering on Microsoft and Qualcomm promises, but reviews so far have been problematic. These computers offer decent performance with exceptional battery life and always-on connectivity, but it remains unclear whether or not this new device category will pick up steam heading into 2019.
“Throughout the history of personal computing, a steady wave of progress has changed how we interact with technology in both our work and personal lives,” Microsoft’s Terry Myerson said in a statement. “Microsoft and our partners have led many of these shifts in technology like enabling the original mobile computer. We are again at the beginning of another major technology shift: The ability to be connected anytime, anywhere with Always Connected PCs that are instantly on, always connected with incredible battery life.”
This glowing endorsement of the platform comes in stark contrast to Microsoft’s more recent messaging, as illustrated in an interview with TechRadar.
“We don’t equate ‘Always Connected PC’ with Qualcomm,” Microsoft’s Erin Chappie toldTechRadar. “We’re about choice in the ecosystem and working across our partners.”
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.