Microsoft makes it easy to change the default browser in Windows 11. That’s important if you require special features specific to one of the many web browsers that are available on a PC. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple to be rid of Edge entirely.
Microsoft Edge will still load to open some other file types. When opening a link from Windows Settings or other system components, the webpage will load in Edge. That’s now about to change, however, according to a recent Windows blog post.
The notes on the latest version of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23531 (Dev Channel) indicate a different behavior in the European Economic Area (EEA). Windows system components will open links in the default browser. If you’ve chosen Google Chrome as your system preference, for example, Windows will respect your choice, but only if you live in the EEA.
It’s not that Microsoft Edge is a bad browser, but you should have a right to choose. Microsoft has been busily adding tons of new features, including the Bing sidebar that lets you access Bing Chat for some assistance without interrupting your normal browser flow.
Edge runs on the same Chromium browser base code as Google Chrome and can even use Chrome extensions. Bookmarks are easy to import, so the transition is pretty painless.
Despite Microsoft’s efforts to replace Internet Explorer with the much faster and better Edge browser, there are good reasons to look elsewhere. The list of Windows web browsers is quite long and there are plenty of excellent alternatives to Microsoft Edge.
Hopefully, Microsoft will bring this upcoming change to everyone and fully respect people’s choice for a default web browser. If it’s restricted to the EEA, it’s probably mandated by law. Even if there isn’t a legal requirement, Microsoft should let you decide which browser you want to use for every link.
Google just dropped its latest AI model, Gemini 4 Carbon, designed to tackle complex coding jobs and cybersecurity threats. The company claims it can work through difficult engineering problems for days, finding hidden bugs and developing fixes across large codebases.
Gemini 4 Carbon also takes the top spot on Artificial Analysis' updated Intelligence Index, scoring 59 points, pushing out Claude Opus 5.5, OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra, and even its own predecessor Gemini 4 Argon.
Apple has just introduced a redesigned MacBook Pro with a few bells and whistles. The focus this time around is on a thinner and lighter build, and an upgrade to a touch-sensitive OLED screen without any ugly notch. And, in case you were wondering, there is definitely a price premium to pay for these niceties, which also include a glowing Apple logo at the back. What if you wanted to get the best that Apple has to offer? Well, the numbers are finally here.
For a mere $14,549, you can get yourself the fully kitted 16-inch MacBook Pro PROLED XDR with the beefiest laptop chip that Apple has to offer, and the best memory configuration in tow. For nearly $15,000, you treat yourself to the 16-inch version of the laptop with a nano-texture glass layer on the screen to reduce reflections and glare.
Apple has unveiled its first-ever touchscreen MacBook Pro. The company seems a bit confused about the naming, calling it the "MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display," which is tough to remember. If you look past that and review the full spec sheets, you might ask a genuine question: what are the differences between the touchscreen and non-touchscreen versions?
Given that Apple continues to sell both variants together, that's a genuine question. Luckily, you don't have to spend more time lining up the spec sheets side by side and hunting for differences hidden in the fine print. I took that bullet for you. Here's everything that's different between the PROLED XDR Display and the regular MacBook Pro.