This may come as a surprise: Though I work at PCWorld, I don’t build computers. Well, I can. I have. But it’s one thing to buy a few thousand dollars’ worth of parts and then build a desktop on a budget that’s not my own, versus plonking down several hundred precious dollars and messing around inside of a desktop when I have several perfectly good laptops very nearby and might screw it all up. Plus my wife says that I have to run to Costco. Enter the Framework Desktop. If you have the time, money, and desire, you can build a desktop PC from scratch! It’s fun and rewarding. For the suburban parent who will happily change their wiper blades but not their oil, the Framework Desktop offers configurability for little effort. Building an Ikea bookshelf is complicated compared to this. Framework has sold multiple generations of its laptops, all with the same goal in mind: offer the flexibility of a desktop, but inside a laptop form factor. But a desktop poses a different challenge: How do you keep up with a desktop that is already configurable almost down to the screws? Here, I would say that Framework dodged the question. But that’s kind of immaterial, since the result is a highly detailed, simplified process of putting together a desktop PC. The easiest Desktop you`ll ever build Framework Desktop Best Prices Today: $2515 at Framework The Framework Desktop ships in either a pre-built or DIY Edition. I reviewed the latter, and you’ll see more photos and a performance evaluation in a separate article. This story focuses just on the build process, to show you what it’s like to put it together. And it doesn’t get easier than this. Building the Framework Desktop: Out of the box I remain convinced that two opposing forces are always pulling on my psyche: my father’s German ancestry, which finds a deep satisfaction in engineering and then executing the proper solution; and my mother’s Irish roots, which simply asks the question, Does it work? If the answer is yes, then it’s off to the pub. Framework satisfies both. The Framework Desktop is all packed together, with each part encased in a labeled, cardboard box. Note the scannable HTML glyph that links to the manual.Mark Hachman / Foundry For one, Framework has the most well-documented manual I can recall seeing. And that’s weird, because the DIY Edition requires hardly any effort. There’s so little “D” in the “I,” I almost wanted more. Even Framework says that putting it all together should take about 45 minutes. That seems insanely long. I took about 30, not only because I was worried I’d make a mistake but also because I have the manual dexterity of a golden retriever. Essentially, the DIY Edition is a flat-packed PC. All of it ships inside a box, inside which are more boxes: the case, the CPU fan, the side panel, colored tiles, an SSD (assuming you ordered one), the power cable, and that’s about it. Ikea provides an Allen wrench; Framework gives you a long two-headed, reversible screwdriver with a Torx and a Phillips head. On one of the boxes is a link to the manual, which you can leave open on your phone or tablet. (You can follow along what I did, here.) There really aren’t that many parts. Framework even included a prototype handle (center, bottom) which I didn’t use.Mark Hachman / Foundry Each step is almost excessively documented, with multiple photos describing each of the 45 steps. But wait: Framework devotes four steps simply to unscrewing each of the two thumbscrews on the top of the Desktop and removing the top panel. Building a “normal” desktop involves buying a CPU, applying and spreading thermal paste, affixing a cooler of some sort, and more. There’s none of that here. Not only is the CPU already affixed to the motherboard, but Framework pre-installs the motherboard and memory, which comes soldered down. Really, the entirety of the building process involves screwing on the 120mm CPU fan with four screws, plugging it in, inserting the SSD and replacing the heat spreader…and that’s it. The remainder is simply opening up the case, closing it, and installing Windows. That actually takes the most time, as Microsoft downloads updates that can take a while to install. (Framework doesn’t supply an SSD with Windows pre-installed, though it will sell you a Windows license to install yourself — there’s another, well-documented guide to do so.) Virtually all of the hardware also comes with little visual cues: an arrow pointing to the proper position, plus actual “Top” and “Bottom” labels etched into the plastic or metal itself. That’s not necessary, but so very reassuring if you’re uncertain about what you’re doing. Framework ships most of the Desktop pre-assembled. This is right out of the box, with cables tried and the CPU radiator already mounted.Mark Hachman / Foundry Finally, don’t forget the USB-C expansion cards that plug into the chassis base, or the tiles that allow you to customize the front to your own aesthetic. I’ve never been a fan of laptop stickers, but the tiles (with small vents for airflow) are something I didn’t think I’d appreciate as much as I do. Building the Framework Desktop: What I didn’t like Not everything’s perfect. If I were building a PC, I’d prefer to install the SSD into the motherboard, and then the motherboard into the case. Framework asks you to do the opposite. What that means is that you’ll need to unscrew the heat spreader, allowing it to pop up, then insert the SSD, all by poking and prodding at the M.2 slot, way at the bottom of the inside of the case. I’d prefer to connect the SSD first, then place the motherboard inside the case. That’s not an option with the Framework Desktop.Mark Hachman / Foundry That led to a minute or two of chasing the tiny Torx screw around the case after it popped out of the heat spreader and rolled around, until I fished it out with a tweezers. Framework’s screwdriver is very slightly magnetic, enough that it can barely hold the screw in place while I lowered it into the case. I was very much reminded of playing Operation while trying to line everything up. (Framework also solders down the memory, so that you can’t install, replace, or upgrade it.) Framework’s Desktop also includes an optional secondary slot for additional storage on the back of the motherboard, accessible via its own side panel. That panel, like the plastic panels you see here in my photos can be removed easily just by pulling them slightly out and upwards. Framework gives you a choice between an optional translucent plastic side panel or one that matches the black aluminum used on the rest of the chassis.Mark Hachman / Foundry I also wasn’t totally pleased by how the top panel clips on to the case. On one try, it would clip in easily; on another, it would simply refuse to line up properly for a few minutes. Thankfully, we cut that portion from our associated YouTube video, where I’ll give you another look at what’s inside the case and how the Desktop performs overall. Aside from a few moments of feeling like an idiot, I had no issues putting the Framework Desktop together, and I doubt you will, either. The handholding this company is willing to do should make you feel like you’re well taken care of. The thumbscrews on the top of the Framework Desktop must be unscrewed for access to the side panels and the interior. The holes didn’t match up easily with the screw holes in the chassis, one of the few times I felt a little frustrated. Note the small but visible arrows to help you align the panels correctly.Mark Hachman / Foundry The other challenge to be aware of is the software drivers. If you purchase a Windows license, you’ll be asked to install it. Normally, a motherboard includes a set of pre-installed drivers or firmware to help facilitate that process; Framework’s desktop drivers had yet to be validated by AMD, which meant that I had to install a package of beta drivers alongside the Windows installation. If for some reason those drivers aren’t available, it’s not that big of a deal. You can install Windows without needing to connect to the internet, then add the license key later. You can also do what I did, which was to discover that I had forgotten to install the Wi-Fi driver, so I simply connected an Ethernet cable instead and added the driver afterwards. Don’t forget the tiles, which come in a variety of designs and colors.Mark Hachman / Foundry Everything worked perfectly, though AMD later provided an updated driver that really unlocked the processor’s performance potential. Given that Framework ships its products in batches — and those batches may take a few weeks to process — I’d expect those issues to be worked out well before you receive your finished Desktop. Building the Framework Desktop: Looking ahead One of the strengths of the Framework experience is that the company is looking forward to the day not when you buy a Framework device, but when you upgrade it. Though Framework hasn’t published a guide to upgrading the Desktop’s mainboard, it almost certainly eventually will. It already offers you a guide to removing the Desktop’s mainboard and installing it in another mini-ITX case, after all. After inserting the tiles, you can slide in the I/O expansion cards, too. The gray latch on the underside of the chassis helps secure them.Mark Hachman / Foundry Eventually, AMD will manufacture a successor to the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ processor, and you may want to swap the existing “Strix Halo” processor out and replace it with AMD’s latest chip. And that’s the foundation of Framework’s platform: You may be able to pick and choose from future upgrades, but you’ll choose to remain within Framework’s framework. There’s a lot to be said for that approach. We live in a world where so many companies are building in fine print and gotchas, service charges and subscriptions and labyrinthine contracts. Instead, Framework goes out of its way to be as simple and helpful as it can, and that’s something I can relate to. I’ve reviewed many, many products over my years as a technology reporter, and I can’t think of a single one that goes to such lengths to document how to use it as much as Framework does. Framework’s Desktop gives off a vibe of “helpful nerds who enjoy explaining technology” — which is very much what I think PCWorld has always tried to achieve. The point is that you don’t have to be a nerd to buy a Framework Desktop, however, and that’s one of its best features. Read...

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At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Displays up to four camera feeds at once No cloud, no ads, no subscription required Easy setup and intuitive interface Long battery life with flexible mounting options Cons Only works with Eufy devices No support for Alexa, Google Assistant, or third-party integrations No built-in voice assistant or smart display features Some features require the Homebase S380 NAS box Our Verdict The Eufy Smart Display E10 is a fast, focused, and private way to manage your home security–provided you’re living in Eufy’s home security ecosystem. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Eufy Smart Display E10 Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Smart displays aren’t new, but Eufy’s take on the category is a little different. The Smart Display E10 isn’t a voice assistant with a screen. Rather, it’s a dedicated visual control panel for your Eufy-powered home security system, one that puts live video feeds, visitor alerts, and event summaries all in one place. Unlike an Echo Show or Nest Hub, it does it all without leaning on the cloud, serving up ads, or connecting to a server somewhere. Design and features The Eufy Smart Display E10 looks more like a small tablet than a security device. Its 8-inch, high-definition (1280 x 800 pixels) touchscreen is framed by slim bezels and a matte white housing that blends easily into most rooms. There’s nothing flashy here—no light rings (apart from a low-battery warning), no oversized branding. It’s designed to fade into the background until you need it. (Note: I’ll repeatedly write “Smart Display E10” for clarity, because Eufy markets disparate products using the model number E10, including a breast pump for nursing mothers.) The Eufy Smart Display E10 will automatically switch to the Live Streaming screen whenever motion is detected, based on the trigger types you’ve set in the Eufy app. Above the display are dual microphones, an ambient light sensor, a low-battery indicator, and a time-of-flight sensor (basically, a proximity detector that wakes the display when someone approaches it). On the top, you’ll find physical buttons for power, volume, and an “action button” that’s essentially a manual alarm trigger for compatible Eufy devices. A speaker and a set of charging pins—for use with the included dock—sit on the bottom edge. A microSD card slot (supporting cards with capacities up to 512GB) and a USB-C port for direct charging are set into the side. There’s also a folding stand and wall-mount slots built into the rear. The Smart Display E10 has and 8-inch touchscreen and a 4,050 mAh battery  that gives you more than 24 hours of use on a single charge.Ben Patterson/Foundry You can place the Smart Display E10 wherever it makes the most sense—on a shelf, a nightstand, or mounted to the wall—using the included dock or mounting hardware. The 4,050 mAh battery gives you more than 24 hours of use on a single charge, so it’s easy to move the display from room to room without plugging in. When it’s time to recharge, you can drop it onto the magnetic dock or plug it in directly using the USB-C port. The Smart Display E10 is meant purely for viewing and interacting with your existing Eufy home security gear, including arming and disarming your Eufy home security system. You can view up to four camera feeds at once on the screen, which is handy if you want to keep an eye on multiple entry points or monitor different areas of your property without switching between views. If you have a compatible Eufy video doorbell or smart lock, the Smart Display E10 will announce who’s at the door by name when the bell is pressed. And if you pair the Smart Display E10 with Eufy’s Homebase 3 network-attached storage device (that’s Eufy model S380), you unlock the Smart Daily Event Summary, which compiles a quick video recap of the day’s activity. You get one in the morning and one at night, which saves you from scrubbing through endless alerts. Setup and performance Getting the Smart Display E10 up and running is straightforward. Assuming you already have one or more Eufy devices on your network, you just power on the display, connect it to your Wi-Fi network (both 2.4- and 5GHz networks are supported), and log in to your Eufy account. From there, the setup wizard guides you through the rest of the process. Compatible cameras and other devices automatically appear on the display’s dashboard. The display can be mounted to a wall or slotted into its charging dock. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry The Smart Display E10’s lock screen gives you a quick snapshot of activity around your home. The time and date are displayed in the top left corner, with network and battery icons in the top right. Beneath that is a “Guarding Today” panel showing counts for common events—such as package pickups, deliveries, or missed rings—along with the last time a pet was seen, if applicable. Notifications appear front and center as they come in; motion alerts, like someone spotted in the living room, are timestamped and stacked in a clear list. A small thumbnail of the associated device appears next to each notification, so you can immediately tell where the activity occurred. The main screen presents three horizontally scrollable tiles. The first is a live-view panel that can display up to four live camera feeds at once, letting you monitor multiple areas of your home in real time. The thumbnail image for each updates in regularly to give you an at-a-glance view of recent activity, and tapping on any one opens a full-screen view of that camera’s live feed. The second tile is labeled Recent Events and shows motion-triggered recordings as they occur. Until activity is detected, it simply displays a “No Detections Yet” message. The third tile displays icons for each connected camera and provides quick access to that device’s settings. The interface is clean and swipeable, making it easy to flip between live monitoring, recorded events, and individual camera settings like privacy modes or night vision without digging through menus. You can access the Smart Display E10’s settings through the small gear icon in the top right corner of the main screen. From here, you can adjust screen brightness, notification preferences, audio volume, and other device-level controls. One setting worth noting is Auto Live View. When enabled, the Smart Display E10 will automatically switch to the Live Streaming screen whenever motion is detected, based on the trigger types you’ve set in the Eufy app. You can plug the display into its dock for continuous power. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Day to day, it’s a genuinely helpful tool. If a camera spots movement or someone comes to the door, the Smart Display E10 can put that camera’s feed on screen automatically. You don’t need to fish out your smartphone or launch an app. It’s especially helpful in households with small children, or older adults who might not be as comfortable with tech. They can see who’s outside without pressing a thing. It also makes sense in a small business setting; say, at a front desk or office with deliveries coming and going. That said, the Smart Display E10 is a closed system. It doesn’t work with Alexa, Google Assistant, or any third-party smart home gear. And if you want features like facial recognition or daily event summaries, you’ll need to pair it with the Eufy Homebase 3). Without it, you’re getting basic video and alerts, nothing more. Should you buy the Eufy Smart Display E10? At $199, the Eufy Smart Display E10 is priced in line with other smart displays, including the newish Amazon Echo Hub and the aging Google Nest Hub Max, but that comparison only goes so far. This isn’t a device for checking the weather, streaming music, or video-chatting with Grandma. It’s a dedicated home security monitor, built for one job and it does it well. If you’re using a mix of brands, or rely heavily on voice assistants like Alexa or Google, the Smart Display E10 won’t slot easily into your setup. If you already own Eufy cameras, doorbells, smart locks, or motion and door/window sensors—or plan to go all-in with that home security brand—the Eufy Smart Display E10 makes a lot of sense. It centralizes everything, works fast, and makes it easier for everyone in the house to stay on top of what’s happening around your space. Families with kids or elderly relatives, or anyone running a small business with frequent foot traffic, will appreciate having that live view always within reach. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers and displays. Read...

If you’ve received emails that appear to come from Mozilla, you should avoid clicking on any links within those emails. According to a Mozilla blog post, there’s an extensive phishing campaign going on right now to trick you into providing your login details. The most common phrase used by the hackers is “Your Mozilla Add-ons account requires an update to continue accessing developer features,” or some variation of that, reports BleepingComputer. This is just another in a line of cybersecurity headaches for Mozilla, who has recently been battling cryptocurrency wallet scams in Firefox’s add-on repository—a problem that won’t quit even after Mozilla began auto-screening for such scams. It’s a dangerous time to be a web user, with all kinds of phishing scams happening everywhere. Stay on guard and keep your eyes peeled, as phishing scams can be anywhere. For example, you might even find phishing links within Gmail’s new AI summaries. Read...

When Microsoft introduced Recall for Windows 11, data privacy and protection experts were horrified. Why? Because Recall continuously takes screenshots of your screen and saves them on your computer, even if those screenshots contain sensitive data like passwords and credit card details. Back then, Recall was still in testing, and the backlash was enough to get Microsoft to postpone its release. Microsoft has since developed Recall even further and implemented several promised security and privacy features, but some remain unconvinced. We’ve tested Recall ourselves and still don’t trust it, and we aren’t the only ones. The Register carried out a test and found that it can “still capture credit cards and passwords, a treasure trove for crooks.” In short, Microsoft promises the opposite, but Recall can continue to record passwords and credit card data under the right conditions. Microsoft integrated a filter to recognize the input or display of sensitive data and prevent screenshots in those cases, but The Register was able to get around that filter. Mark Hachman / Foundry Their test also found that Recall also took screenshots of account balances currently visible on the screen. Only the login details for the bank account were avoided by Recall. The Register writes: “So an attacker would know which bank I use and how much money I have, both details that could help them, but not my credentials or account number.” Recall recorded credit card details in one case, but didn’t in another. Recall reliably recognized the input of passwords and didn’t record them, but it did create screenshots of a file containing passwords. Recall obviously doesn’t always recognize when passwords are displayed on the screen and can therefore possibly record them. Also, when logging in to PayPal, Recall captured the login screen with the user name but not the password. Microsoft’s Recall safeguards can still fail The conclusion here is that, despite Microsoft’s improvements and additions, Windows Recall still has problems reliably recognizing sensitive data and refraining from recording it. According to The Register, Recall’s filtering of sensitive information is “good, but not good enough.” It should be noted, however, that Windows Recall stores its screenshots in encrypted form, so it isn’t exactly easy for strangers to view them. Still, if you want to avoid the potential for sensitive data leaks, you should disable Windows Recall and skip the risks altogether. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Extremely powerful and granular selection criteria Support for legacy and modern storage — including online Excellent performance Anti-ransomware monitoring Cons No disaster recovery Not always easy Minor bugs Pricey given the missing features Our Verdict Retrospect 19 Solo shares many excellent features with its Desktop sibling, including ransomware protection and new support for cloud storage. But it lacks disaster recovery, which is a bit of a gotcha for pay backup software. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Retailer Price Retrospect $49 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Retrospect Solo Retailer Price Retrospect $49 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Retrospect 19 Solo shares a lot of useful features with its pricey Desktop sibling — including ransomware protection and fantastically powerful selection criteria. However, what it doesn’t share is arguably the most important feature of pay backup software: disaster recovery. Windows offers several backup tools that take care of data, but its disaster recovery tools are unreliable. Yeah, go figure. The pricier Desktop version of Retrospect 19 does offer disaster recovery. Hint, hint. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best backup software for comparison. What are Retrospect 19 Solo’s features? Retrospect Solo is a stripped down version of a venerable enterprise-level backup program that is sold to smaller businesses and end users. The Desktop and enterprise versions offers features well beyond the scope of most consumer backup products. Solo does not — with one or two exceptions. The most welcome new feature in Retrospect 19 Solo is cloud storage support. This includes third-party services such as Amazon S3 and S3-compatibles, Dropbox, Wasabi, Google cloud, Azure, and even Retrospect’s own (using Wasabi as the back-end). Retrospect 19 now supports cloud storage services. Unfortunately, support for the popular OneDrive and Google Drive have been omitted. Why Dropbox and not those? Don’t know. But the lack is exacerbated by Retropect pricing its own online storage well above the mean. More on that below. On the plus side, there is a new granular compare function that let’s you see the actual differences between your existing data set and a backup. This gives you a bird’s eye view of changes that could indicate suspicious activity, aka ransomware activity. If Retrospect sees a troubling pattern, it will flag it as a possible ransomware attack. More on that later. Features and options include: compression and password–protected encryption; extremely granular scheduling; pre- and post-backup operations; filtering (including a copious helping of presets for common file types); differential, incremental, full, and block-level (only changed portions of a file) backups; deduplication (not backing up copies of the same file); notifications, and most of the bells and whistles found in the backup space. Retrospect features vary by the license you purchase. Alas, Solo lacks many of them. That’s all well and good, but Solo’s lack of disaster recovery is a major issue, dwarfing the lack of backup from NAS, or network locations; and the inability to back up using tape drives. Few users will care that Solo can only run two backups simultaneously, whereas Desktop can run four and some of the Enterprise versions 16. Two is more than most of us need! Not all these types of media are supported by every version of retrospect 19, but they are all supported at some price point. This capture is from the Desktop version, not the affordable Solo, which doesn’t support tape. As to Retrospect 19 Solo’s anti-ransomware features — ransomware is no joke. I was attacked while hosting my website on a local NAS box with an outdated version of WordPress (yes, I know…). A recent local backup (hint, hint…) saved my tuchus, but geez Louise was it a wake-up call! Retrospect’s local anti-ransomware features aren’t real-time like a true anti-malware, anti-data tampering background application such as Acronis True Image, Macrium Reflect, or Windows Defender. Instead, before Retrospect starts backing up, it checks to see how much the data has changed and in what ways. If the number of new or altered files exceeds a user-definable percentage, it cries foul and alerts you; meanwhile not overwriting anything in an existing backup. This is referred to as anomaly detection. If you’re not familiar, most ransomware attacks work by encrypting your files to new ones, deleting the old ones, then ransoming the encryption key. That entails a whole lot of changes, and what Retrospect is looking for. ProactiveAI protects backups if too many changes are registered. Of course, this approach is passive and relies upon your backing up regularly so you can restore the un-ransomed, unencrypted versions of your files. As Retrospect Solo has granular scheduling, I recommend daily as the minimum. The other half of Retrospect’s anti-ransomware solution is interfacing with the immutable data option offered by services such as Backblaze, Wasabi, S3, etc. Immutable data is data that a storage service won’t allow to be altered or deleted for a set period of time — even by known entities, unless specifically disabled. How much does Retrospect 19 cost? Retrospect 19 Solo is $49. That’s a perpetual license for a single computer (Solo). You can also get Annual Support and Maintenance (ASM), which includes more than rudimentary support and updates to new whole number versions should they appear, for an additional $80. Ahem. I should note that some of the competition such as Acronis and Macrium no longer offer perpetual licenses. Hence, over time, Retrospect 19 Solo might be a relative bargain. A Retrospect 19 Solo perpetual license retain all functionality and will receive any dot upgrades — i.e., it’s not subscription software that goes into restore-only mode if you stop paying as do Acronis True Image and Macrium Relfect X. Retrospect Solo is the most affordable version of the program; however, it’s missing some key features such as disaster recovery media. If you want a more detailed breakdown on the differences between versions of Retrospect, check the comparison chart on the Retrospect site. As you can see below, the Wasabi-powered Retrospect cloud storage is a bit pricey for the average user. Did I say a bit? I meant a whole lot. In point of fact, it’s three times Wasabi itself, which was $7 per TB per month at the time of this writing. Err… Retrospect Cloud Storage is Wasabi- based and somewhat pricey. Even though Retrospect Solo 19 makes it a tad difficult to use third-party online storage, I can’t recommend a service that’s three times the cost of others. Even if it’s slightly easier to use. As to that… Is Retrospect 19 Solo easy to learn and use? Retrospect 19 Solo’s interface is a bit dated in appearance, but the major learning hurdles come from it operating differently from most backup programs. Everything makes sense in the end and the power and versatility of pricier versions can be worth it, but the program’s approach simply makes for a steep learning curve. A good long look at the Retrospect 19 users guide is almost a necessity. Thank me later. As to some of the particulars… First off, the program’s vernacular is off the beaten path. Data repositories to be backed up are defined as “Volumes,” which can be drives, per normal nomenclature, but also clients on other computers, or files and folders, which are added under “Subvolumes,” and “Defined as volumes.” Destinations are “Backup sets,” which makes sense when it comes to sets of media you might rotate (which Solo does not help with), but isn’t intuitive to the average user. BTW, rotating means swapping out multiple discrete media according to a schedule — say, employing seven hard drives, optical disc/tape “Devices,” and using each only on a specific day of the week. This is really an enterprise deal where carousels and tape libraries are still common. “Selecting” is where you find the filters that skip or include various types of files. This is an area where Retrospect really shines — you can apply any number of rules or criteria about what to back up and what to skip. It’s also likely overkill for the average user. Jobs are “Scripts,” which aren’t created until you schedule a job created with Backup Now. Extremely efficient but not entirely intuitive. Scripts are not found under the Backup, but the Configure section of the function tree at the left of the main window. You can apply any number of rules or criteria about what to back up and what to skip. Scripts are created when you add a schedule to a Backup Now task. Retrospect uses discrete catalogs, aka indexes, for its backups and these are stored separately (with the rest of the program data) from the backup. Most backup programs store indexes inside the backup container, or along with it. Discrete catalogs have a great advantage in speed when retrieving data from a slow medium such as tape. Solo does not support tape, so catalogs could be seen as an unnecessary adjunct for mainstream users. You can, of course, rebuild the catalog from the backup should you somehow lose the original — however, this can be a rather lengthy procedure. I had to do it once with tape. Never again. The company recommends that you back up these catalogs to external media for access in case you need to perform a full system recovery from a crashed computer. These are just some of the myriad options available within Retrospect. Retrospect is decently easy to use once you know it, but it’s obvious that functionality was removed from Solo without proper adjustment to the interface. The program will actually let you select a network resource to back up (see above), but then not back it up, with an error in the log that basically says “not allowed by license.” Sloppy. Adding a cloud destination requires either providing keys from your storage provider, or signing in to the service via web access. However, this must be done for every different backup. Perhaps this is more secure, but it’s most certainly a pain during setup. Most backup programs retain their storage service connections. So, no, Retrospect 19 Solo is not easy to learn, but yes, once you know it, it’s easy enough to use. It is extremely versatile and powerful, but if you’re looking for simplicity then Retrospect 19 Solo is quite likely not your cup of tea. How does Retrospect 19 perform? To confirm that Retrospect’s backup engine hadn’t gone AWOL after 30 years (it hasn’t), I ran a host of backups: full, differential, and several incrementals, targeting a 10Gbps USB SSD, the network, and internal NVMe SSDs. As expected, Retrospect purred like a kitten during those backups and the subsequent restores. Even with two backups going at once. Indeed, the only times I’ve ever had an issue with a Retrospect backup, it was a problem with the media — back in the days of, yes, tape. I also tested the anomaly detection by altering and renaming files in various numbers, and Retrospect detected those changes as advertised. While it is nice that you can select network sources with the Desktop version of Retrospect, this is the Solo version, and the folder I selected was never backed up. Retrospect 19 Solo was perfection when it came to both the backup and restore operations that it supports. Faster than most, glitch-free, and with accurate feedback on the progress of backups — something not a lot of backup programs provide. I have zero qualms about Retrospect 19 Solo’s reliability and performance, it’s merely a matter of value. Should you buy retrospect 19 Solo? Honestly, no. The steep learning curve, but most especially the lack of disaster recovery makes it largely an unnecessary expenditure. You can do roughly the same thing using Windows File history. Retrospect 19 Desktop is a different kettle of fish. It’s initially pricey at $169 for the perpetual license, but it has the disaster recovery, network backup, and extensive hardware support that Solo lacks. But there are plenty of more affordable (some free) options than either Retrospect version out there. Easeus Todo Backup, Aomei Backupper, and Minitool ShadowMaker to name a few. Check out the best backup software hub for even more choices. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Strong antivirus protection Essential protection against major online threats Simple, straightforward features Cons Performance impact on some PCs User interface would benefit from Consolidation Upselling of additional services Our Verdict A one-device limitation can feel tight to many people, but if that’s all you need, Norton Antivirus Plus provides plenty of value for its price. This entry-level antivirus suite is affordable and reliable while still costing less yet offering more features than rivals. If you can work comfortably with its quirks and potentially heavy performance effect, it can be ideal software for digital minimalists. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Norton Antivirus Plus Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Antivirus makers stuff a ton of features into their most touted-plans, but not everyone needs those extra bells and whistles. Maybe all you seek is the basics for online protection in a single software package—and for just one device. Norton Antivirus Plus is one slimmed down option that hits those notes exactly, with malware protection and a password manager as the standout features. As an affordable entry-level suite, you can skip the extraneous pieces of more expensive plans without sacrificing what you really need. The only caveat: You can acclimate to Norton’s quirks, including an app with two different interfaces. What does Norton Antivirus Plus include? Though its name lacks the reference, Norton Antivirus Plus is part of Norton’s 360 lineup—albeit as the most stripped down version, both in features and number of devices supported. Its primary focus is on direct threats to your online security, with the antivirus engine protecting you against malware and the firewall blocking network threats. The app screens for dangerous links and attachments as well. This subscription also offers 2GB of cloud backup storage, access to Norton’s password manager, and PC utilities that include the ability to clear temporary files and monitor for outdated software. Norton’s introductory pricing can vary—but generally you’ll find it between $20 and $30 for the first year.Norton / PCWorld As an entry-level software suite, Norton Antivirus Plus is an affordable, reliable option for those who don’t mind its dual set of interfaces. How much does Norton Antivirus Plus cost? If you buy through Norton, the Norton Antivirus Plus plan costs $30 for the first year, and then increases to $60 thereafter. You can try the software for 30 days before committing, though you’ll have to put down a credit card. Subscriptions also come with a 60-day money-back guarantee. Be aware that Norton automatically enrolls you into auto-renewal at sign-up. Norton Antivirus Plus (1 device) $30 for the first year $60 per year thereafter Norton Antivirus Plus supports PC, macOS, Android, and iOS, but this plan limits you to just one device. You can save even more on Norton Antivirus Plus if you purchase your license through third-party retailers like Amazon or even PCWorld’s own software store—generally the price hovers around 75 percent off the normal price, and sometimes with extra bonus months. Key features of Norton Antivirus Plus Installation and user interface After purchasing a subscription to Norton Antivirus Plus, you’ll get access to the installation file, which automatically downloads. Norton Antivirus Plus’s interface has two different views, and you have to switch between both for access to all features. After installation, the My Norton window will be the first thing you see—it’s one of two interfaces you’ll interact with. It has a contemporary look and serves as a springboard to the most important features. You can start scans, update the app and its virus definitions, jump over to the password manager, manage your cloud backups, and fire up the secure browser. You can also run the software updater, as well as dig into a few program settings. (Tip: Turn off notifications for “Special offers” in the settings while rooting around.) Generally, this view is simple and straightforward, with one exception. You get no back button while navigating through submenus (like in settings). For a deeper dive into the program, you must switch to the Classic view by clicking on the Open button within the Device Security part of My Norton. A second window with a more outdated vibe will appear. Selecting any four of the tiles (Security, Internet Security, Backup, and Performance) reveals the full lineup of features related to that topic. The fifth tile takes you back to the My Norton view. To tweak the settings of features, you have to first open the Classic interface view, then choose Settings.PCWorld Also within the Classic view are the feature settings (like behavior of antivirus scans). You can adjust how antivirus scans, the firewall, and backups behave, as well as the protections for email and apps, and a several app settings. This dual interface setup can be confusing initially—but it becomes less of a problem the more you use the program. Virus, malware, and threat protection Real-time protection Norton Antivirus Plus protects your PC in real time by scanning new or changed files, watching for unusual app behavior, and screening for malicious scripts, attachments, and links in downloads and local email. Additional defenses (like protected folders, if you have a particular concern about ransomware) are only available on higher plans—though these days, ransomware is less of a concern for most individuals. To avoid phishing sites and other malicious pages (including ones that cause your PC to automatically download sketchy files) while browsing, you must first install the Norton Safe Web extension. It blocks dangerous sites and provides visual indicators for how trustworthy a link is. Scheduled and manual scans By default, Norton Antivirus Plus will run a full scan of your PC once per month. Scheduling can be very precise—if you want to run one every 13 hours, it’s possible. You can also set a schedule for the other default scan types (Quick Scan, Drive Scan, Folder Scan, File Scan), as well as for any custom scans you’ve created. You can edit the settings for scans to change their location and how often they happen.PCWorld For manual scans, you can choose Scan Options from the Device Security dropdown menu in the My Norton view, or click on Scans in the Classic view. Norton includes the option to scan for hard-to-find threats, as well as get diagnostic reports and recommendations on which of your files should be examined. Advanced users may find scan settings too simplified—for example, the full scan only allows you to change if it looks within compressed files, scans network drives, removes infected folders automatically, and wipes low risk and tracking cookie files. The other default scans have even fewer settings. You also can’t choose to check over all files, even if unchanged. Browser extensions Rare is the PC that isn’t continuously connected to the internet. Since web browser use is a daily occurrence for most everyone, Norton includes several browser extensions to boost online safety: Norton Home Page, Norton Safe Search, and Norton Safe Web. Norton Home Page switches your default to Norton’s own start page, while Norton Safe Search changes your default to Norton’s search engine. Meanwhile, Norton Safe Web scans links results for malicious content and also adds a visual badge to Google and Bing results showing if it’s safe to click (green is good, red is dangerous). Of this set, Norton Safe Web is the most useful—most people already have their own preferred home page and search engine. The Norton Safe Web browser extension screens links in Google and Bing search results.PCWorld A fourth browser extension, Norton Password Manager, lets you manage your passwords. While not strictly necessary (you can access the service through the website), it’s the most polished of all available extensions and easy to use. Cloud backup Having backups of your most important files is a wise move—even if you’re not afraid of ransomware locking you out, premature storage drive death or a lost device always loom as dangers. Norton attempts to help on this front by allowing you to save copies of your documents to its servers. By default, cloud backups will upload all but email and video files in your Windows document folders (i.e., Documents, Pictures, Music, etc). You can add or exclude file types, as well as specific files and folders. Norton also allows the creation of different backup rules (called a “Backup Set”), which is handy since you can only save to one location per backup set. Attempting to back up to a local drive did not work when I tested the feature on more than one PC.PCWorld Note that for the Norton Antivirus Plus plan, you don’t get much included storage—just 2GB. That won’t be enough to back up music or a even a moderate photo collection, but should adequately cover your important text-based documents. You can also create backups that save to a local drive—but in my experience, this option is buggy. On more than one computer, Norton would claim it had saved files to an external drive, but the files wouldn’t actually appear. You’re better off setting up your own system for local backups. Password manager Though simple, Norton’s password manager is good—a pleasant contrast to services that feel too stripped down. Setup is straightforward, with Norton prompting you to create a separate vault password, then to download a recovery key. (If you forget your vault password, you’ll need this key to recover the account.) This double login system (once with your standard Norton credentials, then your vault password) would normally be a pain, but using passwordless authentication through the Norton Password Manager mobile app nips that in the bud. It’s seamless, if fractionally slow with authentication approval requests. You can access your vault through the website, a browser extension, or the mobile app. PCWorld Note that for the browser extension, you can’t set the clipboard to automatically clear a copied password after a certain time. That’s a feature usually offered by rival password managers. PC utilities Norton includes a handful of PC tools in its antivirus suite, which replicate existing Windows features, sometimes in a more limited way. Optimize Disk is one such example. It’s Norton’s version of the Windows Optimize Drives utility, but more limited—it only defragments hard disk drives. Windows’ native tool is the better call, since it handles both HDDs and SSDs with the appropriate protocols. (Solid-state drives don’t benefit from traditional defragmentation.) File Cleanup wipes temporary files in Windows, including any unwanted Internet Explorer files. (If the latter is applicable to you, it’s time to upgrade your operating system.) Again, you’re better off using the native Windows utility for this task. Yes, Norton still supports Internet Explorer in its features. (Legacy Windows users…it’s time to upgrade.)PCWorld Startup Manager controls which apps launch automatically when Windows starts up—but you can easily manage this in Windows by typing startup apps in Windows search. Graphs is the only interesting one of the lot, showing a history of system use (installations, downloads, optimization, virus detections, quick scans, and alerts). If you like to know exactly what your system is doing in the background, this overview makes those details easily accessible. For these four tools, you must dig into Norton’s Classic view to find them. An additional tool lives in the My Norton view—Software Updater keeps track of out of date apps and lets you update them directly from the interface. (Our recommendation: Use the utility as a notification system, and then manually update yourself, to avoid potential software issues down the road.) Overall, Norton’s inclusion of these features is a nice thought, but not what sells the suite. Secure browser If you’re wary of Chrome, Norton Antivirus Plus includes an alternative called Norton Secure Browser. It’s also based on the same Chromium code as Google’s browser, but with a more curated experience. Norton Secure Browser drops onto your PC preconfigured with the Norton Privacy Guard (which blocks trackers and some ads, but not sponsored search results), Norton Password Manager, and Coupons add-ons already installed. You can only uninstall the Password Manager and Coupon extensions. PCWorld If you want to add more add-ons, Norton offers a pared-down storefront—but you can get more by scrolling all the way to the bottom for a link to the Chrome Web Store (or just hop on Google or Bing search). That’ll allow you to install stronger ad-blocking add-ons like uBlock Origin, if you want more comprehensive screening. Customer support Help with Norton Antivirus Plus is available within the app, both from the My Norton and Classic views. Of the two, the Classic view is easier to navigate, but the My Norton view puts the answers to commonly asked problems right upfront. You can also look up information on Norton’s support pages and community forums, and get technical support through chat, social media, and phone assistance. The in-app help and support pages are a good place to start, while the forums and company support are better options for troubleshooting. Updates and maintenance Norton automatically updates the virus definitions and app version, but the LiveUpdate feature within the app also lets you manually check for pending updates. It looks for any changes to the antivirus protection, Norton app, and process protection. If you need to find the version of your Norton app, you can access it through Help > About in the Classic view. Performance Norton generally performs well in tests performed by leading security research institutes—for online protection, at least. It caught 100 percent of the threats in AV-Test’s zero-day attack and malware tests for March and April 2025 (the most current results released), blocking all 459 zero-day attack samples. For recently widespread and prevalent malware, it detected 100 percent of the 18,722 samples. In AV-Comparatives’ real-world protection test for February through May 2025, Norton spotted 99.5 percent of the 423 test cases, with 9 false positives. (Rival ESET had just three false positives, for comparison.) The samples were a mix of exploits (like drive-by downloads), malicious web addresses, and URLs linking directly to malware. Effectively, Norton will protect against dangerous websites, but its sensitivity can end up blocking legitimate websites or downloads. AV-Comparatives’ real-world test results for February through May 2025. AV-Comparatives When facing AV-Comparatives’ March 2025 malware protection test and its 10,030 samples, Norton scored a 97.7 percent offline detection rate, 99.3 percent online detection rate, and a 99.96 percent online protection rate, with 10 false positives. Of these results, the online protection score matters most, since it represents how well antivirus software stops threats that reside on your PC—and Norton’s is among the top on the chart. In AV-Comparatives’ June 2025 anti-phishing certification test, Norton detected 95 percent of the 228 phishing URLs thrown at it. Norton did not participate in AV-Comparatives’ October 2024 Advanced Threat Protection Test, which evaluates a security suite’s resistance to more sophisticated, targeted attack methods like malicious scripts and fileless attacks. AV-Comparatives’ malware test results for March 2025. AV-Comparatives As for PC performance, Norton Antivirus Plus can have a notable effect on common tasks—if running full scans while you’re active on the computer. The impact is softer during everyday activities, as shown by our PCMark 10 test. This benchmark simulates web browsing, video chatting, gaming, and file editing in open-souce programs like GIMP and LibreOffice. When idle in the background, watching for real-time threats, Norton Antivirus Plus had virtually no impact on PCMark 10’s test scores. But when a full scan ran simultaneously throughout the benchmark, the results decreased by about 6 percent. That performance drop increased during our UL Procyon benchmark, which simulates document editing in Microsoft Office apps like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Benchmark results fell about 6 percent at idle, and almost 10 percent during a full scan. That difference swelled for our Handbrake encoding test, with a 11 percent decrease on idle and a sizable 22 percent tumble during a full scan. However, these numbers don’t reflect how Norton typically handles full scans. After an initial full scan, subsequent ones only examine new or changed, which speeds up the scan time and reduces the hit to system resources. And by default, full scans are scheduled for off-hours. Still, if you’re often copying to or changing files on your PC, Norton’s affect on system performance is something to consider—especially if you use a mid-range or budget computer. Should you buy Norton Antivirus Plus? As an entry-level software suite, Norton Antivirus Plus is an affordable, reliable option for those who don’t mind its dual set of interfaces. Its one-device limitation can be tight in an era where most people own at least a computer and a smartphone, but it’s cheaper than similar rival plans while offering more features. If you don’t need extra devices or features — smartphones are very secure even without third-party antivirus protection these days — this can be an ideal antivirus solution. Read...

Microsoft is reportedly testing a new feature in the taskbar called “Companions.” According to Windows Latest, it seems to be about support for AI agents, but exactly how it all works, well, it’s too early to say. The references to Companions were first spotted in Build 26454 of Windows Server, but since then traces of the feature have also appeared in beta versions of Windows 11. Possibly, the new feature could be one of the highlights of version 25H2 of Windows 11, an upgrade that will be rolled out to the public in the autumn. Microsoft hasn’t said exactly what Companions is for, but the name makes it sound like it could be a more personalized AI assistant. Maybe even a follow-up to earlier features like Copilot. If that’s the case, it falls in line with what Microsoft’s been doing all along. It’s an ongoing effort to pack more AI into the Windows experience. Read...

I love Razer’s Naga series of mice, particularly the Naga Pro, which allows you to swap out the side button panels for two, six, or twelve thumb buttons. But dang, these things are pricey. The Razer Naga Pro V2 was $180 when it launched, and it hasn’t gone down in the two years since. That’s a lot of scratch for a mouse, even for gamers. I’ve been looking around for a more economical alternative for a while, and on Prime Day I found one. “Solakaka” isn’t exactly a household name, except in the sense that the cheap, disposable brands that litter Amazon and similar online storefronts are probably in a lot of people’s houses at this point. But the SM809 gaming mouse offers about 90 percent of the functionality of the Naga Pro, at less than a quarter of the price. The big deal is the swappable side panels. Like the Naga Pro design it’s shamelessly cribbing off of, you can swap out the plastic body panels by pulling them off, the magnets holding them in place releasing with a bit of pressure. You get just two choices for buttons on the mouse’s left side, with one panel offering nine buttons and one offering three, both in a non-standard layout. This is a step down from the Naga Pro in both the number of total options and in the maximum button options. Michael Crider/Foundry But in some ways the two side panels are an improvement. I found the three-button panel particularly good for the way I play Fortnite, offering quick access to my pickaxe switch, building tool, and map. The most forward, vertically-aligned button is easily distinguished from the other two, letting me find it instantly to switch back to weapons. But the larger nine-button layout is also good, using the otherwise empty space for six more buttons. The ramp shapes on these buttons, again, make them easy to distinguish by feel without looking. You also get two choices of magnetic panel on the other side, which the Naga does not offer, but reminds me of the older Razer Ouroboros design. This seems less useful to me, as I don’t really need the extra support on the right, but more options for more people is always good. On both sides the panels snap into place and don’t move, making the mouse feel stable and sturdy despite having three movable pieces. The rest of the design is, in a word, cheap. Which isn’t an insult — this is a cheap mouse, after all. But I found the RGB lighting tacky, and I’ve never been a fan of the holes in the outer shell that allegedly remove weight. They make me think of speed holes. The mouse lacks the heft and smooth finish of the Razer Naga, and doesn’t support horizontal scrolling nor does it allow adjusting scroll speed and texture. But these are flagship features on a flagship design. Expecting them on a budget mouse would be unreasonable. Under the hood, you get specs that would have made PC gamers drool a decade ago, but have since become commonplace. 24,000 DPI on the sensor is more than any fleshy human I know can actually use, ditto for 1000Hz polling rate. There’s a choice between Bluetooth and USB wireless with the included dongle, though there’s no easy way to switch between them without flipping the mouse over. A bunch of extra buttons on the top let you move between DPI options by default. Like the Naga, I’ve adjusted these to manage media instead: Play/Pause and mute for the buttons just behind the wheel, volume up and down for the ones nestled into the corner above the primary button. None of these were particularly worrisome to me, as I gambled $40 ($30 on sale) on a cheap mouse. What I was really curious about was the software. These fly-by-night brands tend to fall down at this hurdle if anywhere — hell, it’s often a pain point for full-priced name brands. But the Solakaka software surprised me. It’s not amazing by any means and it makes some weird choices; the RGB is turned off as part of the power switch, for example. But it lets you program the buttons and macros, and adjust the other settings without too much fuss. More importantly, it saves the settings to the mouse’s local memory. That means you don’t need an annoying little app running in the background, and you can keep those settings consistent if you move the mouse to another device. Michael Crider/Foundry You won’t get the option to apply new settings when you launch a new app or game, which is arguably one of the signature features of a gaming mouse versus a regular mouse. (Well, that’s what I argue anyway.) But I wasn’t expecting that, to be perfectly honest. And the Solakaka design can beat the Razer Naga in one important area: battery life. While my Naga Pro V2 needed a pretty lengthy recharge via USB-C in less than a week of work and play, this cheap alternative has been going for three weeks and it’s only at 50 percent battery. Note that I turn off the gaming LEDs in both cases. I’m not saying that this mouse is better than the Razer Naga Pro V2. It isn’t, certainly not if you’re the kind of user who can actually justify nearly two hundred bucks for a fancy mouse. But in terms of value, the SM809 is the clear winner, even if you can’t catch it on a frequent sale. It does very nearly everything I need or want the Naga to do, without making me worry about how much it’ll cost to replace if I should wear it out. And considering how non-repairable Razer mice are, and that I’m now on my third Naga Pro, that’s a relief. Solakaka SM809 gaming mouseView Deal Read...