Microsoft's latest preview build for Windows 11 insiders includes welcome voice access improvements which make this feature easier to use, especially with a touch keyboard.

This is because the organization has added numbered tear drops total keys from the touch keyboard, therefore allowing users to perform a series of operations easier.

For example, you can now use the touch keyboard for things like spelling words, entering numbers, punctuation marks and symbols, as well as emoji. To exhibit and hide the touch keyboard it's enough to simply say "show keyboard" or "hide keyboard," as the typing thing can be done having a command like "click number."

For the time being, however, the commands that are available for voice access with a touch keyboard continue to be limited.

For instance, as well as the ones mentioned above, users are only able to use voice access on and off commands, such as "turn off voice access."

Still within the works

The new voice access feature is a work in progress on Windows 11, with Microsoft polishing the overall knowledge about the release of recent preview builds.

"Voice access is really a new experience that allows everyone, including individuals with mobility disabilities, to control their PC and author text using their voice," Microsoft explains.

"For example, voice access supports scenarios like opening and switching between apps, browsing the net, and reading and authoring mail. Voice access leverages modern, on-device speech recognition to accurately recognize speech and is supported without an web connection. Voice access supports English-U.S. language only, so the Windows display language ought to be set to English-U.S., otherwise voice access may not act as expected.

At this time, there's no ETA as to when voice access could go live for production devices, but this might happen with the release of the very first Windows 11 feature update in the summertime.

Microsoft's strict hardware limits for Windows 11 meant millions of PC owners is going to be stuck on Windows 10 forever - that list includes MacBooks. Since Windows 11 demands a TPM chip to run and the latest M1 Macs don't support Bootcamp utility (which has let Mac owners install Windows on their computers for years), it's difficult to install Microsoft's new OS on Apple-branded computers. Yet, for the last week, I've been running Windows 11 and macOS programs side-by-side on my M1 Mac Mini.

That's courtesy of Parallels, the virtualization software whose latest update makes booting up Windows 11 in a window on an M1 Mac as simple as downloading an application. It skirts Windows 11's mandatory TPM chip requirement having a virtual alternative that's enough to trick the OS into believing you're utilizing it on the compatible machine.

More importantly, Parallels makes a series of under-the-hood upgrades to obtain the most from the M1 chip, after a couple of days of usage, I can report that it'd be near on impossible that you should tell which operating-system your Mac came preloaded with. (I had been on the Windows 11 Home 22000.348 Insider build.)

Parallels 17 allows Apple's M1 chip to run Windows 11 like its routine. Although Microsoft has explicitly said hello doesn't have plans to support M1 Macs anytime soon, the chip handles Windows 11's ARM version with ease and faces zero compatibility hiccups.

How stable is really a Windows 11 virtual machine with an M1 Mac?

Windows 11 on Parallels was remarkably stable for any virtual machine, which allowed me for doing things as my primary workspace.

Everything from Windows 11's refreshed animations to resource-intensive multitasking worked as Microsoft intended it to. Plus, it can awaken from sleep immediately in the same state you left it, including all of the open apps. It supports all of the new Windows 11 bells and whistles, except for Android games since Parallels can't replicate the "hardware acceleration" option at this time.

Installing Windows on Parallels is not a multi-step process either. When you download Parallels on your Mac, its installation assistant will grab and load up the Windows 11 ISO apply for you, and also the M1 chip's performance chops wrap up that process within Half an hour.

Once you're within the Windows 11 virtual machine, there's little for you to set up. Parallels automatically shares your macOS profile's data with the VM, such as Wi-Fi and printer settings. On top of that, it provides a number of handy tools to be able to adjust the knowledge depending on your demands.

The most important tool may be the ability to configure just how much memory and CPU bandwidth is invested in the virtual machine. So if you own an entry-level Mac with only 8GB of RAM much like me, you may use this to ensure running two os's doesn't grind your machine to some halt.

If the computer doesn't have enough RAM to handle the virtual machine and macOS together, Parallels may also process tasks in your hard disk instead. This might potentially degrade the performance, but it's certainly a better option than freezing your system. You will find predefined profiles, too, for different workflows, such as "Productivity" and "Gaming," that you could pick instead of fine-tuning memory and CPU allocation.

Obviously, the largest highlight of Parallels happens to be how well it syncs the Windows virtual machine with macOS, and that experience has only improved with the latest iteration.

Using the "Coherence" mode, you can access Windows apps as though they're placed on macOS itself and effortlessly drag and drop files across them and Mac apps -- minus the constant backwards and forwards between the VM and macOS. Both desktops can remain synchronized as well, meaning the active Windows programs will appear on the macOS dock. Similarly, you are able to access Mac files in the Windows File Explorer, and Mac apps is going to be obtainable in Windows' "Open-with" menu.

The main one aspect where the Windows virtual machine is still no match for a direct installation is gaming. Since Parallels doesn't support DirectX 12, that leaves out most new video games, but for the ones it can launch, like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, you'll possess a better time playing them on macOS itself. As we found out within our M1 gaming review, the Mac Mini can create a reasonable performance for mid-tier titles, including Fortnite, Asphalt, CS: GO, and more. In contrast, when I played Counter-Strike around the Windows 11 virtual machine, it had been practically unplayable at15 frames per second.

Outlook

In a starting price of $80, Parallels is certainly not cheap, and it's important to remember it doesn't include the cost of a Windows license. However, if you do constantly need Windows programs on your Mac, it's a no-brainer, and it will, after the day, save you lots of money than shelling out for a separate Windows computer altogether.

Microsoft's Surface Pro 8 is the latest as well as when it comes to Surface Pro models, and earlier today, the organization made it better still for individuals who want only new-generation features.

The software giant today announced a Surface Pro 8 with LTE, even though this really is great news for those who seek on-the-go Internet access, unhealthy news may be the system is only targeted at business customers.

The LTE upgrade is available on several configurations, and if you want to buy the least expensive version, it is $1,349 and posseses an Intel Core i5 chip paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage.

Surface Pro 8 configurations

Interestingly, the cheapest Surface Pro 8 with LTE (which surprisingly included 1TB SSD storage as well as an Intel Core i7 chip just $1,299) has already been listed as out of stock on the Microsoft Store in the United States, so you therefore need to choose a more expensive version.

The most expensive version with LTE still available right now posseses an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. It may be ours for $1,849 today.

"Unlock more possibilities than ever before using the Pro created for a Pro as if you. The very first Surface Pro built around the Intel Evo platform on select configurations and made to illuminate the best of Windows 11, Surface Pro 8 combines the power of a laptop with the flexibility of the tablet, and each angle among, with the iconic Kickstand and detachable Keyboard with built-in Slim Pen storage and charging. Do great things with a larger 13" touchscreen, faster connections with Thunderbolt 4 ports, and additional speed when it's needed," Microsoft says concerning the Surface Pro 8.

At this time, the LTE version seems to be available only within the U.S., but it should soon expand with other large markets as well.

Fixing a laptop isn't necessarily employment for that Average person, but Surface devices, particularly, happen to be a nightmare to repair anyway.

Things have improved a great deal lately, and Microsoft now really wants to show everybody how easy it's to repair the top Laptop SE using a special video created in this regard.

Quite simply, Microsoft really wants to highlight all the changes it's made on the Surface Laptop SE, as it wants the device to sport replaceable components from the very beginning.

It's understandable with all this is really a device targeted at students and educators, though Microsoft says it's always easier to seek professional assistance should you don't understand what you're doing.

"Surface Laptop SE has replaceable components, such as the keyboard, display, and battery. Watch Branden demonstrate how to get the device apart with minimal tools. Microsoft recommends that you simply seek professional assistance for device repairs and you use caution if undertaking "do it yourself" repairs," the company explains.

Aimed at the training sector

Indeed, the video shows it's quite easy to exchange some components in the Surface Laptop SE, and once again, this could simply be great news for customers given the audience the unit targets.

"Enable students to unlock learning and develop new skills with a laptop that seamlessly runs Windows 11 SE and Microsoft 365 for Education, including easy-to-use web experiences. Surface Laptop SE brings value to varsities and IT admins who demand secure, premium experiences for students and expect easy deployment, modern management, and security built in," Microsoft says relating to this Surface model.

Obviously, while everything looks easy as pie at first, you'd better take Microsoft advice and reach out to a service center if you're unsure you're doing it right. Needless to say, it is simple to lose the warranty for just about any unauthorized repairs on a Surface Laptop SE.

Lenovo joined this year's CES with lots of announcements, and something of the most exciting concerns the debut from the new ThinkPad Z models.

The two devices, which will hit the shelves as the 2022 ThinkPad Z13 and ThinkPad Z16, are powered by AMD Ryzen processors, and Lenovo says it specifically collaborated with AMD to help make the event possible.

More specifically, power on the Z13 will come from the Pro U-series processor, while an exclusive AMD Ryzen Pro 6860Z chip can be obtained as optional. The Z16, on the other hand, is equipped with the Pro H-series processor.

The hardware specifics are pretty solid. Both laptops can be equipped with as much as 32GB of LPDDR5 memory, with the Z13 available too with up to 1TB of SSD storage. The Z6 gets twice more when it comes to storage, and it also sports an optional AMD Radeon RX 6500M discrete GPU.

Both devices come with an army of connectivity options, including USB-C, a 3.5mm audio port, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, LTE, and an SD card reader on the larger model.

To take sale in May

They are, unsurprisingly, powered by Windows 11 as they are.

"AMD Ryzen Pro 6000 Series processors with Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 offer advanced manageability and state of the art Wi-Fi connectivity on Z13 and Z16. Additionally, Qualcomm 4-stream Dual Band Simultaneous (DBS) on AMD Ryzen Pro 6000 Series processors enables sustained low latency potential of Wi-Fi Dual Station, natively supported on Windows 11," Lenovo explains.

A fingerprint audience also built-into the laptop keyboard, coming alongside a backlighting option and 120mm haptic ForcePad support.

Both laptops will hit the shelves in May this year, and also the Z13 is going to be available from $1,549. The Z16 is actually more expensive given the larger screen and also the upgraded specs, so its cost starts at $2,099.

Every computer owner knows the feeling of leaving your computer to download a large file, simply to return to find your PC sleeping. Windows' sleep feature is very beneficial in many scenarios, but there are also times where it becomes an annoyance. Fortunately, you are able to control this behavior.

Windows sleep places your computer inside a low-power consumption state in order to save energy. Prior to doing so, it saves all of your activity. By sleeping rather than shutting down, users can get to work quickly and resume what they used to do. Microsoft shows that you only make use of the feature whenever you expect to be from your PC for some time, however the default behavior might place your PC to rest more frequently than you'd like.

There are a variety of reasons to disable the feature. Some think it is irritating to wait for Windows to wake up on older PCs. Others complain that it sleeps too often, like during a quick bathroom break or perhaps a visit to your kitchen. And of course, any large downloads can be suspended by sleep. No matter why you want to change this behavior, it's a pretty simple task and we'll walk you through it below.

How to Disable Windows 11's Auto Sleep Feature

1) To disable sleep, the very first thing you must do is to right-click around the Start menu icon.

2) Select Power Options. Came from here, you should get a window that shows you different power consumption settings.

3) Under the Power section, click Screen and sleep. Your window displays a list of different power states. The last two refer to how sleep behaves depending on your computer's source of energy.

4) Click on the dropdown beside "On battery power, put my device to sleep after" and "When connected, put my device to sleep after."

5) Select Never from both dropdowns. There you have it, your pc will no longer automatically sleep unless you manually ask it to.

If you've been using it for quite a long time, then you might be already conscious of BitLocker encryption on Windows. BitLocker is a full-volume encryption feature incorporated with Windows versions starting with Windows. It's designed to protect data by giving encryption for entire volumes. By default, it uses the AES encryption algorithm in cipher block chaining or XTS mode having a 128-bit or 256-bit key. Similar to previous versions, Windows 11 also features this option. So let us observe how to allow BitLocker on Windows 11.

How you can Enable BitLocker on Windows 11:

BitLocker encryption can be enabled on both internal drives as well as removable drives like pen drives or external hard disks.

BitLocker is just obtainable in Windows 11 Pro, Education, and Enterprise editions, although not available in the Home or student editions.

Step 1: Open the start menu on Windows 11 and type BitLocker within the search area. You will see the Manage BitLocker option, click on this.

Step 2: This can get you to the Control Panel with the option to turn on BitLocker. Here you will be able to determine the drives connected as well as an option to enable BitLocker from the list. Click on the Turn on BitLocker link against the drive you need to encrypt.

Step 3: In the next step, you need to decide how you want to protect your drive. Among the options is to use your password and the second the first is to use a smart card. We'd suggest the password option. You have to enter and re-enter your password.

Step 4: Within the next step, you need to backup your recovery key. You may either save it to a file or print the recovery key.

Step 5: In the next step, you have to choose the encryption type. If you are encrypting the interior drives within the PC, you'll be able to choose the New Encryption mode. If you are going to encrypt external drives, then it's easier to opt for compatible mode. If you are planning to use this drive on an older version of Windows (Windows 7, 8, or 8.1), this is the best choice to opt for.

Step six: The following choice is to choose the quantity of space to encrypt, either the entire drive or just the consumed disk space.

Step 7: The next thing is the final confirmation page before you begin encrypting. Here you have to click the start encrypting button.

Step 8: Now the BitLocker encryption will start and it will take a moment based on the space for storage and quantity of space used up by the drive.

How to Access BitLocker Protected Drives:

Now that you've got encrypted the drive(s) with BitLocker, how do you access them? You are able to access them the standard way you access any drive. If you open the BitLocker protected drive, you receive a prompt to go in the password.

You are able to enter the password you place up while encrypting the drive. If at any time, you your investment password, click on the More Options and you'll see a choice to go in the recovery key you saved while encrypting the drive.

How you can Disable BitLocker Protection:

So as the disable the BitLocker protection, you need to open the Control Panel (as shown in step 2), and you might find a choice to disable BitLocker, from the drive you protected using BitLocker encryption. Click the Turn off BitLocker link in the settings.

This can start the decrypting process of your drive. This will take a moment based on the amount of data available in the drive.

Microsoft is planning to launch a black form of the top Go 3, along with a recently-released render gives us an earlier see this new model.

Very little is considered relating to this Surface Go 3, and the photo shared by WinFuture indicates the unit is about the brand new color, without any changes expected under the hood.

In other words, the only big change may be the color, because the Surface Go 3 is currently available exclusively in the already famous Platinum finish offered of all other Surface products.

Facts are very scarce right now, but there's an opportunity the device would hit the shelves at some stage in January. Most likely, Microsoft will sell the black version only in limited markets at first, using the availability to then be expanded gradually to more countries.

The Surface Go 3

Similar to the previous models, the Surface Go 3 is really a less expensive way to get the normal Surface quality inside a smaller form factor.

The unit sports a 10.5-inch screen and tips the scales just 544 grams around the version equipped with Wi-Fi support. The top Go 3 is run by either an Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y or a 10th Gen Intel Core i3-10100Y processor paired with a maximum of 8GB RAM.

Microsoft too says the unit is really a solid choice for people who desire a modern device for daily tasks.

"Surface Go 3 is the perfect device for your everyday tasks. Designed to illuminate the best of Windows 11, Surface Go 3 is 60% faster by having an Intel Core i3 processor. It brings all-day battery, built-in Microsoft security, and it is optimized for tablet-to-laptop versatility with digital Pen and touch," it says.

The top Go 3 is available in the Microsoft Store in the usa starting at $399.