The Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) defines industry-wide standards for interoperable communication between an active stylus and touch-enabled devices, such as phones, tablets, and computing and entertainment platforms. Thus far, there are quite a few solid USI pens available on the market, but they’re a bit pricier than the old-school capacitive styli. Writing with a USI stylus is in general a much better experience than capacitive styli as well. In this article we’ll look at the best USI pens available for your laptop, Chromebook, or tablet.
This is the best overall stylus to take advantage of the USI compatibility on your Chromebook. Solid overall build quality with a nice heft in-hand make this stylus easy to write with. It's a shame it requires a AAAA battery to run, but the usability is still impressive.
Another excellent USI stylus with a nice-looking overall design. It's comfortable to hold and it doesn't have the useless eraser button other models do. iPlume also boasts impressive low latency on this model, making it easier to write and draw with precision.
The main downside to many USI styli is the annoyance of dealing with batteries. Luckily, HP has a USI pen that's rechargeable via USB-C. The battery life on this pen is also excellent, averaging over 2 weeks of typical use.
This USI stylus from TiMOVO features unique palm rejection features that effectively avoid your palm from disturbing your creation. Comes with a replacement tip and a tool, you can use the tool to pull out the nib, which is very easy to replace. This pen is also frequently on sale, making it a good option for those on a budget.
Lenovo's USI stylus is well-built and has a nice feel in the hand. While it's not as easy to power as the HP, it should last months on a single battery before it needs replacing. It features a pen clip to help you secure the stylus in your backpack.
Rest your palm comfortably on the screen and lean on screen as you write or draw using this USI pencil. With a functional button included to power on/off button for convenience, you can use this pen at anytime without the drawbacks!
Those are our picks for the best USI pens available today for your laptop, Chromebook, or tablet. Overall, USI pens are still fairly new, so we expect there will quite a few product releases in the coming months. We’ll keep this list updated as new products arrive. Let us know which USI pen you use in the comments below.
The sudden rise of video conferencing has led to a surge in high-quality webcams, now that the general population has realized the awful 720p cameras in most laptops don’t cut it. Razer introduced the Kiyo Pro webcam earlier this year, featuring a 1080p/60FPS sensor and a built-in ring light, but the original price of $199.99 kept many people away. Now the webcam is on sale for $149.99 at multiple retailers, the lowest price we’ve seen for it yet.
The Razer Kiyo Pro is equipped with a Type 1/2.8 CMOS sensor, an adjustable FOV, USB 3.0 connectivity, two mounting options (on top of a monitor or a tripod), and 1080p @ 60FPS video output. It would have been nice to have 4K at this price, but the main selling point here is the built-in ring light, which helps significantly with poor light conditions.
This is one of the best webcams available right now, competing against other high-end models like the Dell UltraSharp Webcam and Logitech Brio. Neither of those two webcams have a ring light, but it’s worth noting that the Kiyo Pro occasionally has issues with autofocus, so you might be better off with something else if you constantly move around.
Far Cry is one of Ubisoft’s most well-loved series, spanning five (soon to be six) mainline installments with open-world regions and a handful of spinoffs. The latest main entry is still Far Cry 5, and if you haven’t had a chance to play it yet, Best Buy is discounting both the PS4 and Xbox One versions to $9.99. That’s close to the lowest-ever Steam price of $9.
Far Cry 5 is an open-world shooter game set in the fictional Hope County, Montanta, where a doomsday cult has taken over the region. You play as an unnamed deputy sheriff trapped in Hope County, who has to work with various factions to take back control from the cult. There are also some RPG elements, like a branching storyline and side quests. The PC version has a 78/100 on Metacritic.
The Xbox version of the game is designed for the Xbox One series, with an Xbox One X mode that supports up to 1800p and higher frame rates. It’s also compatible with the Xbox Series X/S. The PS4 game is backwards-compatible with the PS5, though it hasn’t received any PS5-specific improvements and runs at a locked 30FPS.
Windows 365 is less than two weeks old, but researchers are already finding security vulnerabilities in the service. Researcher Benjamin Delpy, creator of the mimikatz project, has found that it’s possible to expose a user’s Azure credentials in plain text while using Windows 365. The vulnerability does require administrative privileges to exploit, but it’s still a threat window.
As BleepingComputer explains, the exploit builds off a vulnerability in the Microsoft Remote Desktop connection, which Delpy initially discovered in May. When you create a cloud PC, it’s essentially a virtual machine installed in the cloud, and you access through a Remote Desktop connection. This vulnerability allowed users to expose the Remote Desktop credentials being used on a client using a tool like mimikatz.
Accessing a cloud PC with Windows 365 uses the Remote Desktop Protocol, too, so the vulnerability works similarly here. Since Windows 365 is tied to Azure, the credentials that are exposed this time are for your Azure account. Plus, this works even if you’re accessing your Windows 365 cloud PC through the web browser, because it still uses the Remote Desktop Protocol.
Would you like to try to dump your #Windows365 Azure passwords in the Web Interface too?
A new #mimikatzrelease is here to test!
(Remote Desktop client still work, of course!)
As we’ve mentioned, though, this does require access to the PC and administrative privileges, too. But there are other vulnerabilities that can be exploited to gain access to a system. A malicious email attachment can grant an attacker access to your PC, and other vulnerabilities can be exploited to gain administrative privileges. The thing is, obtaining your credentials here is about more than accessing your own PC, it could potentially allow attackers to spread to other Microsoft services in your organization, eventually affecting the entire company’s internal network. It could potentially expose hundreds of users, even if just one of them opens the initial attack window.
Typically, one way to avoid this kind of threat is to use alternatives to traditional passwords. Windows Hello or two-factor authentication can usually prevent this, but Windows 365 doesn’t support these features yet. Presumably, Microsoft is working on a way to enable these features for cloud PCs, but for now, it’s best to be extra careful if you’re using Windows 365.
When Samsung launched the original Galaxy Fold back in 2019, I fell in love immediately. It redefined the entire way I thought about smartphones and technology as a whole. Instead of just slab phones, the original Fold showed that phones can be so much more, and a year later the Galaxy Z Fold 2 followed this trend with a host of upgrades.
In the meantime, Samsung launched arguably its most important foldable. The original Galaxy Z Flip heralded the launch of the Galaxy Z foldables branding, the revamped hinge that’s the ancestor to the hideaway hinge found on both the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, and the idea that foldables were for more than just power users; that they could be used by regular users as well.
With the Galaxy Z Flip 3, there are a few welcome improvements. The biggest improvement, however, is not hardware or software — it’s the price. I’ve been using the Galaxy Z Flip 3 for 48 hours now and here’s the first installment of my ongoing review. Check out my Galaxy Z Flip 3 unboxing if you want to see what’s included in the box.
Redefining a slab phone
I have both the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 here and I’ve also been using both of the previous Folds for the past few years as my second daily device. I really like the expansive inner display on the Fold series, so I thought I’d naturally be more inclined towards the Fold first this time around. However, my brief time with the Z Flip 3 before it was announced left a mark, and much like my time with the original Z Flip, I was left wondering whether this was finally the time the Z Flip was going to work for most people.
Galaxy Z Flip 3 makes the iPhone 12 Pro Max feel boring
48 hours in, I’ve dropped my iPhone 12 Pro Max almost entirely, and I will likely drop it completely once WhatsApp lets you transfer from iOS to Android. If I do go back to the iPhone for some residual personal data, I am quick to want to return back to the Flip. The lightweight nature, slim profile, and narrow design make for a gorgeous ergonomic feel in the hand.
Mostly however, there’s something very satisfying about flipping the Z Flip 3 open and closed. Making calls and shutting it closed afterward with that satisfying thunk gives me more joy than I imagined. We’ve all got experience with flip phones at some point in our lives – at least those in their mid-30s like I am – and the Z Flip 3 taps into the most important emotion of all — nostalgia. In the end, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 just makes the iPhone feel boring.
The Cover Display is now actually useful
Let’s talk about the Cover Display. The first Galaxy Z Flip cover display was quite frankly useless and Samsung found itself entirely shown up by the Motorola RAZR. This year, the Cover Display is four times larger, and has become far more useful than just that spec improvement.
Many people will enjoy taking selfies with the Z Flip 3 Cover Display
I’ll cover the functional improvements and features of the Cover Display in detail in a later installment of these ongoing reviews, but they include a selection of widgets to control music, access health, weather, and much more. One of the most useful features is the notification panel that’s left of the main screen and unlike previous years, lets you view all your notifications in full. You can’t reply in any way, but it’s quite useful to be able to see the full email you just received to decide if it needs a response right away. It’s the same with any other notification or message you receive. The idea is to provide just enough information at a glance to decide if the notification needs further action right away.
The other reason for the Cover Display and likely the reason many people will enjoy the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the camera. When the phone is closed, double-press the power button and it launches into selfie mode, allowing you to use the two main cameras to take selfies, video, use all the cameras effects such as portrait mode, and more. The viewfinder is small but useful, and while it takes a few attempts to get the hang of it, you can generally take really good selfies. Occasionally some will come out blurry, but that’s the case with any phone and to capture, all you have to do is press either of the volume keys!
Xiaomi applied a similar thought process when including the rear display on the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, but the ergonomics are completely different on this smaller form factor, letting the feature be more than just a gimmick.
Of course, when you’re not taking selfies, you open the phone up and you can use the two cameras to take excellent photos. The reality is that whether in selfie mode or other, you can take really good photos on the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and it’s one of the reasons to buy this foldable form factor. Sure, Samsung itself provides a more versatile and more powerful camera setup on its glass slab “Ultra” flagships — but those overkills are targeted at a different audience. For the average user and use cases the Z Flip 3 is targeting, the camera is pretty good.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is all about being cool, different, and memorable and the new animal animations bring me so much joy every single time. They are cute, adorable, and absolutely delightful. The clock alongside it can be customized in one of eight colors and overall, it feels like it’s designed to be the party piece. That’s a great way to summarize the Galaxy Z Flip 3 as a whole — more than just a phone, it’s designed to be a statement piece, like a fine piece of art.
The real magic of the Galaxy Z Flip 3: Not 888, but Nine Nine Nine
I was going to leave this for the full review, or a future installment of this ongoing review, but honestly, I’ll probably mention a variation of this in every segment. The real magic of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 isn’t the hardware or the software — it’s the price. Samsung has managed to give you all the hardware you’d want from a flagship, including a Snapdragon 888 processor, 120Hz refresh rate in the phone, and two very capable cameras. But they’ve also added a folding display and kept the price at under $1,000. Not to mention, this is now IPX8 waterproof which means it can survive a brief downpour.
It's about to chuck it down with rain in PA and I'm armed with just the #GalaxyZFlip3. In the past I'd run inside and protect this baby but thanks to water resistance I don't need to worry!!
The starting price of $999 makes the Galaxy Z Flip 3 a phone that can suddenly bring the cool factor to regular smartphone buyers at a price point that’s not prohibitively scary. A three-figure price tag means it’s affordable on a postpaid plan, or even if you’re buying it outright. However, that’s not all — there’s a lot of pre-order offers and Samsung will even let you trade in up to four phones, effectively meaning your old tech can be used to get you a folding experience for next to nothing.
Galaxy Z Flip 3 proves foldables are ready for the mainstream
It’s far too early to pass judgment on things like battery life, or performance but so far, it’s been about as expected. In my first full day of usage, I got just shy of five hours of screen on time with about 17 hours of total battery life. That’s more than acceptable for most people’s daily use.
All in, my first two days with the Galaxy Z Flip 3 have been incredibly positive and it’s made me realize foldables are finally ready for the mainstream. Whether that lasts remains to be seen, so join us for the next installment to find out! If you’re interested in the Galaxy Z Flip 3, don’t miss out on the best Galaxy Z Flip 3 deals! Do you need a case for the Z Flip 3? The jury is out on that to be honest, but we recommend checking out the roundup above anyway, as protection is always welcome!
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the first foldable that feels like it was made for the mainstream. At a starting price of $999 it's redefining what is expected from all smartphones, and with several trade-in offers, you can save a lot! Pre-order now and you'll also get credit towards Samsung accessories and more as well!
The ASUS Chromebook CX9 is undoubtedly the best Chromebook you can buy today. We reviewed this Chromebook and came away incredibly impressed. A distinguishing feature of the CX9 are its two Thunderbolt 4 ports. It’s not very common to see a Chromebook with a single Thunderbolt 3 port, let alone two of the newer Thunderbolt 4 ports. This really sets the CX9 apart in terms of connecting peripherals.
If you plan to use the CX9 as your main work machine, you’ll want to get a quality dock to connect your monitor and other devices. With Thunderbolt 4, you get more robust connectivity and of course power delivery that can charge the CX9 while connected. This is particularly useful if you use the touchscreen often and frequently need to charge when your device is docked. In this guide we’ll take a look at the best docks available for the ASUS Chromebook CX9.
Keep in mind that Thunderbolt 4 is still in its infancy, so there aren’t many Thunderbolt 4 docks available. To be complete, we’ve included as many Thunderbolt 4 options as possible, as well as more basic docks for those on a budget.
The CalDigit Element Hub is one of the few Thunderbolt 4 docks available today that helps in expanding the number of Thunderbolt and USB Type-A ports on your laptop, Mac, or desktop PC. It’s backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, and USB 4, and offers support for dual-4K or a single 8K monitor and power delivery of 60W to charge various devices including laptops, smartphones, etc.
Kensington is known for its device security solutions but it also makes docks and hubs. Their latest offering is the SD5700T Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station. The dock offers a total of 11 ports including an SD card reader, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, four USB-A ports (one 5V/1.5A charging port on the front, and three Gen2 10Gbps ports on the rear), a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm audio combo jack.
Anker is a well-known and reliable brand when it comes to charging accessories and USB hubs. The company offers the PowerExpand 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Mini Dock which, as the name suggests, is a small Thunderbolt 4 dock capable of expanding your connectivity. It features an 85W Thunderbolt 4 upstream port, three Thunderbolt 4 downstream ports, and 1 USB-A port.
The Tiergrade USB C Chromebook docking station is perfect for power users. It offers the widest selection of ports, including two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, two USB 3.0 Type-C ports, two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort port, an RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port, 3.5mm headphone and mic jacks, a S/PDIF audio port and a USB 3.0 Type-C port with 60W power delivery. On top of that, the dock also includes a full-size SD card reader and a microSD card reader.
The Baseus 16-in-1 Chromebook docking station is a cheaper alternative to the Tiergrade dock with a slightly different port selection. It includes three USB 3.0 Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, two USB 3.0 Type-C ports, a USB type-C port with pass-through charging support, an RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port, a 3.5mm headphone/mic combo jack, a microSD card slot, and an SD card slot. For display connectivity, it features a VGA port and an HDMI port. However, it only supports screen mirroring for dual external displays.
The NOVOO 8-in-1 USB C dock is the tiniest Chromebook Docking Station on this list, earning it the most portable title. Despite its tiny size, it packs 3 USB 3.0 Type-A ports, an Ethernet port, a USB Type-C port with up to 100W passthrough charging, an HDMI port, and an SD card reader. That's a lot of ports for something as tiny as this. Makes me wonder why some fruity OEMs can't offer more than two USB Type- C ports on their laptops.
If you're not willing to spend $40 on a tiny USB C hub, then the Anker PowerExpand+ should be a better option. It's slightly larger than the NOVOO USB C dock, but features the same number of ports. This includes two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a USB Type-C port for data, a USB Type-C port with pass-through charging support at up to 100W, an HDMI port, and an SD card reader. It should get the job done if you have basic needs.
The Sabrent Chromebook docking station is a good choice for Chromebooks with a detachable keyboard as it features a stand that you can use to prop up your Chromebook when you're not using the included keyboard. In terms of ports, it offers two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, two USB Type-A 2.4A fast charging ports, an HDMI port, a DVI port, a USB 3.0 input, 3.5mm headphone and mic jacks, and a RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port.
The Targus Chromebook docking station is a good 2-in-1 option that not only offers a decent selection of ports but also doubles up as an ergonomic stand. It includes 4 USB 3.0 Type-A ports, two DisplayPort ports, 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, a USB Type-C port with 60W pass-through charging support, a headphone / mic combo jack, and a RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port.
Those are our picks for the best docking stations to use with the ASUS Chromebook CX9. If it’s in your budget, a Thunderbolt 4 dock will give you the best overall performance. With super fast data transfer, support for multiple high resolution monitors, and built-in charging, Thunderbolt 4 is the way to go. For those on a tighter budget, many of the USB-C docks and dongles from Anker are under $50 and offer connectivity on the go. Let us know your favorite Thunderbolt or USB-C dock in the comments below.
The Dell XPS 17 is one of the most premium 17 inch laptops around. Re-introduced last year after almost 10 years since we saw a large 17 inch XPS, the new model comes with a high-quality aluminum chassis, ultra-thin bezels, and powerful hardware making it great for all sorts of users. The latest-gen XPS 17 9710 model comes with the 11th-gen Intel Tiger Lake-H processor options available with up to an octa-core Core i9-11980HK paired with up to 64GB of DDR4 memory and a 4TB PCIe M.2 SSD. For graphics, there’s the option of going for standard Intel UHD or NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3050 (4GB) or an RTX 3060 (6GB).
The 17 inch display is available in a standard FHD+ (1920 x 1200) resolution non-touch, or a UHD+ (3840 x 2400) resolution touch panel, both offering 500 nits brightness. Other notable features include four Thunderbolt 4 ports, an SD card slot, Wi-Fi 6, Windows Hello face recognition and a large 97Whr battery. Dell has also confirmed the entire XPS range, including the XPS 17, will be eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 11 once it’s available for the general public later this year.
A premium laptop requires a lot of care so if you’re looking for the best protection, here are some of the best cases for the Dell XPS 17.
This is a fairly well-made fabric sleeve with a zipper and a handle for ease of carrying. The fabrics used for this sleeve are said to be made with 100% post-consumer material made from PET plastic bottles. It also has a thick protective cushioning on the inside to protect the laptop from bumps, dents, scratches and spills.
This is a simple transparent shell case that can snap onto your XPS 17 to provide all-round protection while maintaining the premium look of the laptop. It also comes with foldable feet to raise the keyboard for a better angle for typing and provide better airflow from the bottom.
Dell offers a sleek and lightweight sleeve for the XPS 17 that comes with a water-resistant exterior material and microfiber finish inside to keep the laptop protected against scratches and bumps along with a magnetic flap to secure the laptop inside.
A solid hard-shell case that can withstand accidental scratches, dints, scrapes, spills, and dirt. It also comes with a shoulder strap and some pockets on the inside to store accessories.
The Alapmk protective cover leather folio style case for the XPS 17 that's compatible with the 2020 and 2021 models. It can easily strap on to the laptop with two elastic rubber bands and provides proper ventilation at the bottom.
A messenger case for your XPS 17 that offers plenty of space to carry additional accessories including the charger, hard drives, cables, etc. It even has space to fit a 10 inch tablet alongside the laptop.
An inexpensive sleeve to keep your Dell XPS 17 protected having a slim design that allows you to carry the case by itself or in a bag. Make sure you go for the 15.6 inch version as it offers the right dimensions for the XPS 17 9700 and 9710 models.
Dell's very own backpack solution can fit the XPS 17 with ease at the same time provides padded protection on the inside and has a waterproof material on the outside. It also has space for all your office or school supplies, especially when you are traveling.
These are some of the best cases for the Dell XPS 17 if you want to protect and potentially increase the lifespan of your laptop. Looking for more? Check out some of the best accessories for the XPS 17. We also have a list of the best laptops you should buy this year, as well as a dedicated list of the best Dell laptops in 2021. Also, have a look at some highly recommended laptops available on Best Buy.
The Dell XPS 17 9710 laptop is a premium 17 inch laptop featuring an aluminum build and is powered by the latest 11th-gen Intel Tiger Lake-H processors with up to an NVIDIA RTX 3060 mobile GPU.
release is here to test!
