Even before Windows 11's first major update, which is (imaginatively) titled Windows 11 2022 Update, arrives, Microsoft is already preparing some smaller updates to finally bring tabs to File Explorer and other highly sought after features by the end of the year.
According to Windows Latest, these updates are called 'Moments', which will bring features that have been in testing for most of 2022. As Windows 11 2022 Update is set to release towards the end of September, 'Moment 1' will allegedly arrive just a few weeks after, with File Explorer tabs being the main improvement arriving with it.
While you can already try some of these features out on your PC if you're a Windows Insider member, which allows you to try out other updates Microsoft is working on, users have been wanting to see some improvements to Windows 11 since it first debuted in October 2021.
Magic moments are coming
(Image credit: Microsoft)
It's strange that Microsoft announced new features for Windows 11 in April, with no indication of when they would arrive, and still there's been no official announcement. Compare that to Apple, where we already know what's coming up for the Mac with macOS Ventura, such as Stage Manager and a redesigned Settings app.
Yet Windows users are still in the dark as to when these features will arrive. It's great to see these 'Moment' updates allegedly arrive so soon after the Windows 11 2022 Update, but the casual user currently has no idea that this is the plan.
Hopefully Microsoft is aware of this, and there's an event or an announcement soon that's going to lay bare just what the roadmap of Windows 11 will entail, such as Moment 1 and 2, and how these will benefit everyone.
Cloudflare appears to have gone back on its decision to not block troll sites that use its services by announcing the blocking of the notorious Kiwi Farms forum.
The website, widely known for its harassment of minoritized social groups, will now be blocked from using any of Cloudflare’s services, the CDN provider has confirmed.
However Cloudflare says the decision is not only an extraordinary one, but also a potentially dangerous move that the company does not necessarily feel comfortable with.
Blocking troll websites
Cloudflare blocking Kiwi Farms does not mean the forum will remain entirely inaccessible, as the site owner could still choose to move the website to another provider, which will enable it to come back online.
According to the Washington Post, Cloudflare Chief Executive Matthew Prince said the change of heart was not based on an increase in pressure from a campaign launched urging the site to block Kiwi Farms, but rather, “a surge in credible violent threats stemming from the site”.
Cloudflare previously provided security services to Kiwi Farms, protecting them from DDoS and other cyberattacks, but was not the site’s web hosting provider.
“As we outlined last Wednesday, we do not believe that terminating security services is appropriate, even to revolting content,” Prince said in a blog post.
“In a law-respecting world, the answer to even illegal content is not to use other illegal means like DDoS attacks to silence it. The policy we articulated last Wednesday remains our policy. We continue to believe that the best way to relegate cyberattacks to the dustbin of history is to give everyone the tools to prevent them.”
Prince adds that law enforcement is involved with tackling the problems caused by Kiwi Farms, but he believes that the police are not working fast enough to provide a permanent solution to cracking down on the trolling forum.
Cloudflare believes that its action to block Kiwi Farms may further heighten tensions, and fears that the troll forum could lash out following the decision.
The company also reiterated that Kiwi Farms could come back online using another provider, as was the case for the Daily Stormer and 8chan websites previously blocked by Cloudflare in the past.
Add another victim to Meta’s hit list as the company recently announced it’s shutting down Facebook Neighborhoods on October 1.
The shut down notice was first shared by social media consultant Matt Navarra on Twitter who posted a screenshot of a Meta project manager going by the mononym Tohm making the announcement on a Facebook Group. The project manager goes on to say the official Group for Neighborhoods will close on September 7 with the official service shutting down on October 1.
Neighborhoods is similar in function to Facebook Groups, but has some unique features like allowing people to create different profiles separate from their main account for their locality. Privacy concerns plagued the service, however. When it was first tested, some were worried Neighborhoods could be used to collect user data and deliver focused ads.
Shifting priorities
Initially, it was unknown why Meta is shutting down Neighborhoods. The Meta project manager didn't say why in the post.
We reached out to Meta and a company representative told us it "learned that the best place to support... local communities is through [G]roups". Neighborhoods was supposed to be a way to bring local communities together, but Facebook Groups already did that job just fine.
Plus, Meta is working on Facebook's search function to be more of a "discovery engine" as the representative refers to it. This "discovery engine" will have local content and groups appear more often in an effort to make public communities easier to find. Instagram Reels will also get more of priority to help people share and discuss their interests.
Essentially, Meta is refocusing their efforts towards features it believes are better. However, the Neighborhoods shut down continues a recent cancellation spree by the tech giant of cutting unpopular features.
Meta's many cancellations
When the COVID-19 pandemic first started, Meta launched a variety of features aimed at furthering online interactions since people were going to be spending more time indoors. But over time, the company has been steadily getting rid of them.
You had services like Facebook Live Shopping, the Novi digital wallet, and Facebook Gaming come out during the pandemic with every single one getting axed. Some apps, like Tuned which launched as a way for couples to stay connected while social distancing, have managed to survive up to this point but for how much longer?
It’s also important to point out that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a July Q&A session with employees the company is going through “one of the worst downturns [it’s] seen in recent history." If this downturn is indeed the cause of this cancellation spree, be prepared to see way more features getting hacked off.
As it gets rid of these pandemic-era features, Meta appears to be throwing the proverbial spaghetti against the wall and seeing what sticks. According to a leaked memo, Facebook and Instagram may start charging people for some of its premium features. Some users, like Techradar’s own Daryl Baxter, are not happy with this new direction to say the least.
Microsoft has released a new update to its Edge web browser which includes a new sidebar, allowing you to reply to emails, use parts of the Office suite, and more.
After previously being confirmed as in-development, the new sidebar is another attempt by the company to tempt you away from other browsers such as Google Chrome, Opera and others.
As Microsoft explains in a blogpost, you can access a bunch of features, such as Office files, your Outlook email, play games, and reach useful tools such as a clock, a calculator, and a dictionary for some reason.
A sidebar of links and not much else
(Image credit: TechRadar)
You can launch it by going to the three dots on the top left, and there will be a 'Show Sidebar' option at the bottom or by pressing Control + Shift + /. You can't resize it, but you get six options, ready to choose from.
The 'Discover' feature is welcome enough, where it will give you bits of trivia as you browse the web, from recipes to film trivia. There's also the calculator and other functions instead of you reaching for the Taskbar.
However the Office tab leaves a lot to be desired, as clicking on any of the apps launches the web page for the ones in question. This is the same for Games as well, leading us to wonder what the point of this sidebar is already.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
It almost harkens back to the pop-up bars of older web browsers where you'd be able to install a search engine bar below the address bar. Or if you were to install an app, there'd be an option to install a toolbar.
The above is an example of how you could install a bunch, with most not being terribly useful. The sidebar reminds me of these, with it essentially being a group of links and some useful utilities, but not much else.
Microsoft can do better here, rather than try (and fail) to play catchup to other web browsers.
Epson is at IFA 2022 showing off its latest stuff, including a new 3LCD ultra short throw (UST) projector that appears to be a major upgrade over the company’s previous UST model.
The EH-LS800B comes in either a black or white finish and is currently listed on Epson’s UK website for £3,699 (around $3,800) with an expected November shipping date. It features a Yamaha-designed 2 x 20-watt built in audio system and runs the Android TV OS for video streaming.
Epson’s new UST can beam an 80-inch diagonal image when placed just 2.3 cm away from a wall or screen, and it has a maximum image size of 150 inches. Brightness is spec’d at 4,000 lumens – a notably high amount for a home theater projector. The EH-LS800B uses a laser light source and, according to Epson, features “4K Enhancement Technology that shifts each pixel diagonally to double Full HD resolution.”
3 HDMI inputs are provided, including one with eARC. One of those inputs is a “special” HDMI port that bypasses the projector’s video processing circuits to enable under-20ms latency when gaming, according to an Epson rep I spoke with at IFA.
A very cool feature that I caught a demonstration of was Epson’s iProjection app. Ultra short throw projectors are notoriously annoying to set up and get their picture aligned with a screen. But Epson’s app takes the pain out of that process by using the camera in your smartphone to capture an image of the projected image during setup and then working with the projector to correct alignment. From what I saw, it was simple and quick, and easily preferable to leveling out the projector’s feet on whatever surface it’s placed on.
Epson's new UST projector features a potent Yamaha-designed audio system with special DSP sound modes.(Image credit: Future)
Ultra short throw projectors: brightness matters, and also sound
Ultra short throw projectors are designed to be placed in living room environments with a relatively high level of ambient light. Screens with a special coating can help to reduce the impact of room light on UST models, but in higher the light output, the better your chance of getting an image with good contrast and rich colors.
For the EH-LS800B demo I caught at IFA, the projector was placed in an open space with typically bright overhead trade show lighting – no attempt was made at all to optimize the environment for video projection. And yet, Epson’s projector looked strikingly good despite the challenges. This was partly due to the ambient light rejecting screen used for the demo, but the EH-LS800B's ample brightness doubtless contributed to its performance.
Audio is another factor with UST models since they inhabit the space that would typically be occupied by a soundbar in a living room entertainment setup. Almost all UST projectors feature some form of built in audio, but in many cases the sound is weak and lacking in dynamics.
The Formovie UST projector that I recently did a hands-on test of features a Bowers & Wilkins-designed audio system with four total speakers and Dolby Atmos support. Both of those things really made a difference when watching movies, with the projector delivering clear dialogue and actual Atmos height effects.
Epson’s Yamaha-designed 2-speaker audio system appears to be somewhat less ambitious than the one in the Formovie UST, but during a demo that used an electronic music festival performance, the sound coming out of the projector had a relatively full and clear quality, and Yamaha’s sound processing modes – one of the company’s specialties – could be tapped to create a stadium, theater, or sports arena effect.
From what I could tell from my short time with it, the EH-LS800B’s performance, combined with its low latency spec for gaming, living room-friendly looks, and app-based setup could make it a strong contender for one of 2022's best 4K projectors. We look forward to spending some quality time with it in the near future.
House of the Dragon episode 3's release date is fast approaching. The next installment in the hit fantasy show will be with us on Sunday, September 4 – but we suspect you will want to know the exact time that it'll arrive on your platform of choice.
Below, we'll explain when the Game of Thrones prequel series will be available to watch on HBO Max. Well, for those who live in territories where HBO's streaming service exists, anyway. Viewers who live in world regions where HBO Max isn't available, though, shouldn't worry, as we'll reveal where and when you can catch House of the Dragon's next episode in your nation.
Additionally, you'll find a complete breakdown of when every House of the Dragon episode will be available to watch. Make sure you bookmark this page, then, so you can see when episodes four through 10 will be made available on HBO Max and elsewhere. After all, you'll need to fit your viewings in around another epic fantasy series – The Rings of Power, Amazon's Lord of the Rings series that just launched on Prime Video – from now on.
Here, then, is when House of the Dragon episode 3 will roar its way onto HBO Max.
When will House of the Dragon episode 3 come to HBO Max?
Here's when you can catch up with Princess Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon episode 3.(Image credit: Ollie Upton/HBO)
House of the Dragon episode 2 will be released on HBO Max on Sunday, September 4 at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT.
For those keeping track, that's the same time as the previous two episodes were released. However, audiences who live in territories outside of Eastern and Pacific time zones won't be able to stream it on that date or at that time. So, when can you?
Where can I watch House of the Dragon in the UK and non-US territories?
House of the Dragon episode 3 looks like it'll be an action-packed affair.(Image credit: Gary Moyes/HBO)
Here's where and when you can stream the next episode of the epic fantasy HBO Max show in non-US territories:
Australia – Monday, September 5 at 11 AM AEST on Foxtel
Canada – Sunday, September 4 at 6 PM ET on Crave
Germany – Monday, September 5 at 3 AM CST on Sky Germany
India – Monday, September 5 at 6:30 AM IST on Disney Plus Hotstar
Israel – Monday, September 5 at 4 AM IST on Cellcom
Italy – Monday, September 5 at 3 AM CST on Sky Italy
Japan – Monday, September 5 at 10 AM JST on U-NEXT
Latin America – Sunday, September 4 at 9 PM ET on HBO Max
New Zealand – Monday, September 5 at 1 PM NZST on Sky SoHo
Portugal – Monday, September 5 at 2 AM WST on HBO Max
Scandinavian nations – Monday, September 5 at 3 AM CST on HBO Max
Spain – Monday, September 5 at 2 AM WST on HBO Max
Switzerland – Monday, September 5 at 3 AM CST on RTS
United Kingdom – Monday, September 5 at 2 AM BST on Sky Atlantic
House of the Dragon: full release schedule
#Caraxes, the fearsome and formidable. pic.twitter.com/Y6AcrNrryLAugust 30, 2022
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Curious to know when future House of the Dragon episodes will drop in your country? Read on.
For those who don't live in the US, Canada, or Latin America: new episodes will land in your nation on a different day. House of the Dragon episode 3 will be released on Sunday, September 4 in North America, but it won't launch until Monday, September 5 in the UK and Europe, and so on.
House of the Dragon episode 1 – Sunday, August 21 (available now)
House of the Dragon episode 2 – Sunday, August 28 (available now)
House of the Dragon episode 3 – Sunday, September 4
House of the Dragon episode 4 – Sunday, September 11
House of the Dragon episode 5 – Sunday, September 18
House of the Dragon episode 6 – Sunday, September 25
House of the Dragon episode 7 – Sunday, October 2
House of the Dragon episode 8 – Sunday, October 9
House of the Dragon episode 9 – Sunday, October 16
House of the Dragon episode 10 – Sunday, October 23
The arrival of Sennheiser’s next-gen Ambeo Soundbar Plus in Berlin for IFA 2022 was no surprise given that it had been leaked on Amazon one week earlier. Still, it was a treat to see the Soundbar Plus in the flesh, and even more of a treat to give it a listen.
During the company’s press event, the smaller, cheaper version of the flagship Ambeo Dolby Atmos soundbar (which was a technology flex intended to “prove what was possible” according to the company) was introduced as the next step in Sennheiser’s plan to “build a soundbar family.” Since the new Ambeo Soundbar Plus costs $1,499 / £1,297, let’s hope that there are even cheaper versions in the works!
Sennheiser says the Plus is the only 7.1.4 integrated soundbar on the market and is capable of bass extension down to 37Hz courtesy of dual built-in 4-inch subwoofers. Beyond that, it features 7 full-range 2-inch aluminum drivers and uses Ambeo virtualization tech developed with Fraunhofer to deliver Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks along with Sony’s 360 Reality Audio and upmixing of stereo sources.
Sennheiser's growing soundbar "family" as presented at the company's off-site IFA press conference.(Image credit: Future)
Ambeo OS on the Plus powers streaming via AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth. Hardware connections include 3 HDMI ports (one with eARC), optical digital and RCA analog stereo inputs, a subwoofer output, and powered USB and Ethernet sockets.
There’s also automatic room calibration, which is executed via the soundbar’s four built-in mics and can be conducted using either Sennheiser’s control app or directly from the front panel display with the included remote control.
The new Ambeo Sub subwoofer's built-in mic and processor allows it to be automatically EQ'd along with the soundbar.(Image credit: Future)
As if a new, cheaper Ambeo wasn’t enough, the company also introduced its Ambeo Sub subwoofer ($699 / £605). The Ambeo Sub is relatively compact and packs an 8-inch woofer powered by a 350-watt amplifier. It also has its own built-in microphone and processor, allowing it to be calibrated along with the soundbar during initial setup.
As reported earlier in our coverage of the Amazon Ambeo Plus leak, the new soundbar can be paired with up to four separate Ambeo Subs to get more even, and evenly distributed bass. At launch, only a single Sub can be calibrated with the soundbar, though Sennheiser expects to extend that option to multiple subs sometime in the next two months.
The Ambeo Plus is notably slimmer than the flagship Ambeo Max and features a trio of HDMI ports plus an optical input.(Image credit: Future)
How does the Ambeo Plus plus Sub subwoofer sound?
Sennheiser’s demo of the Ambeo Plus used a setup with 3 subwoofers – a good decision since the room used for the presentation was relatively large, and was occupied by a sizeable group of listeners.
It was difficult not to be bowled over by the system’s bass in that setup, which was deep and powerful, but also impressively clean. It clearly rivaled what I’ve heard in high-end home theater systems that used more expensive, and certainly more complicated, gear.
Along with movie clips, Sennheiser played a Dolby Atmos mix of a Ligeti symphony recorded live – a gutsy move for a soundbar demo. It was the right move, however, because it showed off what the new Plus was really capable of: strings sounded smooth and full-bodied, woodwinds had texture, and percussion instruments at the back of the orchestra were presented in a spatially accurate manner. You could aso sense the vertical swell of the orchestra as it hit a dynamic crescendo – Dolby Atmos processing at work.
The Sennheiser Ambeo Plus is available now for preorder and will ship on September 22. If you hadn’t already guessed, we are queuing up to review one, and yes, there's a solid chance it will end up on our list of the best soundbars.
IFA 2022 is Europe's biggest tech show, and TechRadar is in Berlin to bring you all the breaking news and announcements, plus our hands-on first impressions of the new TVs, wearables, audio devices and other gadgets on show.
