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Microsoft’s Bold Attempt at AI Dominance with the New AI Key for Windows 11 Laptops

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Microsoft's Bold Attempt at AI Dominance with the New AI Key for Windows 11 Laptops

At this week’s CES, the biggest technology trade show in the world, artificial intelligence is already pervasive. CNET is on the ground, covering the ins and outs of the event before its official start. Microsoft said in the lead-up to the significant AI focus that it will be releasing a new, dedicated key for its AI tool, Copilot, on Windows 11 laptops and PCs.

Users of Windows 11 can access Microsoft’s generative AI tool, which can assist with everything from writing a short narrative, planning a trip or dinner, and shopping for specific things, all with the touch of a handy keyboard button.

The Copilot AI key is not only the largest update to a Windows keyboard in nearly thirty years, but it also acts as a physical entry point to the Copilot service, which assists users with tasks like document summarization, music recommendations, and AI chatbot or search engine queries. With this action, Microsoft is taking a step toward reaching over a billion Windows users with its AI services.

“We believe it will empower people to participate in the AI transformation more easily,” Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer, said Thursday. “The new key will invoke the Copilot in Windows experience to make it seamless to engage Copilot in your day to day.”

Microsoft is investing $10 billion in ChatGPT producer OpenAI. In a dramatic turn of events that saw OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman temporarily removed by the company’s own board, Microsoft CEO Sundar Pichai hired Altman and other key personnel almost away. Pichai’s prompt decision highlights Microsoft’s significant stake on AI chatbots and search through Copilot, formerly known as Bing Chat, even if Altman has subsequently been restored at OpenAI. Over the past year, Microsoft has integrated generative AI into some of its most significant products, such as Windows 11 and the Bing search engine. Large language models are necessary for Copilot, especially Open AI’s GPT-4.

Which laptops and PCs running Windows 11 will make use of the Copilot keyboard key?

On certain keyboards, the menu or right control keys will be replaced with the Copilot key, which will be located to the right of the space bar and activate Microsoft Copilot.

In the days preceding CES this week, as well as during the technology convention itself, Microsoft’s partners will begin shipping Windows 11 laptops and PCs with the new button. The new key is part of the soon-to-be released series of Dell XPS laptops, which CNET has already seen.

Microsoft states that a broader rollout, which will include future Surface devices, is anticipated in late February or early spring. The Copilot button will eventually be a necessary function.

The new key will launch Windows Search for Windows users who do not have Copilot activated or who reside in a nation where Copilot is not available. Currently, Windows users can launch Copilot by using the Windows key + C.

“This [new button] will not only simplify people’s computing experience but also amplify it, making 2024 the year of the AI PC,” Mehdi stated.

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iPhone 16 Pro Users Report Screen Responsiveness Issues, Hope for Software Fix

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Many iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max users are experiencing significant touchscreen responsiveness problems. Complaints about lagging screens and unresponsive taps and swipes are particularly frustrating for customers who have invested $999 and up in these devices.

The good news is that initial assessments suggest the issue may be software-related rather than a hardware defect. This means that Apple likely won’t need to issue recalls or replacement units; instead, a simple software update could resolve the problem.

The root of the issue might lie in the iOS touch rejection algorithm, which is designed to prevent accidental touches. If this feature is overly sensitive, it could ignore intentional inputs, especially when users’ fingers are near the new Camera Control on the right side of the display. Some users have reported that their intended touches are being dismissed, particularly when their fingers are close to this area.

Additionally, the new, thinner bezels on the iPhone 16 Pro compared to the iPhone 15 Pro could contribute to the problem. With less protection against accidental touches, the device may misinterpret valid taps as mistakes, leading to ignored inputs.

This isn’t the first time Apple has faced challenges with new iPhone models. For instance, the iPhone 4 experienced “Antennagate,” where signal loss occurred depending on how the device was held, prompting Steve Jobs to famously suggest users hold their phones differently. Apple eventually provided free rubber bumpers to mitigate the issue.

To alleviate the touchscreen problem, using a case might help by covering parts of the display and reducing the chances of accidental touches triggering the rejection algorithm. The issue appears on devices running iOS 18 and the iOS 18.1 beta and does not occur when the phone is locked. Users may notice difficulties when swiping through home screens and apps.

Many are hopeful that an upcoming iOS 18 update will address these issues, restoring responsiveness to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max displays.

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Sony has Revealed the PlayStation 5, PS5 Pro, and a Limited Edition PSOne-Style Device

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In the PlayStation video below, the collection was unveiled along with a limited-edition DualSense, DualSense Edge, and PlayStation Portal. All products will be available for preorder starting on September 26 and will ship on November 21.

There are just 12,300 PS5 Pro bundles available worldwide, making it probably the most limited edition. Included in the bundle are the DualSense Edge controller and case in the iconic PlayStation design, along with the PS5 Pro itself, a vertical stand, a charging station, and other accessories. Along with four cable ties designed in the image of the sacred symbols, an original PlayStation controller-style cable connector, a sticker, poster, and paperclip are also included.

The PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition is the other console that is available; however, if you want to utilize discs on the retro-themed console, you will still need to purchase a matching disc drive cover. Along with four cable ties designed to resemble sacred symbols, a sticker, poster, paperclip, and the original PlayStation controller-style cable connector, it also includes a standard DualSense controller and a vertical stand.

Sony withheld the pricing of any of the collection’s products, but enthusiasts who aren’t willing to shell out a lot of cash will be glad to hear that the DualSense controller and DualSense Edge will be sold individually.

As stated on the PlayStation Blog, preorders will be accessible to PlayStation Network account holders via PlayStation Direct on September 26. Additionally, between September 26 and October 10, participating shops will be taking preorders for the DualSense controller and the PS5 Digital Edition. On September 26, those who wish to preorder PlayStation Direct in nations where it is not accessible can do so at participating retailers.

At a technical conference on September 10, PlayStation unveiled the PS5 Pro and its $699.99 price tag. Those who like to use discs and stand their PS5 Pro upright will have to shell out approximately $805 since the regular model does not come with a disc drive or vertical stand.

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Google experiments with Android tablets’ desktop windowing

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Google is testing a new feature for Android tablets that would allow you to easily rearrange apps on your screen and resize them, which will facilitate multitasking. Developer previews of the “desktop windowing” functionality are now accessible, and you can even run multiple instances of the app simultaneously if they support it.

At the moment, Android tablet apps always open in full screen mode. Each program will show up in a window with controls to let you move, maximize, or close it when the new mode is enabled. Moreover, your open programs will be listed in a taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

It sounds a lot like Stage Manager for the iPad, which allows you to do the same with windows on your screen, or with almost any desktop operating system. For years, Samsung has also provided its DeX experience, which gives Android apps on Galaxy phones and tablets desktop-like window management.

When the functionality becomes available to all users, you may activate it by tapping and holding the window handle located at the top of an application’s screen. The shortcut meta key (Windows, Command, or Search) + Ctrl + Down can also be used to enter desktop mode if a keyboard is connected. (You can drag a window to the top of your screen to dismiss the mode, or you can close all of your open apps.)

Apps that are locked to portrait orientation can still be resized, according to Google, which could have odd visual effects if some apps aren’t optimized. Google intends to fix this in a later release, though, by scaling non-resizable apps’ user interfaces without changing their aspect ratios.

For the time being, users with the most recent Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 for Pixel Tablets can access the developer preview.

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