Microsoft unveils Surface Laptop powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips

Microsoft has revealed a new Surface Laptop aimed at consumers, featuring a significant shift under the hood. This iteration ditches Intel processors in favour of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite or Plus chips, directly challenging Apple's powerful M-series MacBooks.

The Surface Laptop boasts impressive specs from the get-go. The base model packs 16GB of RAM (a clear jab at Apple's base offering) and 256GB of SSD storage, powered by the Snapdragon X Plus chip. Both screen sizes (13.8-inch and 15-inch) offer upgrade options for storage (up to 1TB) and RAM (up to 32GB, with a limited-time preorder exclusive for 64GB). All models come equipped with a Qualcomm Adreno GPU for graphics processing.

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Sonos unveils streamlined Roam 2 portable speaker

Photo: Sonos

Sonos has refreshed its popular Roam portable speaker, making it even easier to enjoy Sonos sound on the go. The Sonos Roam 2 boasts the same rich audio experience as its predecessor but with some key improvements for a smoother user experience. Owners of the original Roam will appreciate the redesigned controls. The new design separates the power and Bluetooth buttons, addressing a common complaint about the multifunctional button on the first model. This eliminates confusion and accidental misfires.

Setup is also a breeze with the Roam 2. Unlike the previous model, which required a Wi-Fi setup before Bluetooth could be used, the Roam 2 lets you connect directly via Bluetooth for immediate use. This means you can grab the speaker and start jamming tunes at the beach or campsite without any Wi-Fi hassle. When you're back home, you can easily integrate it into your Sonos system through the Wi-Fi setup.

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Microsoft Surface Pro rebooted: Faster, AI-ready, and now Qualcomm-powered

Microsoft unveiled the all-new Surface Pro, ditching numbers in favour of a fresh start. It's one of the first in a new generation of what Microsoft calls Copilot Plus PCs. This flagship device boasts the new Qualcomm Snapdragon X processors (Elite and Plus versions), promising a significant performance leap—up to 90% faster than its predecessor.

The Pro embraces the future with optional 5G connectivity and a long-lasting battery—up to 14 hours of video playback (though not quite reaching the Surface Laptop's 20 hours). It remains incredibly thin and light, maintaining its familiar size despite the internal overhaul.

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Scarlett Johansson questions alleged voice mimicry in OpenAI's ChatGPT

Photo: Warner Bros

Actress Scarlett Johansson is locked in a dispute with OpenAI, the company behind the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT. Johansson claims OpenAI used a voice in their system that sounds eerily similar to hers, despite her declining a request to be the official voice.

According to Johansson, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman contacted her in September 2023 to voice ChatGPT 4.0. She refused but says Altman persisted even days before the public demo. 

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