Surface Laptop Studio 2: Everything we’re expecting

The Surface Laptop Studio is one of Microsoft’s most interesting devices in a long time, and one of the coolest laptops around. This new form factor for Surface combines the Surface Book and Surface Studio lines to create something different and better. We loved the Surface Laptop Studio in our review, and it was certainly one of the best laptops out there when it launched. But you know how things roll in technology – we’re always looking forward to the next thing. So what can expect from a potential Surface Laptop Studio 2? Is it coming any time soon? Here’s what we know, what we expect, and what we’d like to see.

First off, let’s lay out the basics of the current Surface Laptop Studio. This is a laptop powered by Intel’s H35 series processors, a new type of processor that has a higher power consumption than a typical laptop, but not as high as 45W processors you might find in a gaming rig. It also comes with dedicated NVIDIA graphics in the form of a GeForce RTX 3050 Ti. Overall, the Surface Laptop Studio is powerful, and it’s using modern specs across the board. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any improvements that can be made in a successor.

Navigate this article:

• Release date
• What new features will it have?
• What do we want to see in a Surface Laptop Studio 2?
• Price

What is the release date of the Surface Laptop Studio 2?

The first thing you’re probably wondering is when can we expect the Surface Laptop Studio 2. With this being a new lineup in Microsoft’s Surface family, this is a particularly hard question to answer. The rate at which Surface devices come out is largely dependent on their success. The Surface Book and Surface Studio lines both had at least two years between new launches. Whether the Surface Laptop Studio sells well enough to warrant a successor more quickly remains to be seen. However, anywhere between one to two years seems like a reasonable amount of time for a successor to launch.

As it stands, it doesn’t look like a Surface Laptop Studio 2 is coming this year, however. We’re expecting a Surface event to take place sometime in October, and it will include devices like the Surface Pro 9, a third-generation Surface Pro X, Surface Laptop 5, and potentially even a Surface Studio 3 (the desktop all-in-one PC). We haven’t heard anything about a Surface Laptop Studio 2.

What new features will the Surface Laptop Studio 2 have?

So, when a Surface Latop Studio 2 does launch, what can we expect it to include? It’s probably safe to assume we won’t see huge design changes in the second iteration of this lineup. Microsoft typically waits a couple (or more) of generations to make significant changes to the design of its Surface devices. There’s also nothing that’s necessarily wrong with the Surface Laptop Studio as it is right now, and no rumors to indicate any big changes to the design.

A spec bump

The one thing you can surely expect with a new Surface Laptop Studio is upgraded specs. That’s the one thing you can almost always count on with a new device launch. Microsoft could go a couple of ways here. It’s currently using Intel’s H35 series of processors, which strike a balance between power and battery life. However, Intel Alder Lake processors could change things.

With Intel’s 12th-generation processors, 35W CPUs are no longer a thing. Right now, we have the P series, which has a TDP of 28W, or the regular H series, with a TDP of 45W. It seems likely that Microsoft will have to choose one of these. However, that’s not to say the Surface Laptop Studio 2 will feature 12th-generation processors necessarily. If a refresh doesn’t happen this year, we’re most likely going to get 13th-generation processors when those are launched.

Aside from that, we could also be looking at an upgraded graphics card, though we still have to see when Nvidia ends up launching its next generation of GPUs.

What do we want to see in a Surface Laptop Studio 2?

Of course, outside of what we can expect, there are things we’d simply like to see in a future version. The current Surface Laptop Studio is great, but there are a couple of ways we’d like to see Microsoft improve it even further. The expectation is that Nvidia will introduce the GeForce RTX 4000 series later this year, but usually, it’s the desktop GPUs that launch first. Laptop variants will probably show up sometime in 2023.

A more flexible design

The form factor of the Surface Laptop Studio takes clear inspiration from the Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel, allowing you to pull the display towards you or fold it over the keyboard base for drawing. However, that’s all the Surface Laptop Studio does. Acer’s laptop is designed to more easily allow you to have the display in many more different positions. You can make it so that the display “floats” above the keyboard, for example, or spin it completely backwards if you want to show something off across a table.

An Acer ConeptD 3 Ezel Pro with the display flipped backwards

The Surface Laptop Studio design locks you into three different positions, and while you can move it freely, it doesn’t really hold any other position very well. One could argue that’s an intentional part of Microsoft’s design, but it could definitely change in the future. When the first Surface RT and Surface Pro iterations were released, the kickstand only supported a few positions, but it eventually became a free-moving kickstand.

A refined design

The Surface Laptop Studio is cleverly designed to house the Surface Slim Pen 2 underneath the keyboard base. To accommodate it, Microsoft designed the laptop to have this cutout all around the base, which can look a bit odd. The Surface Slim Pen can only be stored in one position alongside this cutout, so the rest of it is only there for aesthetic consistency, but it would probably be better without it.

The cutout should be designed to fit the Surface Slim Pen more snuggly. And while we’re at it, the pen should probably be included with such an expensive laptop. That way, the pen garage isn’t empty out of the box and it helps the design feel more balanced.

More ports

Seeing Microsoft adopt Thunderbolt for the first time with the Surface Laptop Studio (and Pro 8) was huge news, and we hope to keep seeing them in future iterations. But as capable as these ports are, it’s a shame to see this powerful laptop including almost nothing else aside from Thunderbolt. A more traditional display output like HDMI would be great to see, as would USB Type-A and an SD card reader. Surface devices typically haven’t had a ton of ports, but if Apple can learn its lesson for the 2021 MacBook Pro, we hope Microsoft can learn the same for a Surface Laptop Studio 2.

What will be the price of the Surface Laptop Studio 2?

While it’s definitely early to take a guess at exact pricing for a device that’s still a way out, there’s something we do know. Microsoft hasn’t typically raised (or lowered) the base price of its devices by a whole lot each generation. The exception to that was the Surface Pro 8, but keep in mind that was a major upgrade in terms of design and screen. Plus, Microsoft also left behind some configurations like 4GB of RAM and the Intel Core i3, so the starting point for the Pro 8 is very different from the Pro 7.

As such, it’s fair to expect that the base price of a Surface Laptop Studio 2 stays around $1,599 when it does launch. Of course, it could increase, but it’s hard to imagine it going much higher than that. As for the maximum price, it will depend on whether Microsoft decides to introduce new configuration options, whether that’s a more powerful GPU or some other kind of upgrade.

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For now, that’s all we know about a potential Surface Laptop Studio 2, and frankly, it’s not a lot. That’s not too surprising, though, considering it doesn’t look like a Surface Laptop Studio 2 will launch in 2022. There’s no reason to wait if you want this kind of form factor right now. We’ll be updating this article if any new information or rumors pop up about the Surface Laptop Studio 2, so be sure to check back later. If you’re interested in other form factors, check out the best Surface PCs you can buy today. Microsoft makes some great devices for different use cases.

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Xbox PC Game Pass to get Death Stranding next week

Xbox PC Game Pass subscribers rejoice! Hideo Kojima’s popular open-world action-adventure game Death Stranding will arrive on PC Game Pass on August 23.

According to a recent Xbox Wire post, Windows 10 and Windows 11 PC gamers can expect features like an ultrawide mode, photo mode, high frame rate support, and cross-over content from other franchises in the release. In addition, the PC Game Pass edition of Death Stranding will include the following items, which will unlock as you progress through the story:

• Chiral Gold/Omnireflector “Ludens Mask” Sunglasses (Color variant)
• Gold and Silver Power Skeleton
• Gold and Silver All-Terrain Skeleton
• Gold and Silver Armor Plate

Sadly, while Death Stranding is making its way to the Xbox PC Game Pass library, there’s still no word on an Xbox release. As The Verge states, Sony still controls where Death Stranding lands on console, so it’s highly unlikely we’ll see an Xbox version.

While Death Stranding might not get an Xbox release anytime soon, the console supports a massive collection of games across various genres. If you’re not too keen on playing any Sony-exclusive titles and are looking to pick up a new console, you’d be glad to know that Best Buy is currently running a promotion on the Xbox Series S, and you can get a free game with your purchase. Simply follow the link provided below and order one right away!

Xbox Series S

Best Buy is offering a free game with each Xbox Series S purchase and three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultmate for just $45.

View at Best Buy

While you’re at it, you might also want to pick up a 3-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership at an additional $45. The membership will give you access to over a hundred games and EA Play at no extra cost.

Are you looking forward to playing Death Stranding on your PC? Or would you rather enjoy it on a PlayStation 5? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Source: Xbox Wire
Via: The Verge

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Does the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 have a microSD card slot?

Samsung has introduced the latest iteration of its flagship foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 4, and with it come a number of welcome improvements, including a more durable design and wider cover screen. However, not everything is different with this year’s model. If you were hoping to see the microSD card slot return with the Galaxy Z Fold 4, that’s not the case.

To be fair, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 comes with a solid amount of storage space out of the box. The base model comes with 256GB of storage, and you can also opt for the larger 512GB variant if you need more. And if that doesn’t suffice, you can go for the 1TB version, which is a number that very few smartphones offer. That’s a lot of space for apps, pictures, videos, and more. There are also cloud storage services like Google Drive or OneDrive that can store your photos if you want to save some space on your phone. USB Type-C flash drives also exist to offload files like photos and videos if you want to free up space.

As to why the microSD card slot is gone, there are a couple of reasons. First is the fact that microSD cards are slow in comparison to the built-in UFS 3.1 storage inside the phone. This could create a less-than-ideal experience in terms of performance, particularly for large apps that could take much longer to load. Of course, part of it is also so Samsung can push users towards more expensive storage tiers.

Another potential reason is free up space inside the phone for other components, such as the battery. This is a reason often given for other ports being removed, like the increasingly rare headphone jack. On that note, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 packs a 4,400mAh battery, along with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset and other top-tier specs.

If the lack of a microSD card slot doesn’t disturb you – and it probably shouldn’t considering this is very common among flagship phones – you can buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 using the link below, or check out the best deals you can get on it. You’ll also want to check out the best cases to protect your phone.. There’s no power adapter included with the Galaxy Z Fold 4, so it’s something you may have to invest in.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is Samsung's latest flagship foldable, packing high-end specs and up to 512GB of internal storage. You can't expand it with a microSD card, though.

See at Samsung

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Apple patches security flaw that gave hackers full device control

The operating systems we rely on to execute our everyday tasks are far from perfect. After all, they will always contain bugs, glitches, and flaws. As developers patch things up, major new updates introduce new batches of issues for the respective companies to deal with. It’s pretty much an endless cycle of fixing and breaking. Of course, Apple operating systems are no different. Apart from generic bugs and unexpected behaviors, the Cupertino firm patches major security flaws every now and then.

A new report highlights two significant security vulnerabilities that Apple has patched earlier this week. Hackers can target outdated, vulnerable Apple products and gain full device control. The first affects WebKit — the engine that powers Safari and all iOS and iPadOS web browsers. The second is a notably serious one that targets the kernel of these devices — the deepest OS layer. Consequently, hackers can gain admin privileges of the devices, giving them unrestrained access.

According to Apple, hackers have actively exploited both security flaws. So we certainly advise you to update your iPhones, iPads, and Macs to take advantage of the patch. If you aren’t really a known public figure, you likely won’t be targeted by anyone. Though, you should still update your devices nonetheless.

Apple has credited an anonymous researcher (or researchers) for their discovery. Though, the technical analysis of these vulnerabilities seemingly remain unavailable. For the unfamiliar, the company has a bounty program that pays white-hat hackers for their significant discoveries — as long as they abide by its terms. Ultimately, cyber-weapon brokers can pay hundreds of thousands of dollars — so Apple has to compete with that.

As a concerned user, all you have to do is make sure you’re running the latest versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.

Have you updated your devices to the latest operating system versions? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Source: The Guardian

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Google Fi could extend support to smartwatches, starting with the Pixel Watch

At its I/O developer conference this year, Google finally showcased the highly-anticipated Pixel Watch. However, the company did not reveal all the details about the smartwatch during the event. So far, we know that the Pixel Watch will hit the market alongside the Pixel 7 series this fall and will feature a round display with minimal bezels, various strap customization options, one-day battery life, an older chipset, and LTE support.

While we’re waiting for Google to share more information about the Pixel Watch, a new report suggests it might be Google Fi’s first supported smartwatch. According to 9to5Google, version 69 of the Google Fi app includes new strings about the Pixel Watch (codenamed ‘Rohan’).

The strings suggest that the carrier will support the Pixel Watch and give users the option to purchase insurance for the smartwatch. Like with smartphones purchased through the carrier, users will also have a few days of grace period after the smartwatch purchase to get insurance.

For the unaware, Google Fi currently doesn’t support any smartwatches. The carrier offers support for smartphones, including various Android and iPhone models, Chromebooks, and Android tablets. But the carrier might now finally be ready to add support for LTE smartwatches.

While the Google Fi APK does not include mentions of any other LTE smartwatches at the moment, the fact that it’s extending support to the Pixel Watch leads us to believe that it may add more smartwatches in the future.

At the moment, it isn’t clear if Google Fi will offer a free data-only SIM for the Pixel Watch or assign a dedicated phone number to help users make and receive phone calls using the smartwatch. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we have more details.

Are you a Google Fi user? Would you be interested in adding your LTE smartwatch to your Google Fi plan? Let us know in the comments section below.

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APK Teardown: Fitbit’s Wear OS smartwatch might feature a square display and Google Pay suport

Shortly after Google confirmed the Wear OS overhaul at its I/O developer conference last year, the company announced that the updated operating system would make its way to users on a new range of smartwatches from Samsung and Fitbit. Although Fitbit was supposed to release its Wear OS 3 smartwatch later in the year, the wearables manufacturer is yet to bring it to the market. However, new strings in the latest Google Play Services beta update suggest that the Fitbit watch with Wear OS could launch soon, and it might feature a square display and Google Pay support.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

Google Play Services v22.32.12 beta includes new strings that make mention of the upcoming Fitbit watch with Wear OS. The strings clearly state that the watch will offer Google Pay support, allowing users to tap to pay “everywhere Google Pay is accepted, ride transit, and more.”

<string name="pay_mse_ready_body">You can pay everywhere Google Pay is accepted</string>
<string name="pay_mse_ready_headline">You’re ready to pay with your watch</string>
<string name="pay_mse_validation_pin">Validate the PIN</string>
<string name="pay_mse_validation_wrong_pin">A different PIN was entered</string>
<string name="pay_mse_watch_illustration_description">Fitbit watch illustration</string>
<string name="pay_mse_welcome_new_subtitle">Tap to pay everywhere Google Pay is accepted, ride transit, and more, all with just your watch</string>

In addition, the APK includes two new drawables of what seems to be the Fitbit watch. These illustrations are related to its Google Pay capabilities and show a square display with a contactless payments icon and a dummy card.

The illustrations lead us to believe that the upcoming Fitbit watch could feature a square display with rounded edges, like the Fitbit Versa 3. But, since these are merely illustrations highlighting the Fitbit watch’s Google Pay capabilities, they might not offer an accurate representation of the watch itself.

Fitbit is yet to release any official details about its upcoming Wear OS smartwatch, but we expect the company to launch it before the end of this year. It might hit the market alongside the Google Pixel Watch, which is slated to arrive this fall.

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Featured image: Fitbit Versa 3

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APK Teardown: Google could soon let you backup your Wear OS smartwatch data when switching to a new phone

Google seems to be working on a fix for one of the most annoying issues with Wear OS smartwatches. New strings in Google Play Services v22.32.12 beta reveal that the company might soon give users the option to backup their smartwatch data when switching to a new phone.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

Currently, you have to factory reset your Wear OS smartwatch when setting it up with a new device. While there is a workaround that lets you pair your Wear OS smartwatch with a new phone without resetting it, it’s high time Google offered users an option to backup their smartwatch data to make the process more seamless. The following strings suggest the company is working on just that, and the ability to backup Wear OS smartwatch data could roll out in the near future.

<string name="companion_backup_opt_in_title">Back up your device with Google One</string>
<string name="companion_backup_settings_title">Backup by Google One</string>
<string name="companion_set_backup_account_title">Choose backup account</string>

Google Play Services v22.32.12 beta also includes new activities regarding the upcoming backup capability, further revealing that it will be an opt-in feature.

<activity android:enabled="true" android:exported="true" android:icon="@drawable/APKTOOL_DUMMY_9ea" android:label="@string/companion_backup_opt_in_title" android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.backup.phone.BackupOptInActivity" android:process="@string/common_ui_process" android:theme="@style/common.Theme.GoogleSettings">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.COMPANION_BACKUP_OPT_IN"/>
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT"/>
</intent-filter>
</activity>

<activity android:enabled="true" android:exported="true" android:icon="@drawable/APKTOOL_DUMMY_9ea" android:label="@string/companion_backup_settings_title" android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.backup.phone.BackupSettingsActivity" android:process="@string/common_ui_process" android:theme="@style/common.Theme.GoogleSettings">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.COMPANION_BACKUP_SETTINGS"/>
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT"/>
</intent-filter>
</activity>

<activity android:enabled="true" android:exported="false" android:label="@string/companion_set_backup_account_title" android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.backup.phone.SetBackupAccountActivity" android:process="@string/common_ui_process" android:theme="@style/SudAlertDialogTheme.Light"/>

There are also new layouts for each activity, called companion_backup_opt_in_activity.xml, companion_backup_settings_activity.xml, and companion_account_activity.xml. However, these layouts are empty at the moment.

The ability to backup your Wear OS smartwatch data will make switching over to a new phone much more seamless. But we might have to wait a while for it to roll out widely, as it seems to be in the early stages of development. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we have more details about the upcoming feature.

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