Apple to Use Bezel-Reducing Backlighting Chips in Upcoming 6.1-inch LCD iPhone

Apple may adopt LED backlighting chips for the LCD panels in its forthcoming 6.1-inch iPhone that enable it to reduce screen bezel size and bring LCD panels closer to bezel-free OLED screens.

DigiTimes reports that Japan-based Nichia will become the exclusive supplier of the LED chips for use in backlighting of the panels used in the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, which Apple is expected to launch around September.

While LTPS-LCD smartphone screens with backlights using 0.4t LED chips have bottom bezels of 4.0-4.5mm, use of 0.3t LED chips can reduce them to 2.0-2.5mm, enhancing LCD screens’ competitiveness against OLED all (bezel-free) screens panels, the sources explained.

Packaging of 0.3t LED chips for side-view backlighting of LTPS-LCD smartphone panels is more difficult in accuracy and stability than that of 0.4t LED chips, the sources noted, adding Nichia began trial production of 0.3t LED chips for use in high-end smartphone models launched by China- and Japan-based vendors in the first half of 2018.

Apple is expected to launch three new smartphones later this year: Two OLED models measuring in at 5.8 and 6.5 inches and a 6.1-inch lower-cost LCD model. All three are believed to feature Face ID and edge-to-edge displays.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who first predicted Apple would introduce a low-cost LCD iPhone, believes the device will have a price tag that comes in at $700 to $800, similar to the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus.

Previous rumors have suggested the use of upgraded display technology in the lower-cost device. For example, Apple may use Full Active LCDs from Japan Display, which are said to match or exceed some of the benefits of an OLED display at a lower cost. Japan Display is said to be ramping up LCD production in an effort to fulfill orders from Apple.

According to The Wall Street Journal, sources involved with Apple’s supply chain claim that Apple now expects LCD models to make up the majority of iPhone sales in its upcoming lineup. Apple initially wanted roughly equal production of iPhone models with LCDs and OLED displays, but now plans to make more of the LCD model, as it supposedly anticipates strong customer demand for the more affordable X-like model.

DigiTimes sources suggest trial production of the 6.1-inch iPhone will begin in July, with small-volume production in August and volume production beginning September. Based on that timeline, Nichia’s production capacity for the enhanced LED backlighting chips is expected to be booked up by Apple in the second half of 2018.

Additional details on what to expect in the iPhones coming in 2018, likely in the September timeframe, can be found in our 2018 iPhones roundup.

Related Roundup: 2018 iPhones
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Guy dunks a ‘naked’ iPhone X to make a whimsical underwater movie

A water-resistant smartphone offers peace of mind when you need to pull it out in the rain. It’s positively vital if you drop it down the toilet or in the bath, though its protective qualities also enhance the possibilities for those of a creative bent.

Take Frederic van Strydonck. The London-based filmmaker recently decided to have some fun with his iPhone X, Apple’s flagship handset that’s capable of surviving dips of up to 30 minutes in shallow water.

Frederic said that initially he just wanted to test out the phone’s ability to handle multiple dunks while shooting short video clips. But he soon realized that the dreamy sequences he created could make for an interesting short film.

“I recently decided to see how an iPhone would fare when filming underwater,” Frederic told PetaPixel. “The series of tests slowly became this weird little experimental short.”

He added: “I didn’t use any special waterproof casing for this. Just an iPhone.”

The result is Spltch, a two-and-a-half-minute movie (above) that he describes as “a little film about water.”

The whimsical short that takes the viewer to multiple locations, a new one revealed as the camera emerges from each subsequent dunk.

But before you rush out and dive into the nearest lake, river or ocean with your iPhone X, be aware that intentionally submerging the device may not be the best course of action for your $999 phone.

Its water resistance has been tested to a depth of one meter, and Frederic is keen to point out that while shooting the film, he erred on the side of caution by submerging only a part of the phone for each shot, and was sure not to leave it underwater for long periods.

In other words, putting Apple’s high-end phone underwater for longer than necessary is really done at your own risk.

With the iPhone X costing as much as it does, the fact is you’ll want to get yourself a durable case to protect it from knocks and drops, though some cases also offer increased protection against splashes and dunks, too. Digital Trends has pulled together a collection of some of the best iPhone X cases available today, with price tags ranging from as little as $4 all the way up to $175.

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Security Researchers Find Vulnerability in Apple’s USB Restricted Mode for iOS Devices

Security researchers claim to have discovered a loophole that bypasses USB Restricted Mode, Apple’s latest anti-hacking feature in iOS 12 beta and iOS 11.4.1, which was released on Monday.

USB Restricted Mode is designed to make iPhones and iPads immune to certain hacking techniques that use a USB connection to download data through the Lightning connector to crack the passcode.

iOS 11.4.1 and iOS 12 prevent this by default by disabling data access to the Lightning port if it’s been more than an hour since the iOS device was last unlocked. Users can also quickly disable the USB connection manually by engaging Emergency SOS mode.

However, researchers at cybersecurity firm ElcomSoft claim to have discovered a loophole that resets the one-hour counter. The bypass technique involves connecting a USB accessory into the Lightning port of the iOS device, which prevents USB Restricted Mode from locking after one hour.

ElcomSoft’s Oleg Afonin explained the technique in a blog post:

What we discovered is that iOS will reset the USB Restrictive Mode countdown timer even if one connects the iPhone to an untrusted USB accessory, one that has never been paired to the iPhone before (well, in fact the accessories do not require pairing at all). In other words, once the police officer seizes an iPhone, he or she would need to immediately connect that iPhone to a compatible USB accessory to prevent USB Restricted Mode lock after one hour. Importantly, this only helps if the iPhone has still not entered USB Restricted Mode.

According to Afonin, Apple’s own $39 Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter can be used to reset the counter. Researchers are currently testing a mix of official and third-party adapters to see what else works with the bypass technique.

Afonin notes that ElcomSoft found no obvious way to break USB Restricted Mode once it has been engaged, suggesting the vulnerability is, in his words, “probably nothing more than an oversight” on Apple’s part. Still, at present its existence provides a potential avenue for law enforcement or other potentially malicious actors to prevent USB Restricted Mode from activating shortly after seizure.

Both iOS 11.4.1 and iOS 12 beta 2 are said to exhibit the same behavior when exploiting the loophole. However, expect this to change in subsequent versions of iOS – Apple continually works on strengthening security protections and addressing iPhone vulnerabilities as quickly as possible to defend against hackers.

Apple reportedly introduced USB restrictions to disable commercial passcode cracking tools like GrayKey. Afonin cites rumors that the newer GrayShift tool is able to defeat the protection provided by USB Restricted Mode, but the research community has yet to see firm evidence confirming this.

Related Roundups: iOS 11, iOS 12Tag: Apple security
Discuss this article in our forums

Newton Mail’s latest feature surfaces emails that require a follow-up; now costs $99 yearly

Newton Mail’s recap feature ensures you don’t miss important emails.

Gmail’s redesign earlier this year saw the introduction of a feature called Nudge that reminds you to respond to emails. Nudge looks through your inbox to find actionable emails, and it’ll surface the mails to the top of your inbox along with a note showing when you’ve received the mail.

Newton Mail — one of the most feature-rich mail clients available today — is getting a similar feature, dubbed Recap. Newton’s app now comes with a dedicated Recap section that lists emails which require a reply or any follow-up action. For instance, if you receive a mail with a particular due date mentioned or a reminder, Newton will surface that in the Recap section to make sure you don’t miss any important emails.

From Newton:

Recap automatically brings back conversations that are waiting for your reply or that need following up, in case you missed them. It also covers other mails with due dates, reminders etc., so that nothing slips through the cracks.

The feature is particularly handy if you receive a lot of mails a day. You’ll see a blue dot for mails that require your attention, and you’ll be able to get back to them later or dismiss them away. I’ve been using the feature for over a week now, and it has certainly helped me manage my work mailbox more effectively.

Alongside the launch of Recap, Newton has announced that it is ditching its introductory pricing and moving to $10 per month or $99 annually. Existing subscribers with auto-billing enabled will be grandfathered in, but new users will have to shell out $99 a year going forward. There is a 14-day trial available if you’re interested in taking a look at the features on offer.

Newton is a compelling option if you’re looking for an alternate email client — read receipts on emails is pretty great — but unless you have multiple accounts, it’s hard to justify the annual cost, particularly when Gmail is available for free.

Gmail vs. Newton: Which email client is right for you?

Microsoft Surface Go hands-on review

Research Center:

Microsoft Surface Go

There’s many words you might associate with Microsoft’s Surface devices. Innovative. Flexible. Sleek. But there’s one word you absolutely wouldn’t — and that’s “affordable.”

Yeah, you can buy a bottom-rung Surface Pro for $700, but you make a lot of sacrifices to squeeze into that budget, and you’ll still need to buy a Surface Pen separately. But what if you could have a Surface, keyboard, and pen, all for less than $600?

Enter the Surface Go. Starting at $400 for the tablet alone, this svelte little Surface 2-in-1 limbos into a price rung that makes it appealing to the statistical average PC buyer, a person who spends only $600 on average. Does that mean Surface is ready for the masses?

Swinging down at the iPad

Apple’s recent iterations of the iPad have tried to prove themselves as capable productivity machines, with limited success. The iPad Pro is offered as a legitimate PC replacement, and even the base iPad now has Apple Pencil support. Cupertino’s engineers are trying their best to prove the iPad is more tool than toy.

Microsoft has the opposite problem. Surface sells on its reputation as a productivity machine, but the Surface Pro is too expensive, too bulky, and too limiting to work as a stand-alone tablet. The Surface Go is an attempt to change that. It takes the brand down to a price point that’s legitimately toe-to-toe with Apple. A base iPad is $330 with 32GB of storage, while the Surface Go starts at $400 with 64GB of storage.

So, can the Surface Go seriously compete with the iPad? Picking up the device will tell you it can. The spec sheet says it’s slightly heavier than the iPad at 1.15 pounds (tablet only – the Surface Go keyboard is another half a pound), and it’s about a millimeter thicker. The difference is hard to notice. Both tablets are light enough to handle easily with one hand.

At a glance, the Surface Go looks almost identical to the regular Surface Pro. And I do mean identical. Nothing about the Go suggests it’s a cheaper model. Even the kickstand looks, feels, and operates the same as the Pro. Microsoft’s decision to downsize the now well-known Surface look is wise. It keeps the Go strikingly distinct from the iPad, despite the fact it’s nearly the same size.

The Go is big enough to enjoy most content, but small enough to cradle with one hand while you tap on the display with another.

There is a big difference between the Pro and Go, though – size. The Pro has a 12.3-inch display, but the Go has a 10-inch screen with a 3:2 aspect ratio and 1,800 x 1,200 resolution (that’s 217 pixels per inch). Downsizing the display also means downsizing the chassis which is why the Go weighs almost half as much as the Pro. The Go’s overall footprint is exactly what you’d expect from a 10-inch tablet. It’s big enough to display most content without compromise, but small enough to cradle with one hand while you tap on the display with another.

A USB-C port provides the device’s only USB connection, which is nice, as the Surface Pro doesn’t have one (but the Surface Book 2 does). It’s joined by a MicroSDXC card reader and 3.5mm headphone jack. Power is provided by the same proprietary Surface Connect interface used by Microsoft’s other devices, and the Go will work with any accessories that use it.

Microsoft Surface Go Compared To

Huawei MediaPad M5 Pro

Apple iPad 9.7-inch (2018)

Microsoft Surface Book 2 13-inch

Eve Technology Eve V

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2017)

Asus Transformer Pro T304

Dell Venue 8 7000

Nvidia Shield Tablet

Apple iPad Air 2

Lenovo ThinkPad 10

Apple iPad Mini 2

Microsoft Surface 2

Razer Edge Pro

Dell XPS 10

Acer Iconia Tab A700

A Windows Hello compatible camera is also included to enable facial login recognition. That’s a great feature for a tablet, and one that many competitors, including iPad, don’t yet support.

Is Windows ready for touch?

Surface Go’s design is certainly on par with other tablets, but that’s only half the equation. It’s a Windows 10 device, and while the operating system has many touch-friendly features, keyboard and mouse remain the platform’s first-class citizens.

Matt Smith/Digital Trends

That’s where the Go gets messy. Our brief hands-on, which spanned about a half-hour, involved a whirlwind tour of regular productivity applications like Word and Powerpoint, as well as the Edge web browser and Windows 10’s settings menus. Everything worked, but elegant it’s not. We frequently found ourselves fumbling icons three or four times before managing the response we wanted, and some UI elements were too small on the 10-inch display.

These aren’t new problems for Windows 10, but they go from annoying inconveniences to maddening obstacles on a small device that encourages use without a keyboard. Apple’s iOS, designed from the ground up with the iPhone and iPad in mind, is far more intuitive. iOS doesn’t ask users to struggle with archaic or poorly sized menus that try, and ultimately fail, to work as well on a tablet as they do on a desktop with a 27-inch screen.

We noticed no signs of stutter, lag, or hesitation during my short time with the device.

Windows 10 has advantages, though, particularly in the Surface Pen. It attaches magnetically, feels as smooth and natural as ever, and the Go’s smaller size makes note-taking easier while holding the device. Personally, we like the Surface Pen better than any other stylus, and it’s wonderful to use it with a tablet small enough to handle with ease. We’ve used past Surface devices like a tiny whiteboard, propping them against a table or my thighs for support, but the Go is a legitimate alternative to a paper notebook.

Microsoft plans to ship the Surface Go with Windows 10 Home in “S Mode.” That means you’ll only be able to download apps from the Microsoft Store, and you won’t be able to use legacy apps not found there. That’s going to cause some hardcore Windows fans to roll their eyes, as the S Mode restrictions aren’t popular. You can switch out of S Mode at no charge, though, and the changeover is completed in minutes.

Underneath it all, it’s still a PC

Rumors about the device that we now know is the Surface Pro speculated it would be powered by a Qualcomm processor, like recent “Always Connected PCs.” In fact, the Surface Go is far more conventional. It’s driven by an Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y dual-core processor. The entry model pairs that with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of solid state storage, while more expensive models will offer upgrades to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Microsoft says LTE support will come eventually, but not at launch.

Matt Smith/Digital Trends

Going with a Qualcomm chip would’ve been interesting, but I’ve no complaints about the Intel Pentium Gold. It’s not a Core chip, but it is based on the same architecture, and it certainly offers the performance you’ll need to navigate Windows 10 and accomplish most tasks. We noticed no signs of stutter, lag, or hesitation during my short time with the device. It felt like any other laptop, which is exactly what we want to see from an affordable PC.

Still, there’s one major performance weak spot. The Surface Go relies on Intel HD Graphics. While fast enough for day-to-day tasks or even light 3D rendering in apps like Powerpoint, it’s no powerhouse and completely inadequate for anything more demanding. That’s a big disadvantage next to the iPad, which can render beautiful graphics in games and other apps. Microsoft’s hands are tied on this point, as there’s no PC graphics hardware that could reasonably work in the Go, but that doesn’t make it any less of a problem.

This is the best keyboard you’re going to find on a 10-inch device.

The battery isn’t ideal, either. Microsoft say it’s a 27 watt-hour unit that’ll be good for nine hours of battery life. That’s not much, and I’m worried the Surface Go won’t last a full eight-hour work day without topping it off in the afternoon. The Surface Pro promises up to 13.5 hours of video playback, but only hit 10 hours and 15 minutes in our video loop. Apple’s iPad, meanwhile, promises up to 10 hours of Wi-Fi use.

While the internal hardware is hit-or-miss, the keyboard, like so much of the Go, emulates the Pro. It looks the same, feels the same, and is available in the same colors as current Pro keyboard covers. The one difference, and it’s an important one, is size. A 10-inch screen size doesn’t offer much room for the keyboard layout, so the Go’s keys will feel cramped for most people. There’s no physical way to avoid that.

Still, the keyboard makes the best of the situation, and beats the snot out of the keyboards available for the iPad Pro or Samsung Galaxy Book. This is the best keyboard you’re going to find on a 10-inch device, and I think you could use it to type a couple thousand words with only minor cramps.

Matt Smith/Digital Trends

Even the trackpad is good. It supports Windows Precision Touch gestures and can handle up to five points of touch sensitivity, all packed into trackpad dimensions similar to the regular Surface Pro. That’s impressive given the Go has less overall space to work with.

This small Surface is a big deal, but faces big obstacles

My first reaction to the Surface Go was skepticism. A 10-inch Surface? Running Windows 10? Does that actually work?

I quickly warmed up to it. The Go is an attractive device – certainly in a league above other affordable Windows 2-in-1s. Its processor is fine for the price. And the keyboard? We love it. It’s easily the best we’ve ever used on a device this small, and that includes traditional laptops.

Yet there’s a problem. Windows 10. While we adore the operating system on my desktop, it’s less helpful on a tablet, and the Surface Go’s small size encourages use without the tiny, wonderful keyboard. We have no doubt the Go will fit a niche for Surface fans, and for companies that need Windows to install important corporate software, but iPad’s reign as the go-to tablet doesn’t appear threatened just yet.

MIT’s zero-gravity musical instrument provides a soundtrack for space travel

From Furby synth orchestras to an oddball cyberpunk saxophone, we’re no strangers to writing about weird, otherworldly instruments here at Digital Trends. But a new Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab project takes the “otherworldly” part of this equation quite literally — with an instrument that is designed specifically for astronauts to play in the zero-gravity expanse of space.

“The Telemetron is the first electronic musical instrument to be designed specifically to be performed in zero gravity,” Sands Fish, one of the co-creators (with Nicole L’Huillier) of the futuristic instrument, told Digital Trends. “We were interested in capturing the poetics of motion in zero gravity, so we built a chamber with a number of elements inside that we call chimes. While they don’t make any audible sounds themselves, they each contain a gyroscope that can detect how fast each of the chimes are spinning in any direction. We take these rotational speeds and wirelessly transmit them to a nearby laptop, where they are transformed into sounds.”

The Telemetron was created in response to a call from the MIT Media Lab’s Space Exploration Initiative asking for experiments to test in zero-gravity flight. The instrument has already been put through its paces on a zero-gravity parabolic flight, although it has yet to actually make it into outer space for real. According to Sands, the pair has learned a lot during their initial tests, and are now “excited to play with other possible shapes and ways of interacting and performing in zero-g.”

While the music that astronauts end up playing in space probably isn’t the most pressing concern we have (personally, we’d be pretty happy to just have Jerry Goldsmith’s Alien soundtrack on loop and leave it at that!), Sands notes that it is nonetheless one of many areas of interest that are ripe for investigation.

“There are many aspects of human life in space that have yet to be explored, from different architectures and materials to unique forms of culture, activities, and play that support psychological health,” he said. “I am currently launching a design firm specifically to pursue these novel design constraints and opportunities.”

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Harvard’s latest robot can walk on water. Your move, Jesus

In February, we wrote about an impressive insect-inspired robot which scuttled around at impressive speeds like a cockroach on Red Bull. As it turns out, the team responsible for the robot aren’t capable of sitting still either — since they’re already back with one doozy of an update, granting their insect-bot the amazing newfound ability to walk on (and under) water as well as it can on land.

In nature, cockroaches have the ability to survive underwater for up to half an hour. The team behind HAMR (Harvard’s Ambulatory MicroRobot) were therefore keen to add similar functionality, both to mimic the robot’s real-world inspiration and also to open up new potential applications.

“There are two parts for achieving ‘walking on water,’” Kevin Chen, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard University’s John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science, told Digital Trends. “First is supporting the robot’s weight via surface tension, and the second is moving on the water surface via asymmetric paddling.”

To support the robot weight on the water surface, the robot takes advantage of a force called surface tension. When the miniature bot sits on the water surface, it sinks slightly, causing a minor deformation in the water surface, which generates enough upward force to support the robot’s weight.

The asymmetric paddling part of the robot’s movement is inspired by the flap-like appendages on the legs of a diving beetle. This swimming motion involves the insect (and now robot) opening these flaps and pushing back on the water to generate forward thrust, before retracting the flaps.

“I would go for search-and-rescue and exploration,” Chen said, describing possible real-world applications. “Think about a scenario in which a building collapsed due to earthquake or tsunami. There are many people trapped in confined and cluttered environments. We can send in a swarm [of hundreds] of these small robots into the site to search for survivors. These robots should be able to overcome obstacles on land. In addition, when facing water puddles, the robots need to bypass these by walking on the water surface or dive down to avoid obstacles on the water surface.”

Going forward, the team plans to put batteries and sensors on board, while further increasing the vehicle payload. The researchers are also interested in adding climbing and jumping functionality. Chen predicts this process will take around five to 10 years.

“We are working under the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, which places an emphasis on translating research into commercial products,” he said. “We are very excited and interested in commercializing this technology because it has many potential applications.”

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Nature Communications.

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Apple’s latest updates for iOS, tvOS, and WatchOS are now available

While Apple may be actively testing iOS 12 in its public beta, that doesn’t mean it can’t release a new version of iOS 11 too. In fact, that’s exactly what it has done with the release of iOS 11.4.1, tvOS 11.4.1, and watchOS 4.3.2.

As you might expect, iOS 11.4.1 is largely a big fix, but the company’s update notes are a little vague as to what to expect in the new operating system. We do know, however, that it improves reliability for Find My AirPods, offers better syncing with mail contacts, and more.

The update notes for WatchOS are even more vague — Apple simply says that watchOS 4.3.2 includes “improvements and bug fixes.” The new version of watchOS can be installed by heading to the Watch app, hitting General > Software Update. The tvOS update is available to download, but there doesn’t seem to be any available update notes for its release. Last but not least, a software update for HomePod is rolling out, with similar basic changes.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Apple isn’t working hard on new features for its devices. As mentioned, a number of public betas are currently available for testing, though if you’re an average consumer, we recommend waiting until the new software comes out of beta. When it does, however, you’ll get a number of great new features. For example, iOS 12 boasts Screen Time, a feature aimed at helping users better manage how much time they spend on their phones. It also allows users to more easily manage their notifications — thanks to the fact that notifications will now be grouped based on type.

Apple is also testing a new version of WatchOS, bringing the operating system up to version 5. WatchOS 5 boasts a number of helpful new features, including Automatic Workout Detection, which, as the name suggests, will begin automatically tracking your workout when it determines you’ve begun. It also now supports Apple Podcasts, and even third-party content on the Siri watch face.

Last but not least is the new MacOS, MacOS Mojave. Mojave brings with it some very helpful new features. For starters, with Mojave, macOS will finally have a “Dark Mode,” changing the light colors to dark ones on all Apple-built apps on the Mac.

The incremental new updates should be available now, while Apple’s more extensive upgrades will be available sometime in the fall.

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AMD’s next batch of Ryzen desktop CPUs may focus on better power efficiency

Although AMD introduced its second-generation Ryzen desktop processors in April, a recent leak shows another batch is on the way that will focus on power efficiency. One of the unannounced processors in question is the Ryzen 7 2700E, which appeared in the 3DMark database with a 45-watt power draw. That is extremely low given the current Ryzen 7 2700X consumes a heftier 105 watts of power.

The listing shows that the unannounced Ryzen 7 2700E chip will pack eight cores with a base clock speed of 2.8GHz along with hyperthreading. The listing doesn’t provide any other CPU-related information outside the underlying testbed: MSI’s B450M Mortar motherboard, 8GB of system memory, a Hitachi hard drive, and Windows 10 64-bit.

This isn’t the first appearance of AMD’s Ryzen 7 2700E chip. You can currently find it on ASRock’s CPU Support List here, showing the chip with part number YD270EBHM88AF. Other notes include the chip’s code name — Pinnacle Ridge — the 45-watt power draw, and 4MB of cache. It’s joined by the six-core Ryzen 5 2600E with 3MB of cache, a base speed of 3.1GHz, and a power draw of 45 watts.

AMD’s second-generation Ryzen desktop processors are based on the company’s refreshed “Zen” architecture. This second wave includes the Ryzen 7 2700X and the Ryzen 7 2700 that replace the previous first-generation chips released in 2017. So far, we haven’t seen any leaks pertaining to a replacement for the older Ryzen 7 1800X. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 5 2600X and the Ryzen 5 2600 replace its two predecessors while we have yet to see replacements for the Ryzen 5 1500X and Ryzen 5 1400.

AMD’s big push with its “Zen” architecture is that it crams more performance-per-watt than its competitor. For instance, Intel’s Core i5-8500 with six cores clocked at 3GHz and 9MB of cache retails for $192 while AMD’s Ryzen 5 2600 features six cores at 3.4GHz and 16MB of cache at $199. AMD is also the first to bring eight-core processors to the mainstream market.

Given their low power requirement, AMD’s unannounced second-generation “E” chips may be sold directly to device manufacturers for high-end laptops, budget desktops with small power supplies, small form factor “mini” PCs. AMD may not even officially reveal these chips at all, but silently make them available to its hardware partners.

On the horizon is AMD’s Threadripper 2 CPUs, the sequel to 2017’s enthusiast desktop processor family. The chips are slated to arrive sometime in the second half of 2018 based on AMD’s revised Zen (aka Zen Plus) CPU architecture. The company’s second-generation Zen architecture, Zen 2, will supposedly appear in processors in 2019 followed by the refreshed Zen 2 Plus design in 2020.

According to AMD, the motherboard socket used to support the mainstream chips, AM4, will remain in use until 2020 if not later.

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The best alternatives to Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office once had an unquestioned stranglehold on the world of productivity suites and programs. However, the forced subscription for the latest version and high-price of the 2016 alternative have given rise to a retinue of options that fall outside Microsoft’s banner. The best alternatives to Microsoft Office allow users the freedom to create and edit — many are even compatible with files made in Word, Excel, and other Microsoft’s programs. If you’re loyal to Microsoft’s product, it’s worth trying out the Office web-based applications, which emulate a lot of the primary features of Office right in your browser for free.

Outside of that, there are capable alternatives available for both Windows and MacOS, whether you’re looking for a quick means to spell check the copy on your resume or string together complex formulas prior to an important business presentation. Below are a few of our favorites.

At a glance

Software
Category

FreeOffice
Best Microsoft Office alternative overall

Google’s G Suite/Google Apps
Best web-based option

LibreOffice
 Best full-featured option

WPS Office
Best Microsoft Office clone

iWork
Best Mac option

FreeOffice

The best Office alternative

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The latest version of SoftMaker’s FreeOffice — released in 2016 — comes with full compatibility for DOC, DOX, XLS, XLSX, and PPT file formats, with a lot of work going into making them “loss free.” This means you won’t find any unexpected surprises when transferring your files into Word, which makes the software perfect for those who want a free alternative to Word but still need to work regularly with Word software.

FreeOffice is also easy on the eyes and should be very familiar to Word users. The toolbars and document-creation options are similar to those in the Office suite, and the latest software updates further ensure the program is quick and relatively void of loading times. Even PlanMaker, the suite’s Excel alternative, offers features such as conditional formatting and pivot tables, which past Excel users will be able to jump into without the need of a tutorial.

FreeOffice is also an excellent choice for carrying out professional projects. Not only does it provide compatibility with password-protected files, but it can also help you create PDF files or ePUB files, track document changes, and switch between languages on the fly. More common features — i.e., spellcheck and smart typing — also wait in the wings, ensuring you’re not missing anything Office-related.

Download now for:

Windows Android Linux

Google’s G Suite/Google Apps

The best web-based option

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Google’s online suite should need no introduction. The cloud-based software remains ideal if you need to work with others on a project — particularly if everyone is familiar with Google Drive, where files can be stored and shared. The current iteration of Docs supports PDFs, DOC files, and even iWork files, so you need not worry about information being lost. It also integrates with most of Google’s other services, including Gmail, Calendar, and Google Plus. There’s also the G Suite productivity solution for businesses, which is a strong competitor to Microsoft’s Office offerings in many enterprises.

The interface is classic Google — minimalist and oft-confusing. Certain tools or abilities may be hidden deep in menus or not made available for unknown reasons, which can make the software difficult to pick up without any previous experience. Still, if you’re used to Chrome or Chrome OS, then you know what to expect and shouldn’t have much problem navigating the menus.

Plus, the ability to work on documents, edit work, and discuss changes with others who are also working on the same file — all in the same window — is incredibly useful and implemented well across different file types. For some, this is a reason to choose Google’s offering over Microsoft’s — paid or otherwise. This is a great choice for those with limited storage (like Chromebook users), or for those who need to edit at a distance.

Access it now via:

Google Docs G Suite

LibreOffice

The best full-featured option

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The creators of LibreOffice took a look at Microsoft Office and said, “Let’s make sure we can do everything Office can’t.” By now, the differences are so numerous that someone has created a useful (and lengthy) graph that showcases the extra compatibility that LibreOffice offers compared to Microsoft’s suite. This includes support for a vast number of document formats in both MacOS and Windows. If you’re using more distinctive software and are worried that Office won’t be able to handle your industry-specific formats, then LibreOffice is more than happy to step in.

The open-source community behind LibreOffice remains active, and continues to create extensions that allow you to equip your apps with any features you may need. Recent updates include improvements to interactive forms within documents, new presentation templates, and a cloud-based version of the suite for remote use. And given both “Fresh” and Nightly beta modes are currently available, you’re also guaranteed to see regular improvements with LibreOffice.

Ultimately, if you like Office but are looking for a highly-customizable alternative that can expand on the tools Microsoft provides while offering solid compatibility, LibreOffice is for you. Of course, learning and building LibreOffice into the software you want may take a little work, so give yourself plenty of time to learn what’s at your disposal.

Download now for:

Windows MacOS Linux

WPS Office

The best Microsoft Word clone

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WPS’s Office alternative comes with Writer, Presentation, and Spreadsheet, all of which mimic programs in Microsoft’s iconic suite. All files you create with these apps will be fully compatible with their Microsoft counterparts, and there’s an extra suite of PDF conversion tools in the event you need to export or import in a more ready-friendly format. Plus, the suite is available for free on both Android and iOS devices.

WPS is ideal if you’re used to a specific interface in Word programs and want to mimic the experience as closely as possible. No time to learn new tools? No worries. Even the template options are based on Microsoft’s traditional templates, which makes it easy to find your favorite way to start and fill out a document. Plus, the interface more closely resembles newer versions of Microsoft Office than many of our other picks, so jumping in immediately may be even easier than you expect.

WPS isn’t content to copy Microsoft in all things, however. The software touts a few useful tools of its own, including organic ways to change paragraph layout with your mouse, advanced section navigation, and document tabs that allow you to quickly manage multiple documents. This makes WPS Office a great choice for laptops and/or schoolwork.

Download it now for:

Windows Linux Android iOS

iWork

The best Mac option

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Apple’s iWork wasn’t originally designed for compatibility with Office Docs, but over time, the developers decided to add more functionality. You can import Microsoft files and edit them in Pages, Numbers, or Keynote as needed, which is a huge advantage that makes iWork the perfect Office alternative for those working on a Mac. These days, even Windows PC users can use iWork if they don’t mind doing so via iCloud (Apple currently doesn’t offer compatible desktop versions).

Of course, accessibility is more determined by your familiarity with iWork than anything else. These apps may be able to produce similar documents in the end, but they don’t really resemble Microsoft office when it comes to the interface. Tools are located in different places and tend to be a little more obscured than their Microsoft counterparts, so if this is your first time using these apps, you can expect a steep learning curve before things become simple.

Also, keep in mind that iWork is made to function alongside iCloud. If you currently use the cloud backup solution then that will make it much easier to share documents over the cloud and store them off-site if necessary. If your whole team is on board, this can be extremely useful, but as with the aforementioned Google Docs and G Suite, everyone needs to be on the same page. If you’re a mobile user, you also want to note that the iWork suite is broken into three separate apps, each of which needs to be downloaded individually.

Download for MacOS:

Pages Numbers Keynote

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