At-home COVID-19 tests less effective at detecting omicron variant, FDA cautions - CNET

Early data suggests antigen tests, like those used in at-home rapid test kits, "may have reduced sensitivity" to the highly contagious new strain, the agency said.

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Microsoft is giving Edge users yet another way to procrastinate online by adding a new Games panel to its browser.

After releasing its Chromium-based browser last year, the software giant has continued to update it with new features like Vertical Tabs, Collections, Web Capture and more in an effort to get users to switch from Google Chrome.

Now though, it appears Microsoft is readying a new feature that will help users kill time online as opposed to being more productive while working from home. If browser-based games are your thing, then the company's new Games panel in Edge could be the perfect way to help pass the time while waiting for renders or downloads to finish.

(Image credit: Leo Varela)

Games panel

As reported by Windows Latest and first spotted by Leo Varela, Edge's new Games panel allows you to play classic games like Solitaire, Mahjong Arcade and others from MSN Games right in your browser.

These games can be accessed from Microsoft's new “Games” toggle in Edge's toolbar though you'll also likely be able to open the new Games panel from the browser's three-dot menu as well.

Clicking on the game controller icon in the toolbar will bring up a new panel on the right side of the browser in a similar way to how Collections work in Edge. From here, you just need to find a game you want to play and the MSN Games website will launch in your browser. Thankfully though, the Games panel will be disabled by default but you can enable it from the Appearance tab in Edge's settings.

While Microsoft's new Games panel is currently being tested out in Edge Canary, it will likely come to the browser when the next stable update for Edge arrives.

We've also highlighted the best anonymous browser, best proxy and best VPN

Via Windows Latest

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LastPass says no passwords compromised in latest security scare - CNET

The investigation is ongoing. All the same, it's time to update your master password.

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At-home COVID-19 tests: FDA says kits may be less sensitive to omicron. What to know today - CNET

Under a Biden administration plan, at-home COVID-19 tests will soon be free. Omicron and the holiday season have made them hard to find right now.

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Apple's next big thing after the iPhone may come in 2022 - CNET

The company is rumored to be launching AR glasses, its most ambitious project in years. They would come alongside new computer chips and, of course, a redesigned iPhone.

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The best Wi-Fi speakers for 2022: Apple, Sonos, JBL and Polk - CNET

From portable speakers to soundbars, there's a great-sounding Wi-Fi speaker for everyone. Here are our favorites.

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The great resignation is changing work in America, and it's here to stay - CNET

The work world is changing rapidly, thanks to historically low unemployment claims mixed with unprecedented quit rates and millions of baby boomers suddenly retiring.

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How to quit drinking soda in 2022 - CNET

Registered dietitians share their best tips.

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Best Apple Watch deals: Series 7 models at lowest prices yet - CNET

Apple's flagship wearable is $50 off right now at Amazon, and you can also save $50 on the lower-cost Watch SE.

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Although Zoom may be best known for its video conferencing software, its platform also supports virtual events and the company's latest acquisition will allow these events to be both larger and more complex.

According to a new blog post, the company believes that the future of events will include a combination of virtual and in-person formats. As a result, its customers will require a holistic solution that allows them to build, host and manage virtual and hybrid events.

Zoom first introduced Zoom Video Webinars back in 2014 to enable organizations to share information and interactive video presentations with up to 50k people. However, back in July of this year, the company unveiled Zoom Events to make it possible for businesses and other organizations to host in-person events that also have a virtual element.

In order to showcase some of the exciting new capabilities in Zoom Events, Zoom used its new Conference event type for Zoomtopia 2021 which saw over 33k virtual guests attend the tech conference from around the world. Now though, the company has acquired several tools as well as some top talent from the startup Liminal to make it easier for organizations to produce professional programs and performances from anywhere in the world.

Bridging the gap

As reported by The Verge, Zoom has announced that it has acquired two add-ons from the startup Liminal that can be used to create professional virtual events.

The first is ZoomOSC that will allow its customers to enhance professional meetings and events using the Open Sound Control (OSC) protocol. This add-on also enables users to integrate Zoom Events with third-party software, hardware controllers and media servers. The second add-on, ZoomISO, makes it possible to export each participants' video feed as a separate output to professional production hardware with the capability to export five feeds in HD.

With the acquisition of these two add-ons, it will be possible to bridge the gap between emerging and traditional event control tools according to Zoom. This will likely be quite useful for broadcast studios, theaters and other organizations that want to create professional streams using the company's video conferencing software.

However, in addition to acquiring Zoom OSC and ZoomISO from Liminal, two of the startup's co-founders (Andy Carluccio and Jonathan Kokotajlo) will also be joining Zoom.

We've also rounded up the best video conferencing software and best online collaboration tools

Via The Verge

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Best SAD light therapy lamp for 2022 - CNET

If you suffer from seasonal affective disorder, where your mood drops when the days get shorter, these light therapy lamps can offer some relief.

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It can be hard to keep children entertained in the week between Christmas and New Year's. So, it's not surprising that a 10-year-old in the UK turned to Amazon's Alexa digital assistant for some fresh ideas after her family finished their list of fun physical challenges.

In this case, according to a report from the BBC, Alexa found her what's known as "the penny challenge," a viral stunt where people plug a phone charger partially into a wall outlet and then touch a penny to the exposed prongs. Alexa apparently described to the young girl just how the challenge works.

Instead of following Alexa's guidance, the child's mother, Kristin Livdahl, who overheard the suggestion, shouted a quick, "No!" and the crisis was averted. However, Livdahl told the BBC that her daughter was too smart to follow that advice, anyway.

They also alerted Amazon, which has already updated Alexa so this kind of bad idea doesn't issue from the system's digital lips again.

In a statement given to the BBC, Amazon said, "Customer trust is at the center of everything we do and Alexa is designed to provide accurate, relevant, and helpful information to customers.  As soon as we became aware of this error, we took swift action to fix it."

It's worth noting here that Alexa, like Siri, and Google Assistant, is not a sentient being seeking to prank unsuspecting humans. For most search queries, like "Find me a challenge," it turns to a search engine - in this case, Microsoft's Bing - to find relevant results. Alexa will usually let you know this by saying, "This is what I found on the Web."

TechRadar checked in with Alexa on Tuesday, asking it in a number of different ways if it could provide us with a new challenge. Nothing remotely dangerous (or interesting, for that matter) came up.

When we checked TikTok, we did find a few instances of the aftermaths of the year-old "Penny Plug Challenge." All of them looked disastrous. One, however, was from a paramedic, explaining just what could happen if you tried it (he'd be pulling you from the burning wreckage of your home).

• Here's a great list of safe Alexa skills and commands

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2022 Toyota Supra A91-CF Edition has carbon fiber trim - Roadshow

Only 600 of these Supras will be made.

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Ahead of CES 2022, images of a new widescreen laptop from Lenovo's ThinkBook Plus line have appeared online and it could be the perfect mobile workstation for content creators.

The PC maker has been experimenting with dual-screen laptops for some time now and previous ThinkBook Plus devices have featured E Ink displays built into their lids. Not only can these external displays be used for reading ebooks or text documents but they can also be used for taking notes as they feature stylus support.

Now though, Lenovo appears to be expanding its ThinkBook Plus line with a new model that includes a built-in graphics tablet right next to the laptop's keyboard. With this new device, graphic designers and digital artists will be able to work on content in Photoshop or other drawing software without having to lug around a separate graphics tablet.

A productivity powerhouse

Although an image of Lenovo's latest ThinkBook Plus laptop appeared online back in November, prolific gadget leaker Evan Blass has now shared four additional high-resolution images of the device on Twitter in the run-up to CES 2022.

These new images give us a better idea of the device's layout with the keyboard and touchpad on the left and the built-in graphics tablet on the right though they also show off its 17-inch widescreen display. The included graphics tablet features a touchscreen display with digital pen support so that users can write or draw on the screen.

The secondary display in Lenovo's upcoming ThinkBook Plus may also help boost the productivity of content creators as it can be used as an app launcher. This means that instead of opening the start menu or navigating to the taskbar to launch frequently used apps, users will be able to launch them directly from the second screen. However, it could also be used to show another full-screen app which means that users can have Microsoft Teams, Slack or another online collaboration tool open while working on the main display.

While we'll likely hear more about the full specs of this new ThinkBook Plus at CES 2022, from Blass' leaked photos it appears that the device will have an HDMI port as well as two USB-A and USB-C ports, a fingerprint sensor built-in to the power button and a webcam with a privacy shutter.

Looking to create content on the go? Check out our roundups of the best laptops for photographers and best laptops for graphic design

Via Liliputing

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The best Apple TV remote cases for less than $10 - CNET

The cheapest way to improve your slippery, easy-to-lose Apple TV remote is to add a case. You read that right: a case for your remote.

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