How to Test Network Connection Speed Checking the connection speed of a computer network requires running a speed test and interpreting the results. A speed test measures the performance of a network during a short period of time. The test normally sends and receives data over the network and calculates performance according to the amount of data transferred and how much time was required to complete the transfer. Understanding Speed Test Results The most common measurement for network speed is data rate, which is counted as the number of computer bits that travel over the connection in one second....

Requirements for Dual Graphics Cards To use dual graphics cards, your computer needs AMD or Nvidia technology that links the cards to produce a single output. The AMD graphics technology is CrossFire and the Nvidia technology is SLI. For each of these solutions, the computer must have a compatible motherboard and the motherboard must have the necessary PCI Express graphics slots. Dual graphics cards also require a desktop case that is large enough to fit the extra hardware and a power supply that can run dual cards....

Last week, the company released music by artists Little, Sharooz Raoofi, and Tom Varrall, who experimented with Aloha while in different locations across London. Aloha joins a growing number of products that allow musicians and amateurs to collaborate online. It’s a niche market that’s growing as musicians are forced to stay home because of the pandemic. “Aloha is not going to replace being in a room with someone,” Simon Little, one of the musicians who produced the recorded session remotely, said in a telephone interview....

According to a recent patent filing, Apple is experimenting with horizontal cavity surface-emitting lasers (HCSEL). They sound complicated (and they are), but the technology would essentially allow for an array of HCSELs to be placed underneath the display to monitor biometrics and other environmental factors. There are plenty of other applications for HCSELs, and the potential for developers to explore the technology could result in a wave of new features on your iPhone and Apple Watch....

The USB Promoter Group has announced USB4 version 2.0, which they claim will deliver speeds up to 80 Gbps. That’s twice the 40 Gbps promised by the original USB4 and even Thunderbolt 4. The real kicker, though, is that we can experience the enhanced speeds using existing 40 Gbps USB Type-C passive cables. “Once again following USB tradition, this updated USB4 specification doubles data performance to deliver higher levels of functionality to the USB Type-C ecosystem,” Brad Saunders, Chairman of the USB Promoter Group, said in a press release....

Workers with the highest digital skills (regardless of industry) earn higher wages, according to a report from Brookings. So where do you (or your child) get these skills, particularly on a budget when a four-year college degree is out of reach? The Winding Road to Technology Riches Most of us have been conditioned to assume that high school students are either on a path to college and a ‘good’ career or, sadly, on any other path which will lead to a ’not-so-good’ career....

Type of Protection/Security: Virus Definitions and Heuristic Monitoring Norton Antivirus still uses the Windows malware definition engine to power its security offerings, and those virus definitions are updated multiple times a day—as needed to stay effective against new threats that pop up. However, in addition to signature scanning, Norton also has heuristic capabilities, which means it’s always watching and “listening” to files on your hard drive to spot any kind of unusual behavior....

The Omnicharge Omni 20+ is a special sort of power bank that tries to be all things for all people. With a decent 71Wh capacity and a wide variety of ways to input and output power, including USB-C and a wireless Qi charger, it comes pretty close. Always on the lookout for ways to simplify my road kit, I recently slipped an Omni 20+ into my messenger bag to see how well it can stand-in for the assortment of chargers I normally pack....

Outriders, an upcoming looter shooter from People Can Fly, will forego the extra commitment other games ask for in exchange for a fleshed-out story that has a definitive end. While the sci-fi setting and the promise of another great story from the developers behind Bulletstorm were what drew me to Outriders in the first place, it was the promise of a dedicated beginning, middle, and end that really pulled me deeper....

T-Mobile claims to be the first operator in the world to launch a commercial nationwide standalone 5G network, now covering 250 million people in more than 7,500 cities and towns across 1.3 million miles. Verizon has made similar claims, as has AT&T. The promise of 5G has been brewing for years. Is 5G Really Here? 5G advocates tell us that 5G will be 100 times faster, five times more responsive, and able to connect to 100 times more devices than 4G....

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne already felt like a throwback of a game back in 2004. At a time when JRPGs were continuing their evolution into full-bore cinematic experiences, Nocturne is a bizarre dungeon crawler from an older school. It’s tempting to draw comparisons to Pokémon, since you spend a lot of Nocturne capturing and micro-managing your personal squad of monsters, but Nocturne really is its own thing. It combines traditional JRPG mechanics with a high difficulty curve and a dark storyline, and the result is still remarkably unique 17 years later....

A new project uses AI to improve the identification and measurement of fish species in Africa’s Nile Basin. The software can help scientists understand fish population density more quickly than human observers. It’s part of a larger effort to harness AI to improve sustainability across a wide range of industries. “The promising thing about AI is that it now allows us to do tasks that would be time-consuming or impossibly complex using traditional methods, with considerably more speed and efficiency,” Andrew Dunckelman, head of impact and insights at Google....

Thankfully, while the name is a head-scratcher, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G itself is not. It’s an excellent twist on the standard Galaxy S20 line that makes a couple of modest tweaks while shaving hundreds of dollars off of the price in the process. That makes it one of the better top-end smartphones you can buy today, thanks to a sizable and stellar screen, plenty of processing power, great cameras, and support for 5G connectivity....

After spending more time on technology devices last year when the pandemic forced the world into quarantine, Samsung honed in on making sure it’s devices are equipped with plenty of capabilities to keep users busy, especially the new Galaxy S21 smartphone series. “From chip to camera, they are truly exceptional smart phones that let you turn every day into an amazing experience,” said Yoonie Park, a global brand marketing head at Samsung, during the Unpacked event....

So, should you purchase a TV warranty? What Does an Extended TV Warranty Cover? Extended warranties generally provide benefits like preventative maintenance, free replacement, no- or low-cost repairs, and power-surge protection. Many such policies even offer in-home service and pickup for defective products, so you don’t have to haul your large, heavy TV back to the store. A worthwhile plan should act like a bumper-to-bumper warranty for your car. It should cover the picture screen (burn-in), buttons, inputs, outputs, internal components, TV stand, IR sensor for the remote control, on-board circuitry/software, and more....

But Sony has done more than load in more graphical prowess than before. The DualSense controller also represents an evolution from the classic DualShock design, bringing adaptive triggers that tense up and require additional force to squeeze, not to mention immersive haptic feedback all around the gamepad. It’s been a real game-changer, represented at launch in the clever and ultra-charming free pack-in game Astro’s Playroom, and used to tremendous effect in later titles like Returnal....

For example, you might need to install drivers in Windows 7 for a piece of hardware if you’re troubleshooting a problem with the device, if a driver isn’t automatically installed during a Windows installation, or if a driver update enables new features you’d like to utilize. This procedure should take less than 15 minutes for most kinds of hardware. If you’d rather a program update the driver for you, try a free driver updater tool....

“I call myself an influencer because that’s what I like doing. I don’t care too much about what kind of content I make. I love influencing,” Alvarez said in a phone interview with Lifewire. “I want to do something and show what I can do and, hopefully, make people want to do it as well. And I do get that a lot [from people saying I influenced them], and I love it....

Many strategy games often require that they be played online, or at least have a persistent internet connection, but there are still loads of fun titles that can be played entirely offline on mobile, PC, and gaming consoles. Here are 12 of the best offline strategy games worth playing. Download Aven Colony for Xbox One Download Aven Colony for PC The 40 or so single-player campaigns will keep most gamers busy when playing offline, however, the multiplayer is also recommended for those that can get an internet connection....

Here’s a list of 12 useful tips for Microsoft Excel for Android. Add these tasks to your resume of spreadsheet skills and you’ll be the coolest Excel mobile user on your team. Note: The following directions apply to Excel for Android on phones and tablets. Here are a few typing tips: Type text: Double tap a cell, type your text, then tap the green check mark. After you’re done typing, tap Enter to move to the cell below....