Microsoft

7 of the best laptop brands of 2019

To survive in today’s world, a laptop is almost a necessity. Whether you’re a contractor using a 2-in-1 to show off floor plans or a college student who needs a Chromebook for class, they make life that much easier.  But with all the name brands offering every laptop you could possibly imagine, how could you…


To survive in today’s world, a laptop is almost a necessity. Whether you’re a contractor using a 2-in-1 to show off floor plans or a college student who needs a Chromebook for class, they make life that much easier. 

But with all the name brands offering every laptop you could possibly imagine, how could you possibly know the best ones to shop from?

At first glance, that’s not an easy question to answer since there are laptops capable of doing everything you could possibly want or need. It can be even harder when trying to separate them by brand and trying to find out what advantages some companies offer over others.

Luckily, we’re here to help make that search a little easier. From reviews, body design, brand alternatives, and more, we’ve figured out the best laptop brands to shop from in 2019. 

Best reviewed

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Image: Lenovo
The Good

Excellent reviews across the board • Wide selection of laptops

The Bad

Poor customer support

The Bottom Line

With a huge selection of laptops, Lenovo is the brand to lean on for consistently positive reviews.

1. Lenovo

While you wouldn’t think it, Lenovo is the brand to check out if you’re looking for some of the best reviewed laptops out there.

  • Popular line:ThinkPad
  • Chromebooks available:No
  • 2-in-1s available:Yes
  • Available at:Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy
$1,759 from Amazon
A laptop could look like the best thing ever on paper, but if it’s poorly reviewed, that could be the kiss of death. Positive reviews, especially when it comes to laptops, are still the best barometer to go by when looking for a new device. And for 2019, no brand has been as well reviewed as Lenovo.
At first glance, you may find it surprising that Lenovo is the best reviewed laptop brand, especially when put up against other names like Apple or HP. While these aren’t poorly reviewed, it’s simply the fact that, laptop to laptop, Lenovo keeps a level of consistency across its products that contribute to those positive reviews.
The ThinkPad line is Lenovo’s go-to line of laptops for anyone looking for an excellent, well-rounded laptop like the T470. The biggest reasons for this is a sturdy design and build quality, fast performance under the hood, and an excellent battery life. The X1 Carbon reviewed extremely well across the board, too, from the likes of CNET, PCMag, and LaptopMag. Common praises went to the Carbon’s thin design and battery life, among other features.
Those are just two examples of the positive reviews Lenovo laptops have received in 2018. On the whole, Lenovo has kept a level consistency that has been reflected in those positive reviews, and if that matters in finding your perfect laptop in 2019, Lenovo is a go to choice.

Best customer support

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Image: apple
The Good

Excellent customer service • macOS offers smooth performance

The Bad

No major changes to hardware • Limited choice

The Bottom Line

Customer support can make or break someone’s experience, and no one does it better with laptops than Apple.

2. Apple

Apple doesn’t just offer premium laptops, but premium customer service as well to ensure those MacBooks keep going.

  • Popular line:MacBook
  • Chromebooks available:No
  • 2-in-1s available:No
  • Available at:Amazon, Best Buy
$2,799 from Amazon
As great as modern technology is, we still haven’t reached a point where everything works 100% of the time (and we probably never will). That’s why it’s important to have good customer support to keep the user base happy. And no company does that better right now than Apple.
In a way, it’s almost a necessity for Apple to invest in its customer support given the quality of their products. That doesn’t mean the 2018 MacBook is low quality, it’s the opposite. Because Apple products are of a certain quality, it only makes sense customers would expect the same of its customer support.
Thankfully, Apple consistently lives up to its user’ expectations. Agents respond quickly to questions about functions or possible difficulties, whether it be on the Apple website or social media. If you need to get your MacBook serviced, you can take it to the closest Apple store to get it  checked out. That kind of boots on the ground support is practically unrivaled in this space.
And if you have AppleCare+, accidental damage is covered for those drops and cracks. There will be repair fees, but it’s still better than dropping another $2,800 on a new MacBook Pro.
Customer support can make or break most people’s experiences with a company, though it’s true you tend to hear more about negative experiences than positive ones. Thankfully, Apple has been able to stay on the opposite side of that, so if you need your MacBook checked out, you’ll be in good hands.

Best for gaming

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Image: razer
The Good

High-end gaming on the go • Surprisingly thin design

The Bad

Extremely limited choice

The Bottom Line

Razer offers desktop power in a thin, laptop body for any gamers on the go.

3. Razer

When it comes to PC gaming, Razer is a premiere name offering premium laptops.

  • Popular line:Blade
  • Chromebooks available:No
  • 2-in-1s available:No
  • Available at:Amazon, Best Buy
$1,499 from Amazon
When it comes to PC gaming, the right name does make a difference. Sure, companies like Asus might offer their own gaming laptops, but in this space, there might be no better name than Razer.
Started in 2005, Razer broke into PC gaming with the Boomslang mouse and it was off to the races. Today, Razer peripherals are among the best products you can get to fill out a gaming setup. Whether it’s a mouse with high DPI for movement, a mechanical keyboard with mechanical switches for faster input, or a THX-infused surround sound headset, you can find some of the best accessories on the market from this company.
In the last few years, Razer also expanded into gaming laptops with the Razer Blade line. As opposed to other gaming laptops that lean on the bulkier side, Razer has been able to pack plenty of power into extremely slim bodies. 
The model that captures this best is the 4K version of Razer Blade Pro 17. Packing a GeForce GTX 1080 and Intel Core i7 processor, it isn’t lacking for power in any way. And since it’s VR ready, you’ll finally be able to get yourself an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. There’s also the Razer Blade Stealth for anyone who doesn’t have the dime to drop on the Blade Pro 17. Just keep in mind, af

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Microsoft

Microsoft Server Software Comes Under Widespread Cyberattack

Breadcrumb Trail Links Home PMN Business Share this Story : Microsoft Rushes to Stop Hackers from Wreaking Global Havoc Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Microsoft Rushes to Stop Hackers from Wreaking Global Havoc Hackers exploited a security flaw in common Microsoft Corp. software to breach governments, businesses and other organizations across the

Microsoft Rushes to Stop Hackers from Wreaking Global Havoc

Hackers exploited a security flaw in common Microsoft Corp. software to breach governments, businesses and other organizations across the globe and steal sensitive information, according to officials and cybersecurity researchers.

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(Bloomberg) — Hackers exploited a security flaw in common Microsoft Corp. software to breach governments, businesses and other organizations across the globe and steal sensitive information, according to officials and cybersecurity researchers.

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Microsoft over the weekend released a patch for the vulnerability in servers of the SharePoint document management software. The company said it was still working to roll out other fixes after warnings that hackers were targeting SharePoint clients, using the flaw to enter file systems and execute code.

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Multiple different hackers are launching attacks through the Microsoft vulnerability, according to representatives of two cybersecurity firms, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. and Google’s Mandiant Consulting.

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Hackers have already used the flaw to break into the systems of national governments in Europe and the Middle East, according to a person familiar with the matter. In the US, they’ve accessed government systems, including ones belonging to the US Department of Education, Florida’s Department of Revenue and the Rhode Island General Assembly, said the person, who spoke on condition that they not be identified discussing the sensitive information.

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Representatives of the Department of Education and Rhode Island legislature didn’t respond to calls and emails seeking comment Monday. A Florida Department of Revenue spokesperson, Bethany Wester Cutillo, said in an email that the SharePoint vulnerability is being investigated “at multiple levels of government” but that the state agency “does not comment publicly on the software we use for operations.”

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The hackers also breached the systems of a US-based health-care provider and targeted a public university in Southeast Asia, according to a report from a cybersecurity firm reviewed by Bloomberg News. The report doesn’t identify either entity by name, but says the hackers have attempted to breach SharePoint servers in countries including Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Spain, South Africa, Switzerland, the UK and the US. The firm asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the information. 

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In some systems they’ve broken into, the hackers have stolen sign-in credentials, including usernames, passwords, hash codes and tokens, according to a person familiar with the matter, who also spoke on condition that they not be identified discussing the sensitive information.

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“This is a high-severity, high-urgency threat,” said Michael Sikorski, chief technology officer and head of threat intelligence for Unit 42 at Palo Alto Networks Inc. 

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“What makes this especially concerning is SharePoint’s deep integration with Microsoft’s platform, including their services like Office, Teams, OneDrive and Outlook, which has all the information valuable to an attacker,” he said. “A compromise doesn’t stay contained—it opens the door to the entire network.” 

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(Bloomberg) — Hackers exploited a security flaw in common Microsoft Corp. software to breach governments, businesses and other organizations across the globe and steal sensitive information, according to officials and cybersecurity researchers.

Article content

Microsoft over the weekend released a patch for the vulnerability in servers of the SharePoint document management software. The company said it was still working to roll out other fixes after warnings that hackers were targeting SharePoint clients, using the flaw to enter file systems and execute code.

Article content
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Story continues below

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Multiple different hackers are launching attacks through the Microsoft vulnerability, according to representatives of two cybersecurity firms, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. and Google’s Mandiant Consulting.

Article content
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Hackers have already used the flaw to break into the systems of national governments in Europe and the Middle East, according to a person familiar with the matter. In the US, they’ve accessed government systems, including ones belonging to the US Department of Education, Florida’s Department of Revenue and the Rhode Island General Assembly, said the person, who spoke on condition that they not be identified discussing the sensitive information.

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Representatives of the Department of Education and Rhode Island legislature didn’t respond to calls and emails seeking comment Monday. A Florida Department of Revenue spokesperson, Bethany Wester Cutillo, said in an email that the SharePoint vulnerability is being investigated “at multiple levels of government” but that the state agency “does not comment publicly on the software we use for operations.”

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Story continues below

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The hackers also breached the systems of a US-based health-care provider and targeted a public university in Southeast Asia, according to a report from a cybersecurity firm reviewed by Bloomberg News. The report doesn’t identify either entity by name, but says the hackers have attempted to breach SharePoint servers in countries including Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Spain, South Africa, Switzerland, the UK and the US. The firm asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the information. 

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In some systems they’ve broken into, the hackers have stolen sign-in credentials, including usernames, passwords, hash codes and tokens, according to a person familiar with the matter, who also spoke on condition that they not be identified discussing the sensitive information.

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“This is a high-severity, high-urgency threat,” said Michael Sikorski, chief technology officer and head of threat intelligence for Unit 42 at Palo Alto Networks Inc. 

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“What makes this especially concerning is SharePoint’s deep integration with Microsoft’s platform, including their services like Office, Teams, OneDrive and Outlook, which has all the information valuable to an attacker,” he said. “A compromise doesn’t stay contained—it opens the door to the entire network.” 

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Tens of thousands — if not hundreds of thousands — of businesses and institutions worldwide use SharePoint in some fashion to store and collaborate on documents. Microsoft said that attackers are specifically targeting clients running SharePoint servers from their own on-premise networks, as opposed to being hosted and managed by the tech firm. That could limit the impact to a subsection of customers.

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A Microsoft spokesperson declined to comment beyond an earlier statement.

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“It’s a dream for ransomware operators,” said Silas Cutler, a researcher at Michigan-based cybersecurity firm Censys. He estimated that more than 10,000 companies with SharePoint servers were at risk. The US had the largest number of such firms, followed by the Netherlands, the UK and Canada, he said. 

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The breaches have drawn new scrutiny to Microsoft’s efforts to shore up its cybersecurity after a series of high-profile failures. The firm has hired executives from places like the US government and holds weekly meetings with senior executives to make its software more resilient. The company’s tech has been subject to several widespread and damaging hacks in recent years, and a 2024 US government report described the company’s security culture as in need of urgent reforms.

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The Center for Internet Security, which operates a cybersecurity information sharing system for state and local governments in the US, found more than 1,100 servers that are at risk from the SharePoint vulnerability, said Randy Rose, the organization’s vice president of security operations and intelligence. Rose said more than 100 were likely hacked.

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The Washington Post reported that the breach had affected US federal and state agencies, universities, energy companies and an Asian telecommunications company, citing state officials and private researchers.

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Eye Security was the first to identify that attackers were actively exploiting the vulnerabilities in a wave of cyberattacks that began on Friday, said Vaisha Bernard, the company’s chief hacker and co-owner.

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Eye Security said the vulnerability allows hackers to access SharePoint servers and steal keys that can let them impersonate users or services even after the server is patched. It said hackers can maintain access through backdoors or modified components that can survive updates and reboots of systems.

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The SharePoint vulnerabilities, known as “ToolShell,” were first identified in May by researchers at a Berlin cybersecurity conference. In early July, Microsoft issued patches to fix the security holes, but hackers found another way in.

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“There were ways around the patches,” which enabled hackers to break into SharePoint servers by tapping into similar vulnerabilities, said Bernard. “That allowed these attacks to happen.” The intrusions, he said, were not targeted and instead were aimed at compromising as many victims as possible. After scanning about 8,000 SharePoint servers, Bernard said he has so far identified at least 50 that were successfully compromised.

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He declined to identify the identity of organizations that had been targeted, but said they included government agencies and private companies, including “bigger multinationals.” The victims were located in countries in North and South America, the EU, South Africa, and Australia, he added.

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—With assistance from Lynn Doan, Cameron Fozi, Daniel Cancel, Aashna Shah, Jane Lanhee Lee and Patrick Howell O’Neill.

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(Updates with additional information beginning in third paragraph.)

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Arkane Founder: ‘I Think Game Pass is Unsustainable’

The founder and former president of Arkane Studios Raphaël Colantonio, who left in 2019, took to social media weighing on the huge Microsoft and Xbox layoffs. “Why is no-one talking about the elephant in the room? Cough cough (Gamepass),” said Colantonio (spotted by VideoGamesChronicle). He added…

The founder and former president of Arkane Studios Raphaël Colantonio, who left in 2019, took to social media weighing on the huge Microsoft and Xbox layoffs.
“Why is no-one talking about the elephant in the room? Cough cough (Gamepass),” said Colantonio (spotted by VideoGamesChronicle).
He added…
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Microsoft

In the Wake of Xbox Layoffs, Founder of Dishonored and Prey Dev Arkane Slams Game Pass: ‘Why Is No-One Talking About the Elephant in the Room?’

Hot on the heels of the layoffs that have swept through Xbox, the founder of Microsoft-owned Arkane Studios has hit out at Game Pass, whose subscription model he called “unsustainable.” Raphael Colantonio, who founded the Dishonored and Prey developer and served as its president before leaving in 2017 to start Weird West maker WolfEye Studios

Hot on the heels of the layoffs that have swept through Xbox, the founder of Microsoft-owned Arkane Studios has hit out at Game Pass, whose subscription model he called “unsustainable.”

Raphael Colantonio, who founded the Dishonored and Prey developer and served as its president before leaving in 2017 to start Weird West maker WolfEye Studios, took to social media to ask: “Why is no-one talking about the elephant in the room? Cough cough (Gamepass).”

When asked to expand on his thoughts on Game Pass, which Weird West launched straight into as a day one title in March 2022, Colantonio said: “I think Gamepass is an unsustainable model that has been increasingly damaging the industry for a decade, subsidized by MS’s ‘infinite money,’ but at some point reality has to hit. I don’t think GP can co-exist with other models, they’ll either kill everyone else, or give up.”

Colantonio’s comment sparked a vociferous debate about the pros and cons of Game Pass in industry terms as well as for the customer. Microsoft’s subscription service has been called many things over the years: the death of the video game industry; the savior of smaller developers who benefit greatly from payments made by Microsoft to secure their games; and everything in between. During the great Xbox FTC trial to decide the fate of Microsoft’s $69 billion aquisition of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard, then PlayStation boss Jim Ryan claimed that he had talked to “all the publishers” and that, unanimously, they all hated Game Pass “because it is value destructive.” He also said Microsoft “appears to be losing a lot of money on it.”

Back in 2021, Xbox boss Phil Spencer countered Game Pass doomsayers, saying: “I know there’s a lot of people that like to write [that] we’re burning cash right now for some future pot of gold at the end. No. Game Pass is very, very sustainable right now as it sits. And it continues to grow.”

That was four years ago. What about now, in the wake of cuts that have seen Rare’s Everwild, the Perfect Dark reboot, and an unannounced MMO in the works at developer behind The Elder Scrolls Online all canceled?

Colantonio’s comments were backed by a number of industry peers, including the former VP of biz dev at Epic Games. Michael Douse, publishing director at Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian, said that the biggest concern right now revolves around what happens when all that money runs out. This, Douse added, is “one of the main economic reasons people I know haven’t shifted to its business model. The infinite money thing never made any sense.”

(It’s worth noting that Baldur’s Gate 3 has so far not launched in Game Pass or PlayStation Plus.)

Colantonio then ridiculed Microsoft’s insistence that launching games into Game Pass did not impact sales, only to later admit the contrary.

Douse responded to to say he prefers the Sony way of doing things. Sony’s PlayStation Plus policy is to keep first-party games off the subscription service at launch, only adding them some time later. That’s why you won’t see this year’s Sony’s Ghost of Yotei launch straight into PS Plus, but you will see Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 as a day one Game Pass launch.

“The economics never made sense, but at the same

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Microsoft

Microsoft denies shutting down operations in China

Microsoft China denied it would cease operations in the country, after a screenshot of an internal email from Wicresoft, a Microsoft outsourcing partner, fueled speculation about a potential exit. On Monday, several employees of Wicresoft shared screenshots of layoff emails on social media. The email cites geopolitical tensions and shifts in the global business landscape

Microsoft China denied it would cease operations in the country, after a screenshot of an internal email from Wicresoft, a Microsoft outsourcing partner, fueled speculation about a potential exit. On Monday, several employees of Wicresoft shared screenshots of layoff emails on social media. The email cites geopolitical tensions and shifts in the global business landscape [……
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