In the run-up to the launch of Windows 10, there has been some confusion about whether it will be possible to buy a system running the latest OS on the big day. Dell has already made its position clear, and now HP has done the same.

If you want to pick up an HP computer running Windows 10 from a store, you'll have to wait until the beginning of August. But if you order ahead of time, systems will be ready for customers on July 28.

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Security developer Malwarebytes has unveiled Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac 1.0, the company’s first Mac product.

The new app hasn’t been coded from scratch, but is a rebranded (and updated) version of AdwareMedic, which was acquired by Malwarebytes back in March.

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Originally announced in April, One M9+ is HTC's most-impressive Android smartphone of the year so far, besting the One M9 global flagship. However, for some reason, HTC decided that it would only sell the device in a couple of Asian markets, forcing interested buyers in other parts of the globe to, basically, import the device.

Fortunately for those looking to get One M9+, HTC just announced that it is also making the Android device available in European markets. It looks like those in US will have to wait a bit longer for its official debut -- if it ever happens.

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Bad news, yet again, for those Windows users stubbornly refusing to leave XP. Microsoft might have ended support for the ancient OS back in April 2014, but it was still providing the Malicious Software Removal Tool and updates to Microsoft Security Essentials, offering a modicum of security.

However, as of this week, XP users will no longer receive those updates, leaving them exposed to more threats.

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Chinese technology conglomerate Xiaomi, best known for its low-priced and durable smartphones, has been aggressively working lately to increase its other product portfolios. The company today announces that it is refreshing its TV lineup by launching the Mi TV 2S.

As for the specifications, the Mi TV 2S sports a 48-inch display with 4K capability. With a waistline of 9.9mm and aluminum body, the television set is impressively thin too. But the company is not making any compromises on the internal components.

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Well, July 15th is behind us and Amazon's promise of deals bigger than Black Friday. If you were looking for Christmas in July, did you get it? I wasn't that impressed with the selection of Lightning Deals and exclusives, but perhaps you were. Or not. My purchase, and call me crazy (some commenter usually does): I plunked down $143.86 for two years of Kindle Unlimited, saving 40 percent off the $9.99 for each of 24 months. The bookstore will become my personal library of sorts. There are many books I would read and reference for my professional writing but not necessarily buy.

Briefly, Amazon offered the 32GB Nexus 6 for $399 and Echo for $129—that's $50 off. The smartphone sold out quick at that price but still remained available for $499 the rest of the day. The other device built up a waitlist before finally being closed out. The 6-inch Kindle sold for $49, discounted from $79, and was still available as Midnight approached here on the West Coast (where I live; BetaNews offices are Eastern Time).

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Is Windows RT a failure? Obviously it is. With that said, failing is not always a bad thing. Taking risks and trying new things is essential to a company's survival. Microsoft was smart to make a version of Windows for ARM processors. The problem, of course, is that ARM processors cannot run x86 software. Software availability and compatibility are Windows' greatest strengths -- consumers did not like losing this. Hell, many consumers did not even realize this when buying an RT machine, leading to returns and poor experiences.

Windows RT is not dead yet, however. Earlier today, Windows guru Gabe Aul dropped a bombshell on Twitter -- Windows 8.1 RT Update 3 will be available in September. Oh my. We knew some type of RT update was coming, but it is so exciting to get an approximate ETA. As the owner of a Surface 2 -- which I still love -- I am overwhelming elated. The problem? Aul did not share any details. Here are 5 things I am praying to get in the update. Do you think my wants are reasonable and probable?

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So, a possible RTM build of Windows 10 has been unleashed on Windows Insiders, just two weeks before launch day, and just two days after the suspension of build availability. As we're so close to the actual release, it would have been foolish to expect any major new features or changes here, but there have been important tweaks made to Microsoft Edge.

The main reason for build 10240's release may well be to test the upgrade process that will be used by millions of people, but it's also a chance for Microsoft to show off the performance of its new operating system. One thing the company is particularly proud of is just how fast Microsoft Edge, the successor to Internet Explorer, is.

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Earlier today The Verge stated that Windows 10 has been finalized, and Build 10240 was the version of the new OS that Microsoft has selected as the final Release To Manufacturing (RTM) copy. While Microsoft has just released that very build -- after briefly suspending updates -- it has neither confirmed nor denied its RTM status. The company has made it clear however, that Insiders can expect still more builds before the full version is released to the world at large on July 29.

However, what’s interesting is that Build 10240 isn’t an ordinary release. It has the bug fixes you’d expect from a new build, and the desktop watermark has been removed, but that’s not what’s most significant about it. RTM or not, Build 10240 serves a vital purpose.

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Microsoft has a new build for all its beta testers. The company announces today that it is releasing Windows 10 Build 10240 to both the Fast and Slow rings. What could be the RTM version (the final version of a product released to the manufacturers), the new build brings along several minor changes and a performance boost.

Chief among those features is the watermark, or its lack thereof, to be precise. That's right, the watermark as gone, which shows how close we're getting to the full thing. In the new build, Microsoft has also further optimized its Edge browser to make it more efficient. The company claims the new browser is significantly faster than Chrome, and has published different benchmarks to show its speedy superiority.

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Has Microsoft given up on Windows Phone? Will there be no new Lumia devices? Microsoft realizes the amount of debate and confusion it wittingly created earlier this month when it announced restructuring of its phone division, in which it showed the door to more than 7,000 employees. At the ongoing WPC event, the company went in-depth to convince people that it is still committed to doing great things with its mobile operating system.

At the event, Microsoft's Chief Operations Officer Kevin Turner made some new announcements. He boldly claimed that Microsoft will continue to make new Lumia smartphones -- and "killer" ones at that. He further noted that the recent restructuring at the company was done to make its phone platform grow profitability and become sustainable.

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The Internet of Things -- or IoT if you will -- is much more than just a buzzword. It's also much more than 'the next big thing'; it could be fundamental to the future of technology and how we interact with it. When we talk about the Internet of Things, we tend to do so in reference to the home and business -- but there is more to it than that.

There's a lot to consider when it comes to working with data gathered by various sensors built into smart devices, and the most recent game-changer has been unveiled by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi Aware certification has just been opened up with a view to enabling the creation of smart devices that can wirelessly exchange data directly, react to location, and discover other devices. This, rather than a connected fridge or oven, is what is exciting about the Internet of Things.

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Microsoft Research expects to almost triple the battery life of wearables through a technology called WearDrive which uses the aid of a smartphone.

The idea of the technology is to use the battery of the user’s smartphone to allow the wearable to handle high-battery consumption tasks, while also keeping the device on for a longer period of time.

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The iPad has been a game-changing product. While the tech world was skeptical of Apple's tablet at first, this was because most didn't understand it. You truly needed to hold it and use it to experience an "aha" moment.

With holding, however, comes dropping. From the start, it was clear that a case would be needed to protect the investment. Since the  iPad's release, there have been countless cases from many manufactures. Some were wonderful, many were terrible. Logitech, however, has always made great iPad accessories. Today, the company announces the BLOK case family for iPad. This is notable as these are the first products under its new Logi label.

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There has been talk over the past few days that Apple was planning to release updated iPods, and today the rumors are proved correct. As well as a new lineup of colors for all iPod models, including space gray, silver, gold, pink and blue, Apple has unveiled what it’s calling "the best iPod touch yet".

The new iPod touch features the same A8 chip as in the iPhone 6, delivering 10x faster graphics performance, an 8 megapixel iSight rear camera, and improved FaceTime HD front camera for selfie lovers. Fitness tracking is improved too thanks to the inclusion of the M8 motion coprocessor.

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