Stories by Brad Chacos

Windows Phone's no-show at Build drives home Microsoft's mobile neglect

Is Windows Phone a dead platform walking? Microsoft didn't even mention its mobile OS during the Build 2016 keynote, and sadly, it shouldn't come as a surprise.

Microsoft envisions a future where Cortana and a legion of smart bots act as our butlers

Microsoft's Conversations as a Platform initiative thinks that machine learning and natural language could revolutionize computing.

Hell freezes over: Microsoft partners with Ubuntu to bring Bash shell to Windows 10

You read that right: The popular Bash shell command is coming to Windows 10, with Ubuntu's help.

Pornhub's wild, free VR porn channel will blow your mind

Pornhub has teamed up with BadoinkVR to bring free VR porn to the masses.

Six reasons why I love being a PC gamer

Consoles have their advantages but, from cheap games to flexible hardware, PC gaming has won my heart.

HTC delays the release of its SteamVR-powered Vive virtual reality headset until 2016

This isn't exactly a surprise. HTC’s timeline for the Vive always seemed wildly ambitious, and it stands to profit more from putting out a good VR product than a premature, nausea-inducing VR product.

So long, Radeon 5000 and 6000: AMD quietly retires all pre-GCN graphics cards

The introduction of AMD's new Radeon Software Crimson software marks the end of the road for the Radeon 5000 and 6000 series graphics cards.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 950 review: Bringing more oomph to budget gaming PCs

Nvidia's new GeForce GTX 950 delivers a better-than-consoles gaming experience for just $150.

Why Windows 10 isn't really free: The subtle new world of built-in costs

Windows 10 isn't really free. Realising why and how it isn't really free can help you understand why installing the operating system on 1 billion systems by 2017 is such a big deal for Microsoft--and why this version of Windows is very different at i...

Windows 10 superguide: Everything you need to know

After months of teasing, testing, and technical previews, Windows 10 is finally here, and it's one of the best operating systems Microsoft's ever released. Windows 10 weaves together the best parts of Windows 7 and Windows 8, adds a dash of compellin...

Killing Cortana: How to disable Windows 10's info-hungry digital assistant

Cortana, Microsoft's smart, snarky digital assistant, is one of the highlight features of Windows 10, imbuing the operating system with a sense of presence that never existed in previous versions of Windows. Cortana's natural language search capabili...

These graphics cards and processors support Windows 10's DirectX 12 graphics tech

Why can't I see DirectX 12 active in Windows 10?

5 must-know Windows 10 tips and tricks

Windows 10 is finally here, and Microsoft's latest, greatest operating system is chock full of tricks and tweaks that can enhance your experience--and tailor Windows to your personal needs. Here's a look at five of the most useful. (Pssst: Our massiv...

Windows 10 is a free upgrade for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users

It's official, folks: Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for existing Windows users--as long as you claim it quickly.

10 things Windows 10 does better than Windows 8 (+8 photos)

Did the PC market collapse because Windows 8 sucked, or did Windows 8 suck because Microsoft overcompensated for the PC market's collapse? It's a bit of a chicken-or-the-egg scenario, but one thing's certain: Windows 8 sucked.