Samsung has fully presented the new generation of secure Tactical Edition smartphones. These are the Samsung Galaxy S23 Tactical Edition and XCover6 Pro Tactical Edition models.

They were first presented back in May, but then Samsung partially revealed the characteristics and did not even show the device. Third-party images showed a generally ordinary Galaxy S23 and XCover6 Pro. As you can see in the latest images, there is little that is usual in terms of design in the new products. However, the external “armor” is removable.

The outer protective shell of both devices is much more impressive than that of most “professional” rugged smartphones. And all because the Tactical Edition line is aimed primarily not at ordinary consumers, but at the military. To create such devices, Samsung cooperates with the US Department of Defense.

From the point of view of characteristics typical for smartphones, these models are completely identical to their civilian counterparts. All features revolve around protection.

The Galaxy S23 Tactical Edition and XCover6 Pro Tactical Edition come pre-configured with software and custom drivers to support tactical radio protocols and mission-specific devices, including access to drone data and laser rangefinder information. They can also be connected to secure tactical communications systems and use a stealth mode that disables LTE and e-911 by disabling all RF transmissions (including GPS) in hardware. This ensures that communications are secure and completely disconnected from the network.

In particular, the devices are pre-installed with the ATAK (Android Team Awareness Kit, which provides precise targeting, reconnaissance, navigation during military operations and data exchange) and BATDOK (Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Observation Kit, which tracks in real time monitoring the vital signs of an injured soldier – it simplifies the work of a physician when providing emergency care).

The software defined radio interface has the ability to receive data from a third party SDR receiver such as Flight Aware or other third party frequency band specific radios. There’s also an auto-answer feature for hands-free calls and the ability to record and prevent outgoing calls, which Samsung says is useful in hostage negotiations.

The outer protective shell consists of an Armor Aluminum frame and a durable military-grade case. This is just a case, and the smartphone can be taken out of it. Actually, then all the features of the devices will be reduced to unique software.

Microsoft today introduced the new Surface Laptop Studio 2. Inheriting the unusual design of the first-generation convertible laptop, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 eliminates its main drawback – low power at a high price.

As Microsoft notes, this is “the most powerful Surface we’ve ever built.” “Under the hood” the new product has 13th generation Intel Core processors (i7-13700H or i7-13800H), Nvidia RTX 4050 or RTX 4060 graphics, up to 64 GB of RAM and up to 2 TB of storage.

Studio 2 also offers several new connectivity options: it has two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, a microSD card reader, and support for the Surface Slim Pen 2. There’s also a new customizable, more responsive touchpad. The 58 Wh battery provides up to 19 hours of battery life. Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 starts at $1,999.

Microsoft has announced the release date for the next major feature update to the Windows 11 operating system. The version is labeled 23H2 and will become available on September 26, 2023.

The update will include a new AI-powered Windows Copilot feature, a redesigned Explorer, a new Ink Anywhere feature for stylus users, significant improvements to the Paint graphics editor, native support for RAR and 7-zip files, a new volume mixer, and more.

Windows Copilot is a major new feature in Windows 11 23H2 that brings the Bing Chat chatbot directly to the Windows 11 desktop. The new Copilot appears as a sidebar, making it easy to manage settings on your PC, launch apps, or simply get answers to questions. Copilot is also integrated throughout the operating system, with Microsoft executives demonstrating the use of Copilot to write text messages using data from your calendar, Outlook, and more.

Ink Anywhere lets you handwrite with a Surface Pen or other stylus in any text field, anywhere on Windows. The OS converts what the user writes into text. There will also be built-in RGB lighting controls for gaming devices such as keyboards, mice, monitors, case fans, and so on.

The improved Windows Backup app will allow you to back up data to your PC when you want to move to a new device. Existing settings will automatically be transferred to the new PC, even pinned applications in the Start menu and taskbar, all applications from the Microsoft Store will be automatically restored.