Michael Muchmore

New York

Lead Software Analyst at PCMag

Now on Threads: https://t.co/hHpCZhSaP4 Software reviewer for @pcmag. (Background image: last-ever cover of print PCMag)

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Articles

Apple Is Years Behind Google and Microsoft in AI. How Soon Will It Affect Sales?

2 days ago | pcmag.com | Michael Muchmore

Apple hasn't delivered on the AI experiences it premiered at last year's WWDC. It seriously risks losing device sales and market share if it continues to neglect Apple Intelligence. (Credit: Zooey Liao; Apple/OpenAI/Google/Microsoft) At Apple's 2024 Worldwide Developer Conference, I sat in the baking sun outside the company's glass spaceship-like headquarters in Cupertino while Craig Federighi described the marvelous capabilities of Apple Intelligence.
Windows 10 vs. Windows 11: Should You Upgrade Now?

4 days ago | me.pcmag.com | Michael Muchmore

Price You can no longer buy a Windows 10 license from Microsoft or third parties such as Amazon, Best Buy, or Micro Center. However, you canstill find older PCs for sale that run Windows 10. Upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is also still free. This is an improvement over the free upgrade offer from Windows 8 to Windows 10, which lasted just a year after the OS’s release. So, how do we compare the price of these OS versions? In a sense, both are free since they come preinstalled on a PC.
Tired of Google Search? These Are the Best AI Search Engines

1 week ago | au.pcmag.com | Michael Muchmore

Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot (among others) have successfully made AI chatbots mainstream and serve as viable alternatives to standard web search engines. In turn, the standard search engines from those companies (along with alternative ones) have adopted some AI elements. Bing, for example, now offers the Copilot Search feature that shows you the AI's reasoning process. Meanwhile, Google's AI Overviews provide a summary of findings at the top of a results page.
Quantum Computing Threatens the Security of Our Data. Can Microsoft Protect You?

2 weeks ago | pcmag.com | Michael Muchmore

In 2024, Chinese researchers at Shanghai University determined that a quantum computer could crack popular encryption algorithms that VPNs, web browsers, and even government computers rely upon. That’s not a comforting thought, since most of our financial assets and personal information is accessible on the internet.
Musk's Grok AI Comes to Microsoft Azure. Why Am I Not Surprised?

2 weeks ago | pcmag.com | Michael Muchmore

PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. At the Build developer conference, it was revealed that xAI's Grok 3 and Grok 3 mini AI models are being added to Azure. Here's why Microsoft is ignoring Grok's sketchy history. (Credit: Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images) The close relationship between Microsoft and OpenAI is no secret.
At Build, Microsoft Makes It Clear That Autonomous AI Is Here to Stay. Should You Be Worried?

2 weeks ago | pcmag.com | Michael Muchmore

Announced at its Build developer conference, Microsoft is adding independent AI Agents across Windows and the web. But what does that mean for you and your data? Truly independent (and potentially sinister) AI agents have long been a societal fear, dating back to sci-fi radio shows in the 1950s. And, now more than ever, it’s scary to think about what autonomous AI can do with a seemingly limitless supply of data.
What to Expect at Microsoft Build 2025 and How to Watch

3 weeks ago | pcmag.com | Michael Muchmore

It’s that time of year again. The Microsoft faithful are making their way to the Northwest to get their heads filled with Azure, Copilot, Edge, M365, SQL Server, Visual Studio, and even a smidge of Windows. If they’re lucky, they may get a celebration at Lumen Field or T-Mobile Park. That’s right, Microsoft Build is here, running from May 19–22 in person at the Seattle Convention Center and online around the world.
Photo Variants

3 weeks ago | uk.pcmag.com | Michael Muchmore

Photo Variants differs from most photo editing software in one big way: It’s free (with the option to donate to its developers). The app provides basic image corrections, along with graphics and fonts, raw camera file support, retouching tools, and some workflow capabilities. That said, some actions take a while to perform, and you don't get the AI features, chromatic aberration corrections, or noise reduction tools of competitors.
I'm Ignoring the Warnings About Microsoft Recall, and You Should Too

3 weeks ago | pcmag.com | Michael Muchmore

All the fear and loathing about Microsoft’s Recall feature forCopilot+ PCs seems overblown to me. And, besides, the few positive reports are more intriguing, anyway. That's why I decided to try Recall on my Snapdragon-based Copilot+ Surface Laptop running Windows 11. In case you're just catching up, Recall lets you search and page through your PC activities in a timeline, and take actions on the content with AI.
Adobe Premiere Pro vs. Apple Final Cut Pro: Which Video Editing App Should You Use?

1 month ago | me.pcmag.com | Michael Muchmore

PriceAdobe Premiere Pro requires a Creative Cloud subscription. You have three main options: an annual plan you pay up front ($263.88), an annual plan you pay monthly ($22.99 per month), or a month-to-month plan ($34.49 per month). Adobe also offers more affordable plans for students and pricier ones for businesses. If you want the entire Creative Cloud suite, which includes Audition, Photoshop, Illustrator, and a raft of other Adobe creative software, you need to pay $59.99 per month.