About three years back, I got my hands on a Framework computer. So while I only use it to record Windows footage, it’s one of the best Windows computers I’ve ever had. This is partly because of its great performance, but mostly because of its upgradability. So, whenever Framework announces new hardware, I’m all ears!
Updates to the 13 inch Framework laptop
Frameworks’ first announcement was an updated 13-inch laptop. So it’s great to see that they’re still sticking to their original design principles, by making everything upgradeable. So with their latest laptop offering we can see some cool design changes and even better performance.
This new revision is currently up for pre-order, as it will have the new AMD Risen AI 300 series processor, which has more cores and better integrated graphics. This means that not only will it support Microsoft Copilot +, but it’ll also be great for gaming, have WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and hopefully better battery life.
As Framework laptops have always been known for their impressive specs, easy repairability, and upgradability. We feel this is another exciting step in the right direction for more sustainable technology.
A new 12 inch Framework laptop
There’s a new laptop out called the Framework Laptop 12. Which is a 12 inch convertible 2-in-1, designed for people who are on a budget. But just like Frameworks other laptops, the 12 will be easy to fix and upgrade. So there will be no need to throw it away after a couple of years.
The Framework laptop 12 will come in five cool colours. It’s made of tough plastic with a metal frame, so it’s built to last. To make sure it runs smoothly, it’ll have a 13th Gen Intel Core processor and up to 48GB of DDR4-5200 RAM. It will also have a touchscreen and a stylus, so you can draw and write on it. Pre-orders are expected to start in the spring.
A new Framework desktop
I’m not sure about the new Framework desktop. While it’ll have a new AMD processor called the Risen AI Max. In order to boost performance, both the CPU and RAM will be soldered to the motherboard. Sure the new integrated Radeon 8060S graphics processor sounds cool. But for me the whole concept is a step backwards. As the desktop will be less upgradable or repairable than a typical PC desktop. But what do you think?
When did I lose my excitement for technology?
Unlike the days when Steve Jobs would stand on stage and enthral the world with “one last thing”. Most of today’s tech companies haven’t been innovating or taking risks. So the 2025 Framework Event, was the first time in ages that I was genuinely pumped to see what a tech company was up to.
While perhaps not as slick as an Apple event, there was more genuine excitement for what was being offered. So if you have been missing the days when we had exciting tech events, why not take a look?
Apple Inc and the British government
For a number of years the British government, either under the Conservatives or Labour, have been trying to regulate the Internet under the banner “to protect the children”. However, these attempts have either failed to materialise or are so ill-conceived that they look to remove protections or freedoms for the many, in order to try and catch a minority of wrong doers.
A case in point has been the current governments ham-fisted attempt to globally add back door access to Apples cloud services. There aim being to allow the Home Office to implement the Investigatory Powers Act, and force companies to release our private data to law enforcement agencies.
The problem with adding a backdoor to any encrypted service. Is that the back door can be found and attacked by hackers or bad actors. Making the whole point of encryption kind of pointless. So rather than removing high level encryption for all users globally. Apple decided to comply by removing high level encryption for only UK users.
This means that the UK public have now lost some of the protection that we once had with regard to data privacy and security. While the very people our government are looking to investigate have now been warned, and probably have moved to systems that will be even harder to access.
This months video releases
We’re excited to share a video with you this month on how to access Windows Advanced Startup. This handy feature can be a real lifesaver if you’re having trouble with Windows. So we’ve also included a quick overview of the troubleshooting tools it has available.
We’re also planning to release a video, on how you assign a static local IP address as part of our Synology BeeStation series. This will be super useful if you want to use your BeeStation as a file server for network shares. A topic that we’ll be covering next month.
For the rest of the month we will be returning to our Synology NAS series and releasing a video on how to configure the Firewall built into Disk Station Manager. Something that is very important if you intend to make your NAS accessible from the internet.
Then to follow on from that video. We will be demonstrating how you can use Windows and macOS terminal commands to test individual firewall ports on your NAS. Something that can be handy to know as you configure a firewall.
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