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What you need to know

• Microsoft just released Windows 11 Build 26236 to Insiders in the Canary Channel.
• The update adds a new account manager in the Start menu that shows if you have a subscription to Microsoft 365 or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
• There is an issue that prevents some Insiders from upgrading from Windows 11 Build 26040 or Build 23620, so you may not be able to upgrade to the latest Insider build.

Windows Insiders in the Canary Channel have a new build of Windows 11 to install. An update to Windows 11 Build 26236 is now available through the Canary Channel, and it includes a new feature that may prove controversial. The build starts the rollout of a new account manager within the Start menu that shows the status of your Microsoft subscriptions.

Microsoft shared an image of the new account manager in its blog post announcing the latest Insider build. The manager shows if you have a subscription to Microsoft 365, Xbox Game Pass, and how much OneDrive cloud storage you have and are using.

The update also includes some general improvements and fixes, as is often the case with Insider builds.

Microsoft notes that some Insiders may not be able to update their PCs due to an issue that can prevent some systems from upgrading from Windows 11 Build 26040 or Build 23620.

Who asked for this?

An account manager feature in the Windows 11 Start menu now in testing shows if you subscribe to Microsoft services. (Image credit: Microsoft)

I'm left wondering who asked for such a feature. Are there people unsure of if they have a Microsoft 365 or Xbox Game Pass subscription that need the ability to check their account status at a glance? And if there are those unsure about their subscription status, is the Start menu the right place to show that information?

The addition comes off as another attempt to push people to pay for Microsoft services. Microsoft has already added or is testing a wide range of ads in Windows 11, including a prompt to sign up for Game Pass in the Settings app, notifications to sign up for OneDrive, and recommended apps in the Start menu. The tech giant has other ways to monetize Windows as well, such as MSN content being pushed in the Widgets Panel and the Windows lock screen.

Assuming testing goes well, you'll soon have an indicator of any subscriptions you have right in the Windows 11 Start menu. Hopefully you can turn the feature off, as many people don't need to see a prompt to sign up for Game Pass every time they open the Start menu.

Hours after the release, users discovered that Windows Recall, the controversial AI feature in Windows 11 version 24H2, which was recently upgraded with additional privacy improvements, is getting a new option that lets you search the web for anything detected on the current snapshot. For example, you can click a word or phrase and look for it in the browser using your default search engine.

In addition, Alexander S (@alex290292 on X) discovered a new page in the "Privacy & Security" section inside the Settings app. Windows 11 will let you use it to manage access to generative AI features and review recent activity to see generative AI requests in the last seven days.

You can try those hidden features in Windows 11 build 26236 by executing a few commands using the ViVeTool app. Here is how to do it:

1. Download ViveTool from GitHub and unpack the files in any folder.
2. Launch Command Prompt as Administrator and navigate to the folder containing the ViVeTool files with the CD command. For example, if you have placed ViveTool in C:\Vive, type CD C:\Vive.
3. Type vivetool /enable /id:50566956 and press Enter to turn on the "Search the web" feature in Recall.
4. Type vivetool /enable /id:51407079 and press Enter to turn on the new privacy settings page.
5. Restart your computer.

As a reminder, Microsoft recently suspended the Windows 11 24H2 rollout due to unknown reasons, but the company plans to resume it in a few weeks.

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Here is the change log:

Changes and Improvements

 

[General]

 

This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

 

[Start menu]

 

This update starts the roll out of the new account manager on Start menu. When you sign in with a Microsoft account, the new design gives you a quick glanceable view of your account benefits and makes it easy to manage account settings.

 

 

New account manager experience on the Start menu showing account settings and an action needed that needs to be taken to secure your Microsoft account.

 

Fixes

 

[Taskbar]

 

• Fixed an issue causing the taskbar to not appear for a small number of Insiders in the last couple flights.

 

[Audio]

 

• Fixed an underlying issue which was causing the preferred audio volume (under Settings > System > Sound > Volume Mixer) for Microsoft Edge to not persist across restarting the app.

 

Known issues

 

[General]

 

• [IMPORTANT NOTE] We are investigating reports that some Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels are stuck on Build 26040 or Build 23620. The investigation is ongoing, however if you are impacted by this and really want to get onto the latest build in the Canary or Dev Channel today – you can download the latest ISO here and do a clean install and opt your device back into flighting in the Canary or Dev Channels.

 

[Task Manager]

 

[New] We’re investigating an issue where the colors in the Performance section aren’t displaying correctly in dark mode.

You can check out the full blog post here.

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This appears to be another minor update as the change log is nearly identical to the one that was posted for the last preview build. The one change is a previously known bug that stated some users may encounter boot issues with creating secure-boot Gen 2 VMs has now been listed as resolved. Here is the full change log:

What's New

 

Delegated Managed Service Accounts (dMSA)

 

A new account type known as delegated Managed Service Account (dMSA) is now available that allows migration from a traditional service account to a machine account with managed and fully randomized keys, while disabling original service account passwords. Authentication for dMSA is linked to the device identity, which means that only specified machine identities mapped in AD can access the account. Using dMSA helps to prevent harvesting credentials using a compromised account (kerberoasting), which is a common issue with traditional service accounts.

 

To learn more about dMSA, visit https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/security/delegated-managed-service-accounts/delegat....

 

Windows Server Flighting is here!!

 

If you signed up for Server Flighting, you should receive this new build automatically later today. For more information, see Welcome to Windows Insider flighting on Windows Server - Microsoft Community Hub

 

The new Feedback Hub app is now available for Server Desktop users!

 

The app should automatically update with the latest version, but if it does not, simply Check for updates in the app’s settings tab.

 

 

Known Issues

 

[RESOVLED] Secure-boot Gen2 VMs created using ISO media may not boot: Some users may encounter boot issues when creating secure-boot Gen 2 VMs. Disabling secure-boot allows the Gen2 VM to boot successfully. This will be addressed in a future release.

Upgrade does not complete: Some users may experience an issue when upgrading where the download process does not progress beyond 0%. If you encounter this issue, please upgrade to this newer build using the ISO media download option. Download Windows Server Insider Preview (microsoft.com)

 

Access denied error when using Diskpart --> Clean Image on Winpe.vhdx VMs created using WinPE: Create bootable media | Microsoft Learn. We are working to resolve this issue and expect to have it fixed in the next preview release.

 

Download Windows Server Insider Preview (microsoft.com)

 

Flighting: The label for this flight may incorrectly reference Windows 11. However, when selected, the package installed is the Windows Server update. Please ignore the label and proceed with installing your flight. This issue will be addressed in a future release.

 

 

Setup: Some users may experience overlapping rectangle voids following mouse clicks during "OOBE" setup. This is a graphics rendering issue and will not prevent setup from completing. This issue will be addressed in a future release.

 

WinPE - Powershell Scripts: Applying the WinPE-Powershell optional component does not properly install Powershell in WinPE. As a result, Powershell cmdlets will fail. Customers who are dependent on Powershell in WinPE should not use this build.

 

If you are validating upgrades from Windows Server 2019 or 2022, we do not recommend that you use this build as intermittent upgrade failures have been identified for this build.

 

This build has an issue where archiving eventlogs with "wevetutil al" command causes the Windows Event Log service to crash, and the archive operation to fail. The service must be restarted by executing "Start-Service EventLog" from an administrative command line prompt.

 

If you have Secure Launch/DRTM code path enabled, we do not recommend that you install this build.

 

Available Downloads

 

Downloads to certain countries may not be available. See Microsoft suspends new sales in Russia - Microsoft On the Issues

 

Windows Server Long-Term Servicing Channel Preview in ISO format in 18 languages, and in VHDX format in English only.

 

Windows Server Datacenter Azure Edition Preview in ISO and VHDX format, English only.

 

Microsoft Server Languages and Optional Features Preview

 

Keys: Keys are valid for preview builds only

 

• Server Standard: MFY9F-XBN2F-TYFMP-CCV49-RMYVH
• Datacenter: 2KNJJ-33Y9H-2GXGX-KMQWH-G6H67
• Azure Edition does not accept a key

 

Symbols: available on the public symbol server – see Using the Microsoft Symbol Server.

 

Expiration: This Windows Server Preview will expire September 15, 2024.

You can download the new Windows Server preview from Microsoft's site and check out the full blog post here.

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This week, Microsoft quietly published more details about its requirements in a new support document. The company says a Microsoft Account (MSA) and an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) is required. Not just that though as it also adds separately that Cocreator requires a Copilot+ PC which means the NPUs must deliver 40 TOPS or higher performance.

It writes:

Sign-in requirement

 

This feature makes use of the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to generate images locally on your computer. There are no restrictions on how many images you can generate. However, to use Cocreator, you need to sign in with your Microsoft account and be connected to the internet to access cloud services that ensure safe use of AI.

A guide has also been posted on the same document on how to user Cocreator in Paint:

Using Cocreator

 

To use Cocreator, you need a Copilot+ PC announced by Microsoft this spring. You also need to update the Microsoft Paint app to the latest version available in the Microsoft Store. Then, follow these steps:

 

• Open Microsoft Paint and select the Cocreator icon on the toolbar to see the side pane.
• Enter a text prompt in the box. For example, you can type "a cat in a garden" or "a spaceship in the sky". Be as descriptive as you can of the elements in your drawing.
• Start drawing on the canvas with your mouse or stylus. You can use any tools or colors you want. For best results, use the colors you desire in the output, broader brush strokes and the fill up the canvas as much as you can.
• As you draw, you will see AI generating artwork in the side pane based on your text and sketch.
• Adjust the Creativity level by moving the slider. Lower creativity means less AI input and the output will be closer to your sketch. Higher creativity means more AI input and the output will be more imaginative and diverse.
• Select a Style option from the drop-down menu. You can choose art styles like watercolor and oil painting to customize the artwork you create.
• When you are satisfied with your artwork, simply click the generated image in the side pane to apply it to the Paint canvas. You can keep editing it or save it.

You can find the official support document here on Microsoft's website.

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Here is the official changelog:

• Windows 11 version 24H2 support added.

• New Program support added.

• Bug fixes.

And here is the list of new drivers:

You can download driver 6.05.28.016 from the official website. Before installing the latest update, beware of the following known issues:

• Some driver names on a non-English OS may appear in English.
• The Uninstall Summary may incorrectly display the uninstall status as Failed.
• Occasionally, Ryzen PPKG may not install/upgrade.

AMD Chipset Software driver 6.05.28.016 is available for the following platforms:

Supported operating systems include only 64-bit Windows 10 and 11. Also, AMD is dropping Windows 10 chipset drivers for the upcoming Ryzen 9000 Series processors.

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Microsoft says the KB5039213 update for Windows 11 21H2 has finally fixed the BitLocker 65000 error that had been plaguing systems for a while. On its Windows health dashboard website, the tech giant writes:

Resolution: This issue was resolved by Windows updates released June 11, 2024 (KB5039213), and later. We recommend you install the latest security update for your device. It contains important improvements and issue resolutions, including this one.

For the time being, the company had provided a workaround:

Workaround: To mitigate this issue in Microsoft Intune, you can set the “Enforce drive encryption type on operating system drives” or "Enforce drive encryption on fixed drives" policies to not configured.

Microsoft first confirmed the issue back in October of last year, and nearly six months later, the company had finally fixed the problem on Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2. Now, the issue has finally been resolved on version 21H2 as well.

If you have not been following this, the bug was related to BitLocker CSP when utilising the FixedDrivesEncryptionType or SystemDrivesEncryptionType policy settings. The BitLocker configuration service provider (CSP) is used by enterprises to manage the encryption of PCs and other devices. According to Microsoft, a "65000" error code was being displayed in the "Require Device Encryption" setting on Intune for Mobile Device Management (MDM) when selecting either "full encryption" or "used space only."

The company, however, had assured that this was a reporting issue only and did not affect BitLocker encryption in any other way.

You can find Microsoft's support article here on its Windows health dashboard website.

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JayzTwoCents (4.07M subscribers)

June 12, 2024

Video length: 14m 53s

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DirectAccess is the latest feature to hit the list of deprecated features in Windows client and server editions. For those unfamiliar, DirectAccess was introduced in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 as a new method for clients to connect to their corporate networks without installing a VPN. However, with time, Microsoft developed new network capabilities to improve the experience, and now it is ready to replace DirectAccess with a better alternative.

According to the official documentation, Microsoft suggests migrating from DirectAccess to Always On VPN:

DirectAccess is deprecated and will be removed in a future release of Windows. We recommend migrating from DirectAccess to Always On VPN.

Microsoft has a dedicated page that describes why users should move from DirectAccess to Always On VPN and how IT admins can implement the change. You can check it out on the official Microsoft Learn website.

Besides DirectAccess and NTLM, in 2024, Microsoft deprecated Driver Verifier GUI, NPLogonNotify and NPPPasswordChangeNotify APIs, TLS server authentication with short RSA keys, and Test Base for Microsoft 365.

As a reminder, deprecated and removed features are not the same. Components that are no longer in active development may remain in the operating system for a while and even continue to work. However, they do not receive new functionality or fixes. Eventually, Microsoft deletes them from Windows, as was the case with WordPad, which is no longer part of the upcoming Windows 11 version 24H2 update.

You can track the list of deprecated features in client Windows versions here. Recently, we also published a list of features Microsoft no longer develops in Windows Server 2025, so check it out here.

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Windows 11 23H2 and 22H2

Highlights

 

This update addresses a known issue that affects the taskbar. It might briefly glitch or not respond. It might also disappear and reappear.

 

Improvements

 

Windows 11, version 23H2

 

This security update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:

 

• This build includes all the improvements in Windows 11, version 22H2. No additional issues are documented for this release.

 

Windows 11, version 22H2

 

This security update includes improvements that were a part of update KB5037853 (released May 28, 2024). When you install this KB:

 

• This update addresses an issue that affects lsass.exe. It stops responding. This occurs after you install the April 2024 security updates on Windows servers.
• This update addresses an issue that might stop your system from resuming from hibernate. This occurs after you turn on BitLocker.
• This update addresses an issue that affects lsass.exe. It leaks memory. This occurs during a Local Security Authority (Domain Policy) Remote Protocol (LSARPC) call.
• If you installed earlier updates, only the new updates contained in this package will be downloaded and installed on your device.

 

Known issues in this update

 

Microsoft is not currently aware of any issues with this update.

Windows 11 21H2

Highlights

 

• This update addresses security issues for your Windows operating system.

 

Improvements

 

This security update includes improvements. When you install this KB:

 

• New! This update affects Server Message Block (SMB) over Quick UDP Internet Connections (QUIC). It turns on the SMB over QUIC client certificate authentication feature. Admins can use it to restrict which clients can access SMB over QUIC servers. To learn more, see Configure SMB over QUIC client access control in Windows Server.
• This update affects the version of curl.exe that isin Windows. The version number is now 8.7.1.
• This update addresses an issue that affects lsass.exe. It stops responding. This occurs after you install the April 2024 security updates on Windows servers.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a machine that hosts a remote desktop session. You get stop error RDR_FILE_SYSTEM (0x27). Because of this, all users are signed out from the machine.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a Microsoft Entra ID account. Devices cannot authenticate a second one. This occurs after you install the Windows update, dated November 13, 2023.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) and Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA). When you use them with SMBdirect in your networks, the networks fail. You also lose the ability to manage clusters.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Containers. They do not move past the “ContainerCreating” status.
• This update brings Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date for certain mobile operators.
• This update addresses an issue that might stop your system from resuming from hibernate. This occurs after you turn on BitLocker.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). The issue copies unsigned WDAC policies to the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) disk partition. It is reserved for signed policies.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Enhanced Fast Reconnect. It fails. This occurs when you use it with third-party remote desktop protocol (RDP) providers.
• This update addresses an issue that affects dsamain.exe. It stops responding. This occurs when the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) runs evaluations.
• This update addresses an issue that affects lsass.exe. It leaks memory. This occurs during a Local Security Authority (Domain Policy) Remote Protocol (LSARPC) call.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a cloud file. Windows deletes it, even though the cloud provider has canceled the delete request.

 

Known issues in the update

 

Applies to	Symptom	Workaround
All users	After installing this update, you might be unable to change your user account profile picture.   When attempting to change a profile picture by selecting the button Start> Settings> Accounts > Your info, and then selecting Choose a file, you might receive an error message with error code 0x80070520.	We are working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release.

These updates will be available from Windows Update and should install automatically in most cases. If you would like to download these updates for offline installation then you can get them from the Microsoft Catalog website. You can find the updates for 23H2 and 22H2 here and the update for 21H2 here.

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Fortunately, all those annoyances are now gone.

Microsoft has updated the official release notes for KB5037959 to clarify that taskbar issues in the latest non-security updates are now gone. The company fixed the problem using the Known Issue Rollback technique that can remotely mend affected systems without them having to uninstall updates, install additional patches, restart, or perform any other user action.

If you are a regular customer on builds 22621.3662 or 22621.3662, there is nothing you have to do to apply the fix. However, it might take up to 24 hours before the resolution gets to your non-managed computers. If you want to speed things up, just restart your system.

As for IT admins, they can fix the broken taskbar in Windows 11 KB5037959 using special group policies:

IT administrators can resolve this issue by installing and configuring the special Group Policy listed below. The special Group Policy can be found in Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > .

 

For information on deploying and configuring these special Group Policy, please see How to use Group Policy to deploy a Known Issue Rollback.

 

Group Policy downloads with Group Policy name:

 

• Download for Windows 11, version 23H2 and 22H2 -Windows 11 22H2 KB5037853 240505_142035 Known Issue Rollback

All the feature changes and improvements in KB5037959 are expected in the June 2024 Patch Tuesday Updates, which should land later today. They include the fixed address bar in File Explorer, a new Linked Devices page in the Settings app, the slightly cursed "Account Manager" in the Start menu, the built-in QR generator for links, and more. Also, expect the operating system to receive plenty of security updates to make your devices safer.

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The major highlight of the release is the VPN issue fix in addition to security patches.

Highlights

 

• This update addresses a known issue that might cause your VPN connection to fail. This occurs after you install the update dated April 9, 2024, or later.

After a couple of weeks without any, known issues are back:

Known issues in this update

Some of the older Windows 10 versions have also received updates today, which have been listed below with their respective release notes (KB) linked as well as links to download them at Microsoft's Update Catalog:

It is noteworthy here that Windows 10 20H2 and Windows 10 1909 reached the end of servicing. Some editions of 21H2 have also reached the end of servicing.

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Firefox 127 also brings a big update for the built-in screenshot tool. You can now take screenshots in SVG and XML and screenshot more pages. Also, the tool now features better accessibility and additional keyboard shortcuts.

What is new in Firefox 127?

New features:

• You can now set Firefox to automatically launch whenever you start or restart your Windows computer. Setting Firefox to auto-launch optimizes efficiency in our browser-centric digital routines, eliminating manual startup delays and facilitating immediate web access. (Learn more)
• We completed work to optimize and enable DNS prefetching for HTTPS documents via the rel="dns-prefetch" link hint. This standard allows web developers to specify domain names for important assets that should be resolved preemptively.
• It is now possible to close all duplicate tabs in a window with the Close duplicate tabs command available from the List all tabs widget in the tab bar or a tab context menu.
• Firefox will now automatically try to upgrade img, audio, and video elements from HTTP to HTTPS if they are embedded within an HTTPS page. If these so-called mixed content elements do not support HTTPS, they will no longer load.
• For added protection on MacOS and Windows, a device sign in (e.g. your operating system password, fingerprint, face or voice login if enabled) can be required when accessing and filling stored passwords in the Firefox Password Manager about:logins page.

Changes:

• To reduce user fingerprinting information and the risk of some website compatibility issues, the CPU architecture for 32-bit x86 Linux will now be reported as x86_64 in Firefox's User-Agent string and navigator.platform and navigator.oscpu Web APIs.
• Links and other focusable elements are now tab-navigable by default on macOS, instead of following macOS' "Keyboard navigation" setting. This is a more accessible default and matches the default in all other platforms. A checkbox in the settings page still allows users to restore the old behavior.
• The Screenshots feature in Firefox has gotten a big update! It now supports taking screenshots of file types like SVG, XML, and more as well as various about: pages within Firefox. We've also made the screenshot tool more accessible to everyone by implementing new keyboard shortcuts and adding theme compatibility and High Contrast Mode (HCM) support. And finally, performance for capturing large screenshots has been improved.

Security fixes in Firefox 127 are listed here. Developer information is available here, and Firefox for Enterprise 127 release notes are available here. You can update Firefox to version 127 by heading to Menu > Help > About Firefox.

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Similar to Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, and Big Sur, macOS Sequoia features two default abstract-looking wallpapers. This time, they resemble the view you get when standing next to the incredibly tall Sequoia trees as the sun's rays peek through.

Here is the light version in its 6,400 x 3,552 pixels glory:

[For the large original image, right-click on the image and select "Save image as..." (or equivalent)]

And here is the dark version in the same high resolution:

[For the large original image, right-click on the image and select "Save image as..." (or equivalent)]

Unlike macOS, Windows does not support dynamic theme switching. Still, you can make it toggle between dark and light wallpapers using third-party apps like Auto Dark Mode and WinDynamicDesktop, which are available for free in the Microsoft Store.

macOS Sequoia is currently available as a developer preview. Apple plans to release the first public beta version in July, with the general rollout scheduled later this fall. The operating system contains some interesting new features like the ability to mirror your iPhone screen and control it from your Mac, system-wide ChatGPT and Apple Intelligence integration (writing tools, image generation, and richer Siri capabilities), iPhone notifications on Mac, better window tiling, the new Passwords app, iMessage upgrades, and more.

If you are willing to risk it and try macOS Sequoia right now, go to the official Apple Beta Software Program website and enroll your Mac. Keep in mind that the first beta versions are usually very bug-prone and unstable, so it is not the best idea to use them on mission-critical devices.

Besides macOS Sequoia, Apple announced iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, new audio and TV features, and other software improvements that will be coming later this year. You can also get new iOS 18 wallpapers here.

Credit for the wallpapers goes to Basic Apple Guy.

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A grab bag of new features in macOS 15 Sequoia.

Apple

 

Most owners of aging Intel Macs got a bit of a reprieve today when Apple announced macOS 15 Sequoia—this new macOS release will run on the vast majority of the hardware that can currently run macOS 14 Sonoma. Intel Macs released between December of 2017 and 2020 are mostly eligible for the new update, though newer models with Apple Silicon chips will be needed to support some of the new features.

 

Apple's full support list for Sequoia is as follows:

 

Generally, all of these Macs include Apple's T2 chip, a co-processor installed in late-model Intel Macs that bridged the gap between the Intel and Apple Silicon eras. There are two exceptions. The biggest is the 2018 MacBook Air, which did come with an Apple T2 but also shipped with a weak dual-core processor and integrated GPU that Apple has apparently decided aren't up to the task of handling Sequoia. The other is the 2019 iMac, which for whatever reason shipped without a T2. Apple says the iPhone mirroring feature does require the T2 chip, so it presumably won't work on the 2019 iMac.

 

The Apple Intelligence AI features will all require an Apple Silicon Mac—they will run on anything with an M1 chip or newer. Live audio transcription in the Notes app will also require an Apple Silicon chip.

 

Apple hasn't said exactly when it plans to stop releasing new macOS updates for Intel Macs, but based on its current pace, Sequoia could be the end of the line. Whatever Apple decides to do next year, Intel Macs without an Apple T2 are definitively in the company's rearview mirror.

 

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Using macOS S15 Sequoia to stream an iPhone's screen to a Mac while the iPhone stays locked.

Apple

 

Apple has formally announced macOS 15 at its Worldwide Developers Conference. Codenamed Sequoia, the new release brings a combination of iOS 18 features and a few Mac-specific things to the devices it supports.

 

Users who split their time between Windows and macOS will be the most excited to see that Apple has finally implemented a form of automated window tiling in macOS. This makes it easier to arrange windows automatically on your screen without manually dragging and resizing each one individually or switching into full-screen mode.

 

Another feature called iPhone Mirroring sends your iPhone's screen to your Mac, so you can use apps directly on your phone while manipulating them using your Mac's keyboard and trackpad. The iPhone audio is also streamed to your Mac. For privacy's sake, your phone's screen stays locked while apps are streaming to your Mac, and your Mac can also receive your iPhone notifications alongside your Mac notifications (no word on how the operating systems will handle duplicate notifications from Messages, Calendar, or other apps that are getting the same updates on both platforms).

 

For gamers, Apple has announced the second version of its Game Porting Toolkit, which makes it easier to bring Windows games to macOS and macOS games to iOS and iPadOS.

 

Some of the changes also mirror those that Apple announced in the iOS and iPadOS portions of the presentation—including RCS support and expanded Tapback reactions in Messages, a redesigned Calculator app that mirrors the one introduced on the iPad, and the Math Notes feature for typed-out equations in the Notes app. All of Apple's platforms, plus Windows, are also getting a new Passwords app that should be able to replace many standalone password managers like 1Password and Bitwarden.

 

All of Apple's operating systems will also benefit from some of Apple's new AI-driven capabilities, including image generation and an updated Siri driven by a large language model (LLM). In Apple's demo, Siri was aware of the contents of your screen, could directly manipulate apps, and understood the context of previous requests while processing follow-up requests. The entire operating system will also get support for a "summarize" feature for written text, allowing users to highlight portions of an email or note and allowing the operating system to sum them up. Voice Memos and the Phone app will also pick up new transcription and summarization capabilities, and an Image Playground app will allow you to generate custom images and emoji in Messages, Notes, and other apps.

 

Apple Intelligence features will generally require a Mac with an Apple M1 chip or newer, though we'll need more details on where Apple is drawing the lines between locally-processed and cloud-processed AI features.

 

A developer beta of macOS Sequoia will be released today, followed by more refined public betas in July. Per usual, the full release will be available this fall.

 

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DuckDuckGo has released an AI-powered portal to some of the most popular chabots and said it will not disclose or otherwise use what users type into the window to train up large language models — the basis for the generative AI (genA) tech.

“Chats are private, anonymized by us,” DuckDuckGo lead designer Nirzar Pangarkar wrote in a blog post. “Our mission is to show the world that protecting your privacy online can be easy.”

DuckDuckGo AI Chat currently allows users to access four popular AI chatbots: Open AI’s GPT 3.5 Turbo, Anthropic’s Claude 3 Haiku, Meta Llama 3, and Mistral’s Mixtral 8x7B) — the latter two, open-source models. The optional AI Chat feature is free to use within a daily limit, and can easily be switched off.

The feature can be accessed through duck.ai or duckduckgo.com/chat on a user’s search results page under the Chat tab, or via the !ai and !chat bang shortcuts. “They all take you to the same place,” Pangarkar said.

The company is also working to add access to more chat models and browser entry points. “We’re also exploring a paid plan for access to higher daily usage limits and more advanced models,” Pangarkar said.

In its blog, the company cited a recent report from the Pew Research Center showing adults in the US have a negative view of AI’s impact on privacy, even as they’re feeling more positive about the technology’s potential impact in other areas. About 80% of those familiar with AI indicated its use by companies will lead to personal information being used in ways they won’t be comfortable or for which it wasn’t originally intended to be used.

At the same time, Pew research also shows a steady uptick in the share of US adults using chatbots for work, education, and entertainment.

Credt: DuckDuckGo

Last year, the search engine released an AI-powered instant answer service called DuckAssist as part of a larger plan to integrate AI across its lineup. DuckAssist uses technology from ChatGPT maker OpenAI as well as Anthropic to generate its own answers to certain types of question.

DuckAssist, however, isn’t a chatbot; the company insists it was an upgrade to its Instant Answers feature, which allows users to submit a query and get comprehensive answers without the need to click on a result.

“We believe people should be able to use the Internet and other digital tools without feeling like they need to sacrifice their privacy in the process,” Pangarkar said. “So, we meet people where they are, developing products that add a layer of privacy to the everyday things they do online. That’s been our approach across the board — first with search, then browsing, email, and now with generative AI via AI Chat.”

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ExplainingComputers (1.02M subscribers)

May 9, 2024

Video length: 14m 20s

00:44 Windows 10 Updates

05:48 Windows on Arm

10:38 AI Integration

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The toggle responsible for displaying Android smartphones in File Explorer was spotted by @PhantomOfEarth on X:

Upon turning the feature on, Windows 11 will prompt you to send a permission request to your smartphone so that the OS can access files on it:

Select 'Send notification' to send a permission request to your Android device. Open the notification, and turn on the toggle next to Link to Windows.

Once permission is granted, you should be able to access your smartphone from Windows 11's File Explorer.

A deeper integration of Android devices into File Explorer in Windows 11 sounds very convenient and exciting. Sadly, there is not that much information about how the feature will work, assuming Microsoft will ship it to the general public. Therefore, we will have to wait for more details from Microsoft. You can expect the feature to show up in the Windows Insider Program before heading to all users in the Stable Channel.

In case you missed it, Microsoft recently made it possible to use Android smartphones as wireless webcams for your computer. This feature can save you a couple of hundred dollars on a high-end webcam or replace your current one with a much better alternative. The company is also working on AI-generated smart replies for text messages.

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The privacy-focused web browser experienced substantial growth in Latin America, where the browser became one of the top apps in the Google Play Store in several countries.

Using the historical method, the Brave's monthly active users (MAU) reached 78.95 million, a 7.3% increase from April. Daily active users (DAU) hit 28.64 million, a 4.3% rise from the previous high. Brave also reported a 28-day average of 27.27 million, reflecting a 4.32% increase.

As Brave Search is the default search engine for Brave Browser, it also saw increased growth due to the additional users.

According to the company, Brave Search queries per month (QPM) reached 843.02 million, a 2.97% increase when adjusted for 31 days. This equals an annual rate of 9.95 billion searches. On May 28, Brave Search peaked at 28.69 million queries per day (QPD), a 5.9% increase.

Brave's founder, Brendan Eich, announced the numbers in a post on X, warning that the growth will likely slow down in the coming summer due to school breaks and vacations.

"We are entering summer, so we're on lookout for the notorious (for browser makers) "summer slump" effect likely due to school breaks, vacations, & more time outdoors in many climes," Eich noted in a thread on X.

EU DMA also helped Brave

On X, Brave previously reported that daily iOS installations jumped to over 11,000 after Apple implemented DMA's guidelines, allowing users to choose their default browser easily in the EU.

Brave will likely continue experiencing growth in the coming years, but getting close to Chrome's 65% market share will be a tough uphill battle.

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The new version of Outlook for Windows will roll out a feature in August that will allow it to share local Office app files:

When users are in Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint apps, and they want to share a file that is saved locally in their device (not stored in a cloud location), the new Outlook for Windows will show up as a share target and they will be able to easily email the file.

The new Outlook for Windows app and the web version will also add some new search features soon:

Users will be able to scope their search suggestions down to specific entities such as Files, People, Mail etc in order to sort through their suggestions more easily. They will be able to navigate from the suggestion directly to the entity tab in their search results

That feature will be available in a preview version in July, with a full rollout in August. Finally, the roadmap has a listing for the new Outlook Windows app for a feature that won't be rolled out until (not a typo) March 2025. It will add support for opening .pst files in the app.

The initial version of PST support in new Outlook for Windows will enable users to open "*.pst" files (a.k.a. Outlook Data Files), read all e-mail messages within the "*.pst" file, and search e-mail messages within the ".pst" file. This initial support is limited to Mail items and is read-only. All Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks data saved in the "*.pst" files are still there, but they cannot be accessed in this initial version.

The Microsoft Teams app for PC and Mac will add an expanded gallery view in July:

When meeting window is minimized, participants can enlarge the small view of Teams meeting to a new bigger gallery view, making it easier to multitask on screen and stay aware of meeting events. Users can choose the size of the minimized gallery view window from the following options: one participant visible in the minimized window, 4 participants visible in the minimized window, fully minimized, or fully expanded.

Teams for PC, Mac, and the web will make it easier to find apps in August.

With enhanced app discovery users can easily discover and use apps they've previously used in group chats, channels, and meetings, allowing them to consent to use the app everywhere in Teams with one click.

Those same Teams platform will get some new chat features in July:

Chat users can have access to contextual information including members, pinned messages, shared files and links, and entry point to contextual search from this canvas.

The Excel app for PC, Mac and the Web will add a new data summary feature in July:

Add a single formula to summarize column data into one cell. Today, full column calculations produce a unique result in each row, but this new feature gives you the option to calculate all data in a column together to return one result. You can also create a row with formulas that apply for relevant columns; for example, an "add total sales row" will add a SUM formula underneath every column that has sales data.

Finally, the roadmap site says that the OneNote app for Mac will add support for the Copilot digital AI assistant sometime in December.

That's our latest look at the Microsoft 365 Roadmap site for the week. We will be back next Sunday to do this all over again.

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On the opposite end of the spectrum are such systems which are deemed incapable of running the OS due to certain necessary bits that are missing. Such was the case with old processors without NX-bit (Never eXecute) and PAE (Physical Address Extension) where they would fail to run anything newer than Windows 7. Microsoft had introduced the two memory-based features back in the day to enhance the memory security of Windows using Data Execution Prevention (DEP).

But the segmentation of supported vs unsupported CPUs back then was even trickier than it is today. If you recall, Microsoft had updated the CPU requirements for Windows 10 for the 2018 release (version 1809) and although on paper it added support for new Qualcomm chips, users began reporting (1, 2) that certain older CPUs like Intel's Pentium M series (Dotham family) were not able to run anything newer than version 1709 as Windows 10 version 1803 or 1809 would display the error message "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL."

X user and technology enthusiast Bob Pony has found a way to run newer versions using tweaked version 1709 WinPE (Windows Preinstallation Environment) on officially unsupported old processors:

However, not everyone would be able to do so as users whose CPUs lack NX-bit and PAE are still out of luck. As mentioned above, certain CPUs like Intel's Pentium M 765 can install Windows 10 - versions 1803, 1809, 20H2, 21H2, and 22H2 - with this bypass method but others like the M 755, despite belonging to the same Dotham family of CPUs, would fail. This is because the latter does not support NX bit or in Intel's case, eXecute Disable (XD) bit.

You can check whether your CPU supports NX bit and PAE using the HWiNFO utility, a very handy hardware monitoring tool. At the time of writing, the latest release of the software is version 8.02.

Inside HWiNFO's Main Window, go to the "Central Processor(s)" section (Ryzen 7 5700G in my case), and you should see "Physical Address Extension" under the Standard Feature Flags and "No Execute" under the Extended Feature Flags listed as Present. (In the case of Intel, it may be labelled as "Execute Disable bit")

The list also contains POPCNT and SSE (Streaming SIMD Extensions) 4.2 so you can also check those to confirm if your processor will support Windows 11 24H2 or not. You can also check for SSE3 as Edge will also stop working on CPUs without it.

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