News: Software News

AMD 22.2.2 driver has Warhammer III and Smart Access Memory optimizations

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 20:34:10 +0000

AMD's second graphics driver update of February has gone live, this time bringing optimizations for Total War: Warhammer III and the Smart Access Memory technology. Aside from carrying the cool little 22.2.2 version number, today's Adrenalin software also marks 20 years of AMD releasing standard driver updates.

Looking at its innards, support for Creative Assembly's Total War: Warhammer III arrives just in time for the game's release, though AMD has not gone into detail about what sort of fixes or optimizations it has performed for the title. Keep in mind this is a recommended install for anyone jumping in with a Radeon graphics card. While Elden Ring is still missing from the supported list, we should see another driver drop by next week for that.

Next up are the AMD Smart Access Memory optimizations, and there are hefty upgrades. Compared to the previous Adrenalin 22.2.1 release, the new driver sports performance boosts of up to 24% on rigs carrying Ryzen CPUs with integrated graphics and Radeon GPUs. Here are the benchmarks straight from AMD:

Up to 24% increase in performance in Assassin's Creed Valhalla™ @ 1080p Ultra High settings, using Radeon™ Software Adrenalin 22.2.2 on the Ryzen 9 5900HX and Radeon RX 6800M, versus the previous software driver version 22.2.1.
Up to 23% increase in performance in Battlefield™ 5 @ 1080p Ultra settings, using Radeon™ Software Adrenalin 22.2.2 on the Ryzen 7 5800H and Radeon RX 6600M, versus the previous software driver version 22.2.1.
Up to 18% increase in performance in Borderlands 3™ @ 1080p Badass settings, using Radeon™ Software Adrenalin 22.2.2 on the Ryzen 9 5900HX and Radeon RX 6800M, versus the previous software driver version 22.2.1.
Up to 17% increase in performance in F1® 2021 @ 1080p Ultra High settings, using Radeon™ Software Adrenalin 22.2.2 on the Ryzen 7 5800H and Radeon RX 6600M, versus the previous software driver version 22.2.1.
Up to 12% increase in performance in Gears 5™ @ 1080p High settings, using Radeon™ Software Adrenalin 22.2.2 on the Ryzen 7 5800H and Radeon RX 6600M, versus the previous software driver version 22.2.1.
Up to 11% increase in performance in Fortnite™ @ 1080p Ultra settings, using Radeon™ Software Adrenalin 22.2.2 on the Ryzen 7 5800H and Radeon RX 6600M, versus the previous software driver version 22.2.1.
Up to 10% increase in performance in Cyberpunk® 2077 @ 1080p Ultra settings, using Radeon™ Software Adrenalin 22.2.2 on the Ryzen 9 5900HX and Radeon RX 6800M, versus the previous software driver version 22.2.1.

While no bug fixes are detailed on the release notes, here are the known issues that AMD is still working on resolving:

Some users on Windows® 10 operating system may observe the absence of the windows transparency aero effect.
While playing Cyberpunk 2077™ on some AMD Graphics Products such as Radeon® RX 570 Graphics, some users may observe an issue where indoor areas appear darker than expected.
Stuttering or lower than expected FPS values may be experienced by some users while playing God of War™ on some AMD Graphics Products such as Radeon® RX 6900 XT Graphics.
Enhanced Sync may cause a black screen to occur when enabled on some games and system configurations. Any users who may be experiencing issues with Enhanced Sync enabled should disable it as a temporary workaround.
Radeon performance metrics and logging features may intermittently report extremely high and incorrect memory clock values.

The new Radeon Software Adrenalin 22.2.2 driver is available for download via the standalone links on the release notes page. The Radeon Settings app on Windows also has upgrade options to this driver, with the download appearing in its Optional section.

AMD 22.2.2 driver has Warhammer III and Smart Access Memory optimizations

Edge Canary makes it easier for you to install web apps across all your devices

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 06:27:38 +0000

Image credit: Leopeva64-2 (Reddit)

Microsoft Edge Canary is where you get introduced to new features on an almost daily basis. As spotted by Reddit user Leopeva64-2, the company has recently added a new feature to the Canary channel, and it has one purpose: to make it easier for you to install web apps on all your devices.

If you're using Edge Canary on more than one PC and are using the same Microsoft account on all your devices, you can switch between devices without having to go through the pain of installing all your important websites as web apps once again. All the websites that you installed as web apps will now appear on the Apps page of all your other devices. Once you switch to another device running the same version of Edge, it's really easy to install those web apps with just a single click.

Image credit: Leopeva64-2 (Reddit)

As you can see in the above screenshot, the previously-installed websites are now grayed out, ready to be installed on another computer. You can click on the 'Install' button that appears on the right side of each available app, and you'll get back all those web apps that you originally installed on a different computer. You can find the list of available apps on the Apps page under the 'Your available apps' section.

As mentioned, the feature is available for Edge Canary users only. However, since it's a "controlled rollout", the feature is not available for all users on the Canary channel.

Edge Canary makes it easier for you to install web apps across all your devices

Mozilla warns Chrome, Firefox ‘100’ user agents may break sites

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 03:17:28 +0000

Mozilla is warning website developers that the upcoming Firefox 100 and Chrome 100 versions may break websites when parsing user-agent strings containing three-digit version numbers.

A user-agent is a string used by a web browser that includes information about the software, such as the browser name, its version number, and the various technologies it uses.

When a person visits a website, the browser's user-agent is sent along with the request for a web page. This allows the web page to check the visitor's browser version and modify its response based on the features the browser supports.

For example, the current user-agent for Mozilla Firefox version 97 is:

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:97.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/97.0

Note, if you have the Firefox 'privacy.resistFingerprinting' setting set to 'True,' your user-agent will be locked to 'Firefox/78.0.'

For the current version of Google Chrome 98, the user-agent is:

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/98.0.4758.82 Safari/537.36

Mozilla warns of version 100 user-agent strings

In August 2021, Mozilla launched an experiment to see if the three-digit 'Firefox/100' user-agent string would cause problems with websites. Google soon followed with their own experiment for Chrome 100.

In both experiments, Mozilla and Google found a small number of websites that would not operate correctly when parsing a user-agent string that contained a three-digit version number.

Since then, Mozilla has been keeping track of web bugs caused by the version 100 change and has found problems on websites for HBO Go, Bethesda, Yahoo, Slack, and those created by the Duda website builder.

For the most part, these issues have ranged from the websites stating the browser is unsupported to user interface issues affecting portions of the site.

"Without a single specification to follow, different browsers have different formats for the User-Agent string, and site-specific User-Agent parsing. It’s possible that some parsing libraries may have hard-coded assumptions or bugs that don’t take into account three-digit major version numbers," Mozilla explains in a new blog post about the upcoming user-agent changes.

"Many libraries improved the parsing logic when browsers moved to two-digit version numbers, so hitting the three-digit milestone is expected to cause fewer problems."

Mozilla and Google will continue running experiments for version 100 user-agents until the browsers are released on March 29 for Chrome and May 3 for Firefox.

If there are issues with sites that Mozilla or Google cannot fix before these versions are released, both Google and Mozilla have backup plans ready to ensure the sites are not affected.

For Firefox, Mozilla has a site interventions mechanism to freeze the user-agent at Firefox/99 or inject CSS or other overrides to fix the bugs.

Similarly, Chrome plans to freeze the version shown in the user-agent string to 99 for problematic sites and report the actual version in another part of the user-agent string.

As for website developers and admins, Mozilla asks them to test if changing to the Firefox 100 and Chrome 100 user-agents break their websites.

This can be done by performing the following steps:

Configure Firefox Nightly to report the major version as 100

Open Firefox Nightly’s Settings menu.
Search for “Firefox 100” and then check the “Firefox 100 User-Agent String” option.

When enabled, the Firefox user-agent string will change to:

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:100.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/100.0

Configure Chrome to report the major version as 100

Go to chrome://flags/#force-major-version-to-100
Set the option to `Enabled`.

When enabled, the Chrome user-agent string will change to:

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/100.0.4758.102 Safari/537.36

If a problem is found, Mozilla asks developers to file a report on webcompat.com so that there is ample time to address any issues.

Mozilla warns Chrome, Firefox ‘100’ user agents may break sites

Here's what's changed and improved in Windows 11 build 22557 as well as known issues

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 20:47:25 +0000

As you may have already seen, Microsoft has just released Windows 11 build 22557 to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel after which those same Insiders had a two week break from testing the latest and greatest, not so it seems for the Windows Development teams, as they have added, changed and improved so much with this latest build, that we have split it between two articles.

Below you will find the Changes and Improvements for this build, which is extensive:

[Taskbar]

Drag and drop is now supported on the Windows 11 taskbar. Quickly drag and drop files between app windows, by hovering over apps in the taskbar to bring their windows to the foreground. Try attaching a file to an Outlook e-mail by dragging it and hovering over the Outlook icon in the taskbar to bring the window to the foreground. Once in the foreground, drop your file into the e-mail to attach it. You can also customize your taskbar with your favorite apps from Start’s All apps list by dragging and dropping over the taskbar to pin them. You can also drag and drop to the desktop via “Show desktop” at the very left corner of the taskbar.
For Insiders using Microsoft Teams for work and school that are using share any window from the taskbar, we have added a new visual indication to the taskbar that indicates which window is being shared. This is especially important when you have multiple applications running or where your attention is split across multiple monitors. When you choose to share a window in your Microsoft Teams call, the shared window will also now be surrounded by a colored border.

When using Share any window, we have added a new visual indication to the taskbar that indicates which window is being shared.

On PC’s with more than one color profile, you will be able to add a quick setting to switch more easily between these modes. On clean install, the Color profile button should not be pinned by default, but it might appear on upgrades.

The new color profile quick setting.

When casting (WIN + K) from your PC, a Cast icon will appear at the lower-left corner of your taskbar to show you are casting. Clicking the icon will open the Cast Quick Settings where you can quickly stop casting if needed. And expect more improvements coming for this experience.

The new Cast icon as it appears on the taskbar when casting to a display.

As discovered by Insiders with Build 22543, we have updated the battery charging indicator to use a lightning bolt instead of a power cable. This addresses feedback that it was not possible to see lower charging levels at-a-glance because they were obscured by the cable. It’s also consistent with other consumer electronics devices and reflects the evolving landscape of charging to include USB charging devices.

The updated battery charging indicator as shown on the taskbar.

[File Explorer]

File Explorer will now show previews of items within folders.

Folders now show previews of the contents within them in File Explorer.

When sharing a local file in File Explorer to Outlook – you can now compose an email message directly within the share window without having to go into Outlook directly. You will need Outlook Desktop Integration installed via the Store and this capability is not available for files stored in OneDrive folders as OneDrive has its own share experience. Also, the share window will now suggest contacts from Microsoft 365 to share the file to via Outlook.

Share a local file via Outlook in File Explorer a compose an email without leaving the share window.

[Search]

Searching for apps and settings in the Windows search box on the taskbar is now even faster and more accurate than before. Try searching for your favorite app or a setting you use frequently to see faster results. We’ve also fixed an issue that prevented Windows users from being able to search for an app in the first few seconds after it had been installed.

[Windowing]

We have updated the snap group visuals to include the desktop wallpaper to make it easier to differentiate your groups from normal windows. This will appear when using ALT + TAB, Task View, and in the taskbar previews. Additionally, ALT + TAB will now show as windowed for all Insiders running Build 22554 and up.

ALT + TAB showing the updated visuals for snap groups.

We are updating the transition animation that shows going from one snapped window state to another. Snap some windows using the snap assist, move windows from one configuration to another and observe the fluidity of the transition with our new animations.

The updated transition animation that shows going from one snapped window state to another.

Rotating your device between portrait and landscape orientation is snappier, more responsive.

We have made rotating your device between portrait and landscape more responsive.

We have reduced the number of notification sounds that play when you connect and disconnect docks and monitors.
It is now easier to move your cursor and windows between monitors, by letting your cursor jump over areas where it would previously get stuck. This behavior is controlled in settings with System > Display > Multiple displays > Ease cursor movement between displays.
We’ve made some small changes to the snapping options under System > Multitasking to help simplify them and make them easier to understand.

[Narrator]

Narrator now provides a new male natural voice called Guy. We introduced new natural voices for Narrator in Build 22543.

Narrator now provides a new male natural voice called Guy to download.

[Voice typing]

We are adding the ability for you to choose which microphone to use in voice typing if you have multiple microphones connected to your PC. [We are beginning to roll this change out, so it isn’t available to all Insiders just yet as we plan to monitor feedback before pushing it out to everyone.]
We are beginning to roll out the ability for you to use the following new commands in voice typing. [We are beginning to roll this change out, so it isn’t available to all Insiders just yet as we plan to monitor feedback before pushing it out to everyone.]

To insert this	Say this
Enter	“Press Enter”
Backspace	“Pres Backspace”, “Backspace”
Space	“Press space”, “Insert Space”
Tab	“Press Tab”, “Tab”

[Voice access]

A new setting to add punctuation automatically when dictating text has been added. You can turn it on by clicking on the settings icon on voice access UI and selecting automatic punctuation from “manage options”.
We added a new setting to filter profanity. This is on by default and any profane or sensitive words will be masked with asterisk (*) when dictating text or commanding. You can turn it off by clicking on the settings icon on voice access UI and selecting filter profanity from “manage options”.
It is now easier to use “show numbers” command as we have reduced the occurrence of number labels hiding the controls on windows UI and making it hard to understand the control under a number.
We improved feedback messages for unsupported languages.
We also improved feedback messages for using voice access when you have multiple displays setup.
We improved discoverability of using touch keyboard with voice to enter passwords or PINs, correcting mistakes, and spelling out words using “correct that” and “spell that” commands.

To do this	Say this
Correct the last dictated text	“Correct that”, “Spell that”
Correct specific text	“Correct [text]”, “Spell [text]”

[Graphics]

We’re expanding Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) experiences on laptops with 120Hz displays beyond smooth scrolling in Office and low latency inking. When you move the cursor, the system will now boost to 120Hz, making your PC feel more responsive. Touch and pen interactions blend into smooth animations in Windows UI and apps UI. Smooth scrolling is now supported not only in Office, but also in Microsoft Edge Canary and Windows UI such as the Settings app. To enable smooth scrolling on Edge Canary you need to enter the following in the address bar of a new tab: “edge://flags/#edge-refresh-rate-boost-on-scroll”, set the highlighted flag to ‘Enabled’ and then restart Edge.
The Windows HDR Calibration app is coming to Windows PCs soon – you’ll be able to improve color accuracy and consistency on your HDR display. For easier access, you’ll be able to access this app via the Windows settings under System > Display > HDR You may see an early access point in HDR settings in this build, but as the app is not live yet, it will simply lead you here.
This build introduces a feature called Optimizations for windowed games and is designed to significantly improve latency and unlock other exciting gaming features including Auto HDR and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). Latency improvements can benefit all gamers – from improving your input lag to creating a competitive edge in your gaming experience. Go to System > Display > Graphics > Change default graphics settings to enable the feature. Note that this feature may be already on by default and is also required to use other graphics features such as Auto HDR. To learn more, check out https://aka.ms/WindowedGameOptimizations.

[Input]

We’re working on adding an IME On/Off key to the touch keyboard small layout for the Japanese, Korean, and Chinese Traditional IMEs. For Insiders with only one keyboard this will be a standalone key on the left of the space key. If you have multiple keyboards the On/Off key is combined with voice typing – to access voice typing, simply press and hold the key. In addition, we’re adding small layout support for the Chinese Simplified Microsoft Pinyin and Microsoft Wubi IMEs. These changes are currently rolling out to a subset of Windows Insiders at first and we’ll expand over time based on feedback.

The small layout in the touch keyboard for the Japanese IME.

Updated some of the emoji based on feedback, including the smile with tear emoji, sakura emoji, and colored heart emojis.

Updated emoji in Build 22554.

Added a few new items to the kaomoji section in WIN + Period(.) based on feedback, including UwU.
Windows 11 now supports Hungarian for handwriting input as of this build. Pick up your pen and write using Hungarian in the handwriting input panel or handwriting keyboard, and have your handwriting be converted to text.

[Settings]

We’ve done some work to generally improve results when searching in Settings, including more relevant results and now have some flexibility for returning results in the case when the search terms have common typos.
We’ve increased the size of the icons in the Settings navigation pane to make them a bit easier to see.
To help customers give their PC a second life, or recycle it, we are including links in Settings to help customers find available programs. Some articles may not be localized.
Storage Sense will now be enabled by default for PCs going through OOBE. Your current settings will be persisted on upgrade. You can configure your Storage Sense settings under System > Storage.
Updated Settings Time & Language category and Date & time page to now include a live digital clock and information about currently selected option.
Updated the design of Network & Internet > Dial-up when you have a connection set up to align with the overall design of Settings in Windows 11.
We’ve made some adjustments to Personalization > Fonts to improve the design of the page, including that the drag and drop area for installing fonts is larger now.

[Windows Sandbox]

Aligning with Hyper-V behavior, even if you’re not in full screen mode, modifier keys and shortcuts (for example Windows key shortcut) will now be intercepted by Windows Sandbox if the window has focus.
Windows Sandbox now supports basic environment variable usage (like %USERPROFILE%) inside in mapped folder paths.

[Other changes]

We have updated the accessibility flyout on the login screen to align with Windows 11 design principles.

The accessibility flyout on the login screen now matches the Windows 11 design principles.

Insiders will notice the Mica material in more title bar surfaces. For example, the Run dialog now utilizes Mica.

The accessibility flyout on the login screen now matches the Windows 11 design principles.

TKIP and WEP are deprecated security standards and Windows 11 will no longer allow connections to those types starting with this build. Contact your network administrator or update your router to one that supports at least WPA2 (WPA3 is the current standard).
Similar to Windows 11 Home edition, Windows 11 Pro edition now requires internet connectivity. If you choose to setup device for personal use, MSA will be required for setup as well. You can expect Microsoft Account to be required in subsequent WIP flights.

This build also includes a bunch of fixes, which can be viewed below.

[General]

Fixed a recurring backgroundTaskHost.exe some Insiders were experiencing.
Fixed an issue leading to auto HDR not activating as expected in certain games.
Mitigated an lsass.exe crash that was resulting in some Insiders seeing crashes on the login screen in recent flights.
Addressed an issue that was leading to noticeably distorted audio for audio devices connected using the Xbox Wireless Adapter in recent flights.

[Taskbar]

Task View should no longer crash if you hold CTRL while hovering over it.
Dragging a file across the taskbar on secondary monitors should no longer cause an explorer.exe crash.

[File Explorer]

Updated the Storage Usage button in the Properties dialog for a disk to now be called Details and a little wider, to accommodate for languages where the button text was getting truncated.
Improved the performance of deleting files in Recycle Bin.
Fixed the Blu-ray icon so it aligns with the other drive and volume icons.

[Input]

Addressed an issue where the IME candidate window was unexpectedly not following your preference of light or dark mode.
Fixed an issue leading to some elements of the voice typing settings flyout to be invisible in dark mode.
The IME candidate window should appear as expected now in the username field of a UAC prompt.
Updated the term “Halfwidth alphanumeric / Direct Input” to just say “Halfwidth Alphanumeric” in the Japanese IME context menu.
Fixed an issue where after typing hiragana in Kana-input mode if there was a half-width alphabet character before the hiragana in composition it would unexpectedly become full-width.
Addressed a rare issue where the input switcher might unexpectedly list the same entry twice.
Mitigated an issue leading to an unexpected black box that was appearing in the input switcher sometimes.
Updated the input switcher so it can get a bit taller now for people with more than 4 keyboards.
Fixed a memory leak in the input switcher leading to explorer.exe crashing after repeated rapid use.
Fixed an explorer.exe crash when clicking on More Keyboard Settings in the input switcher.
Fixed an issue where the emoji panel might show “you’re offline” even though you had network connectivity.
Fixed an issue where the multiply emoji and counterclockwise arrows button emoji were displaying the design for the wrong emoji.
Updated the preview in the Personalization > Text input Settings page to reflect your desktop wallpaper rather than the default.
Did some work to improve reliability of the Stop media key when media is playing.

[Voice access]

We fixed a Visual C++ Runtime mismatch causing voice access to not run on some PCs.

[Search]

Fixed a high hitting search crash.
Clicking the search box in Start will now immediately switch over to Search without showing the Search window animate in upwards, just like when you press the Windows key and start to type.

[Settings]

Addressed an issue where Narrator wasn’t reading the elements of System > Storage correctly.
Fixed the broken “size and theme” link under Time & Language > Typing > Touch keyboard.
Did some work to help improve performance when updating accent color or mode.
We made a change to help reduce clipping in combo boxes in Settings for certain languages and text sizes.
Fixed an issue that was causing the icons on the IME settings pages to sometimes be white on white.
Mitigated an issue leading to the install button having truncated text in some languages when previewing fonts.
Fixed an underlying crash that was causing the preview video on System > Display > HDR to be distorted sometimes.
Addressed an underlying issue that could make Settings crash when you scrolled the window.
Adjusted the Wi-Fi icon in the Wi-Fi section of Quick Settings so that the lock shown for a secured network now has a small separation from the Wi-Fi strength, making it a bit easier to distinguish.

[Windows Spotlight]

Updated the name of Spotlight collection to be Windows Spotlight, so it’s consistent with the Lock screen.
Made a change to help make Windows Spotlight update images more reliably.
Rather than showing a solid color background, if for some reason new Windows Spotlight images aren’t available for the desktop, it will now fall back to showing the default Windows Spotlight background image (Whitehaven Beach).
Right-clicking on “Learn more about this picture” for Windows Spotlight on the desktop will now always show all options, just greyed out if they’re not currently available.
When hovering over “Learn more about this picture”, the tooltip should now more consistently align with the current image.

[Windowing]

Addressed an issue that was causing the minimize, maximize, and close buttons in File Explorer and some other apps to be invisible in certain cases.
Mitigated an issue leading to performance impact when dragging windows with acrylic and other scenarios with acrylic.
You should no longer see a briefly visible yellow border when taking screenshots.
We’ve made some improvements to address feedback that windows were repositioning unexpectedly.

[Network]

Did some work to address an issue that might cause certain VPN connections to fail. If you continue experiencing issues, please file feedback with a capture of the issue under Network and Internet > Connecting with a VPN client.
Fixed an issue that was leading to decreased Wi-Fi speeds after waking your PC from sleep in the previous flight.

[Narrator]

When backspacing, Narrator will now more consistently announce when you’re deleting characters with backspace.
Fixed an issue causing Narrator not to read selected text in the Feedback Hub.

Microsoft notes that some of the above fixes may have made it into the generally available Windows 11 version, which is exactly the case, you can find the specific additions and fixes for the general public release of Windows 11 here.

NOTE: Some fixes noted here in Insider Preview builds from the active development branch may make their way into the servicing updates for the released version of Windows 11 that became generally available on October 5th, 2021.

And finally, below are all of the Known issues that are still present in this build:

[General]

When going through the device setup experience (OOBE) on the Enterprise edition, the network add screen will be skipped on the first attempt. As a workaround, when users see the “name your computer” option, please reboot and re-start OOBE. The network add screen will now appear as expected.

[Start]

Names of apps in folders may appear blurred briefly when opening folders in Start.

[Taskbar]

The taskbar will sometimes flicker when switching input methods.

[File Explorer]

Searches from Quick Access may not work.
We’re working fixing issues regarding icon sizing, visual bugs, and text clipping in the flyout showing OneDrive storage.

[Focus]

The taskbar icon and tooltip may not match the focus state.
Clock app integration requires an app update that is starting to become available today. Most users should get this update automatically, but you can check for app updates manually by navigating to Microsoft Store > Library and clicking Get updates.
The Clock app does not yet update Windows Focus state when configuring focus sessions within the app. This will be addressed in a future app update.

[Search]

After clicking the Search icon on the Taskbar, the Search panel may not open. If this occurs, restart the “Windows Explorer” process, and open the search panel again.

[Widgets]

With the taskbar left-aligned, information such as temperature is not shown. This will be fixed in a future update.

[Live captions]

Certain apps in full screen (e.g., video players) prevent live captions from being visible.
Certain apps positioned near the top of the screen and closed before live captions is run will re-launch behind the live captions window positioned at top. Use the system menu (ALT + Spacebar) while the app has focus to move the app’s window further down.
The very top of maximized apps (e.g., title bar window management buttons) can’t be reached with touch while live captions is positioned at the top.

[Task Manager]

We are aware that the Efficiency mode icon is missing on some child processes.
Some settings options are not preserved.
We are working on fixing issues regarding icon size, visual bugs and in most cases the workaround is to either resize Task Manager or lower the resolution settings from Settings > Display > Display resolution.

The Dev channel release is now moving to the "NI_RELEASE" or Nickel branch in preparation for the major feature update to Windows 11 later this year. You can find our coverage of what's new in this Windows 11 build here, and the full press release at Microsoft right here.

Here's what's changed and improved in Windows 11 build 22557 as well as known issues

Microsoft Edge Dev Channel update lets you search through open tabs quickly

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 20:23:02 +0000

The Microsoft Edge 100.0.1163.1 update has landed for users in the Dev Channel. It adds a new way to manage your tabs.

Search Tabs in Microsoft Edge

To search through open tabs, click the Tab Actions Menu button in the top left corner, and select the Search Tabs option. If you prefer to use a hotkey, you can invoke the Ctrl + Shift + A keyboard shortcut to bring up the tab search panel. The interface pops up in the middle of the screen, and is not a floating window. It will be dismissed if you click outside its borders.

Microsoft Edge's Search Tabs feature displays a list that is divided into 2 sections, the first of which contains your open tabs. Each item in the list has the favicon of its origin website, the tab's title, and a timestamp to indicate when you accessed the page.

The primary function of this pop-up modal is the search bar at the top, which you can type into, to find a specific tab quickly. The browser filters the list as you type. Left-click on a result to jump to the corresponding tab instantly. The bottom of the Search Tabs panel lists the tabs that were closed recently. You can restore a closed tab by left-clicking on its entry.

Oddly, using the middle-mouse button does not close the selected tab. But you can click the X button next to an entry to close the tab. Unlike the Recently Closed Tabs feature in the browser, the Search Tabs panel does not have a right-click context menu. Currently, there is no way to clear the list of closed tabs. The Search Tabs feature works with the regular mode, vertical tabs and also supports InPrivate Mode (incognito browsing).

Other features in Microsoft Edge 100.0.1163.1 update

The latest Dev channel build of the browser brings support for Image Auto Captioning. This option is enabled by default, and can be toggled from the Accessibility Settings. Microsoft is introducing the Discover pane, a feature that will allow you to follow content creators on the web. I couldn't test it, but it sounds similar to Google Chrome's RSS Feed reader.

Android users who have the Edge Dev build installed on their device can now take Scrolling Screenshots of web pages. This feature is also enabled by default. The update adds a new API to WebView2 to listen for PermissionRequested events from iframes.

Some of these features aren't available for everyone yet, it appears they are being A/B tested per usual.

Fixes

The Edge Dev Channel 100.0.1163.1 update fixes crashes that occurred when using text prediction, Spellcheck correction popups, closing the browser, Edge Bar, etc. An issue that was preventing the browser from closing has been patched. The context menu will not appear at incorrect locations, and the option to save a webpage should be displayed correctly.

Known Issues

Microsoft says that some ad blocking extensions may cause playback errors on YouTube, and the only workaround is to disable the add-on. Using trackpad gestures on touchscreens could result in wobbly behavior on some websites. If you have this issue, you can toggle the following preference off.

edge://flags/#edge-experimental-scrolling flag

Users who have Kaspersky Internet Suite may face page loading issues on Gmail, this issue can be resolved by updating the antivirus program to the latest version. Similarly, users who run into the STATUS_INVALID_IMAGE_HASH error have been advised to update their antivirus software.

Please refer to the official release notes, for further information regarding the update.

Microsoft Edge Dev Channel update lets you search through open tabs quickly

Is Firefox OK?

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 20:11:59 +0000

Mozilla’s privacy-heavy browser is flatlining. What it does next is crucial for the future of the web.

At the end of 2008, Firefox was flying high. Twenty percent of the 1.5 billion people online were using Mozilla’s browser to navigate the web. In Indonesia, Macedonia, and Slovenia, more than half of everyone going online was using Firefox. “Our market share in the regions above has been growing like crazy,” Ken Kovash, Mozilla’s president at the time, wrote in a blog post. Almost 15 years later, things aren’t so rosy.

Across all devices, the browser has slid to less than 4 percent of the market—on mobile it’s a measly half a percent. “Looking back five years and looking at our market share and our own numbers that we publish, there's no denying the decline,” says Selena Deckelmann, senior vice president of Firefox. Mozilla’s own statistics show a drop of around 30 million monthly active users from the start of 2019 to the start of 2022. “In the last couple years, what we've seen is actually a pretty substantial flattening,” Deckelmann adds.

In the two decades since Firefox launched from the shadows of Netscape, it has been key to shaping the web’s privacy and security, with staff pushing for more openness online and better standards. But its market share decline was accompanied by two rounds of layoffs at Mozilla during 2020. Next year, its lucrative search deal with Google—responsible for the vast majority of its revenue—is set to expire. A spate of privacy-focused browsers now compete on its turf, while new-feature misfires have threatened to alienate its base. All that has left industry analysts and former employees concerned about Firefox’s future.

Its fate also has larger implications for the web as a whole. For years, it was the best contender for keeping Google Chrome in check, offering a privacy-forward alternative to the world’s most dominant browser. Since its release in 2008, Chrome has become synonymous with the web: It’s used by around 65 percent of everyone online and has a huge influence on how people experience the internet. When Google launched its AMP publishing standard, websites jumped to implement it. Similarly plans to replace third-party cookies in Chrome—a move that will impact millions of marketers and publishers—are shaped in Google’s image.

“Chrome has won the desktop browser war,” says one former Firefox staff member, who worked on browser development at Mozilla but does not want to be named, as they still work in the industry. Their hopes for a Firefox revival are not high. “It's not super reasonable for Firefox to expect to win back even any browser share at this point.” Another former Mozilla employee, who also asked not to be named for fear of career repercussions, says: “They're just going to have to accept the reality that Firefox is not going to come back from the ashes.”

Mozilla and Google have a complicated relationship. While they may be competitors, they are also business partners. Each year Google pays Mozilla hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties—reports say that figure is currently in the range of $400 million per year—for its search engine to be set as the default in Firefox. In its 2020 financial results, the most recent available, Mozilla listed its total revenue as $496 million, with royalties from search deals equaling $441 million. Firefox has other default search engine partners, such as Yandex Search in Russia, and these royalties are also crucial. (Google also pays Apple huge sums each year to ensure it is the default search engine in Safari.)

The Google-Mozilla deal was last renewed in 2020 and is expected to expire in 2023. Stats show Firefox’s market share has dropped around 1 percent over the course of this agreement. The company’s own figures show its monthly active users have stayed stable at around 215 million. But there’s no guarantee Google will renew at the same level. Deckelmann says Mozilla doesn’t reveal details about arrangements with its partners and declined to say whether negotiations with Google are ongoing. Mozilla’s financial declarations from 2020 said that despite the layoffs it is in a healthy place, and it expects its financial results for 2021 to show revenue growth.

However, Mozilla and Firefox acknowledge that for its long-term future it needs to diversify the ways it makes money. These efforts have ramped up since 2019. The company owns read-it-later service Pocket, which includes a paid premium subscription service. It has also launched two similar VPN-style products that people can subscribe to. And the company is pushing more into advertising as well, placing ads on new tabs that are opened in the Firefox browser.

Mozilla’s combined subscription and ad revenue rose from $14 million in 2019 to $24 million in 2020, and the company says it expects 2021’s financial results to show new products contributing 14 percent of its revenue. That independence from Google is key to creating a “healthier” business model. However, some of these new bets haven’t worked out and can seem at odds with Firefox’s wider privacy aims. An encrypted file-sharing service was shut down after being used to spread malware. The company has inserted ads into Firefox's URL bar. And the less said about the mid-2010s Firefox OS phones, the better.

The pressure to find new revenue streams comes at a time when Firefox faces more browser competition than ever. “A lot of browsers use privacy in their branding,” says Lourdes Turrecha, founder of Rise of Privacy Tech, a group that monitors privacy-focused companies. Many of Chrome’s competitors look to differentiate themselves by not collecting data about your browsing history or tracking what you do online. Firefox, DuckDuckGo, Brave, Vivaldi, and Safari all join Tor—which is widely considered the most privacy-preserving option—in blocking tracking to varying degrees.

Firefox’s privacy credentials are about as strong as any of its commercial rivals. “The main thing with Firefox is how extensible it is,” says Jonah Aragon, a system administrator who also helps run the recommendation website Privacy Guides. The site, which focuses on open source software, ranks the Firefox browsers highly. “There's a lot of privacy features that aren't enabled by default, which is unfortunate, but it at least gives you the option to enable those if you think that you need them.”

In addition to the main Firefox browser for Android and iOS, Mozilla also runs the Focus browser, which ramps up privacy protections by default. (Deckelmann says the two Firefox browsers have distinct use cases, and she doesn’t see the apps merging into one product.) Aragon adds that while Firefox competes with other privacy-focused browsers, it hasn’t necessarily been the first to introduce these features—for instance, Safari pioneered blocking third-party tracking cookies by default.

This echoes concerns about how Firefox will differentiate itself going forward. Former Firefox employees say Mozilla should stick to a distinct strategy for its marquee browser. “It's basically a more optimized privacy browser, but at the same time they're trying to get more utility out of it and squeeze revenue out of it by going in different directions,” one former employee says, citing search bar ads as a prime example of conflicting priorities.

“Once lost, users hardly come back until there's a compelling reason, and what would that compelling reason be?” says Bart Willemsen, a VP analyst focusing on privacy at Gartner. Willemsen says he has been a Firefox user since its earliest days. “I think Firefox really has a challenge to find a unique position—not only in marketing statements, but in their absolute product—and go in one direction,” he says.

For Deckelmann, making Firefox more personalized is key. She says this includes trying to increase the browser’s functionality to fit in with people being online more. “It’s almost impossible now for people to manage all this information,” Deckelmann says. For instance, last year Firefox revamped its homepage to allow people to pick up previously abandoned searches and unfinished articles. It redesigned its Android app and added features from its password manager to the Firefox app. Mozilla has also been focusing on partnerships, including recently working with Facebook parent company Meta to push for more privacy-focused advertising.

Deckelmann says Firefox is likely to continue looking for ways to keep personalizing people’s online browsing. “I'm not sure that what's going to come out of that is going to be what people traditionally expect from a browser, but the intention will always be to put people first,” she says. Just this week, Firefox announced a partnership with Disney—linked to a new Pixar film—that involves changing the color of the browser and ads to win subscriptions to Disney+. The deal speaks both to Firefox’s personalization push and the strange roads its search for revenue streams can lead down.

Deckelmann adds that Firefox doesn’t need to be as big as Chrome or Apple’s Safari, the second largest browser, to succeed. “All we really want is to be a viable choice,” Deckelmann says. “Because we think that this makes a better internet for everybody to have these different options.”

Despite some of its misses, Firefox still matters. Mozilla is pushing companies to be more private, and its key product is different at its core. The browser market is dominated by Google’s Chromium codebase and its underlying browser engine, Blink, the component that turns code into visual web pages. Microsoft’s Edge Browser, Brave, Vivaldi, and Opera all use adapted versions of Chromium. Apple makes developers use its WebKit browser engine on iOS. Other than that, Firefox’s Gecko browser engine is the only alternative in existence.

“This market needs variety,” Willemsen says. If Firefox diminishes further, there’ll be less competition for Chrome. “We need that difference for open internet standards, for the sake of preventing monopolies,” Willemsen says. Others agree. Everyone we spoke with for this story—inside and outside of Mozilla—says having Firefox flourish makes the web a better place. The trick is figuring out how to get there.

Is Firefox OK?

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Visual Studio 2022 17.1 is now generally available

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 20:08:51 +0000

A few weeks ago, Visual Studio 2022 17.1 Preview 2 became available for those who want to test the integrated development environment (IDE) early. Today, this version of the software has hit general availability (GA) and is ready for everyone to try out.

Most of the features that were available in preview over a month ago have made it over to the GA version and Microsoft has also incorporated feedback gathered from end-users.

Indexed Find in Files is now enabled by default which results in a faster searching experience. If, for whatever reason, you want to disable this capability, you can navigate to Tools > Options > Environment > Preview Features and uncheck "Enable indexing for faster find experience".

You can also enable a new feature that attempts to save every "dirty" document in the IDE such as project and solution each time your IDE window loses focus. Furthermore, there are some Git enhancements in tow too, such as the ability to compare branches, checkout a commit, review pull requests, and a lot more.

Developers will also find some visualizations for available registers and their mapped memory locations when using RTOS Objects. Users can leverage from Solution Filters, which Microsoft describes as follows:

Solution Filters allow you to choose what projects to load so you can avoid loading massive solutions every time. You have the choice to load individual projects or a project with its entire dependency tree. Our users noticed the dependency tree (and solution filter) can become outdated when new projects are added, or the dependency graph changes.

Visual Studio 2022 version 17.1 added an easier way to load the entire dependency tree for all the projects in the solution filter. This will pull in any new dependencies that were added to ensure you have all the projects you need. You can check for any new dependencies by clicking Update Project Dependencies in the context menu of the solution node in the Solution Explorer.

Microsoft has noted that with Visual Studio 2022 17.1 now generally available, professional and enterprise customers should start looking into how they can start leveraging from the new features, especially those on the 17.0 Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC).

Next up is Visual Studio 2022 17.2 which is now available in preview. It currently packs some more Git enhancements, bug fixes for MAUI development, support for new C# 11 refactorings, and improvements when dealing with data locally.

You can download Visual Studio 2022 17.1 from Microsoft's dedicated website here.

Visual Studio 2022 17.1 is now generally available

A first look at Microsoft’s new Windows 11 Android apps support

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 04:59:16 +0000

On February 15th, Microsoft released its first big public update to Windows 11 with the long-awaited ability to use Android apps. What are they like? Well, we covered that when they originally hit the Beta Channel for Windows 11 insiders, and so far it feels largely identical — so here’s our October 2021 story and video.

Original story:

Microsoft has released the first preview version of its Android apps support in Windows 11. It’s available to testers in the Beta Channel version of Windows 11, which means you’ll need to opt into the Windows Insider program to get access. I’ve installed the preview version on two systems — a gaming rig with a Core i9 11900K and Microsoft’s Surface Pro X — to get a feel for exactly how well Android apps run on Windows 11.

The experience of installing apps is very simple. Microsoft has partnered with Amazon, so the Microsoft Store will list apps but send you over to Amazon’s Appstore app to get them installed or updated. This also installs a Windows Subsystem for Android in the background, which is the core technology that powers Android apps running on Windows 11.

The Windows Subsystem for Android powers the entire experience.

Apps effectively run in a virtual machine, contained within their own world but able to sit side by side with other Windows apps. You can pin Android apps to the Start menu or taskbar and use all of the windowing and multitasking features of Windows 11 just like a regular desktop app.

While there are only 50 apps officially available in this preview, I was able to install Amazon’s Kindle app, the BBC Sounds app, and a bunch of games to test just how well Windows 11 handles mobile games.

On both the Surface Pro X (an Arm-powered device) and my Intel-powered gaming rig, apps ran surprisingly well. I was able to run them alongside Word, Chrome, and other desktop apps, as if they were just regular Windows apps.

Android apps and games running side by side.

Apps show up in search results as if they were regular Windows ones, and the integration into the Start menu and taskbar makes them feel just like any other app. It’s surprisingly seamless and a well-integrated solution.

The preview isn’t perfect, though. I noticed 100 percent CPU utilization when I attempted to get four Android games running side by side using Windows 11’s Snap Layouts feature on my gaming PC. Everything suddenly felt laggy, until seconds later it sprung back to life and the CPU usage went back to normal.

Likewise, games didn’t seem to run very well on the Surface Pro X with low frame rates and stuttering. This is a preview though, so I’d hope to see performance improve before this ships to all Windows 11 users.

Amazon’s Appstore is the only official way to get Android apps on Windows 11 outside of sideloading.

I also noticed in Final Fantasy XV that the game reloads when you attempt to resize it, and some apps and games don’t resize particularly well. It all depends on how developers have built their apps, but expect most to run best in phone-like dimensions.

The question is whether you actually want or need Android apps. I personally only need a handful, like the Kindle app or some smart home apps, but it’s the Android mobile games that are more interesting to me.

Bluestacks has supported Android apps on Windows for years, and the company has leaned heavily into supporting mobile games on Windows. Microsoft is late to the party here, but its subsystem is clearly the result of years of work to extend Windows to running Linux kernels and GUI apps. While Microsoft is busy getting Android apps on Windows 11 working, Bluestacks is now in the process of bringing Android apps into the browser and running them in the cloud.

Android apps can run alongside Windows apps.

Microsoft’s Android apps support relies on the Amazon Appstore for now, which has only a fraction of the apps available on Google’s Play Store. It’s inevitable that someone will sideload this onto Windows 11 and unlock many more apps with it, but Microsoft won’t officially be supporting this.

Still, the initial preview is a lot more complete and smooth (on the right hardware) than I expected. Microsoft’s initial release to the Beta Channel of Windows Insider also suggests this might appear for everyone using Windows 11 a lot sooner than we expected.

Update February 15th, 2022: Added that Windows 11’s Android app support is now live in public preview.

A first look at Microsoft’s new Windows 11 Android apps support

Windows 11 Taskbar improvements like new AirShare, Amazon Appstore Preview, are here

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 21:10:40 +0000

Microsoft announced today a whole bunch of feature updates that are coming to Windows 11 this month. These are "new experiences" for users says the company. Microsoft had informed that a major update was expected in February and as such, has kept its promise.

In terms of what these "new experiences" exactly are, they include a public preview for Android apps on Windows 11 via Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), enhancements for the Windows 11 Taskbar including the return of the weather widget to the taskbar, among others, and redesigned apps for Notepad and Media Player.

Amazon Appstore preview

Today, Amazon Appstore via the Microsoft Store is finally available as a preview but only in the U.S. Microsoft has explained how you can avail yourself of the Amazon Appstore:

To get started with the preview, open and update the Microsoft Store (click Get updates in Microsoft Store > Library) – search your favorite titles or explore our new curated collection of mobile apps and games; when you’ve found what you’re looking for, download them through the Amazon Appstore.

Taskbar enhancements:

Microsoft is finally adding more Taskbar features. First, there is the option now to mute and unmute the microphone. Video below:

There is also an interesting feature now to share a window called AirShare that will pop up a "Share this window" option. All you have to do is hover over an open icon on the Taskbar. Watch the demo video below:

Here's how Microsoft thinks that these features will help:

Mute/unmute and share any window from the Taskbar are designed to make it easier for you to take quick actions and have confidence that you are at your best while on video calls. Instantly accessible from your Taskbar, window sharing and mute controls are available to Microsoft Teams users with a work or school account.

Weather Widgets on the left-hand corner of the Taskbar is here. The Widdgets board is activated when you hover over the weather icon:

You may find more details on the official blog post here.

Windows 11 Taskbar improvements like new AirShare, Amazon Appstore Preview, are here

The February update to Windows 11 is already generating problems.

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 21:05:50 +0000

Microsoft published Windows 11’s first major upgrade to Insider Program members last week, but you should avoid installing it for the time being. Some users have noticed printing troubles and overheating as a result of excessive CPU loads after applying version KB5010414; neither of these issues existed prior to installing the update.

According to BetaNews, Microsoft is aware of these bugs, but the corporation is unlikely to release an official remedy at this time. One of the primary goals of the Insider Program is to identify issues and allow for them to be patched before general release. This is expected to happen by the end of February, though Microsoft may choose to phase it in.

Either way, all Windows 11 machines should get the upgrade over the next several weeks. As a result, most individuals should avoid obtaining this buggy version through the Insider Program. The only true exception is if you’re especially irritated by inaccurate tooltips appearing while hovering over taskbar icons – the KB5010414 update corrects this.

Once these bugs have been resolved, the February 2022 update will introduce some exciting new features to Windows 11. These include improved taskbar features such as easier window sharing and mute/unmute options for Microsoft Teams calls, as well as weather integration, ahead of the expected restoration of drag-and-drop capabilities later this year. You’ll also get new Notepad and Media Player apps, as well as the addition of a time and date to all external monitors.

The most interesting aspect is the first-ever public distribution of Android apps. For the time being, this is restricted to the Amazon Appstore, but third-party solutions such as the Epic Games Store are expected at some point.

The Google Play Store may never be officially supported, but there is a workaround that allows you to access the complete range of Android apps from your Windows 11 tablet right now. Another option is Google’s Play Games app, which will be available for Windows 10 and 11 later this year.

Before that, if you’re willing to wait until the final version of the February update is published, it appears to bring major enhancements to the Windows 11 experience. As things stand, printing and overheating bugs imply that they may do more harm than good.

The February update to Windows 11 is already generating problems.

Windows 11 KB5010414 update brings long-awaited taskbar improvements

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 21:02:48 +0000

Poster's comment: Before applying this update please read The February update to Windows 11 is already generating problems.

Microsoft has released the optional KB5010414 cumulative update preview for Windows 11, with highly anticipated taskbar enhancements and fixes for 19 issues, including printing and driver problems.

The cumulative update preview is part of Microsoft's scheduled February 2022 monthly "C" updates, making it possible for Windows 11 users to test the upcoming fixes released on March 8th as part of next month's Patch Tuesday.

Unlike regular Patch Tuesday updates, scheduled "C" non-security preview releases are optional. They do not come with security updates since they're used to test bug fixes and performance improvements.

To install this Windows 11 update, you have to go to Settings > Windows Update and manually 'Check for updates.' Given that this is an optional update, Windows will not install it until you click the 'Download now' button, as shown in the screenshot embedded below.

Windows 11 KB5010414 update (BleepingComputer)

Windows 11 users can also manually download and install the KB5010414 preview update from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

Taskbar improvements

After installing KB5010414, Windows 11 users will notice that Microsoft has made it easier to share windows right from the taskbar with just a couple of mouse clicks.

The new update also changes the Widgets taskbar button to show live weather info, allowing users to open the Widgets board by hovering over the weather icon.

Microsoft has also added the clock and date info on the taskbar when working on a multi-monitor setup.

"Window sharing for any open app is just two clicks away – simply hover over the app icon on your Taskbar to launch the share control, then confirm you’re ready to share it live. This will help you confidently share just the content you mean to share and nothing more," Panos Panay, Chief Product Officer for Windows + Devices at Microsoft, explained.

"We’ve updated your entry point to Widgets to show live weather content in the left-hand corner of your Taskbar, so your weather is always up to date and available at a glance.

"When a secondary monitor is connected, your clock and date will now be shown on the Taskbar of the secondary monitor or monitors for glanceability as you work or play."

What's new in the Windows 11 KB5010414 update

After installing today's non-security update, Windows 11 will have its build number changed to 22000.527.

The Windows 11 KB5010414 cumulative update preview includes 54 improvements and fixes, with nine highlights listed below:

New! Provides the ability to shares cookies between Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode and Microsoft Edge.
New! Adds the clock and date to the taskbars of other monitors when you connect other monitors to your device.
New! Adds weather content to the left side of the taskbar if the taskbar is aligned in the center. When you hover over the weather, the Widgets panel will appear on the left side of the screen and will disappear when you stop hovering over the area.
Updates an issue that affects dialog boxes in Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode.
Updates an issue that causes Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode to stop working when you press the F1 key.
Updates an issue that displays right-to-left (RTL) language text as left justified on File Explorer command menus and File Explorer context menus.
Updates an issue that might cause the time zone list in Settings to appear blank for users who are not administrators.
Updates an issue that displays right-to-left (RTL) language text as left justified on File Explorer command menus and context menus.
Updates an issue that causes incorrect tooltips to appear in an empty area on the taskbar after you hover over other icons like battery, volume, or Wi-Fi.

Windows 11 KB5010414 update brings long-awaited taskbar improvements

Windows 10 KB5010415 update released with 35 bug fixes, improvements

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 20:58:23 +0000

Microsoft has released the optional KB5010415 Preview cumulative update for Windows 10 20H2, Windows 10 21H1, and Windows 10 21H2.

This update includes a wide variety of bug fixes, including those for Microsoft Edge's Internet Explorer mode, printing, memory leaks, and more.

The KB5010415 cumulative update preview is part of Microsoft's January 2022 monthly "C" update, allowing admins to test upcoming fixes to be released in the March 2022 Patch Tuesday.

Unlike Patch Tuesday updates, the "C" preview updates are optional and do not include any security updates. However, If you run a Windows Insider build, the preview update will be installed automatically.

Windows users can install this update by going into Settings, clicking on Windows Update, and manually performing a 'Check for Updates.'

As this is an optional update, you will be asked whether you wish to install it by clicking on the 'Download and install' link, as shown in the image below.

Windows 10 KB5010415 cumulative update preview
Source: BleepingComputer

Windows 10 users can also manually download and install the KB5010415 preview update from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

Microsoft has also released the 'KB5010524: Setup Dynamic Update for Windows 10' and 'KB5001716: Update for Windows Update Service components' updates to improve the Windows 10 setup and update process.

The Windows 10 KB5001716 update also introduces a new user interface change for Windows Update that displays warnings when the installed version of Windows will soon be unsupported.

"After this update is installed, Windows may periodically display a notification informing you of problems that may prevent Windows Update from keeping your device up-to-date and protected against current threats. For example, you may see a notification informing you that your device is currently running a version of Windows that has reached the end of its support lifecycle, or that your device does not meet the minimum hardware requirements for the currently installed version of Windows," explains the KB5001716 release notes.

What's new in Windows 10 KB5010415

After installing this update, Windows 10 20H2 will be updated to build 19042.1566, Windows 10 21H1 will be updated to build 19043.1566, and Windows 10 21H2 will be updated to build 19044.1566.

The Windows 10 KB5010415 cumulative update preview includes thirty-five improvements or fixes, with the six highlighted fixes listed below:

New! Provides the ability to share cookies between Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode and Microsoft Edge.
Updates an issue that causes Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode to stop working when you press the F1 key.
Updates an issue that affects dialog boxes in Microsoft Edge Internet Explorer mode.
Updates an issue that causes screen readers to describe a back button as "button" rather than "back button".
Updates an issue that sometimes causes the Chinese Simplified Input Method Editor (IME) to become completely unusable.
Addresses an issue that prevents printing from operating properly for some low integrity process apps.
Addresses a memory leak in the wmipicmp.dll module that causes a lot of false alarms in the System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) datacenter monitoring system.

You can find a complete list of fixes in the KB5010415 support bulletin.

Windows 10 KB5010415 update released with 35 bug fixes, improvements

Microsoft will tweak Windows 11’s UI and features pretty much whenever it wants

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 20:55:08 +0000

"Continuous innovation" will be delivered via a "variety of update mechanisms."

Microsoft announced that Windows 11 would be getting a few updates of note this month, and today, those updates are available for most Windows 11 PCs to install. The full list includes a preview of Windows 11’s virtualized Android apps, new versions of Notepad and Media Player (the latter of which replaces Microsoft Groove), and a handful of updates to the Taskbar that add new features and restore a couple of old ones.

To get the taskbar improvements, you’ll need to go to Windows Update and manually install the 2022-02 Update Preview; otherwise, you’ll get it automatically in the next few weeks. The Media Player and Notepad app updates will be downloaded via the Microsoft Store with no extra effort involved, unless you’ve manually switched off Microsoft Store app updates. And running Android apps in Windows 11 requires slightly higher system requirements than Windows 11 itself, including an 8th-gen-or-newer Intel Core i3 processor or a 3000-series-or-newer AMD Ryzen CPU, an SSD instead of a hard drive, 8GB or more of memory, and virtualization support that has been enabled in your PC’s firmware.

If you already knew these updates were coming, the most interesting bit comes toward the end of Microsoft’s blog post, where the company says it plans to keep bringing new features to Windows 11 through a “variety of update mechanisms.” The promised “continuous innovation” fits with the company’s plans to make its Windows 11 preview builds more experimental in 2022. It also signals an ongoing shift toward a more web-browser-y model of small-but-frequent feature updates rather than holding back big changes for once-per-year servicing updates as Microsoft generally did during the Windows 10 era.

That’s not to say that Windows 10 never made user interface tweaks in between servicing updates, especially as apps like Edge began to be updated independently of the rest of the operating system, but significant UI and feature changes did still usually wait for the then-twice-yearly major updates. The downside, especially early on, was that those updates could be buggy and disruptive. Servicing updates are still likely to be where Microsoft makes big new feature additions and does more extensive work updating Windows’ underpinnings. But the company clearly sees no need to tie smaller quality-of-life improvements to new Windows versions that will need a whole lot more testing and validation.

Listing image by Microsoft

Microsoft will tweak Windows 11’s UI and features pretty much whenever it wants

Vivaldi adds a sidebar panel to manage the Reading List with new options

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 20:51:19 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, Vivaldi added a new feature called the Reading List. We have already told you how it works, the latest snapshot release brings another way to manage it, along with some new options.

Vivaldi improves the Reading list experience with a sidebar panel

Vivaldi is, in many ways, a sidebar centric browser, at least for those who prefer to use it that way. The panel is now home to a new button that you can use to view and manage your Reading List.

Don't worry, if you like the Reading List pop-up panel that appears in the top-right corner, it's still there, and can can be accessed via the button next to the address bar. If you don't need the button, you can disable it from the settings, and use the sidebar instead, or use both if that's what you like.

That said, the sidebar panel has a few additional features which make it the better choice over the other. Unlike the pop-up modal, clicking a saved item on the sidebar doesn't immediately take you to the page, double-clicking the list item it will open the corresponding page in a new tab.

Once an item has been selected, you can use the - button to remove it from the list, or click on the eye button to mark the saved page as read or unread. To add the current page, hit the plus button, this behavior hasn't changed.

The side panel has a search bar that you may use to filter the reading list, it can recognize URLs, and words in the page's title. The Reading List sidebar has a sort menu which provides 4 ways to sort the list. You can reorder the list by the title, read state, date updated, or the address.

The sidebar has a right-click menu that lets you open the selected item (in a new tab), copy its address, mark the entry as read, or remove the saved item from the list.

Vivaldi has added a third way to add pages to the Reading List, you can mouse over a link, right-click on it, and select the option labeled "Add to the Reading List", from the page context menu. I'd still like to see a context menu option to save the current page to the reading list, it can be useful if you want to re-read an article later.

There are no default shortcuts that are assigned to manage the Reading List, but there is an option under the Page section of the Keyboard settings, that lets you define a hotkey, which when enabled, lets you add a page to the reading list.

Similarly, the View section lets you customize the key combo for toggling the Reading List Panel. You may want to set the hotkeys for these options for accessing the list quickly.

The new sidebar is available in Vivaldi Snapshot 2581.4, that you can download from the official website.

It's refreshing to see a browser add new, useful features and improve them, while others keep removing features for no reason, or add completely useless ones. I'm looking at you, Mozilla and Microsoft.

Vivaldi adds a sidebar panel to manage the Reading List with new options

Google turns old Macs, PCs into Chromebooks with Chrome OS Flex

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 20:47:47 +0000

Google acquisition results in free, downloadable Chrome OS.

Whether you have an aging Windows PC in the classroom or a dated Mac in your home office that can't handle macOS 12 Monterey, Google wants to turn it into a Chromebook. Google today announced early access to Chrome OS Flex, which makes the Chrome OS operating system found on Chromebooks downloadable onto a Mac or Windows PC.

Chrome OS Flex is basically the official Google version of CloudReady, which Google acquired when it bought Neverware in 2020. Flex allows individuals, schools, or businesses to download Chrome OS onto a USB drive for free (CloudReady charges a fee and annual subscription rate to schools and businesses, respectively) and install it onto their Mac or Windows PC. The OS could also be booted from a USB drive instead of installed or launched via network deployment by an IT department.

Google is positioning Chrome OS Flex as an answer to old Mac and Windows PCs that might not be able to handle the latest version of their native OS and/or that might not be owned by folks with budgets to replace the devices. Rather than buying new hardware, consumers or IT departments could install the latest version of Chrome OS Flex.

Chrome OS Flex is set to run on an identical code base and release schedule as the Chrome OS used by Chromebooks.

For years, Chromium OS-based Chrome OS alternative CloudReady had been positioned as a way to transform consumers', businesses', and schools' old hardware. Then Google snatched it up. Google will automatically move CloudReady home, school, and enterprise users to Chrome OS Flex when the OS is stable.

A Google rep told Ars Technica that Google doesn't currently have plans to add Google Play Store and Android Apps to Chrome OS Flex, as Google is "more focused on the core experience of the OS first." However, Google will continue evaluating. Google has detailed other ways Chrome OS Flex differs from Chrome OS.

Google has also specified how Chrome OS Flex differs from CloudReady. Chrome OS Flex will add Google Assistant, the Chrome browser, and Nearby Sharing. Chrome OS Flex also adds a Linux development environment for compatible hardware for education and enterprise customers.

However, Chrome OS Flex doesn't allow certain system-level access that the home edition of CloudReady supports, including command line access via shell and teletype.

Google's Chrome OS Flex is currently available as early access in the dev channel with bugs expected. According to a blog post today from Thomas Riedl, director of product, enterprise, and education at Google, Chrome OS Flex has already been tested with "Googlers and other large customers." A stable version of the OS will launch "in the coming months," the blog said.

"After login, a user's cloud profile gets downloaded and automatically syncs their settings, bookmarks, and policies," Riedl explained. He added that IT members will be able to use the cloud-based Google Admin console with over 500 policies and controls, including security-focused ones, like sandboxing.

Updated 2/15/2022 at 12:12 p.m. ET with information on how Chrome OS Flex differs from Chrome OS and CloudReady.

Listing image by Getty Images / Aurich Lawson

Google turns old Macs, PCs into Chromebooks with Chrome OS Flex

Kali Linux 2022.1 released with 6 new tools, SSH wide compat, and more

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 03:59:36 +0000

Offensive Security has released Kali Linux 2022.1, the first version of 2022, with improved accessibility features, a visual refresh, SSH wide compatibility, and of course, new toys to play with!

Kali Linux is a Linux distribution allowing cybersecurity professionals and ethical hackers to perform penetration testing and security audits against internal and remote networks.

With this release, the Kali Linux Team introduces a bunch of new features, including:

Visual Refresh - Updated wallpapers and GRUB theme
Shell Prompt Changes - Visual improvements to improve readability when copying code
Refreshed Browser Landing Page - Firefox and Chromium homepage has had a makeover to help you access everything Kali you need
Kali Everything Image - An all-packages-in-one solution now available to download
Kali-Tweaks Meets SSH - Connect to old SSH servers using legacy SSH protocols and ciphers
VMware i3 Improvements - Host-guest features properly work now on i3
Accessibility Features - Speech synthesis is back in the Kali installer
New Tools - Various new tools added, many from ProjectDiscovery!

Visual refresh

As the first version of the new year, the Kali Team has performed a visual refresh adding new backgrounds for the desktop, login, and boot displays, and a new installer theme.

New Kali Linux desktop wallpaper

SSH gets wide compatibility

As insecure encryption algorithms are discovered, it is common for Linux distributions to disable them in SSH by default to increase the operating system's security.

As Kali Linux is designed for penetration testing, it is helpful to have access to these older algorithms and ciphers to communicate with legacy applications and services.

"Since our release of Kali Linux 2022.1 it is possible to easily configure the SSH client for wider compatibility to allow Kali to talk to as many SSH servers as possible. In wide compatibility mode, legacy key exchange algorithms (such as diffie-hellman-*-sha1) and old ciphers (such as CBC) are enabled," explains new documentation on the SSH's wide compatibility setting.

"As a result, tools used inside of Kali are able to communicate using these outdated methods. This is done to help increase Kali’s ability to talk to older, obsolete SSH servers that are still using these older protocols. Older services using this may be at end of life, thus increasing the chances of discovering vulnerabilities or other problems."

However, as these algorithms are insecure, Offensive Security is not enabling SSH wide compatibility by default, and users must enable it via kali-tweaks.

Nine new tools added in Kali Linux 2022.1

What is a new Kali Linux version without new tools to play with?

Below are the six new tools added in Kali 2022.1:

dnsx - Fast and multi-purpose DNS toolkit allow to run multiple DNS queries
email2phonenumber - An OSINT tool to obtain a target’s phone number just by having his email address
naabu - A fast port scanner with a focus on reliability and simplicity
nuclei - Targeted scanning based on templates
PoshC2 - A proxy aware C2 framework with post-exploitation and lateral movement
proxify - Swiss Army knife Proxy tool for HTTP/HTTPS traffic capture, manipulation, and replay on the go

Enhanced ARM support

As with almost all new Kali Linux versions, the developers have improved ARM support by fixing bugs and adding additional packages.

The new packages now available in ARM versions are:

This release also fixes Bluetooth on RaspberryPi images, other than Zero 2 W, which they are still working on.

Finally, ARM build scripts now have a dedicated documentation page.

How to get Kali Linux 2022.1

To start using Kali Linux 2022.1, you can upgrade your existing installation or download ISO images for new installs and live distributions.

For those updating from a previous version, including installs on the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), you can use the following commands to upgrade to the latest version.

echo "deb http://http.kali.org/kali kali-rolling main non-free contrib" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list

sudo apt update && sudo apt -y full-upgrade

cp -rbi /etc/skel/. ~/

[ -f /var/run/reboot-required ] && sudo reboot -f

Once you are done upgrading, you can see if the upgrade to Kali Linux 2022.1 was successful by using the following command:

grep VERSION /etc/os-release

While we only skimmed some of the news feature of Kali 2022.1, you can view the complete changelog for Kali 2022.1 can be found at Kali's website.

Kali Linux 2022.1 released with 6 new tools, SSH wide compat, and more

Software Updates: Kali Linux 2022.1 Freeware

Nvidia GeForce 511.79 WHQL driver optimizes Martha is Dead, Elden Ring, and more

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:53:54 +0000

Nvidia has released a new Windows WHQL-certified Game Ready GeForce driver version 511.79 today. The new driver is optimized for several new and upcoming titles like Elden Ring, among others. It also adds support for Nvidia's image upscaling technology called DLSS in Martha Is Dead and adds Reflex in one title.

Here's what the release notes says:

This new Game Ready Driver provides the best day-0 gaming experience for Elden Ring, GRID Legends, Total War: Warhammer III, and Martha is Dead featuring NVIDIA DLSS. In addition, this new Game Ready Driver offers support for the latest updates including Destiny 2: The Witch Queen and the introduction of NVIDIA Reflex in iRacing.

As usual, the new driver has plenty of fixes too. They are listed below:

[Call of Duty: Vanguard][Assassins Creed Valhalla]: The games may display random corruption or white/black screen. [3503111/3525655]
[Battlefield 2042]: The game may display color flashes on the screen. [3503086]
[Corel Paint Shop Pro XI]: The application cannot be launched. [3510891]
[G-SYNC]: After disabling G-SYNC on G-SYNC Compatible monitor and TV, G-SYNC cannot be re-enabled through the NVIDIA Control Panel. [3523157]
Digital Vibrance is reset when monitor goes to sleep. [3519430]

There are still many unresolved issues that remain:

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed may crash on courses where players drive through water. [3338967]
[Grid Legends][GeForce RTX 3-series]: Background artifacts flicker. [3524560]  [NVIDIA Ampere GPU]: With the GPU connected to an HDMI 2.1 audio/video receiver, audio may drop out when playing back Dolby Atmos. [3345965]
[NVIDIA Advanced Optimus][Ampere] Putting notebook to sleep by closing the lid and then waking up the notebook may cause Windows to reboot when in dGPU mode. [3444252]
[NVIDIA Advanced Optimus][NVIDIA Control Panel]: After setting the display multiplexer type to “dGPU”, the setting is not preserved across a reboot or resume from S4. [200779758]
The native resolution for a DVI or HDMI display may not be available from the display settings if the display contains an invalid EDID. [3502752]

The links to download the US driver are provided below:

Desktop GPUs:

Download: Windows 11, 10 - DCH

Notebook GPUs:

Download: Windows 11, 10 - DCH

You can find Nvidia's announcement post here.

Nvidia GeForce 511.79 WHQL driver optimizes Martha is Dead, Elden Ring, and more

Frontpage: Nvidia GeForce Game Ready Driver 511.79

Here Are the Hidden Features of Windows 11

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:49:25 +0000

There are lots of things to enjoy in the new Windows 11. But what makes the new OS more fun is the set of hidden features you can access on it, and you can use them to aid you in your work productivity. If you are unaware of the existence of these hidden gems, you can try them now.

Title Bar Window Shake

Having multiple windows open when working can be an absolute eyesore. Windows 11 has a neat solution for that problem: the Title Bar Window Shake. Via this hidden feature, you can minimize and restore all the other windows you are not using while leaving the windows you need untouched. Just go to Settings, then System, Multitasking, and activate the Title Bar Window Shake. Once turned on, you just need to click and hold the title bar of the window you are working on and shake it, and it will effectively minimize other windows.

Second Start Menu

Windows 11 Start Menu

It isn’t the biggie of the revelation, but it is fun to know that you can access the Start Menu in other ways. Aside from clicking the Windows icon found at the bottom left corner of your screen, you can access the Start Menu by pressing the Windows key + X or right-clicking the Windows icon/Start button.

Cleanup Recommendations & Battery Saving

Keeping some apps running can slow down the performance of your computer. Windows 11 has a quick solution for that through Cleanup Recommendations. You can start cleaning up some space by first checking the space each app is taking up. Go to Settings first, then click System, Storage, and Show More Categories. After this, you can go to the Cleanup Recommendations. In relation to this, you can also shut down background apps to help you save some juice or data. Go to Settings, then System, then Power & Battery, then Battery Saver. In this setting, you can select the apps that can run in the background and set when the Battery Saver feature will turn on.

Focus Assist

Windows 11 Focus Assist

We all hate distractions when working, so it is wonderful to know a Windows 11 hidden feature to help you with that. Via Focus Assist, you have the option to hide all notifications to keep you laser-focused on your works. Just go to Settings > System > Focus Assist. Once there, you can select among the three options available: Off, Priority, and Alarms Only. Turning it off will let you receive notifications from apps and contacts. In contrast, Alarms Only will still let you use your alarm while hiding your notifications. Lastly, the Priority setting will customize the notifications you receive using the priority list you’ve made. And to make things more convenient, you can select specific hours when to activate the feature. Also, you have the settings to turn it on or off when your device is in full-screen mode or when you’re playing games.

Here Are the Hidden Features of Windows 11

Windows 11 vs Windows 10: What’s the Difference?

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:47:01 +0000

Highlights & Differences: Windows 11 VS Windows 10

Windows 11 is the new face of the Microsoft operating system, and it started its phased rollout in October 2021. According to Microsoft, it will stop its support on Microsoft 10 after 2025, so there’s still enough time for you to enjoy the good ol’ Win10 OS you love. And if you already have Windows 10 and you’re ready for an update, you can get Windows 11 for free. Before that, however, what should you expect in this new OS offered by Microsoft? Most importantly, how does Windows 11 compare to its predecessor?

The Looks

The Windows OS has always been remarkable for its distinctive look for the past years. Yet, Windows 11 swerved from the conventional looks of Microsoft OS. What to expect? You’ll get a Mac-like design and interface that will undoubtedly shock you. If you would ask us, the new Windows 11 certainly looks like a Mac OS due to the new placement of Taskbar to the center of the screen. Yet, you can still place it on the bottom left side of your screen, just like in Windows 10. On the other hand, unlike the edgy look of Windows 10, Microsoft decided to give the new OS rounded edges on its UI elements.

Android Apps & Xbox Features

The integration of Android apps is probably the biggest news about Windows 11, as it can blur the line between a PC and a tablet or phone. You can download your favorite apps onto your PC through this new update. This is far from what Windows 10 have, where you can only access Android apps in specific ways (e.g., using Samsung Galaxy phones). According to Microsoft, the 500,000 Android apps will be available in the Microsoft Store via Amazon’s Appstore.

On the other hand, gamers would love the Xbox technologies integrated into this OS. This includes the Auto HDR that can enhance the color and contrast of your games and the DirectStorage for faster loading times.

Windows & Desktop Arrangements

Windows 11 is all about improving users’ productivity and efficiency, making it more practical compared to Windows 10. The best proof for that is the addition of a virtual desktop feature. Through it, you can create and customize a virtual desktop for your specific needs: work, studies, games, research, and more. Besides the easy creation and deletion of the desktops, it is also possible to fashion them with wallpapers of your choice.

Another plus is the Snap Layout and Snap Group capabilities of Windows 11. When you use these features, you can minimize and restore groups of arranged and saved windows and apps with a click.

Microsoft Teams

Compared to Windows 10, Windows 11 comes with Microsoft Teams directly built into its system. It is available in the Taskbar of the new operating system, allowing you to instantly send a message, text, voice, or video call to one of your contacts. You can also access Teams from Mac, Android, iOS, and of course, Windows.

Touch Experience & Commands

Windows 11 is not just all about aesthetics and productivity features. It also comes with pleasing new experiences offered through its improved touch capabilities. It includes the addition of touch gestures. Through these new commands, you can switch between your open apps and virtual desktops and even directly view the thumbnails of your currently running apps in Task View. Moreover, the inclusion of haptics in the digital pen will allow you to feel vibrations and hear sounds as it makes contact with the screen. Also, Windows 11 boasts voice typing and commands across the system for a better and more comfortable experience.

Windows 11 VS Windows 10: What’s the Difference?

What Makes Windows 11 Features & Updates Exciting?

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:44:44 +0000

Having a new operating system is just as exciting as having a new device in your hand. This is one of the reasons why the release of Windows 11 made a remarkable noise in October 2021. And if you are one of those who have new computers possessing the new OS, you’re probably enjoying the new interface and capabilities. But for those who are still clueless about them, here are the best Windows 11 features you should know:

Desktop

Windows 11 Desktop

Of course, the desktop layout is the best highlight of Windows 11. Nonetheless, it also offers incredible practicality, making your life easier and more organized. Besides aesthetics, the Windows 11 desktop will let you make your own individual virtual desktops. Here, you have the power to create a desktop for your work, studies, personal life, gaming, and more. This will help you categorize your activities, removing messy desktops with jumbled windows for various interests. You can toggle between the desktops you have, and creating or deleting one is easy. And for better customization, Windows 11 allows users to set their own wallpapers for each virtual desktop.

Snap Layout & Snap Group

Windows 11 Snap Layout & Snap Group

When working, it is almost impossible to open multiple windows at once. Windows 11 has a solution for that, and you can use it to boost your productivity. Snap Layout lets you organize various windows in the layout of your choice and will save them as a group. When you need to open the said group of windows, Snap Groups will then let you open them again in the same arrangement. Apart from sites, you can also do it to apps. Neat!

Android Applications

Windows 11 App Integration

Just imagine your PC offering the same fun as your phone through the apps you love. Indeed, that is one of the best things Windows 11 update is offering: you can download applications directly onto your PC. The apps will be available in the new Microsoft Store via Amazon’s Appstore, where you’ll get your hands on over 500,000 apps, such as Netflix, Tiktok, and other highly patronized paid and non-paid apps. Once downloaded, the apps will be situated into the Start Bar and Taskbar. With this, access to your favorite apps is just a cinch.

Microsoft Teams

Windows 11 Microsoft Teams

Is your company a massive fan of the Microsoft OS? Well, Microsoft Teams will make you fall in love with this new OS even more. There is no need to install another application to connect with your team and do unnecessary setups. Through Microsoft Teams, you have a built-in video chat platform right into your OS. You can also connect with other users on Teams across Windows, Android, Mac, or iOS. You can text, message, voice, or video call your contacts using Teams and launching its Chat tool. Just click Meet or Chat, and you’ll be able to connect to others in an instant.

Feed Widget

Windows 11 Feed Widget

The new Widgets of the Windows 11 are almost the same as the “News and Interest” feature found in the Windows 10 update. Yet, you’ll find it sleeker. There is a button for Widgets on the new Taskbar of the new OS that you can tap, which will then slide out a panel from the left side of the screen. This will give you all the crucial information you need for the day, including the weather, your to-do list, news, photos, and more.

What Makes Windows 11 Features & Updates Exciting?

Unsupported Devices Using Windows 11 Will Receive a Warning From Microsoft

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:41:44 +0000

Windows 11 launched on October 2021, and now it’s available for most supported devices that meet a specific set of requirements. If your device doesn’t meet the system requirements, yet you still want to install Windows 11, it’s still possible to upgrade your device by making a simple change to Registry.

Now, if you’re one of those people who installed the OS on an unsupported machine, the Windows Settings app will have a new warning alert. Looking at the preview builds, the Setting app’s header will have a cautionary alert message informing users that the device they’re using doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements.

For now, this alert appears on the Setting app’s homepage, and it doesn’t look like an activation error. Microsoft could expand the message to include a warning about potential consequences the user could experience if they continue running Windows 11 on unsupported machines. Clicking on the alert will redirect you to an explanation page discussing why you should think twice about running Windows 11 on an unsupported device. For instance, it could cause incompatibility issues that are not included under the manufacturer’s warranty.

And it’s worth noting that there’s a pretty good chance that such incompatibility issues could occur, especially since Microsoft had already confirmed that unsupported PCs and laptops running Windows 11 may experience issues caused by “compatibility or other issues.”

Fortunately, we know for a fact that running Windows 11 on an unsupported device won’t break it or render it unusable. After all, it could run Windows 10 correctly, so it shouldn’t be that big of a deal. Windows 11 is essentially the same as Windows 10; the main difference is its brand-new look.

Those who still can’t install Windows 11 even after modifying the Registry can still try third-party open-source apps to upgrade their unsupported devices.

Unsupported Devices Using Windows 11 Will Receive a Warning From Microsoft

Microsoft releases Office Insider Build 15003.20004 for Windows users

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:40:00 +0000

Microsoft has released Office Insider Preview Build 15003.20004 for Windows users registered in the Office Insider Beta Channel. The update includes no new features, but it does offer a bunch of fixes for issues found in Word, Access, Project, Office Suite. You can see the full official change-log below.

Changelog

To update to the latest Microsoft Office Insider Preview Build, open any Office program and go to File> Account> Update Options> Update Now.

Microsoft releases Office Insider Build 15003.20004 for Windows users

Several Visual Studio versions reach end of support in 2022 and 2023

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:37:54 +0000

Several Visual Studio versions will run out of support in 2022 or 2023. Customers who run Visual Studio 2012, Visual Studio 2019 version 16.7, and Visual Studio 2019 Preview Channel are affected by this.

Microsoft's work on Visual Studio 2022 version 17.1 continues with the release of Preview 6 this week. The studio responsible for creating Visual Studio released the first preview version of the new Visual Studio 2022 on November 8, 2022.

Several older versions of Visual Studio will run out of support in the coming two years. Microsoft recommends that customers upgrade to new versions that continue to be supported.

Here is the list of Visual Studio versions and when they will run out of support:

Visual Studio 2012 reaches end of support on January 9, 2023.
Visual Studio 2019 version 16.7 reaches end of support on April 12, 2022.
Visual Studio 2019 Preview Channel reaches end of support after April 2022.

Microsoft recommends Visual Studio 2022 for all customers who use previous versions of the development environment. The latest version is supported until January 2032.

Customers do have other options at their disposal, including Visual Studio 2019 version 16.11, which is supported until April 2029, Visual Studio 2017 version 15.9, which is supported until April 2027, Visual Studio 2015 update 3, which is supported until October 2025, or Visual Studio 2013 update 5, which is supported until April 2024.

Here is the a table with all end of support information:

Visual Studio version	End of Mainstream Support	End of Support
Visual Studio 2022, Current Channel	January 2027	January 2032
Visual Studio 2022, version 17.0 LTSC	n/a	July 2023
Visual Studio 2019, version 16.11	April 2024	April 2029
Visual Studio 2019, version 16.9	n/a	October 2022
Visual Studio 2019, version 16.7	n/a	April 2022
Visual Studio 2017, version 15.9	April 2022	April 2027
Visual Studio 2015, Update 3 including KB3165756	October 2020	October 2025
Visual Studio 2013, Update 5	April 2019	April 2024
Visual Studio 2012, Update 5	January 2018	January 2023
Visual Studio 2010 and earlier	Out of support	Out of support

Visual Studio users should take note that several older versions are in the extended support phase already. These versions do not receive feature updates anymore, but do receive security updates and critical bug fix updates.

Any Visual Studio 2022 LTSC release is supported for 18 months before an upgrade to a new LTSC version is required.

Check out Microsoft's blog post on the official Visual Studio Dev Blog for additional information.

Several Visual Studio versions reach end of support in 2022 and 2023

PDF Reader is a powerful cross-platform PDF Editor

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 21:35:02 +0000

Our team is always looking for things we think our readers will value. We have received compensation for publishing this article.

PDF Reader is a powerful PDF reader and editor that is designed for desktop and mobile use. The application is available for the desktop operating systems Windows and Mac OS, and for the two mobile operating systems iOS and Android.

Interoperability and consistency are two of the key concepts of PDF Reader. You may read and edit PDF documents on your mobile and desktop devices, regardless of the size of the device; this sets PDF reader apart from other desktop-based or online PDF editors, and is making PDF Reader the first application aimed at mobile working in the market.

Syncing is supported through the developer's own cloud storage system, an optional but highly useful component. Desktop users may continue their reading or work on their mobile devices, and vice versa, without having to worry about getting their PDF files on to their devices using third-party means. The apps take into account the different display sizes but are very consistent when it comes to the user interface and the provided functionality and user experience.

The Windows version of PDF Reader received a major update recently, featuring a redesigned workspace that puts all essential tools right in the main toolbar of the application. All PDF Reader applications feature an intuitive experience when it comes to the viewing and editing of PDF files.

Installation of PDF Reader is straightforward on all supported platforms as downloads and installations are handled through integrated stores. The Windows version is available on the Microsoft Store and installs in a matter of seconds.

The program displays a first-run wizard to the user and includes a help document, in PDF format, that explains all core features of the PDF application. The help document is well designed and explains everything in detail. Most users may not need it though, as the interface is intuitive.

The Home screen displays several options to users. You may open documents using the file browser or by using drag & drop, access recent documents again, or use the Kdan Cloud integration to download documents to the local system to continue working on them. Documents reopen at the last used position.

PDF documents fit the page to the application window by default, but you have plenty of options to change the default view. Options include displaying the actual size of the document, fitting it to the width of the window, or selecting a zoom value instead. The controls are accessible all the time and may be toggled between displaying at the bottom of the document or in a status bar.

PDF reading supports more options. You may switch to a slideshow mode or fullscreen viewing mode, display two pages side-by-side, switch to continuous view mode, or switch between vertical and horizontal scrolling.

A small sidebar on the left displays additional options. The thumbnails button displays all pages as thumbnails in a bar for quick jumping to specific pages using visual cues; this view mode can be expanded so that the entire application window displays page thumbnails.

The left sidebar provides access to annotations and bookmarks as well, which are both accessible with a single click or tap.

Saving, printing, sharing, syncing and searching icons are also available, and work as expected.

Edit PDFs

All editing options are displayed at the top of the program window. Seven main groups are displayed at the top, all of which expand more options when selected:

Annotation -- add notes, highlight, underline or strikethrough text, add shapes, use freehand draw, stamps, or add text using the text box feature.
Edit -- add text boxes, images, or links.
Page Edit -- add blank pages, append files, split PDF files, extract, rotate or delete pages.
Insert signatures -- open the signature library, create signatures.
Convert -- convert PDF to Microsoft Office file format.
Security -- flatten or encrypt PDF files, remove passwords.
More -- Print PDFs, send a fax, open the task manager, load slideshow mode, enable text reflow, display file info or save a new copy.

The mobile versions of PDF Reader are equally powerful. You may use them to read PDF documents but also for editing. Access new or recent documents on your mobile devices, change the view (including thumbnail view mode), and use editing tools such as highlighting, annotating or adding signatures just like you would do in the desktop versions of the program.

Closing Words

PDF Reader is a powerful PDF editor and reader for desktop and mobile operating systems. It is ideal for users who require PDF reading and editing functionality on desktop and mobile devices, as the user interface and experience is consistent across these device families.

Interested users can download the free version of PDF Reader directly to access a basic set of tools and features. Upgrades are available to extend the functionality and add features, such as the aforementioned cloud storage. The Document 365 subscription is available for $5 per month. A special 50% discount for the first year offer is available for students and faculty members.

PDF Reader is a powerful cross-platform PDF Editor

Ventoy 1.0.66 introduces support for local disk image booting

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 07:42:00 +0000

The latest version of Ventoy, an open source tool to create multi-boot USB devices using disk images, introduced support for booting from local disk images.

Ventoy is a useful tool in itself. Launched in early 2020, Ventoy allows users to create bootable media on USB devices. A core differentiating factor between Ventoy and solutions such as Rufus is that Ventoy users place disk images, e.g., ISO or IMG files, on the USB device. Additionally, Ventoy supports placing multiple disk images on the device to create multi-boot USB devices.

The developer of Ventoy added several useful features to the application since its initial release, including support for GPT partitions, IMG disk images, the option to bypass Windows 11 requirements during installation or to place files on the USB device without deleting data on it.

Ventoy 1.0.66, the latest version of the tool at the time of writing, introduces another useful feature: the option to boot from local disk images.

Historally, Ventoy has always been designed to boot disk images that are placed on USB devices; this required that users install Ventoy on the USB device and copy disk images to the USB device as well.

The new option, experimental at this point in time, allows users to keep disk images on local hard drives. The new method introduces additional options to use Ventoy, but it has limitations as well.

As far as benefits are concerned, it enables use on USB devices with low disk space. Ventoy itself does not take up much space and it can be installed on nearly any USB device. Users of Ventoy do not have to copy disk images to the USB device, which may also speed up operations.

As far as disadvantages are concerned, using local disk images turns Ventoy into a local-only solution, as you can't use the bootable media on other devices anymore, unless the specified disk images are stored at the exact same location on other devices as well. It is an option, and Ventoy users can mix and match.

Note that the feature supports any type of storage device for this, even another USB device or an external hard drive (these need to be mapped to the same drive letter on target devices).

Instructions for creating these new local disk image links in Ventoy are available on the official project website. On Windows, users need to run the VentoyVlnk.exe tool, activate the create button in the program window and pick a disk image file from the local system to create a vlnk file in the same directory. Linux users need to run sudo sh VentoyVlnk.sh -c xxx.iso, replacing xxx.iso with the name of the disk image.

Closing Words

The new feature adds another useful option for Ventoy users without sacrificing existing capabilities.

Ventoy 1.0.66 introduces support for local disk image booting

Software Updates: Ventoy 1.0.66 Ventoy 1.0.67 Ventoy 1.0.68 Ventoy 1.0.69