The Photos app is getting a new Relight feature, which allows you to add and adjust dynamic light sources to your photos. You can place up to three light sources, change their colors, set a focus point, and customize brightness and intensity. If you do not have time to toy around with the sliders, the app will offer you a one-click solution with built-in presets. Microsoft says this feature will make it much easier to make complex light adjustments.

Relight is coming soon to Windows Insiders with Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon processors, like the new Surface Pro 12-inch and the Surface Laptop 13-inch. In a later update, Copilot+ PCs with Intel and AMD processors will also get this feature.

For Paint users, Microsoft prepared two new features: Sticker Generator and Object Select. Sticker Generator lets you generate sticker packs that can be later used in the canvas, documents, chats, and more. Type your prompt, and Paint will create a sticker pack based on it.

Also, Paint Cocreator, generative fill, and image generation/restyling features in the Photos app received an improved underlying diffusion-based model, which can deliver better results faster. The model is available in Paint and Photos starting today.

Object Select uses AI to isolate elements on the canvas more effectively with a single click, sparing you from manually outlining them or dealing with imperfect edge selection. Paint's new Object Select understands the structure and context of your image for fast and precise selection. Both Sticker Generator and Object Select are coming to Paint in the Windows Insider program later this month.

Today's updates for the Snipping Tool app promise to help you take perfect screenshots by automatically adjusting the capture area to on-screen content. When enabled, Snipping Tool analyses your screen and snaps around the most prominent rectangular object, like a chart, table, image, etc, saving you time and clicks on cropping.

Snipping Tool also gets two new instruments: a text extractor and a color picker. With the text extractor, you can copy text directly from images and screenshots, and the color picker allows you to capture color values from anywhere on the screen (PowerToys has such a feature).

Finally, Microsoft announced that Narrator on Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon processors now features rich image description to assist users with low vision. It can provide detailed information about charts, photos, UI elements, colors, people, objects, text, and numbers. The updated Narrator is now available on Snapdragon-powered PCs and will be coming soon to Intel and AMD systems later this year.

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The biggest change is an AI agent in the Settings app. The idea is very simple: you click the search box and explain in natural language what you would like to change. The request should not necessarily be very direct. For example, you can complain about something, like "my mouse pointer is too small," and the Settings app will show you a quick solution and links to related settings.

The Settings app on Copilot+ PCs already features an improved search that can understand human language. Now, Microsoft is taking it to a new level by allowing AI to take action on your behalf when troubleshooting or customizing your computer (with your permission, of course).

The improved Settings app with an AI agent will first be available to Windows Insiders with Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon processors. Later, Microsoft will expand it to Copilot+ PCs with Intel and AMD chips. At launch, only the English language will be supported.

Windows Search is also getting some much-needed improvements. Later this month, Windows Insiders will get to try a new build with Windows Search being able to find various Windows settings and install apps from the Microsoft Store. Better search is also coming to the Photos app so that you can find specific photos more easily.

New features for Click to Do include the ability to ask Copilot to perform actions on your text or photos and launch Reading Coach or Immersive Reader. Click to Do will also be able to schedule a meeting or launch a Teams chat from an email.

Finally, Microsoft is bringing Copilot to the Microsoft Store. The AI Hub now features the latest features on Copilot+ PCs, and you can ask Copilot questions about apps, games, recommendations, and more. Microsoft is also adding new product badges to make it easier for users to understand which apps have AI-powered experiences or which apps are created exclusively for Copilot+ PCs.

These new features will first be available in the Windows Insider program before being released to all users.

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Alongside that, the company also reminded users about the upcoming end of support for Windows 10 that is inbound in less than six months. In the reminder, Microsoft has highlighted ways to deal with the event, covering both scenarios depending on whether your system is eligible for a Windows 11 upgrade or not.

If you are in the latter camp, then Microsoft wants you to buy a new Windows 11 PC and that is something the tech giant has repeated time and again, even as recently as this past week in the context of Copilot+ AI PCs. It has also provided some data to back up claims of huge performance and productivity boost, albeit citing a paid study.

While upgrading a PC does make sense in case it is really old or has too few CPU cores/threads, that may not be necessary at all for many users out there. ESET, for example, last year recommended that users on Windows 10 devices that can't officially upgrade to 11 should instead move over to Linux.

If you are unsure about it, there is a new website on the block that explains why you should choose Linux over Windows 11. The project is backed by KDE, and it highlights five reasons why Linux is better. It writes:

5 Reasons to upgrade your old computer to Linux

 

It's waaaaay cheaper

 

• A new laptop costs a lot of money. Repair cafes will often help you for free. Software updates are also free, forever. You can of course show your support for both with donations!

 

No ads, no spying

 

• Windows comes with lots of ads and spyware nowadays, slowing down your computer and increasing your energy bill.

 

Good for the planet

 

• Production of a computer accounts for 75+% of carbon emissions over its lifecycle. Keeping a functioning device longer is a hugely effective way to reduce emissions.

 

Community support

 

• If you have any issues with your computer, the local repair cafe and independent computer shop are there for you. You can find community support in online forums, too.

 

User control

 

• You are in control of the software, not companies. Use your computer how you want, for as long as you want.

While some of the points above can be debated, the one about e-waste is certainly not. Seagate also claimed recently that SSDs, compared to HDDs, were found to be much worse in the department of environment due to the former's much higher carbon footprint.

The new website is called "EndOf10" and you can find it at the source link below. The website is fairly new and more resources are likely to be added to it gradually.

Source: EndOf10 (spotted by Winareo)

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The company says users will be able to use these new agents to find settings they want to change using natural language quickly, and even instruct them to do it without any user involvement beyond the prompt.

"We set out to solve one of the most common frustrations we hear – finding and changing settings on your PC – using the power of agents. An agent uses on device AI to understand your intent and with your permission, automate and execute tasks," said Navjot Virk, CVP of Windows Experiences.

"With this update to Settings, you will be able to simply describe what you need help with like, 'how to control my PC by voice' or 'my mouse pointer is too small' and the agent will recommend the right steps you can take to address the issue. With your permission and at your initiation, it can even complete the actions to change your settings on your behalf."

This experience will only be available for English speakers first and will start rolling out to Windows Insiders on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs and later to those using AMD- and Intel-powered devices.

Redmond is also improving Windows search and adding more Click to Do text and image actions, such as Schedule a meeting with Teams, Send a message with Teams, Ask M365 Copilot, Convert to table with Excel, and Draft with Copilot in Word. Several new actions, including Ask Copilot, Practice in Reading Coach, and Read with Immersive Reader, are already available to Windows Insiders.

Photos, Paint, and the Snipping Tool get multiple new features on Copilot+ PCs designed to simplify editing and creating images.

These include Photos Relight for adding dynamic lighting controls to pictures, Paint Sticker Generator for creating digital stickers via text prompts, Paint Object Select to select and instantly edit specific elements on the canvas, and Snipping Tool Perfect Screenshot for adjusting the capture area and removing the need for post-capture cropping.

Snipping Tool is also getting some new capture tools, which will help extract text directly from images and pick color values from any element on the screen.

Over the next few weeks, Microsoft will start rolling out more Windows 11 experiences for all Windows 11 Insiders, such as a phone companion for the Start menu, AI actions in File Explorer that will help edit images and summarize content, and a new write function in Notepad that will allow creating text from a prompt.

In March, Microsoft announced that it started testing a Snipping Tool "Draw & Hold" feature that helps draw perfect shapes and an AI-powered text summarization feature in Notepad.

Microsoft also added a text rewriting tool to Notepad in November, dubbed "Rewrite" and previously known as CoWriter.

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At the same time, the company also reminded users about the upcoming end of support date for Windows 10 non-LTSB and non-LTSC. Microsoft issued the reminder on its Windows health dashboard website. It wrote:

Current status as of May 2, 2025

 

On October 14, 2025, Windows 10 will reach end of support*. After this date, devices running Windows 10 will no longer receive fixes for known issues, time zone updates, technical support, or monthly security and preview updates containing protection from the latest security threats.

 

*Note: Long-Term Servicing Branch (LTSB) and Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) releases are subject to different lifecycle support policies.

Microsoft says that there are a few ways to go about this. First is to check if your current Windows 10 is eligible for a Windows 11 upgrade. The company has even offered the latest feature update (version 24H2) on such systems.

If that is not the case, then a new PC is the way forward says the company. Microsoft recently highlighted how Copilot+ AI PCs can be a massive upgrade over an older Windows 10 device, and it brought up some numbers to prove it. This is hardly the first time though that the tech giant has suggested getting rid of a PC that's not supported on Windows 11.

ESET, however, recommends going Linux if your PC is not officially supported by Windows 11.

The third and final option for individuals as well as enterprises is to opt for paid Extended Security Updates (ESU). It writes:

The options include:

 

• Check if your current Windows 10 PC can upgrade to Windows 11.
• Purchase a new Windows 11 PC.
• Purchase Extended Security Updates (ESU) for organizations of all sizes as previously announced in April 2024.
• For the first time, purchase an ESU option for individuals.

You can find details about the ESU program in our dedicated article here.

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Earlier today, we reported on a script enforcement bug on Windows' latest feature update that has been broken for months. Thankfully, Microsoft finally has a fix. Speaking of fixes, the company has now issued a Group Policy to address another major bug related to Windows 11 24H2 upgrade.

While Microsoft does place safeguard holds from time to time to prevent feature updates (the most recent one was placed last month), this was a bug that prevented 22H2 and 23H2 systems from installing 24H2 as it would end up with a 0x80240069 error code. The problem happened on WSUS (Windows Server Update Services) managed PCs.

The Group Policy that has been released is essentially a known issue rollback (KIR) as Microsoft says it is still investigating the root of the bug. The company writes:

Resolution: This issue is mitigated using Known Issue Rollback (KIR) for enterprise-managed devices managed by IT departments that have installed the affected update and encountered this issue. IT administrators can resolve this issue by installing and configuring the Group policy listed below.

 

Group Policy downloads with Group Policy name:

 

• Download for Windows 11, version 23H2 and Windows 11, version 22H2 – Windows 11 22H2 KB5055528 250426_03001 Known Issue Rollback.msi (also applicable to Windows 11, version 23H2)

 

The special Group Policy can be found in Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Group Policy name>

You can find the issue entry here on Microsoft's official Windows Health Dashboard website.

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Prior to this update, Explorer Tab Utility provided features such as automatically converting new Explorer windows into tabs within a single window, preventing duplicate tabs for the same location, and allowing quick duplication of tabs with selected files preserved. It also added Tab History for reopening closed tabs with a simple shortcut similar to web browsers, and supported detaching tabs into separate windows. These features were configurable via customizable hotkeys.

The v2.5.0 update claims to bring several new additions and refinements. Among the notable features is Tab Search, enabling users to quickly find and switch between open tabs using keyboard navigation, which can be helpful when managing numerous open folders. Another change is Session Persistence; the utility is now designed to remember open tabs and restore them even after an Explorer crash or system reboot.

Folder navigation sees an enhancement, too. Users can now double-click on empty space to navigate back or up a directory. There is also an option to override the default behavior: holding Ctrl+Shift forces a folder to open in a new window instead of a tab.

The update includes a redesigned interface intended to better align with Windows 11's visual style, improves security by code-signing executables, adds support for ARM64 devices, and includes various stability fixes and installer improvements.

Here is the official changelog:

New Features

 

• Interactive Installation Option - Added support for interactive installation via Chocolatey and WinGet package managers
  • Users can now choose between silent and interactive installation modes
  • Use --params "/interactive" with Chocolatey to access the interactive installer
  • Use --interactive with WinGet to access the interactive installer

 

Improvements

 

• Enhanced Explorer Process Monitoring - Improved detection and handling of Explorer.exe termination

   

  • Better COM object lifecycle management
  • More reliable operation when Explorer crashes or restarts

 

• Installer Enhancements

   

  • Switched from ZIP distribution to Inno Setup installer for both Chocolatey and WinGet
  • Added proper .NET runtime selection during installation
  • Improved silent installation flag handling

 

Bug Fixes

 

• Tray Icon Visibility - Fixed issues with system tray icon disappearing after Explorer restarts

   

  • Implemented proper event notification system for Explorer shell initialization
  • Added workaround for WPF NotifyIcon behavior when Explorer process restarts

 

• Uninstallation Improvements - Ensured startup registry entries are properly removed during uninstallation

   

  • Registry cleanup now works regardless of how the application was added to startup
  • More thorough cleanup of application files and settings

 

Security & Infrastructure

 

• Code Signing - Integrated code signing into build and release workflow

   

  • All executables are now properly signed for enhanced security
  • Improved user trust and Windows SmartScreen handling
  • Free code signing provided by SignPath.io, certificate by SignPath Foundation

 

• CI/CD Pipeline Updates

   

  • Updated GitHub Actions workflows for Chocolatey and WinGet publishing
  • Streamlined release process with automated package generation

If you are struggling with Windows 11's default File Explorer experience, you can try out this utility by installing it directly using the winget or choco package managers with the following commands:

winget install w4po.ExplorerTabUtility --interactive

# or 

choco install explorertabutility --params "/interactive"

Alternatively, you can download the latest version from the project's GitHub releases page.

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The full changelog is given below:

New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

Energy saver now available in Microsoft Intune

 

We are bringing the ability to manage energy saver in Windows 11 to Microsoft Intune to allow IT administrators to control the energy saver settings on Windows 11 PCs through group policies and Mobile Device Management (MDM) configurations.

 

This feature, when enabled, intelligently balances your battery use, so it can last longer between charges. It extends battery life by managing power usage efficiently. It limits background activity and reduces screen brightness, ensuring that devices consume less power while maintaining optimal performance. By automatically managing system processes and power usage, the energy saver group policy helps reduce overall energy consumption. This not only saves costs but also contributes to environmental sustainability.

 

IT administrators can activate the policy by using either method below:

 

• Local Group Policy Editor in Windows 11
• Microsoft Intune Admin Center

The path for the new policy configuration can be found at in Local Group Policy Editor by navigating to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Energy Saver Settings and “Enable Energy Saver to Always Be On”.

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

[Recall (Preview)]

 

• We’re trying out different treatments of the UI in Recall including trying out different locations for snapshot actions and the timeline.

 

[Taskbar & System Tray]

 

• We have adjusted the needy state pill under apps on the taskbar that need attention to be wider and more visible.

• Admins can now allow users to unpin specific pinned apps, ensuring they are not pinned again during the next policy refresh cycle. To enable this feature, use the new PinGeneration option. Learn more about configuring pinned apps on the taskbar.

 

[Graphics]

 

We’re introducing some improvements for managing HDR capabilities of your PC via under Settings > System > Display > HDR:

 

• We have changed the wording for “Use HDR” inside display capabilities to improve clarity on supported media types.

• On PCs with HDR displays, we have added the option to allow HDR video streaming even when HDR is off in settings.

• On PCs with Dolby Vision displays, we have added the option to toggle Dolby Vision mode independently from HDR. You can now enjoy HDR with Dolby Vision either on or off based on your preference.

 

Learn more about HDR settings in Windows.

 

Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

 

[Taskbar]

 

• Fixed an underlying issue which was causing keyboard focus to get set to widgets in the taskbar on login, which could make widgets unexpectedly invoke.
• Fixed an issue where WIN + CTRL + wasn’t working to cycle between windows of open apps for that position on the taskbar.

 

[Audio]

 

• Fixed an issue which could cause the startup sound not to play, though it was enabled.

 

[Graphics]

 

• Fixed an issue which could cause unexpected scaling and window position changes after sleep/resume for some devices.

 

[Windows Update]

 

• Fixed an issue where after resetting your PC, taking subsequent cumulative updates may fail with error 0x800f081f.

 

Known issues

 

[General]

 

• When joining the Dev Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will no longer be offered Build 26200.5518 first and will be offered the most current available update in the Dev Channel.

   

• After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26200. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.

   

• We’re investigating an issue where core Windows surfaces are not able to load in safe mode (File Explorer, Start menu, and others) after the previous flight.

   

[Xbox Controllers]

 

• Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on “View” and then “Devices by Driver”. Find the driver named “oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)” where the “XXX” will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click “Uninstall”.

 

[Live Captions]

 

• [NEW] We’re investigating an issue where live captions is crashing on this build.

 

[Recall (Preview)]

 

• [REMINDER] You are always in control and can always choose to remove Recall anytime via “Turn Windows features on or off”. Removing Recall will delete entry points and binaries. Like any feature, Windows sometimes keeps temporary copies of binaries for serviceability. These Recall binaries are not executable and are eventually removed over time.
• [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

 

[Click to Do (Preview)]

 

• [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
• [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.

 

[Improved Windows Search]

 

• [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

 

[Start menu]

 

• We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last flight.

 

[Task Manager]

 

• After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
• The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

You can find the blog post here on Microsoft's official website.

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The full changelog is given below:

New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

Energy saver now available in Microsoft Intune

 

We are bringing the ability to manage energy saver in Windows 11 to Microsoft Intune to allow IT administrators to control the energy saver settings on Windows 11 PCs through group policies and Mobile Device Management (MDM) configurations.

 

This feature, when enabled, intelligently balances your battery use, so it can last longer between charges. It extends battery life by managing power usage efficiently. It limits background activity and reduces screen brightness, ensuring that devices consume less power while maintaining optimal performance. By automatically managing system processes and power usage, the energy saver group policy helps reduce overall energy consumption. This not only saves costs but also contributes to environmental sustainability.

 

IT administrators can activate the policy by using either method below:

 

• Local Group Policy Editor in Windows 11
• Microsoft Intune Admin Center

The path for the new policy configuration can be found at in Local Group Policy Editor by navigating to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Energy Saver Settings and “Enable Energy Saver to Always Be On”.

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

[Recall (Preview)]

 

• We’re trying out different treatments of the UI in Recall including trying out different locations for snapshot actions and the timeline.

 

[Taskbar & System Tray]

 

• We have adjusted the needy state pill under apps on the taskbar that need attention to be wider and more visible.

• Admins can now allow users to unpin specific pinned apps, ensuring they are not pinned again during the next policy refresh cycle. To enable this feature, use the new PinGeneration option. Learn more about configuring pinned apps on the taskbar.

 

[Graphics]

 

We’re introducing some improvements for managing HDR capabilities of your PC via under Settings > System > Display > HDR:

 

• We have changed the wording for “Use HDR” inside display capabilities to improve clarity on supported media types.

• On PCs with HDR displays, we have added the option to allow HDR video streaming even when HDR is off in settings.

• On PCs with Dolby Vision displays, we have added the option to toggle Dolby Vision mode independently from HDR. You can now enjoy HDR with Dolby Vision either on or off based on your preference.

 

Learn more about HDR settings in Windows.

 

Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on*

 

[Taskbar]

 

• Fixed an underlying issue which was causing keyboard focus to get set to widgets in the taskbar on login, which could make widgets unexpectedly invoke.
• Fixed an issue where WIN + CTRL + wasn’t working to cycle between windows of open apps for that position on the taskbar.

 

[Audio]

 

• Fixed an issue which could cause the startup sound not to play, though it was enabled.

 

[Graphics]

 

• Fixed an issue which could cause unexpected scaling and window position changes after sleep/resume for some devices.

 

[Windows Update]

 

• Fixed an issue where after resetting your PC, taking subsequent cumulative updates may fail with error 0x800f081f.

 

Known issues

 

[General]

 

• When joining the Beta Channel on Windows 11, version 24H2 – you will be no longer be offered Build 26120.3360 first and will be offered the most current available update in the Beta Channel.
• After you do a PC reset under Settings > System > Recovery, your build version may incorrectly show as Build 26100 instead of Build 26120. This will not prevent you from getting future Beta Channel updates, which will resolve this issue.
• We’re investigating an issue where core Windows surfaces are not able to load in safe mode (File Explorer, Start menu, and others) after the previous flight.

 

[Xbox Controllers]

 

• Some Insiders are experiencing an issue where using their Xbox Controller via Bluetooth is causing their PC to bugcheck. Here is how to resolve the issue. Open Device Manager by searching for it via the search box on your taskbar. Once Device Manager is open, click on “View” and then “Devices by Driver”. Find the driver named “oemXXX.inf (XboxGameControllerDriver.inf)” where the “XXX” will be a specific number on your PC. Right-click on that driver and click “Uninstall”.

 

[Live Captions]

 

• [NEW] We’re investigating an issue where live captions is crashing on this build.

 

[Recall (Preview)]

 

• [REMINDER] You are always in control and can always choose to remove Recall anytime via “Turn Windows features on or off”. Removing Recall will delete entry points and binaries. Like any feature, Windows sometimes keeps temporary copies of binaries for serviceability. These Recall binaries are not executable and are eventually removed over time.
• [REMINDER] Make sure you update Microsoft 365 apps to the latest version so you can jump back into specific documents.

 

[Click to Do (Preview)]

 

• [REMINDER] The intelligent text actions are now locally moderated to ensure the safety of prompts and responses and has replaced the cloud endpoint. Now that these intelligent text actions are fully local, they are also available in Click to Do in Recall.
• [REMINDER] If any of your actions on image entities are no longer appearing, please ensure you have the latest updates for the Photos and Paint app from the Microsoft Store.

 

[Improved Windows Search]

 

• [REMINDER] For improved Windows Search on Copilot+ PCs, it is recommended that you plug in your Copilot+ PC for the initial search indexing to get completed. You can check your search indexing status under Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows.

 

[Start menu]

 

• We’re investigating reports that clicking your profile picture isn’t opening the Account Manager for some Insiders after the last flight.

 

[Task Manager]

 

• After adding the new CPU Utility column, you may notice that System Idle Process always shows as 0.
• The CPU graphs in the Performance page are still using the old CPU utility calculations.

You can find the blog post here on Microsoft's official website.

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JayzTwoCents (4.2M subscribers)

May 6, 2025

Video length: 16m 53s

THIS is why you should ALWAYS backup your important files! But in case you didnt and your drive fails, here is your best FREE chance to get the data back! This video was NOT sponsored by Recuva...

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At the Google I/O developer conference later this month, Google is expected to discuss the upcoming major update for Android, Gemini AI updates, and more. On the Google I/O 2025 event website, Google accidentally published the official blog post link for the upcoming Material Design refresh. Although the blog post has since been taken down, its contents have already been archived by users.

The new design system is called Material 3 Expressive, and Google claims it is the most thoroughly-researched update to its design system to date. In fact, the company conducted 46 separate research studies with 18,000 participants around the world, testing hundreds of designs. The blog post highlights the data behind the designs and the thought process that went into creating the Material 3 Expressive design language.

According to Google, Expressive design is focused on usability—actively improving the user experience and helping users quickly identify key actions on each screen and navigate more efficiently. Research participants were able to spot key UI elements in Material 3 Expressive up to four times faster compared to the existing Material 3 design system. For example, the Send button in the Material 3 Expressive design system is more prominent and easier to find.

Google also claims that Expressive design benefits users of all ages. Their research showed that users aged 45 and older performed on par with younger users when using the Material 3 Expressive system, thanks to features like larger buttons, high-contrast visual containment, and other key enhancements.

Google is encouraging designers to move beyond “clean” and “boring” designs and to create expressive UIs that connect with people on an emotional level. The company will be releasing an updated Material 3 Design Kit for Figma, enabling designers to start experimenting with the new system.

via: 9to5Google

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On top of that, as pointed out by Neowin reader dustojnikhummer, there are also problems that have seemingly remained undocumented for months and AppLocker WDAC (Windows Defender Application Control) Enforcement for scripts appears to be one of them.

Back in 2023, Microsoft had made AppLocker deployment easier, but it looks like the company did not quite test it all that well for 2024-2025.

For those wondering what it is, AppLocker application control policies help the enterprise manage the applications and files that users can run on their systems. These include EXE files, scripts, Windows Installer files, DLL files, packaged apps, and packaged app installers.

The issue appeared to have been first noticed by a user CFou on the Stack Exchange forum. They noticed that ConstrainedLanguage mode enforcement would not work as the PowerShell session would end up using FullLanguage. Another user commented later on the thread suggesting that the issue was related to Windows 11 24H2 as they could reproduce it on the latest version of Windows.

The issue was later picked up by Reddit user hornetfig on the sysadmin subreddit. Others on the thread said that they could reproduce the issue too on Windows 11 24H2. This is a huge security concern as it allows every script, including malicious ones, to run unrestricted.

Microsoft MVP Roody Ooms investigated the issue to understand what was happening differently on 24H2 to change this behaviour. He discovered that the problem was seemingly being caused due to an imperfect implementation of a new WldpCanExecuteFile API that was added with PowerShell 7.3. Previous PowerShell releases, instead, used the legacy WldpGetLockdownPolicy API for detecting system lockdowns.

Microsoft seems to be aware of this issue and is finally making changes. PowerShell 7.6-preview.4 contains the following fix as part of the Engine Improvements:

Fallback to AppLocker after WldpCanExecuteFile (#24912)

You can find more technical details about the bug on Roody Ooms' blog post here.

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One notable addition is the Remote App Launcher. If you are working away in your remote Windows session via the web client, you do not have to leave the browser window to fire up another program. There is a new button located right on the toolbar inside the web client itself. Click it, and you can see a list of other apps available to you on the remote machine, making it easy to find and launch them without switching tabs or navigating back to the main portal view.

Microsoft has also improved how printing works when using the Windows App on the web. You can now print documents directly to the printers connected to your physical computer. Microsoft says that this enhancement simplifies getting hard copies of your work, removing the need for extra steps you might have had to take before when printing from a remote session opened in your browser.

Another useful feature involves transitioning to the desktop application. While the web client is convenient because it needs no installation, sometimes you might want the full power of the dedicated Windows App for things like multi-monitor support. The update lets you use the Windows App on the web portal to easily jump into your remote session using the installed desktop version.

You can simply select a "Connect in desktop app" option, which might appear when you are selecting your Cloud PC or within the session itself, to open the desktop client and continue your work there.

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If you use an Android phone, you can now wirelessly access your device's storage directly from File Explorer on Windows 11, with no cables required.

Traditionally, transferring files from your phone to your computer meant jumping through hoops, such as emailing files to yourself, using apps like WhatsApp, uploading to cloud storage services like OneDrive or Google One, or physically connecting your phone via USB as a mass storage device.

While those methods still work, Windows 11 now offers a more seamless solution. Thanks to the Phone Link integration, you can browse and manage your Android phone's files straight from File Explorer. The process is wireless, meaning there's no need to plug in your device. Just connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network.

It's important to note that wireless transfers come with some limitations. Because of bandwidth constraints, this feature is best suited for browsing files or transferring a small number of documents, photos, or videos, not large file batches or media-heavy folders.

In this how-to guide, I'll outline the steps to browse your phone storage from your computer without USB cables on Windows 11.

How to connect the Android storage to Windows 11

If you want to access the storage on your phone wirelessly from Windows 11, you will have to set up the connection using the Settings app, Phone Link, Link to Windows mobile app, and File Explorer.

Connect Android to Windows 11

To connect your Android phone to your Windows 11 computer, use these steps:

Battery Flyout, a small and convenient application for tracking batteries in Windows 11, has been updated with new features. The latest update is now available in the Microsoft Store with a few changes, like the ability to change classic power plans from the Control Panel, UI improvements, and fixes for battery reporting.

After installing the update, Battery Flyout will let you select one of the three default power plans from the Control Panel. They include Balanced, Power Saver, and High Performance. Now, instead of launching Control Panel and opening Power Options, you can just open the Battery Flyout app from the tray area and click "Power plans." In addition to that, Battery Flyout is now snappier and more reliable.

For those unfamiliar with Battery Flyout, it is a third-party app that offers a dedicated flyout for tracking the battery of your laptop or tablet and all the Bluetooth devices connected to it. There is also a power consumption graph, battery percentage indication for the tray area, and a power slider for Windows 11's power modes (separate from those in the Control Panel). You can also use the app to generate battery reports and track its health, charging cycles, receive charging/discharging notifications, and more.

Battery Flyout is available in the Microsoft Store for $2.99. It only works on Windows 11 version 21H2 and newer.

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Today is the day: Microsoft has formally shuttered the Skype app and service after announcing in February that Skype was being axed in favor of Microsoft Teams, the company's Slack competitor.

The Skype apps have all been advertising the end of the service and pointing users to Teams for weeks now. As of today, if you open the app or navigate to the Skype site, you'll be directed to use Teams instead. The last active vestige of Skype is the Skype Dial Pad, which Skype subscribers and members with Skype Credits can still use to make calls to traditional telephone numbers (the Dial Pad is also incorporated into Microsoft Teams Free).

It's an unceremonious end for an app that was once synonymous with video calls. Microsoft originally bought Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011; it was also owned by eBay from 2005 to 2009 and by a group of venture capital firms between 2009 and 2011. Ironically, Microsoft bought the app to replace its own first-party communication client at the time, Windows Live Messenger (which itself had grown out of the old MSN Messenger).

Though not the first software to allow video communication over the Internet, Skype was one of the first recognizably modern peer-to-peer video chatting apps. Created by some of the same developers behind the Kazaa peer-to-peer file-sharing software, Skype was originally released in 2003, at around the same time when increasing broadband Internet availability and better video compression codecs were solving the bandwidth problem.

But as detailed by Wired, Skype lost momentum after the Microsoft purchase, partly due to a redesign that people didn't like and partly because upstarts like Zoom were offering new features and better call quality. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and all kinds of office jobs shifted to remote work, it was Zoom and not Skype that was in a better position to become the video-chatting app everyone was trapped in.

Skype has been merging into or being replaced by Teams for years, starting with the end of Skype for Business in 2017, a few months after formally releasing the first version of Teams. Microsoft has pushed Teams aggressively, including it alongside its flagship Office apps and Microsoft 365 service for years. Some regulators believed this was, in fact, too aggressive, and Microsoft decoupled Teams from the other Office apps in 2023 (for the European Union) and 2024 (for everyone else).

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And with the forced way of doing things at Microsoft, including in the case of New Outlook (and not just on Windows 11), users have been further irked as switching in and out of the New Outlook and Classic has been difficult.

However, Microsoft seems to finally get this. In a new entry on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center portal, the company has explained that this behaviour is changing, for the better. Following this change, users will be able to simultaneously use Classic Outlook without switching back from New Outlook. The company explains:

Before this rollout, if users switch from classic Outlook to new Outlook, they must switch back to use classic Outlook again.

 

After this rollout, users will be able to use classic Outlook without switching out of new Outlook. When users select the toggle in new Outlook, they will have the option to open classic Outlook or switch back to classic Outlook.

 

If users choose to open classic Outlook, it will launch right away without requiring the user to switch back.

 

If users choose to switch back to classic Outlook, new Outlook will be minimized in the taskbar and classic Outlook will launch, allowing users to seamlessly use both apps. New Outlook notifications and reminders will be suppressed for that session and classic Outlook notifications will be shown.

The company has also shared a rollout timeline for the change and it starts this May and completes by July:

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC): We will begin rolling out the default behavior to keep new Outlook minimized after a user switches out of new Outlook in mid-May 2025 and expect to complete by late May 2025.

 

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC): We will begin rolling out an option to open classic Outlook without switching out of new Outlook in early June 2025 and expect to complete by late July 2025.

Those who have access to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center portal can find this new addition under ID MC1066342.

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Other improvements in this release include bcachefs and smb client fixes. Many of the improvements to bcachefs were contributed by Kent Overstreet. He made the most contributions in this release with 21 patches to his name.

The biggest set of changes in this update came in the form of self-tests, they made up for about 20% of the changes. Kernel Newbies explains “Kernel self-tests are run in userspace for testing kernel functions. They may be useful for regression testing of new kernels. Since they are run in userspace, the corresponding kernel has to be running for tests.” Their large presence in the fifth release candidate suggests developers are focusing on code reliability and validation, providing users with a better experience.

Beyond drivers and file system improvements, we got minor improvements across the kernel. Here are some technical highlights from the release:

• There were patches to resolve potential NULL pointer dereferences, memory leaks, and use-after-free vulnerabilities.
• Fixes related to specific hardware drivers, such as network (bnxt_en, mtk_eth_soc, mlx5), graphics (drm/amd/display, drm/xe), and storage (nvme-tcp, bcachefs).
• Patches addressing build warnings and errors contribute to a cleaner and more robust kernel build process.
• Improvements and fixes in the Audio Subsystem (ASoC and ALSA) that enhance audio functionality and address issues on specific hardware.
• Improvements to the Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) and Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) subsystems for better hardware communication and error handling.
• Fixes in the virtualization components (KVM, IOMMU, HV drivers).
• Network scheduling and traffic control fixes (net_sched).

Overall, Torvalds was optimistic about this update. Each Linux kernel release typically has seven release candidates so in about three weeks, we should see the stable release of Linux 6.15.

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According to a recently published post on the official documentation, Microsoft received reports about users being unable to open jump-lists for apps pinned to the taskbar after installing KB5052077 or newer. For reference, jump lists are lists of quick actions and recent files that you can open by right-clicking an app on the taskbar or the Start menu. Microsoft said that the issue occurred with apps having recent files in their jump lists, like Excel or Word.

Microsoft added that the problem was caused by the rollout of the redesigned account control experience in Windows 10's Start menu:

This issue was caused by a recent feature rollout that integrates account control experiences in the Start Menu for users on Windows 10 22H2. Account control provides users with an easily accessible way to manage their accounts and helps them get the most value from their accounts. This rollout began gradually in March 2025 via Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR), which is the process of gradually rolling out new features to compatible devices.

The good news is that Microsoft had stopped the rollout on April 25, 2025, preventing the further spread of the bug and fixing it on affected systems. All Windows 10 PCs with an active internet connection automatically received the necessary patches in the background with no action required from the end-user:

This issue was resolved by a service change that was rolled out on April 25, 2025. If you are still facing this issue, please ensure that your device is connected to the internet to receive the automatic resolution that has been rolled out. After the next reboot, this issue should be resolved.

Finally, it is worth noting that affected platforms included only Windows 10 version 22H2 Home and Pro. Windows 11 was not affected.

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With time, some of the original PowerToys utilities for Windows 95 became part of subsequent Windows releases, like the ability to quickly change display resolution (Quick Res). The same is happening to the now-killed Dev Home app, parts of which are making their way to the new "Advanced" settings section. With the modern PowerToys now being over five years old, here are five modules that I would like to see Microsoft make part of Windows 11.

1. Always on Top

Sometimes, all we need is a simple new feature, not some overcomplicated AI stuff. No, I am not going to rant about Windows 11's inability to auto-switch themes like I did in my recent article. I am talking about Always on Top, one of my favorite tools.

The gist is simple: you press Win + Ctrl + T, and your current app stays on top of everything with a small highlight surrounding it. If necessary, you can have a bunch of apps on top. Sticky Notes, browser tabs, messengers, and calculator, just to name a few things I pin to the screen every day. I love this simple utility, and I feel like Microsoft should make it part of Windows 11 so that more users can enjoy it, too.

2. Peek

Another simple tool that everyone will find useful. Select a file and press Ctrl + Space to preview it. Quick and easy, and no need to open a dedicated app. I find it particularly useful for images, but it also works great with Excel spreadsheets, PDF documents, text files, and more. It is one of those things that just work whenever you need it. macOS has this feature on a system level, and I want to have it on Windows 11 as well.

3. Mouse utilities

PowerToys has quite a few useful features for the mouse cursor. For example, finding the cursor by pressing the left Ctrl key twice, highlighting mouse clicks, and turning the cursor into a crosshair. In addition to simple convenience in daily use or when sharing your screen, they are great accessibility features.

I know that the legacy Control Panel lets you highlight the cursor by pressing the Ctrl key, but I find the more modern variant in PowerToys much better. And with Microsoft moving the old mouse settings from the Control Panel to the Settings app, maybe it is time to borrow some stuff from PowerToys as well.

4. Command Palette / PowerToys Run

It is a universal consensus that Windows Search sucks, even though Microsoft is trying to fix it with some AI power. In the video about switching from Windows to Linux, Pewdiepie called Windows Search one of the reasons to abandon Windows. If switching is not an option, you can at least use a better search with the Command Palette.

This recently launched module is a powerful launcher that can find apps, folders, files, switch between windows, work as a calculator, execute system commands, open web pages, and expand its capabilities with various extensions from third-party apps. It is fast and reliable, and it fully replaced the Start menu for me.

I do not hold my breath to see Microsoft making Command Palette a part of Windows because all that Bing stuff that is deeply integrated into Windows Search (KPI, ads, and everything), but it would be so much nicer to have Command Palette or PowerToys Run, its previous version, instead of Windows Search that still does not know how to find Recycle Bin (no joke).

5. Shortcut Guide

I love keyboard shortcuts, and there are a bunch of them that I use every day to boost my productivity. Not everyone knows about useful Windows shortcuts, so implementing a shortcut guide on a system level would help more users, especially newcomers, learn about Windows 11's capabilities.

PowerToys lets you invoke an overlay with Windows shortcuts by pressing a dedicated shortcut key or holding the Windows button. I would like to see it in Windows 11's Settings app with a toggle for those who do not want or need the guide.

What other PowerToys modules or advanced features would you like to see implemented natively? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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For example, last month, Microsoft shared several tips that it felt users upgrading to Windows 11 will appreciate. Following that, around two weeks later, the tech giant also explained briefly about how TPM works and how it helps make Windows 11 more secure than 10.

Likewise, the efforts continue and today, the company has published a new blog post once more highlighting all the benefits of a new Windows 11 PC. This time, the highlight is specifically Surface Copilot+ PCs. The company writes:

On October 14, 2025, Windows 10 PCs will no longer receive feature or security updates, increasing security risks and operational challenges. Now is the time to plan your next move. This is an opportunity to upgrade to modern devices built for today’s security standards, AI capabilities and hybrid work needs.

 

Moving to Windows 11 on new hardware like Microsoft Surface Copilot+ PCs helps teams work smarter, stay protected and reduce complexity.

Microsoft has also detailed in numbers how Windows 11 Copilot+ PC can help. It notes that workflows can be up to 50% faster than older devices. By older devices, Microsoft means those running Windows 10:

Workflows run up to 50% faster on average compared to older devices. Whether creating content, reviewing documents, or analyzing data, Surface provides the performance to stay productive and competitive.

Alongside that, Microsoft also claims that security incidents also dropped by 62%. That is a very tall claim to make indeed. The tech giant has cited a commissioned study here which provides a bit more detail on it. That report also suggests that features like Secure Boot help reduce firmware attacks by three times.

The company writes:

Organizations using Surface and other devices running Windows 11 Pro have reported a 62% drop in security incidents—reducing risk and supporting peace of mind so teams can focus on growth and innovation.

Finally, Microsoft also says that the speed of deployments went up by around 25%. This ties in with the previous claim about workflow improvement. The tech giant writes:

With deployment reported to be 25% faster, IT teams can get users up and running quickly. Automated updates and precise controls over apps, data and AI settings help ensure a smooth and efficient rollout.

You can find the blog post here on Microsoft's official Tech Community website.

This isn't the first time, though, that Microsoft has recommended getting a new PC. Last month, Microsoft shared ways in which users could deal with their unsupported Windows 10 PC. Hardware partners of Microsoft, like AMD and Dell, seem to be perfectly on-board with the idea too.

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Intel Arc B-Series Graphics Products:

 

• Warhammer 40000: Darktide (DX12) may exhibit black corruptions on textures.

 

Intel Arc A-Series Graphics Products:

 

• The Last of Us Part 2 (DX12) may exhibit flickering corruptions on shadows.

 

Intel Core Ultra Series 2 with built-in Intel Arc GPUs:

 

• Blender may experience compatibility issues while interacting with camera gizmo.

The list of known bugs is the same as the one in the driver 32.0.101.6737 WHQL, plus one new known issue with Adobe Premiere Pro crashing intermittently on systems with Intel Core Ultra Series 2 chips:

Intel Arc B-Series Graphics Products:

 

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (DX12) may exhibit flickering corruption in certain scenes during gameplay.
• Returnal (DX12) may experience an application crash during gameplay with Ray-Tracing settings turned on.
• Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 (DX12) may exhibit corruptions on water areas in certain scenarios.
• MLPerf may exhibit intermittent errors when running on multi-GPU system configurations. It is recommended to disable integrated GPU as a workaround.
• SPECapc for Maya 2024 may experience intermittent application freeze during benchmark.
• PugetBench for Davinci Resolve Studio V19 may experience an application crash while running the benchmark.

 

Intel Arc A-Series Graphics Products:

 

• Returnal (DX12) may experience an application crash during gameplay with Ray-Tracing settings turned on.
• PugetBench for Davinci Resolve Studio V19 may experience an application crash while running the benchmark.

 

Intel Core Ultra Series 1 with built-in Intel Arc GPUs:

 

• PugetBench for Davinci Resolve Studio V19 may experience errors intermittently with benchmark preset set to Extended.

 

Intel Core Ultra Series 2 with built-in Intel Arc GPUs:

 

• Adobe Premiere Pro may experience an intermittent application crash.
• PugetBench for Davinci Resolve Studio* V19 may experience errors intermittently with benchmark preset set to Extended.

Intel 32.0.101.6790 WHQL is available on PCs with 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11 with the following graphics products from Intel:

You can download the driver from the official website here. Full release notes are available here (PDF).

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If you are confused reading all these product names, that is basically why Microsoft has decided to unify them. Explaining the situation a bit more, Microsoft said:

“Previously, Project for the web, Project in Teams, and Roadmap in Teams operated as separate endpoints from Planner. Since Planner for the web and Planner in Teams include the same premium plans as Project for the web, we are consolidating our endpoints to ease confusion.”

Microsoft said that no migration or change in licensing is required; this will help to smooth the transition for businesses. With that said, some features are not available in Planner; they’re listed below:

• Roadmaps: Planner will not support opening Roadmaps. Instead, users can use the Planner Portfolio feature to re-create their existing Roadmaps as Portfolios. Note that Portfolios in Planner will not support adding rows for Azure DevOps or Project Online. Roadmap data will remain available in Dataverse.
• Import .mpp files: The ability to import a plan created in Project desktop is not available in Planner but can be done through Planner (formerly Project) Power Apps/Accelerator. Learn how to move your project from Project desktop to Planner Power Apps.
• Roadmap tab in Teams: pin Portfolios as a tab in Teams.

While admins won’t have to do much before or after the transition, Microsoft still recommends that they notify users about the change and update any internal notifications. It also recommends migrating existing Roadmap data to Portfolios in Planner before the redirect begins and proactively re-pinning Project in Teams tabs using the Planner in Teams tabs.

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However, Microsoft has decided that it is now ready to roll it out to everyone. The company has announced that Windows 11 24H2 (2024 update) release schedule has "reached the last phase of the gradual rollout."

The company has explained how users can avail the update via the Windows Update service in the Settings app. It writes:

Current status as of May 2, 2025

 

Windows 11, version 24H2, also known as the Windows 11 2024 Update, is broadly available. We have reached the last phase of the gradual rollout for version 24H2 via Windows Update on Settings.

 

If you have an eligible Windows 10 or Windows 11 device, you can look for the update by selecting Settings > Windows Update and selecting Check for updates. If your device is ready for the update, you’ll see the option to Download and install Windows 11, version 24H2.

For devices on Windows 11 versions 23H2 and 22H2, Microsoft has recommended that they upgrade to Windows 11 24H2 in order to "try the latest Windows innovations". Thus if you wish to have the latest Windows 11 features, you can update to 24H2. Microsoft writes:

Current status as of May 2, 2025

 

Devices running Home and Pro editions of Windows 11, versions 23H2 and 22H2 that are not managed by IT departments will receive the Windows 11, version 24H2 update automatically. You can choose the time to restart your device or postpone the update.

 

Windows 11, version 24H2, also known as the Windows 11 2024 Update, is the latest version of Windows available. We recommend you move to version 24H2 to try the latest Windows innovations.

Finally, the company has added that systems with safeguard holds and compatibility blocks in place won't be offered the newest feature update until the hold is lifted.

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As you can see, the tweet used the recent viral Katy Perry photo which was taken after the pop star returned to Earth after her recent short space trip. The picture has become a sort of meme to indicate a situation of relief as Katy Perry was seen kissing the ground upon landing back on Earth.

Clearly, this whole post was mainly meant as more of a joke but being an official employee means there would always be eyes on you from the press and the public; as such, the tweet blew up with over 700 thousand views and impressions with over eleven thousand likes.

Upon seeing his tweet go viral, Fernando later added more details about his workstation as well his personal gear for better context. His go-to device is a company-issued MacBook (Microsoft gave the option to choose either a Mac or a Windows PC), and for his personal projects like podcasts, newsletters, or open-source ventures, there's a Mac Studio.

He also explained that he uses Microsoft services, like DevBox, remotely via the Windows App for macOS. And when things need to run in Windows, Parallels steps in to fire up virtual machines.

On the productivity front, the Microsoft manager mentions Raycast as his secret sauce for zipping between Teams, Outlook, VSCode, Terminal, and more with custom key remapping. For browsing, he splits his strategy: work gets Microsoft Edge, while personal time calls for Arc.

Regardless of what you prefer, it's great to see a top tech worker sharing things like this so candidly about a rival company.

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