Microsoft adds ability to resume apps from Android phone on Windows 11


Microsoft has been slowly showing more and more love towards Android and its interoperability with Windows 11. This is something that is abundantly clear in the latest builds of Windows 11 released to Insiders on the Dev and Beta channels.
The latest feature to start rolling out is the ability to seamlessly resume apps from Android phones on PC. This is not something that works with all apps – indeed, it is not something you would want or need to work with all apps – but it is an interesting feature which has a lot of potential. For now, however, it is starting small.
Google Drive simplifies video editing


Google Drive is home to every type of file imaginable, and a decent proportion of those files are videos. It is with this in mind that Google has decided to make it easier to edit videos which have been uploaded to its cloud storage service.
Rather than adding video editing tools directly into Google Drive, the company is instead making it easier to access the option to do so using Google Vids.
WhatsApp is testing an 'answerphone' for missed calls


WhatsApp would like you to leave a message after the beep. In what feels like a blast from the past, Meta is testing what equates to an answerphone service in WhatsApp.
Currently undergoing beta testing with a limited number of users, the feature seeks to encourage conversation and connectivity. You have almost certainly been notified of a missed WhatsApp call on your phone, but how many times has the person who called followed up with a text message? Probably not often, and this is something WhatsApps is looking to address.
Microsoft is still slowly chipping away at the Control Panel in Windows 11


The death of the Control Panel has been slow and painful. The long and drawn out move from the Control Panel to the Settings app started years ago, and it is still an ongoing process in Insider Builds of Windows 11.
It is not really clear why Microsoft is taking so long to migrate options across from the Control Panel to Settings, other than factoring in the idea that it is really not considered a priority. But with the release of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27928 to the Canary Channel this week, the Control Panel continues to be subjected to a death by a thousand cuts.
Google is bringing an AI fitness coach to Fitbit thanks to Gemini


There is nothing that technology companies will not try to enhance with AI. Google is no stranger to this with Gemini, and the company has announced an AI-powered fitness coach for the Fitbit platform.
But this is more than just a fitness coach. Google describes it as a “a fitness trainer, a sleep coach and a health and wellness advisor” all rolled into one. The aim is to be the AI coach that is suitable for everyone, so what can it do?
Microsoft gives Copilot on Windows another new look


Microsoft could be accused of many things in relation to Copilot on Windows, but standing still is not one of them.
Both in terms of functionality and design, the company seems to be constantly at work and this is something that is evident in the latest Insider build of Windows 11. Microsoft is rolling out new features such as Semantic Search, and also a completely redesign home page for Copilot on Windows.
Google releases Password Manager app


Whether you have been waiting for it or not, Google Password Manager is now available as a standalone app for Android users.
Breaking the Password Manager component out of the Chrome browser is an interesting move. There is no real reason for Google doing so other than making it slightly easier to access saved passwords and usernames.
UK drops demands for back door access to encrypted Apple data


The UK is no longer seeking a back door that would have allowed it to access encrypted data of Apple users. Controversial from the start, the UK has been pushing for technology firms such as Apple, Meta and others to provide it with access to encrypted users data.
Billed as a crime-fighting measure, the requests outraged not only the companies involved, but also privacy advocates and concerned individuals. But now the US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, says that the UK has had a change of heart.
Microsoft adds a COPILOT function to Excel


We have already seen Microsoft bringing Copilot to Excel. The company only recently added the AI assistant to its spreadsheet as a way to explain formulae to help users better understand them.
Now Microsoft is bringing Copilot to Excel in more ways – arguably more useful ways. Currently available to Insiders, the latest addition sees Microsoft giving users the option to “bring AI to your formulas with the COPILOT function in Excel”.
Windows 11’s dark mode remains a work in progress for Microsoft


Microsoft’s approach to Windows 11 means that the operating system is never complete. This is evident in many areas, including dark mode.
Like so many companies, Microsoft jumped on the dark mode bandwagon quite some time ago – almost a decade ago, in fact. Work started on the eye-saving option back in Windows 10 but it is still not complete. However there are signs that Microsoft has not given up, and there are still more changes to come.
Shock! Microsoft is bringing Copilot to the Windows 11 Start menu


If you can rely on Microsoft for anything, it is that the company will use Windows to push its own products and services – just look at Copilot.
You will have noticed that Microsoft is busy squeezing Copilot into everything it possibly can. The latest victim of this treatment is the Start menu in Windows 11. This should come as no surprise – Microsoft is not only hellbent on shoving Copilot down people’s throats, it is turning to its tried and tested technique of using the Start menu to do so.
The Microsoft Store loses the option to disable automatic updates


If you’re the sort of person who likes to be in control of what happens on your computer – as much as such a thing is possible – you may have disabled automatic updates for Microsoft Store apps.
Microsoft has, without warning or any sort of announcement, removed this option. If you have installed an app from the Microsoft Store, you are now essentially forced to keep the very latest versions of that app installed.
Gmail finally has a Mark As Read option in Android notifications


Google has introduced a handy new way for Android users to keep on top of their emails – a Mark As Read option.
This may sound like nothing new, but this is not just any Mark As Read option. It is a new Mark As Read option that can be accessed from. The notification that appears when a new email arrives.
Microsoft issues Windows 10 death countdown reminder


Microsoft has reminded users, yet again that support for Windows 10 is coming to an end. You could be forgiven for being tired of hearing about this, but as the cut-off date is very much on the horizon, Microsoft’s eagerness to ensure everyone knows is understandable.
There are now less than two months to go until Microsoft stops issuing updates to Windows 10 for anyone who has not paid for extended support. This is really not long, and while it is hard to believe that there could possibly be anyone who is not yet aware of this, there will of course be some.
macOS Tahoe code suggests Apple has a 5G MacBook Pro coming


What could be better than a new MacBook Pro – assuming you’re a fan of Apple laptops? How about a 5G MacBook Pro? If this sounds good to you, code spotted in macOS Tahoe all but confirms there is one on the way.
While tethering a MacBook to an iPhone or – dare we say it? – an Android phone is all well and good, a laptop with built-in data connectivity is a real boon. Apple fans have been hoping for such a device for a long time, and now it seems that the company is ready to deliver the goods.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. She is currently training to be an LGBTQ+ affirmative psychotherapist. You can find her on Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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