Microsoft previews tool to convert virtual machines from VMware to Hyper-V
Microsoft has launched a public preview of a new tool to convert virtual machines between VMware to Hyper-V formats. The VM Conversion tool is available free of charge via the Windows Admin Center, with Microsoft claiming that the conversion process takes just five minutes.
The company says that the aim of the tool is to provide a simple, supported path for organizations to streamline VM conversion to Hyper-V virtualization environments.
Google to block sideloading of apps from unverified developers
Downloading apps from an official app store helps to avoid dodgy software. The obstacles that can stand in the way of developers getting their apps into the likes of the Google Play Store, however, means that sideloading remains incredibly popular.
Sideloaded apps – those downloaded from unofficial sources – can be safe, but it is something of a minefield. And this is why Google has announced plans to block the sideloading of apps from developers that it has not been able to verify.
xAI is suing Apple and OpenAI for anticompetitive behavior
Elon Musk ‘s xAI startup is suing both OpenAI and Apple for alleged anticompetitive behavior relating to artificial intelligence.
Musk is focusing on these two firms because of the partnership and collaborative arrangements that exist between them. OpenAI has an agreement with Apple to integrate its ChatGPT tool into iOS and macOS. This is something that troubles xAI.
YouTube has been using AI on the sly to enhance creators’ videos
Many people turn to AI to improve their writing, their photos, or their videos. YouTube has been doing the same, quietly enhancing the look of users’ uploaded videos through the use of artificial intelligence.
So, what is the problem? Many creators are upset not so much that their videos have been “enhanced” (although there is debate over whether what YouTube has done can actually be seen as an improvement) but that it was done without consent.
Google is making it easier to switch your default browser to Chrome
Every company with a web browser wants you to choose it as your default. Google is no different with Chrome than Microsoft is with Edge or Mozilla is with Firefox.
Microsoft has received a lot of flak for the heavy-handed way in which it has prompted Edge and attempted to get users to switch to it. More than this the company has made it more difficult to set other browsers as default, although this has changed in recent times. Now Google is taking steps to promote Chrome, pushing a one-click-to-switch capability.
Microsoft slowly rolls out a button allowing Windows 10 users to refuse Windows 11
It is a drum that has almost been beaten to death, but the impending end of support for Windows 10 is not a story that is going to go away any time soon. Even when mid-October rolls around – the cut-off date – this is far from going to be the end of news, reminders, and more.
For now, however, there is some form of respite for Windows 10 users. Microsoft is rolling out a way to halt the constant pestering to upgrade to Windows 11. There is, of course, a catch.
Sam Altman wants to give everyone in the UK free access to ChatGPT Plus
The head and co-founder of OpenAI, Sam Altman, entered into discussions aimed at striking a deal to bring ChatGPT Plus to everyone in the UK at no cost to end users.
In a meeting between the UK’s technology secretary Peter Kyle and Altman, there was talk of granting UK residents access to a more advanced tier of ChatGPT as standard. The deal – while not definitely dead in the water – appears to have stalled, but the idea is an extremely interesting one.
WhatsApp is working on Instagram profile verification
WhatsApp beta testers have access to a new option that allows them to link to a verified Instagram profile, complete with a special icon that others should recognize.
This ability is not necessarily something that will appeal to or interest all WhatsApp users, but it is certainly something that has value for some types of user. Creators are among those who are likely to welcome this addition, as are companies and brands looking to build trust and drive engagement.
xAI makes Grok 2.5 open source and plans the same for Grok 3
Many of the concerns about artificial intelligence can be overcome through transparency. And it is in the name of transparency that Elon Musk has announced the open sourcing of its Grok 2.5 model.
More than this, the AI firm will also make the Grok 3 model open source is around six months.
Snipping Tool gets a handy window recording mode
What started off as a simple screen-grabbing tool has evolved into something powerful and impressive. The Snipping Tool goes from strength to strength, and for Windows Insiders Microsoft has a new option to play with.
The feature is an expansion of Snipping Tool’s screen recording capabilities, this time making it possible to limit recording to a specific window.
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?
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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