Google unveils the mid-range Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL -- same powerful camera, much more affordable price
It’s getting increasingly difficult for hardware companies to keep their new smartphones under wraps. Leaks prior to the official announcement mean we often know all about a new device well in advance.
We already knew a lot about the new Pixel phones that Google revealed today at its I/O conference, but it’s good to have everything confirmed. If you've always fancied a Pixel smartphone but couldn't justify the asking price, then the new Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL could well provide the perfect solution.
Windows Terminal is a new Linux-inspired command line app for Windows 10
Microsoft’s developer conference Build 2019 is underway, and one of the things that the software giant announced today is a new app for command-line users.
The Windows Terminal is an update of the existing Command Prompt/PowerShell apps and is expected to arrive in the middle of June.
Watch Microsoft's Build 2019 keynote here
Today is a big day for Microsoft as Build 2019 kicks off with a keynote from CEO Satya Nadella.
There likely won’t be too much to excite consumers, as the event is aimed squarely at developers, but as usual there will be some interesting news coming out of the event in Seattle, including more information about the next version of Microsoft Edge.
Is it game over for the Microsoft Store? (And if not, why not?)
Microsoft’s app store came into being at the same time as Windows 8. It was, as I said at the time, part of an attempt to copy Apple's successful model. I think most people expected the Store to be a bit rubbish, but it turned out to be even worse than that. Seven years on and it’s wasteland full of knock offs and junk apps. It hasn’t fallen on hard times, it’s always been that bad.
Part of the problem is there’s no longer a need for the Store, or the apps that it offers. If you want a piece of software to run on your PC, or your Windows tablet, you can download it from a wide range of sources, and the versions you’ll find elsewhere -- programs, legacy apps, whatever you want to call them -- tend to be superior to the crippled and/or packaged apps Microsoft is offering. So what’s the point of the Store?
Apple significantly overstates iPhone battery life
Modern smartphones are fantastic, but they burn through battery life like no-one’s business. Most of us charge our devices overnight, but if you’ve used your phone a lot in the day, there’s a good chance you’ll have needed to top up the battery at least once at some point -- especially if your handset is getting on a bit.
Few people choose a smartphone based solely on its battery life (as the abject failure of the 18,000mAh battery-toting Energizer P18K shows) but it is still an important consideration. If you’ve found you’re not getting as much life from your phone as the manufacturer claimed, you won’t be too surprised to see an investigation by consumer champion Which? came to the same conclusion.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 20H1 Build 18890 to the Fast ring
Windows 10 19H1 -- the May 2019 Update -- is currently undergoing additional testing in the Release Preview ring to try and solve a number of upgrade blocks, including one which prevents the update from installing if you have a USB drive or SD card plugged in.
Microsoft is still working on future releases though, and today pushes out Build 18890 to Insiders on the Fast ring (and those who had previously opted to Skip Ahead).
Forget Avengers: Endgame or Game of Thrones -- watch 'Clippy: The Unauthorized Biography' instead
Steven Sinofsky was a senior executive at Microsoft who is perhaps best known for presiding over the creation of Windows 8 and RT. However, he also had a key role in the development of Microsoft Office back in the 1990s. This was a time when users feared to attempt to write a letter in Word because just starting it could well summon up Clippy -- the Candyman of productivity software -- who would attempt to help, but was rarely of any real use.
Clippy might have been retired for 15 years now, but to mark the Office assistant’s 25th anniversary, Sinofsky has made an Unauthorized Biography of the divisive animated paperclip which you can watch in full here.
Windows 7 users not rushing to upgrade to Windows 10
It took a very long time for Windows 10 to finally overtake Windows 7, but the new OS finally achieved that feat four months ago, according to figures from NetMarketShare.
In March, Windows 10 made large share gains, while Windows 7 declined significantly, and that is a picture one would have expected to see continue in April, especially now that Microsoft has started alerting Windows 7 users to the impending end of life of their chosen OS. However, that has proven not to be the case. Despite the warning, it seems Windows 7 users aren’t in a rush to upgrade anytime soon.
These are the current upgrade blocks for the Windows 10 May 2019 Update
After the disaster that was the buggy October 2018 Update, which most Windows 10 users have avoided like the plague, Microsoft has taken the wise step of introducing additional testing.
The next big feature update is expected to roll out to all by the end of May, but for the moment it’s undergoing extended analysis in the Release Preview ring.
Windows 10 users still avoiding the October 2018 Update like the plague
The Windows 10 May 2019 Update is currently undergoing testing in the Release Preview ring to ensure it should be relatively bug free when it finally rolls out to all (in theory at least).
Microsoft has already identified an issue that prevents the OS update from installing on systems with a USB flash drive or SD card connected.
Kodi alternative Mobdro steals users' Wi-Fi passwords, seeks to access shared media and installed apps
Mobdro is a streaming app that can be installed on any Android device, including phones, tablets, Amazon's Fire TV Stick, and Google's Chromecast. It has been gaining in popularity for a while now, especially after all the negative press surrounding rival service Kodi.
However, Mobdro is now facing controversy of its own after a new malware report made a number of damning claims about it.
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Kodi 19 M's codename revealed
As well as releasing Kodi 18.2 today, the Kodi Foundation also revealed that it has started work on the next big version of its hugely popular home theater software.
Kodi 19 M won’t be released for good while yet, but after teasing us with some clues, the team has now revealed what the M will stand for.
Development on Kodi 19 M* begins -- can you guess the name?
The Kodi Foundation today rolls out a big update to Kodi 18 'Leia', Kodi 18.2, with a number of bug fixes and performance enhancements.
But that’s not the only big Kodi news. Development on version 19 M* has begun!
Kodi 'Leia' 18.2 now available to download with bug fixes and performance improvements
The Kodi Foundation made the release candidate for Kodi 18.2 available last week, and today you can grab the final version.
As you’d expect, this is a bug fix release with no major new functionality, but there are a number of notable changes including improvements to the music database performance and a new Codec Factory for Android.
Wayne's Bio
Wayne Williams is BetaNews' managing editor. He has been writing about computers, technology, and the web for over 20 years now. He’s written for most of the UK’s PC magazines, and launched, edited and published a fair few of them in his time also. If you like what you read, you can Buy Me a Coffee!
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