Never mind Windows 11, Windows Classic Remastered is the nostalgic Microsoft operating system you didn't know you wanted
With support for Windows 10 winding down, many users are weighing up their next move. Traditionally, upgrading to the newest version of Windows was a no-brainer, but Windows 11 has complicated that decision. Its strict hardware requirements, growing insistence on a Microsoft account, system bloat, unpredictable updates, and an expanding focus on AI have left many users looking for alternatives, or at least wondering what else is possible.
Enter Windows Classic Remastered (Windows CR for short), a retro-inspired OS that shows us a version of Windows from an alternate reality; one where simplicity, consistency, and user control rule, rather than complexity and bloat.
Let's Encrypt makes free security certificates available for IP addresses
We’re all familiar with the idea of TLS/SSL security certificates that verify the identity of a website and ensure trust and security on the web by confirming that the site you’re visiting is what it says it is.
Usually these relate to the domain name of the site, since that’s how most people gain access, indeed if you type in the underlying IP address instead you’ll often get an error because of the lack of a certificate.
Opera browser update adds built-in translation, custom cursors, and multitasking tools
Norwegian browser company Opera has launched a major update for its desktop browsers Opera One and Opera GX, adding a privacy-focused translation feature, improved multitasking tools, and a new level of personalization for GX users.
The update rolls out as Opera continues to try to compete with bigger players like Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Firefox by leaning into user-driven customization and features.
Amazon is shutting down its Freevee app in August
Amazon has finally announced when the Freevee streaming video app will close for good. As of next month, the Freevee app will be inaccessible, with content now being available on Prime Video instead.
The shuttering is no surprise, as the closure was announced last year. At the time, however, Amazon did not specify a timeline for how things would pan out. Some eight months after the original announcement, the company has finally revealed that the Freevee app will be shut down in August 2025.
New solution helps to secure AI application development
AI is revolutionizing how software gets built, making the process faster, smarter, and more autonomous. But it also introduces more risk than we’ve ever seen and challenges application security, which wasn’t designed for AI-driven development processes.
In response to this Legit Security is launching Legit MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server. This new offering brings application security posture management (ASPM) to AI-led development, making vulnerability management simpler.
Google reduces Pixel 6a battery life with mandatory Android 16 update
In just a few days, Google is starting the rollout of a mandatory automatic software update to Android 16 for Pixel 6a handsets. While an update would generally be expected to add features or improve performance, this particular, unavoidable update will have an unwanted side effect for some handset owners.
Having determined that some Pixel 6a handsets are a risk of an overheating battery, the update is being used to reduce battery capacity and charging performance on impacted devices. For users who are unhappy with this, there is the option of a battery replacement, but there are eligibility criteria.
Microsoft announces another round of layoffs as it plows money into AI
Microsoft plans to further reduce its global workforce, having already trimmed back on employee numbers several times this year.
The company is yet to provide exact details of the number of people affected by the latest round of layoffs, and it has also not revealed which divisions are to be hit. Microsoft has confirmed, however, that the cutbacks represent less than 4 percent of its workforce, leading to estimates of around 9,000 layoffs.
Xerox completes $1.5 billion Lexmark acquisition to boost print business
Seven months after it was first announced, Xerox Holdings Corporation says it has finalized its acquisition of Lexmark International in a $1.5 billion deal. The transaction, which includes net debt and assumed liabilities, closed on July 2, 2025. This move is part of Xerox’s broader efforts to evolve its business in a bid to stay relevant as work environments continue to shift in a post-Covid world.
The deal brings together two print giants with long-standing reputations in the industry.
EU urged to pause rollout of new AI rules
Businesses and politicians are calling on the EU to pause the rollout of its wide-ranging new AI Act which became law last year. The act relies on technical standards which have been slow to emerge. Provisions of the act such as new rules for General-Purpose AI (GPAI) models, due to apply on August 2nd, still lack essential guidance.
Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson has called the new rules ‘confusing’ and said that he worried the continued rollout could lead to Europe falling behind technologically or specific applications not being available on the European market.
‘Innovator passports’ set to boost UK health tech rollouts
A new ‘innovator passport’ -- set to be introduced over next two years -- will allow new technology that has been robustly assessed by one part of the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) to be more easily rolled out to others.
Healthcare innovations need to be thoroughly tested before being widely adopted, but of course this can slow down potentially life saving innovations from reaching the people who would benefit from them.
Microsoft acknowledges Intune issue that wipes out security customizations
Microsoft has published a warning about a problem in its Intune management software that stops customizations from being saved. Stemming from an issue in the security baseline policy update flow, an update can wipe out settings that have been put in place by administrators.
Although Microsoft has acknowledged the problem, the company is currently working on working out how to address it. In the meantime, Intune users are being told to use a workaround that could prove to be time-consuming for many.
Microsoft releases PowerToys v0.92 with new features for many modules
If it feels as though it has been a while since PowerToys received an update, that’s because it has been a number of weeks. But now this changes. Microsoft has launched PowerToys v0.92.0 as part of a release cycle that focuses on new features, stability, optimization improvements, and automation.
Every PowerToys release causes fans of the utility suite to ask whether any new modules have been added. This time around there are no completely new utilities to play with, but there a so many modules that have gained new features and improvements that it’s hard to remain disappointed for long.
How AI is changing the way organizations nurture talent [Q&A]
Recruiting, training and retaining staff is very much a human issue rather than a technology one, right? Not necessarily, using data and insights from AI organizations can measure and improve employee performance as well as creating a more welcoming and inclusive work environment.
We spoke with Dr. Serena Huang, founder of Data with Serena and author of The Inclusion Equation: Leveraging Data & AI for Organizational Diversity and Well-Being, to learn more about how data can be used to drive meaningful progress in DEI and employee well being.
X turns to AI-powered bots to write Community Notes to clarify posts
X has announced the latest addition to Community Notes as the social platform seeks ways to replace third-party fact checkers. The company is giving developers the option of building AI bots that can write notes that provide further details, clarity and context for posts.
The AI Note Writers are not being allowed to run completely free, however. X says that the aim of the AI Note Writer API is to help humans rather than replace them, pointing out that the bots “must earn the ability to write notes, and can gain and lose capabilities over time”.
Forget about Fake Cell Towers and Spying Threats: Android 16 Introduces New Security Features
Mobile security enhancements have become an essential part of OS developments. To make mobile security better, Google has announced that Android 16 will include a feature that detects and warns users about fake or insecure cell towers and an often-overlooked threat that can be used to spy on individuals or steal sensitive data.
This new feature is part of strategic efforts by Google to strengthen privacy protections within its mobile ecosystem. As detailed in recent reports from Android Authority, the upcoming version of Android will notify users when their devices connect to suspicious mobile networks, particularly those attempting to gather identifying information or lacking encryption.
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