Microsoft adds coronavirus updates to Windows 10
With the coronavirus pandemic gripping the attention of the world, there are endless sources of information to help you keep up to date with the latest developments regarding the disease. Now Microsoft has added a COVID-19 tracker, news and resources directly in Windows 10.
Thanks to integration into the operating system, the latest factual information about the coronavirus -- including maps to track the spread -- is just a couple of clicks away.
Spotify now lets you hide songs from other people's playlists
If you've been looking for one more reason to cough up for a Spotify Premium subscription, the ability to hide songs in playlists could be it.
You may well have found a number of near-perfect playlists that other people have created, but there's a reasonable chance that there's at least one song you can't stand. Now, rather than having to skip the track -- or manually recreate the playlist yourself with the offending song removed -- you can simply tell Spotify to hide it.
Australia to force Google and Facebook to pay for news content
Facebook and Google both make huge amounts of money through advertising, and the Australian government feels this money should be shared with the smaller players the companies benefit from.
Specifically, digital platforms such as Google and Facebook will be required to pay news outlets for the content they produce. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) told the government that initial plans for a voluntary code of conduct were unlikely to work, hence the move to a mandatory code. The move by the Australian government could well lead to similar moves in other countries.
Facebook Gaming app launches today
Facebook is now a multi-faceted beast, and the latest weapon in the social network's growing arsenal is a dedicated gaming app.
The company is launching Facebook Gaming today, providing users with an app to livestream game content. Reports says that the app will also include "casual games and access to gaming communities". Competing with Amazon's Twitch, Google's YouTube and Microsoft's Mixer, the app lands on Android today, and is also due on iOS pending approval from Apple.
LG Velvet looks smooth as silk in new video
LG smartphones are often great -- not always, but usually. The company's Android devices are typically chock-full of cool features and respectable specifications. LG's V series of smartphones, in particular, have been very revolutionary. The V60 ThinQ 5G, which we reviewed recently, is one of the best Android phones in years -- as long as you also buy the useful second screen. Despite all the notable specs and features, there is a small problem with LG phones in recent years -- they look a bit dated. And yes, the design of a smartphone does matter. Look, phones aren't just handheld computers nowadays, but in addition, they are a fashion accessory and status symbol.
For LG's success in the Android market to continue, a rethink of design style was necessary. Well, the company has done just that, as it now looks to wow the world with the all-new LG Velvet Android smartphone which uses a new branding scheme. Rather than use letters and numbers to name their devices, it will use words instead -- "Velvet" instead of "V60," for instance. This is reminiscent of the automobile industry, where Ford and Chevy use bold names like "Mustang" and "Blazer" while Infinity and Volvo use cold names such as "Q50" and "XC40." The company first spoke of the upcoming device earlier this month, but now, it has released an official YouTube video as well.
Forget Windows 10, Windows 20 is the Microsoft operating system we need!
Windows 10 has had more than its share of issues over the years, with buggy updates causing a wide variety of problems for users. The May 2020 Update is nearly ready for release, and will no doubt bring with it another set of woes for many when it does arrive.
With Windows 7 no longer supported, Windows 10 is really the only game in town for those who want to use Microsoft’s OS. But perhaps we should be consigning it to the past and looking to the future with the gorgeous, and much more modern, Windows 20.
Read the Microsoft Edge Privacy Whitepaper here
Microsoft has published a whitepaper about privacy in its Edge browser. The paper goes someway to answer the questions user may have about the data Edge is collecting about users.
The company says that the whitepaper is an exercise in transparency which "explains how Microsoft Edge features and services work and how each may affect your privacy". Microsoft insists that it practices data collection minimization, and it uses the whitepaper to come clean about just what data the browser is gathering.
Windows Notepad returns to the Microsoft Store with new features
It's one of the most basic components of Windows, but also one of the most loved and most useful. Notepad has been with us for decades, and now it has found a new home in the Microsoft Store.
This is not the first time the app has appeared in the Microsoft Store. Originally announced in August last year, Notepad appeared for a while before vanishing. Now it's back, and it's better than ever with a host of new features.
What's new in Windows 10 May 2020 Update?
Microsoft is ready to unleash the next big feature update for Windows 10, so what do you have to look forward to? Known variously as the Windows 10 May 2020 Update, Windows 10 version 2004, and Windows 10 20H1, there are quite a number of changes.
While not quite as big an update a some feature releases, the Windows 10 May 2020 Update includes important updates to Cortana, Settings, Search, Virtual Desktops and Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) 2.
Fintech: Leak shows Google is working on a debit card to rival Apple Card
Leaked pictures suggest that Google is preparing to launch its own physical and virtual debit cards. TechCrunch cites multiple reliable sources in a report that gives a glimpse into Google's future fintech plans.
Images of not only the physical card itself but also screenshots of the Google Pay app with references to the virtual version of the card show off the design, as well as the spending tracking features that are in the pipeline.
Apple's new 'battery health management' feature improves MacBook battery life
The battery life of your MacBook is about to be extended thanks to a new feature Apple is adding to macOS Catalina 10.15.5. Called "battery health management", the feature reduces batteries' rate of chemical aging, helping to extend its lifespan.
Working much like the Optimized Battery Charging feature of iOS, battery health management measures battery usage and adjust the maximum charge level for improved life.
Apple Music on the web is no longer in beta -- including on Linux
My favorite streaming music service is Apple Music. As an iPhone user, this was a match made in heaven. As a regular desktop Linux user, however, this was very problematic. You see, for the longest time, you needed iTunes to listen to Apple Music on desktop. This wasn't a problem when using Windows 10 or macOS, but as soon as I signed into, say, Ubuntu, I was out of luck, as there is no iTunes for Linux.
Thankfully, late last year, Apple finally brought its streaming music service to the web. In other words, all you needed to listen to Apple Music was a compatible web browser. This meant that users of desktop Linux could finally listen to the streaming service by simply firing up a web browser, such as Firefox. Despite being a feature Spotify offered for many years, it was still a really big deal. The problem? Apple Music for the web was merely a beta. Today, this changes.
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MyFamilyTree 10 adds new interactive Fan chart view, introduces tool to resolve duplicates
Ahoy family historians! Chronoplex Software has released a landmark version of its free family history app for Windows users. My Family Tree 10.0, also available in 32-bit form, adds a brand-new interactive fan view that can also be used as a printable or shareable chart.
Other highlights include a new tool to resolve duplicate entries, various improvements to the user interface, a brand new progeny report and the ability to create placeholder entries in the tree for filling out later.
Plex releases media server app Dash, and Plexamp player for Windows, mobile, macOS and Linux
If the phrase "it really whips the llama's ass" means anything to you, you clearly remember the heady days of WinAmp. Now media server and management company Plex has come up with its own take on the classic software.
Called -- slightly uninspiringly -- Plexamp, the player is available for iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and Linux. The company has also released a new app for managing Plex media servers: Plex Dash. This is great news for Plex users, but there's a slight catch in both cases.
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