Articles about Beta

There are many complaints that can be levelled against Windows 11, but a very common one is the number of customization options that Microsoft has removed. Frequent subjects of these complaints are the taskbar and Start menu, and changes are finally being introduced that gives user greater control over the look and feel of both.

If you’ve ever balked at the size of icons in the taskbar, you’ll be pleased to hear that you will be able to make them smaller. As ever, it is Windows Insiders who get first dibs on this option, but it’s already being made available to the Beta Channel, so it is likely everyone will get it soon. Here’s what you need to know.

Continue reading →

While Apple was excited to roll out news summaries powered by artificial intelligence, the reception has been somewhat muted because of some serious issues. The Apple Intelligence notification summaries were found to be sharing misleading or incorrect news headlines.

The BBC and other news outlets complained that their names were being used to spread misinformation, and Apple responded by promising an update to the service. For now, though, the company seems have to changed its mind, opting instead to simply disable notification summaries.

Continue reading →

Amazon may be one of the biggest names in online retail, but in recent years the likes of Temu has started to encroach on its territory by offering products at absurdly low prices.

Now Amazon has come up with a response. Amazon Haul is a new shopping experience that has launched in beta for US shoppers. Building on the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service, Haul is home to “affordable fashion, home, lifestyle, electronics, and other products with ultra-low prices”. Most things are priced under $10, so what’s the catch?

Continue reading →

Rightly or wrongly, GIMP is perhaps best known for being the app that is first mentioned when people ask for a free alternative to Photoshop. The open-source image editing tool has a large and devoted following, but it is a very long time since it received a significant update.

Now GIMP 3.0 is on the horizon, and ahead of the launch of this massive, long-awaited update, the first release candidate has landed. GIMP 3.0 RC1 is the first major update in around 6 years and it includes a range of new features such as non-destructive filters, numerous updates to the interface, and much more.

Continue reading →

There are many solutions available for anyone who has asked themselves the question "how do I record what is happening on my screen?". Video recording is a recent addition to Windows' Snipping Tool, and Microsoft also includes a screen capture ability in the Xbox Game Bar app -- a versatile option that can be used to record more than just games.

Now there's a new contender from Valve. Currently available in beta, Steam Game Recording is a much-requested feature and one that has been implemented in an impressive way.

Continue reading →

Microsoft has made a lot of controversial decisions when it comes to the Start menu in Windows 11, not least of which is the plan to introduce ads. In the latest beta build of Windows 11. However, there are some interesting changes afoot -- notably Start Menu Companions.

While not yet fully operational, Companions are essentially plugins or extensions for the Start menu. The display information -- such as weather or stock prices in a floating panel to the side of the Start menu, will blend the ideas of Live Tiles and Widgets into something new.

Continue reading →

In a move which is likely to be greeted with a hostile reception, Microsoft is continuing its obsession with injecting advertising into Windows. The company is using Windows Insiders signed up for Beta Channel to test the controversial addition of ads in the Windows 11 Start menu.

For now, this is a trial which is limited to beta testers in the US, but even if the most negative feedback is forthcoming, it is hard to imagine that Microsoft will back down and not roll out Start menu ads to all Windows 11 users.

Continue reading →

For anyone who is a fan of the bright and shiny, they can kit out their PC with a range of RGB lighting. Controlling RGB mice, keyboard and other device has long meant battling with a bewildering selection of third-party software, and this is something Microsoft aimed to simplify with the introduction of Dynamic Lighting in Windows 11.

The feature has been available since the release of Windows 11 23H2, and now ASRock has launched new beta firmware that adds Dynamic Lighting support to its motherboards.

Continue reading →

WhatsApp not only remains astoundingly popular, developers continue to refine existing features and add new capabilities at an astonishing rate. The latest beta version of the messaging app shows exciting signs that it may soon be possible to use WhatsApp to send and receive messages between other platforms.

This is an important -- and much-requested -- development because while WhatsApp has a colossal userbase, it is not yet ubiquitous. The fact remains that not everyone you may want to chat with is necessarily a WhatsApp user. In the future, this should not be a problem with the arrival of support for third-party chats.

Continue reading →

A PowerToys release cycle focused on stability and improvements may not sound terribly exciting, but with the newly hatched PowerToys v0.72.0 Microsoft has delivered significant updates that you won't want to miss out on.

Although there are no brand-new modules to explore, PowerToys Run has new plugins to work with. There are also a huge number of bug fixes and improvements across pretty much all areas of the utility, and a great new feature for Mouse Highlighter. On top of this, Microsoft has managed to dramatically slash the installation footprint of the PowerToys collections.

Continue reading →

Unity, the global leader in real-time 3D (RT3D) content creation and growth, has announced the launch of its beta program for visionOS, the operating system used in Apple's new mixed media headset. This program will allow Unity developers to create games and apps for Apple Vision Pro using Unity PolySpatial.

The integration of Unity PolySpatial with the Unity editor will allow creators to build experiences that run in visionOS, taking full advantage of the features offered by Vision Pro.

Continue reading →

It is a little over a month since Apple made a developer beta version of macOS Sonoma available for download. Now the company has released the first public beta of the operating system, making a more stable -- but still early -- build available to a wider audience.

With the recent release of the developer beta, Apple had already dropped the requirement to have a paid-for developer account, but the fact that there were still a few hoops to jump through was off-putting to some. Now anyone with a compatible Mac is free to install the macOS Sonoma beta; here's what you need to do.

Continue reading →

Linux Mint, one of the most popular Linux distributions, is back with an exciting release. Linux Mint 21.2 BETA, which is codenamed "Victoria," is a long-term support release that promises extended support until 2027. This ensures stability and reliability for its users. This upcoming version brings a host of updated software, refinements, and new features, making it a compelling choice for desktop users.

Linux Mint 12.2 BETA is based on Ubuntu 22.04 and uses kernel 5.15. As usual, there are three desktop environments from which to choose -- Cinnamon (5.8), MATE (1.26), and Xfce (4.18). Linux Mint 21.2 Beta also brings numerous improvements, including touchpad driver options, Wine installation enhancements, sound and microphone issue fixes, and more.

Continue reading →

Proton, the company behind the security- and privacy-focused Proton Mail and Proton VPN, has launched a beta version of its new password manager.

Going under the unsurprising moniker of Proton Pass, the software is described as "perhaps the first one built by a dedicated encryption and privacy company". What this means in practice is that security is greater than in other password managers, with end-to-end encryption on all fields of forms.

Continue reading →

Microsoft, Google and just about every other tech firm in existence is busy embracing artificial intelligence. In the latest example of bandwagon-jumping, the Windows-maker's new beta version of the SwiftKey keyboard for Android has gained AI functionality.

New capabilities come courtesy of Bing Chat AI, with Android users "slowly" gaining access to the power of Microsoft's chatbot; it is not yet clear quite when iOS users might also get the same treatment. But just what does the arrival of Bing Chat integration mean for SwiftKey?

Continue reading →