Leaked: Microsoft's upcoming Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Surface Laptop Go 3 specs and images
In a just a few days, Microsoft is holding a special event which -- although the company has offered nothing in the way of detail -- is widely expected to be a launch event for various Surface devices.
But while Microsoft has been tight-lipped about what the event is about, details of the hardware that will be making an appearance have leaked. Specifically, specifications, images and pricing for the Surface Laptop Studio 2 and the Surface Laptop Go 3 have been revealed.
Microsoft updates the Windows 11 Snipping Tool app with OCR, and brings powerful new features to Phone Link and Windows Photos
As ever, the Dev and Canary channels of the Windows 11 Insider Program are exciting places to be, bringing updates for not only the operating system itself, but also the bundled apps.
The latest builds of the OS include significant changes and new features for the Snipping Tool, Windows Photos and Phone Link apps. Perhaps the most important addition is Text Actions which brings OCR functionality to Snipping Tool.
Microsoft releases KB5030219 update to fix a cornucopia of security issues and other Windows 11 problems
It's the time of the month when Microsoft releases its regular security updates, and this September is no different. As the KB5030219 update is a security update, it is rolling out automatically to all Windows 11 users.
As well as numerous security fixes, the KB5030219 update removes a blank item from the Sticky Keys menu, a problem introduced by the previously released KB5029351 update.
Uncovering the market in vulnerability exploits
It won't come as any surprise that there's a thriving market among threat actors for the latest vulnerability exploits. A new report from Flashpoint lifts the lid on this world and reveals the exact vulnerability exploits that were listed for sale, purchased, and/or traded in the first half of 2023.
One of the most expensive was a remote code execution exploit for Adobe Commerce -- the eCommerce platform formerly known as Magneto -- which was listed for sale at $30,000. A Citrix ShareFile exploit was priced at $25,000.
Microsoft teams up with Barclays to offer reward-laden Xbox Mastercard
Microsoft has announced the Xbox Mastercard, the result of a partnership with Barclays. The card will launch in the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii later this month, and has no annual fee,
Initially available exclusively to Xbox Insiders, the credit card will ultimately be made available to everyone in the US. Aside from the lack of annual fee, there are other incentives for getting an Xbox Mastercard; every purchase made with the card earns points that can then be spent on games and add-ons at xbox.com.
Microsoft is making some dramatic changes to drivers in Windows 11 and beyond
Drivers have long been the source of problems for Windows users, with security flaws, compatibility issues and other bugs blighting the experience of getting hardware to work as it should. Now Microsoft has announced plans that will shake up how drivers work in Windows.
The company has announced plans to not only end support for third-party printer drivers in Windows, but also to stop the provision of printer driver updates via Windows Update. The change is a significant one which Microsoft is phasing in over a number of years to reduce the potential negative impact for hardware manufacturer and users alike.
Microsoft begins retiring its popular troubleshooters in Windows 11
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it would be retiring legacy troubleshooters in Windows 11. These built-in tools have helped users diagnose and fix common Windows problems since their arrival in Windows 7 back in 2009.
Now, the company has started the process of removing these troubleshooters.
Microsoft is bringing one of the best features of Photoshop to Paint in Windows 11
Microsoft Paint has been the subject of ridicule for as long as it has existed, but much of the mockery is ill-placed these days. While it may not be the most advanced image editor in the world, there is a lot more to the app than it is generally given credit for.
Microsoft is not done with development of the app, updates rolled out to the latest Insider builds of Windows 11 show that the company is on the verge of bringing a Photoshop-level tool to Paint: background removal.
How to speed up File Explorer in Windows 11
The vast majority of software bugs are, almost by definition, a problem. A bug can cause unexpected behavior, reduce performance, and cause endless other issues. But there is a bug in Windows 11's File Explorer that actually makes it better.
If you've ever thought that File Explorer would benefit from a speed boost, there's some good news. A strange bug can be exploited to noticeably improve performance in a split second.
Fix the UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR error in Windows with a BIOS update from MSI
It is now a couple of weeks since a Windows 11 update resulted in a large number of people suddenly seeing UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR error messages.
At the time, the finger of blame was pointed at Microsoft, although the company was quick to suggest that the fault may be elsewhere. With the issue affecting MSI motherboards, the hardware manufacturer offered up a workaround. Now MSI has released a BIOS update that properly fixes the problem for Intel 700 and 600 series boards.
Microsoft jogs users' memories about disabling old TLS protocols in Windows
Hot on the heels of a reminder about the end of support for Windows 11 21H2, Microsoft has reminded everyone that Windows will soon have TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 disabled.
Transport Layer Security (TLS) has been around for a number of years, with TLS 1.0 not only dating back to 1999, but having been superseded by far more secure versions. TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.2 are now very much the norm, so Microsoft is following others in the industry by dropping 1.0 and 1.1.
Nitrux 3.0.0 raises the Linux bar while outshining Microsoft Windows 11
Today is an exciting day in the world of Linux; Nitrux 3.0.0 has just been launched, and you can download an ISO here. This groundbreaking release screams innovation and forward-thinking, something that seems to have escaped Microsoft’s latest Windows 11.
Nitrux 3.0.0 comes with a robust set of improvements, from its use of Linux Kernel 6.4.12-2 (Liquorix) to an updated Firefox version 117.0. But let’s talk about the ‘Nitrux Update Tool System’ that even offers a rescue operation for backup redundancy. Imagine your update process gets interrupted; this feature allows you to restore the root partition from a Live session. This isn’t just an update; it’s a lifeline, something Windows 11’s update mechanism sorely lacks.
Microsoft is dropping WordPad from Windows 10 and Windows 11
Having just delivered an impressive update to the much-loved text editor Notepad, Microsoft has revealed that its (slightly) more advanced sibling, WordPad, is to be discontinued.
Serving as a halfway house between the barebones Notepad and a fully-fledged word processor, WordPad has been a feature of Windows for decades -- having been preceded by Write . But now Microsoft feels that the time has come to pull the plug, saying that the app is now longer being developed and will be killed ff.
Microsoft reminds Windows 11 21H2 users of impending forced upgrades ahead of end of service
There is now a little over a month until Windows 11 21H2 reaches end of service. When October 10 rolls around, the operating system will no longer receive updates.
With just a few weeks to go, Microsoft has issued a reminder to users of this two-year-old version of Windows 11 that support is coming to an end. More than this, the company has warned users of Windows 11 21H2 that they should expect to be forcibly upgraded to a supported version of the OS very soon.
Microsoft treats software stalwart Notepad to a long-overdue update
Notepad is one of the longest standing Windows apps, having been around for decades. Over the years, there have been slow, gradual improvements and now Microsoft has delivered a much-needed update to the beloved text editor.
Bringing the app more in line with word processors like Microsoft Word, this latest update sees the arrival of automatic file saves and more.
Recent Headlines
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.