Leak suggests Microsoft going to borrow design ideas from macOS for Windows 12
No matter how recently Microsoft has launched a new version of Windows or released a significant update, talk about "the next version of Windows" is always babbling in the background. At the recent Microsoft Ignite conference, however, the company gave good reason for people to start looking to and talking about the future by seemingly leaking an update look for Windows -- Windows 12, maybe?
There is not a huge amount to go on, but a still from the video of the opening keynote speech from Ignite shows a version of Windows with a different look. A version of Windows that looks heavily inspired by macOS. A version of Windows with a floating taskbar and a macOS-style menu bar at the top of the screen.
Microsoft is bringing a HOSTS file editor to PowerToys along with a settings backup option
In the latest version of PowerToys released by Microsoft earlier in the month -- version v0.63 -- perhaps the most notable change was the fact that the size of the installer had been dramatically reduced. While this was a welcome step, what most people are looking for is new features and options!
We already know that the PowerToys development team is working away on a new utility called File LockSmith that will reveal which processes are locking a files, but there is much more in the pipeline. What is there to look forward to? In addition to a tool for editing the HOSTS file, Microsoft is also planning to introduce the ability to backup PowerToys settings.
Biggest tech acquisitions of 2022
The economic downturn of 2022 hasn’t stopped the tech industry from engaging in merger and acquisition activity. Though deals have decreased by 40 percent in the first half of 2022, several firms and solution providers have negotiated pacts of up to billions of dollars.
Most of the acquisition activity is because of the overall decline in the stock market. When prices plunge and company valuations reduce, firms step in to bargain.
Microsoft launches new security update notification RSS feed
RSS feeds may not be as popular as they used to be, but for some things they are one of the most efficient and useful means of keeping updated.
Microsoft is aware of this and, having listened to feedback from customers, has launched a new RSS feed to make it easier to keep updated about the latest security notifications from the company. Specifically, there is now an RSS feed for the Security Update Guide (SUG).
Senior Program Manager at Microsoft reveals a great volume adjustment secret for Windows 11
While there has been some disappointment about the release of Windows 11 2022 Update because of certain features not being ready, there are some secret changes in the update that are just being revealed.
A great case in point is a new way to adjust the volume in Windows 11 22H2. The tip was shared on Twitter by Senior Program Manager at Microsoft, Jen Gentleman. Intrigued? Read on!
Microsoft is updating Snipping Tool to bring a proper screen recorder to Windows 11
We've written previously about how the Xbox Game Bar can be used as a screen recorder, but it doesn't work in all circumstances. At its Surface event yesterday, Microsoft quietly let it slip that Windows 11 is getting a proper screen recording tool.
Capturing a screenshot is incredibly simple thanks to the existence of the Print Screen key, but with the arrival of the Snipping Tool, Microsoft expanded the range of options available without the need for additional software. And next, the company is expanding the capabilities of Snipping Tool so that it can be used as a screen recorder, not just a screen capture utility.
Microsoft uses a series of Windows 11 tips to highlight what is new in Windows 11 2022 Update
It is now almost a month since Microsoft started the rollout of Windows 11 2022 Update. While there have been a number of issues standing in the way of some people upgrading, Microsoft is keen that people understand the benefit of installing the first major update to Windows 11 since it launched last year.
As part of this awareness drive, Microsoft has published an article filled with Windows 11 tips. In the name of numerical neatness, there are 11 tips in total, all focused on the new features and options of Windows 11 2022 Update -- or Windows 11 22H2 as it is also known.
Microsoft's Surface Laptop 5 is faster, but that's about it
Earlier today, Microsoft unveiled the latest model in its Surface Pro range, the Surface Pro 9.
The company also debuted a new model of its Surface Laptop. The upgraded device comes with the latest 12th Gen Intel Core i5/i7 processor and Thunderbolt 4 and is now verified as an Intel Evo device, which Microsoft says means it’s over 50 percent more powerful than its predecessor. There's no AMD option this time around, unfortunately.
Microsoft's new Surface Pro 9 lets you choose between an Intel or Arm 5G processor
It’s been ten years since Microsoft debuted the original Surface Pro and while that launch was far from a huge success, the tech giant has continued to stick with the line, producing ever better devices.
Today sees the launch of the Surface Pro 9 and buyers of the updated 2-1 device have a choice of processors -- 12th Gen Intel Core processor built on the Intel Evo platform with Thunderbolt 4, or the Microsoft SQ 3 powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon with 5G connectivity.
Microsoft releases KB5018427 update to address security issues with Windows 11 2022 Update
Microsoft has released its first update to Windows 11 22H2 / Windows 11 2022 Update in the form of KB5018427. This is a cumulative security update that includes the improvements from the previously released KB5017389 update, as well as additional "security issues".
While the update addresses quite a large number of problems with Windows 11 22H2, it does not fix the known issues with provisioning packages or slow file copying.
Acer Chromebook 516 GE proves PC gamers no longer need Microsoft Windows 11
Chromebooks sure have come a long way. What was once merely a glorified web browser running atop meager hardware has morphed into a legitimate Windows alternative for home, education, and business use. You can even get Chromebooks with high-quality hardware these days. Thanks to cloud-based video-game-streaming, Chromebooks can serve as gaming computers nowadays too.
Today, Acer launches its first-ever Chromebook designed specifically for gamers. Powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core processor and equipped with at least 8GB of RAM, the 16-inch Acer Chromebook 516 GE should be perfect for game-streaming platforms like NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Amazon Luna to name a few. And yes, this Chrome OS laptop has an RGB keyboard.
Considerably more businesses running Windows 7 than Windows 11
After Microsoft launched Windows 10 back in 2015 it devoted a lot of time and resources to -- shall we say -- 'encouraging' people and businesses to make the switch from Windows 7, even kindly going as far as to automatically upgrading their systems for them.
Things are very different with Windows 11 as Microsoft is happy for the new OS to coexist alongside its predecessor, for the time being at least. There is a downside to this approach however, as it means there’s not the rush to upgrade that Microsoft will have been hoping for, to the point where significantly more businesses are running Windows 7 than Windows 11, despite the former having reached end of life ages ago.
Microsoft confirms worrying slow file copying problem in Windows 11 2022 Update
The problems with Windows 11 2022 Update just keep on coming. Microsoft has just confirmed an issue that people have been complaining about since the release of the first major update for Windows 11 -- slow file copying.
It is a problem that the company previous acknowledged quite quietly when it released the preview version of the KB5017389 update recently, but is now being rather more open about. Microsoft is describing the issue as "slower SMB read performance for large files in 22H2", and while there is currently no fix, there is a workaround.
Microsoft says that gamers can boost performance by lowering Windows 11 security settings
It is not very often we are told to disable security features -- usually, we're enabling options, or leaving things well alone. But now Microsoft has issued some advice about improving game performance in Windows 11, and it involves turning off security features of the operating system.
The somewhat surprising advice comes in a support document entitled Options to Optimize Gaming Performance in Windows 11. Microsoft does point out, however, that this is meant to be done only when gaming, and that security should be re-enabled afterwards.
Microsoft warns of problems with provisioning packages in Windows 11 2022 Update
The problems with Windows 11 2022 Update keep on popping up, and now Microsoft has issued a warning that "provisioning packages might not work as expected".
What this means in practice is that the Windows 11 OOBE (Out of Box Experience) may not complete, or it might cause unexpected restarts. Microsoft warns that the likes of businesses and schools are most likely to be affected by the issues.
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