Software & Apps News - Page 4

The latest and most important Software & Apps news - Page 4.

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Microsoft is using AI to 'force-update' older Windows 11 versions to the newer Windows 11 23H2

Kosta Andreadis | Feb 21, 2024 8:32 PM CST

Windows 11's big 23H2 update from 2023 has entered a new 'rollout phase,' one that will leverage machine learning (ML) to automatically update Windows 11 devices to the latest version of the operating system. Forcing major OS updates on users is never a good look, but this adds an extra layer thanks to AI being in charge of which devices will be 'force-updated.'

Microsoft is using AI to 'force-update' older Windows 11 versions to the newer Windows 11 23H2

Of course, it comes down to older versions of Windows 11 reaching their end of servicing phase, so there's a definite reason to update. The devices in question are predicted to be those running Windows 11 21H2 or 22H2.

"This automatic update targets Windows 11 devices that have reached or are approaching end of servicing and it follows the machine learning-based (ML) training we have utilized so far," Microsoft writes. "We will continue to train our intelligent ML model to safely roll out this new Windows version in phases to deliver a smooth update experience."

Continue reading: Microsoft is using AI to 'force-update' older Windows 11 versions to the newer Windows 11 23H2 (full post)

Apple debuts a new Sports app that brings live scores and stats to the iPhone

Oliver Haslam | Feb 21, 2024 1:30 PM CST

If you're a big sports fan who also happens to have an iPhone, Apple has some good news for you. The company has released the Apple Sports app and it's now available for download in the App Store. It's completely free and is available in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Apple debuts a new Sports app that brings live scores and stats to the iPhone

The new app brings live real-time scores and stats to people in those countries, with a number of sports and leagues from around the globe included at launch. The company also confirmed that additional leagues will be added in due course, specifically before their new seasons begin.

At launch, the following sports and leagues are all available and they include the biggest soccer leagues from across Europe.

Continue reading: Apple debuts a new Sports app that brings live scores and stats to the iPhone (full post)

Use Twilio Authy Desktop app for secure log in? You have less than a month to update your 2FA

Kosta Andreadis | Feb 19, 2024 11:02 PM CST

2FA, or two-factor authentication, is how many of us log into our favorite sites and apps with the peace of mind that there's a second layer of security beyond a simple (or complex) password.

Use Twilio Authy Desktop app for secure log in? You have less than a month to update your 2FA

Twilio Authy is one of the most popular 2FA authentication apps and services; however, if you're using the Twilio Authy Desktop on Windows, macOS, or Linux, you definitely want to jump to the Android or iOS app as soon as possible. Like other 2FA services, the Twilio Authy app generates codes every 30 seconds for additional log-in authentication.

As of March 19, 2024, the Twilio Authy Desktop apps will reach their End-of-Life (EOL) - a date brought forward from the previously scheduled cut-off in August 2024. Once this date hits, the desktop apps will cease to function.

Continue reading: Use Twilio Authy Desktop app for secure log in? You have less than a month to update your 2FA (full post)

MSI Afterburner drops support for Windows XP - but let's be honest, 23 years was a good run

Darren Allan | Feb 15, 2024 12:05 PM CST

Windows XP is approaching 23 years old, but there are folks out there who still use the operating system - in very niche cases obviously - but those people should be aware that MSI Afterburner no longer supports the ancient Microsoft platform.

MSI Afterburner drops support for Windows XP - but let's be honest, 23 years was a good run

Perhaps the biggest surprise here, though, is that the overclocking utility from MSI did still support Windows XP until its latest release.

MSI Afterburner version 4.6.6, which is in beta, made the change due to switching over to the VC++ 2022 compiler.

Continue reading: MSI Afterburner drops support for Windows XP - but let's be honest, 23 years was a good run (full post)

Windows 11 brings in the widget board change everyone wants - and other nifty interface tweaks

Darren Allan | Feb 15, 2024 10:08 AM CST

Windows 11 has a new preview build out which introduces some useful changes for the widget board and elsewhere in the interface.

Windows 11 brings in the widget board change everyone wants - and other nifty interface tweaks

This is Windows 11 preview build 26058 which has just been deployed to testers in the Canary and Dev channels.

In the usual lengthy blog post, Microsoft explains that the headline change comes on the accessibility front with a new Pointer Indicator to help those with low vision. As you might expect, this highlights where the cursor is, using a red crosshair to make that as clear as possible (check out the above screenshot).

Continue reading: Windows 11 brings in the widget board change everyone wants - and other nifty interface tweaks (full post)

Microsoft's new plan to push folks to upgrade to Windows 11 may be its most confusing move yet

Darren Allan | Feb 15, 2024 8:07 AM CST

Microsoft is still trying to talk Windows 10 users into upgrading to Windows 11 - you may have noticed the recent return of the dreaded post-update triple-nag panel - but the company is now taking a new tack with a YouTube video.

Microsoft's new plan to push folks to upgrade to Windows 11 may be its most confusing move yet

Yes, this is the kind of video clip you would have expected to see when Windows 11 launched, to explain what it's about, and to encourage those on Windows 10 to migrate.

But here we are, nearly two and a half years after the release of Windows 11, and we're seeing this kind of ad on YouTube. (First noticed by The Register - and part of a series of clips, apparently).

Continue reading: Microsoft's new plan to push folks to upgrade to Windows 11 may be its most confusing move yet (full post)

FurMark 1.3.8 now supports GeForce RTX 40 SUPER series GPUs, next-gen FurMark 2.0 teased

Anthony Garreffa | Feb 14, 2024 8:37 PM CST

The latest version of FurMark has just been released, with v1.3.8 adding support for NVIDIA's new GeForce RTX 40 SUPER series graphics cards and more.

FurMark 1.3.8 now supports GeForce RTX 40 SUPER series GPUs, next-gen FurMark 2.0 teased

FurMark's new v1.38 release supports NVIDIA's new GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER, and GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER graphics cards. AMD doesn't miss out with its new Radeon RX 7600 XT, also supported by FurMark, thanks to the update.

If you're unaware of what FurMark is, it's a stress-testing tool that's not aimed at gamers... but rather helps you push your graphics card to the max when you're overclocking it. You might want to see its stress point -- the maximum GPU boost clock or maximum VRAM frequency -- using FurMark to run in the background. This is a great thing for GeForce RTX 40 SUPER series graphics card owners.

Continue reading: FurMark 1.3.8 now supports GeForce RTX 40 SUPER series GPUs, next-gen FurMark 2.0 teased (full post)

AMD Ryzen 8000G 'Hawk Point' APUs now supported in Ryzen Master Tuning Utility

Anthony Garreffa | Feb 14, 2024 8:01 PM CST

Ryzen Master Tuning Utility now supports AMD's new Ryzen 8000G "Hawk Point" APUs, thanks to its new update that you can download here (206MB download).

AMD Ryzen 8000G 'Hawk Point' APUs now supported in Ryzen Master Tuning Utility

AMD's internal Ryzen Master software has been updated to v2.13.0.2908 and supports the just-released Ryzen 8000G "Hawk Point" series APUs, which can also be overclocked (even though they're APUs and not pure CPUs).

The new Ryzen Software update doesn't just support the new Hawk Point APUs but also has a new feature that makes using the software easier for consumers. AMD's Curve Optimizer is a utility inside of Ryzen Master that lets consumers play around with performance by tuning the exact amount of power being fed into the chip.

Continue reading: AMD Ryzen 8000G 'Hawk Point' APUs now supported in Ryzen Master Tuning Utility (full post)

Microsoft now forces you to install its internet browser to access Outlook

Jak Connor | Feb 14, 2024 5:09 AM CST

Reports indicate that Microsoft has rolled out a new requirement for Outlook users on Windows 10 and Windows 11, and some users may not be very happy about the change.

Microsoft now forces you to install its internet browser to access Outlook

According to MSPowerUser, Outlook users on the aforementioned operating system versions will now be required to download and install Microsoft Edge to access Outlook emails. The move is certainly a strange one, with some users expressing concerns that Microsoft is forcing adoption of its internet browser in an attempt to increase Edge's dwindling market share. However, it remains unclear if the requirement was intentional or simply a technical requirement to run the updated version of Outlook.

The requirement was first noticed by Reddit users who were shown the above error message, which reads, "The new Outlook for Windows needs Microsoft Edge to be installed". Reports indicate that the culprit of the problem can be traced back to Outlook using Microsoft Edge Webview 2 for specific web functions. While the majority of Outlook users will already have Edge installed on their device, a portion of users who decided to uninstall the browser due to deeming it bloatware will have to reinstall it to access their emails via Outlook.

Continue reading: Microsoft now forces you to install its internet browser to access Outlook (full post)

Someone tried to get Linux to run natively on original NES console hardware from the 1980s

Kosta Andreadis | Feb 14, 2024 12:32 AM CST

The Nintendo Entertainment System or NES was arguably the system that kickstarted the videogame industry as we know it today - with many of Nintendo's iconic franchises like Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and many more making their debut on this 8-bit system. As a piece of hardware, though, the NES is pretty ancient compared to the devices we have today - with only 2KB of RAM and an additional 2KB of VRAM.

Someone tried to get Linux to run natively on original NES console hardware from the 1980s

So, "Can it run Linux?" is an interesting question because the answer is no. However, that hasn't stopped the YouTube channel DeCrAzYo from trying to find a way. Relying purely on the aging Nintendo hardware without slapping a Raspberry Pi into a cartridge led him to a Linux-adjacent operating system called LUnix, or 'Little Unix,' created for the Commodore 64.

As the Commodore 64 has 64KB of RAM compared to the NES's 2KB, a lot of work was required to get it up and running natively on an NES console.

Continue reading: Someone tried to get Linux to run natively on original NES console hardware from the 1980s (full post)