Software & Apps - Page 2

It seems Google has decided that your PC needs a hefty dose of AI, whether you asked for it or not. Security researcher Alexander Hanff, also known as "That Privacy Guy," has published a new report claiming that Google Chrome silently downloads a roughly 4GB AI model onto users' machines without notice or consent.

The file in question is called weights.bin, and it is part of Google's on-device Gemini Nano AI model. Chrome stores it inside a folder called OptGuideOnDeviceModel, located deep in your system's Chrome User Data directory. On Windows, that path is C>Users>AppData>Local>Google>Chrome>User Data. The model is used to power AI features like scam detection locally on your device, rather than sending your data to the cloud.

Perhaps more concerning is what happens if you try to get rid of it. According to Hanff's research, deleting the file does nothing, as Chrome simply re-downloads it automatically. The only way to stop this is to disable the feature through Chrome's settings, which Google reportedly made available in February 2026. Once turned off, the model will no longer download or update.

It seems Microsoft is steadily implementing its Windows 11 improvement plan by gradually adding new features and improving the user experience. With Project K2, Microsoft plans to address the major pain points its core audience has with Windows 11. As part of that initiative, Microsoft is testing a new feature that aims to improve the user experience by speeding up app load times.

According to Windows Central, Microsoft is testing a new Windows 11 feature called "Low Latency Profile." This feature will speed up app launches by boosting the CPU to its maximum frequency for a short duration, therefore increasing performance for that particular launch sequence. This is a unique approach that has not been seen in Windows before, but, in theory, it works without major downsides.

Apparently, the feature boosts CPU speed for only 1-3 seconds, so it only hits its boost frequency for a very short time. Such a short duration should have no significant effect on the CPU's temperature; however, the same cannot be said for power spikes without proper testing. Moreover, laptop users may experience increased battery drain due to frequent spikes, and these may even have a long-term impact on the quality of the CPU silicon.

It seems like Microsoft is slowly but surely starting to address some of the pain points of Windows 11. In the midst of strong competition from Linux and SteamOS, Microsoft has outlined a major plan of improvement for its operating system. While we saw a few useful changes here and there before, such as the removal of Copilot integration and the overhaul of the storage menu, it looks like more impactful improvements are on the horizon.

As reported by Windows Central, Microsoft has launched a project to address the "biggest complaints" people have about Windows 11 today. This project, known internally as Project K2, comprises several major changes expected to improve Windows 11's user experience and address its pain points.

The report reveals that Project K2 is based on three pillars: performance, craft, and reliability. Microsoft is expected to use user feedback and telemetry data to improve the user experience moving forward. Another major focus is on agility, which translates into fewer, smaller updates and fewer bugs overall. Microsoft is also reportedly working on revamping the File Explorer and using the File Pilot app as a reference point.

Switching to a new phone should feel like an upgrade - not a stressful process filled with data loss risks. For many users, WhatsApp holds years of conversations, photos, and business-critical messages. Yet migrating that data, especially between Android and iOS, remains one of the most frustrating parts of switching devices.

Official solutions often come with limitations, from ecosystem restrictions to unstable transfer processes. As a result, users frequently encounter incomplete migrations, missing media, or failed backups. Against this backdrop, tools like Wondershare MobileTrans position themselves as an ultimate solution designed to simplify WhatsApp data transfer, backup, and restoration with a more streamlined, single-click experience.

Despite its everyday use, WhatsApp data migration is far from straightforward. Several technical and structural limitations make the process more complex than expected. One of the biggest barriers is ecosystem incompatibility. Android relies on Google Drive for backups, while iOS uses iCloud, and these systems are not interoperable. This creates a digital barrier that prevents direct, native transfer of chat history between platforms.

DVD collections don't age gracefully. Even if you've kept your discs in cases and away from sunlight, time still takes its toll, scratches build up, layers degrade, and sooner or later, playback becomes unreliable. At the same time, the hardware needed to watch them is quietly disappearing. Most modern Windows laptops and ultrabooks no longer ship with optical drives, leaving good movie collections stuck on a format that's harder to access every year. And when you do manage to play them, DVDs rarely hold up on today's 4K or 8K displays.

The fix is straightforward: convert DVDs to MP4 using a DVD ripper tool for universal playback, then upscale the video to 4K to restore clarity and make it suitable for modern screens. It's the easiest way to preserve your collection and actually enjoy it again.

Free tools like HandBrake and VLC are often the first stop for users trying to convert DVDs to MP4, but real-world experience quickly exposes their limits. Encoding can be painfully slow, especially on longer movies, and the settings aren't exactly beginner-friendly.

FinalWire has released AIDA64 version 8.30, the latest update to its widely used Windows system diagnostic, benchmarking, and monitoring tool. The update introduces several changes, including a new AIDA FPS module that captures real-time FPS data from DX11 and DX12 games. It is exclusive to the Extreme edition and works similarly to other monitoring tools, such as MSI Afterburner, with FPS data displayed across all available outputs, including SensorPanel, OSD, tray icons, and logging.

Here is a list of all the new features and improvements in version 8.30:

Version 8.30 adds improved support for Intel's next-gen Nova Lake CPUs, which are expected to launch later this year. FinalWire has also added a new SHA3 benchmark optimized for APX architectures, covering both Intel Diamond Rapids Xeon and Nova Lake Core Ultra processors.

Following early sightings on the App Store, X's standalone messaging client is now available for iOS users. XChat brings many of the messaging features X had already introduced to its direct messaging, including the ability to delete and edit messages, block screenshots, and send disappearing messages. The app also supports video and audio calls and lets users connect with their existing X contacts.

Along with replacing direct messaging in X, XChat is also expected to become the home for groups that formed around X's Communities feature. The company recently announced it would shut down Communities at the end of May, citing low engagement and high spam volumes, and pointed to XChat's group chat support as a potential alternative. Group chats currently support up to 350 participants, with X planning to expand that number down the line.

X claims there are no ads or tracking mechanisms in XChat. The app is built in Rust with Bitcoin-style encryption and includes end-to-end encryption, ensuring only the sender and recipient can access message content. Despite those credentials, security experts who examined the app at launch warned that XChat appeared less secure than established encrypted messaging apps like Signal. Whether xAI has addressed those concerns with the broader release remains to be seen.

If there is anything more annoying than Microsoft's suite of apps staring you in the face every time you open your computer, it's Windows Updates. Whether you just sat down or were deep in the middle of work, these updates feel like something you need to schedule your life around. But after years of complaints, Microsoft seems to have finally listened, and it is making updates easier to control.

According to Microsoft's blog post, there are now four ways to control Windows 11 Updates. The first, which rolled out earlier this year, lets you skip installing updates during Windows setup on your device. If you skip, you go straight to the desktop without waiting, though you will not have the newest features or security updates right away.

The new rollout introduces the ability to pause updates more flexibly. Microsoft is adding a new calendar-based system that lets users choose a specific day of the month as their monthly update day. The pause period can be up to 35 days, but once it's over, you don't have to update. Users can extend the pause end date as many times as needed, with no limit on resets. Not the best decision for device security, but at least the control is finally yours.

It seems Microsoft is hard at work implementing its Windows 11 improvement plan that was announced last month. Recently, they have reduced Copilot integration in certain native apps, such as Notepad, and have even started cleaning up Control Panel settings a bit. They still have a long way to go, but it seems like changes are starting to roll in one after another.

Apparently, Microsoft is now also paying attention to minor system functions. For the latest Insider Preview build of Windows 11, a couple of key changes have been made to storage management features. The most notable change is the removal of the FAT32 volume size limit, which was arbitrarily set to 32GB. With the latest Windows 11 build, the limit for FAT32 volumes has been increased to 2TB.

While FAT32 is no longer part of everyday use for most PC users, it is still the file system used by legacy devices. Increasing the volume limit is a welcome change for users who are still using this format. It should be noted that the increased limit is for the "volume", not the files, which remain at a 4GB size limit.

There are some oddities with the latest update for Windows 11, and that includes a series of reboots that may have you worrying that something's gone wrong with the upgrade.

The good news is that it hasn't, but there is a genuine concern, or indeed two, with the April update for Windows 11, and that includes a (recurring) problem with BitLocker.

Windows Latest flagged these issues, and observed that the patch for April, which is KB5083769, requires an unusual number of reboots.

We are slowly approaching WWDC, and iOS 27 is shaping up to be one of the major highlights of the event alongside new iPhone models. Leaks about the iOS 27 upgrades have been trickling in from various sources, and now a new leak details four features set to arrive in the new version, including Apple Intelligence, Apple Wallet, and key design changes. The features were discovered in backend code by Nicolás Alvarez and confirmed by MacRumors.

Apple is reportedly adding two new capabilities to Visual Intelligence on iPhone. First is the ability to scan a nutrition label and learn more about its nutritional value, a feature Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also flagged in a recent newsletter. The feature is also expected to integrate directly into the Apple Health app for food tracking. Secondly, you'll be able to add new contacts by scanning details such as names, phone numbers, and addresses. This would work similarly to the existing ability to add calendar events by scanning them.

The leaked code also suggests a long-overdue upgrade to Apple Wallet that would allow users to convert physical passes, such as gym memberships, event tickets, or rewards cards, into digital versions. This means users can access passes more quickly and store everything in one place, reducing the need to carry multiple cards or paper tickets. Apple is late to this party, as third-party apps have supported this for years, and Google added a similar feature to Google Wallet back in August 2024. But at least it's here.

YouTube is quietly giving users a way to completely eliminate Shorts from the app, and it might be the most impactful update yet for anyone tired of endless scrolling.

The platform has rolled out an update to its time management settings that allows users to set a zero-minute limit on Shorts, effectively removing the feature from view on both Android and iOS. Previously, the lowest limit available was 15 minutes, but this new option takes things a step further by letting users opt out entirely. Initially designed with parental controls in mind, the feature is now expanding to all users, meaning anyone can now cut Shorts out of their YouTube experience.

The way it works is simple but surprisingly effective. Once the timer is enabled and set to zero, the Shorts feed disappears, meaning no videos, no autoplay, just a notification stating that the limit has been reached. In testing, the change goes even further, with Shorts also being removed from the Home feed, significantly reducing temptation to engage with short-form content. YouTube says the feature is already live for parents and is currently rolling out to standard accounts, positioning it as a broader digital wellbeing tool rather than just a parental safeguard.

The latest update to the system monitoring tool HWiNFO is notable, as it paves the way for new CPU and GPU hardware, most notably AMD's upcoming Zen 6-generation of processors. According to the release notes for HWiNFO 8.46, it has "improved support of next-generation AMD CPUs and APUs."

Although there's no mention of specific models, the assumption is that this includes AMD's new Zen 6 desktop and laptop processors with the codenames 'Olympic Ridge' and 'Medusa Point.' The "improved support" points to multiple SKUs currently being evaluated or tested, including next-gen APUs.

On the GPU side, the latest update adds support for the recently released Intel Arc Pro B65 and Arc Pro B70 GPUs, with the latter being the workstation version of Intel's long-awaited 'Big Battlemage' graphics card. The release notes also include an interesting addition to the GeForce RTX 5060 lineup: support for a new RTX 5060 variant based on the GB205 chip.

Valve seems to be hard at work improving Steam's general user experience. Over the past month or so, we have covered several leaks and rumors about upcoming quality-of-life features. One of the key ones is that Valve seems to be adding estimated FPS data to games so that users can get a more accurate idea of the performance levels they can expect. Valve also released a new and improved home page for the Steam PC client.

Now, it seems like another key feature is coming to Steam, this time revolving around price. According to @SigaTbh on SteamDB, it appears Valve is planning to add a 30-day price history to all games on the platform. This would likely involve a graphic showing price changes over time and whether the title has received any sales over the past month.

This would be an extremely efficient tool for gamers eyeing the next game on their wishlist. It would help them decide whether to just pull the trigger right now or wait for a sale to get a better deal. Tracking the price history of games was also possible before, but gamers had to use third-party tools like SteamDB to access that information. Steam adding that price history directly to their store pages will be a big quality-of-life improvement.

Microsoft has announced that support for one of its most widely used lightweight email clients is coming to an end. The app in question is Outlook Lite, the stripped-back email client designed specifically for Android, which will no longer be supported after May 25. According to Neowin, Microsoft is looking to migrate the remaining users to the main Outlook mobile app.

If you haven't heard of it before, Outlook Lite launched four years ago and was designed for older and low-powered Android devices with limited network connectivity. It was aimed at users on 2G and 3G connections running phones with 1GB of RAM or less, and occupied just 5MB of storage. Microsoft positioned it as a practical solution for individuals, schools, universities, and small businesses running lightweight mobile devices. The trade-off, however, was that it lacked the full feature set found in the main Outlook app.

The company has been preparing for this transition for months. Microsoft stopped new downloads of Outlook Lite on October 6, 2025, but existing users were allowed to continue using it as normal. Now, that window is closing too. Microsoft has confirmed the retirement as part of a broader effort to reduce overlap and focus development on Outlook Mobile as its primary mobile email experience.

Last year, Elon Musk announced XChat, a new encrypted messaging system within X, positioning it as a more secure alternative to competing platforms like Signal and Telegram. The app has been in testing since then with little update, until now. The official XChat account on X has confirmed that its standalone messaging app is coming to iPhone and iPad, with a release set for April 17.

An App Store listing for the app is already live, showing a design preview and a detailed icon. The listing shows a file size of 175.8MB and requires iOS 16.0 or later.

For those not caught up, XChat differs from the existing DM system on the main X platform. It is a dedicated environment focused entirely on private communication, something the platform makes clear with its official tagline: "your encrypted chats deserve their own app."

Microsoft seems to be hard at work trying to (finally) improve Windows 11 for the end user. Granted, the move might be a bit late, and Microsoft seems to have already lost the trust of a large section of its user base, but it is still an appreciable step in the right direction. Microsoft has already laid out a major plan to improve Windows 11, and now it seems like the changes are rolling out slowly.

We apparently have some movement from Microsoft this week, with Copilot integration being removed from a bunch of Windows apps, such as Notepad, Snipping Tool, Photos, and Widgets. This aligns with Microsoft's earlier promise to scale back unnecessary Copilot integration in its native apps.

The change has been rolled out in the latest Notepad preview for Windows Insiders, version 11.2512.28.0. Users of the preview have noted that the Copilot icon has now been replaced with a new pen icon, labeled "Writing tools". Although earlier builds allowed users to disable the Copilot icon, they disliked its placement and wanted it removed altogether.

If you find Spotify's videos annoying and just want your music platform to play music, Spotify is finally giving you the option to turn them off. The company is adding new video controls that let you disable all video content in the app, with the update rolling out to all users globally this month.

To access the controls, head to Settings and select "Content and Display" on mobile or "Display" on desktop. Previously, this kind of control was only available as a parental feature for younger users. Now Spotify is extending it to Premium and Basic subscribers across all plans, as well as users on its free tier.

There are three separate toggles to work with. The first is the existing Canvas toggle, which disables the short-looping autoplay videos that play in the background while a track is playing. The second is a brand-new toggle that specifically turns off access to all music videos. The third disables all other video content on the platform, including podcast videos and vertical video clips. Together, the three controls let you dial back Spotify's video presence as much or as little as you like, right down to a fully audio-only experience.

Before there were Settings, there was Control Panel. The legacy interface for changing Windows settings or accessing hardware and network tools has been part of the operating system for decades, and the classic Control Panel view is still available in Windows 11. However, it sounds like its days are numbered as Microsoft is migrating everything over to the new Settings app.

According to March Rogers, Partner Director of Design at Microsoft, the Windows team is doing exactly that, but the process itself might take a while due to the complexity of handling legacy features that have been part of Windows since the days of floppy disks and CD-ROMs.

"We're working our way through migrating all the old Control Panel controls into the modern Settings apps," March Rogers wrote on X in response to a question about Control Panel's more in-depth tools compared to the modern Settings app. "We're doing it carefully because there are a lot of different network and printer devices and drivers we need to make sure we don't break in the process."

Microsoft is rolling out a new version of Copilot for Windows 11, and users are starting to realize the app isn't quite what it claims to be. Those who dug into its files discovered that opening Copilot actually launches Microsoft Edge, making it less of a standalone AI assistant and more of a rebranded browser wrapper.

If you don't have Copilot yet, searching in the Microsoft Store shows a new "Microsoft Copilot" listing with a download button, even if Copilot is already installed. The download completes almost instantly because it only downloads an installer, similar to Microsoft Edge's process.

The Store even flags that you need to take action in another window, making it clear the download is no longer handled directly through the Store. Once installed, the old native Copilot app built on WinUI automatically disappears, and the new version takes over.