Software & Apps - Page 46

AMD's Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a seriously impressive piece of silicon, and some new testing of the CPU throws fresh light on just how well it runs on Linux - the chip is a bit faster than on Windows, in fact.

Specifically, this is the new AMD processor being tested on Windows 11 versus Ubuntu 23.04 to determine whether Microsoft or Linux takes the performance crown across various benchmarks.

Note that this was an extensive battery of tests conducted by Phoronix.com, consisting of heavyweight app and CPU benchmarks - some 80 of them - as opposed to gaming tests. We're talking Blender, Geekbench, Google Chrome, and much, much more.

If you've ever looked at your boring, static emojis in WhatsApp and wished that they were just that little bit more fun, you're in for a good time. A new report claims that WhatsApp is testing animated emojis for the first time and they could change the way we use the instant messaging service.

Emojis are pretty cool in their own right of course, but this new report suggests that the company is ready to animate them with the help of Lottie. The result could be an entire library of animated emojis the likes of which WhatsApp users have never been able to enjoy before.

This new feature is currently under development according to a report by the WhatsApp watchers over at WABetaInfo. The report says that the WhatsApp Desktop beta will be the first to get the new feature in terms of early testing, while both Android and iPhone users should be able to join the fun eventually.

Live11 is an optimized version of Windows 11 designed to fit on a 4GB drive and run entirely on RAM - which means it's the first version of the OS that can fit on a DVD. Not that you'd still have access to something like a DVD burner, Live11 can also be stored on a smaller-capacity USB thumb drive.

Live11 is still in the proof of concept stage, so there are issues. It will only boot on legacy MBR/BIOS devices and requires 8GB of RAM to load. Plus, it's limited to VMware and Hyper-V for those looking at running it on a virtual machine. Still, it's remarkable that you could try our Windows 11 on a PC without installing it on a hard drive or doing a complete format.

Of course, the concept of a Live disk is more common in the Linux space than in Windows, so this release is notable for what it achieves.

Windows 11's latest update was supposed to improve the taskbar with a bit of tweaking, but for some users, the patch has reportedly partly - or fully - broken the bar.

There are a couple of gremlins in the works with patch KB5025239, the cumulative update which is mandatory and was rolled out last week, as Windows Latest points out.

Firstly, some users are reporting that the auto-hide feature for the taskbar - whereby it gets out of the way unless you're actively mousing over the bottom of the screen - isn't working properly after the update has been applied.

People who use the wildly popular WhatsApp instant messaging app on their iPhones could be about to notice a big change in the way they deal with embedding media into messages.

While WhatsApp has long been the go-to app for people who want to stay in touch with friends and family, it can still stand to be improved in some key ways. Now, a new report notes that WhatsApp is testing a change that will make it easier than ever to see what photos and videos you're about to send.

According to the WhatsApp experts over at WABetaInfo, the instant messaging app's latest TestFlight beta includes a new bottom bar that displays recently-selected photos and videos that are about to be sent to a recipient or group chat. The new change means that people will more easily be able to see what media they have chosen, ensuring a couple of things; first, people won't send the same media twice and second, they won't send anything they didn't mean to.

Windows 11's rumored AI-powered improvement to its snap layouts feature might be a step closer to fruition, with the functionality being discovered in working form (kind of) in the latest preview build of the OS.

The added AI capability, known as 'smart snap,' was spotted in Windows 11's preview build 23435 by a well-known leaker on Twitter, PhantomOfEarth, as well as Windows Latest.

Note that the feature isn't live in testing but is present in the latest preview of Microsoft's OS, and was enabled using a Windows configuration utility. It works, although not properly just yet, as you might expect with a piece of functionality that remains hidden in the background of Windows 11.

Valve's Steam Deck doesn't ship with Windows 11 and runs on the Linux-based SteamOS. One of the issues people have found when running Windows 11 natively on the Stema Deck or devices like the AYANEO Air or ONEXPLAYER Mini is that the OS might support tablet-like devices with touch controls; it's not all that intuitive when using the sticks and buttons.

In a new video recorded during a Microsoft Hackathon in September 2022, where Microsoft engineers can showcase their ideas for Windows, we get an early look at what a potential Windows 11 handheld mode could look like.

This isn't confirmation that Microsoft will add handheld support to an upcoming Windows 11 release, but proof that it's aware and looking into it. With the sheer number of PC gaming handhelds hitting the market, you hope that Microsoft is seriously considering making this a reality. The recently announced ASUS ROG Ally, which runs Windows 11, will be positioned as a Steam Deck alternative - so there's more than enough reason to do so.

A Microsoft engineer has just highlighted a really neat tip for the Edge browser - and Chrome, too - that's worth knowing about and sharing.

We must admit, we weren't familiar with this mouse-based shortcut, and we're betting you won't be too. (Although there's bound to be the odd exception and smarty-pants out there, no doubt, who has already discovered this - and we take our hats off to you, in fairness).

This comes from Jen Gentleman, a software engineer and senior program manager at Microsoft (heavily involved with Windows testing). She tweeted about the functionality that comes in handy when you browse to another web page, and then wished you had opened that link in a new tab (to keep the previous page up).

The Print Screen key or 'Prt Sc' has been on keyboards since the dawn of desktop computing, where back in the 1980s, it would send stuff on your screen over to a physical printer to print it out while making a loud dot matrix noise.

With the arrival of Windows 95, though, the functionality changed, and it became a screenshot tool to capture a snapshot of your entire screen to Clipboard that you could then paste into an app to edit or save. Fast forward to 2023, the age of Windows 10 and 11, and the functionality remains the same. Unchanged for decades until now.

As spotted by Windows Latest, referencing Windows 11 version KB5025310 available in the Beta channel, Microsoft is changing the default behavior of the Print Screen key to integrate it with the Windows Snipping Tool.

VLC Media Player is one of the most popular standalone apps for playing video files on PC, and today comes word that it's adding support for NVIDIA's RTX Video Super Resolution.

Those that have been using a PC for years, you're undoubtedly familiar with VLC and have probably used it for decades and have a bunch of old videos ready for some AI magic.

NVIDIA's RTX Video Super Resolution is an AI-enhanced tool to improve the visual quality of lower-resolution video when played back at a higher resolution. Until now has been limited to browser-based video streams. On that front, the technology works best when the source material is of decent quality - as it can only do so much with low-quality stuff.

If gaming from within Facebook Messenger is something that you've always wished you could do, today is going to be a very good day for you indeed.

But if gaming inside Messenger hasn't been at the top of your feature wishlist then you're probably going to be left wondering, like the rest of us, why this is something that has happened. But that hasn't stopped Meta and Facebook Gaming from being rather excited about the prospect of people playing while on a video call.

That's the idea here, of course. Facebook Gaming's announcement says that it's all about a shared experience that makes it easier for people to play games with their friends and family even if they aren't there in the room with them. It'll deepen connections, we're told. That's a laudable goal and we're absolutely here for it. We're just not sure that we want to deepen connections in Messenger.

Windows 11 just received a new cumulative update, and it brings in a feature some folks aren't all that happy about.

The traditional 'Patch Tuesday' update came bristling with a bunch of fixes and minor changes, including said controversial feature, which is notifications in the Start menu that look very much like adverts.

These were already present in the previous optional update for March 2023, you might recall, and consist of prompts to use Microsoft's services. Although they're designed on the face of it to be helpful reminders to users, it's clear enough that the notifications are a thinly veiled way to push potential avenues of monetization for Microsoft.

Google TV is a smart TV platform that runs on devices like the Chromecast not to mention plenty of devices like smart televisions and whatnot. Now, Google has announced that Google TV is getting more than 800 free live TV channels including some you've probably heard of.

The news means that Google TV will integrate services from Tubi, Plex, and Haystack News right into its Live TV tab. Beyond that, there are going to be more than 800 other free live TV channels including some from the likes of NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX.

All of those names mean that people can look forward to some big-name TV shows that will be available to watch free of charge, with fans of Westworld and The Walking Dead very much catered for.

The idea of Twitter going away isn't all that crazy right now with current owner and CEO Elon Musk making some strange decisions since his $44 billion buyout at the back end of 2022. But now the company very much doesn't exist. Twitter is dead.

Long live X Corp. Confused? We've only just started.

See. the story goes that Twitter is in the middle of being sued by Laura Loomer because she thinks that the social network violated federal racketeering laws when it banned her account back in 2019. That account is alive and kicking right now, but part of the lawsuit's process means that Twitter has to submit corporate disclosure agreements. And the latest was a doozy.

The hugely popular instant messaging service WhatsApp is reportedly testing a newly revamped version of its Mac app, this time ditching the text labels in favor of something a little more icon-heavy.

The new-look WhatsApp isn't yet available to everyone but is rolling out to some specific users of the WhatsApp for Mac beta right now. Those who have the app installed via TestFlight might already have the new interface, while others are expected to see it in the coming days.

That's according to the WhatsApp beta watchers at WABetaInfo who have shared a screenshot of the new look. It's a familiar interface, but what's changed is the navigation bar on the left side of the display.

Windows 11 could get an extensive update to File Explorer later this year, as rumors continue to fly about what changes might be inbound for this central aspect of the desktop operating system.

Windows Latest reports that its sources say that File Explorer could witness a 'significant' update this fall, and indeed, it could be the biggest update applied in a decade.

Take that with a pinch of seasoning, naturally, but Windows Latest details the exact changes which are seemingly incoming, a good few of which are elements that we've already heard about (including ones that have been discovered hidden away in preview builds of Windows 11).

WhatsApp users around the globe could soon be pushing their status updates out as Facebook Stories, according to a new report.

It's said that WhatsApp is already hard at work testing the new feature with a group of iPhone users who have access to the latest TestFlight beta of the instant messaging app. Those people are now seeing an option to automatically push their status updates to Facebook, with the app noting that they will be shared to their Facebook Story audience.

The update, which is WhatsApp beta 23.7.0.75, takes users through how the feature will work while also making it clear that they will ultimately remain in control of which updates are shared as Facebook Stories.

You may purchase a second-hand Android phone or use a friend's or relative's phone for the time being but encounter an issue to bypass the Google account verification after resetting. And if you cannot recall your Google ID details, you may get trapped on the 'Verify your account' page.

So is there a feasible method for Samsung FRP bypass? Logging in with your correct email ID or phone is probably the only manual solution available. But what if you forget it? In this case, stay tuned to get hold of the finest FRP bypass tool and unlock your Android devices in no time.

Earlier, all Android devices were exposed to security and privacy issues as anyone could quickly get hold of your phone and bypass Google account verification after resetting. So whether you used a PIN or pattern lock, it was effortless to bypass your Google account after the reset.

Windows 11 is the latest version of Microsoft Windows, and as an extension of Windows 10, it brings several tricks and hidden features to the table for those looking to get the most out of the operating system.

One of them that you might already be aware of is the hidden Start Menu you can access by right-clicking on the Windows 11 Start button. Doing so brings up a handy, excellent shortcut menu that gives you direct access to several Windows 11 features and system settings.

This hidden menu gives you one-click access to manage your app installations, system power settings, device manager, disk management, and more.

Google's Nearby Share feature is getting a new lease of life with the release of a beta app for Windows that allows for whizzing files across from Android phones (and tablets) to your desktop PC.

Nearby Share has actually been kicking around in Google's ecosystem for a few years now, facilitating file transfers between Android devices and Chromebooks, so it's good to see it debut with Windows 11 and 10 (if only in beta).

It's easy enough to use the Nearby Share app. Fire it up - the client can then be left running in the background - and you can send files (or links) from your Android device to the app on the Windows desktop simply by selecting the 'Nearby Share' option and then tapping on the destination PC.