Software & Apps News - Page 9

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.

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.

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.

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.

Color management in Windows is one of those things most people didn't know was available, as it's buried in the Control Panel and uses a UI design and interface that hearkens back to the days of Windows '95. As much as we love that classic OS for bringing us footage of Windows execs and Bill Gates dancing on stage, something as critical as color management deserves a modern makeover.

And that's what's happening, with Color Management getting a dedicated page under Display settings in Windows 11. Spotted in the latest Windows Insiders build for Canary and Dev (Build 26052), the new page will allow users to add and customize different color profiles, calibrate a display, and define what apps use what profile.

More detailed and in-depth Color Management is excellent news for games and creators as, over the years, we've all gotten used to simply using our display or monitor calibration tools and settings to adjust color profiles for games and apps.

One tech giant is working on a new AI-based operating system that might give Microsoft Windows a run for its money, and it's coming from a company that you might not expect.

It was at CES 2024 that Lenovo's Executive Vice President Liu Jun revealed that the company is currently working on a new AI-based operating system that is expected to be rolled out sometime this year. The decision for Lenovo to develop its own operating system is clearly a part of the company's overall push into AI, which, when looking at the tech market as a whole, AI is seemingly making its way into almost every facet of the technology space and is being adopted by any tech company that can work it into its product.

As for Lenovo specifically, the company is planning on rolling out a batch of AI PCs that are scheduled to hit shelves sometime during the first half of 2024. These PCs will have in-built AI capabilities that are designed to learn how the user interacts with the device while also creating a more seamless and intuitive experience between the product and the user.

Here's a warning for those who are running Windows 11 on an ancient PC with a processor that isn't officially supported by Microsoft's operating system - you'll soon be unable to use the OS.

It won't boot up, or at least that's the case according to digging in a preview build of the next big update from Microsoft, Windows 11 24H2, set to debut later this year.

As shared on X (formerly Twitter), Bob Pony unearthed a new stipulation in the preview builds of Windows 11 24H2, first introduced in version 25905 - the requirement for a CPU with the 'POPCNT' instruction.

One of the biggest features of the gaming industry was the introduction of super-resolution upscaling, and now that feature appears to be coming to all Windows applications.

Windows 11 insiders have discovered an option for Super Resolution within the Windows settings, which is an indication that Microsoft, at the very least, is exploring the possibility of implementing upscaling technologies for applications. The new feature was found in the Windows 11 insider build of 24H2, the update that is pegged to be the company's big annual feature update slated to release in the second half of 2024. The update has been described as being so big it could even be called Windows 12.

As for Super Resolution within Windows, users discovered the options to enable "automatic super-resolution" that will "use AI to make supported games play more smoothly with enhanced details" or the option of enabling this setting per application. Reports indicate this new feature will run on NPU/AI-cores, which should include GPU tensor cores. What does super-resolution at an operating system level mean for Windows users?

If you were in any doubt, Microsoft has confirmed that this year's major update for its desktop operating system will be Windows 11 24H2.

An official announcement puts paid to any belief that the software giant might instead bring out Windows 12 - or some other all-new Windows incarnation with a different name - later this year.

Rumors had already pretty firmly indicated that Microsoft was set to run with a 24H2 update, but now with the blog post for Windows 11 preview build 26052 (for the Canary and Dev channels), this has been confirmed.

Windows 11 has a new 'Moment' update inbound, which will be the fifth such package of new features for the desktop operating system, and it'll be arriving later this month.

That's the skinny from Zac Bowden over at Windows Central, one of the more reliable leakers when it comes to Microsoft gossip.

Bowden believes that Moment 5 will debut late in February, but it'll be a much more modest set of extra features compared to previous Moments.

Interoperability with other encrypted messaging apps is what it will be called when the popular messaging app WhatsApp adds the ability for users to send and receive messages from people using a completely different communication app like Messenger, iMessage, or Signal.

WhatsApp boasts around 2 billion users globally, and this notable update arrives courtesy of compliance with new EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) legislation. According to the new law, companies like Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Meta must open up their core services to others - with a DMA compliance date of March 2024.

According to a new report at Wired, the WhatsApp team has been working on adding this feature for years - letting people chat across apps without impacting end-to-end encryption. So, it will be interesting to see how it pans out.

There's a new toy from Microsoft called PC Manager, an app that Windows 11 users (or indeed Windows 10 folks) can grab from the Microsoft Store.

PC Manager was noticed by Windows Latest and the tech site explains that it was first launched in January 2024, but as of this month, it has been more widely rolled out to other regions including the US. (In fact, it has been in testing for a year or more, going by reports online).

This app has come from the Microsoft China division - the initial version was in Mandarin as a result - and indeed the product blurb on the Microsoft Store does sound like a translation. For example, it talks about PC Manager being 'pure without disturbance' (presumably meaning streamlined).