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All Surface Devices | Surface Pro | Laptop | Studio / Microsoft unveils world's first Copilot+ PC

« Last post by javajolt on Today at 06:35:38 PM »

The Surface Pro 11 with OLED and Snapdragon X is finally here

The Surface Pro finally gets an OLED screen, a wireless Type Cover, and all-day battery life thanks to the Snapdragon X.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft has taken the wraps off a brand new Surface Pro today, and the company is calling it its first Copilot+ PC. What's a Copilot+ PC, you ask? It's the next generation of AI PCs, now capable of more advanced AI experiences such as on-device live translations, enhanced Windows Studio Effects, and a new Recall feature that uses AI to remember everything you see and do on your computer, and turn that into searchable snapshots using natural language.

Preorders start today; the device is expected to ship by June 18th.

The new Surface Pro is the company's first to ship with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X chips. Specifically, it's available in both Snapdragon X Plus and X Elite flavors, which deliver groundbreaking performance improvements that beat pretty much all Intel laptops on the market today. This device is also said to have true all-day battery life, something Microsoft has not been able to claim in previous Surface Pro devices.

While the device features the same design as its predecessor, Microsoft has made some important upgrades in a handful of key areas. First, the company is finally offering the Surface Pro with an OLED display, delivering much better color contrast with inky deep blacks. It's the first Surface PC in Microsoft's lineup to ship with an OLED display option.

The new Surface Pro has an OLED display. (Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft is also updating the Surface Pro Type Cover with new colors and a Copilot key, and there's a new accessibility-focused keyboard cover with a built-in battery for wireless connectivity. That's right, the Type Cover can now be used while detached from the Surface Pro itself, using Bluetooth.

The new Surface Pro is available for pre-order today and is expected to start shipping next month. The device will be the first to ship with Windows 11 version 24H2, and some of the big new AI experiences like Recall will be available to use on day one.

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Windows on ARM / Windows on Arm to get Adobe Premier Pro and more -

« Last post by javajolt on Today at 06:16:08 PM »

Adobe has pledged to finally bring its full suite of tools to Windows on Arm, ending its long-time scepticism.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

• Microsoft's big AI event has debuted new Copilot features, alongside new Surface products.

• Microsoft's new suite of AI PCs will process AI queries on-device, to address privacy concerns.

• To that end, the firm is leveraging the new Snapdragon X Elite from Qualcomm to produce a range of new AI PCs, including the latest Surface Pro and Surface Laptop.

• Previous versions of Windows on Arm, such as that found in the Surface Pro X, were without support from a major player, but that's about to change.

• Adobe has pledged to finally bring its full suite of apps, including Adobe Premier Pro, to the Windows on Arm effort.

I love my Surface Pro X. It's my fanless travel buddy that I take on work trips that don't warrant taking my full-blown Razer Blade 16 to. However, it undoubtedly has its downsides.

The Surface Pro X is powered by Microsoft's own Arm-based SoC, and as such, many Windows applications are merely emulated on the OS, rather than native. For the most part, it's fine. I just use web apps for the vast majority of what I use my travel Pro X for, and while some apps like Slack can be laggy to use, it gets the job done.

The biggest downside beyond general performance, however, is compatibility. Indeed, if an app is designed to run on Arm natively, it needs to be emulated, since they expect to be running on an x86 environment typical of Intel and AMD architectures. One notable player opted to block most of their apps entirely on the Windows on Arm product line, owing to potential headaches from emulation.

This fact alone made the Windows on Arm product line-up a total no-go for many, many industries and creative individuals. I am, of course, talking about Adobe Suite.

Adobe's adoption of Windows on Arm has been generally slow, but not exactly non-existent. A few of their apps are built natively for Arm, including Photoshop, but at today's big Microsoft AI and Surface event, Adobe pledged broader support.

Microsoft's new Surface line-up looks like a big boost for AI applications. (Image credit: Windows Central)

Announcing during the event, Adobe said that it's full range of apps is coming "soon" to Microsoft's new AI PC contingent, generally powered by the Snapdragon X Elite SoC. That includes Adobe Premier Pro, which up until now, has required an x86 processor to run on a Windows-based device.

There are already alternatives to high-end video editing on Windows on Arm, including DaVinci Resolve. But many (myself included) don't necessarily want to learn a new program and upend their workflow to adopt new silicon. Thankfully, Adobe is not forcing those interested in Windows on Arm to make a choice.

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Windows 10 Help | How To & Fixes | Tips & Tricks / How to unlock the updated version of File Explorer in Windows 11 right now

« Last post by javajolt on Today at 05:52:23 PM »

The Beta and Canary builds of Windows 11 have been used by Microsoft for some time to test out new features before they are given a full release. But in addition to the advertised changes and additions to new builds, there are also often hidden secrets.

A recent example is to be found in the latest release to the Beta channel. With a little trickery, Windows 11 build 22635.3640 has been found to include an updated version of File Explorer, complete with new visuals, a revamped Home page and more.

The update to File Explorer not only sees Microsoft giving the Home page a new look, but also introducing a Shared section for ease of access.

It was PhantomOfEarth on X who, as he has so often done in the past, uncovered the secret update and shared footage of what it looks like.

There is no built-in way to unlock this update, so you'll either have to wait until it is officially released or turn to ViVeTool with the command:

vivetool /enable /id:45130483

As this new version of File Explorer is in the Beta build of Windows 11 rather than the Canary build, it is fair to assume that Microsoft is some way down the line of development. Just when it will be officially released, however, is hard to say.

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Windows 12 / It’s not “Windows 12”: Microsoft keeps Windows 11 branding despite major changes

« Last post by javajolt on Today at 05:39:41 PM »

24H2 update comes with a new compiler, kernel, and scheduler, among other changes.

Microsoft is announcing some fairly major changes for Windows and the Surface lineup as part of its Build developer conference this week, but there’s one thing that’s definitely not coming, at least not right now: a Windows 12 update.

Speculation about the “Windows 12” update began propagating at some point last year in reports that suggested that Microsoft was shifting back to a three-year release cycle like the ones used for Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 10 in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

And Microsoft may have intended to call this fall’s release “Windows 12” at some point, and it does come with substantial changes both above and under the hood to better support Arm systems and to emphasize Microsoft’s AI focus.

"We really focused on modernizing this update of Windows 11," said Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Windows and Devices Pavan Davuluri at a technical briefing on Microsoft's campus in mid-April. "We engineered this update of Windows 11 with a real focus on AI inference and taking advantage of the Arm64 instruction set at every layer of the operating system stack. For us, what this meant really was building a new compiler in Windows. We built a new kernel in Windows on top of that compiler. We now have new schedulers in the operating system that take advantage of these new SoC architecture."

Microsoft didn't say whether the updated system components would have user-noticeable benefits for users of current x86 systems, though these updates are likely the reason why the OS has gone from "unsupported" to "unbootable" on some systems with early 64-bit x86 processors.

Even with these changes, at some point the company made the decision to stay the course with Windows 11’s user interface and branding rather than starting over from scratch and discarding whatever momentum Windows 11 had managed to achieve. By some metrics, Windows 11 usage has continued its slow but steady increase; by others, it has mostly stagnated this year. Leaked internal data suggests that Windows 11 currently has somewhere between 400–500 million active users, a slower pace of adoption than Windows 10 at this point in its lifecycle.

Whatever Microsoft decides to call it, Windows’ versioning doesn’t have a ton to do with the underpinnings of the operating system. The first release of Windows 11 was essentially Windows 10 with a new user interface on top of it—at one point it was known as “Windows 10X,” and the Windows 11 branding came as a surprise when it was announced three years ago. Plenty of apps and games continue to identify it as a flavor of Windows 10.

Microsoft did decide to impose stricter system requirements for Windows 11 than for Windows 10, but these are enforced by a handful of easily tweaked registry settings. Once you bypass requirements for Secure Boot or a TPM 2.0 module, early Windows 11 builds will install and run on practically any 64-bit PC that could run Windows 10, highlighting their shared foundation. Even with the newer processor requirement, unsupported installations will continue to work on basically any PC made in the last 12 or 13 years (the official system requirements remain unchanged).

The Windows 11 24H2 update will hit most Windows 11 PCs when it's officially released later this fall, though Windows Insiders in the Dev channel can get the work-in-progress version of the update now.

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Windows 10 Help | How To & Fixes | Tips & Tricks / How to debloat Windows 11

« Last post by javajolt on May 20, 2024, 08:15:53 PM »

Windows computers notoriously come with too much junk. To get Windows running at peak performance, you should eliminate unnecessary programs

Source: Pixabay

Bloatware has become an inevitability with most of our devices. Even the best laptops and phones come with at least a dozen apps we don't want or need these days, and Windows 11 isn't safe from it. Some might argue that it's worse than ever, considering that out of the box, your Start menu will be littered with app icons you'll probably never use, on top of features like Copilot that just aren't for everyone yet.

The worst part is it's not just manufacturer bloat, either. Besides, the software maker doesn't make it easy to remove bloat from your PC. Microsoft apps and features are included even if you perform a clean install (to some extent, as we'll explain below). As a result, many members of the community have taken it up themselves to make it easier to remove this bloatware in one fell swoop. And if you're not sure how to do it, we're here to help.

How to debloat Windows 11 with BloatyNosyAI

If you want to debloat your current Windows 11 installation, you can use an app called BloatyNosyAI. It is a popular debloat app that recently gained some AI capabilities, but its primary focus remains the same: removing unnecessary programs that usually come with Windows 11. Despite its own use of AI, this app can also disable Copilot. Here's what you need to do:

1. Download BloatnosyAI from its GitHub page (the ZIP file).

2. Extract the contents of the folder, and then run BloatynosyAI.exe.

3. You may see a SmartScreen security prompt. Click More info and then Run anyway.

4. To delete apps that are automatically detected as bloat, scroll down to the Remove crapware in the optional database button.

5. Below this button is a list of apps you have installed on Windows 11. Click each of them to select it if you want to remove it.

6. Click the Remove Selected button at the top of the list to remove these apps.

7. If you'd like to remove features like Copilot, use the search bar at the top of the Window to search for remove AI in taskbar. Click the suggested search result.

8. Once you're happy with your modifications, simply close the app.

BloatyNosyAI can do a bit more than just remove apps. It also offers to disable certain features that might impact your experience, and it also (annoyingly) offers suggestions for additional apps you may want to install, such as alternative browsers to Edge. However, this isn't really necessary.

How to debloat Windows 11 using PowerShell (Windows Terminal)

If you like to get things done using PowerShell or Windows Terminal, there's another great option in the form of Win11Debloat, a PowerShell script that removes and disables all kinds of intrusive features and unnecessary apps included in Windows 11. Win11Debloat is a bit more thorough in terms of what it removes by default, too, so it's a great option if you want to be more extreme. Here's how it works:

1. Download Win11Debloat from GitHub (use the Code > Download ZIP option at the top).

2. Extract the contents of the file to a new folder.

3. Launch the Run.bat file inside to launch the PowerShell script

4. Click More info and Run anyway in the Microsoft Defender SmartScreen popup.

5. Click Yes in the User Account Control prompt.

6. Once PowerShell options, you can Enter 1 to choose the default mode, or 2 to choose custom settings. We'll
go with 1 here since the default method is already very comprehensive.

7. Check the list of changes that will be made and press any key to start.

8. Wait for the process to finish.

Your PC will now be free of all kinds of bloatware and unnecessary and invasive features. Using custom settings allows you to go further and remove the Mail and Calendar apps, Xbox apps, and more, but the default settings are already pretty extensive and avoid breaking certain core features you might not expect to lose.

How to install Windows 11 without bloatware

Here's a secret: It's possible to install Windows 11 without having all the bloatware you'd usually expect, and the way to do it is surprisingly simple. Of course, this is only a valid solution if you want to reinstall Windows 11, so it's not ideal if you want to keep using your PC as is. Still, it's a neat little trick to save you some time later on.

All you really need to do is follow the usual Windows 11 installation method with a single change: After booting from your USB drive to install Windows 11, instead of English (United States), set your region to English (World).

After that, follow the rest of the installation process as normal, and when you get to the desktop, you'll see that your Start menu looks much cleaner than normal. Note that this method won't remove everything bloating up Windows 11, but arguably, no method will.

Another option if you want a clean Windows 11 experience out of the box is to install the Tiny11 fan project instead, which can be found on the Internet Archive. This is a project that removes a lot of unnecessary apps and features from Windows installations to make for a cleaner and faster experience, and the installation process is pretty much the same as standard Windows 11, too.

Avoiding bloatware in Windows 11

Eliminating bloatware should be the first thing you do after purchasing a new computer. But that is just the first step. You can avoid a debloat in the future by preventing junk software from being installed. Unfortunately, it can be pretty difficult since many unnecessary programs are tied to other software installations. For instance, installing Microsoft Office also means adding a bunch of programs and tools that you will never need. That may not sound like a big deal, but it can quickly overwhelm your storage space, and processes running in the background can eat away at your RAM and CPU usage. Don't forget that you can quickly remove applications from the Settings menu by uninstalling them.

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Windows 10 Help | How To & Fixes | Tips & Tricks / How to delete Windows apps

« Last post by javajolt on May 20, 2024, 07:46:54 PM »

Uninstall irrelevant apps and stop them from hogging up system resources from your Windows PC

Using your Windows desktop or laptop with dozens of unnecessary apps is never a good idea. These apps take up space, and some of them even launch at startup and hamper your computer’s performance. It’s important to review your installed apps list occasionally and get rid of specific programs that you no longer need. Whether you use Microsoft Store apps or install programs from the web, check out the tricks below to delete Windows apps in no time.

There are several ways to uninstall apps on Windows. You can either use the Start menu, the default Settings app, Control Panel, and third-party uninstallers to get the job done.

1. Uninstall apps from the Start menu

You can use the Windows Start menu to delete apps in seconds. It’s the most straightforward way to manage your Windows apps. Follow the steps below to make changes.

1. Press the Windows key to open the Start menu.

2. Find an app from the Pinned list or go to the All apps menu.

3. Right-click on an app you want to remove and select Uninstall. There are two possibilities here.

4. If it’s a modern native app for Windows, you shall see a pop-up with This app and its related information will be
removed message. Click Uninstall to confirm your decision.

5. If it’s a classic Windows app, it takes you to the Installed apps list in the Settings app. Find an app you can remove,
click the three-dot menu beside it, and select Uninstall. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

The steps to remove classic apps differ from one software to another. Some apps may convince you to revert the decision or ask you to fill up a form on the web to share a reason for deleting it. Several programs even offer an option to remove related app data during the deletion process. For example, when you delete Google Chrome, you notice an option to delete browsing data, too.

The trick above also works on default Windows apps like Get Office, Get Skype, Microsoft Photos, Money, News, Phone Companion, and more.

2. Remove Windows apps from Settings

Microsoft is slowly moving away from Control Panel to the Settings app. It’s a feature-rich app to customize and manage your Windows PC.

1. Press the Windows + I keys to open Settings.

2. Select Apps from the sidebar and open Installed apps

3. Glance over the list of installed apps and programs on your PC. Scroll to a relevant app and click the three-dot menu beside it.

4. Click the three-dot menu beside an app and select Uninstall.

Do you want to troubleshoot a Windows app by reinstalling it? You can head to Advanced options from the same more menu and try the Repair or Reset tools.

3. Use Control Panel to delete Windows apps

Do you still prefer the tried-and-tested Control Panel menu to manage your apps on Windows? Go through the steps below to delete Windows apps using the Control Panel.

1. Press the Windows key, search for Control Panel, and hit Enter.

2. Select Uninstall a program under the Programs menu.

3. Right-click on a program and select Uninstall.

Go through the on-screen instructions to complete the process. Repeat the same for other irrelevant apps and declutter your PC.

Clean up your Windows machine in no time

The built-in methods in Windows 11 should be good enough for the majority to delete apps. Are you still running out of space on your Windows PC, even after spring cleaning? Check our dedicated guide to free up space on Windows. If you are looking for more apps to level up your workflow, glance over our top productivity apps for Windows.

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Social Media / WHATSAPP UNVEILS EXCITING DESIGN UPDATES FOR IOS AND ANDROID

« Last post by javajolt on May 20, 2024, 06:41:42 PM »

WhatsApp’s latest update has a new look and is easier to use. It has new illustrations, redesigned icons, and a deeper dark mode for Android. These changes make the app look modern but keep its main features. The updates are now available to everyone.

In the article about the WhatsApp for iOS 24.9.74 update, we shared that WhatsApp is now rolling out an updated green interface for everyone. This update includes new illustrations and green buttons, giving the app a fresh look.

A few hours ago, WhatsApp announced that their main focus over the years has been to add new features to improve the app’s utility. As more features were added, it became clear that the design needed a refresh to stay simple, friendly, and modern. In response, WhatsApp created a more up-to-date interface while keeping the app’s essential features.

WHATSAPP FOR ANDROID AND IOS TO GET FRESH LOOKS

WhatsApp just announced that new design updates are now rolling out on iOS and Android for everyone. These updates aim to give the app a fresh look and make it more user-friendly. The changes include a new layout and new icons to help users find things more easily. There are also updated illustrations with animations for added fun. For the Android app, WhatsApp has introduced a darker dark mode with higher contrast and deeper tones. This reduces eye strain in low-light settings and improves visual appeal and legibility.

WhatsApp has added a modern bottom navigation bar on Android. This helps users find what they need faster by placing tabs closer to their thumbs. It makes navigation easier and follows common Android design practices.

On iOS, sending photos and videos is now simpler with a new attachment layout. Instead of a full-screen menu, there’s an expandable tray. This makes it easier to access features like media, polls, and documents.

WHATSAPP FOR ANDROID AND IOS CHAT FILTERS

Both the Android and iOS apps now have chat filters. These filters help users focus on and find important conversations more easily. For more details about these updates, visit the official Facebook Design website.

New design updates are now available for almost all users who install the latest WhatsApp updates from the App Store for iOS and the Google Play Store for Android. These updates will roll out to everyone over the next few days.

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Windows 11 | Windows 10 Hardware / RISC-V Chip Combines CPU, GPU, and NPU Into One Core

« Last post by javajolt on May 20, 2024, 06:32:24 PM »

X-Silicon aims to address the current limitations of edge computing with its new low-power “C-GPU” architecture.

San Diego-based startup X-Silicon recently announced a novel RISC-V architecture that combines CPU, GPU, and NPU into a single core. The new NanoTile architecture is described as a low-power "C-GPU," aggregating RISC-V Vector CPU capabilities with GPU and AI/ML acceleration in a unique monolithic processor design.

X-Silicon’s single-core concept

X-Silicon claims Nanotile is the first open-source architecture of its kind. It provides register-level access through a Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), which permits OEMs and content providers to customize their drivers and applications for wide hardware adaptability.

Beneath the NanoTile Architecture

The key to this architecture is its multi-core design, where multiple C-GPU cores are arrayed across a chip and linked via an on-chip fast compositor fabric. This setup dynamically aggregates outputs from each core into a common buffer, enhancing data handling for graphics, video processing, and AI tasks. Computational RAM (C-RAM) sits close to the processing cores and unified memory architectures, significantly decreasing latency and boosting overall compute efficiency.

X-Silicon says that its technology can address the limitations faced by existing GPUs. GPUs initially designed for gaming are now struggling with new, diverse workloads like AI and parallel computing. Conventional GPU architectures often suffer from inefficiencies due to fixed-function processing units and underutilization in non-gaming applications.

In contrast, X-Silicon's C-GPU aims to optimize performance for a broader range of applications by employing a scalable, tile-based approach that efficiently renders and manages computing.

A RISC-V CPU-GPU Hybrid

An open-source RISC-V CPU-GPU hybrid holds promise in the computing industry.

Integrating CPU and GPU functionalities into a single RISC-V-based processor, NanoTile simplifies the hardware stack and reduces power consumption, making it useful for applications in energy-sensitive environments like mobile devices and embedded systems. The unified architecture also improves performance by minimizing the latency typically associated with communication between separate CPU and GPU chips.

X-Silicon’s single-core architecture

The RISC-V ISA ensures a high degree of modularity and scalability, allowing users to customize the hybrid processor for specific applications. By making the RISC-V CPU-/GPU hybrid architecture available under an open-source license, X-Silicon facilitates a collaborative environment where developers, engineers, and researchers can contribute to and enhance the processor's design. This openness allows a broader community to experiment with and refine the technology, leading to more rapid advancements and a wider array of applications. As a result, X-Silicon's open-source RISC-V CPU/GPU hybrid can give rise to more personalized and efficient computing solutions.

Flexibility Across Industries

With 14 patents backing its novel design, X-Silicon hopes its architecture can transform edge computing by leveraging the massively parallel nature of RISC-V integrated with AI/ML and graphics capabilities. The company plans to offer its new solution to a wide range of industries, including wearable technology, AR/VR headsets, automotive displays, and beyond.

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Android O.S | Apps / Android Bluetooth Hacking with Python

« Last post by javajolt on May 20, 2024, 10:29:34 AM »

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Build 2024 / Microsoft's May 20 event and Build 2024: Here's how to watch and what to expect

« Last post by javajolt on May 20, 2024, 10:25:40 AM »

For Microsoft followers, the annual Build Developer Conference is usually one of the highlights of the year in terms of announcements. This year, however, the company decided to hold a press event in Seattle the day before Build 2024 begins, where it is expected we will get some big reveals on a number of different fronts.

Here's a look at what we can expect to see at the media event and also at Build 2024, and how you can watch at least some of these proceedings.

Microsoft Media event - Monday, May 20

Microsoft is inviting select members of the media to attend a press event in Seattle that will be held on Monday, May 20. As it does on occasion, the company has decided not to livestream the event. Windows Central reports that it will begin at 1 pm Eastern time (10 am Pacific time) and last about an hour.

The company used its X (formerly Twitter) account to post a teaser for that event, claiming, "A new era is coming." It also has a microsoft.com/event URL that, when you head to that address, takes you to the Microsoft Surface site at the moment.

That should be a big clue that the event will reveal new Surface devices. The rumor mill claims that Microsoft will announce consumer versions of its Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 models that were previously announced in March in their business models.

Perhaps more importantly, the new Surface models are rumored to have Qualcomm's previously announced Snapdragon X Elite processors. They will include a neural processing unit designed to boost AI apps and features like Microsoft's Copilot assistant. It's also likely that Microsoft will use the occasion to reveal some new upcoming Windows 11 updates and features.

ASUS will be holding its own announcement on May 20, starting at 2 pm Eastern time (11 am Pacific time). That event will be live-streamed, and the company's press release says it will reveal a new "AI PC" laptop that will be "a collaboration between Microsoft, Qualcomm, and ASUS."

Build 2024 - May 21-23

The annual Build 2024 developers conference from Microsoft will be held in Seattle as well from May 21-23. Unlike the company's May 20 press event, it will livestream many of its events on the Microsoft YouTube channel.

The big ones to watch for are the two keynote addresses, with the first starting at noon Eastern time (9 am Pacific) on May 21. It will feature Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, the company's chief technology officer Kevin Scott, and its Executive Vice President for Experiences and Devices, Rajesh Jha.

The second keynote will be held on May 22 at 11:30 am Eastern time (8:30 am Pacific time). It will feature Microsoft's Executive Vice President for Cloud and AI, Scott Guthrie, and other company executives. Based on the sessions published on the Microsoft Build site, we expect to see new announcements for Windows, Microsoft's AI efforts and more.

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