1 844.742.7448

Email Us

Remote Support

Contact

Software

  1. Home
  2. Software

WhatsApp on Android could soon let you share files with nearby friends
  • No Comments

WhatsApp may receive its own version of Apple’s AirDrop as a recent Android beta shows hints that a file-sharing feature is in the works.

A post on WABetaInfo offers insight into the potential update. Like AirDrop, the feature only works between two people. Both users will need to have the software open to the tool and be “within close proximity” to exchange files. What’s particularly interesting about this file sharing is the receiving person will need to physically shake their smartphone to create a share request. 

WABetaInfo explains this is to maintain a “controlled approach to file exchanges” between contacts. It's similar to how AirDrop lets people configure its settings so they only receive content from trusted sources. However, the website claims it will be possible to share media with non-contacts on WhatsApp. Phone numbers will remain hidden in this situation to preserve anonymity.

And just like sending messaging on WhatsApp, file sharing is end-to-end encrypted according to the website, ensuring personal information and content being sent is protected from outside interference. 

Pending information

That’s pretty much all that is known about WhatsApp’s file-sharing feature. A lot of the finer details have yet to be revealed. 

It’s unknown exactly how sending media to non-contacts will work. Will all receiving users have to shake their device too or will Meta change its mind and throw out that step replacing it with a simple menu setting? Going back to AirDrop, Apple’s version lets you change the receiving setting to Everyone allowing non-contacts to accept content from you.

Additionally, we don’t know if there are any file-size limitations for shared files. The maximum size for sending media to group chats is 2GB at the moment. The upcoming feature will probably have a similar size although it would be nice to see Meta expand the limit. Considering that we live in a world where 4K videos exist, an expansion would be great to have.

No word on when this update will become available to beta testers. WABetaInfo states the tool is still under development, so a preview build doesn’t exist yet. If you’re interested in trying out the file-sharing feature once it’s ready, you can become a WhatsApp beta tester by joining the Google Play Beta Program. You may be one of the lucky few to gain access down the line.

Analysis: cross-platform sharing

One thing we would like to see is compatibility across different operating systems. Imagine being able to send files from an Android phone to an iOS device and vice versa. It would certainly give WhatsApp an edge over Quick Share.

If you’re not familiar, Google and Samsung recently entered a partnership that resulted in many new products and combining Nearby Share into Quick Share. Now Android users can use the function for quick file sharing, hence the name. Assuming Meta rolls out the update in its current state, it could cause a lot of confusion as people would arguably be receiving the same thing twice. Giving WhatsApp's tool cross-platform support would make it stand out considerably.

Be sure to check out TechRadar's WhatsApp channel to get all of the latest news and reviews right on your phone.

You might also like

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

Vision Pro may have an app problem, with developers possibly unwilling to commit to Apple’s ‘revolutionary’ new platform
  • No Comments

When the Apple Vision Pro was first announced, we were told that it would run at least one million apps right out of the box. However, it’s beginning to look like that might not be the case. Now Apple may have effectively alienated and irritated app developers, making them less likely to produce bespoke apps for the headset. Instead, we’re expecting to see ports of existing iPad apps hastily slapped onto the Vision Pro.

The Vision Pro has already been shunned by streaming giants like Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify due to a lack of confidence in the new platform, as well as Spotify’s public distaste for Apple’s “outrageous” 27% commission. According to the BBC, the music streaming service has levied heavy accusations of Apple “stopping at nothing” to protect profits. With all this tension building just before the official launch of the Vision Pro, it’s easy to see why there might be a lack of confidence in the headset.

Other app developers likely share this hesitancy. Many might agree with Spotify’s frustration with Apple’s restrictive App Store policies and fees, especially since the Vision Pro’s success hinges on whether or not it has apps that make it worth buying. Why would you spend $ 3,500 for a device that doesn’t have the particular app you want?

Developers Wrath 

To add to the concerns surrounding the Vision Pro, devs who did not receive a ‘developer kit’ from Apple are now left having to shell out the full price for the headset just to test their apps. Why wouldn’t you just drop a quick port of the iPad app you’ve already developed onto the visionOS App Store and call it a day? 

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman notes that Apple’s initial inventory for the launch sits at about 80,000 units, which sold out within hours when pre-orders went live. If you’re a developer who hasn’t received a developer kit, you’ve got a very high cost of entry for not that much of a user base.

It may seem like 80,000 initial units is a lot, but if you’re going to put money and time into your app to maybe reach 80,000 people who might download it, you’re better off not bothering. To put that number into perspective, analysts estimate that Apple has already sold 20 million iPhone 15 models since its launch in September 2023. Gurman also notes that Apple is only expecting to see 300,000 to 400,000 Vision Pro units sold across the entirety of 2024.

It’s such a shame that Apple seems to be treating developers and streaming services like an afterthought when it comes to the Apple Vision Pro. The build-up to the official launch day has been plagued by more and more unfortunate and honestly confusing news – and just like Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify, many are losing confidence in the headset. It’ll be disappointing if Apple’s promised ‘million apps’ turn out to be mostly quick iPad ports.

It may be the case that the Vision Pro will have to stumble before it can walk, and should it live up to the hype and become a huge seller then we might see developers turn around and commit to developing dedicated visionOS apps. But until sales figures crystallize, it looks like early adopters might have to settle for less.

You might also like …

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

You can now run Windows 11 seamlessly on Apple silicon Macs with Microsoft’s stamp of approval
  • No Comments

You can now virtually run Windows 11 on the newest Apple Mac devices (those with Apple’s own ARM-based M1, M2, or M3 chips) using Microsoft-authorized methods.

The MacBook maker switched from Intel processors in its devices to its own new line of Apple silicon ARM  processors in 2020, and that change meant Mac users who wanted to use Microsoft’s Windows operating systems (or Windows-only apps) were left out in the cold..

For Mac devices with Intel processors, users could turn to the multi-boot utility program, Boot Camp, which enabled users to install and run Windows on their Macs as their chosen operating system (OS) – rather than the default macOS. 

Users with Apple silicon processor devices can’t use Boot Camp, as it’s incompatible and would have to turn to other ways of running Windows operating systems, such as emulators and virtualization programs. There are many virtualization programs out there, but now, Microsoft has chimed in on which ones it thinks are best for this.

Microsoft's blessing

Microsoft published a post on its support website giving its official backing to two methods that can enable a user with Mac devices that have M1, M2, or M3 chips to use Windows 11 on their machine: Windows 365 Cloud PC (a service offered by Microsoft itself) and Parallels. 

Microsoft has authorized Parallels’ desktop versions 18 and 19 to run the ARM-specific versions of Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Enterprise. 

Users can do this by installing Parallels Desktop version 18 or version 19 and create a virtual machine that lives within your existing OS (probably macOS in this case). It explains that the ARM versions of Windows 11 OS do have limitations that impact a user’s ability to run certain hardware, games, and apps (a long-standing issue with Windows 11 on ARM devices, sadly). This workaround does, however, give users access to most Windows 11 features such as hardware acceleration, many multimedia technologies, and more. 

Some limitations of Parallels include features that make use of Windows’ nested virtualization capabilities like Windows Subsystem for Android, Windows Subsystem for Linux, Virtualization-Based Security (VBS), and Windows Sandbox (this allows users to run isolated apps without affecting or harming your main OS installation). Parallels Desktop for Mac is also not able to run 32-bit Windows ARM versions, as Microsoft cut off support for 32-bit UWP apps for ARM in January of last year. 

Apple also dropped support for 32-bit apps a while ago, with no known workarounds to make them work in modern macOS versions. If you’d like to try the listed features, Neowin recommends Microsoft’s other highlighted service, Windows 365 Cloud PC (which runs in a web browser window, making it much easier to set up), or getting a Windows laptop instead. 

The standard edition of Parallels Desktop 19 will cost you $ 99.99 a year and the Pro version usually costs $ 119.99 a year, but Amazon is currently offering it with a 25% discount at $ 89.99 for a 1-year subscription.

Windows 365

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft’s in-house solution, Windows 365 Cloud PC, will enable Mac silicon-chip users to stream a fully-fleshed-out and personalized Windows 11 version. Microsoft describes this as a “software-as-a-service solution for organizations of all sizes,” so this isn’t for individual users (yet). 

It offers many of the features Parallels lacks like nested virtualization for testing, support for emulators within the virtual Windows 11 OS, and more. Perhaps we could see Microsoft introduce an individual model akin to the commercial version like it has recently for the premium version of its new flagship digital assistant, Copilot Pro. 

Of course, Microsoft wants you to run Windows 11 on a PC meant specifically for it, (it even mentions this in the first line of the support post). However, many users like experimenting and personalizing their computing experiences and I think Microsoft’s willingness to accommodate that with its products fosters a positive impression among users and professionals. 

While some Mac and MacBook users may baulk at the idea of running Windows on their devices, there are some useful benefits for people who want to test out Windows 11 programs, or use applications that don’t currently have native Mac support, so it’s good to see Microsoft acknowledge this and offer support and advice, even if it’s through gritted teeth.

You might also like

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

Apple Vision Pro content can be beamed to other Apple devices via AirPlay
  • No Comments

Now that Apple Vision Pro preorders have gone live, we're learning more about Apple's expensive mixed reality headset – including the ways in which it will interact with other Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

As per the Vision Pro tech specs page (via MacRumors), the device supports Apple's AirPlay standard for wirelessly transmitting video and audio. In other words, you'll be able to beam whatever's happening inside the Vision Pro to the screen of an iPhone, iPad, Mac computer, or Apple TV – anything that also supports AirPlay.

It's something we've seen in other headsets like the Meta Quest 3, the ability to mirror the display somewhere else, and it means if you're doing a presentation in a meeting or just playing around with friends and family, everyone you're with will be able to see whatever it is you're looking at in mixed reality.

If you're using a desktop Mac or a MacBook, then the connection can apparently go the other way too – so you can get whatever's on the macOS screen to show up inside the Vision Pro, and use your computer that way.

Getting hold of a Vision Pro

There is one bit of information to take note of here, which is that mirrored video can only be shown at a resolution of 720p (which has apparently been revised down from 1080p). It's not going to be the sharpest of pictures that you get.

Nevertheless, it's handy to be able to share what's inside your headset with other people, for all kinds of reasons. It's perhaps something that Apple Store staff will take advantage of as they demo the device to potential buyers too.

There were several months between the time the Apple Vision Pro was announced and when preorders went live, and you're not going to be able to walk into an Apple Store and buy a Vision Pro until Friday, February 2.

Everyone outside the US is going to have to wait even longer: it is possible to buy the headset internationally, but we wouldn't recommend it. We haven't heard when the device will go on sale in other regions, but we'll keep you posted.

You might also like

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

Windows 11 24H2 update rumored to arrive in September, ushering in huge changes for the OS
  • No Comments

Microsoft’s major update for 2024 will be Windows 11 24H2, we’ve again heard, but it’ll be a big old drop of multiple features – plus foundational changes – that’s expected to arrive in September.

That’s the latest from Microsoft rumor-monger Zac Bowden of Windows Central fame, a generally reliable source for all things Windows.

Bowden has previously asserted that Microsoft is going to keep Windows 11 and push out a 24H2 upgrade later this year – rather than launching Windows 12, or whatever an all-new version of the OS might be called – so this concept is nothing new.

Also fully expected is that the update will be heavily focused on next-gen AI experiences (for those AI PCs Microsoft keeps banging on about), and we’re told by Bowden that the 2024 Update will be a much larger affair than 23H2 (which was pretty minor, so again, that’s no surprise).

However, according to Bowden, 24H2 will represent a seriously big change in direction, and will be built on a new version of the Windows platform that’ll usher in various performance and security updates alongside a raft of new features.

What new features? Well, given the mentioned weight on the AI side of the equation, obviously there’ll be upgrades for Copilot. We’re told the desktop assistant will enhance the Windows interface and find ways to boost productivity in terms of apps, search, and more besides.

Bowden doesn’t go into any real specifics that haven’t been mentioned before, but in short, Copilot will help you do more stuff in a swifter and more convenient manner in Windows, as well as all the existing Bing Chat-style chops the AI has.

The leaker does expand on one point, though: that Microsoft is planning a Copilot timeline/history feature that’ll allows users to locate any file, image, app, basically anything that has been previously opened on their PC, using the AI. A history-based super-search, in other words, that’ll likely allow you to do things like request ‘that file where I wrote about Nvidia’s new RTX Super graphics cards’ or similar more natural language-based requests than traditional search. (We’ve heard rumors along these lines before).

We’ve already seen other incoming features in test builds of Windows 11 such as the new ‘energy saver’ capability and AI-powered Snap Layouts to pick out a couple of examples.

All the stuff you see in testing in early channels is likely to be for 24H2, and there are other additions coming, too. For example, Phone Link improvements are inbound, including being able to use your smartphone as a makeshift webcam for the PC (pretty nifty).

Windows 11 desktop on an all-in-one PC

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Analysis: Possible twists in the tale

Some still believe that this will be Windows 12, or some incarnation of next-gen Windows (Windows AI?) rather than just a 24H2 update for Windows 11. That’d make sense in some ways, given that this is Windows built on an entirely new platform (called Germanium) and it’s a big thing coming alongside those AI PCs we keep hearing about.

Bowden thinks a full name change is unlikely, though, and still maintains this will be the 24H2 update even though it ushers in extensive changes.

One reason Microsoft may not want Windows 12 is that it would fragment the user base into Windows 10, 11, and 12, which could be confusing for users, and a pain for Microsoft to handle in terms of development and patching. Remember, Windows 10 isn’t dead anymore, and Microsoft recently reversed the decision to freeze new features coming to the older OS, and is now piping fresh functionality across – including, most importantly, Copilot.

All of this is just speculation, mind, and even Microsoft itself may not have made the final decision as to whether this will be another update for Windows 11, or an all-new next-gen Windows.

Bowden lays out the development timeframe and as mentioned, the projected release for the theoretical 24H2 update is currently September (though it could be later in the year).

There’s a slight twist, though, in that the platform it’s built on, Germanium, will apparently be ready in April, after which work on finalizing the Windows 11 2024 Update will begin. It’s possible that new AI PCs with 24H2 on board could appear as soon as July, but the upgrade won’t come to existing Windows 11 installations until September at the earliest.

You might also like…

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

Repairing Apple’s Vision Pro headset will cost almost as much as a new unit – unless you do this
  • No Comments

Pre-orders for Apple’s Vision Pro have officially opened, and with it, the company has released information on how much it’ll cost to repair the headset. 

Be prepared to shell a ton out of pocket because prices are astronomical if you don’t have an AppleCare Plus insurance plan. According to the official support page, repairs fall under two categories: “Cracked Cover Glass” and “Other Damage”. The former will have an estimated cost of $ 799 while the latter will run you a whopping $ 2,399. As AppleInsider points out, that’s about “70 percent of the price of a new [unit].” Keep in mind that the price tags listed here don’t include shipping or taxes so expect them to be even higher. Additionally, Apple will not fix the cover glass even if the damage was done accidentally. It appears the only damage they'll repair for uninsured owners is manufacturing defects.

Batteries can be serviced too but Apple doesn’t say how much it’ll cost. The only thing they say is that a technician will fix it “for a fee”. Also, it won’t replace a battery worn down from normal use as that type of degradation is not covered by the warranty.

Hope you have insurance

If you have AppleCare Plus for the Vision Pro, costs go down considerably, hardware coverage expands, and you’ll be given access to company experts.

Instead of paying $ 800 for glass repair, insured users will only have to pay $ 300. This covers accidental damage, as well. The same goes for other types of damages. Rather than paying a $ 2,400 bill, the price will drop down to $ 300. Battery service is considerably better under AppleCare Plus. Replacing the power supply will be free, but the battery must hold “less than 80 percent of its original capacity” otherwise the company will refuse.

As for the expanded hardware coverage, authorized technicians will repair accidental damage done to the headset an unlimited number of times, however, it will cost you $ 300 each time. What’s more, technicians will fix damaged accessories like the charging cable for an extra $ 30.

When it comes to the aforementioned experts, they will help you address any issues with the device's software. They’ll answer questions you may have on navigating visionOS, how to connect to Wi-Fi, and help you resolve issues relating to first-party apps. 

Expensive endeavor

AppleCare Plus for the Vision Pro is available as two separate plans: monthly and fixed term. The monthly plan costs you $ 24.99 while the fixed option will run you $ 499 for two whole years. If you plan on getting insurance, you can buy it with the headset at checkout or within 60 days after purchasing it online. So, there is a weird time limit to getting AppleCare Plus, but considering you may be looking at a $ 2,400 bill without insurance, you may be better off opting for it.

The Vision Pro is proving itself to be an expensive endeavor; not just because of repairs, but also due to the multitude of accessories. Extra batteries cost $ 200, travel cases are another $ 200, Zeiss Optical lens inserts start at $ 99, and the list goes on. A holder for the battery made entirely out of plastic is $ 50. Interested customers will need to make sure their wallets can handle such an investment or buckle under it.

If you’re looking for a cheaper VR headset, check out TechRadar’s list of the best VR headset deals for January 2024. 

You might also like

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

Microsoft is adding a Windows 11 feature that makes accessing your phone’s photos even easier
  • No Comments

A new feature is coming to Windows 11 that will make transferring screenshots from your phone to your PC much easier. Thanks to testing being done by Microsoft, you should soon have the ability to access and edit your screenshots from your phone directly on your PC.

The Windows Insider Program for Developers is a channel that receives experimental builds of Windows 11 that represent any upcoming updates or new features that Microsoft plans to implement in the near future, in order to gather feedback before pushing features to the public version. 

When enabled in the Dev Channel, the Windows 11 Build 23619 now has a ‘Cross-Device Experience Host update’ that will replace the existing Phone Link feature, using this new feature instead to connect your phone and your PC.

Once your phone is connected, every time you take a screenshot on your phone a little pop-up will appear in your desktop notifications. You’ll then have to option to view, edit or share your screenshot straight from your PC.

Simple and smooth sharing 

I’m pretty excited for the feature to officially arrive in the public build of Windows 11, as it takes the hassle out of sending your photos to your PC via either a cable, messaging service or cloud storage service in order to edit them. At least once a week, I have to email myself screenshots from my phone to open on my computer, so it’ll be incredibly time-saving to simply have a little notification pop up on my desktop instead that I can choose to ignore or open and get to work. 

This feature will also be really good for those of us who might not be as technologically adept or are just in a hurry to transfer a new photo. It’s much easier to explain to someone who might need help that if you connect your phone to your PC using this feature you can simply take the screenshot and the pop-up will automatically appear, rather than explaining a lengthier step-by-step process to them.

It’s always good to see Microsoft continually working to improve Windows 11 – especially given some people’s unwillingness to upgrade from Windows 10. This update also came with some useful fixes, such as squashing a bug that caused crashes when you change voices in Narrator in Settings, and more work to improve the performance of File Explorer.

Via Betanews

You might also like…

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

Want an Apple Vision Pro and you’re not in the US? Trust me, you’ll want to wait
  • No Comments

Apple's been clear since the start that its Vision Pro mixed reality headset is launching in the US first and there are still no details about an international launch. Now, with Vision Pro preorders live, people are wondering if they can order in the US and then bring the spatial computing platform to their home in, say the UK. The short answer is yes but there are significant caveats.

For those unfamiliar with Apple's newest wearable, Apple Vision Pro is a mixed-reality headset that can provide a full-immersion VR experience, as well as an augmented reality one. 

Vision Pro ships on February 2 when there should be thousands of platform-ready apps, as well as some written specifically to take advantage of its cutting-edge features.

The good news is that Vision Pro is a travel-friendly device. It has that battery pack, after all, and Apple is selling a $ 200 carrying case. In addition, there's a Travel Mode setting that will counter the motion of the airplane. 

I'm not certain what would happen if you wore the headset on an airplane without the mode enabled, but while in flight, everything that works (or plays) at home in your Vision Pro, should work.

Limitations abound

If all of that sounds good to you and you live outside the US, there are some things you need to consider.

Ordering from outside the US, or even as someone who is visiting the US or VPN-ing into the US Apple Vision Pro pre-order site, may find it impossible to get hold of a headset.

Your Apple ID region must be US-based and all the app purchases you made must be through that ID.

If you wear glasses and need the $ 149 Zeiss inserts, you can't present an eyeglass prescription from outside the US, and Zeiss won't ship lens inserts to international customers.

Even if you do manage to come to the US, buy Apple Vision Pro, and bring it back to another country, there are no guarantees that the content you downloaded in the US will work anywhere else (there are often region restrictions based on content licensing). The same goes for the music and Apple TV-based content you buy through the headset. If it's region-set to US, it won't work

Finally, if you just paid $ 3,4999 for Vision Pro, you'll want the best Apple Care available. Unfortunately, Apple Support for the Vision Pro is not available outside the US.

Put simply, it's probably best to wait to buy Vision Pro until it's officially on sale outside the US.

You might also like

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

Apple Vision Pro won’t have Netflix, Spotify, or YouTube at launch – is the headset already doomed as a media player?
  • No Comments

Although excitement is building for the release of the Apple Vision Pro mixed-reality headset (pre-orders are now live), potential users will have to do without not just YouTube or Spotify, but Netflix as well. While Disney Plus and Apple TV Plus (obviously) are guaranteed to be available right out of the box, we do have to question if you’ll be able to take advantage of the headset's cinematic qualities without these three media giants.

While some streaming competitors are rushing to embrace the Apple Vision Pro (including Peacock, ESPN, and Paramount Plus), Netflix and YouTube seem to be playing the waiting game, and when the headset launches Apple Vision Pro users will have to access their respective services through the Safari browser (which has it's own Vision Pro version) rather than via dedicated apps. According to a report from Bloomberg, Netflix is the latest to confirm that it won’t be offering a visionOS app.

YouTube in particular is quite the omission considering that it is probably the best place to find immersive content, especially videos tailored to the VR experience capabilities of the Vision Pro. The videos available on the platform may not be as refined and curated as the content you can find on Netflix or Disney Plus, but it’s a media platform used by many people almost daily and leaves the headset feeling somewhat empty without it – more so now that Netflix is joining in abstaining from visionOS.

All work and no play? 

It’s a troubling start for Apple’s big foray into mixed reality. After all, if you’re sitting down to use a headset that cost you $ 3,499 but you have to pull up Safari and start typing away on your connected MacBook just to watch a video or an episode of your favourite Netflix show, is it really worth the money? Using Safari is a clunky workaround at best.

There are almost certainly multiple factors at play behind the scenes here. Netflix and Apple do have a rather strained relationship at the best of times. Netflix has historically had issues with Apple’s App Store revenue sharing, with this contention definitely not helped by the arrival of Apple TV. Another likely reason we aren’t seeing Netflix jump at the opportunity to produce a visionOS app is simply that it has little faith in Apple’s headset. 

In fact, you could argue that the streaming service has so little faith in the Vision Pro that it’s not even willing to modify a version of the Netflix iPadOS app to work on the new platform (not unlike how Instagram on iPadOS is just a scaled-up version of the iOS app). Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify are likely waiting to see how the headset is received before they any dedicate time and money to developing apps for it.  As someone who’s been skeptical of the headset since it was announced, I can’t help but feel more than a little vindicated by this – it’s not just me observing from the sidelines with very little confidence in Apple’s big plans. 

I mean, the Nintendo Switch came out in 2017 and that has a dedicated YouTube app (the Nintendo 3DS had one as well!) so if a nearly seven-year-old console can have a dedicated app for the world’s biggest video-streaming platform but this futuristic headset can’t, that really doesn’t look good for Apple. 

Ultimately, we can only speculate as to why exactly these big media companies are so hesitant, but one reason may be the way the headset has been marketed. Apple has from the jump advertised the Vision Pro as this incredibly immersive media experience device that will put you right in the middle of the action, but the fact that it’s called a Vision Pro – and the sky-high price tag – does give off the impression it's more for enterprise users. Could this case of confused identity be the reason behind this very visible display of hesitancy? 

As of yet, there’s no sign of when, if ever, we could expect a dedicated visionOS app to come from Netflix, YouTube, or Spotify. It’s likely we’ll have to wait and see how well the Vision Pro sells when it launches to have an idea of whether or not we actually will get these apps – if it does prove successful, they won’t have a choice but to commit.

If this hasn’t completely dampened your excitement for the Apple Vision Pro, there’s still quite a lot to look forward to regardless. While it’s mostly still on the more business-focused side of things, we now have a clear list of apps confirmed for the Vision Pro – including Slack, Display Plus, Zoom, Microsoft 365, Safari, and many more to come. And after all, if it truly is meant to be an enterprise device, would it even need a Netflix app?

You might also like…

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More

Windows 11 hack keeps your PC alive (sort of) after a Blue Screen of Death crash
  • No Comments

A Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) in Windows 11 is when the PC locks up entirely, with no possible recourse – except to reboot there and then – unless you’ve hacked the operating system, that is.

Tom’s Hardware reports that NTDEV, the maker of Tiny11 (a lightweight version of Windows 11) flagged up on X (formerly Twitter) that NSG650 has a project on GitHub which is a driver that modifies the normal BSOD behavior, firing up a Linux emulator when a crash occurs.

In other words, instead of just having the option to reboot, you get a RISC-V Linux emulator popping up post-crash. How is this done? It leverages the bugcheck callback feature in Windows – which is part of the BSOD process, and allows for code to run after a crash – and in this case, the code inserted brings up the emulator.

Now, all the Linux emulator consists of is a basic command line (like the old days of DOS, just a text interface), and you can’t really do anything with it – it’s just showing what can be done (see the video clip below), rather than actually implementing anything useful.

Analysis: An opportunity for Microsoft?

With this methodology discovered, this raises the question that with some work, could something more advanced be concocted along these lines? Something that does allow you to do useful things after a BSOD, like plug in a USB drive and back up files, for example, if you’re worried they might be corrupted. Or maybe to run some kind of lightweight recovery utility.

Having seen this in action, though, it’s entirely possible Microsoft will patch this out, as it could be seen as a security risk in Windows 11 (and Windows 10 for that matter).

However, we can but hope that it might inspire Microsoft to look at doing something more useful, as mentioned, with the BSOD, and allowing at least some post-crash options, if indeed it’s possible to work anything meaningful in that way – which we don’t know, we should add.

For the moment, this little trick remains an interesting novelty, with a tantalizing possibility that it could become more than that in the future. Whatever the case, even if nothing happens along those lines, we think Microsoft could definitely improve BSODs in other ways – though if you happen to encounter one, at least we have a Blue Screen of Death survival guide.

You might also like…

TechRadar – All the latest technology news

Read More