Microsoft has outlined the next big steps for Windows 11, and that includes Android apps coming to the OS next month, albeit still in testing.
Panos Panay, Chief Product Officer (Windows + Devices) at Microsoft, spilled all the details in a blog post, explaining first and foremost that there would be a public preview of Android apps in February.
If you’ve been following the progress of Windows 11, then you’ll realize that support for native Android apps arrived in testing for Windows Insiders (in the US) back in October 2021. A public preview means it’s come to the release version of Windows 11, but there may be some flakiness evident given that it is still in beta form.
Panay also highlighted various taskbar improvements, including “call mute and unmute, easier window sharing and bringing weather to the taskbar”, although of course we’ve already seen the latter happen in testing (the infamous weather widget returned with a preview build in December).
Finally, Panay mentioned that two core apps which have been redesigned, namely Notepad and Media Player, would both soon be debuting in the finished version of Windows 11.
The Chief Product Officer also revealed that with Windows now on some 1.4 billion devices across the globe, Microsoft has “seen strong demand and preference for Windows 11”, with users accepting the upgrade when offered at double the rate at which Windows 10 accrued new recruits. Although of course shifting from Windows 7 to Windows 10 was a much bigger change – Windows 11 is really quite similar to Windows 10, when you get down to it, so it’s less of a leap for folks to make.
Panay also observed that: “Windows 11 has the highest quality scores and product satisfaction of any version of Windows we’ve ever shipped.”
Analysis: Better late than never
Android apps were one of the big new features touted for Windows 11, but disappointingly didn’t turn up at launch (in fact, when they didn’t appear in later testing phases pre-release, it soon became clear enough that they wouldn’t arrive for kick-off). Better late than never, then, and it’s still exciting to finally get native Android apps on the Windows 11 desktop – even if the applications are limited to those delivered from the Amazon App Store (via the Microsoft Store).
The next step, of course, is not just these Android apps, but games from the Google Play Games store, which will be delivered to Windows 11 and 10 systems in the form of an app that’s due to arrive at some point this year. The idea is to be able to seamlessly switch between your phone and desktop with the progress you’ve made in whatever mobile game you’re playing maintained across platforms – pretty neat, huh?
It’s also good that more core Windows apps are getting the redesign treatment in Windows 11, and we’ve already seen the likes of the new Notepad in testing, complete with a Fluent Design makeover, dark mode compatibility, and more, making this dated application look a lot more at home in the new OS.
We can expect more of these default Windows 11 apps to benefit from an overhaul as the year rolls on, no doubt, although this piecemeal approach adds to the overall feeling of Windows 11 having been released very much as a work in progress.
While Dropbox is finishing up an update to its cloud service app for macOS that brings native Apple Silicon support, it's sent an email to users, warning them about potential issues if they don't update once a future version of macOS Monterey arrives.
But it turns out that it's not an isolated issue, with Microsoft also stating on a support page that not updating OneDrive on the Mac may bring problems in future macOS Monterey versions. As long as users download the rewritten Files-On-Demand app, there'll be no issue.
You've most likely used both apps before, whether that's at College or as a way to quickly download files from someone in a hurry. But this looks as though there's been a background change to macOS by Apple that both cloud apps use.
We've reached out to Apple to confirm what this change is, and why both Dropbox and Microsoft are recommending you about potential issues for future macOS versions.
Analysis: What's changed so drastically?
It's telling that another potential issue from Apple involves the cloud, after developers' ongoing frustrations with the 503 iCloud errors, that's causing failures in syncing content across devices.
In an email to users, Dropbox explained, “Some applications on your Mac may have problems opening Dropbox files while they are online only. You will still be able to open Dropbox files by double-clicking them in Finder”.
While you can download the beta version of Dropbox for Apple Silicon, this still means that you may encounter issues when macOS 12.3 arrives.
macOS 12.2 is currently available for developers and users who are signed up to the beta program, so there may be a forthcoming change in 12.3 that Apple has told both Microsoft and Dropbox, so that the cloud apps can work on another update to make sure that there are no further issues.
For now, we recommend backing up your files if you use one or both of these apps, and to make sure that you have the latest updates to both for when macOS 12.3 does arrive to your Mac.
The best portable apps make it simple and easy to run programs straight from a USB stick or cloud storage to any device.
Portable apps are programs that don't have to be installed, and don't change your PC's settings. Provided there’s enough space available, you can store portable apps anywhere – an internal drive, an external storage device like a USB stick or SD card, on a networked drive, or a cloud storage service like OneDrive or DropBox.
Portable apps have several advantages: they make it easy to switch between different computers because you can take your software with you, they don't interfere with any other programs installed on your PC, and they can be used on PCs with restricted user permissions (at work or school, for example).
Some portable apps have an ‘installer’, but don't worry – this just unzips a compressed file archive and saves the extracted files to a location of your choice; it doesn’t make any changes to your system files. Other portable apps are provided as a regular ZIP file for you to extract yourself.
The program itself is an EXE file, but the extracted folder will also contain associated files including fonts and settings, which are essential for it to run. Some portable apps have optional language files, which will add to the size considerably, so consider opting out of these unless you need a language other than English.
Here, then, are the best portable apps currently available.
All the popular browsers have portable editions, but for sheer convenience we've opted for Google Chrome Portable. Because it's linked to your Google account, all your bookmarks and preferences are automatically synced, making it the best choice for working on the move.
Chrome also supports hundreds of extensions, though you might want to be a bit picky about which you install – they can bump up the disk space requirements considerably.
A couple of pointers to note are that passwords are not saved between PC's by default, and that certificates are not managed by Chrome but by windows so these won't transfer with you.
(Image credit: LibreOffice)
2. LibreOffice Portable
Best portable office app
Full office suite
Documents on the go
Missing charts
LibreOffice Portable is the largest of the portable apps here, but it's still amazingly compact considering it's a full office suite. You’ll need an external drive if you want to carry it, but you can easily keep it in the cloud (Google Drives gives you a free 10GB to play with, and DropBox gives you 2GB).
LibreOffice Portable includes almost all the programs from the installable version of LibreOffice: Writer (word processing), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), Draw (vector drawing), Math (formulas), and Base (databases). The only thing missing is Charts – though you can create graphs and other visualizations using Calc.
Like many portable apps, LibreOffice Portable is made using open source code. This takes some time, so it's a few versions behind the installable version of LibreOffice. However, that time has been well spent and it's well optimized for use on the move, with easy access to documents stored on a networked drive, an FTP server, or cloud storage account.
(Image credit: GIMP)
3. GIMP Portable
The best portable graphics app
Full version release
Graphics on the go
Photo editing
Large program size
The portable edition of GIMP, the free open source graphic and image editor, should be fine to install on any modern USB stick or any other storage media.
GIMP Portable is a hefty folder thanks to all the necessary resources, including brushes, plugins and fonts. The need to access all of these means GIMP Portable takes a little while to launch, but once it does you've got the perfect tool for advanced photo editing, wherever you are.
It's easy to open files from a local drive, networked storage, or a URL, making GIMP Portable brilliant for editing pictures remotely. The portable edition is based on the full version's current stable release, so you'll get all the latest features and built-in extensions.
(Image credit: portableapps.com)
4. VLC Media Player Portable
The best portable media app
Free and open source
Audio playback
Video playback
VLC is one of the most capable and widely-supported media players around. Its main appeal is its ability to play pretty much any audio or video file or stream, without the need to download additional codecs.
That flexibility makes VLC Media Player Portable extremely handy. Keep it in reserve and if you come across an awkward file that won't play nicely with your regular music or video software, you've got the perfect tool for the job.
VLC Media Player Portable can handle files from any location, including local drives, network storage, and streams. You can even supplement it with extensions to integrate it with specific services – though bear in mind that this will add to its size considerably.
(Image credit: CCleaner )
5. CCleaner Portable
Best system maintenance app
Clears temporary files
32 and 64 bit versions
Free to use
CCleaner is the biggest name in system maintenance. It makes it easy to clear out clutter like temporary files and cookies that not only takes up valuable space, but can also put your privacy at risk.
CCleaner Portable is a handy toolkit that you can run on any PC in need of a good spring clean. The download includes both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the program, so you can pick the right one for the OS running on the afflicted machine.
CCleaner Portable is ideal for helping out friends and family members whose PCs have started to slow down (though always check before deleting their cached logins). Oh yes, and if you’re running it from your Downloads folder, don’t worry – it won’t try to delete itself.
(Image credit: Emsisoft)
6. Emsisoft Emergency Kit
Best anti-malware portable app
Free to use
Amti-malware program
Quarantines infections
Most of the portable software here is nice to have to hand, but Emsisoft Emergency Kit is essential – particularly if you’ve been lumbered with the role of unofficial tech support for your friends and relations.
Emsisoft Emergency Kit isn't a replacement for antivirus software; instead, it's designed to save your bacon if your PC has already become infected with something unpleasant. If your machine is acting strangely, just run the program, update its database of threats, and scan for nasties.
If anything suspicious is found, Emsisoft Emergency Kit quarantines it to preventing it from affecting system files, then gives you the option to delete it, or release it back into the wild.
We all live busy, hectic lives these days and, with so many distractions around us to draw our attention away from the things we need to get done, we could use some organization.
The iPhone has an ever-improving to-do app built right in, but if you’re looking to take things to the next level with some more advanced options, there are also some very impressive third-party reminder apps available to you.
If you are constantly forgetting when your cars are due for a service or when you need to pay that important bill then you could use a to-do app.
Below, we highlight five of the best to-do apps on iOS to help you get things done and keep your focus on what's important.
Apple Reminders
(Image credit: Apple)
The Reminders app from Apple is on every iOS device out of the box. As with other Apple built-in apps, it can feel quite basic initially, but for many, this clean simplicity is what makes it shine. Dig a little deeper, however, and you'll find more depth to the app than you’d imagine.
A major plus point of the Reminders app is its deep integration with the system itself. As you’d expect, it works well with Siri, which can even be invoked within apps like Mail with the phrase ‘remind me about this email.’ This will alert you at the chosen time and also let you jump directly back to the app.
Stock Apple apps can go years without any real updates, but Reminders has been refreshed year after year for some time now. With iOS 15, quite a few new features have helped the app keep up with some premium third-party apps.
Tagging was introduced, so now you can easily group and view all items with the same tag via the new Custom Smart lists feature. One long-requested feature that made it into the iOS 15 release is natural-language support, so you can type statements such as ‘Call Mike every other Friday at 5PM.’
Other useful features include the ability to add picture attachments to tasks and an option to be reminded about a due item the next time you message the chosen individual. Now you’ve got a strong to-do app ready to be put to use.
GoodTask
(Image credit: Goodtasks)
If Apple’s Reminders app is the Ford pickup of the to-do world, then GoodTask is the Tesla Cybertruck equivalent. GoodTask takes everything you get in Reminders and soups it up.
GoodTask is free, but there's an in-app purchase of $ 9.99 / £8.99 / AU$ 14.99 to fully unlock the app. It's based on Reminders, but it adds a lot more advanced features not available in Apple's app. Some of these features include quick actions that can be customized to help you enter new to-do items quicker, such as marking the item due in +5 hours or automatically tagging it.
The app offers a lot of options to customize both the layout and theme to really make it fit around the way you work and not vice versa. GoodTask is a universal app, so it works across all iOS and iPadOS devices. It also has a very good macOS and Apple Watch app to round things off.
GoodTask is the ideal app for anyone that doesn’t want to sign up for yet another service that will hold your data, or for those that like the Reminders experience but need more power-user features that the stock app just doesn’t offer currently.
Todoist
(Image credit: Todoist)
While the first two options on this list focused on Apple device users, many people don’t have the luxury of using just one device manufacturer to get their work done. There are also some very good to-do apps for iOS that can be used across Android, Windows and the web. One of the best examples of a truly cross-platform to-do app is Todoist. The ability to use this service both in and out of the Apple ecosystem makes this a strong option for those of us that use a Windows PC for work but use Apple hardware and software outside the office.
Todoist has been around for a long time and offers a clean, easy-to-use interface that looks at home on any platform and syncs seamlessly between each one. A strong selling point beyond the option of using it truly anywhere is the fantastic natural-language reminder entry, which lets you describe what you want it to do in a natural, non-robotic way. You could say something like: ‘Remind me to pay the gas bill on the 27th of every month’ and Todoist would set this recurring event for you automatically.
Todoist is a freemium product, which means the app is free to download but includes an optional subscription to add extra functionality. The free tier is, actually, very generous. The extras you get with a subscription, such as the ability to add up to 25 people to each project, themes, and custom icons are nice to have, but definitely don’t hinder a single user from using the app to great effect.
If you really want to go to the next level with your tasks, Todoist even offers a Kanban board view so you can get a better visualization of various interconnected tasks across a large project. For those unfamiliar, a Kanban board allows you to display all tasks on a single board, which you can drag between statuses such as ‘not started’, ‘in progress’, and ‘done’.
If you’re looking for a feature-rich to-do app that works perfectly on any device you use then Todoist may be the perfect app for you.
Things 3
(Image credit: Things 3)
Of all of the to-do apps in this roundup, Things 3 is the least flexible both in terms of functionality and options for using it across multiple, non-Apple platforms. It loses points for no web app or Windows version, but it makes up for it in pure good looks. Costing $ 9.99 / £8.99 / AU$ 14.99, the app oozes charm and fluidity and is very rigidly based on the GTD (Get Things Done) methodology.
This app has won two Apple Design Awards in the past, but it’s more than just a well-designed to-do list. Things 3 includes unparalleled keyboard shortcut support, keyboard navigation, calendar integration, and some very nice widgets. It also has one of the best Apple Watch apps in the business.
With Things 3 you can, as you would imagine, add standalone tasks one at a time, but a big strength for the app is the ability to quickly convert a single to-do item into a project. You can then fill it with subtasks and more detail about the project itself. Things 3 is an app you should turn to when a simple ‘one item at a time' to-do system just won’t do.
There are some downsides to Things 3 to consider. The main sticking point is the relatively expensive upfront cost and the fact that you have to buy it separately for every device you want it on. A lack of Windows or web support may also put people off, but if you want a great-looking app with a lot of muscle under the hood then look no further.
OmniFocus 3
(Image credit: Omnigroup)
Some may describe Things 3 as form over function. OmniFocus 3, on the other hand, may tip the balance the other way. That’s not to say OmniFocus isn’t decent looking, in its own special way, but it certainly lets its functionality do the talking.
Of all the apps or services listed here, OmniFocus is the most advanced, with a focus on power users and those with large projects to manage. While it’s perfectly usable by anyone, you’re unlikely to get the most out of it unless you have a lot on your plate.
Available as a subscription of $ 9.99 / £9.49 / AU$ 15.99 a month, its emphasis is on creating and managing larger projects where you can tag your tasks with places, people, or priorities. By tagging tasks as much as possible, OmniFocus encourages you to manage tasks through what it calls ‘perspectives’. So, for example, if you have a work project with Bob from Accounts, you could filter down to all tasks tagged with ‘work’ and ‘Bob’ and work through all relevant tasks.
To get the most out of OmniFocus you would need to live a very busy and organized life. If this doesn’t apply to you, the app may be overkill. If it does apply to you, however, this is a powerful and flexible app that would help you de-stress, focus, and get things done.
SAP’s still feverishly working to patch another 12 apps vulnerable to the Log4Shell flaw, while its Patch Tuesday release includes 21 other fixes, some rated at 9.9 criticality.
More of Microsoft’s apps are slowly being updated to match the aesthetic of Windows 11, but three apps could also benefit from this upgrade.
Notepad is the latest to reap the benefits of Fluent Design, with re-arranged features, an updated look, and a dark mode option for when you decide to change your desktop theme to a darker shade.
Currently in testing in the Insider Build Dev Channel of Windows 11, where you can test features under development, it’s the most significant update of Notepad in years, similar to Paint’s update a few months ago.
However, with Notepad and soon a new Windows Media Player about to be released to everyone in a forthcoming update, we wondered what other applications could benefit from a similar refresh in Windows 11.
Our three picks
Weather
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Users of iOS 15 have been treated to a redesigned weather app, which adapts to the state of the weather in your location. If it’s raining, droplets of water will bounce and land on the menus, while a ray of sunshine with lens flare will cover the whole layout on another day.
Seeing something similar in Windows 11 would be great, compared to the simple user interface we currently have. There’s a weather widget, but it feels as though there should be more to take advantage of the Fluent Design language of Windows 11.
Alongside this, notifications would be a great addition for when there’s rain scheduled, so you can prepare for an umbrella when you need to head out for some errands.
Pinball
(Image credit: Microsoft)
While you can download games from the redesigned Microsoft Store, alongside Android apps that are about to arrive for Windows 11, there’s a distinct lack of built-in games available.
Windows XP, released in 2001, arrived with a built-in pinball game that allowed you to ramp up high scores to see how long you could last with three balls.
While we spoke about how the game has been rebuilt as a web app, we’d love to see a sequel or a remake come to Windows 11. Have it feature achievements and unique 2-player modes. Perhaps allow each player to control one flip action, while another controls part of the pinball table.
There’s plenty of potential here, and after twenty years, it’s time for a revival.
Windows Update
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Updating your PC can be frustrating, especially when an update doesn’t work properly. Going to the Settings app in Windows 11 is a slight improvement compared to Windows 10, mainly due to available updates being more visible, but there’s a lot more that can be done.
Easier ways of seeing which updates were installed and which failed would be a great first start, but the process of registering and de-registering for the Windows Insider Programme could go a long way.
This is where you can try out versions of Windows under development that have features not available to the wider public. This is how Notepad and the new Windows Media Player are currently being tested.
If you want to remove your PC from the Insider Programme, you’re required to wipe your PC, which isn’t an ideal solution. Apple does it better by removing your Mac or iOS from the beta program once a new update is officially released, leaving your data completely.
Instead, having the Insider Programme and Windows Update as one separate app, with a simplified user interface could be a big help to those who are anxious about updating their PCs, in fear of updates worsening their devices.
Updates with explainers on what they are and what they feature could help break down that anxiety and give a greater understanding of what an update can provide.
It looks like both Google and Apple saw record-breaking numbers when it came to mobile app installs in 2021.
SensorTower measures the most popular app installs for Google and Apple devices, and in 2021 there was a 20% increase in users purchasing apps.
Many of the most popular apps appear to be social media apps and games, with TikTok, Facebook and Instagram being at the top of the most-installed charts, alongside games such as Honor of Kings and Coin Master.
However, we’re starting to see different ways in which we can access these apps, with Apple M1-powered Macs allowing iOS apps to be used and Chromebooks running Android apps. Windows 11 is also about to be able to download and run Android apps through Amazon.
With mobile apps coming to more operating systems, we may see a big change in SensorTower’s charts in a year’s time of how apps will be downloaded and purchased.
An App Store in more places
These charts give users a good idea of what apps were used across the year. With the global Covid-19 pandemic, people are using devices more in their homes as lockdowns became enforced, which would have influenced the charts from SensorTower in 2021.
But thanks to vaccines, users are going out again, trying different apps for different situations. This could lead to an increase in travel apps, for example, with users looking into what public transport they should use.
The MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) is a recent example that’s powered by Apple’s M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, which let you download previously-purchased iOS apps. This is because the CPU is the same architecture as used in the iPhone and iPad, and this has allowed apps to also run in macOS, as long as the developer has allowed for this.
This means that if you see an app on the iOS App Store, there’s a good chance that you can also use it on your Mac as well as your iPhone or iPad.
This could have a big influence on the charts that SensorTower creates each year. We use our devices in different ways in different places – for instance, an app you download from the iOS App Store may be more suited on your Mac. Games are a good example of this, with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City being available for iPhone and iPad, but can now be downloaded on an M1-powered Mac, so you can carry on your progress during a commute on the train for instance.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is also doing its own take on this, thanks to an agreement with Amazon.
(Image credit: Apple)
A Windows App Store fusion
Windows 11 was announced in June with a redesigned Microsoft Store, where you can download and install apps, much like you can in Android and iOS. But a surprise arrived in the form of Android apps from the Amazon App Store, which are also coming to the Microsoft Store.
While it’s in testing on the Windows Insider channels, where you can test features under development, it could heavily influence how the Android charts from SensorTower could appear this time next year. Users who have an Android phone could carry on their work or progress in a game on their Windows tablet and PC, as long as the app is available on the Microsoft Store.
Users have already found methods to install any Android app from Google Play on Windows 11, which showcases how other apps could be used in Microsoft’s software if the company went beyond the Amazon App Store agreement.
We’re in a time where mobile apps are about to expand to other devices in a big way, which could also encourage developers to create apps or update their existing ones to cater for these changes.
Both iOS apps in macOS and Android apps in Windows 11 throw down the gauntlet to see how developers can adapt to these upcoming changes. It’ll also be interesting to see how these new ways of using mobile apps influence next year’s charts.
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