Windows 11 has just got a new preview version in the Dev channel which adds some smart features, principally the ability to view your phone photos right on the desktop.
As you may recall, a big project in testing right now for Windows 11 is the revamp of File Explorer, part of which is the addition of a photo gallery feature. What Microsoft has done here is to introduce a new button that lets users add their phone photos to the gallery.
Click the ‘Add Phone Photos’ button and you’ll be given a QR code to scan with your smartphone, then you can set up the device to pipe photos across and view those mobile snaps in Windows 11’s photo gallery.
There’s other work on File Explorer elsewhere in preview build 23471, including some bug fixes, and another feature introduction – the ability to pop tabs out of windows (or merge them back), as you can with a web browser.
Note that the latter feature is an incremental rollout, so not every Windows Insider will see it yet. Microsoft did announce, though, that every tester in the Dev channel will now have the photo gallery in File Explorer (which has been a phased rollout, too, but one that’s now finished).
For the full details of all the fixes and tinkering in preview build 23471, as ever you can immerse yourself in Microsoft’s lengthy blog post.
Analysis: Microsoft adds while Apple takes away
The further work on File Explorer is welcome, and particularly the functionality allowing you to view phone photos right there on the Windows 11 desktop with a minimum of hassle.
There’s some interesting timing here – though no doubt coincidental – as well, in that as Microsoft is introducing this new feature, Apple has just announced that its My Photo Stream offering is being shuttered. (It’s now effectively on the chopping block, and will be shut down at the end of July).
Now, that might be an old service, and one not used much anymore, but it’ll still be something of a blow when it finally shuts it doors for the diehard set of niche Mac owners who still use My Photo Stream to view their phone photos on the desktop.
Of course, as Apple points out, My Photo Stream has been long been superseded by iCloud Photos, and you should turn that on instead. But some folks haven’t set up iCloud Photos because they don’t want to (enjoying just seeing recent snaps automatically on their Mac, courtesy of Photo Stream, without having to sync an entire – possibly huge – photo library to iCloud).
There’s also the fact that iCloud Photos requires payment (beyond the 5GB that you get free, a rather measly allowance these days), and some aren’t happy about that, either – and the apparent financial motive for Apple to make this move.
At any rate, whatever your view of how redundant or pointless My Photo Stream is at this point – indeed, you may never even have heard of it – the fact remains that Apple is taking away one path for easily viewing your phone photos on the desktop (that at least some folks still use), while Microsoft is going in the opposite direction and adding one.
As reported by MacRumors, the 27-inch display allows the Siri voice command to run on several devices that predate its introduction to the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air back in 2018, though this doesn't extend to the entire back catalog of Mac computers and laptops.
Although it was released alongside the Mac Studio desktop computer, the Studio Display can also be used with the following compatible Mac products on macOS Monterey 12.3 or later:
Mac Studio
14-inch MacBook Pro introduced in 2021
16-inch MacBook Pro introduced in 2019 or later
13-inch MacBook Pro introduced in 2016 or later
15-inch MacBook Pro introduced in 2016 or later
MacBook Air introduced in 2018 or later
iMac introduced in 2017 or later
iMac Pro
Mac mini introduced in 2018 or later
Mac Pro introduced in 2019
As you can see from the list, this means that devices released as far back as 2016 will now be able to use the voice-controlled Apple AI assistant. And, as the Studio Display runs on iOS 15.4, it's likely that we'll see additional features included in the future.
There's nothing confirmed just yet and given the Studio Display has just been released it's unlikely we will see any big features for some time – however, there's always a chance that Apple will surprise us at WWDC 2022.
Analysis: Is your Studio Display listening to your conversations?
While voice-controlled AI assistants like Siri can be very useful, there will be some users with understandable security concerns around being listened to in the home.
Thing is, Siri doesn't really listen to you 24/7, at least not in any way that matters. The trigger phrase 'hey Siri' is required for the AI voice assistant to communicate back and start recording, so although Siri is listening out for its trigger phrase, it doesn’t remember anything you say before it’s activated by its voice command.
Still, AI voice assistants and smart speakers have plenty of advantages, and Siri is no different. You can quickly translate different languages, set alarms or timers, and a host of other tasks completely hands-free, which makes them a useful accessibility feature within our homes and offices.
It's likely you'll be able to switch this feature off entirely if you won't be using Siri at all (though we no longer have a Studio Display unit to check this for ourselves). On Mac, this is done by heading into System Preferences within the Apple Menu. From here, simply select Siri. and uncheck the checkbox beside “Enable Ask Siri”.
Google has announced a new version of its Chrome OS software that should allow it to expand to PC and Mac devices for the first time.
The new Chrome OS Flex is designed to run on older machines, and looks to offer businesses and schools in particular with more flexibility on their software choices.
The “cloud-first” software looks similar to the equivalent already seen on Chromebook devices, offering a stripped-back way to access Google Workspace tools such as Gmail, Meet, Google Docs, with thousands of apps available from the Play Store.
Chrome OS Flex
“End-user computing is complicated. And it’s even more complicated for businesses and schools,” Thomas Riedl, Google Cloud Director of Product, Enterprise and Education, wrote in a blog post announcing the news.
“Slow boot times, intrusive updates, security add-ons, and burdensome management of legacy devices take valuable time away from employees, students, and IT.”
“Chrome OS Flex modernizes devices you already own, allowing you to experience the benefits of Chrome OS on PCs and Macs.”
(Image credit: Google)
Google says that Chrome OS Flex “boots up in seconds”, meaning there's no long wait times for your device to get ready, with system updates downloading in the background.
Admins can install Chrome OS Flex across business or school devices via USB or network, allowing for a speedy roll-out, with user profiles downloaded through the cloud, automatically syncing their settings, policies and bookmarks.
Chrome OS Flex will also benefit from Google's regular security updates against the latest threats, and Google also notes that due to its un-demanding specs, using Chrome OS Flex means you can keep your existing devices for longer, helping cut down on e-waste.
Riedl noted that the launch had been helped by Google's 2020 acquisition of Neverware, whose Chromium-based CloudReady OS helped businesses around the world shift onto the company's software.
Google says that Chrome OS Flex is not a finished product yet, but users can try the new software as a free trial now ahead of a wider release later this year.
Being great at guitar or an improvisation king on the piano is only one facet of making good music. In the modern age, being technically great isn’t required if you’re creative enough. How you put together your music is just as important as being able to make it in the first place.
The DAW, or digital audio workstation, is what you need to look at if you’re interested in production. This will allow you to record yourself, and it will actively change the way you make music. Learning to compensate for parameters or workaround systems will shape the way you go about putting everything together.
For this reason, picking the right DAW is important and you're often better off exploring around a little bit before you settle on what works for you. Unfortunately, with the time and money required to do so, this can be a bit of a challenge.
With your MacBook in hand, we will be recommending our picks of the best free music production software suites.
(Image credit: Future)
1. GarageBand
The best free app
Intuitive
Free
Great selection of tools and instruments
A little simple
If you’ve booted up a Mac before, you will be familiar with this software package from Apple. Coming pre-installed on Apple devices, this is a usable and intuitive application with lots of useful built-in features.
You only need to plug in your midi, guitar, or keyboard to create music instantly. With the quick help function, it explains everything you can see in easy-to-grasp concepts, making it a great app for those just starting out.
It has some great functions like a smart drummer, which means you don’t need to create a drum track to have a nice beat in the background. It also has some nice packs to try for midi, like great piano sounds, some orchestral sounds, and some good effects for the guitar.
If you’ve never bothered with music production before, try this before you try anything else on this list. From here, you can read the list and pick your favorite app based on what you like.
(Image credit: Future)
2. Logic Pro
Apple’s flagship application
Great selection of tools and instruments
Very powerful application
Tons of customization options and features
Can have issues with unofficial plug-ins
As the software is still making changes and adapting to the latest M1 chips, there are issues using unofficial software sometimes and it can get a little complicated to start. If you have the time to dedicate, this is one of the very best pieces of software you can find.
If you like GarageBand but just want more out of it, Logic Pro is where you should go from here. This is a great piece of software, offering more sounds to choose from, more robust features to customize your songs, and just general better usability.
It's correct to assume that GarageBand is essentially a 'lite' alternative to Logic – a solid usable app that has some noticeable drawbacks. Logic gets rid of these and adds even more functions. It has better live looping and more intricate tempo options.
It also has plenty of extra software and built-in sounds to get full and vibrant music out of your projects. Alongside this, there are much better mixing options that can give you extra options for the bass and equalizers, depending on the types of genre you're focusing on, making it great for those looking to finish a full song, ready to go on an album.
It also has great intuitive methods to export your songs onto iOS or iPadOS if you want to take your projects on the go.
(Image credit: Future)
3. Pro Tools
The industry standard
Different price tiers
Great cross-platform use
Few moment-to-moment issues
Regular fees
Steep learning curve
Pro Tools is the industry standard when it comes to DAWs and there’s a reason for that. It’s powerful, can handle pretty much anything you throw at it and it is great when using across platforms.
If you want to work on a project with someone else or want to learn the software most professionals are used to, this is a valuable application to learn.
That said, it can be a little hard to get used to. It isn’t quite as intuitive as our previous choices and is loaded with options. Pro tools can be used for free with a trial but will cost you more in the long run with monthly/yearly plans.
Pro Tools' cloud features and great plug-in options make the app a fantastic choice, albeit with a steep learning curve and high price. If you’re looking for something complex that is used by industry professionals, this is the app for you.
(Image credit: Future)
4. Ableton Live 11
For those who like to improv
Unique selling point
Great for live sessions
Some great instruments and loops
Quite expensive for the best version
UI could be better
Ableton Live is an excellent app for those who like to improvise. All of its software is based around live sessions, giving your music a raw feel. It’s much better at allowing you to just sort of jam, then fine-tune every aspect of your music.
Out of all the paid apps here, this one could be bought alongside another (if you have the cash and patience) as its unique selling point makes it worth trying regardless. There are three central price tiers for the app; the top one is rather expensive, but the cheaper options are a good start.
Its focus on live play means there are some pretty solid built-in loops and instruments to use, perfect for setting up a track. Where other apps often get lost in the weeds, figuratively speaking, Ableton Live is great for just letting you in there to mess around.
If you like the idea of composing on the fly, you should try this one out.
(Image credit: Future)
5. FL Studio
For those who like to loop
Loop-based writing leads to some interesting songs
Has some good effects
Fun to play around with
Live recording is a little limited
Can be a little confusing
Originally known as FruityLoops, FL Studio has come an incredibly long way since its release two decades ago. Its functionality is entirely based around loops, making it great for genres like EDM or trap.
You essentially build loops in a separate track and place them into your main track. This means coming up with ideas that are only used once or ever-changing songs can become a tedious process.
While it has the ability to play and record, fixing that afterward becomes a little bit of a hassle due to its architecture. The loop-focused build of this software often makes you write a little outside what you’re used to, which is great but also gets in the way of your own ideas.
This also makes learning it a little confusing but, if you can get over that learning curve, it’s a solid and versatile DAW that may make you think outside the box.
After the release of macOS 12 Monterey in 2021, followed by the MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch models, speculation is now mounting as to what macOS 13 will bring.
Back in 2020, Apple began transitioning away from Intel processors in favor of its own Apple Silicon chips. These chips are now redefining what Macs are capable of, particularly when it comes to gaming. While macOS Monterey focused on productivity and communication tweaks, macOS 13 could be a major update of the type not seen since macOS 11 Big Sur, reflecting this new change in direction.
With this in mind, we’ve combed through our Macs to round up five features we’d like to see later this year, no matter how major or minor these may be.
First, though, we’ll run through what we know about macOS 13 so far, including its rumored release date and which Macs the update is likely to support.
macOS 13 release date rumors
Apple’s releases have run like clockwork in recent years. There’s a good chance macOS 13 will be announced at WWDC 2022 alongside iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and the rest. Whether it’ll be a remote keynote again or a return to an in-person event remains to be confirmed by Apple.
Apple usually announces the release date of a new macOS update alongside new Macs, so this could be October again, similar to the previous two years.
macOS 13 supported devices
With Apple well on the way to leaving Intel behind, it’s a matter of time until macOS runs solely on the company’s own M1 chips and above.
macOS 13 is likely to still support Intel Macs for now, though. We expect that the upcoming update will support the following Macs as a minimum:
Mac Pro – Late 2013
iMac – Early 2015
iMac Pro – Late 2017
MacBook Air – Early 2015
MacBook Pro – Early 2015
MacBook – Early 2015
macOS 13 name rumors
We speculated that macOS 12 would be called either Mammoth or Monterey, and it proved to be the latter at WWDC 2021. Mammoth could be another solid bet for macOS 13, though.
The name refers to the Mammoth Lakes in California, following the pattern of naming releases after landmarks in the state, and it’s close to Monterey and Big Sur, which may also represent a bigger update to macOS compared to the last year.
Five features we want to see in macOS 13
While macOS 13 is still a little while away, we've put together a list of the improvements we want to see from the next-gen operating system for Apple's Macs.
1. Widgets anywhere
Widgets first appeared in iOS 14 back in 2020, and have slowly moved over to iPadOS, where you can also move them anywhere on the home screen, but in macOS they are still locked to a column.
macOS 13 should allow you to move widgets anywhere on the screen. Some forget that widgets first appeared on macOS way back in 2004 with Dashboard in Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger, as a way of managing them inside one app that would cover your screen.
Having Dashboard return to macOS 13 or the ability to place widgets anywhere on your desktop would be appealing. It would help spruce up your display, and eliminate the need to go to the column to view them.
2. Weather app
The weather app saw a mammoth redesign in iOS 15 last year, mainly thanks to Apple’s acquisition of the weather app Dark Sky. While the app hasn’t moved to iPadOS just yet, the next logical step would be to macOS.
Random thing, but I really like this animation.A favourite feature of mine from iOS 15 is https://t.co/Ak5SWWCx1G – who’d have thought. pic.twitter.com/HH5UkWlBzSSeptember 30, 2021
See more
Having easy access to weather forecasts, plus precipitation and storm notifications could be useful to many Mac users – especially if widgets can be shown on the desktop instead of the column they’re currently locked to.
3. App Library
App Library is another iOS feature that would be useful to have in the Dock for macOS 13. While Launchpad and Finder give you handy overviews of your installed apps and let you add them to folders, they’re the only view that you have.
That can be tricky if you have hundreds of apps, especially as a full-screen view in Launchpad can get in the way of anything you’re working on.
(Image credit: Apple)
App Library on the Mac could easily sort your apps into categories, and have some folders change depending on the time of day or your location, just as it does in iOS. It would be much more useful for Mac users, as having a full-screen view on an iMac or an external display seems too much.
4. Time Machine and iCloud Backups
Time Machine is a feature that’s fallen by the wayside in recent years, regardless of how useful it’s proved in the past. It takes multiple snapshots of your macOS machine throughout the day, and if you lose a file, you can go ‘back in time’ and recover it.
Time Machine first appeared in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard back in 2006, and while it’s still available in macOS, there’s plenty that could be improved for macOS 13.
It’s second nature to back up your iPad or iPhone through iCloud Backup, which lets you save photos, messages, lock screen wallpapers, and more to your iCloud account. You can also restore these backups to your device if you need to reset it.
However, there’s no such feature for macOS; there’s only the option of backing up to an external hard drive or directly on your Mac, which could defeat the point if your Mac refuses to boot.
Having iCloud Backups tied to Time Machine feels like an easy win for Mac users, as it’s secure but also familiar.
5. tvOS screensavers for Mac
We’d love to see Apple bring those impressive flyover screensavers from tvOS to macOS 13.
(Image credit: Aerial)
While there are third-party apps such as Aerial that can already do the job for Mac users, having a native option for macOS 13 would be great for anyone who just wants to use the screensavers in the System Preferences, without having to download an additional app.
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