AppWizard
September 22, 2026
A selection of popular apps and games on Google Play is available at reduced prices, including: - My Singing Monsters Composer - Sea of Stars - My Singing Monsters Thumpies - Same Room Same Day: Premium - Epic King Heroes: Premium TD - King of Defense Premium - King of Defense 2: TD Premium - Avalar: Shadow War Premium The Nothing Ear (3a) is at its lowest price yet, and the Nothing 2026 Headphone (a) is available at a 30% discount. Ongoing Googlebook pre-order deals are also available. Additional deals include a diverse range of applications and limited-time offers on premium content.
Winsage
September 22, 2026
Users frequently express frustration with Windows updates due to unexpected restarts and frequent breakdowns, leading to a perception of being beta testers for Microsoft. Problems often arise with updates, including significant disruptions from routine maintenance updates. Recent issues included difficulties with the Windows Subsystem for Linux and copy-paste functionality in Microsoft Excel. In July, Microsoft paused an update due to unexpected shutdowns on some Dell PCs. Users are increasingly adopting a wait-and-see approach before installing updates, utilizing Windows 11's ability to pause updates for several weeks. Historically, Windows lacked robust update management, but recent changes have extended the pause period. There is a significant concern regarding the limited control users have over updates and the need for improved quality control from Microsoft.
Winsage
September 22, 2026
Users of Windows PCs with AMD Radeon GPUs, including models such as RX 6600, RX 7700 XT, RX 7800 XT, RX 7900 GRE, RX 7900 XTX, and RX 9070 XT, may experience persistent issues until October 13th, 2026. These issues include error messages in Device Manager (Code 10), absence of audio output, unresponsive volume controls, inaccessible sound settings, and failures in multi-channel or 3D audio features. Additional problems reported are driver timeouts, black screens, missing displays, and system crashes. Issues with File Explorer and File History have emerged after September's Patch Tuesday updates, affecting the creation and accessibility of backups. Some problems have been resolved through an emergency update, including fixes for Claude Cowork and Remote Desktop Services, and a misleading Defender warning.
Winsage
September 22, 2026
Administrators can manage taskbar settings in Windows by either freezing current configurations or restricting user modifications through the Registry or Group Policy. The Group Policy Editor is available in Windows Professional, Education, and Business editions. To lock down taskbar changes via the Registry, access the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEYCURRENTUSERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer, create a new DWORD (32-bit) value named TaskbarLockAll, set its value to 1, and confirm. This will grey out certain options in the Taskbar settings. In the Group Policy Editor, navigate to User Configuration → Administrative Templates → Start Menu and Taskbar, enable "Lock all Taskbar Settings," and confirm. To prevent standard users from altering taskbar settings, navigate to HKEYCURRENTUSERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWindowsExplorer in the Registry and create a new DWORD (32-bit) value.
AppWizard
September 22, 2026
Googlebooks have officially started pre-orders ahead of their launch on October 4. The new laptop range includes a feature called Continue On, which facilitates seamless transitions between a Googlebook and a smartphone. An early preview of the Text app, a dedicated text editor available on the Google Play Store, shows it supports various programming languages and offers syntax highlighting. The app adapts well to different screen sizes, features a tab-based layout for managing multiple projects, and includes conventional tools like find and replace. While other text editor options will be available, the native Text app is specifically designed for Googlebooks. There are currently no plans to extend this app to other Android devices.
Tech Optimizer
September 22, 2026
LastPass has identified a sophisticated scheme targeting users of its Authenticator app, involving SEO poisoning and deceptive GitHub pages that distribute malicious ZIP files disguised as legitimate software. Users searching for "LastPass Authenticator download" may encounter these counterfeit pages, which redirect them to a malicious server delivering a ZIP file containing vsdbg.exe and vsdbg.dll. The executable is a legitimate Microsoft debugging tool exploited to execute the malicious DLL through DLL sideloading, allowing the malware to run undetected. Named Rapuncel by security researchers from Delphos, this malware is undetectable by antivirus engines and targets a hardcoded list of 145 antivirus and endpoint security products, disabling them upon detection. Rapuncel harvests sensitive information, including saved passwords from over 25 web browsers, cryptocurrency wallet files from more than 30 applications, and session tokens from platforms like Discord and Steam. It also captures screenshots and compiles a profile of the infected system, uploading the stolen data to an attacker-controlled server. The malware includes a kernel driver that intercepts web traffic, allowing for advertisement injection and search result manipulation. This campaign has been active for several months, with LastPass vaults remaining unaffected. Users are advised to download applications only from trusted sources. Rapuncel establishes persistence on infected machines by installing itself as a Windows service that starts with the system and terminates activated security products. Removing the kernel driver requires booting into Safe Mode or using external recovery tools, as standard Windows utilities cannot eliminate software operating at that level.
AppWizard
September 22, 2026
Nothing has released the Nothing OS 5.0 open beta for the Phone (4a), Phone (3a Pro), and Phone (3a) ahead of the official launch of Android 17 next month. The Android 17 package includes enhancements such as newly designed widgets, upgrades to the camera application, and a dedicated Glyph app for managing light controls. The rollout is on schedule, with the Phone (2a) and Phone (2a) Plus set to receive updates in October, and the official Android 17 build for the Phone (4a) and Phone (3a) series expected in early November, concluding by January 2027.
AppWizard
September 22, 2026
Google Messages is testing a redesign of its search functionality to improve user experience. The search bar will move to the bottom of the home screen, featuring a dynamic visual overview of shared content, including preview rows for images, videos, links, and places. Users will be able to search within specific conversations from the main search page without opening each chat. The search results will display all matching messages on a dedicated results page instead of grouping them by conversation. Links and places will have larger, visually appealing cards, although timestamps and sender names will not be visible. A new media viewer will allow users to swipe through images and videos, enhancing the overall experience.
AppWizard
September 22, 2026
In Android Auto version 17.8.163744 and Google Maps 26.38.0, a new feature called Driving Avatar allows users to customize the vehicle icon displayed on the screen. This feature was introduced in February 2025 and became available in Android Auto by May 2026. Users can access the Google Maps app directly through Android Auto to customize their avatar, which can be done by tapping the settings icon and selecting Driving Avatar. Customization options include various vehicle types and colors, such as a blue arrow, sedan, truck, SUV, sports car, small EV, and legacy icons like a red car, green pickup, and yellow station wagon. Additionally, Google Maps offers practical features like downloading offline maps, sharing trip progress, enabling media playback controls, and tailoring route suggestions.
BetaBeacon
September 22, 2026
- Game Developer Releases WWII-Themed Match-3 Combat Game - Loyal Mussy has launched Milk Run: Tiles Over Europe, a WWII-themed match-3 combat game for Android - Players control a B-17 bomber on missions over wartime Europe, blending puzzle-solving and aerial warfare - Features a 25-mission campaign with various enemy aircraft types, anti-aircraft flak corridors, and historically accurate bombing targets - Players can upgrade their bomber, recruit crew members, and customize nose art and aircraft renaming - Immersive experience with visible battle damage, detailed sound design, and no ads or in-app purchases - Available for download on Android devices via Google Play
BetaBeacon
September 22, 2026
Valve has open-sourced Lepton, a project designed to enable Android games to run on Linux through Steam, specifically for the upcoming Steam Frame hardware. Lepton runs Android games inside containers, with each application having its own container. It can utilize components from the host OS, supports integration with development and debugging tools, and incorporates patches from various projects. Lepton is not a desktop Android solution for Linux users but focuses on running games within Valve's Steam ecosystem. The source code for Lepton is available on Valve's SteamOS GitLab instance.
Winsage
September 22, 2026
Changing the desktop wallpaper to a solid color in Windows 7 caused a 30-second delay on the Welcome screen after entering a password. This issue arose because the system waited for a signal from the wallpaper component, which only sent its "I'm ready" signal when an image file was used. When a solid color was selected, this signal was not sent, leading to unnecessary waiting. The problem was acknowledged by Microsoft for both Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, and it was resolved with a Hotfix update in November 2009. Users found workarounds, such as switching to an image or creating a small solid-color image, to eliminate the delay.
AppWizard
September 22, 2026
Google Messages is undergoing a user interface transformation that enhances the Search functionality. The Start chat button will move to the bottom center of the screen, while the Gemini button will be relocated to the header, replacing the existing Search icon. The Start chat button will expand when the app is opened and collapse as users scroll, allowing the Search button to expand. The Search experience is also being overhauled, with plans to move the search bar to the bottom and provide larger previews for images, videos, and links in search results. Additionally, there are potential changes for pinned conversations, which may include larger contact icons and message previews. These updates are based on ongoing code developments, and not all features may be released publicly.
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