beta release Archives

TrendTechie

May 16, 2025

Spotify Owned uTorrent Before BitTorrent Inc. Acquired It * TorrentFreak

Spotify is preparing for its listing on the New York Stock Exchange, with connections to Ludvig Strigeus, the developer of uTorrent, who was instrumental in Spotify's early development. Spotify once owned uTorrent, which it acquired in 2006 before selling it to BitTorrent Inc. shortly after. Strigeus's stake in Spotify is reportedly valued at over a billion Kroner, making him a multi-millionaire. Spotify launched its beta version in 2008 as an alternative to music piracy and has since become a billion-dollar enterprise, converting millions of users into paying customers. Initially, Spotify's service included a significant file-sharing aspect, utilizing P2P connections for streaming and incorporating pirate MP3s in its beta release. The acquisition of uTorrent provided crucial funding for Spotify's development.

AppWizard

May 6, 2025

Gemini Live’s most powerful upgrade could be right around the corner (APK teardown)

Google's Gemini platform is evolving to perform tasks across various applications, with the recent rebranding of Extensions to Apps enhancing its interaction with software and services. Analysis of the beta release of the Google app for Android indicates upcoming support for Gemini Apps in Live mode, suggesting real-time capabilities are being developed. The rollout of Gemini Apps is expected to be phased, with "phase one" indicating a gradual introduction of features, though details on the initial applications remain unclear. The tech community is anticipating more information about compatible apps and the official announcement of these functionalities.

AppWizard

April 23, 2025

That’s hot: Android will soon add an easy shortcut to the Pixel Thermometer app

Google is enhancing its Pixel Thermometer app by developing a lock screen shortcut for supported Pixel devices, discovered in the code of Android 16 Beta 4. This feature aims to simplify access to temperature readings, allowing users to launch the app directly from the lock screen instead of navigating through the launcher after unlocking their phones. The app uses an infrared sensor on select Pixel Pro models for contactless temperature readings. Although the shortcut requires users to unlock their devices to display temperature readings, it is more efficient than the current process. The 'Thermometer' shortcut has not yet been activated in Android 16 Beta 4, and its official rollout timeline is uncertain, with speculation that it may debut alongside the upcoming Pixel 10 series.

AppWizard

April 7, 2025

Song search history finally comes to Google app in beta (APK teardown)

Google is rolling out a song history feature in its app for Android users, allowing them to access a record of previously identified songs directly within the app. This feature is part of the 16.13.38 beta release and includes a history icon in the song search interface. Users can view thumbnails, song and artist information, and timestamps of searches. Engaging with an entry initiates a Google Search for the song. This update enhances the user experience but does not change the accuracy of Google's song recognition capabilities. Further improvements in song recognition are also anticipated.

AppWizard

March 15, 2025

Android 16 may be able to do what Apple AI couldn’t with notification summaries

Android 16 Beta 3 has revealed hints about a new feature called notification summaries, designed to streamline notifications related to conversations. Code suggests these summaries may be accessible under a dedicated page in the Settings menu and will focus solely on messaging interactions, excluding notifications from non-messaging apps. Users will have the option to toggle the feature on or off, labeled as “use notification summaries,” and it is expected to be integrated into the Android System Intelligence app. Android 16 has reached "Platform stability," indicating it is on track for public launch.

AppWizard

February 3, 2025

Google Phone app gets an unexpected Android 16-inspired redesign (APK teardown)

Google is refining the Settings page for its Phone app in preparation for the segmented Settings menu design expected with Android 16. The update features a visually appealing layout with backgrounds for menu items organized under headers, enhancing visibility and usability. Rectangular sections for each menu item improve touch targets and overall user experience. This redesign was initially seen in the Android 15 Beta 3 update but was removed, only to be reinstated in the Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 release, suggesting integration into Android 16. Screenshots show a light gray background in light theme and dark gray in dark mode, with support for dynamic theming based on user wallpaper. The redesign is not yet active in the current beta but is anticipated in future updates. Other Google applications may also receive similar enhancements as Android 16 approaches.

Winsage

December 21, 2024

Best Windows apps this week

Microsoft has identified new issues affecting the upgrade to Windows 11's version 24H2, including a glitch with Auto HDR that may cause game freezes and color distortions. Start11 has been updated to reintroduce vertical taskbars, allowing users to position the taskbar on the left or right side of the screen, with a beta release expected to become final soon. USBCopy is a new tool that allows users to copy files from a designated folder to up to 20 USB devices simultaneously, ensuring data integrity by verifying correct file copying.

AppWizard

December 17, 2024

Android 15 QPR2 Beta 2 is here with our first look at the working Linux Terminal app

Google has released Android 15 QPR2 Beta 2 for testers in the Android Beta Program, which includes bug fixes and new features. The update is available for devices such as Pixel 6, Pixel 7, Pixel 8, Pixel 9, Pixel Fold, and Pixel Tablet, with a build number of BP11.241121.010. Notable bug fixes include resolving access issues in developer settings, fixing connectivity problems with glucose sensors, addressing call placement delays, enabling charging optimization settings, correcting null pointer issues, improving responsiveness on the Pixel Fold, enhancing audio transitions, and resolving Bluetooth connection failures. The Linux Terminal app is now functional, allowing users to run Linux instances, and features like notification cooldowns have been introduced. Users can provide feedback through the Android Beta Feedback app or the official subreddit.

BetaBeacon

December 16, 2024

BlueStacks Air is a new Android emulator that natively runs mobile games on Mac

BlueStacks Systems has released BlueStacks Air, a specialized version of the BlueStacks App Player emulator designed for Apple Silicon-powered Mac devices. This new emulator is optimized for Apple's M-series chips, promising swift performance and responsive gameplay for an authentic Android gaming experience on Mac.

Winsage

December 14, 2024

Windows 11 introduces a hidden system tray feature nobody asked for – could it actually be useful?

Microsoft is rolling out the Windows 11 24H2 update, which includes a new battery indicator and an emoji panel feature integrated into the system tray. This feature, discovered in beta build 22635.4655, allows users to access an emoji panel with a single click from the taskbar. To enable the emoji panel, users must use ViveTool with the command for id:48504539, as it is not visible by default and is still in testing.