device Archives

Winsage

June 30, 2026

Huge 4th of July Windows Copilot+ PC deals now live at Best Buy up to $830 off: New Snapdragon X2 Elite laptops, 2-in-1s, more

Best Buy has launched a 4th of July event featuring significant discounts on various tech products, including Apple devices, Android smartphones, televisions, and Windows laptops and desktops. The sale includes new laptop deals starting at .99, with notable models like the HP OmniBook X 16-inch 2K OLED touchscreen Copilot+ PC priced at ,099.99 (regularly ,450). Key features of the HP OmniBook X include a Snapdragon X2 Elite processor, a 16-inch 2K OLED touchscreen, 24GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and Windows 11 Home. Other highlighted products include Dell and Acer laptops with various specifications and price reductions.

Winsage

June 30, 2026

Microsoft Reveals Windows Setting to Safely Remove USB Drives and Prevent Data Loss

Removing a USB drive from a port without using the “safely remove” option is generally acceptable on many Windows computers, depending on the policy for the external device. Microsoft provides two main options for removable drives: quick removal and better performance. Under the quick removal policy, users can disconnect the device without the “Safely Remove Hardware” process, although this may reduce system performance. Since Windows 10 version 1809, quick removal has been the default policy for external devices. However, users must ensure that all operations, such as copying or formatting, are completed before removal. The better performance policy requires users to use the safe removal option to prevent data loss, as it allows write caching. Failing to do so increases the risk of data loss if the drive is disconnected while Windows is still processing writes. The highest risk of data loss occurs when the drive is removed while Windows or an application is engaged in file operations. The safe removal icon serves as a confirmation that the drive is not in use, helping to prevent accidental ejection during active processes. Users can check the flash drive policy by accessing the device properties in Disk Management. The chosen setting may persist upon reconnection to the same computer port, leading to different experiences for users with similar drives. To minimize data loss, it is recommended to wait for operations to finish and use safe removal when uncertain about the drive's status.

Winsage

June 30, 2026

Microsoft reveals why Windows 11 keeps saying a file is in use after you close the app, plus the fix

The 'file in use' error in Windows indicates that a file is currently being accessed by a program, preventing deletion or renaming to avoid data corruption. This error can persist even after closing an application due to reasons such as antivirus software scanning the file, network references from other devices, or files loaded as Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs) that remain in memory. To identify the process causing the error, Mark Russinovich developed the command-line tool Handle, which shows all open file handles, and Process Explorer, which provides a graphical interface to find and manage these handles. Microsoft is integrating Sysinternals tools into PowerToys for easier access, including the File Locksmith tool that allows users to unlock files directly. A recommended workaround for the error is to rename the file instead of deleting it, as Windows permits renaming even when a file is open.

Winsage

June 30, 2026

Microsoft 365 apps downloaded via MS Store is losing support on Windows 11, verify if you’re affected

Microsoft has announced the end of support for the Microsoft Store version of Microsoft 365 Apps. Support for this installation type will cease, with new feature updates ending in October 2025 and security updates concluding in December 2026. Users with the Store installation must upgrade to the Click-to-Run installation type. The Store installation uses Appx packaging and aligns updates with Windows Update, resulting in slower feature rollouts, while Click-to-Run allows for faster updates and better enterprise management. The transition to Click-to-Run is necessary due to limitations in the Store installation, including a lack of support for XML configuration and essential enterprise management tools. Users can check their installation type through the Account section of any Microsoft 365 app. Transitioning to Click-to-Run involves downloading the Office Deployment Tool, which will automatically remove the Store version and reinstall Office using Click-to-Run. IT administrators can also use the Office Deployment Tool for automatic transitions across multiple devices.

AppWizard

June 30, 2026

Google rolling out per-app controls for Android Backups

Google has introduced per-app backup controls for Android devices, enhancing user experience. For Pixel users, the backup settings can be accessed through Settings > Accounts and backup > Google Backup > Other device data, now featuring a structured “App data” section that highlights the top three apps and their backed-up data. Users can toggle backup options off for individual apps, with notifications explaining the implications of disabling backups. These controls do not apply to the Device data section, which includes SMS, call history, and device settings. The rollout is confirmed for Pixel devices on stable Android versions 16 and 17 with Google Play services version 26.24, while Samsung users have not yet received these controls. Additionally, Google One for Android has been visually updated to an edge-to-edge design.

Winsage

June 30, 2026

Bypassed Windows 11 shows surprising stability on ancient, completely unsupported hardware

Windows 11 has elevated system requirements, necessitating four times the memory and storage for AI-driven applications. It can technically run on a minimum of 4GB of memory, but current hardware pricing is challenging due to a silicon shortage affecting various memory types. A retro hardware enthusiast named Omores installed Windows 11 on a DDR1-based system using an ASRock ConRoe865PE motherboard, Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 processor, 3GB of DDR1 RAM, and an ATI Radeon HD 4650 AGP graphics card. He overcame the lack of AGP support in Windows 11 by using legacy drivers, achieving satisfactory performance for older applications and games. However, Windows 11 version 24H2 requires SSE4.2 CPU instructions, which are not supported by processors from the AGP era, making version 23H2 the last compatible release for such systems.

BetaBeacon

June 29, 2026

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 leak reveals trio of game-changing upgrades

- Samsung is preparing to launch the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 this year with significant hardware and software improvements. - The leak reveals that the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will have a brightness of 5,000 nits, an 800mAh battery, and an IP69K water and dust resistance rating. - Samsung's upcoming foldable devices, including the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Z Fold 8, and Z Fold 8 Ultra, are expected to support 45W charging and have improved peak brightness.

BetaBeacon

June 29, 2026

Android 17’s best new features

Bubbles enable better multitasking on mobile devices by allowing users to turn apps into floating windows that can be moved and resized.

AppWizard

June 29, 2026

Don’t like Gemini? Here’s how to roll back to Google Assistant on your Android phone

Many users have expressed frustration with the Gemini AI assistant, particularly regarding its performance in controlling smart home devices through Android phones. Complaints include sluggish response times and inaccuracies in interpreting commands, leading to disappointing interactions. Users have reported issues such as inaccurate weather updates and frequent error messages. To switch back to Google Assistant, users can navigate to the Settings menu, select Apps, locate the Assistant setting, and choose Google Assistant over Gemini. For devices with customized Android skins, users can open the Google app, tap their profile photo, access Settings, select Google Assistant, and choose between Gemini and Google Assistant. Further guides are available for reducing Gemini's visibility in various platforms and applications.

AppWizard

June 29, 2026

YouTube Shorts just borrowed more of TikTok’s best tricks

YouTube is enhancing its Shorts platform with several new features: - Introduction of 2x playback speed, allowing users to accelerate through content by holding either side of the screen. - A "clear screen" mode that hides on-screen elements for a cleaner viewing experience. - Replacement of the thumbs-up icon with a heart for expressing approval. - Elimination of the dislike button, with users now able to select "Not interested" or "Don’t recommend this channel" for feedback. - Current dislike counts will remain accessible in YouTube Studio, but new dislike counts for Shorts will not be collected starting at the end of June. - Users can mute Shorts directly from the player for a quieter browsing experience.