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GrapheneOS Isn't Happy With Google Over Pixel's Widening Head Start
AppWizard
September 18, 2026

GrapheneOS Isn’t Happy With Google Over Pixel’s Widening Head Start

Google's September 2026 Pixel Update Bulletin includes patches that affect standard Android platform code, relevant to both Pixel and non-Pixel devices, which have not been included in the regular monthly Android Security Bulletin. GrapheneOS has noted that Android 17 QPR1 introduced new developer APIs not present in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) for the first time since Android Honeycomb, with one new package and modifications to sixteen others. GrapheneOS is backporting Pixel firmware and drivers from QPR1 onto Android 17 but lacks permissions to distribute this work. Additionally, there has been a delay in Google’s compliance with a GPL source request, with access granted over two weeks after the initial request. Starting in 2027, Google will require all Android app developers to register with them and provide legal identification and signing key evidence, complicating the process of sideloading unverified apps. GrapheneOS and other organizations are advocating for the Keep Android Open campaign against these developments, which may restrict competition and tighten Google's control over the Android ecosystem.
Announcing Project Zenith: The ready-to-code Windows experience on developer-class devices
Winsage
September 4, 2026

Announcing Project Zenith: The ready-to-code Windows experience on developer-class devices

Windows announced Project Zenith, a developer-optimized Windows 11 experience designed for devices with over 64 GB of unified memory and memory bandwidth exceeding 250 GB/s. The project will initially launch with AMD’s Ryzen AI Halo and will include preconfigured Windows setups and a curated selection of development tools. Devices under Project Zenith will allow developers to run models with over 30 billion parameters locally, reducing reliance on cloud resources. Enhancements to Windows 11 include improved performance and a cleaner workspace tailored for coding, with features like pinned Windows Terminal and Visual Studio Code. Project Zenith also integrates the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and provides a secure environment for developing agentic applications, leveraging OS-enforced identity and Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC). The initiative aims to offer a consistent ready-to-code experience across various devices while responding to developer needs and evolving with advancements in AI and software development.
Gemini's auto-browse in Chrome is finally here for Android to make the mundane a breeze
AppWizard
August 18, 2026

Gemini’s auto-browse in Chrome is finally here for Android to make the mundane a breeze

Google is rolling out a Chrome update on Android, introducing Gemini webpage summarization, Q&A, and connected apps to all U.S. users. AI Pro and Ultra subscribers will receive an auto-browse feature that allows Gemini to purchase items or secure events based on user prompts. The update also includes the Nano Banana feature. Users can summarize lengthy articles and ask specific questions about online content by tapping the Gemini icon in Chrome. The auto-browse feature enables users to instruct Gemini to perform tasks like ordering products or booking events, providing transparency in its actions. Additionally, the Personal Intelligence feature personalizes responses based on individual hobbies and preferences.
Microsoft is ditching the COPILOT function in Excel before it even launches
Winsage
August 17, 2026

Microsoft is ditching the COPILOT function in Excel before it even launches

Microsoft has decided to discontinue the COPILOT function in Excel, which was never widely available and was accessible only to Frontier and Insider users since August 2025. The feature allowed users to interact with spreadsheets using natural language for tasks like summarizing text and categorizing feedback, and it could retrieve information from the web. Users will no longer be able to create new formulas using the COPILOT function after September 14, 2026. While the COPILOT function will be discontinued, similar functionalities will still be available through the Copilot side pane, which supports various AI-driven tasks. Microsoft is shifting towards a more unified Copilot experience within its Microsoft 365 suite, indicating a strategic reassessment of its Copilot offerings.
ExfilSquad выложила данные Wesco и других жертв через торренты
TrendTechie
August 13, 2026

ExfilSquad выложила данные Wesco и других жертв через торренты

ExfilSquad has announced new victims in the Wesco data breach, setting a negotiation deadline of August 5, 2026, after which stolen data will be publicly released. The affected organizations include Wesco International, the UK Department for Education Help Portal, Turing Portal, Police National Legal Database, Allstate, TaylorMade, Sun Day Red Golf, Frontier Airlines, District of Columbia Public Schools, Newcastle University, Viavi Solutions, City of Houston, City of Atlanta, and Bonava. Wesco International's breach involves 2.6 million records, while the City of Houston has 6 million records at risk. ExfilSquad uses extortion through data publication on an onion site and has expanded to torrent links for distribution, complicating data removal efforts. On August 7, 2026, they released torrent files for each victim, with active hosts identified in China and Russia. The group also claimed to have breached a bank in Nigeria, although this information later disappeared from their site.
Modders are working on porting Xbox and PC Game Pass to Linux
AppWizard
August 12, 2026

Modders are working on porting Xbox and PC Game Pass to Linux

Xodus is an open-source project aimed at enabling Linux and macOS users to access Xbox PC and PC Game Pass subscriptions without Windows. Developed by the team behind the Heroic Game Launcher, Xodus builds on existing functionalities to allow gameplay from various platforms. The project has successfully created an Xbox authorization system for users to log in, verify licenses, and identify available Game Pass titles. However, challenges remain in launching games, requiring reverse engineering of Microsoft technologies like the Game Development Kit (GDK) and MSIXVC format. Compatibility issues are anticipated, particularly with older Universal Windows Platform (UWP) games, such as Forza Horizon 3. Additionally, launching games will necessitate the use of Linux technologies like Wine, DXVK, or VKD3D-Proton, complicating full compatibility with the Game Pass catalog.
Android apps could be leaking your precise location
AppWizard
August 9, 2026

Android apps could be leaking your precise location

Third-party advertising tools embedded in Android applications are automatically collecting location data, often without the app developers' awareness. Software development kits (SDKs) used for advertising come with location data collection enabled by default, unless developers actively disable this feature. Historical location data has been sold to military and intelligence agencies, including the FBI, and used in immigration enforcement actions in the US. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) reported that app-level location permissions do not provide meaningful consent for location collection by third-party advertising SDKs. The EFF identified four advertising SDKs—InMobi, BidMachine, Verve's HyBid, and Huawei's Petal Ads—that collect and share location data by default. Two analyzed apps had been downloaded 60 million times without providing a privacy notice or seeking user consent for third-party location sharing. Users can manage location permissions through their device settings, but the EFF emphasizes that developers should ensure user data is not shared by default.
Take-Two boss dismisses hand-wringing over the end of disc-based games: 'Our business is well over 90% digitally distributed as it is'
AppWizard
August 7, 2026

Take-Two boss dismisses hand-wringing over the end of disc-based games: ‘Our business is well over 90% digitally distributed as it is’

Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, stated that physical game discs "don't really make sense" in today's digital market, especially with the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6 exclusively in digital format. While PC gamers have largely adopted digital gaming, the console sector has traditionally relied on physical releases. However, the lack of a physical edition for Grand Theft Auto 6 and Sony's plan to stop disc production by 2028 indicate a shift in this trend. Zelnick noted that although the transition to digital is inevitable, Take-Two will still release physical editions "now and then." Ubisoft's CEO and industry analyst Daniel Ahmad support Zelnick's views, highlighting that the console ecosystem is becoming "nearly entirely digital." The release of Grand Theft Auto 6 on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S raises questions about digital distribution and ownership in gaming.
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