minimalist design 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.

Winsage

April 22, 2025

Change these 4 Windows settings for a more minimalist look

The text discusses ways to enhance the Windows user experience to make it more aesthetically pleasing and organized, similar to a Mac. Key modifications include: - Using the application TranslucentTB to make the taskbar transparent or hiding it in desktop mode. - Decluttering the taskbar by removing unnecessary icons through the right-click menu. - Shrinking desktop icons by selecting "Small icons" or hiding all icons for a cleaner look. - Pinning frequently used applications to the Start Menu for easier access and unpinning less essential apps to reduce clutter. - Emphasizing that a cleaner desktop can improve focus and productivity by minimizing distractions.

AppWizard

April 18, 2025

Google is preparing to make Android Settings a bit more colorful

Google is set to transform its Settings homepage in the upcoming Android 16 beta, introducing colorful icons encased in circles, replacing the current gray icons. This redesign aims to enhance the expressiveness of the Settings app and is expected to align with a new Material Design theme at the Google I/O developer conference. The colorful icons may not appear in the initial stable release of Android 16 but could be introduced in a future quarterly update or in Android 17 next year. The 'Digital Wellbeing & parental controls' entry will retain its gray icon due to its origin from a separate app. Feedback from users will influence the final design.

AppWizard

March 1, 2025

Other Browsers Need to Steal Opera’s Multitasking Sidebar

The Opera sidebar is a feature designed to streamline communication by serving as a hub for essential social media platforms and messaging services, allowing users to maintain focus while managing multiple applications. It has a minimalist design that can be expanded into popover tabs for easier access to messaging services without navigating away from primary tasks. Users can customize the sidebar by selecting from a variety of services, including AI tools, messaging apps like WhatsApp and Slack, and social media platforms such as Instagram and Bluesky. The sidebar helps prevent confusion from having too many tabs open, allowing for quick message replies and the option to pin apps for a split-screen view. Unlike other browsers, Opera allows browser extensions to operate within the sidebar, enhancing usability.

Winsage

December 27, 2024

Can you still enable classic Alt+Tab in Windows 11 24H2?

Microsoft has removed the classic Alt+Tab interface in Windows 11, particularly with the 24H2 update, and has made it impossible to restore this feature through registry tweaks or third-party applications. Users have attempted to create a DWORD value named AltTabSettings in the Windows Registry to revive the classic menu, but these efforts have been unsuccessful. The modern Alt+Tab layout introduced in the 22H2 update features larger icons and thumbnails, contrasting with the minimalist design of the classic interface. The removal of the classic Alt+Tab is viewed as a significant loss for users who appreciate retro-themed aesthetics in their operating system.

Winsage

December 25, 2024

6 open-source alternatives to Windows Media Player that are probably better than it

Windows 11 introduces a revamped media player called Windows Media Player, which has a modern interface but may lack certain functionalities, leading users to seek alternatives. Audacious is a straightforward audio library manager with a minimalist design that allows users to import music collections and create playlists, supporting internet streams. MPV is a lightweight video player with a minimalistic interface that supports a wide range of formats and allows drag-and-drop playback, primarily functioning through command-line. SMPlayer provides a user-friendly graphical interface on top of MPV, enhancing usability with features like dual subtitle support and internet streaming, while remaining compatible with various formats and codecs. Clementine offers advanced music management with an intuitive interface that organizes tracks and generates playlists based on listening habits, integrating with internet services for streaming music and radio. MPC-HC is a lightweight media player known for extensive codec support, offering features like subtitle support, playback position saving, and content streaming from platforms like YouTube. VLC Media Player is renowned for its versatility, supporting virtually every audio and video format, including DVD playback, and can search for subtitles online, making it a top choice for media playback across platforms.

Winsage

December 23, 2024

Microsoft Edge drops yellow for folders (favourites), gets monoline transparent look

Microsoft Edge has updated to version 131.0.2903.112, introducing a design shift that replaces the yellow-themed favorites folders with a monoline, transparent aesthetic. This change has received mixed reactions from users, with some expressing ambivalence and frustration over the lack of customization options. A temporary workaround exists for reverting to the classic yellow folder icons by modifying the msedge.exe shortcut. Additionally, Microsoft Edge is set to introduce new features, including pop-ups to encourage users to set it as the default browser and enhancements like on-device AI capabilities and improved PDF reading with OCR technology.

AppWizard

December 20, 2024

Google Keep set to be a de facto system app on Android 16

Google Keep will transition to a system app in Android 16, as reported by Android Police. This change means it will be pre-installed on devices running Android 16 and cannot be removed through standard methods. The designation as a system app grants Google Keep enhanced privileges, allowing it to access features and data unavailable to third-party applications. Users may also see new functionalities, such as the ability to take notes directly from the lock screen, due to this transition.

AppWizard

December 19, 2024

Niagara Launcher, one of the best Android launchers, finally has backups

Niagara Launcher has released a "Winter Update" that includes a backup feature allowing users to securely save and restore their launcher settings, integrating with Android's backup system to archive settings to Google Drive. This feature is available in both free and pro versions and can be accessed through the app's settings. Additionally, a new tool called the Usage Breaker, exclusive to Niagara Pro users, helps manage screen time by reminding users of excessive app usage without restricting access. The launcher maintains a minimalist design with a vertically scrolling list of apps for easy navigation. The latest beta version is available for download, with updates rolling out to all users soon.

AppWizard

December 6, 2024

Nothing Gallery app leaks ahead of launch, and we installed it for a good look

The Nothing Gallery app is set to launch alongside Nothing OS 3.0, enhancing user experience with a minimalist design for photo management. Users can customize their viewing experience by selecting specific folders, and a preview bar facilitates quick access to adjacent images. Essential functions like marking favorites, sharing, and deleting are available via a persistent toolbar. The app allows for the creation of new folders and includes a Search function for locating images. It supports a dark theme linked to the system theme and XDR/Ultra HDR photos. Future updates will introduce AI features such as automatic image categorization and enhanced search capabilities. The app is currently in beta, and while it can be sideloaded on non-Nothing devices, optimal functionality may require modifications.