Photos Archives

AppWizard

May 13, 2025

Google reveals vibrant Material 3 Expressive, coming soon to a Pixel near you

Google has unveiled its new Android design refresh, Material 3 Expressive, which will debut with the Android operating system and extend across the Google app ecosystem. This design builds on the previous Material You system and features "springy" animations, brighter colors, and innovative shapes. The development was informed by user research involving over 18,000 participants, indicating that users can locate important buttons up to four times faster than with older interfaces. Future Android iterations will emphasize playful animations, a bolder color scheme, improved typography for better contrast, a wider variety of button shapes, and more legible status bar icons.

Winsage

May 13, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3964 (Beta Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3964 (KB5058496) has been released for the Beta Channel, specifically for Windows 11, version 24H2. Users on version 23H2 can choose to upgrade to version 24H2 with this build. The update introduces a new AI-powered agent in Settings for easier navigation and task automation, currently available for Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel PCs coming soon. Enhanced intelligent text actions have been added to Click to Do for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs, allowing users to summarize, create bulleted lists, or rewrite text. A dedicated FAQs section has been added to the Settings > System > About page. Several fixes have been implemented, including improvements to the Start menu, File Explorer, and voice access. Known issues include problems with PC reset display and Xbox Controller connectivity. Entra ID support for AI features in Paint and Notepad has been rolled out for IT-managed PCs.

Winsage

May 13, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5600 (Dev Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5581 (KB5058493) has been released to the Dev Channel. New features include enhanced intelligent text actions in Click to Do for AMD and Intel™-powered Copilot+ PCs, allowing users to Summarize, Create a bulleted list, or Rewrite text. These features are available when the default language is English and at least 10 words are selected. For users with French or Spanish as their primary language, only Summarize, Create a bulleted list, and Refine options are temporarily available. Improvements include the ability to safely remove devices compatible with Dynamic Lighting and the introduction of a FAQs section in Settings to help users find information about their PC. Fixes have been made to the Start menu, File Explorer, Voice Access, Taskbar, Windows Spotlight, and Live captions. Known issues include problems with the PC reset option and Xbox Controller connectivity. Entra ID support for AI features in Paint and Notepad has been rolled out for IT-managed PCs, allowing access to tools like Cocreator and Generative Fill in Paint, and summarization or rewriting in Notepad. Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel receive updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2, and features may evolve or be removed based on feedback.

AppWizard

May 12, 2025

Samsung could get you a secret vault for your photos in One UI 8

Samsung is enhancing user privacy in its upcoming One UI 8 Gallery app with a new feature called "Private album," designed to discreetly store photos and videos. This feature is currently in beta testing within the hidden “Labs” section of the app, indicating it may not be included in the final release. The Private album aims to provide a simpler alternative to the existing Secure Folder for managing visual content. One UI 8 is built on the forthcoming Android 16 and is expected to launch after the stable release of Android 16 in June. The update will introduce various refinements to enhance user experience, including improved background task management, smarter app suggestions, and better battery management. There are also rumors of new features like video summarization in Samsung Internet and an upgraded Secure Folder.

Winsage

May 12, 2025

Do these five important things after installing Windows 11

- After setting up Windows 11, it is recommended to back up your BitLocker key to prevent access issues, as drives are encrypted by default without user notification. - To back up the BitLocker key, sign in to your Microsoft Account, navigate to the "Devices" tab, and manage recovery keys. - Context menus in Windows 11 can be cleaned up by uninstalling unnecessary applications or modifying the system registry to remove unwanted entries. - The "End Task" feature can be enabled by navigating to Settings > System > For developers and toggling on the feature. - To reduce notifications and ads, users can disable various settings in the Personalization and Privacy & Security sections of the Settings app. - OneDrive auto-backup is enabled by default, and users can disable it by accessing OneDrive settings and turning off backup options.

Winsage

May 10, 2025

Microsoft’s next Windows update isn’t at all what users were searching for

Microsoft's Bing search engine has a market share of 3.89%, while Google holds 90%. Users of Windows 11 have criticized the built-in search for its slow performance and irrelevant results. Giorgio Sardo, Microsoft's Vice President of App Store and Apps, announced an upcoming update that will integrate the Microsoft Store into Windows Search, allowing users to find and install apps directly from the Start menu or Taskbar. However, this update may not address the main issues of search performance and relevance, as it could add recommended apps to existing search results. Community feedback has been largely negative, with users expressing frustration over the search functionality. There is no official timeline for the feature's implementation, but it is expected to be released "soon."

BetaBeacon

May 10, 2025

Try these 5 Apps and Games for Android and iOS, tried and tested!

- Delta Force is a popular multiplayer first-person shooter originally released on PC. - Battles in Delta Force take place in 24 vs. 24 with large teams on large maps. - The game has different modes, including an "Operations" mode and a co-op campaign mode. - Delta Force is free to install but contains microtransactions for cosmetic items. - Run&Grow is an app that tracks running sessions and rewards users with virtual garden decorations. - Remember - A Brain Add-On helps users remember where they stored important items by taking photos. - Command Stick is an Android app that adds a floating widget for quick access to commands. - TMNT: Shredder's Revenge is a mobile game where players beat up enemies with different characters from the Ninja Turtles universe.

AppWizard

May 10, 2025

I tried Google’s secret Gallery app, and it has one big advantage over Google Photos

Google Gallery is a new app from Google that focuses on managing images stored locally on devices, without cloud syncing or AI enhancements. It features a simple design with two main sections: Photos, which shows images in reverse chronological order, and Folders, which categorizes files. The app includes basic editing tools and highlights overlooked files like screenshots and downloads. It is designed for offline use, making it useful in areas with limited connectivity. Google Gallery is free to download, takes up minimal space, and serves as a complementary tool to Google Photos. However, its future support is uncertain, as it was previously known as "Gallery Go" and may face competition from other apps like Focus Go.

AppWizard

May 9, 2025

So many people had no clue this Google app for managing photos and videos existed!

Google's Gallery app, previously known as Gallery Go, has over a billion downloads and has been available for six years, yet remains largely unknown to many users, including Pixel device owners. It serves as a simpler, offline alternative to Google Photos, appealing to users with limited storage or unreliable connectivity. A trending Reddit thread revealed users' surprise at the app's existence, with many expressing frustration with Google Photos' complexity. Launched in 2019, the Gallery app was initially aimed at low-end devices and has seen minimal marketing and updates since then. Its primary function is to allow users to view locally stored photos and videos, and it includes basic AI-powered photo organization.

Winsage

May 7, 2025

A New Start Menu and More Major Upgrades Are Coming to Windows 11

Microsoft announced significant upgrades for Windows 11, including enhancements to the Start menu, Copilot AI, and utilities like Paint and the Snipping Tool. The Start menu will become larger, more customizable, and user-friendly, allowing users to view all apps at once, hide recommended shortcuts, and increase the size of the pinned apps panel. A "phone companion" feature will be integrated into the Start menu. These changes are expected to roll out to the Windows Insider channel within the next month. File Explorer will introduce AI actions for document summarization and image editing directly from the right-click menu. Notepad will gain AI text generation and summarization features, along with lightweight formatting options like bold, italic, lists, and Markdown support. Copilot Vision will allow users to interact with AI regarding on-screen content. Some features will debut on Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon chipsets, including an AI agent in Settings to assist users with adjustments and the Click to Do feature for scheduling meetings and launching Immersive Reader mode. The Photos app will introduce a relight feature for dynamic lighting control. Paint will gain capabilities for creating custom stickers from text prompts and an AI-powered object select tool. The Snipping Tool will receive enhancements like intelligent screenshot cropping, text extraction, and a color picker. The Narrator on Copilot+ PCs will be upgraded to provide rich descriptions of images.