recorder Archives

Winsage

February 17, 2025

7 alternatives to built-in Windows tools that will blow you away

- Process Lasso is a powerful alternative to Task Manager, offering features like dynamic CPU adjustments and SmartTrim memory management. - Notepad++ is a text editor that supports multiple programming languages, syntax highlighting, and includes macros and plugins. - 7-Zip is a file compression tool that handles various formats and allows users to split, merge, and encrypt files. - Everything is a search tool that quickly finds files and folders, scanning both names and document contents. - Audacity is a multitrack digital audio workstation for recording audio, supporting various formats and real-time effects. - Flow Launcher allows users to launch files, folders, applications, and websites without using the Start menu. - VLC Media Player plays a wide range of audio and video file formats and offers features like file conversion and live stream recording.

AppWizard

December 26, 2024

Recap: Pixel updates, Feature Drops, and new apps in 2024

In 2024, Made by Google released multiple updates for the Pixel phone, introducing new features and enhancing existing functionalities across six updates. - January Feature Drop: Launched with the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, it included the Pixel Thermometer app for forehead temperature readings, Circle to Search, and the rebranding of Quick Share from Nearby Share. - March Feature Drop: Introduced with Android 14 QPR2, it featured an expandable Bluetooth Quick Settings Tile, a Material You volume slider, new casting options, and a "Hello?" button for the Call Screen feature. The Pixel Tablet received the Gboard Voice Toolbar. - June Feature Drop: Marked by the early launch of the Pixel 8a, it introduced Audio Emoji, Display Port Support for external screens, Gemini Nano technology, and camera improvements for various Pixel models. The Android 14 QPR3 update focused on minor tweaks. - Pixel 9 Series Launch: Debuted alongside Android 14, backporting features from the Android 15 Beta. Introduced three new applications: Pixel Screenshots, Pixel Studio, and Pixel Weather, along with Gemini Live and on-device Call Notes. - Android 15/October Drop: Introduced Android 15 with a Private Space option, Predictive Back functionality, a redesigned screenshot interface, underwater photography capabilities for the Pixel 9 series, and an enhanced Adaptive Vibration feature. - December Drop: Included Android 15 QPR1 with a Material You redesign for Settings, charging optimization, enhancements to the Pixel Screenshots app, a clear voice feature for the Pixel Recorder, broader rollout of contextual replies for Gemini, and Dual Screen Portrait Mode for foldable devices. Google extended Android OS updates for the Pixel 6 and 7 series.

Winsage

December 12, 2024

Microsoft kills a handy Windows 11 feature that allowed quick calls or event creation

Microsoft has deprecated the "Suggested actions" feature in Windows 11, which was introduced in May 2022 as part of build 25115. This feature allowed Windows 11 to recognize phone numbers and dates to provide shortcuts for tasks like making calls or scheduling events. Microsoft announced that "Suggested actions" will be removed in a future update, although a specific timeline for this removal is not provided. Other recently deprecated features include Android app support, Paint 3D, Windows Speech Recognition, the Tips app, Steps Recorder, and WordPad.

AppWizard

December 5, 2024

Steam’s background recording feature is the new gold standard of game clipping

Steam's Game Recording feature allows players to capture high-quality video of the last few minutes of gameplay in the background. Since its beta launch, it has been used frequently due to its efficient file sizes, which are significantly smaller compared to recordings made with Nvidia Shadowplay. For example, a five-minute clip recorded with Shadowplay is 1.78GB, while Steam's equivalent maintains impressive visual fidelity with reduced storage needs. Steam's audio recording captures only the game's audio by default, avoiding background noise from other sources, which simplifies the sharing process. However, the exported clips may not match the quality of Shadowplay or OBS, and turning off background recording requires multiple clicks. The tool is limited to games launched through Steam, and some bugs persist despite updates. In comparison, Medal, another DVR app, offers similar features but has a less user-friendly interface and requires bulk deletions for space management. Steam's Game Recording provides quick MP4 generation and easy sharing on platforms like Discord, making it a preferred choice for quick clips. Users must enable the feature through Steam settings to use it.

AppWizard

December 4, 2024

Google preps a feature to keep users in ‘clear voice’ in the Recorder app

Google is enhancing its Recorder app with a new "clear voice" feature to minimize background noise and improve voice clarity. The app has also introduced a "summarize" function on the Pixel 8, allowing users to obtain concise summaries of audio recordings. The Recorder app debuted on Chromebooks in November, offering functionalities like speech-to-text generation and title suggestions. It utilizes Google's advanced large language model (LLM) for improved user experience. Pixel devices now have a "Transcribe again" tool for re-transcribing recordings in 42 languages, with cloud processing for quick transcription results.

AppWizard

December 4, 2024

Google’s Recorder app could be getting the upgrade users have been waiting for

The latest version of the Google Recorder app (Version 4.2.20241001.701169069) may introduce a "Clear Voice" feature aimed at reducing background noise while emphasizing human speech. Key points from the APK teardown include: - The feature is designed to minimize background noise for clearer playback of spoken content. - The Clear Voice feature will only function with mono audio, as stereo mode and external microphones are not supported. - The app will provide prompts to inform users when the feature is unavailable, such as when stereo audio is detected.