A new app called Messages by OzarksMade aims to emulate the look and feel of Samsung Messages and include RCS support via integration with Google Messages.
Microsoft has announced that the revamped OneDrive Photos app is now available exclusively to Windows Insiders as a preview called ‘Photos (Preview)’ for those in the Experimental channel. This update was delivered through a OneDrive update without requiring a separate installation. Users can find it using Windows Search. OneDrive Photos retains essential photo editing tools but features a more streamlined menu that includes Moments, Gallery, People, Albums, Favorites, and This PC.
New Windows Insider Preview Builds have been released for both the Beta and Experimental channels, featuring renewed Windows Insider flight certificates valid until August 11, 2026. The Experimental channel has already incorporated these renewed certificates.
Notable new features include:
1. Adaptive Hibernate Policy: Enhancements to improve instant-on resumes from Modern Standby and battery preservation, with less frequent hibernation above 80% battery and earlier hibernation below 10%.
2. Alternate Taskbar Position: Users can change the taskbar's position to bottom, top, left, or right through Settings. Tooltips, flyouts, and animations will function in alternate positions, but some features are still in development.
3. Smaller Taskbar: A new, smaller taskbar option is available for maximizing screen space, particularly on smaller devices, allowing for smaller icons and reduced height. Users can adjust this setting in Taskbar behaviors.
In March, a commitment was made to enhance the quality of Windows, with a focus on several immediate changes including enhanced taskbar customization, meaningful AI integration, minimizing disruptions from Windows Updates, faster and more reliable File Explorer, greater control over widgets and feed experiences, a more straightforward Windows Insider Program, and improving the Feedback Hub experience. The core areas of focus are performance, reliability, and well-crafted experiences, with improvements already being rolled out to Windows Insiders and set to expand across Windows 11 PCs this fall.
Recent updates include enhancements to the Windows Search Box, improvements for developers at Build 2026, advancements in WinUI 3, updates to the Taskbar and Start menu, simplified AI integration, foundational architecture enhancements for File Explorer, updates to widgets and feed experiences, the launch of the Driver Quality Initiative (DQI), memory efficiency improvements, enhanced reliability for Windows Hello, changes to reduce disruptions from Windows Updates, and a simplified Windows Insider Program.
Looking ahead, the team plans to bring enhancements to general availability while focusing on onboarding and setup, memory optimization for PCs with 8GB and above, family features, and improved voice interactions. Engaging with Windows Insiders has been a highlight, and the team remains committed to ongoing improvements based on user feedback.
Many users struggle with disorganized files, and Windows 11's built-in search tool is often slow and unreliable, yielding poor results. Testing showed that it struggles to find files in subfolders, even with enhanced indexing enabled. In contrast, File Pilot offers faster search functionality, filtering results to the current folder and allowing expansion to subfolders with a keystroke, though it lacks wildcard search capabilities. Everything is highlighted as the best option, known for its rapid indexing and customizable search criteria, making it superior to both Windows Search and File Pilot.
Microsoft has started rolling out a new application called OneDrive Photos to select Windows 11 PCs, which automatically indexes local photo libraries and enhances user experience with AI-driven search capabilities and optional facial grouping features. The app can identify and showcase images stored locally, even without a Microsoft account, and provides AI-powered search functionality for locating photos through natural-language queries and optical character recognition. It includes a People feature that groups similar faces while ensuring privacy, with the option to disable it. OneDrive Photos is integrated with the existing OneDrive client and cannot be uninstalled independently; users must uninstall OneDrive entirely to remove the app. Microsoft has not commented on the rollout.
The Microsoft Store now offers Malwarebytes for Windows, providing a convenient and reliable way for users to download the full version of the software without limitations. This version includes all features, such as real-time protection and seamless integration with Windows. Users can install it by searching for Malwarebytes in the Microsoft Store and clicking "Get." The listing also provides app information and screenshots. Existing users of Malwarebytes from the official website do not need to reinstall or make changes to their current setup.
EnterpriseDB (EDB) has released benchmark results for its EDB Postgres AI (EDB PG AI), showing superior performance compared to various AI data platforms, including vector databases and managed Postgres platforms. The independent testing by McKnight Consulting Group indicated that EDB PG AI outperformed competitors in all evaluated metrics, including query speed, accuracy, and cost efficiency.
Key findings include:
- EDB PG AI achieved a median query latency of 50 milliseconds at 50 million vectors, making it the fastest platform tested, 80 times faster than Databricks and 21 times faster than MongoDB Atlas.
- It demonstrated the highest accuracy for core vector search with a recall rate of 0.911, outperforming MongoDB by 26% and Databricks by 17%.
- In a concurrent agent loop test, EDB PG AI completed tasks in 27 milliseconds, significantly faster than MongoDB Atlas (699 milliseconds) and Databricks (5.1 seconds).
- EDB PG AI provided 76 times better price performance than Databricks and 34 times better than MongoDB.
- The platform integrates vectors, structured data, and analytics within a single operational database, enhancing efficiency and reducing the risk of data inconsistency.
The benchmark study assessed the performance of EDB PG AI against Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL, Databricks, Crunchy Bridge, MongoDB Atlas, and open source PostgreSQL, all standardized on equivalent enterprise hardware.
Microsoft has released the KB5101684 preview cumulative update for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, which includes 42 bug fixes and various enhancements. This update is part of the optional non-security preview update schedule and does not include security updates. Users can install it via Settings > Windows Update > Check for Updates, with an option to choose installation.
The update elevates Windows 11 24H2 to build 26100.8973 and Windows 11 25H2 to build 26200.8973. It addresses issues such as false invalid credential errors in File History backups, noncompliance in newly enrolled devices, and incorrect file markings on DFS mapped drives.
New features include enhanced navigation in File Explorer, more accurate file size indicators, improved search results for app names, and new precision touchpad controls. Voice Isolation support for Voice Access is introduced, along with expanded Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security for external fingerprint readers.
Immediate features include enhancements to Secure Boot, app stability improvements, and fixes for MDM compliance issues. Additional features rolling out post-update involve better file size displays in File Explorer, enhanced app search, Voice Isolation for voice access, taskbar notification badge updates, new touchpad gesture controls, and reliability improvements for the Start menu and Windows sign-in screens. Microsoft reports no known issues with this update.
Samsung is enhancing its One UI 9 with a new feature that allows users to set custom zoom levels for individual applications. This feature will enable users to select from various zoom options, including Large, Largest, Medium, Small, Smallest, and System settings, and will keep the assigned zoom level for each app independent of overall system settings. References to this feature have been found in One UI 9 on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, but it has not yet been fully implemented. The release timeline is uncertain, but it may debut with a future retail update. Additionally, Samsung has introduced a built-in Google Search bar in One UI 9.
