software ecosystem Archives

AppWizard

March 30, 2025

Hyundai’s new Android-based infotainment software looks like Tesla’s.

Hyundai Motor Group will launch its Android-based infotainment software, Pleos Connect, in the second quarter of 2026. It is built on Google’s Android Automotive OS and aims to enhance connectivity within vehicles and with urban infrastructure. The software features an intuitive design, cloud integration for real-time updates, customizable user experiences, and enhanced connectivity for various applications and services. An annual conference has been inaugurated to expedite the development of Pleos and the broader “Cloud Mobility” software ecosystem.

Winsage

March 19, 2025

Huawei Continues Its Move Away From American Software

Huawei is shifting away from reliance on American software and is preparing to introduce alternatives to Microsoft Windows due to being placed on the U.S. Entity List, which limits its access to American software and services. Since launching HarmonyOS in 2021, Huawei is now set to launch its own desktop operating systems as its Microsoft license nears expiration, making it unlikely to receive an extension. Huawei plans to expand HarmonyOS into desktop and laptop PCs, potentially using the Android Open Source Project as a foundation, and may also consider various Linux distributions as alternatives to Windows. This shift could impact Microsoft's market share, especially in regions outside the U.S., and may provide opportunities for Linux to gain popularity as it closes the functionality gap with Windows.

Winsage

February 25, 2025

Microsoft tests ad-supported Office apps for Windows users

Microsoft has introduced ad-supported versions of its Office desktop applications, allowing Windows users to edit documents without a subscription. These applications will display advertisements in a vertical panel on the right side of the window and include prompts encouraging users to subscribe to Microsoft 365 to remove ads. Users must download and install Microsoft 365 to access these applications, and they can choose to skip the sign-in process for free access. However, a subscription is required to save documents edited with these applications directly to local drives. The ad-supported versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint have limited functionality compared to the full versions. Reports suggest that the availability of these applications may be part of a regional test, as some outlets could not replicate the findings. Additionally, Microsoft has a history of integrating ads into its products, including in the Windows 11 Start menu and Windows File Explorer.

Winsage

February 24, 2025

Microsoft launches ad-supported Office apps for Windows users

Microsoft has introduced ad-supported versions of its Office desktop applications for Windows users, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. These applications display advertisements in a vertical panel on the right side of the window while users work. Users are encouraged to subscribe to Microsoft 365 to remove ads, with saving edited documents limited to OneDrive unless a paid subscription is chosen. The ad-supported versions come with basic functionality and restrictions compared to the full versions. Microsoft has previously integrated advertisements into its products, including the Windows 11 Start menu and Windows File Explorer.

Winsage

December 14, 2024

Rising to the TOPS: How will NPUs and Windows AI grow in 2025?

In 2024, Microsoft introduced the "Copilot+ PC" branding for AI-capable laptops, while Apple launched Apple Intelligence. These developments have led to mixed outcomes, with features like real-time translations and on-device speech-to-text being beneficial, but others, such as Windows Recall, still proving their value. By 2025, mainstream developers are expected to integrate on-device AI into Windows applications, influencing consumer purchasing decisions. The term "TOPS" (Trillions of Operations Per Second) is becoming important for evaluating the AI performance of Windows laptops, with a minimum of 40 TOPS required for Microsoft's "Copilot PC+" designation. Qualcomm's Copilot+ PCs reported around 45 TOPS, significantly higher than Intel's 11 TOPS. By the end of 2024, premium Windows laptops are expected to see a three- to four-fold increase in NPU performance compared to 2023 models. Analysts speculate further performance improvements may occur towards the end of 2025. Despite the potential for a two- to three-fold enhancement in on-device AI performance, experts caution against overemphasizing TOPS figures, which may not accurately reflect real-world performance. The lack of a unified API for leveraging NPU capabilities in Windows complicates matters for users of Copilot+ laptops without Qualcomm chips. Although AMD and Intel have released competitive chips, Qualcomm currently holds an advantage with exclusive support for certain applications. Microsoft is promoting its low-level machine learning API (DirectML) and the Windows Copilot Runtime, which may enhance the Copilot+ PC ecosystem. While cloud-based AI solutions remain an option, the cost of these services is expected to rise, making on-device AI more appealing. The introduction of ChatGPT Pro highlights the financial implications of cloud access compared to on-device NPU usage, which incurs no additional costs. The pace of on-device AI adoption in Windows' software ecosystem is anticipated to accelerate in 2025.

Winsage

December 12, 2024

Microsoft just fixed 72 Windows security flaws — update your PC right now

Microsoft's Patch Tuesday updates for 2024 addressed 72 security vulnerabilities, including 17 classified as Critical, 52 as Important, and one as Moderate. One vulnerability, CVE-2024-49138, is actively exploited and relates to privilege escalation in the Windows Common Log File System (CLFS) driver. Microsoft has mitigated 1,088 vulnerabilities this year. The flaw allows attackers to gain elevated system privileges and has been recognized by CrowdStrike. It is the fifth actively exploited CLFS privilege escalation vulnerability since 2022 and the ninth patched this year. Microsoft is implementing additional verification steps for log files and has introduced new security mitigations using Hash-based Message Authentication Codes (HMAC). This vulnerability is listed in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog by CISA, requiring Federal Civilian Executive Branch agencies to remediate it by December 31st. The most critical vulnerability this month is CVE-2024-49112, a remote code execution flaw affecting the Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). Other significant remote code execution vulnerabilities include CVE-2024-49117 (Windows Hyper-V), CVE-2024-49105 (Remote Desktop Client), and CVE-2024-49063 (Microsoft Muzic). Users are advised to update their systems promptly and ensure Windows Defender is activated.

AppWizard

December 6, 2024

Huawei users found a new way to run Android apps in HarmonyOS NEXT

A beta tester discovered that Huawei's HarmonyOS NEXT can run Android applications through an emulator called "EzsyAbroad." This emulator allows users to access Android apps on HarmonyOS NEXT devices, particularly useful for those needing Google Mobile Services while traveling outside China. It operates within a separate container and provides its own app store, where popular applications like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Google Search, Google Maps, Chrome, Gmail, Disney Plus, and Netflix can be downloaded. Performance tests indicate that Android applications run smoothly, although some may not be compatible, and the emulator supports microG, which limits certain functionalities. Users cannot move the applications from the emulator's folder to other locations on the device.

Winsage

November 21, 2024

Google Drive for desktop adds beta support for Windows 11 ARM64

Google has released a beta version of its Drive for Desktop application for ARM64 devices running on Windows 11, featuring native ARM64 binaries for improved compatibility and performance. The Outlook Meet plugin is not supported in this version. Users are advised to use the beta cautiously, preferably with non-production data and to ensure backups are available. Installation requires a Windows 11 device and Microsoft WebView2, which may need to be downloaded if not already present. Google is seeking user feedback to enhance the application and troubleshoot any issues. This move may lead to better support for ARM-based Windows PCs.

Winsage

November 20, 2024

Windows and Office get smart: An overview of Microsoft’s AI services

Microsoft is integrating artificial intelligence across its software ecosystem, particularly in Windows and Office applications. The AI assistant Copilot is accessible via the taskbar or Start menu and operates through the Edge browser, allowing users to engage with AI for tasks like generating text and creating images. Copilot is embedded in Microsoft Edge, enabling users to ask questions and receive answers powered by Bing, with options for different conversational styles. The Edge integration offers enhanced capabilities such as summarizing web content and utilizing plugins for travel and dining searches, which are not available in the standalone app. Microsoft's Paint application has been upgraded with Cocreator and Image Creator features that use AI to generate images based on user descriptions, leveraging Dall-e technology from OpenAI. The Image Creator operates through Microsoft’s cloud resources, while Cocreator processes locally on Copilot Plus devices. The Windows Photo Viewer has a generative erase function that allows users to remove unwanted objects from photos, intelligently filling in gaps left behind. Microsoft has developed PCs with Neural Processing Units (NPUs) to handle AI tasks locally, enhancing performance and addressing data privacy concerns. The Designer feature has expanded from PowerPoint to Word, providing AI-driven design suggestions, but requires a paid Microsoft 365 subscription. The Copilot Pro subscription allows for text generation, template creation, and data analysis in Excel, though some limitations exist. AI capabilities have also been integrated into tools like Clipchamp and Teams for video creation and communication management. Microsoft has paused the rollout of the Recall feature, which tracks user activity through screenshots, due to privacy concerns.

Winsage

October 30, 2024

This clever trick will keep your Windows 11 PC free from the new Outlook

Microsoft is replacing the Mail and Calendar applications with the new Outlook for Windows, which has received mixed reactions from users. A workaround to revert to the Mail and Calendar app involves uninstalling the new Outlook and reinstalling the previous version from the Microsoft Store, but users may need to restart their systems for the changes to take effect. This workaround is temporary, as Microsoft plans to unify its email applications under the "One Outlook" strategy, which may eliminate this option in future updates.