UI Archives

AppWizard

May 17, 2025

Android 16 is Google getting serious about foldables

Google recently launched Android 16, featuring significant user interface modifications and new animations, which have elicited mixed reactions from users. The update includes enhancements like improved network connectivity and security against malicious applications. The UI now dynamically adapts to user interactions, adding visual flair. During the Android Show, Google showcased various Android phones, with speculation about future tablet announcements at the I/O conference. The foldable phone market is currently dominated by Android devices, with expectations that foldables could become mainstream, despite challenges related to pricing and durability. Manufacturers are improving foldable designs to enhance resilience. As costs stabilize, foldables may replace traditional devices, offering multifunctional capabilities.

AppWizard

May 17, 2025

News Weekly: Android Show’s I/O edition, Google teases smart glasses, Nothing Phone 3 is on the way, and more

Google I/O is set to begin on May 20th at the Shoreline Amphitheater in California, with live updates from Android Central. Google has revealed advancements including Gemini, Material 3 Expressive, and enhanced safety tools. Gemini will integrate across the Android ecosystem for a hands-free AI experience. Material 3 Expressive will enhance the user interface in Android 16, focusing on five design components. Wear OS 6 will receive a visual refresh. New warning systems in Android's caller and Google Messages will combat fraud, while the Find My Device feature will evolve into Find Hub with improved tracking capabilities. Warner Bros. Discovery will rebrand Max back to HBO Max this summer, marking the second rebranding in three years. Nothing's Phone 3 is set to launch this summer, priced around £800. Samsung introduced a limited-edition Galaxy Ring in South Korea, featuring a new colorway.

AppWizard

May 17, 2025

Pixelify Your Android Smartphone with This Wallpaper App

Doodle is a Java-based open-source wallpaper application developed by Patrick Zedler, featuring the original Doodle wallpaper collection from the Pixel 4 and unreleased Material You static wallpapers from the Pixel 6. The app allows users to explore wallpapers organized into three categories, select variants, add accent colors, set daily random wallpapers, and toggle night mode. Doodle includes three live wallpapers with interactive features like "Swipe" and "Tilt" effects. Users can customize live wallpaper animations and app color themes through various settings. During testing on a Samsung smartphone with Android 14, some features like the "Swipe" effect and Accent Colors were non-functional due to compatibility issues with the default launcher. The app's live wallpaper occasionally malfunctioned during the lock/unlock process, and transitioning between light and dark modes required relaunching the app. The source code is available on GitHub under GPLv3 licensing, and the app can be downloaded from F-Droid and the Play Store.

BetaBeacon

May 16, 2025

Samsung Game Booster Plus lets you remap controllers and enhance game graphics

The Game Booster Plus module is now available for download on One UI 7 devices via the Galaxy Store. Some features of the module are not accessible on older devices. The module offers three menus for controller remapping, GPU settings for games, and game categorization. The GPU settings menu introduces new options for adjusting performance modes and settings on a per-game basis, but it requires a more modern Samsung phone. The game category settings allow users to designate any app as a game in the system, enhancing the quality and performance of emulated games.

Winsage

May 16, 2025

MSI PortalX ditches Windows apps to sync RGB via the web

MSI has introduced PortalX, a web-based lighting platform for RGB control in PC gaming, eliminating the need for traditional software installations. PortalX serves as a centralized hub for RGB functionalities, allowing users to adjust system lighting via a webpage without downloads. It offers per-device configuration and an ‘All Sync’ toggle for cohesive aesthetics, with adjustable lighting speeds. Currently, PortalX operates exclusively within the Windows environment, which may limit compatibility for users of Linux and macOS. The platform aims to simplify RGB customization and improve integration across future product lines. PortalX is set to launch soon.

Winsage

May 15, 2025

Windows Remote Desktop Gateway Vulnerability Let Attackers Trigger Dos Condition

The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) has released critical security updates to address a significant vulnerability in the Windows Remote Desktop Gateway service, identified as CVE-2025-26677, which allows unauthorized attackers to cause denial of service (DoS) conditions. This vulnerability is rated as "High" severity with a CVSS score of 7.5 and affects multiple versions of Windows Server, including 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025. Microsoft has provided security updates (KB5058383, KB5058392, KB5058385, and KB5058411) to rectify the issue. Additionally, another vulnerability, CVE-2025-29831, has been identified that could enable remote code execution (RCE) through a Use After Free weakness, also rated with a CVSS score of 7.5. This vulnerability requires user interaction, specifically an admin user to stop or restart the service, and affects Windows Server versions 2008 R2, 2012/R2, 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025. Organizations are advised to prioritize patching both vulnerabilities and to review network configurations to limit exposure of Remote Desktop Gateway services. The vulnerabilities were discovered by security researchers from Kunlun Lab.

Winsage

May 14, 2025

Copilot on Windows: “Hey, Copilot!” begins rolling out to Windows Insiders

Microsoft is rolling out an update for the Copilot app through the Microsoft Store, introducing several enhancements. A key feature is the "Hey, Copilot" wake word, allowing users to activate Copilot Voice hands-free. Users must enable this feature in the app's settings. Once activated, users can say "Hey, Copilot" followed by their query, and the Copilot interface will appear on the screen. Conversations can be ended by tapping the ‘X’ or automatically after a few moments of silence. The feature requires manual activation and will show that the microphone is in use when enabled. The wake word detection occurs locally, and no recordings are sent to the cloud until the wake word is recognized. The feature is available only in English and requires the PC to be powered on and unlocked. The update version 1.25051.10.0 and higher is being rolled out gradually to Insiders with English display language settings. Users can provide feedback through the app.

BetaBeacon

May 14, 2025

Android Auto tests a smarter way to display games on your screen (APK teardown)

Android Auto is changing how games are displayed. Games no longer take up the whole screen when opened. Users no longer have to swipe down to see the back and exit buttons.

AppWizard

May 14, 2025

The Android Show I/O Edition: Everything that was announced from Android 16 to Android XR

Google is unveiling key features ahead of the Google I/O event, including Material 3 Expressive (M3), which focuses on enhancing user experience through color, shape, size, motion, and containment. M3 will introduce a vibrant UI for smartphones and wearables, featuring a new "tear away" notification system and playful animations. The Pixel Watch will have animations that follow the display's curvature, and Wear OS 6 will allow users to customize color schemes and watch faces. Google's Gemini AI will be integrated into more devices, replacing Google Assistant and enhancing interactions on Wear OS, Google TV, Android Auto, and Android XR. Gemini will provide hands-free assistance for Wear OS users and facilitate natural conversations in Android Auto. It will also improve content discovery on Google TV and offer real-time planning assistance in Extended Reality devices. To combat online scams, Google is introducing privacy tools with Android 16, including enhanced warning systems in caller and Google Messages apps, AI-driven detection of fraudulent messages, and a Key Verifier program for secure end-to-end encrypted communication. Google Play Protection will implement live threat detection for malicious app changes.

BetaBeacon

May 13, 2025

Android 16: 4 game-changing features coming to your phone

- Android 16 has a new look called Material 3 Expressive, with customizable options for color, font, and visual components. - Live updates feature helps users stay on task by surfacing important updates from apps. - Gemini AI integration is expanded to be available everywhere on Android 16, with Gemini Live allowing users to share their screen and camera. - Find Hub is introduced as an app for tracking people, devices, tags, and more, with upcoming satellite connectivity for locating items in remote areas.