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The latest Chrome OS update improves accessibility on Chromebooks
There are more cursor colors and Google improved the text-to-speech features.
The macOS Big Sur public beta is now available
You can try out big updates to Messages, Maps, Safari and more.
The first public Android 11 beta will be available on June 3rd
Google will run through some Android 11 features in a keynote on that day.
Microsoft is giving Windows 10 users more control over updates
The next major Windows 10 update is scheduled for late May, and with it, Microsoft is giving you more control over how you install updates. You'll be able to pause them for up to 35 days (in seven-day increments), when you previously were only able to set an installation time or snooze updates. That should reduce the chances of your computer automatically installing them at the dirt worst times.
Google aims to fix laggy interface on Chrome OS tablets
Chrome OS tablets still have some problems, not the least of which is lag. Even if you buy a higher-end model like some configurations of Google's own Pixel Slate, there's a real chance you'll grapple with a sluggish, stuttery interface -- it's been bad enough to be a deal-breaker for some. Thankfully, Google feels your pain. Chrome Unboxed has discovered that Google hopes to address at least some of the lag that persists in tablet mode. As it turns out, there might be a (relatively) simple fix.
Chrome OS beta brings Google Assistant to more devices
To date, native access to Google Assistant on a Chrome OS device has meant splurging on Google-made hardware like the Pixelbook or Pixel Slate. You won't have to be quite so picky for much longer, though. Google has started testing Chrome OS 72 in beta form, and the new release brings Assistant to third-party Chromebooks for the first time. It works in the same way as you'd expect on the Slate, with support for both voice and written commands through a pop-up at the bottom.
Google: Android Pie will hit more devices in 2018 than Oreo did in 2017
Google has long been criticised for the long delays between Android upgrades. While iPhone users are merrily chowing down on regular OS updates, Android users have to wait for long intervals, with lower cost handsets never seeing an update at all during their lifespans. Google's update framework, Project Treble, seeks to rectify this, and the company has just announced that all devices launching with Android 9 Pie or later will be Treble-compliant. The picture above shows off a range of Trebled-equipped devices displaying the same Generic System Image.
Windows 10 preview adds smarter active hours and a true light theme
Microsoft only just resumed rolling out its problematic Windows 10 October update, but it's already looking toward the future. The company has released a Windows 10 Insider Preview to Fast ring users with some big updates in tow, both conspicuous and otherwise. We'll address the elephant in the room right away: there's a true light theme that changes the entire interface, including the taskbar, Start menu and keyboard. If you think Windows is too dour (or just miss the old days of light-colored Microsoft UIs), you just have to make a quick settings change.
Microsoft resumes Windows 10 update after fixing data loss bug
At last, Microsoft has resumed delivering its Windows 10 October update after pulling it over a data loss bug. The company is confident it has fixed the flaw and has seen "no further evidence" of data loss. With that said, it's being particularly cautious this time around. It's "slowing" the deployment to watch device data and will only give you the device update when it thinks there won't be a problem, such as an incompatible app.
Latest Chrome OS update includes a redesigned tablet interface
You won't need a Pixel Slate to use a more touch-oriented version of Chrome OS. Google has released an update (version 70) that brings the Slate's interface changes to all touchscreen Chrome OS PCs and tablets. There's a more finger-friendly app shelf with contextual menus, an overhauled control panel with faster access to common features (plus a unified notifications feed) and a launcher that shows recent sites. you'll also find a Gboard-based on-screen keyboard with an option to float a small keyboard if you'd rather type with one thumb.
Android at 10: Google's mobile OS has come a long way
The mobile world is celebrating a momentous anniversary today: Android is ten years old. The T-Mobile G1 (and Android 1.0) made its debut on September 23rd, 2008, launching both a new operating system and a new era. It didn't look like much in those early days, but it eventually became the dominant mobile platform and set the baseline for what many people expect in a smartphone. It also helped topple more than a few giants -- the story of Android is as much about a sea change in the industry as Google's own development.
OnePlus rolls out its version of Android Pie
OnePlus isn't wasting too much time in bringing its version of Android Pie to its phones. A little over a month after Google released the OS, OnePlus is rolling out OxygenOS 9.0, which includes Pie features such as gesture navigation, adaptive battery support and a refreshed user interface. The update also brings OnePlus' own features like customizable accent colors and Gaming Mode 3.0. OnePlus noted that, going forward, its own OS will match Android's version number.
Chrome OS revamp delivers a new look and Linux app support
Now that the Chrome browser has received a makeover, it's Chrome OS' turn... and it's about more than just feature parity. Google has released a Chrome OS 69 update that introduces the updated Material Design visuals alongside a few features that could make your Chromebook decidedly more enticing. Most notably, there's now support for running Linux apps. You'll need a supported machine (a handful of machines from Acer, ASUS, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and Google itself). Still, this could be more than a little helpful if you want to run a conventional desktop app or command line terminal without switching to another PC or a virtual environment.
iOS 12 will fix your notifications September 17th
iOS 12 will be released September 17th. After spending nearly half of June's WWDC keynote espousing the virtues of Memojis, Photo search and sharing, a half-hearted digital wellness initiative, and so much more, at the tail end of today's keynote Tim Cook announced that it won't be long before you can install the shiny new operating system on your cadre of Cupertino-designed devices. It's said that the software will improve the performance of your older Apple gadgets too (fingers crossed for my iPad Mini 3), with apps getting up to a 200 percent speed boost in launch speed.
VW's $4 billion connected car push includes its own operating system
VW knows it has to rethink its approach to technology if it's going to adapt to a world full of electric cars, autonomy and ridesharing services, and that extends to the very software that makes those vehicles tick. The automaker has committed €3.5 billion ($4.05 billion) through 2025 for a connected car push that not only moves the company toward a new role as a "mobility services provider," but will include the development of an in-house operating system, vw.OS, that will govern entire vehicles.
Windows 10's app tabs might not arrive in the next big OS update
We hope you weren't clamoring for a chance to try Windows 10's Sets in the near future. Microsoft has removed the app tab feature from Windows 10 Insider Preview builds to "continue making it great," including a better visual style and tighter Office integration. The company has vowed that they'll return in a future Insider Preview, but hasn't hinted when that might happen. And based on rumors, you might not want to get your hopes up.
AsteroidOS is an open alternative to Wear OS you can install today
When AsteroidOS first started working on a Linux-based smartwatch platform back in 2015, the device category was still fairly new. Now, the first stable version of the OS is finally available for download, providing an Android-compatible alternative to Wear OS. It can display smartphone notifications, weather data, calendar entries, alarms and timers, as well as music playback controls. To encourage developers and those who love tinkering with their devices to create custom applications and watchfaces for the platform, AsteroidOS also released a Software Development Kit along with tutorials.
Huawei may have a backup OS in case it has to drop Android
It'd be hard to blame Huawei executives if they're feeling very nervous lately. The US has created havoc for ZTE by renewing an export ban over trade violations, potentially depriving it of its Android license and leaving it without a platform. How would Huawei avoid a similar fate? Simple: it would use its own operating system instead. South China Morning Post sources have claimed that Huawei has been developing its own mobile operating system (there are reportedly tablet and PC equivalents) ever since it and ZTE faced an American investigation in 2012. It's considered an investment for "worst-case scenarios," the insiders said.
Purism's privacy-focused phone will support Ubuntu Touch
Purism's security-focused smartphone, the Librem 5, will come with support for Ubuntu Touch when it ships next year. According to the company, which made its mark building ultra-secure, open platform laptops, the operating system will be "well-supported and tightly integrated," with future compatibility assured.
LG opens 'Software Upgrade Center' to accelerate Android updates
Despite repeated promises of change by Google and its various hardware partners, slow and spotty rollouts are still the rule rather than the exception when it comes to new versions of the Android operating system. LG's latest plan to turn that around is a new facility at its R&D campus in South Korea called the Software Upgrade Center, which it said is dedicated to "providing customers worldwide with faster, timelier, smartphone operating system and software updates." Its first task is to handle a rollout of Android Oreo for the current flagship G6 phone (current until the G7 launches in May) that will start in Korea later this month. LG Electronics CEO Mr. Jo Seong-jin said in a statement that "Stable and consistent upgrades will demonstrate to our customers that LG smartphones have long and reliable lifespans." Beyond initiatives like Project Treble, if LG can consistently keep its devices supported faster and through more iterations of the operating system, that might help raise its profile compared to the competition. But it has to deliver the goods first -- and hopefully before Android P emerges from beta testing.
