Microsoft reopens Windows 10 beta testing for ‘new features’ and improvements

Microsoft is reopening its Windows 10 Beta Channel to bring new features and more improvements.

If you enroll to the Dev or Canary channel, it will upgrade the PC to Windows 11 build, with an option to rollback.

However, the end of support date of October 14, 2025, is unchanged. Joining the Beta Channel on your Windows 10 PC does not change that. 

Windows 11 usage has lagged behind Windows 10, at nearly 28 percent of all Windows version market share for May 2024. Windows 10 is still at 68 percent.

🔗 Windows Blogs
🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks

Yes, you can now see all of your own data in Recall

Xaitax, a cybersecurity advisor, recently published a Python tool named "TotalRecall" that is used to "extract and display data from the Recall feature in Windows 11, providing an easy way to access information about your PC's activity snapshots" on his own GitHub.

And today, Mental Outlaw just showed us how easily he could access his own activities data saved inside Recall by using that tool, that moreover, in details (time, date,...). Even further, these screenshots taken by Recall won't even be properly encrypted and can be viewed using an image viewer (like IrfanView) & all extracted from AppData which won't require administrator permission too.

Also, just for your information, Recall is officially only supported on one of the new CoPilot+ PCs running on ARM.

Imagine if you entering a sensitive info like password, card number,... and you accidentally "showed" them on your screen, you knew what would come to you.

🌐 TotalRecall (GitHub)
🌐 Mental Outlaw's video

🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks

Apple finally confirms how long it will support iPhones

Apple has confirmed it will provide security updates for iPhones for a minimum of 5 years, following the UK’s PSTI regulation. This is Apple's first official commitment to a support period, starting with the iPhone 15 series.

However, this five-year period is less than the seven years guaranteed by Samsung and Google for their flagship devices.

Historically, Apple has often provided updates for longer than five years. This change means Apple no longer offers the longest guaranteed support. Users will need to hope Apple doesn't cut off support after the five-year minimum.

📹 Compliance Statement
🔗 Android Authority

🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks

WWDC 2024: What to Expect

Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024, starting June 10th, will be focused on AI, AI and more AI 💀

Here’s what you can expect:

• AI Integration:
Siri overhaul with large language models, AI summaries for messages and webpages, real-time trannoscriptions in Notes and Voice Memos, custom emoji generator, AI photo editing features. Apple will brand the features as Apple Intelligence

• OpenAI Partnership:
Integration of a ChatGPT-like chatbot into Apple devices.

• RCS Adoption:
Rich Communication Services (RCS) in iMessage for better cross-platform messaging with Android, offering longer text messages and higher-quality photos with end-to-end encryption.

• Customizable Homescreen:
Ability to leave blank spaces between apps and a new theming system for recoloring icons in iOS 18.

• App Updates:
Refreshed Calculator app for iPad, cross-platform password manager 'Passwords', redesigned Settings and Control Center screens.

📹 Apple
ℹ️ Credits: TheVerge

🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks

Microsoft tries to control the disaster that is Windows Recall!

As you might remember from earlier, Windows recall ended in a total disaster when youtubers like Mental Outlaw and (Just yesterday!) Some Ordinary Gamer started to look into it and access Recall history, people realised how poorly made the feature is (from no proper encryption to being stored in a relatively known location... Sigh.)

Well, Microsoft has decided to address these issues and has announced several changes most notably:

- The snapshots will be encrypted and Windows Hello authentication will be required to access the feature.

- OOBE has been updated to have recall as an opt-in feature which people can choose to enable/disable in their OS.

Still, this feature still doesn't sound so good to me.

🔗 Read more (Winaero!)

🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks

New York Times source code stolen using exposed GitHub token

The New York Times confirmed that its internal source code and data were leaked on 4chan after being stolen from its GitHub repositories in January 2024. The breach occurred due to an exposed GitHub token, resulting in a leak of 273GB of data, including IT documentation, infrastructure tools, and source code.

There are around 5 thousand repos (out of them less than 30 are additionally encrypted I think), 3.6 million files total, uncompressed tar.

The Times stated the breach was quickly addressed and there was no unauthorized access to internal systems or operational impact.

🔗 Bleeping Computer
🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks

Apple announced iOS 18 with several new features:

• Dark Mode and color tinting for app icons.
• Freely place apps on the Home Screen.
• Customizable Control Center with new gallery.
• Redesigned tapbacks and emoji reactions in Messages.
• Schedule messages and format text.
• Satellite messaging support.
• Automatic email categorization in Mail.
• New topographical maps with trails in Maps.
• Tap to Cash feature in Wallet.
• Redesigned Photos app with a unified view.
• Lock apps with authentication.
• Seamless accessory connection.
• RCS messaging support.
• Larger Home Screen icons.
• Reminders integration in Calendar.
• Game Mode for better performance.

Availability: Developer beta now, public beta in July, official release in the fall.

🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks

macOS 15 Sequoia has been announced:

• iPhone Mirroring: View and control your iPhone from your Mac, including custom wallpaper and app icons.
• Image Playground: Create images in Animation, Illustration, or Sketch styles within apps like Messages.
• Safari Highlights: Easier way to discover web information with summaries and quick links.
• Window Tiling: Automatically size and tile windows to fill the screen.
• Presenter Preview: New keyboard and menu shortcuts to organize tiles and backgrounds during video calls.
• Dedicated Passwords App: Manage and sync passwords across devices, including Wi-Fi and verification codes.
• Memories in Photos: Create stories from denoscriptions using AI to select photos and videos.
• Updated Messages: New text effects, emoji, sticker Tapbacks, and message scheduling.
• Enhanced Maps and Photos: New hike and trail routes in Maps, smarter Notes, and better Calendar/Reminder integration.

Availability: Developer Beta now, public beta in July, official release in the fall.

🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks

watchOS 11 has been announced:

• Activity Rings: Adjustable by day, can pause for rest days, and notify friends upon workout completion.
• Training Load: Tracks workout intensity using a new algorithm.
• Vitals App: Daily health overview, compares stats to historical data, and highlights anomalies.
• Cycle Tracking: Estimates gestational age and displays pregnancy metrics.
• Widgets: Automatically added to Smart Stack based on context.
• Live Activities: Introduced to Apple Watch.
• Photos Watch Face: Improved control and automatic cropping.
• Translate App: Available on Apple Watch.

Availability: Developer beta available now, public beta in July, official release in the fall.

🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks

Apple has announced tvOS 18 with these new features:

• InSight Feature: Identifies actors and songs in Apple TV+ shows, integrates with Apple Music.
• Enhance Dialogue: Uses machine learning for better vocal clarity on various devices.
• Auto Subnoscripts: Appear if volume is muted or video is rewound.
• 21:9 Format Support: For projectors on Apple TV.
• Fitness+ Redesign: Improved user experience.
• New Screen Savers: Includes Portraits, TV+ shows/movies, and a Snoopy screen saver.

Availability: Features coming later in 2024.

🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks

visionOS 2 has been announced:

• Redesigned Photos App: Supports SharePlay, converts 2D photos to spatial with ML.
• Hand Gestures: New gestures for Home View, Control Center.
• Mac Virtual Display: Ultra-wide version, equivalent to two 4K monitors, supports physical mouse.
• Additional Details: Higher quality view, ability to rearrange apps.
• App Rearrangement: Basic feature added for rearranging apps.
• Travel Mode: Now supports trains.
• Guest User: Saves guest data for 30 days.
• Developer APIs: HealthKit, TabletopKit for developers.

• Additional Features:
• Safari Enhancements: Watch videos in an Environment, immersive scrolling, Siri reads webpage content.
• Multiview Support: Apple TV app, watch up to five simultaneous streams.
• Mindfulness App: Includes "Follow Your Breathing" capability for calm and focus.
• Systemwide Live Captions: Assist users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• AirPlay Support: View content on Vision Pro from iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

• Availability: First beta available for developers, public release later this year.

• Expansion: Vision Pro launching in eight additional countries by mid-July.

🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks

Here's everything about "Apple Intelligence":

• Generative AI: Uses generative models and personal context to enhance user experiences.
• Writing Tools: Rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text across Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps.
  • Additional Details: Rewrite feature adjusts tone, Proofread suggests edits with explanations, Summarize condenses text.
• Mail Enhancements: Priority Messages section, summaries for long threads, Smart Reply, and identification of questions.
• Notification Improvements: Priority Notifications, summaries, and Focus mode to reduce interruptions.
• Notes and Phone Apps: Record, transcribe, and summarize audio, generate images with Image Playground feature.
• Genmoji: Create original emojis based on denoscriptions or photos.

Siri Enhancements and Privacy:
• Siri Enhancements: More natural, contextual, and personal, with typing support and cross-app actions.
• Privacy: On-device processing, Private Cloud Compute for additional compute capacity while preserving privacy.
• ChatGPT Integration: Access expertise, image understanding, and document-understanding capabilities.
  • Additional Details: Available for free without account creation, subscribers can access paid features directly.

Availability:
It will be integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, with ChatGPT integration coming later this year.

🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks

Apple unveils iPadOS 18:

• New Calculator App: Introduces a built-in Calculator app with history and unit conversions.
• Additional Details: Math notes feature for solving expressions with Apple Pencil, supports basic and scientific math, algebraic equations, real-time result changes, and graph generation.
• Redesigned Tab Bar: A floating tab bar that morphs into the navigation sidebar, customizable for easy access to favorites, and available system-wide.
• Additional Details: Document browser in Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.
• Math Notes in Notes App: Allows handwriting of expressions with automatic calculation and displays results in a handwriting-like style. Supports basic/scientific math and variables for algebraic equations.
• Additional Details: Smart Script capabilities to improve handwriting.
• SharePlay Enhancements: Enables tapping and drawing on the screen during sharing, and remote control of another person's iPad or iPhone.
• UI Animations: Refined animations across the UI for more responsive experience.
• Additional Details: New APIs for developers to integrate these animations.

Availability: First developer beta available starting today, public beta in July, official release in the fall.

🧑‍💻 @agamtechtricks