Software

At SIGGRAPH, Intel tried to sway the attention of the graphically inclined away from NVIDIA’s ray-tracing debut towards it’s upcoming discrete graphics card. That, however, won’t be coming until 2020. But while Intel will be busy fending off AMD and NVIDIA in that arena, it might also be busy fighting another battle that year. 2020 is also when ARM will make its big laptop play to take on both Intel and AMD. But its venture might fall flat on its face unless something important changes within that two-year wait.

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Google may be under fire again for allegedly working with the Chinese government to create a censored version of its Search engine but it doesn’t actually have to lift a finger for its technology to be used for that same purpose. A new web browser named Redcore has grabbed the spotlight in China for claiming to have developed a browser that has “broken the American monopoly”. Except that now its CEO is admitting that it did, after all, build it using Chrome, an American company technology.

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Microsoft has been giving Insiders a foretaste of features and changes that are coming in the next Windows 10 version. Naturally, it is presumed that those features won’t actually be arriving until that version rolls out later this year. That was definitely the presumption for the “Your Phone” app that promises a seamless connection between Windows 10 and, at least initially, Android smartphones. It turns out, though, that the app is now generally available to all, even on the current 1803 version of Windows 10.

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Early feedback from users has apparently prompted Apple to temporarily pull the iOS 12 beta 7 update. Users reported slow performance, including a delay in unlocking the device and when launching apps, among other things. Based on user reports, the performance issues eventually smoothed out, but Apple has removed the update regardless to fix the problems.

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Samsung recently presented the Galaxy Tab S4 as the ultimate productivity portable device but initial reviews have been rather scathing. Thanks to its timing, Samsung’s premium tablet is being compared to the likes of the cheaper iPad, the cheaper Surface Go, and, closer to home, Chromebooks. The latter, especially, is getting more and more talented and the latest experimental feature nearly turns it into that ultimate productivity OS. That is if you live and breathe Linux.

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This week some Snapchat source code - not ALL the code, but some - leaked and appeared on Github. That means more than a couple people had access to said source code - or fragment of source code - for a little while. Certainly long enough to download and keep for one's very own. Mercifully it does not appear that the source code leaked was too particularly important for the privacy of end users.

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Platform and device makers naturally want you to jump from your old device or OS and into their arms. It was only in the past few years, however, that they’ve actually taken steps to make that easier with migration tools that try their best to free your data, or even your apps, and bring them to your shiny new computer or phone. Now Apple is stepping up its game in preparation for the launch of macOS 10.14 Mojave with a new Windows Migration Assistant that can pull out even more user data from the old PC to the new Mac.

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Last month, Microsoft unveiled Skype 8.0, a redesigned version of the product that would ultimately replace the Skype Classic version. Microsoft had announced a September 1 deadline for Skype users to update to version 8.0, after which date Classic would no longer be supported. Users have been vocal in their opposition to both the upcoming deadline and the Skype 8.0 redesign, prompting Microsoft to backtrack.

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Ask Alexa enough questions and you'll eventually find one she can't answer. The personal assistant apologizes for its lack of a proper response, and now it has started issuing alerts when it finally learns the answer. The new ability is called "Answer Update," and it's exactly what it sounds like: a new answer to an old question. The user will need to enable the feature to use it, though.

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Microsoft’s adoptions of a “Windows as a Service” strategy has so far been a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it has ensured that Windows 10 users won’t need to wait too long for new features and, more importantly, critical bug fixes. On the other hand, Microsoft has been criticized for aggressively pushing users to update, often at inconvenient times. Those two sides will come crashing again in a few months as Microsoft starts reminding users to update their Windows 10 PCs or risk remaining unprotected in the scary world of connected computers.

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Microsoft tried, and tried hard it did, to corner both PC and mobile markets. It failed and is now practically left renting on its rivals smartphone platforms. That doesn’t mean, however, that it will have to settle for a less than ideal experience. Back its BUILD conference in May, Microsoft revealed its plans to seamlessly connect your Windows 10 PC and your phone with a “Your Phone” app. And now with its latest Windows 10 Insider Preview build (17728), it’s finally getting the ball rolling.

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Neato has released a software update for its Botvac D7 Connected smart vacuum, adding a pair of major new features. The vacuum itself is already available to purchase for $799 USD; existing owners will soon see an update notification from the mobile app. After updating, the Botvac D7 Connected will be able to learn the layout of more than one floor in the owner's home, as well as intelligently boost its charge to finish a job.

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