• 2025 California law requires OS vendors to obtain user age brackets to boost protection
• Linux community worried that a lack of commercial ownership make it difficult to enforce
• The change would also require vendors to share "only the minimum... information necessary"

A new California amendment bill aims to make most mainstream open source Linux distros, like Ubuntu, exempt from the state's upcoming age-verification requirements.

Passed in late 2025, the Digital Age Assurance Act was designed to shift the burden of age verification from individual websites to the operating system level.

Under the law, OSs are required to request a user's age bracket during device setup, which would go on to be exposed to apps and stores that offer age-restricted services.

Linux exempt from OS-level age verification law

The Linux community fought against the California mandate, warning that the open source nature of the software means it doesn't have the corporate ownership or account infrastructure to enforce such a policy.

The workaround amendment, introduced by the same lawmaker who passed the 2025 mandate (Buffy Wicks D-Oakland), has essentially redefined what an 'operating system provider' means. The change excludes any entity that distributes software under licenses that allow users to copy, redistribute or edit it – in other words, Linux.

This means that commercial systems like Windows and macOS will still be subject to the law. The amendment is still in its early stages (per Digital Democracy Calmatters), and needs to go through two chambers before being enacted.

As of April 20, 2026 the bill has two supporting organizations and three against.

The amendment also expands the existing Act to apply to browser providers and website operators, and requires OS vendors to send "only the minimum amount of the information necessary to comply with the Act."

"We also want to ensure that all online spaces where children can access, such as websites, are included within this age assurance framework and can comply with applicable laws," Wicks wrote.

• More than half of Macs and mobiles have critically out-of-date software installed
• macOS attacks are rising as are Mac shipments, amplifying the issue
• Software updates are designed to patch vulnerabilities

Vulnerable apps and outdated operating systems could be the biggest security concerns across Mac and mobile environments, new research from Jamf has claimed.

The firm found more than half (53%) of organizations have mobile devices with critically out-of-date operating systems, and even more (58%) are running outdated macOS devices.

As for the apps themselves, nearly all (95%) of the mobile apps assessed had at least one medium-severity vulnerability – combined with poorly protected operating systems, this could be putting sensitive company data at risk.

macOS and mobile are major culprits for running dates OSs

Three in five (62%) mobile apps also request potentially risky permissions, with one in five (21%) showing "privacy-impacting behaviors."

Although the operating system or app itself might not be enough to send a company downward, these vulnerabilities combined with human risks could spell disaster – a quarter of the organizations surveyed had fallen for phishing links which provide attackers with an entry point into a system.

Those vulnerabilities then enable lateral movement within a company's systems, intensifying an attack's impacts.

Jamf also touches on the evolution of threats, with many attacks now using zero-click, browser-based or chained exploits that don't require the active participation of a victim.

When it comes to Macs themselves, Apple saw a 16.4% rise in shipments between 2024 and 2025 (via Omdia) – the biggest growth of any brand including Lenovo, HP, Dell and Asus. Simultaneously, more than 26,000 macOS malware samples were identified in 2025. According to the company's research, nearly three-quarters (73%) of Macs now have at least one vulnerable app.

"Our goal with this research is to spread awareness among security leaders regarding the risks impacting their organizations," Portfolio Strategy VP Michael Covington wrote, "so that they can ensure threat detection, compliance enforcement and response capabilities are aligned with their Mac and mobile devices."

Though Jamf's research centers around macOS and mobile, other operating systems (including Windows) are not immune from similar attacks, but thankfully one simple, effortless action could prevent a significant number of attacks.

Keeping apps and operating systems up to date doesn't just address bugs and introduce new features – it also patches vulnerabilities and flaws to maximize security.

• Windows 10 still powers over two in five active desktops worldwide
• Enterprises delay upgrades through paid security extensions for critical systems
• Consumers keep older PCs active for light tasks and backups

Despite the end of free support for many Windows 10 versions, usage data still shows a slow transition toward Windows 11.

Statcounter figures for November 2025 place Windows 11 at 53.7% of active Windows desktops, while Windows 10 still holds 42.7%.

The data reflects both consumer and business devices and only samples a limited number of websites, which already limits how confidently adoption trends can be interpreted.

Upgrades to Windows 11 seem to be very slow

Even with this limitation, the persistence of Windows 10 appears difficult to dismiss, and the gap between both systems is narrowing far more slowly than many hardware vendors expected.

Enterprise environments continue to show a more cautious approach to large scale operating system change.

Many businesses still running Windows 10 now rely on Extended Security Updates as a structured delay mechanism rather than a permanent refuge.

Analysts describe this approach as strategic, covering critical systems tied to legacy applications and specialized equipment without current Windows 11 driver support.

In many organizations, funding for large scale computer replacement remains unallocated across wide sections of active device fleets.

The cost of migration extends beyond licensing and hardware and includes compatibility testing, deployment planning, retraining, and interrupted workflows linked to office software transitions.

One major obstacle for Windows 11 is the absence of features that force an immediate shift in enterprise purchasing behavior.

Outside the expiration of free support, there has been little clear incentive to interrupt normal device replacement timelines.

Hardware vendors report upgrade activity well behind earlier operating system transitions.

Dell executives publicly confirmed that Windows 11 adoption trails previous upgrade cycles by double digit margins at similar points following earlier support deadlines.

In an uncertain economic climate, enterprises appear reluctant to absorb large unplanned refresh programs tied closely to operating system deadlines.

Consumer usage data further complicates overall adoption measurements.

Many buyers of Windows 11 devices continue using old Windows 10 machines as secondary computers for limited tasks.

These lingering systems continue generating traffic that feeds public usage statistics.

In parts of Europe, consumers also continue receiving security updates without direct payment, which further reduces the urgency to replace functioning hardware.

Familiar workflows and attachment to existing productivity tools reinforce this delay across non enterprise users.

The available data suggests that Windows 11 growth reflects net additions rather than true replacements.

On paper, Windows 10 appears to decline slowly, as the data shows a limited operational advantage in Windows 11.

Via The Register

Windows 1.0 officially released to the public 40 years ago today (November 20), and despite its age, still has some common similarities with what users can expect from the operating system today.

Underpinned by the iconic MS-DOS command line, Windows 1.0 is notable in that it specifically required a computer mouse to navigate the graphical user interface (GUI). When the operating system first launched in the US it cost $99, equivalent to just over $296 in today’s dollars.

Europeans were made to wait a while for the OS, which arrived in May 1986 with the launch of version 1.02.

Windows 1.0 wasn’t exactly a hit, however. Reviews of pre-release versions were mixed, to say the least, with the iconic Byte magazine questioning its capabilities.

It didn’t fare much better upon official release, either, with users and industry stakeholders highlighting an array of complaints.

A key factor here was that it lacked compatibility with a lot of software currently out there on the market, making it less than ideal for those hoping to become a Microsoft shop. Combine that with the aforementioned performance issues flagged by industry commentators, and it wasn’t exactly a well-regarded operating system like Windows 95, for example.

Across its lifespan, Microsoft did a lot of tinkering and made some improvements, and its last release was 1.04 before being succeeded by Windows 2.0 in December 1987.

Notably, the operating system did keep trundling away in the background on a lot of devices globally. The tech giant only ended support for Windows 1,.0 in December 2001.

Some familiar features

Windows 1.0 did set the stage for Microsoft to take the OS market by storm, however, and it introduced some iconic features that you might still be using today.

Among these were Notepad, Paint, and Calculator. We’ve all used each of these tools over the years, and Paint in particular is having somewhat of a renaissance with the advent of generative AI.

Microsoft sneakily introduced a new beta scheme in September that allows users to test AI tools in the iconic program. It’s safe to say Paint has come a long way since 1985.

A Windows 1.0 easter egg?

Long time readers of TechRadarPro might recall a story in 2022 where users found an easter egg hidden away in the operating system decades after it launched.

In a thread on X (formerly Twitter), Lucas Brooks revealed the OS contained a list of developers who worked on it back in the early 1980s. It was rather hard to find, however.

Hidden dialog, which included a ‘congrats’ message upon its discovery, was placed in an encrypted form at the end of the smiley bitmap file, which was included with the operating system upon release.

Among the names touted in the easter egg was Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. Newell worked for Microsoft for over 13 years between 1983 and 1996 before leaving to launch the company.

• Windows 95 at 30 - Way ahead of its time, or the greatest Microsoft game-changer?

• IBM needed an operating system, Microsoft answered the call
• Shrewd dealing on Microsoft's part set it up for success
• The deal laid the groundwork for Microsoft to dominate the OS market

Seeking an operating system for its first personal computer, IBM was looking for suitors - and in 1980 Microsoft stepped in with an offer that changed the technology world forever.

The deal meant IBM had its long-awaited operating system, and Microsoft had a lucrative deal with one of the undisputed titans of the industry at that time. The only issue was that Microsoft didn’t actually have an operating system to use.

Reports over exactly how this deal went down are conflicting, but in the months prior to the Microsoft deal IBM had been in close contact with Digital Research, developer of the CP/M operating system.

Highly popular at the time, it appeared to be the perfect match for IBM, but the deal fell through. It’s here that Microsoft’s role in the whole affair was crucial.

86-DOS, developed by Seattle Computer Products (SCP) and known by designer Tim Paterson as QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) was licensed by Microsoft.

Paterson was hired to port the system for use on the IBM PC, and within a year the blossoming tech giant had purchased all rights for the OS from SCP for a fee of $50,000.

If you’re wondering why ‘DOS’ sounds familiar, it’s because the operating system was renamed ‘MS-DOS’, the company’s original operating system. Part of the deal with IBM included a clause that allowed Microsoft to sell the OS to other manufacturers, rather than IBM as a sole customer.

Within the space of a few years, MS-DOS came to dominate the industry, and was the primary operating system for PCs globally before being superseded by Windows.

Microsoft sparks into life

Microsoft was by no means a minnow of the tech industry by this point, having been founded in 1975 and establishing itself as a key player in the programming space.

With the emergence of microcomputers in the 1970s, Microsoft’s version of the BASIC programming language had become highly popular. The deal with IBM took it to new heights, however, and positioned the company as a leading developer of operating systems.

The story from there speaks for itself. When MS-DOS was merged with Windows 95, it played a crucial role in driving the popularity of the iconic operating system.

That operating system, underpinned by MS-DOS, truly set the standard for the tech company’s future operating systems, with key features of Windows 95 even remaining to this day.

Today, Microsoft is one of an exclusive group of tech companies boasting a market cap in excess of $3 trillion, sitting alongside Nvidia, Alphabet and Apple.

In the age of AI tools, the company has also emerged as a dominant player, having struck an early lead in the generative AI race through its relationship with OpenAI.

• Windows 95 at 30 - Way ahead of its time, or the greatest Microsoft game-changer?

As of 14 October, Windows 10 will become the source of major security concerns. From this date onwards, Microsoft will cease all technical support, feature updates, and – most critically – security updates for its older operating system.

This end-of-life (EOL) presents a serious challenge. Those organizations, individuals and devices that are still running Windows 10 will no longer receive critical security patches – and there are plenty that will be.

Our Kaseya Labs research has found that a staggering 30% of small- to medium-sized business (SMB) workstations have not yet upgraded to Windows 11.

That means millions of business computers will be exposed to unpatched vulnerabilities, effectively creating an open season for threat actors who know legacy Windows 10 machines are exploitable.

We’ve already seen how this can play out with 40%-60% of breaches worldwide involving unpatched vulnerabilities. Giving attackers a known target with such a large footprint makes it even easier for them.

In the last 3,000 Pen Tests our team has conducted, in over 15% of the tests we were able to compromise the network through unsupported Windows operating systems (mainly old version of Windows 7 and 2008 still on the network).

Why are so many machines yet to upgrade to Windows 11?

This volume of un-upgraded systems far exceeds what we’ve seen in previous Windows EOL transitions. In the case of the Windows 7 EOL in 2020, less than 10% of SMB machines were yet to have upgraded to Windows 10 at the same point in its lifecycle.

The stark difference in the number of unpatched machines is likely down to the strict hardware requirements that the Windows 11 update requires.

If your computer was built 2018 or later, it will probably meet those prerequisites. However, it is estimated that this leaves hundreds of millions of older computers worldwide which cannot be upgraded.

The biggest impediment is the need for machines to support Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM 2.0) – a security chip that generates cryptographic keys to verify the integrity and authenticity of the system.

Additional requirements include UEFI Secure Boot (instead of legacy BIOS), 64-bit CPUs (no older 32-bit CPUs) and minimum thresholds for RAM and disk space.

There are various registry hacks and bootable drives to get around Microsoft’s upgrade check, and while these may technically “work”, the system will still be considered unsupported by Microsoft and will likely lead to experience issues and incompatibility problems in the future. In other words, don’t go down this route.

Microsoft has faced criticism about leaving older machines behind, with some questioning whether the push to upgrade is motivated by the company’s desire to sell new devices.

However, the reality is that modern hardware systems such as TPM 2.0 and UEFI Secure Boot are required to make computing more secure. They’re necessities, and we can’t simply cover them with a band-aid, or kick the can down the road. Unfortunately, however, it is likely that many firms will do nothing, hoping that nothing goes wrong.

Hope is not a strategy. Imagine if your car was recalled for faulty airbags that could deploy at any moment and cause a severe injury – you wouldn’t drive around with that vulnerability without bringing it in for a fix.

The same applies here – the impacts could be serious. Only, the difference with cybersecurity is that there are many multiple bad actors actively trying to trigger that issue.

Organizations have three real options

Some organizations may feel that if they have “high end” security software (AV/EDR/XDR/SOC) then this will provide some level of protection.

However, if the underlying OS has a critical vulnerability that enables an attacker to remotely gain full access, no amount of security software will be able to protect the machine.

You may get lucky, and catch some activity, but any security professional will tell you it can’t be counted on if the OS is completely controlled by an adversary.

In reality, organizations have three real options: to upgrade to Windows 11; to decommission and replace their Windows 10 machine; or to purchase Microsoft Extended Security Updates (ESUs).

If you’re still running Windows 10 after 14 October, and are not getting security updates through the ESUs, it will become trivial for attackers to compromise the machine.

As Microsoft publishes security updates under the ESUs, attackers will be informed of the vulnerabilities and – if exploitable – they will automate their attacks to find machines that are running unpatched versions of Windows 10.

In essence, attackers will essentially be getting a blueprint of what to look for when these patches are released, and they will know millions of computers are running Windows 10 without the updates.

Further, by failing to upgrade, replace machines or purchase ESUs, it is highly likely that you will quickly become in violation of a variety of compliance standards that require companies to run supported software, and have the latest security patches applied.

If you have cyber liability insurance, you will also be voiding your policy if there is an incident and it is found that you are running unsupported and unpatched software.

ESUs must be purchased as a priority for un-updated systems

For these reasons, if you have failed to update or replace all systems prior to 14 October, the immediate priority must be to purchase the ESU for each Windows 10 machine that will still be used.

These can be purchased on an annual basis for up to three years, extending support until October 2028. For EDU institutions, it’s only a $1 per machine. For businesses, it’s $61 for the first year, with the price doubling to $122 in year two, and again to $244 in year three.

After you have purchased the appropriate ESUs, you should look to upgrade or replace systems as quickly as possible.

There will no longer be technical support or bug fixes, and so the further the days tick away from 14 October, the more valuable IT time and worker productivity will be taken up by maintenance issues such as implementing new drivers and new software. Software is not static, and issues will begin to pile up.

Acting quickly is imperative. Without swift remediation, organizations could quickly find themselves at the mercy of threat actors that are actively hunting for unpatched systems and looking to exploit known vulnerabilities.

Making some small changes now can save you from a world of hurt that will become ever more likely to occur down the line.

Can't find your Windows key? Wee list the best Windows product key finder software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Running an old OS like Windows 10 could soon pose cybersecurity issues
• Upgrading could reveal software compatibility issues, report notes
• The clock is now ticking to avoid a rushed Windows 11 migration

New research has uncovered some of the finer details around why many businesses are still being cautious with their approach to Windows 11 migration, with security threats and financial impacts proving to be major hurdles.

The report from Panasonic found nearly two-thirds (62%) of devices need replacing or upgrading for Windows 11 compatibility, highlighting the scale of the problem – a figure that rises to 76% among larger organizations with 5,000+ employees.

However, despite migration-related concerns, the study claims many organizations still recognize the benefits of upgrading from Windows 10 and older operating systems.

Businesses still have some concerns about upgrading Windows

Panasonic found 94% fear increased ransomware and malware risks if they don't upgrade, with 93% also concerned about data breaches. But two in three noted overall higher costs associated with migrating to Windows 11, with 55% stating that it could add to cybersecurity expenses.

Nearly half also noted software compatibility issues (47%) and productivity loss during downtime (45%), and for many (25%), hardware upgrades come with software upgrades, compounding the financial impact of OS upgrades.

However, with Microsoft estimating that ESU could cost around £320,000 over three years for 1,000 devices, the need to upgrade is clear.

Around a third each acknowledge that upgrading will give them better performance and processing power (36%), a more future proof ecosystem (36%) and access to AI features like Microsoft Copilot (34%).

Panasonic TOUGHBOOK Europe Head of Go-to-Market Chris Turner commented: "The window is closing for organisations to make a well-planned, measured and cost-effective transition to Windows 11 and start unlocking its benefits."

"Organisations that are still to undertake Windows 11 migration need support to ensure their deployment is not rushed and risky," Turner added.

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• Enterprise readiness for Windows 11 is improving but still uneven, says new report
• Healthcare and finance sectors lag in upgrading outdated hardware
• Migration is slowest in Americas despite most devices being upgrade-ready

Millions of enterprise devices are still running Windows 10, even as Microsoft’s deadline to end support for the OS approaches.

According to ControlUp’s latest Windows 11 Readiness report, half of all business-managed Windows devices have not yet made the switch.

That number reflects progress from last year, when over 80% of enterprise machines were still on Windows 10, but with support ending on October 14, 2025, time is running out for organizations still lagging behind.

Wide variation across industries

“While the 50% completion mark is a major milestone, it's not time to relax,” said Marcel Calef, Americas Field CTO at ControlUp. “Many enterprises still face hardware and planning challenges.”

The report analyzed over one million devices and found wide variation across industries.

Education and tech lead the way, with over 70% of systems upgraded. Healthcare and finance trail far behind, with fewer than half of their devices running Windows 11. Some healthcare devices are simply too old, with 19% needing replacement before an upgrade is possible.

Regional trends show the Americas are the slowest to move forward. Just 43% of enterprise devices there have upgraded, compared to 70% in Europe.

Notably, most of the un-upgraded machines in the Americas are technically capable of running Windows 11, but the switch hasn’t been made.

Larger organizations are also behind. Those managing more than 10,000 Windows devices have completed just 42% of migrations. Complex environments and aging infrastructure are slowing progress.

If your business still uses Windows 10, it’s time to take action. Start by checking which devices meet Windows 11’s requirements, like TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. Replace what can’t be upgraded, and plan phased updates for the rest. Prioritize high-risk devices, back up data, and keep systems patched during the transition.

If upgrading isn’t possible, reduce risk by limiting access to sensitive systems, enabling built-in protections, and isolating outdated devices. Make sure all updates are current and that you're running the best antivirus software and best malware protection.

Microsoft is fully aware that the deadline is bad news for a lot of companies and is offering paid support through its Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, open to individuals and organizations. It isn't cheap of course.

Third-party provider 0patch also plans to deliver security fixes for at least five years after Microsoft ends support.

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• Microsoft and partners have a new Windows resilience strategy for enterprises
• WRI shifts antivirus tools outside kernel for better reliability and recovery
• CrowdStrike and Bitdefender praise Microsoft’s new approach to security collaboration

Microsoft wants to avoid a repeat of the backlash that followed the 2024 CrowdStrike-related outage, and it’s launching a new framework to do so.

With its new Windows Resiliency Initiative (WRI), the tech giant is looking to harden the Windows platform against potential disruption.

Announced at Ignite, WRI is Microsoft’s strategy to build resilience into the core of how Windows operates - across updates, third-party integrations, and endpoint security.

Resilience isn’t optional

At the heart of WRI are three focus areas: ecosystem collaboration, practical guidance, and product innovation.

Microsoft brought together security vendors and government officials at the Windows Endpoint Security Ecosystem Summit in 2024 to begin that work. Since then, the company has been working closely with its Microsoft Virus Initiative (MVI) partners to improve how Windows handles security software and operating system updates.

Microsoft said the goal is to reduce disruption while maintaining high security standards. "Resilience isn’t optional - it’s a strategic imperative," David Weston, head of Enterprise and OS Security at Microsoft, said in a new blog post.

Security vendors are not just watching from the sidelines. Florin Virlan, SVP of Product and Engineering at Bitdefender Consumer Solutions Group, said, “Bitdefender is pleased to collaborate with Microsoft to redefine how security is delivered to Windows users. Through the Windows Resiliency Initiative and development of the Windows endpoint security platform, our teams have worked together to modernize the security architecture - creating a resilient, forward-looking foundation that enhances protection against evolving threats while maintaining a seamless user experience.”

Alex Ionescu, Chief Technology Innovation Officer at CrowdStrike, added, “We spoke at WESES last year to emphasize the importance of our industry coming together and, since then, have seen significant customer interest in the progress toward greater platform resiliency. Through this collaboration, we’ve driven substantial improvements to the planned capabilities for the Windows endpoint security platform, paving the way for a more integrated high-performing security solution.”

Part of the update is structural: Microsoft is shifting antivirus and endpoint protection tools out of the Windows kernel and into user mode. This change should make it easier to recover from issues and limit their scope.

Microsoft aims to release these capabilities to partners in a private preview soon.

Beyond security vendors, Microsoft is also updating Windows 11 to include new recovery tools and reliability features.

A simplified crash screen, faster reboot processes, and a new tool called Quick Machine Recovery will begin rolling out with Windows 11 24H2.

Bandwidth-saving tools like Connected Cache and secure, flexible printing through Universal Print are also being refined to keep businesses running with fewer interruptions.

Windows 365 Reserve, a new offering, will also allow users to shift quickly to a Cloud PC when their main device is out of commission.

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• We asked our readers about their thoughts on switching to a new OS
• Most of our readers are feeling pretty prepared
• Some think that the upgrade is just a way for Microsoft to make money

Installing a new Operating System (OS) isn’t as easy as it may sound, and often requires specific device features or knowledge - so we asked TechRadar readers how confident they were about upgrading, and found even our tech-savvy fans have some reservations.

We previously found a shocking number of people don’t even know what version of Windows they have, and many have unfounded confidence about meeting the requirements for upgrades. More exclusive research shows that many of our readers are still confident about upgrading their OS, but some might need a bit of guidance.

Almost two thirds of our readers are up for the challenge, with over a third (38%) saying; ‘bring it on - I’m pretty tech savvy’. Slightly more (41%) think it could be done, but they could ‘probably figure it out with some guidance’.

Money maker

Around 15% said they found the idea of a switch daunting, and a further 6% say they’d ‘rather not break things’ - which is all well and good, but as Windows 10 End of Life (which will come on October 14, 2025) creeps closer, those few that are unprepared may need a little push.

Despite this, the overall sentiment is pretty positive, with 37% looking forward to the new features and improvements, although 9% do express frustrations with the endless updates to keep up with - and many content with the system they have right now.

The OS transition does represent an opportunity to buy or sell hardware though, with 37% having already upgraded to a new laptop/computer, and 21% admitting to having a look at new devices on offer.

That might be just what Microsoft is counting on though, with one respondent saying they believe the OS end of life “is just a way for Microsoft to try and make money, since they know that previous OSes work just fine and that it is planned obsolescence.”

Overwhelmingly though, respondents said they would stay with Windows (72%), and only 3% reporting that they would switch to another like Mac, Linux, or Chrome - so even those who think the upgrade is a hassle seem to be loyal to Windows.

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Look, Microsoft, we need to talk. It’s no secret that you’ve been nagging me (and everyone else) to upgrade to Windows 11 for a while now, with everything from ads to in-OS reminders pushing me towards the settings menu to check if my PC is eligible for an upgrade. But here’s the thing, Microsoft: this path you’re on isn’t sustainable.

I mean this in a few different ways. Firstly, the extremely literal sense; Windows 11 forces a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 requirement, which for the uninitiated is a specific chip on your laptop or desktop’s motherboard enabling enhanced security features. No TPM 2.0? No Windows 11. Yes, I know you can technically upgrade to Windows 11 without TPM 2.0, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Is that enhanced security good? Yes, absolutely - but it effectively means that many older computers literally can’t run Windows 11, which combined with the impending Windows 10 End of Life is eventually going to result in a lot of PCs headed to the ever-growing e-waste pile. That’s a real problem in itself. But I’m not here to rant about e-waste (though it’s really bad). I want to talk about how users perceive Microsoft’s nigh-omnipresent operating system, and how its current trajectory could result in serious issues further down the line.

Chop and change

See, Windows is constantly evolving - from humble beginnings as an MS-DOS interface in the mid-Eighties to beloved iterations like Windows XP and 10 (and widely panned versions, such as Vista and RT). But over the years, there have long been whispers of a ‘final’ version of the OS; a ‘Windows Perfected’ if you will, designed to last forever with continual updates - or at least, designed to last for a very long time.

In a sense, what those hunting for this ‘last’ Windows iteration want is the same experience that macOS users get: an operating system that just continually gets free updates adding new features, rarely changes in a hugely significant way, and isn’t chock-full of annoying ads. Of course, it’s not quite that simple for Microsoft; Apple has incredibly tight control over the macOS hardware ecosystem, while Microsoft theoretically has to make Windows run on a near-limitless selection of custom- and pre-built PCs as well as laptops from numerous different manufacturers. Then again, keeping ads out of Windows should be as simple as it is for macOS, and that hasn’t happened…

At the end of the day, Microsoft doesn’t need to keep creating entirely new versions of Windows - it does so because outside of an Apple-esque closed ecosystem, that’s profitable, as system manufacturers will need to keep buying new OS keys and users will need to keep buying new systems.

Sure, there might need to be major overhauls now and then that leave some people behind - the TPM 2.0 debacle is perhaps one such example. But there are cracks in this methodology that are slowly starting to show, and I suspect it won’t end well unless Microsoft changes course.

Time for some defenestration?

If upgrading to a new OS is a lot of hassle for an individual (I’ve personally been putting it off for years, still using Windows 10 on my personal desktop), imagine how much work - and how much money - it takes for a large business to do it. Although Windows 11 adoption is finally on the rise, plenty of private businesses and public sector organizations are still stuck on Win10 or older, despite Microsoft’s insistence for us all to upgrade.

A 2021 report by Kaspersky suggested that 73% of healthcare providers globally are still using equipment with an outdated OS for medical purposes. Now, this isn’t just talking about Windows computers, but it’s a damning figure - a more recent investigation by Cynerio claimed that 80% of imaging devices are still using operating systems that have been officially EoL’d and are now unsupported, like Windows 7 and XP.

Healthcare is just one such sector, but it’s felt widely, particularly in sectors and countries where funding for hardware and software upgrades often isn’t readily available. Running an out-of-support OS can lead to a variety of issues, not least with security and compatibility. It’s not that these organizations don’t want to upgrade, it’s that they literally can’t - not without the significant expenditure of completely replacing the computer, and sometimes the entire machine it’s hooked up to.

Annoying ads

Lastly - and I’m going to be a bit brutally honest with you here, Microsoft - the slow but inexorable enshittification of Windows has got to stop. Ads, bugs, pestering notifications, the constant forcing of Copilot AI down our throats; just stop it, guys. Please.

I have Windows 11 on my laptop, and also the ROG Ally I used for handheld PC gaming. I’m no stranger to how bad it’s become. My dislike of Apple hardware is well-documented, yet macOS’s year-on-year consistency and total lack of ads is beginning to look mighty appealing.

Win11 feels less like a product you buy and own and more like an ‘OS as a service’ - something you pay for but don’t really own, and can be snatched away or heavily modified at a moment’s notice. It’s already a serious issue in the game industry, with triple-A games increasingly becoming less about providing a good, fun experience and more about extracting as much value from the player as possible.

Even Windows 10 isn’t safe from Microsoft’s meddling. At this point, I’m half looking forward to the EoL purely so that Microsoft will take its grubby little fingers out of my desktop OS. No, I don’t care about how great Windows 11 supposedly is now. No, I don’t care about Copilot and how it’s going to fix my digital life and cure all my worldly ailments.

Let me create a little analogy here. Imagine if you bought a car. It’s a good car, it runs fine and doesn’t give you any major issues. Then, a few years later, a new model comes out, and every morning, no matter where you park, the dealership sends someone to put a flyer on your windshield advertising the new car, or some other new offer the dealership is running. Every now and then, they also take away a small part of your car, like a wiper blade or a single tire nut. The kicker? You don’t want the new car, and you might not even be able to afford it anyway.

I just want a straightforward OS that runs smoothly and doesn’t become outdated every five years. Is that really too much to ask, Microsoft?

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• Windows 10 adoption has dropped to nearly one in two devices (54.2%)
• Windows 11 could even finally overtake in the coming months
• AI PCs are also boosting sales, report claims

Windows 11 is finally starting to pick up some real momentum as the flagship OS continues on its long journey to overtake Windows 10 – a milestone that could happen within the next few months.

A significant uptick in the first few months of 2025 means that Windows 11 adoption now stands at 42.7% (as of March 2025), with Windows 10 installs dropping to 54.2% (via Statcounter)

If recent trends continue, it’s possible that Windows 10 adoption could fall below 50% next month – Windows 11 overtaking Windows 10 might not be that far behind, either.

Windows 11 set to overtake Windows 10?

The sudden growth is largely due to the looming Windows 10 end of support, which arrived in October 2024, leading to widespread enterprise upgrades to avoid disruption.

Exploring 2024 as a whole, industry analysts from Canalys noted the use of aggressive holiday discounts to get consumers to spend more after a fairly stagnant year. The twelve-month period saw a mediocre 3.9% increase in PC shipments globally, but the firm remained optimistic for the year ahead.

“The PC market is set for accelerating growth, primarily driven by commercial demand as businesses prepare for the end of Windows 10,” noted Principal Analyst Ishan Dutt.

Enterprises are in the midst of refreshing hardware in order to make more systems compatible with Windows 11, though user interest has been fairly low with the OS featuring few stand-out apps and must-haves.

Since the launch of Windows 11, Microsoft has been busy shoehorning endless AI features into desktops and laptops across the globe in the hope that consumers and businesses might be more keen to upgrade, not to miss out, hence the emergence of a new category of PC – the Copilot PC.

AI-capable PCs accounted for nearly one in four (23%) of all PCs in the final three months of 2024; Canalys anticipates this figure to stand at 35% for 2025.

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• ReactOS is a free Windows-like OS built from scratch without Microsoft code
• A new version just launched after a four year wait with lots of changes
• The OS targets compatibility with Server 2003 - yes, you read that right

If you’re looking to move away from Windows, there are plenty of alternative operating systems to consider - from the many Linux distributions on offer to macOS (if you're open to switching to Apple).

One of the more intriguing options is ReactOS, which aims to be Windows, but without Microsoft - more specifically, it’s designed to be an OS that’s compatible with Windows applications and drivers, without using any proprietary Microsoft code. Unlike Linux, which is built on a Unix foundation, ReactOS reimplements the Windows NT architecture from the ground up.

It's currently targeting compatibility with Windows Server 2003, yes 2003, although it can run software like LibreOffice, Firefox, and some older versions of Adobe Photoshop. ReactOS integrates parts of the Wine project and even supports booting 64-bit Linux systems via its Freeloader utility.

Four years in the making

Originally launched as FreeWin95 in the late 1990s, it evolved into ReactOS with a goal of becoming a true Windows alternative.

Today, it looks like Windows 2000 in appearance and functionality, although compatibility is very hit and miss - some classic games and apps run perfectly well, while others crash or simply fail to launch at all.

The last named release, version 0.4.14, came out in December 2021, and since then development has continued apace, with new builds automatically produced each time a change is committed, although these releases aren’t tested in the same way as the stable ones.

Now, four years after the last stable update appeared, ReactOS 0.4.15 has arrived and you can download it as a boot CD or liveCD here.

The latest release offers Plug and Play fixes, audio fixes, memory management improvements, registry healing, and enhancements to accessories and system tools including Notepad, Paint, RAPPS, the Input Method Editor, and the shell.

As you can tell from the version number, 0.4.15, ReactOS is still in alpha, and will likely remain so for a very long time.

It may never reach beta, let alone ever be finished, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth your time.

You won’t want to use it as your daily driver, but take it for a spin in VirtualBox and marvel at what the team has managed to create here.

ReactOS, while impressive for what it is, will for many remain little more than a retro curiosity - but the team is planning some major additions in the next big release, which hopefully won’t take another four years to arrive.

Planned future features include UEFI support, a new graphical installer, a new NTFS filesystem driver, symmetric multiprocessing (SMP), power management, and broader application compatibility.

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• Director eliminated manual input, making computing more efficient and automated
• Seventy years later, Director’s legacy remains vital to operating system history
• Whirlwind I led to SAGE, transforming US Air Force technology

Seventy years ago, the foundation of modern computing was laid with the development of Director, the first operating system.

On March 8, 1955, its launch marked a turning point in computer science, shaping the evolution of future operating systems like Windows, and the various Linux distributions.

Unlike earlier machines that simply replaced mechanical computing with electronic components, Whirlwind I processed data using bit-parallel calculations, significantly improving speed and efficiency. However, as computing tasks grew more complex, the need for automation became apparent.

Automating computation with Director

Director was created for MIT’s Whirlwind I, a pioneering real-time digital computer developed during the Cold War at MIT’s Servomechanisms Laboratory.

Seventy years later, Director’s legacy remains undeniable. As the first attempt at an automated operating system, it revolutionized software design and set the stage for future innovations. Today, every modern device that relies on software to manage tasks efficiently can trace its roots back to this pioneering achievement.

At the time, computers relied on punched paper tapes to store and execute instructions, but switching between tasks required manual intervention. To address this, Director was developed as an early job control system, allowing Whirlwind I to manage multiple computing tasks without constant operator input.

Developed by John Frankovich and Frank Helwig, Director worked by reading a special Director tape, which contained predefined instructions that automated job execution. This innovation introduced batch processing, a concept that later became a standard feature in operating systems.

More importantly, Director laid the foundation for automated computing, influencing the development of IBM’s OS/360 and UNIX.

Whirlwind I’s impact extended beyond automation, shaping military computing with its role in the SAGE air defense system for the U.S. Air Force. Many computers in the 1960s adopted principles first seen in Whirlwind I, ensuring that both the machine and Director left a lasting mark on computing history.

Via Wired

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As one of the best network monitoring tools in the world, Wireshark is used by hackers and sysadmins alike to capture and analyze network packets across a myriad of situations for troubleshooting and logging.

As we’ll discover, it was also one of the earlier open source projects to cross the then prickly divide between Linux and Windows.

We talk to Gerald Combs and Loris Degioanni about how the project started and developed, and to discover more about their latest systemwide analysis tool, Stratoshark.

Linux Format: It’s nice to know people’s background, so what was your first experience with computers and how did you get involved with Linux and open source?

Gerald Combs: My first experience with a computer? I’m gonna be giving away my age here… My parents bought me a Timex Sinclair 1000 (the US ZX81 model), which was this tiny, very inexpensive, minimum viable computer. That’s what got me hooked. What got me into networking, I was studying computer science, took a networking class, and I got hooked from there.

At the same time as attending classes, I was working in the computing services department, and part of my job was to troubleshoot the network. They gave me this network sniffer. It was this device that weighed quite a bit. It cost as much as a luxury car, and I got to lug it around campus and plug it into different parts of the network and do troubleshooting.

After that I took a job at a small ISP that couldn’t afford a sniffer. It just didn’t have the budget for it and that’s what gave me the impetus to start writing a protocol analyzer. At this point, luckily, the PCAP library that lets you do packet capture had been released, so it was easy to plug into that.

Suddenly I had this analyzer and released it to the public. I released it as open source because at that time, I had used quite a bit of open source software and it just seemed like a really good way to give back to the community. As it turned out, this was a great move, because releasing it as open source let a whole bunch of people contribute, and that’s where we got our initial developer base. The project also just grew from there. We got a really big boost in our user community when we added in support for WinPCAP, which is kind of where Loris joins in. This let us expand our user base to Windows users, and suddenly we have this explosion of users and this large community.

Loris Degioanni: My first computer was a Commodore 64 – I’m old as well! The computer where I actually learned a lot of stuff and that made me a programmer was an Amiga. I was 14 or 15, and I got a summer job as a bartender in Italy. I got enough money saved to buy myself either a computer or a scooter. Everybody in Italy at that time wanted a scooter, and all my friends were buying them. I decided to buy the computer because I was so passionate about that, and that’s where I started programming. So, that’s what got me into operating systems and Linux.

From the very early days, I remember installing Slackware on my 486 with a tower of floppies, and going and using some of my savings to buy 60MB of RAM for my 486, so I could run X Window. Otherwise I could only run Linux on the command line. Those were the days when I was at university, I was studying computer science, really getting into software, and having access to an operating system where you had the source code and you could compile the kernel and study how it works and so on. And there was active development, and being able to contribute was so powerful and fascinating for me.

My story at the university continued with me getting passionate about networks, a little bit like Gerald, and I started working with a computer networking group at my university in northern Italy. As Gerald has mentioned, network analyzers were extremely expensive and were not really accessible. Very often, they were pieces of hardware, like suitcases, that you had to take around our computer networks. The professor thought that the best way to learn networks was to observe them and see what’s happening, see the packets go back and forth.

The problem is, we absolutely couldn’t afford to give a network analyzer to all of the students in the lab. And the other problem was that the labs at that point were running Windows. So, I got the project of hacking with the kernel of Windows to try to make a package capture library similar to the ones that were available for Unix and Linux. That was the first serious software project I did. While doing that, I also ported tcpdump to Windows.

I put all this stuff on the little server under the desk. By the time I graduated, that little computer under the desk was doing more traffic than the rest of the university combined.

And that’s how WinPCAP was born, and essentially it was the success of two people, me in Italy and Gerald in the United States. We’d never met in person, but we created two things that were complementary. He created the user interface part and I created the capture engine for Windows.

Linux Format: Just to whizz back, could you quickly go into a little detail about what packet sniffers are and why you then needed to do your own implementation?

Gerald Combs: As far as the actual network sniffer goes, it was a product of its time. They were trying to address the same problems we were, but they were developing it in the ’80s, versus in the late ’90s, so computers weren’t quite as fast. They had to get as much powerful hardware as they could into as small and portable unit as they could. They were called luggables and were suitcase sized. Maybe they had a CRT.

So, you were not only lugging around a computer, you were also lugging around two pounds of glass as a display tube. The computers weren’t fast, so you had to have special hardware for capture, so that included probably a full-length or half-length capture card with custom chips on it. So, that made it expensive and made it heavy, but it did the job at the time.

It’s just that by the time Loris and I came around, computers were fast, and you had things like Linux, where you could go and hack the kernel pretty easily and add something like LibPCAP, and network cards were cheap.

I should say that where Loris focused on Windows, I was kind of pathologically blind to it, because you asked about Linux experiences. Throughout the ’90s, I used Unix and Linux; that’s what we used at the ISP, and that’s what I focused on. I just had a minimal awareness of the Windows world for however that worked. It was very fortunate that Loris came along, because, that’s how we got our initial really big boost in the user community.

Linux Format: It highlights how important open source can be to people, with students learning and developing knowledge of how these systems work.

Loris Degioanni: Not only that, but I feel that the library I created was one of the first projects, if not the very first, that really bridged the Windows and Unix worlds. One of the reasons why I was saying the server under my desk was generating so much traffic is that I essentially enabled users to run tools that were powerful and popular in the Unix world, such as tcpdump, on Windows.

This was quite radical at that point. The tcpdump port for Windows was called Windump, so a different name. It wasn’t tcpdump for Windows, because the authors of tcpdump didn’t want to tie their name to Windows. In practice, this was quite game changing.

Across the decades, Microsoft had taken many steps to port the full Linux stack and Unix stack, all the tools, the shell, all this kind of stuff, to Windows. At this point, there was still a clear separation, not only technical, but philosophical and politically. This was essentially the first attempt to unite the two worlds and I think it was positive, not just for technical people who could use this tool on Windows, but it was also positive as a way to show a path for the Windows community to embrace open source.

For a while, there was a network analyzer created by Microsoft, that just wanted an alternative. But after a while, our open source tool was just better, more widely embraced by the community. Being open source enables your colleague or your friend to install it, then it’s easy to share information and to work together. So, it enables some workflows that not even Microsoft could enable on its operating system. It showed a path that has been followed by other projects, other companies, including even Microsoft. So, it wasn’t orthodox, but it was cool and exciting to be part of something like that.

Linux Format: You’ve almost answered our next question about developing the community around Wireshark.

Gerald Combs: One of my challenges throughout the entire life of the project has been keeping up with the community. I remember when I made the initial release, I think I started getting contributions the next day, and so early on, especially, it was kind of a struggle to keep up with the community, just because the infrastructure for hosting open source projects wasn’t there.

I had to go build everything myself. I had to go buy, say, a server off eBay, but it was this little Sun workstation, and go find hosting. So, I would trade consulting with ISPs around town, and ask, “Can I put my box here?” and then do that for a few months, and I’d have to go find another friend at another ISP and park my box there. Nowadays, you have GitHub and GitLab, and it’s very easy to plug all that in and just get up and running with an open source project.

I think Loris has mentioned in the past that Wireshark is the perfect open source project, because you can have a whole bunch of people developing protocol analyzers in parallel. If you know a lot about network protocols, typically you know how to write C code as well, at least enough to write a protocol detector for Wireshark. That really helped the project grow as well. You had all these experts from all these different industries going, “Hey, I can add this automotive protocol” or “I can add this telephony protocol,” and they all did at the same time.

Loris Degioanni: And I just want to remind you that especially in the early days, 1998-1999, there wasn’t GitHub, there wasn’t even Git. There was no social media, so even advertising your project was on newsgroups. With development, at least at the beginning, my releases were ZIP files.

It was a different world these very early days, so both from the technical point of view, but also from the community point of view, we sort of had to figure it out. There was a quick evolution during those times, not only on how to develop these tools in the open, but also how to talk to your users, manage your communities, and how to reach out to them, and how to receive their contributions and include them all, including licenses – all this kind of stuff.

Linux Format: So, what were the other main issues you had to overcome?

Gerald Combs: I hate to keep beating on Microsoft, but one of the things that really helped the project was the fact that in the mid-2000s, Wi-Fi was taking off, but it wasn’t quite reliable, not nearly as reliable as it is today. Windows XP had taken off, and we had a lot of users saying, “I’m trying to capture wireless on Windows XP, and it’s just not working.”

At the time, when you tried to capture wireless using the NIC drivers, they just shut the adaptor down, which wasn’t very useful. I got in contact with Loris and asked if there was a way to solve this problem. He’d founded a company here in Davis called CACE Technologies, and we decided that there’s a product to be developed here. Loris offered me a job, and that’s how I ended up moving from the Midwest to California, and in that move, we had to change the name of Ethereal to Wireshark, as my former employer had the trademark for Ethereal. You asked about challenges – getting licensing down, and trademarks down, and IP down has been one of those challenges.

Linux Format: You’re coders – you want to code, you don’t want to worry about legalese.

Loris Degioanni: It was a challenge, but it was also one of the testaments to how powerful open source and communities can be. Essentially, we decided that we wanted to do a company, and we wanted to build products around this network analyzer, and both Gerald and I and our business partner had zero entrepreneurial expertise or experience raising venture capital.

We decided to go rent an office and start building stuff, and doing consultancy to initially pay the bills, but we didn’t have the ability to acquire the assets of Ethereal, to be able to start the company around it. So, we formed the project. We picked a new name, Wireshark, we created a website, and we told the community, “We’re still the same people, but we are changing name.”

We picked the name; using an animal seemed like a great way to have good logos and good mascots. And in fact, you know, that proved to be successful. And the name Wireshark is memorable. Everybody who has done networks now knows Wireshark.

Linux Format: What is it that Wireshark does that’s made it so successful and where does it go next?

Gerald Combs: Wireshark’s job is to take all the packets that go across our network that it can capture and take that data and display it in a way that humans can understand. And it does this through a process called dissection. It takes every field in each of the packets and breaks it down and shows you. What’s the name, what’s the value, what are we looking at here. And that’s why I think it’s so successful, because it lets you see all the packets, it lets you filter them, drill down and do all sorts of analysis. That’s why I’m excited about Stratoshark – the intent is for that to be the same type of tool for system calls.

Loris Degioanni: Gerald and I are launching a new member of the Wireshark family. It’s called Stratoshark, and it applies essentially the same user interface, the same way to see discrete information and be able to drill down and take captures, apply filters and customize the columns, and all of this kind of stuff. But instead of doing it for network traffic, it does it for system calls and system information under Linux.

You can install this on your Linux workstation, a virtual machine, a physical machine, and it supports containers. You click the Capture button, but instead of capturing the network traffic, you essentially see all of the activity that is happening in the machine, the executed processes, all of the files that are open and closed, read and written, all of the network conversations, all of the data process communication.

It’s like an X-ray system that is going to be very familiar for people who are using Wireshark, but it’s a tool for Linux troubleshooting and security investigation, and we gave it a new name: Stratoshark. We’re excited after 25 years to bring a new flavor of Wireshark that is specifically designed and optimized to see inside the inner workings of a Linux machine and be able to troubleshoot at the process and system call level.

Linux Format: This isn’t expanding Wireshark or sitting beside it?

Gerald Combs: It’s a sibling application to Wireshark. It’s its own application that you can download.

Loris Degioanni: When we started working on this, we had a choice: do we just take Wireshark and add this functionality inside Wireshark and there’s a single tool that can do both things, or do we create a sister application that looks a lot like Wireshark, but it’s a separate tool that you can download? We chose the latter because there’s stuff that we wanted to make unique and optimised.

It could have been a bit overwhelming or confusing for users who had to switch between two operating modes. So, this looks like Wireshark, has the same filtering system, the same display system and so on, but there are also things in this tool – for example, the ability to track processes and users, the ability to display data in specific ways – that make it unique. We’re applying the Wireshark philosophy, but creating a new tool.

Gerald Combs: Along with that, when we were deciding whether or not to keep it all in one application or to split it, you have to keep the user experience in mind and what their needs are and how their workflow is going to be affected. If you’re focused on analysing systems, you really want a tool that’s dedicated to that and not have to wade through the huge Wireshark feature set, but if you’re focused on systems, you don’t want to wade through all the telephony and networking stuff!

Linux Format: This sounds as though it’ll have a wide application, are you aiming it at any particular deployments?

Loris Degioanni: The use cases are broad – they can cover anything from running these on your local machine to troubleshoot, system-level troubleshooting and observability to running these on cloud instances to see what your containers are doing, figuring out application issues or analysing an attack, which is another powerful thing that you can do, because Stratoshark is actually integrated in terms of capture analysing with Falco. This is another project Gerald and I have been involved with, which is more like a security camera for modern, containerised infrastructure.

Falco can generate signals, detect when there’s an attack and create the capture, and Stratoshark can analyze the capture. So, there’s actually a broad set of use cases, some which are more for personal use, which I really recommend readers of your magazine try, because it’s just fun and interesting to be able to take a capture of your system. There’s also professional applications for these in security and troubleshooting for modern infrastructures that are running in the cloud or in data centers and so on. The full spectrum of Linux applicability.

An operating system is the essential software that's needed to run your computer's suite of software. Everything from video games to web browsing, basic word processing, and more is down thanks to the OS, which provides a visual interface.

Depending on the hardware of your computer, your operating system could commonly be Microsoft Windows, Apple's macOS, Linux, or Google's ChromeOS. While there are others, these are four most common types of operating systems available in today's desktops and laptops.

With that said, there are many alternative operating systems available in 2025. These encompass everything from ArcaOS, Haiku, FreeDOS, Visopsys, and more. Depending on your hardware build and use case, these varying software solutions could be a better fit; some are even free.

What is an operating system?

Put simply, an operating system is software that runs everything on your computer. It manages and controls all other software by interacting with the hardware, such as your processor, RAM, storage, and graphics card, allowing hardware and software to work together.

This includes hardware functionality for your computer's input and output devices, as well as memory allocation, as a form of code that can be read and followed by the hardware. Without an operating system, your computer cannot function. The first mainstream commercial operating system was Microsoft's DOS, a text-based disk operating system for computers that ran until 1998 with PC DOS 2000.

It was Apple's Macintosh computers that commercialized (and popularized) a graphical user interface (GUI). Its primary goal was to be more user-friendly and less intimidating than the previous text-only command lines of Microsoft's DOS OS. However, Microsoft would launch its own GUI operating system, Windows 1.0 in 1985, its first foray into a more visual operating system. Fast forward to 2025, where we have macOS 15 Sequoia and Windows 11, the latest iterations of those operating systems, which are still going strong.

Types of operating system

The largest operating system by market share is Microsoft Windows which accounts for roughly 72% of operating systems installed on computers. This is due to the fact that Windows comes pre-installed in millions of laptops and desktops across the world, which stretches across a multitude of different OEM manufacturers. Additionally, Windows 11 can be purchased for use in computers that you can build from scratch.

In contrast, Apple's macOS can only be found in its line of MacBook laptops and Mac desktop computers. It accounts for roughly 15% of the market share, owing to the popularity of its machines such as the MacBook Air M3, MacBook Pro M4, and the 24-inch iMac M4, among others. Apple also manufacturers its own Arm-based silicon instead of relying on outsourced components which gives its devices a distinct look and feel, something that also extends to the operating system.

While Windows is a paid product and macOS is exclusive to Apple hardware, Linux is a completely free operating system designed for computers. As an open-source OS, it's available not only for computers, but also phones, handhelds, TVs, cars, and more. Based on the Linux kernel, it can be configured and tailored for a myriad of different purposes, but usually requires some prior knowledge to get running properly. In recent years, it has risen to prominence due to it powering SteamOS, which is found on the Steam Deck and Steam Deck OLED (for around 2% market share).

Google's ChromeOS is a cloud-based operating system that's designed to be as lightweight as possible. While you can install ChromeOS on PC, Mac, and Linux devices as well, its primary use is on lower-powered laptops (called Chromebooks) that are built around web use. This software is praised for its ease of use, tight security, speed, and Android integration through the Google Play Store. It is not as versatile as Windows, Linux, or macOS, but works effectively in providing the essential computing processes such as web browsing and word processing.

With that said, there are also different types of operating system depending on the use case, including Batch Operating Systems, Time-sharing Operating Systems, Distributed Operating Systems, Network Operating Systems, Multiprocessing Operating Systems, Single-User Operating Systems, Multi-User Operating Systems, and Cluster Operating Systems.

What do operating systems do?

There are many different primary functions of an operating system including the management of resources, devices, processes, files, and memory. However, your OS is also key to securing your computer as well as the handling of networking and error detection. It's the encompassing solution for you to use your hardware in as convenient and visual a means as possible.

Operating systems also control hardware components, such as your CPU, GPU, RAM, and SSD, among others. Input and output devices are also handled by the operating system, through installed drivers, like your mouse, keyboard, monitor, printer, speakers, and more.

Downsides of operating systems

A major downside of operating systems is the compatibility issues that can arise with new hardware and software, in some cases meaning that your devices may not function as desired. This could mean not having the full suite of features available from a new keyboard, mouse, webcam, or other device.

Additionally, operating systems are vulnerable to computer viruses and malware attacks which can corrupt your entire machine. Fortunately, you can stay safe by utilizing one of the best VPNs and the best antivirus software. If your rig is compromised, it can potentially mean losing all your data and files in a system-wide wipe.

Some operating systems, like Windows 11, update frequently and can introduce problems that spoil the user experience. There are situations where security updates can be halted as patches are rolled out. We have seen this with Windows 11 24H2 (and previous iterations). It's a similar story with iterations of macOS, as software features are routinely added and subtracted.

Operating systems may also need to update frequently, which can disrupt your workflow or gaming experience. While you can delay these usually, they must still happen or glaring security flaws may be present and could be exploited in your machine. Most updates can be handled in the background, but others may need to disrupt your experience, or force restarts. It's important to stay on top of updates, but that doesn't make them any less frustrating.

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DeepSeek has turned the AI world upside down this week with a new chatbot that's shot to the top of global app stores – and rocked giants like OpenAI's ChatGPT.

The DeepSeek hype is largely because it's free, open source and appears to show it's possible to create chatbots that can compete with models like ChatGPT's o1 for a fraction of the cost.

But OpenAI appears to now be challenging that theory, with new reports suggesting it has evidence that DeepSeek was trained on its model (which would potentially be a breach of its intellectual property).

Meanwhile, DeepSeek has also become a political hot potato, with the Australian government yesterday raising privacy concerns – and Perplexity AI seemingly undercutting those concerns by hosting the open-source AI model on its US-based servers.

Confused about DeepSeek and want the latest news on the biggest AI story of 2025 so far? Here's all of the latest news...

The latest DeepSeek news

• DeepSeek just insisted it's ChatGPT, and I think that's all the proof I need
• “This is a wake-up call" - the DeepSeek disruption: 10 experts weigh in
• OpenAI says DeepSeek used its models illegally, and it has evidence to prove it, new report claims
• Want to try DeepSeek without the privacy worries? Perplexity AI just launched it on its iOS and web apps
• DeepSeek has already dethroned ChatGPT – is it coming for Midjourney and DALL-E next?

A quick DeepSeek refresher

A bit confused about DeepSeek? Here's a quick primer. The free AI chatbot was actually released on January 20, but has exploded in popularity over the past few days as tech fans realized its significance. As the venture capitalist Marc Andreessen noted on X (formerly Twitter), "Deepseek R1 is AI's Sputnik moment".

The app is currently top of the free charts on Apple's App Store and Play Store in the US and many other countries, despite being made in China – which was the subject of a trade ban on advanced chips from the likes of Nvidia.

Ironically, it's those trade restrictions that appear to have sparked the ingenuity behind of DeepSeek, which was created using a tiny amount of the enormous compute power that's behind today's major AI models.

Benchmark tests show that it can perform tasks like answering questions and generating code as well as the current top AI models around. However, you may have trouble creating a DeepSeek account – it was forced to pause sign-ups following a major cyber-attack.

OpenAI's Sam Altman responds

OpenAI's Sam Altman has now publicly commented on DeepSeek for the first time, stating on X (formerly Twitter) that the AI model is "impressive" – and I can't help but hear that in the voice of Patrick Bateman in the American Psycho business card scene.

But he was also typically bullish about OpenAI's response, stating that "we will obviously deliver much better models" and that it's "legit invigorating to have a new competitor". Altman also doesn't think the news changes the picture in terms of chips, stating that "more compute is more important now than ever before to succeed at our mission".

The markets don't seem to agree, with the chip-making giant Nvidia suffering the biggest one-day market value dive in US history yesterday.

Will the DeepSeek hype last?

TechRadar's Editor-at-Large Lance Ulanoff has written a fine takedown of the DeepSeek hype – questioning whether the chatbot, which isn't yet multi-modal, is worthy of the column inches it's getting and (quite reasonably) suggesting that it's unlikely to last in the US, given TikTok's recent woes.

Commenting on the share price drops of Nvidia and others he notes "with almost no information or real proof that DeepSeek and its investors are being transparent and truthful, investors have started pulling their AI dollars from the US stock market."

Even if we do accept that DeepSeek is a breakthrough, there are understandable question marks about its longevity in the US. As Lance Ulanoff states "it doesn't matter how good it is; this app will not survive in the current US climate".

• Read more: Don't get too attached to DeepSeek – it'll never survive in the US

Is DeepSeek safe to use?

We've done our own in-depth comparison of how DeepSeek compares to ChatGPT, but since then some privacy alarm bells have been sounded about the app.

As noted by the BBC, Australia's science minister, Ed Husic, told ABC News earlier today there are lots of unanswered questions around "data and privacy management" with DeepSeek. "I would be very careful about that, these type of issues need to be weighed up carefully," he cautioned.

DeepSeek's privacy policy is quite open that "we store the information we collect in secure servers located in the People's Republic of China". That information includes your email address, phone number, date of birth and chat histories.

None of this is much different from the privacy policies of ChatGPT or Gemini, but the harvesting of that information in China – and the fact that it's combined with "actions you have taken outside the service" from advertisers – is bound to keep those alarm ring bells ringing louder in the coming days.

Who actually owns DeepSeek AI?

DeepSeek was founded in mid-2023 by the Chinese hedge fund manager Liang Wenfeng, who is the company's CEO. Liang founded High-Flyer, a hedge fund that uses AI to create trading strategies, back in 2015 – then according to a Washington Post profile, used that experience to develop large language models with his new DeepSeek company.

How close are DeepSeek's links to the Chinese government? Inevitably, the AI app's newfound success has garnered a lot of new attention, but it apparently hasn't always been considered an AI star inside China.

According to Matt Sheehan (an expert on China’s AI industry quoted in the Washington Post's profile), DeepSeek was "not the ‘chosen one’ of Chinese AI start-ups" and that it "took the world by surprise, and I think to a large extent, they took the Chinese government by surprise".

But DeepSeek is now far from an unknown – and it'll be interesting to see if or how it distances itself from the Chinese government in order to allay those growing privacy fears.

Nvidia calls DeepSeek an 'excellent AI advancement'

Beyond OpenAI's Sam Altman sharing his thoughts about DeepSeek AI and promising much more from ChatGPT, Nvidia has also publicly commented, calling DeepSeek an "excellent AI advancement."

The response came after yesterday's record-breaking $600 billion share price drop, the largest drop the shares have ever seen and largely a result of DeepSeek's performance and the cost of the AI model. Beyond being impressed by R1, it's clear that Nvidia wants to remain a key part of the narrative.

The complete written statement reads, “DeepSeek is an excellent AI advancement and a perfect example of Test Time Scaling. DeepSeek’s work illustrates how new models can be created using that technique, leveraging widely-available models and compute that is fully export control compliant. Inference requires significant numbers of NVIDIA GPUs and high-performance networking. We now have three scaling laws: pre-training and post-training, which continue, and new test-time scaling.”

President Trump says DeepSeek AI should be a 'wake-up call' for US AI companies

President Trump, only two weeks into his second term, has commented on DeepSeek, saying, "The release of DeepSeek AI from a Chinese company should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win because we have the greatest scientists in the world,” according to The Washington Post.

He described the launch of DeepSeek AI as a "wake-up call," adding that competitors in the United States – potentially OpenAI, Nvidia, and Google – must be "laser-focused on winning." Trump's comments were also likely a reflection of the DeepSeek news' impact on the US stock market. Most tech stocks slid, but AI GPU leader Nvidia had its worst day on record.

It's an unsurprising comment, but the follow-up statement was a bit more confusing as President Trump reportedly stated that DeepSeek's breakthrough in more efficient AI "could be a positive because the tech is now also available to U.S. companies" – that's not exactly the case, though, as the AI newcomer isn't sharing those details just yet and is a Chinese owned company.

DeepSeek doesn’t pass Navy muster

The United States Navy has issued a new warning to sailors, warning against DeepSeek AI due to 'security and ethical concerns,' according to CNBC. It seems that the alert was issued by the U.S. Navy on Friday, January 24, 2025, which is a few days before the app ultimately paused new sign-ups and experienced an outage on Monday, January 27, 2025.

As reported by CNBC, the U.S. Navy warning reads, "We would like to bring to your attention a critical update regarding a new AI model called DeepSeek,” the email said. The memo said it’s “imperative” that team members do not use DeepSeek’s AI “for any work-related tasks or personal use.”

The U.S. Navy confirmed the notice's authenticity and referred to its generative AI policy. The warning essentially amounts to a ban against DeepSeek AI and its various models, instructing the recipients to "refrain from downloading, installing, or using the DeepSeek model in any capacity.”

Seemingly, the U.S. Navy must have had its reasoning beyond the outage and reported malicious attacks that hit DeepSeek AI three days later.

A big OpenAI bombshell

Good morning and welcome to our DeepSeek liveblog. There's been a new twist in the story this morning – with OpenAI reportedly revealing it has evidence DeepSeek was trained on its model, which (ironically) could be a breach of its intellectual property.

That report comes from the Financial Times (paywalled), which says that the ChatGPT maker told it that it's seen evidence of "distillation" that it thinks is from DeepSeek.

That process is common practice in AI development, but doing it to build a rival model goes against OpenAI's terms of service. This was echoed yesterday by US President Trump’s AI advisor David Sacks who said "there’s substantial evidence that what DeepSeek did here is they distilled the knowledge out of OpenAI models, and I don’t think OpenAI is very happy about this".

As always with AI developments, there's a lot of smoke and mirrors here – but there is something pretty satisfying about OpenAI complaining about potential intellectual property theft, given how opaque it's been about its own training data (and the lawsuits that have followed as a result).

Whatever the truth, this is clearly just the start of the DeepSeek story...

What are AI experts saying about DeepSeek?

The DeepSeek story is a complex one (as the new reported OpenAI allegations below show) and not everyone agrees about its impact on AI.

We've gathered some expert opinions from across the AI spectrum to get a rounded picture of what it all means, and I'll go through some now.

Let's start with one that sits somewhere in the middle from Steve Povonly (Senior Director of Security Research & Competitive Intelligence at Exabeam, who are a global cybersecurity firm).

"The release of Chinese-developed DeepSeek has thrown US tech markets into turmoil; this is both justifiable and also perhaps, a bit overblown," he told us.

"The emergence of a technology that ultimately optimizes chip usage and efficiency is likely to apply pressure on existing large chip vendors, which is a very good thing" he added, which certainly seems to be the case based on Nvidia stock (which has rebounded after a huge drop yesterday).

"As the adage goes: "Pressure yields diamonds" and in this case, I believe competition in this market will drive global optimization, lower costs, and sustain the tailwinds AI needs to drive profitable solutions in the short and longer term" he concluded. That's certainly a positive spin on the story, but not one that everyone shares...

• Read more: “This is a wake-up call" - the DeepSeek disruption: 10 experts weigh in

A lesson in unintended consequences?

While OpenAI could now, according to the Financial Times , contest the legality of DeepSeek's training, many AI experts have commented that it still shows the limitations of US sanctions on Chinese tech – and even illustrates that they can have the opposite of their intended effect.

Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group (an international financial consultancy), told us: "This is a wake-up call for markets. The assumption that tariffs could contain China’s technological ambitions is being dismantled in real time. DeepSeek’s breakthrough is proof that innovation will always find a way forward, regardless of economic barriers," he said.

“By restricting China’s access to high-end semiconductors, Washington sought to slow its progress in AI. Instead, it has fueled an acceleration in domestic innovation, forcing Chinese firms to find alternatives. DeepSeek’s achievement is a direct result of this shift," he added.

“Rather than being crippled by US sanctions, Beijing has cultivated AI models that require significantly less computing power, diminishing its reliance on American technology and eroding US leverage over global supply chains" Nigel Green concluded.

It seems OpenAI could now be pulling a lever in response – with potential accusations of intellectual property theft, according to that Financial Times article. But it remains to be seen whether or not those claims are accurate – or if legal pressure can coax the open-source genie unleashed by DeepSeek back into its bottle...

Perplexity offers DeepSeek workaround

The DeepSeek furore has raised lots of privacy concerns from those who've scoured its terms and conditions – the standout line being "we store the information we collect in secure servers located in the People's Republic of China".

But because DeepSeek is open source, some potential workarounds have emerged for the data-concerned. One is Perplexity AI, which is now offering Perplexity AI within its (albeit paid) Perplexity Pro offering for both the web and, as of this morning, its iOS app.

There are limits on the number of queries, but it sidesteps two potential concerns – one around censorship (Perplexity claims its version is uncensored) and the other around those concerns about the chatbot sending your data back to the Chinese government.

A Perplexity Pro account does cost $20 (about £16 / AU$32) a month or $200 (about £160 / AU$320) a year, so it lacks the 'free' appeal of the original DeepSeek app – but short of creating a virtual machine inside Windows 11 to run it safely, this could be an example of an acceptable middle ground for the DeepSeek curious.

• Want to try DeepSeek without the privacy worries? Perplexity AI just launched it on its iOS and web apps

The growing DeepSeek skepticism

Not all AI commentators agree that DeepSeek justifies its hype – and somewhat echoing the thoughts of TechRadar's Editor-at-Large Lance Ulanoff (see 'Don't get too attached to DeepSeek – it'll never survive in the US') are the observations of Dan Goman (CEO of Ateliere Creative Technologies) below.

For our expert DeepSeek commentary roundup, he told us: "The market’s reaction to the latest news surrounding DeepSeek is nothing short of an overcorrection. While the enthusiasm around breakthroughs in AI often drives headlines and market speculation, this feels like yet another case where excitement has outpaced evidence. Investors should be cautious about blindly jumping on the hype train without asking the tough questions", he noted.

"In summary, while Deepseek’s story is intriguing, it’s imperative to separate fact from speculation. The market needs to temper its enthusiasm and demand more transparency before awarding DeepSeek the crown of AI innovation. Until then, skepticism remains a healthy and necessary stance" he added.

This morning's recovery in Nvidia's stock seems to suggest that there was something of an overcorrection yesterday, but DeepSeek's impact does still feel significant – particularly given OpenAI's reported claims (reported by the Financial Times) that it could have an intellectual property claim against its Chinese rival.

• Read more: “This is a wake-up call" - the DeepSeek disruption: 10 experts weigh in

John-Anthony Disotto, TechRadar's resident Senior AI Writer, taking over this DeepSeek live coverage.

It feels like a lifetime ago I was writing my first impressions of DeepSeek on Monday morning. Since then everything has changed, with the tech world seemingly scurrying to keep the stock markets from crashing and huge privacy concerns causing alarm.

Over the next hour or so, I'll be going through my experience with DeepSeek from a consumer perspective and the R1 reasoning model's capabilities in general. There's plenty to talk about, so stay tuned to TechRadar's DeepSeek live coverage for all the latest news on the biggest topic in AI.

In my comparison between DeepSeek and ChatGPT, I found the free DeepThink R1 model on par with ChatGPT's o1 offering. I pitted the two against each other with different problems to see what answer each model could come up with.

While I'm aware asking questions like this might not be how you'd use these reasoning models on a daily basis they're a good way to get an idea of what each model is truly capable of.

The first problem I asked was: Find the missing word: Apple, Red, Coal

To be perfectly honest, I think this is a fairly simple problem that both models should've been able to solve without any issues or guidance.

ChatGPT o1 not only took longer than DeepThink R1 but it also went down a rabbit hole linking the words to the famous fairytale, Snow White, and missing the mark completely by answering "Snow".

DeepThink R1, on the other hand, guessed the correct answer "Black" in 1 minute and 14 seconds, not bad at all.

I also asked both models to finish an impossible sequence: house, Saturn, dog, burger, ?

The correct answer would’ve been to acknowledge an inability to answer the problem without further details but both reasoning models attempted to find an answer anyway.

Both reasoning models attempted to find an answer and gave me a completely different one. DeepThink R1 answered “yellow” because it thought the words were related to their color (white house, yellow Saturn, brown dog, yellow burger). ChatGPT o1, on the other hand, answered “car” because it found the sequence almost impossible but decided to offer answers based on “a common puzzle approach.” The approach it chose to offer up was linking each item into the bigger category it belongs to (house = building, Saturn = planet, dog = animal, burger = food, and car = vehicle).

Questions like this, with no proper answer often stump AI reasoning models, but o1's ability to offer a solution rather than the actual answer is a better outcome in my opinion.

Are you worried about DeepSeek?

Privacy and security is a huge talking point at the moment in the DeepSeek discussion. TechRadar's Rob Dunne has compiled extensive research and written an excellent article titled "Is DeepSeek AI safe to use? Think twice before you download DeepSeek for the time being".

In the article he writes, "While nothing has explicitly gone wrong as yet, it's advisable to approach DeepSeek with caution. In online privacy, if something seems oddly cheap, you're usually paying with something other than money - like your sensitive personal data."

OpenAI vs DeepSeek

If you're just joining us, we've woken up to a major bombshell from OpenAI. According to a new report from The Financial Times, OpenAI has evidence that DeepSeek illegally used the company's proprietary models to train its own open-source LLM, called R1.

TechRadar's AI Editor, Graham Barlow, writes in his latest article "In the article the FT writes that a source at OpenAI claims it has evidence of “distillation” occurring, which is a technique used by developers to leapfrog on the work done by larger models to achieve similar results at a much lower cost."

"The OpenAI terms of service clearly state that users cannot copy any of its service or “use output to develop models that compete with OpenAI.”

OpenAI says DeepSeek used its models illegally, and it has evidence to prove it, new report claims

DeepSeek pulled from Italian App Store

If you live in Italy and haven't installed DeepSeek already you may have missed your chance as the AI chatbot has been pulled from the Italian App Store.

ChatGPT was previously removed in the country in 2023 while the Italian Data Regulator conducted research to ensure it complied with regulations. Not long after ChatGPT returned to the Italian App Store.

It will be interesting to see how long DeepSeek remains unavailable and whether or not other countries will follow suit.

OpenAI and Microsoft team up (again)

Not much to see here... Just OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman taking a selfie with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and claiming the next phase of Microsoft and OpenAI's partnership is "gonna be much better than anyone is ready for!"

Even if DeepSeek doesn't stick around for long it has had a massive impact on the status quo.

IP expert comments

Linking back to the accusation that DeepSeek has trained its reasoning model R1 on OpenAI's models, we've received a quote from Tom Furnival, Partner at European IP firm Mewburn Ellis who said:

"OpenAI have a tricky line to walk here, having a public policy on their own website to only use their patents defensively. Their portfolio is also, as far as we can determine, not particularly focused around the training of LLMs but rather the use of already trained models in different contexts."

"It’s also interesting to note that OpenAI’s comments seem (possibly deliberately) vague on the type(s) of IP right they intend to rely on in this dispute. This serves to highlight that there is currently some uncertainty about how best to use IP rights to protect the type of development OpenAI has been investing in.”

DeekSeek updates its status

New registrations for DeepSeek still appear to be down, but a quick look at the DeepSeek status page reveals that it's added a new update status with the new English text: "Identified - The issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented."

This has to be good news for everybody who hasn't got a DeepSeek account yet, but would like to try it to find out what the fuss is all about. We'll let you know when the status updates again.

A deep dive into DeepSeek’s search ability

We’ve looked at ChatGPT vs DeepSeek already on TechRadar, but what happens when you compare just the AI search feature on both platforms?

That’s what we got our writer Eric Hal Schwartz to have a look at in a new article on our site that’s just gone live. In the article Eric puts the two LLMs through their paces before deciding that ultimately he’s going to stick with ChatGPT:

“I understand why DeepSeek has its fans. It’s free, good at fetching the latest info, and a solid option for users. I just feel like ChatGPT cuts to the heart of what I'm asking, even when it's not spelled out.”

US Navy bans use of DeepSeek "in any capacity".

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the US Navy has banned use of the Chinese-owned DeepSeek “in any capacity,” due to “potential security and ethical concerns.”

The report from CNN states that the email banning its use was sent round last Friday, as the buzz around DeepSeek was starting to grow.

Creating a Windows 11 virtual machine to run DeepSeek AI

If you're keen to try DeepSeek AI but want to do so safely and securely, we have a new guide detailing exactly that. TechRadar's Matt Hanson created a Windows 11 virtual machine to use DeepSeek AI within a sandbox.

The big win with this route is that since DeepSeek AI is within a virtual sandbox, it will not have access to your personal files and data. This makes it a much safer way to test the software, especially since there are many questions about how DeepSeek works, the information it has access to, and broader security concerns.

Our full guide, which includes step-by-step instructions for creating a Windows 11 virtual machine, can be found here. And as Hanson writes, "It's always better to be safe than sorry."

A look at DeepSeek on an iPhone

As more folks begin to get access to DeepSeek, the R1 model will continue to get put to the test. And while I – Hello there, it’s Jacob Krol again – still don’t have access, TechRadar’s Editor-at-Large, Lance Ulanoff, is now signed in and using DeepSeek AI on an iPhone, and he’s started chatting… well, typing.

Of course, why not start by testing to see what kind of responses DeepSeek AI can provide and ask about the service's privacy? The screenshots below definitely speak for themselves, but when asked for information on Tiananmen Square, DeepSeek responded that it can only provide “helpful and harmless responses.”

Considering the security and privacy concerns around DeepSeek AI, Lance asked if it can see everything he types on his phone versus what is sent through the prompt box. DeepSeek AI wrote, “I only process and respond to the text you directly input into this chat interface. Your privacy and data security are important, and I am designed to respect and protect them.”

Indeed, a good response and stance, but when Lance asked for more specifics, like how DeepSeek AI was trained, it didn’t respond and offered what seems like a default response.

DeepSeek R1 lands on Azure AI Foundry and GitHub

Microsoft is making some news alongside DeepSeek by rolling out the company's R1 model, which has taken the AI world by storm in the past few days, to the Azure AI Foundry platform and GitHub. Now, it's not the identical model processing your asks on DeepSeek's own tech, but this is the open-source version of the model that dropped earlier.

Asha Sharma, Corporate Vice President of AI Platform, wrote, "One of the key advantages of using DeepSeek R1 or any other model on Azure AI Foundry is the speed at which developers can experiment, iterate, and integrate AI into their workflows."

This is part of a published blog post on the news that DeepSeek R1 was landing on Azure AI Foundry and GitHub. Sharma noted that the rapid accessibility to this model and others "is central to our vision for Azure AI Foundry: bringing the best AI models together in one place to accelerate innovation and unlock new possibilities for enterprises worldwide."

The addition of the model comes at the same time as DeepSeek's being scrutinized for how it trained its models. Even so, Sharma does write that a distilled version of DeepSeek R1 will soon be available to run on Copilot+ PCs.

DeepSeek is partly down

It's Graham Barlow, Senior AI Editor on TechRadar taking over the DeepSeek Live blog. There has been no update to the DeepSeek status page since the last time we reported it, but here in the UK trying to access deepseek.com from the UK via a web browser just results in the connection timing out at the moment, so access seems to still be problematic.

On mobile I can use the DeepSeek chatbot fine, but the search function is giving me the message: "Sorry, DeepSeek search service is busy. Please disable search or try again later."

Is DeepSeek a win for Apple?

Could Apple emerge from the current turmoil of the AI market as the real winner? Tomos Goger, CEO of Rossum writing for TechRadar Pro thinks so. Referring to the release of the R1 model by DeepSeek he says:

"This breakthrough means Apple can now develop competitive AI models without the multi-billion-dollar investments previously required. By staying out of the early stages of the AI arms race, Apple may have saved billions."

Tim Cook must be rubbing his hands with glee that Apple didn't rush in with a massive investment in AI, which Microsoft clearly did. It looks like its strategy of not taking the lead could be paying off.

Alibaba claims that its new Qwen2.5-Max AI is superior to DeepSeek

Given the speed with which new AI large language models are being developed at the moment it should be no surprise that there's already a new Chinese rival to DeepSeek. Developed by Chinese tech company Alibaba, the new AI, called Qwen2.5-Max is claiming to have beaten both DeepSeek-V3, Llama-3.1 and ChatGPT-4o on a number of benchmarks.

You can try Qwen2.5-Max yourself using the freely available Qwen Chatbot.

New DeepSeek security concerns

Cybersecurity researchers Wiz claim to have discovered a new DeepSeek security vulnerability. Wiz claims to have gained full operational control of the database that belongs to DeepSeek within minutes.

"The vulnerability was discovered after two open ports were found that lead directly to the ClickHouse database without any authentication checks. Upon further investigation, the researchers discovered they were able to run commands in the HTTP interface to access over 1 million sensitive log entries", writes Benedict Collins for TechRadar Pro.

DeepSeek still having a "major incident"

DeepSeek is still having a "major incident" according to Isdown with 52 users reporting incidents with it in the last 30 minutes. Anecdotally, I can now get to the DeepSeek web page and ask it queries, which seems to work well, but any attempt to use the Search feature falls flat.

We'll post more updates when we have them.

Why does DeepSeek think it is ChatGPT?

There have been multiple reports of DeepSeek referring to itself as ChatGPT when answering questions, a curious state of affairs that does nothing to combat the accusations that it stole its training data by distilling it from OpenAI.

TechRadar's US Editor in Chief, Lance Ulanoff, experienced the same phenomena himself when he asked DeepSeek-R1 "Are you smarter than Gemini?" In response DeepSeek referred to itself as ChatGPT on more than one occasion.

Lance writes: "I think I've been clear about my DeepSeek skepticism. Everyone says it's the most powerful and cheaply trained AI ever (everyone except Alibaba), but I don't know if that's true. To be fair, there's a tremendous amount of detail on GitHub about DeekSeek's open-source LLMs. They at least appear to show that DeepSeek did the work."

These are the Copilot+ PCs that will get DeepSeek R1

Considering that Microsoft tucked in some extra consumer news alongside announcing that DeepSeek R1 was launching on Azure AI Foundry and GitHub, you're likely more curious about how the AI model might arrive on Copilot+ PC.

What we knew from the announcement is that smaller versions of R1 would arrive on those PC types, and now we're learning a bit more. For one, it's not the full DeepSeek R1 package; it's a smaller, less powerful version that will be able to run on the Copilot+ PCs, and there will be multiple versions. The first is DeepSeek-R1-Distill-Qwen-1.5B, which is out now in Microsoft's AI Toolkit for Developers.

You'll first need a Qualcomm Snapdragon X-powered machine and then roll out to Intel and AMD AI chipsets. And if you're curious about getting it working on a Copilot+ PC, check out this story from TechRadar's Hamish Hector.

Apple CEO Tim Cook comments on DeepSeek

Apple CEO Tim Cook shared some brief thoughts on DeepSeek during the January 30, 2025, earnings call. The comments came during the question section of Apple's 2025 first-quarter earnings call when an analyst asked Cook about DeepSeek and Apple's view.

Cook called DeepSeek's arrival a 'good thing,' saying in full, "I think innovation that drives efficiency is a good thing." Likely speaking, too, DeepSeek's R1 model, which the company claims was more efficient and less expensive to build than competing models. This was likely done through DeepSeek's building methods and using lower-cost GPUs, though how the model itself was trained has come under scrutiny.

Either way, DeepSeek is a disruptor in the tech and AI space, as other companies have noted. Before Tim Cook commented today, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, and many others have commented, which you can read earlier in this live blog.

Cook also took the time to call out Apple's approach of owning the hardware, silicon, and software, which affords them tight integration.

DeepSeek is still (partly) down

DeepSeek still seems to be experiencing severe issues. For me, going to www.deepseek.com in a browser results in a connection timeout, however the mobile app appears to be working fine, unless you want to use the search function, which now displays a new message: "(Due to technical issues, the search service is temporarily unavailable.)", before launching a standard DeepSeek query instead of a live web search.

The DeepSeek Status page is currently displaying a "Degraded service" message while the most recent update says "Monitoring - A fix has been implemented and we are monitoring the results."

How DeepSeek has disrupted an entire industry

Don't miss this fascinating look at how DeepSeek has managed to disrupt the entire AI industry, seemingly overnight from Andres Indset, founder of Njordis Group, writing for TechRadar Pro.

"DeepSeek is reported to have only about 150 engineers, each earning in the range of $70–100k, which is eight to ten times lower than top engineering salaries in Silicon Valley."

OpenAI comment on DeepSeek

In case you missed it, here's OpenAI's statement on DeepSeek:

“We know that groups in the PRC are actively working to use methods, including what’s known as distillation, to try to replicate advanced U.S. AI models. We are aware of and reviewing indications that DeepSeek may have inappropriately distilled our models, and will share information as we know more. We take aggressive, proactive countermeasures to protect our technology and will continue working closely with the U.S. government to protect the most capable models being built here.”

How DeepSeek did it

If you'd like a really detailed breakdown of how DeepSeek has managed to produce its incredible efficiency gains then let me recommend this deep dive into the subject by Wayne Williams.

Wayne writes: "It’s easy to be skeptical of DeepSeek and the claims made regarding its training, but the paper reveals some of the magic the developers came up with to make the most of the crippled hardware they had to work with. This includes the creation of the DualPipe algorithm for efficient pipeline parallelism."

I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss Valve's Steam OS after moving away from the Steam Deck for the Asus ROG Ally in 2023. Microsoft's Windows 11 24H2 is currently a total nightmare for PC users, and it's no secret that the brand hasn't shown much care to handheld PC gamers, despite cries for an improved user experience.

While I've still got my eyes locked in on an upgrade from the ROG Ally with the likes of the new Acer Blaze 11, Lenovo Legion Go S, or the MSI Claw 8 AI+ handheld options, I stumbled across Bazzite - a cloud native image built from Fedora Atomic Desktops, which provides users with a Linux experience, notably like SteamOS. This is done by downloading an ISO according to your hardware, which literally allows you to run SteamOS on your desktop PC. Yes, you heard that right.

Big Picture Mode on Steam using Windows certainly has similar basic functions in terms of its user interface. Still, it doesn't come close to what SteamOS offers, and Windows 11 (besides the recent hellish 24H2 update) doesn't cater to handheld gaming needs, only recently promising improvements soon.

Despite Valve's confirmation of SteamOS making its way to other handhelds starting in April this year (launching on the Legion Go S in May), Bazzite is still a fantastic way to experience what the Steam Deck has to offer while you wait, without replacing your more powerful handheld for one.

You can still use Windows 11 with Bazzite SteamOS installed

Minus the slightly slower responsiveness with the home screen's menu buttons, Bazzite's SteamOS operates in the exact same manner as legitimate SteamOS would. Bazzite provides features that you wouldn't have access to on Windows 11 using the Asus ROG Ally like a quick resume after setting your device to sleep, and a simple straightforward performance overlay that isn't buggy.

The biggest benefit of all is that you can easily switch between Windows 11 and Bazzite SteamOS when dual booting (if you have enough storage space on your internal drive). This requires you to create two different partitions for both unless you intend on keeping the custom SteamOS on an external drive.

So features like AFMF 2 that are only available when on Windows 11 (at least for now), can easily be accessed by playing games on Microsoft's operating system instead - games that use anti-cheat like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 are still not capable of running on SteamOS, so a dual boot is very ideal in this case.

As well as gaining the benefits of Valve's fantastic operating system, you'll be able to enable VRR (variable refresh rate) - this is one of the most vital aspects of handheld gaming PCs, eliminating screen tearing and stutters for smoother frame rates by ensuring your display's refresh rate and your game's frame rate are matched.

Is there any point in using a Steam Deck or Bazzite now that Valve is bringing SteamOS to other handheld gaming PCs?

If you're like me, infuriated by Windows 11's 24H2 issues (especially for gaming), then installing Bazzite on your handheld for now while you wait is a great option. Besides SteamOS' general availability, it will come installed on the Lenovo Legion Go S in May starting at $499 - this will likely outperform the Steam Deck using the new AMD Z2 Go processor, which also may defeat the purpose of buying Valve's handheld.

In both the short and long term, Bazzite will remain useful to handheld and desktop PC gamers since it can also be installed on your beefy system as previously mentioned. So if you're adamant about getting a much sleeker and convenient user experience for gaming right now, Bazzite is your best friend.

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Armari has been producing some of the best workstations in the UK market for decades and, together with Scan, is often the first to send us the latest technology. The Magnetar M64T7-AW1650G4 isn’t the only system this month to sport one of the recently released non-Pro AMD Ryzen Threadrippers, but it’s the only one to opt for the 64-core iteration.

The Threadripper 7980X has a base 3.2GHz clock across its 64 cores (with 128 threads) and a maximum boost of 5.1GHz. The most obvious difference between the two variants of the Threadripper is that the Pro version supports eight-channel memory, and the non-Pro variant has a quad-channel controller, so will have lower RAM bandwidth. However, the Pro also has 128 PCI Express 5 lanes whereas the non-Pro only offers 48, plus 24 PCI Express 4 lanes. So the Pro will support a greater number of fast peripherals, such as networking and GPUs. Unless you need the memory and peripheral bandwidth, the non-Pro is much cheaper and therefore more cost-effective.

Armari has taken advantage of the quad memory channels by providing four 32GB DDR5 DIMMs running at 5,600MHz, for a total of 128GB. This will be enough for now, although several manufacturers this month have provided a lot more. The Asus Pro WS TRX50 Sage WiFi motherboard supports up to 1TB of memory.

Although the vanilla Threadripper is cheaper than the equivalent Pro, it’s still expensive, so Armari has been more conservative about its graphics acceleration choice. Instead of the range-topping AMD Radeon Pro W7900, the GPU is the W7800 that sits one rung below. This has 4,480 Stream processors instead of 6,144, and 32GB of GDDR6 frame buffer instead of 48GB, with 576GB/sec of bandwidth instead of 864GB/sec.

Also, while there are two storage drives in this system, Armari hasn’t supplied a smaller, faster one for the operating system and applications alongside a larger, slower one for media. Instead, there are two 2TB Crucial T700 M.2 NVMe devices operating at PCI Express 5 speeds. These have been combined using the motherboard’s built-in array capability into a single 4TB RAID0 device. This configuration delivers a staggering 16,134MB/sec of sustained reading and 22,655MB/sec writing (as measured by CrystalDiskMark 8).

One of Armari’s unique features is that it designs its own chassis and cooling solutions, although not for all its systems. The Magnetar M64T7-AW1650G4 sports the latest iteration of Armari’s M60G4 case, which now has some unique airflow tunnelling but most significantly has custom liquid cooling warrantied to deliver 700W for AMD’s Precision Boost Overdrive. Armari systems come with the latter enabled to obtain the maximum possible performance while remaining entirely reliable and stable. The chassis also has side-accessible easy-swap caddies for adding up to three 2.5/3.5in drives and another with a U.2 connection that supports SAS or up to three PCI Express 4 NVMe drives. The 1,650W PSU should be more than capable of supplying a fully stocked system without missing a beat, however.

With that 64-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper CPU, the Armari was sure to dominate in most of the processor-focused benchmarks. The overall PC Pro media benchmark score of 949 is the highest we’ve seen, and although the image-editing result of 281 isn’t top of the pack, 869 in video encoding and 1,224 in multitasking trounce the competition. Likewise, 6,294 in Cinebench 2024 multi-CPU rendering was more than three times faster than any of the £4,500 systems this month, and 80% quicker than anything else. It dispatched the Blender Gooseberry render in 89 seconds on CPU, way ahead of anything we’ve seen before. The Adobe Media Encoder OpenCL-enhanced render took only 105 seconds.

The GPU, however, is merely great rather than dominant. SPECviewperf 2020 results include 185 in 3dsmax-07 and 817 in maya-06, 139 in catia-06, 221 in creo-03, 601 in snx-04 and 455 in solidworks-07, showing 3D animation and engineering workloads will be dealt with easily. But the W7900 is significantly faster in all areas. GPU rendering and AI inference is similarly good but beaten by a few competitors.

Overall, though, this is another incredible system from Armari, and a worthy Labs Winner.

Check out the best business computers.

A quick start out of the gate is an enormous advantage for sprinters, swimmers, jockeys and race car drivers alike. It’s also extremely valuable to cybercriminals. By exploiting a zero-day vulnerability before anyone else knows about it, cybercriminals gain an early window to infiltrate systems and achieve goals like stealing data or deploying ransomware while avoiding detection.

Attacks that exploit zero-day vulnerabilities cannot be prevented — but they can be faced with confidence. This article offers practical guidance containing these threats by building a resilient IT infrastructure that features reducing the attack surface, fast detection and effective response.

The Frustration of Zero-Day Vulnerabilities

It is an inescapable fact that every operating system and software application have vulnerabilities that are not yet known by the vendor or the organizations using the product. Another unhappy fact is that cybercriminals are constantly looking for these vulnerabilities, and when they find one, they begin working hard to find a way to exploit it.

Organizations need to come to terms with the reality that adversaries sometimes succeed in developing an effective zero-day attack and there is little they can do to prevent the initial strike. Instead, they must focus on blocking the escalation of the threat and preventing attackers from gaining access to precious data or establishing control over the whole system.

Essentially, exploitation of a zero-day vulnerability is just the first stage of a longer battle for control over your valuable digital assets. To win that battle, security teams must proactively reduce their exposure to attack, stay on top of vulnerabilities, master threat detection and response, and ensure they can restore operations quickly after an incident.

Reducing the Attack Surface

The first priority in reducing the risk from zero-day vulnerabilities is to minimize the attack surface. Core strategies that will help include disabling unneeded services, implementing a robust patch management process, and segregating your network into distinct segments to isolate critical systems and sensitive data.

Another critical best practice is configuring stringent access controls that adhere to the least privilege principle. Even if an attacker gets into the system, their ability to move laterally will be restricted, since each account has only the access rights necessary for the user to perform their tasks.

For an even more robust approach, highly privileged accounts can be replaced with just-in-time (JiT) elevated privileges that are granted only after additional verification and that last only as long as needed for the task at hand. Such an approach further limits the ability of an adversary to escalate privileges.

Discovering and Mitigating Vulnerabilities

What makes a vulnerability a zero-day is that it is discovered by adversaries and exploited in attacks before anyone else knows about it. Software vendors usually quickly provide a security patch or mitigation strategy. Unfortunately, many organizations fail to perform the recommended action in good time, so they remain at risk from the vulnerability far longer than necessary.

Accordingly, a robust patch management strategy is another vital element in reducing the attack surface area. That strategy should include scanning systems for unpatched vulnerabilities so they can be mitigated promptly. One option is a traditional patch management tool that scans systems regularly. However, as the number of software products in use has grown, this process now takes more time than ever before. Modern solutions use a discovery process known as a scan-less scan, which maintains a real-time inventory of the software installed on the system and flags any vulnerabilities as they appear.

Detecting Threats in Their Early Stages

Attackers don’t advertise the time and place that they are going to attack, but entire websites are devoted to detailing the tactics and techniques that they use. Identity threat detection and response (ITDR) solutions leverage this knowledge, with a focus on detecting threats relating to identity and access control systems. Signs of these threats include unusual login attempts, suspicious access requests and unplanned changes to privileges. Detection of a threat can trigger automated responses like blocking access and resetting credentials.

Organizations also need an endpoint detection and response (EDR) system. EDR complements ITDR by monitoring endpoints for potentially malicious activity and enabling prompt response to those threats.

Of course, if these solutions flag too many events as suspicious, security teams will be overwhelmed with false alerts. Accordingly, file integrity monitoring (FIM) is also crucial, since it can filter out planned system changes and empower IT teams to focus on swift response to real threats.

Ensuring Quick Recovery

Organizations must also be prepared for attacks that succeed in taking down key systems and destroying or encrypting valuable data. To minimize disruption to the business in the wake of an incident, they need a documented strategy for data recovery and getting processes back on track as soon as possible.

A robust recovery plan starts with backing up key data and systems, testing those backups carefully and storing them securely. If attackers make malicious changes, IT teams should be able to identify the specific assets involved and granularly reverse the modifications. In a broader disaster, IT pros need to be able to quickly restore key domain controllers, applications and data to reduce downtime and business losses.

Conclusion

While it is not possible to prevent cybercriminals from discovering and exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities, organizations can and should take action to reduce the impact of these attacks. By implementing the practices above, organizations can build a multi-layered security strategy that enhances their resilience against not only zero-day exploits, but other types of cyberattacks and insider threats.

We've rated the best identity management software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

On July 19, approximately 8.5 million Windows machines were blocked causing flight cancellations, banking disruptions and media outages around the world. Major US airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta had to cancel flights due to communication problems. Banks and stock exchanges, including the London Stock Exchange, Lloyds Bank, and South Africa's Capitec, faced similar problems.

The outage led to serious financial distress. For instance, the cancelation of almost 7,000 flights by Delta could cost the company from $350 million to $500 million. According to some estimates, the total direct loss facing the US Fortune 500 companies, excluding Microsoft, was $5.4 billion. The healthcare sector has been hit the hardest, with projected losses of $1.94 billion, followed by the banking sector with $1.15 billion in estimated damages. The airline industry also experienced significant disruptions, leading to an estimated $860 million in losses. Fortune 500 companies alone could incur direct losses of $5.4 billion.

What went wrong

The outage was caused by errors in an update of the Falcon security platform by information security solutions provider CrowdStrike, as the company later explained. Interestingly, the update was successfully tested on March 5, but the error could not be noticed due to a bug in the diagnostic software.

CrowdStrike also noted that it usually provides security content configuration updates in two ways: one through Sensor Content, which comes with the Falcon Sensor component, and the other through Rapid Response Content, which flags new threats using various behavioral pattern-matching methods. The latter was the one that contained the previously undiscovered bug.

Why did this mistake lead to blue screens around the world? The reason lies in the relation between this kind of endpoint protection software like Falcon and operating systems: there is no way to limit such software from controlling the operating system, as doing so would open the possibility for a virus to take over. This scenario would negate the very purpose of having a security application in place, as it would allow malicious entities to bypass the protection measures entirely.

Gradual upgrades and regular backups

Despite the significant impact of the recent incident on companies and organizations, it is unlikely that there will be a widespread abandonment of CrowdStrike products. Solutions like Falcon are deeply embedded in IT infrastructures and have been developed and refined over decades. Replacing them is time-consuming and costly. In addition, there is no guarantee that alternatives would not lead to the same troubles.

However, this incident shed light on some burning issues in the tech industry. One of them is the lack of diversity. Nowadays the market is dominated by just a few major vendors, and this concentration of control is precisely why the impact of the incident was so widespread. To mitigate such risks in the future, it's crucial to develop and invest in alternative solutions, including cloud-based options. This is the key takeaway we should derive from this situation.

Furthermore, while accountability for the accident rests with CrowdStrike, businesses also need to incorporate new approaches to security. One of them is to constantly back up their data. Companies that do that regularly probably were also less impacted by this outage, in my opinion. Some system software usually updates itself over the night or in the morning. If something goes wrong, the firm can just roll that out. So another suggestion for business, and we've been saying that again and again for decades, is that you should have some backup procedure applied, running, and regularly tested.

I also think that companies that keep their infrastructure in the cloud, coped with the consequences of this outage quicker than others thanks to virtualization and API-based scripts. For AWS-hosted and Microsoft Azure-hosted virtual machines, the instructions are usually published in a matter of hours. Moreover, it does not take much time to imply those instructions compared to doing that for a full park of bare metal servers. Therefore, probably more firms would switch to cloud-based solutions. If 20% companies would do that, it would be a fantastic win for our industry. But I believe, only 5-15% would actually go for that.

Future updates

In addition, future updates are also better deployed gradually. It means first upgrading a small subset of systems, then monitoring their performance, and extending changes to a larger group of systems. With this strategy in place, it would take more time for businesses to update everything, but it would help them to avoid such massive damages as we have seen today.

There are some steps that regulators could take too. Many companies create a risk model to assess potential threats and choose appropriate cyber defense solutions. However, regulators sometimes mandate specific cybersecurity measures without considering if all businesses truly need them. For example, they might require the installation of antivirus software without verifying its necessity for every company. As a result, some businesses end up purchasing cybersecurity solutions just to comply with regulations, rather than based on their actual needs. It's likely that from 50% to 90% of affected companies would not have been impacted if they had not installed CrowdStrike or other EDR and XDR software products solely for compliance reasons in the first place.

Overall, I hope that the situation will bring more positive change to the industry and help transition to safer cybersecurity practices.

We've featured the best business cloud storage.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Huawei is looking to take on the big players in the desktop operating system arena with its own Android-free PC alternative. Reports indicate that the Chinese tech giant’s new OS could ship later this year, and that its design will be macOS-inspired.

Looking to take on mainstays like Windows 11 and woo users away, Huawei already has the expertise and experience of making its own operating system, HarmonyOS - and a new iteration, HarmonyOS Next - for mobile devices and wearables like smartwatches. Working against Huawei, though, is the fact it’s been facing scrutiny around concerns that its products supposedly facilitate surveillance by the Chinese government.

Jason Will, who Windows Central names as a HarmonyOS developer, posted on X to point out that an increasing amount of images showing interface layouts for the PC version of HarmonyOS Next are appearing on Huawei’s developer website. Jason Will goes on to suggest that this means a desktop incarnation of HarmonyOS for PCs is going to be launched in the last quarter of 2024. 

The troubled backstory to HarmonyOS

While the prospect of converting Windows users to HarmonyOS Next might be part of what’s motivating this move by Huawei, there’s also the fact that the US government put restrictions on Huawei that prevented it from utilizing Windows and Android on its devices. More specifically, the US imposed sanctions that prohibited American tech companies like Google, which develops Android, and Microsoft, which develops Windows, from doing business with Huawei. 

These measures meant that Huawei was not allowed to pre-install Windows or Android on the smartphones, laptops, and other devices it manufactures. So, presumably this was the main driving factor in Huawei developing its own operating systems and software, which would additionally enable developers to make apps on its platform and distribute them.

Before all this happened, Huawei had established itself as a popular brand outside of Asia, catching the attention of consumers with Windows laptops and tablets which were praised for having great displays and slim, well thought out designs. The same was true of its smartphones which definitely carved out a fanbase in the US, Europe and elsewhere.

Could HarmonyOS Next on PC succeed?

I would expect the design of the PC flavor of HarmonyOS Next to be consistent with the other operating systems in the HarmonyOS umbrella. 

Looking closely at Jason Will’s shared images of HarmonyOS Next for PCs, it seems that the operating system’s design is heavily influenced by macOS (or indeed, copied from, the more cynical might suggest), including a similar status bar, dock bar, and overall aesthetic.

Notably, HarmonyOS Next is open source, and completely Android-free, being built on its own microkernel (the core building blocks of an operating system) which gives it some impressive performance advantages, or so Huawei claims.

As Windows Central observes, the idea therefore seems to be for HarmonyOS Next to exist totally independently of software from US companies, abandoning Android completely - and of course that means apps will need to be developed for the operating system from scratch, too.

Apparently, developers can dive in now as HarmonyOS Next has been released as a developer sandbox to build and test applications. Naturally, building up the software ecosystem around the OS will take some time, and is a vital element of its success (or lack therein).

Now, making an operating system that’s totally independent of US software is unlikely to win the confidence of US legislators, or banish any wider surveillance-related concerns (despite HarmonyOS Next’s open-source nature). So, Huawei’s desktop OS is set to face a serious uphill struggle in other regions, but in China - a huge market - Huawei might poach a significant number of users away from Windows. And maybe some users in other countries could even follow - especially given that Windows 10 hits end-of-support late next year.

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Intel may need to watch its back after archrival AMD announced the surprise acquisition of Silo AI, Europe's largest private AI lab, in a move valued at approximately $665 million. 

This all-cash deal marks a major step in AMD's strategy to provide comprehensive AI solutions across various platforms and sectors.

Silo AI, headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, is best known for its end-to-end AI-driven solutions, aiding enterprises in seamlessly integrating AI into their products and operations. The company boasts a team of experts who have crafted bespoke AI models and platforms for top-tier clients like Allianz, Philips, Rolls-Royce, and Unilever.

A strategic expansion

“At Silo AI, our mission from the start has been to build an AI flagship company. Today's announcement is a logical next step in that pursuit as we join forces with AMD to shape the future of AI computing,” said Peter Sarlin, CEO and co-founder of Silo AI. “We have a well-established history of building successful AI products and delivering value to our customers. We look forward to becoming part of AMD to further scale our impact and develop enterprise solutions and AI models that address the most complex challenges with deploying AI at scale today.”

The acquisition is part of AMD's broader AI strategy, which has seen the company invest over $125 million in various AI ventures over the past year, including the acquisitions of Mipsology and Nod.ai. This strategic expansion aims to bolster AMD's AI ecosystem and computing platforms.

“Across every industry, enterprises are looking for fast and effective ways to develop and deploy AI solutions for their unique business needs,” said AMD's senior vice president, Vamsi Boppana. “Silo AI’s team of trusted AI experts and proven experience developing leadership AI models and solutions, including state-of-the-art LLMs built on AMD platforms, will further accelerate our AI strategy and advance the build-out and rapid implementation of AI solutions for our global customers.”

Sarlin will continue to lead the Silo AI team under the AMD Artificial Intelligence Group, reporting directly to AMD's Boppana. The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of 2024.

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Microsoft has made another move to push more advertising into Windows 11, with fresh ads arriving in the stock Weather app installed by default. So, alongside the likes of the Start menu and the Settings app, now the MSN Weather app will also have ads - more intrusive efforts, too, once again pointing towards a system-wide ‘adpocalypse’ as it were. 

According to Windows Latest, a new server-side update now places two ads in the default Weather app as soon as you open it, and the situation is more dire than normal because the advertisements in question are pinned. In other words, even as you scroll down, looking at the forecasts and other details in the app, the ads will scroll, too, remaining constantly visible.

This is a pretty aggressive approach, similar to the Game Pass ad in the Settings app - and as I said in that instance, it seems like Microsoft is trying to usher in a whole new era of over-advertising. I fear that as time progresses, not only will we see more of these ads, but they might become more aggressive in terms of being unskippable and generally unavoidable.

Okay, so it could be argued that these are just small ads in the corner, and we all have to deal with ignoring or skipping advertisements in so much of our lives these days - but why should I do that on my PC, too? You’re telling me now that the new normal is just advertising everywhere I look - and not a single bit of technology is my own? 

I paid for my PC and its operating system, and I don’t expect to have to suffer through ads (which might be expected on a free OS, granted - but not one that’s charged for).

Also, while at the moment they’re only relatively little ads, the fear is that Microsoft might push boundaries in the future. If - or when, perhaps - these advertisements become more and more accepted, we could see personalized, bigger, unavoidable, and maybe even one-day unskippable ads in Windows 11 (or a future version of the desktop OS). 

It’s not like these ads are placed in some obscure part of Windows 11; you’re often going to find yourself opening up the Settings app, Start menu, or perhaps perusing the weather forecast, and so on. If more advertisements are placed in more prominent places, at what point will that make using your computer infuriating? It’s a dangerous path to tread with Windows 11, but one Microsoft seems intent on exploring, sadly.

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Microsoft has stopped the rollout of some new features to Windows 11 testers as it "investigate a few issues" discovered in the Dev channel (build 26120.961). 

The announcement was made in the blog post announcing the latest slew of new Windows 11 features which have now been put on hold.

Those features include improvements with Voice Access, such as support in Narrator to allow the hands-free dictation of text, as well as bringing Voice Access to Windows 11's search functionality, all of which are big wins for accessibility.

There's also a new account manager panel in the Start menu, and fixes for Task Manager, all of which are paused while Microsoft investigates said issues. The software giant hasn't given us any indication of when we might expect a resolution of these problems yet. 

PhantomOfEarth, a regular leaker on X, observes that the brakes were applied by Microsoft due to issues including a "broken touch keyboard, emoji picker, and clipboard history."

Windows 11's broader woes

We shouldn't have to wait too long for the gremlins in the works to be fixed, given that Windows 11 preview builds arrive on a pretty regular schedule (at least once per month, minimum).

It's not been the best week for Windows 11, as Microsoft just broke the taskbar for some users when it implemented a solution for a previous issue (whereby the KB5039302 update was put on hold after some users were left stuck in an infinite boot loop - nasty). Another recent fly in the ointment has been the appearance of adverts in the Start Menu.

In the case of this latest preview build, it makes sense why Microsoft has pushed back these more experimental features, but it's far from a good look given all the current problems around Windows 11 - particularly the controversial Recall feature which was recently put on ice, too.

In all honesty, Microsoft really needs to make an effort to get its act together on a broader level with Windows 11.

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By now you’ll be very familiar with most, if not all, of the artificial intelligence, sorry “Apple Intelligence,” features it announced at its WWDC 2024 - but during the reveal, the company went to great lengths to talk about the steps it was taking to safeguard user privacy.

To back up Apple Intelligence, Apple introduced Private Cloud Compute (PCC). This cloud intelligence system extends Apple's security and privacy standards to cloud-based AI processing. PCC makes sure that personal user data sent to PCC remains inaccessible to anyone other than the user, including Apple.

In a blog post discussing Private Cloud Compute and how it works to keep user data safe, Apple said, “Built with custom Apple silicon and a hardened operating system designed for privacy, we believe PCC is the most advanced security architecture ever deployed for cloud AI compute at scale.”

Tailored to support LLM inference workloads

Yes, Apple says it has written a hardened operating system. The company isn’t talking about the latest versions of macOS or iOS announced at WWDC, but rather something entirely different. 

There were no details given about this OS, not even its name, but Apple did mention it further on in the blog post.

After stating, “The root of trust for Private Cloud Compute is our compute node: custom-built server hardware that brings the power and security of Apple silicon to the data center, with the same hardware security technologies used in iPhone, including the Secure Enclave and Secure Boot,” the company added, “We paired this hardware with a new operating system: a hardened subset of the foundations of iOS and macOS tailored to support Large Language Model (LLM) inference workloads while presenting an extremely narrow attack surface.”

While we don’t know too much about the new OS that Apple designed for PCC, we soon will. The company says, “When we launch Private Cloud Compute, we’ll take the extraordinary step of making software images of every production build of PCC publicly available for security research.” That includes every application and relevant executable, and the OS itself. Apple adds, “Software will be published within 90 days of inclusion in the log, or after relevant software updates are available, whichever is sooner.”

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macOS, Apple's operating system for its Mac computers, has gathered a dedicated user base thanks to factors like its intuitive design, sleek aesthetic, quick performance, and smooth integration with other Apple devices and services.

All of that factors into what is still considered a premium user experience by many, but that doesn't mean that the operating system doesn't leave things to be desired. That's not unique to macOS, of course, but there are areas where the operating system could improve, and Apple doesn't even have to look that far for inspiration - it can take a couple of pages right out of Microsoft's Windows book. 

Here, we discuss three features and capabilities that can be found in Windows, Microsoft's desktop operating system, that we'd love to see in a future version of macOS: window snapping, a clipboard history, and (a pretty big one) continued improvement of Apple's support for gaming, where Microsoft clearly remains a good way ahead. 

Window snapping for better organization

Window snapping is a feature that many Windows users have come to rely on as it allows you to quickly arrange and manage open windows on the desktop. Microsoft’s OS provides you with predefined grid layouts that 'snap' windows into position, and there are multiple snap layouts you can make use of. These include: 

• Side-by-side, making it easier to compare the contents of two windows
• Quarter-view, separating your screen into four quadrants that you can populate
• Custom layouts, in which you can customize how you divide up the screen 

There's also Snap Assist which enables you to drag a window to the edge of the screen and see a preview of where it will snap to, and Snap Groups, which group content together based on multiple windows that are open from the same app. This makes it easier to quickly organize windows without having to manually resize them. 

A silent hero to help you remember: Clipboard History

Clipboard History is a big hit with Windows users, as it allows you to access the last 25 items you've copied (regardless of whether you've pasted or saved them elsewhere). It saves all text, HTML, and images that you've copied most recently, with new entries towards the top, and older entries being deleted as time goes on. Additionally, Clipboard History resets each time you start your PC, unless you pin an entry - then it stays pinned at the top of the list,  so it can be accessed at any time.

You do have to enable Clipboard History, and once you have, you can pull it up using the keyboard shortcut Windows Key + V. It's available for Windows 10 and Windows 11, and once it's enabled, you can interact with the items in the list, and select any item to paste it into an open application. You can also manually delete items you don't want in your Clipboard History. 

macOS does have its own clipboard memory, although it's more limited than that of Windows. You can view the most recently copied text, or file name of a recently copied file, but that’s pretty much as far as macOS's clipboard memory functionality goes. 

There are third-party apps and workarounds for better functionality, but it would be nice to see macOS do this natively. 

Making Macs better gaming machines

There is a Game Mode on Macs that's designed to make gaming smoother and it adjusts your Mac's performance to deliver the best gaming experience it can, but there's more that can be done by Apple to help catch up with the superior gaming experience to be had on Windows.

Lots of game developers won't even make a version for Mac (or make one much later) because it's a lot of work to adapt to Mac hardware, so a common complaint is the smaller selection of available games compared to Windows. Now, we have M3 and even M4 Apple silicon (in iPads, and doubtless coming to Macs before too long), and this could encourage both Apple and game producers to bring about a better gaming experience for Mac users. 

Apple's been taking steps in terms of both software and hardware that could make it easier for game developers to port their games to Mac, and I hope Apple more fully embraces this direction. Plus with the M4 chip incoming for Macs, as mentioned, we should see even better performance in terms of emulation for games that can be run this way.

The company recently debuted the Vision Pro to massive hype and many people were impressed with its performance. If Apple develops the Vision Pro's gaming capabilities (which would strike me as a missed opportunity if it didn't happen), perhaps this will further Apple's expertise in making devices for gaming, which it could then apply to other Apple devices like Macs. 

Driving macOS momentum

There are solid reasons why Apple devices and macOS have loyal followings, but there's room for improvement that could greatly enhance the macOS user experience (something Apple prides itself on).

Gaming has become as much a mainstay form of entertainment as anything else, and I’m hoping Apple will double down here to make further improvements to usher in a better Mac gaming experience - which seems perfectly doable.

Apple has made impressive strides both in terms of software and hardware, but it can do more to encourage users of other operating systems like Windows to adopt macOS and further drive its momentum. 

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If you were a Mac user in the 80s and 90s, you got the opportunity to use the classic versions of the macOS we know and love today. Now, I’ve got good news for anyone who’s feeling nostalgic: you don’t have to go digging through eBay or your attic to search for an old Mac to use a retro iteration of macOS. 

A website called Infinite Mac, designed by Mihai Parparita, allows you to use every classic Mac operating system from 1985 to 2001. Once you head over to the Infinite Mac website you can scroll through your options, find the one you want to try out, and click Run. Then, like Marty McFly, you’ll be magically transported back through time to the macOS of your choice!

Blast from the past

You won’t have to install anything as it’s all contained within your browser, and you’ll be guided around the macOS setup and use it as you would a regular computer! You can create new files, explore the setup, and even play a few old-school games - including the full versions of Doom II, Quake, and Myst, although they're unsurprisingly a little bit janky to play in an emulated in-browser OS.

You can also access a saved hard drive that will back up any files you create on your computer locally, and drag any files from your desktop into the web browser, creating a file called “Outside World”. You’ll be able to try out a collection of CDs, old games, and even some software that came bundled on floppy disks with magazines at the time.

As a modern-day Apple user born in the year 2000, I think it’s pretty cool that I can take an educational trip down memory lane and see what older versions of the current system look like. It really makes you appreciate not just how far we’ve come in the world of computing - but also showcases how far we’ve yet to go! I can’t wait to see what macOS looks like in 10 years, or 20 - probably loaded up with AI, if recent news is anything to go by.

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At its simplest, RAM (Random Access Memory) is a type of computer memory, often referred to as short-term memory because it is volatile, meaning that the data is not saved when the power is turned off.

When business users switch on the computer, the operating system and applications are loaded to the computer RAM which is directly connected to the CPU, making the data quickly accessible for processing.

In corporate settings, RAM (memory modules) comes in different shapes and sizes. DIMM (Dual In-Line Memory Module) can be found in desktops, workstations and servers, while laptops require smaller physical size SODIMM (Small Outline DIMM).

A memory module contains several DRAM (Dynamic RAM) chips which is a type of semiconductor memory. Dynamic simply means that the data held by transistors in the chips is constantly refreshed. The number of DRAM chips found on a memory module varies depending on its capacity (8GB, 16GB, 32GB).

The lithography of DRAM chips has been revised and improved many times over recent decades and this has led not only to reductions in cost-per-bit, but also to reducing the dimensions of the component and increasing the clock rate. Overall, DRAM now delivers faster performance and higher capacities but uses less power which cuts energy costs, controls heat and extends battery life.

DRAM operate in one of two modes, synchronous or asynchronous. Asynchronous was the common DRAM technology used up until the end of the 1990s. Synchronous mode means that read, write and refresh operations are controlled with a system clock, synchronous with the clock speed of a computer’s CPU. Today’s computers use synchronous mode, or Synchronous Random Access Memory (SDRAM) which connects to the system board via a memory module.

New generations of DRAM

The latest version of SDRAM is DDR5 (Double Data Rate 5th generation), which comes in a range of standard speeds, starting with 4800M/Ts (megatransfers per second) and is an indicator of the speed at which data is transferred on and off the memory module. Approximately every seven years, a new memory generation is introduced, which is designed to accommodate the ever-increasing demand for speed, density and configurations in business computing environments. DDR5, for example, is designed with new features that provide higher performance, lower power and more robust data integrity for the next decade of computing. It debuted in 2021.

IT decision makers who are considering purchasing memory must be aware that memory modules are not backwards compatible. DDR5 memory will not physically slot into a DDR4 or DDR3 memory socket. Within a memory generation, faster speeds are backwards compatible. For example, if a user buys a standard DDR5–5600MT/s module and uses it with a 12th Generation Intel processor, the speed memory will automatically ‘clock down’ to operate at 4800M/Ts, the speed supported by the host system or lower. This will vary depending on the model of the CPU and the number of memory modules installed in the system.

It’s essential to know the processor and motherboard already installed in the computer when planning on upgrading memory, but there are some other considerations too. Most PCs have four RAM sockets, some, such as workstations, have as many as eight, but laptops are likely to have only two accessible memory sockets, and in thin models, there may only be one.

Different types of RAM

Even though they may look similar and have the same function, the type of memory module found in HEDT (High-End Desktop) and servers is different than the ones found in PCs. Intel Xeon and the AMD Epyc range of server CPUs come with a higher number of CPU cores and more memory channels compared to Intel Core and AMD Ryzen desktop CPUs, therefore the specifications and features of the RAM for servers differ from the ones for PCs. 

Server CPUs require Registered DIMM which supports the ECC (Error Correcting Code) feature, allowing to correct bits error occurring on the memory bus (between the memory controller and the DRAM chip), ensuring the integrity of the data. RDC (Registered Clock Driver) is an additional component found on RDIMM, not present on Unbuffered DIMM (UDIMM), and it ensures that all components on the memory module are operating at the same clock cycle allowing the system to remain stable when a high number of modules are installed.

The type of memory module made for desktops and laptops is generally Non-ECC Unbuffered DIMM. The data processed by users on these types of systems is considered less critical than the data being processed by servers which are hosting websites or handling online transactional processing, for example, and need to respect specific SLAs (Service-Level Agreements) and up times of 99.9999% 24/7. Non-ECC UDIMMs contain less components and features than RDIMMs and are therefore more affordable while remaining a reliable memory solution. Unbuffered types of RAM exist in both DIMM and SODIMM form factor.

Boosting performance

RAM memory is primarily sold in single modules, but it is also available in kits of two, four or eight, ranging in capacity from 4GB for DDR3 to 96GB for DDR5 (in single modules) and up to 256GB in kits (256GB is offered only as a kit of 8 in DDR4 and DDR 5). The configurations match the memory channel architecture, and when installed correctly can deliver a major boost in performance. To provide an example of the performance potential, upgrading a DDR5-4800MT/s module with a peak bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s to a dual channel setup, instantly expands the bandwidth to 76.8GB/s.

Accelerating speed

Users with industry standard speeds are limited to what their computer’s processor and motherboard will support, particularly if it won’t allow modules to be installed into a second memory bank. On a dual channel motherboard with four sockets, these are arranged in two memory banks, where each memory channel has two sockets. If a DDR5 user can install modules into a second bank, in most cases, the memory may be forced to clock-down to a slower speed to allow for limitations inside the processor.

Users looking for a considerable boost, such as gamers, can opt for overclockable memory. This can be done safely using Intel XMP and AMD EXPO profiles however, professional help is advisable. Selecting the right gaming memory for overclocking a system means deciding on price verses speed versus capacity, the potential limitations of motherboards and processors, and RGB versus non-RGB (to bring in the benefits of lighting).

Useful glossary of terms

Apart from the acronyms we’ve already explained above, here are some additional terms that it will be useful to know:

CPU – Central Processing Units are the core of the computer. 

PMIC – Power Management Integrate Circuits help to regulate the power required by the components of the memory module. For server-class modules, the PMIC uses 12V; for PC-class modules, it uses 5V. 

SPD hub – DDR5 uses a new device that integrates the Serial Presence Detect EEPROM with additional features, manages access to the external controller and decouples the memory load on the internal bus from external. 

On-die ECC - Error Correction Code that mitigates the risk of data leakage by correcting errors within the chip, increasing reliability and reducing defect rates. 

2CH, 4CH, 8CH – Single RAM modules – dual channel, quad channel, octal channel. 

MHz – MHz is an abbreviation of megahertz and means a million cycles per second, or one million hertz. This unit of frequency measurement is used to denote the speed at which data moves within and between components. 

MT/s is short for megatransfers (or million transfers) per second and is a more accurate measurement for the effective data rate (speed) of DDR SDRAM memory in computing. 

Non-binary memory – The density of DRAM chips usually doubles with each iteration, but with DDR5, an intermediary density – 24Gbit – was introduced, which provides more flexibility and is called non-binary memory. 

GB/s - Gigabytes per second. A Gigabyte is a unit of data storage capacity that is approximately 1 billion bytes. It has been a common unit of capacity measurement for data storage products since the mid-1980s.

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Michael Stonebraker has developed several influential database management systems over the years, including Ingres, PostgreSQL, and VoltDB. Matei Zaharia is the creator of Apache Spark and co-founder and CTO of Databricks. 

Working with a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University, the pair have created a revolutionary prototype operating system called DBOS - DataBase OS.

The concept of DBOS was born three years ago when Stonebraker realized that the state an operating system must maintain (files, processes, threads, messages and so on) has grown exponentially since the early days of Unix. This, coupled with the limitations of Linux in the current technological landscape, sparked the idea of running the OS on top of a database.

DBOS Cloud

“When I heard a talk by Matei Zaharia in which he said Databricks could not use traditional OS scheduling technology at the scale they were running and had turned to a DBMS solution instead, it was clear that it was time to move the DBMS into the kernel and build a new operating system," Stonebraker says.

As The Next Platform puts it, “Ultimately, every problem in the constantly evolving IT software stack becomes a database problem, which is why there are 418 different databases and datastores in the DB Engines rankings and there are really only a handful of commercially viable operating systems. But what if the operating system is the problem?”

DBOS operates by coding operating system services in SQL on a high-performance distributed, transactional, fault-tolerant database management system (DBMS). As Stonebraker says, ‘This is in contrast to the traditional method of running the DBMS in user space on top of an OS without DBMS services”.

Created as a joint MIT-Stanford open source R&D project, the DBOS prototype demonstrated comparable performance to Linux, but with the addition of several notable features, including high availability, time travel, transactionality, fault tolerance, built-in multi-node scaling, SQL-accessible system state and observability data, and cyber resilience. 

Following the successful prototyping of DBOS and securing funding, DBOS, Inc. was launched in April 2023, and the company has now released DBOS Cloud, a transactional serverless platform built on DBOS, designed for stateful TypeScript applications. DBOS Cloud offers key features from DBOS, such as reliable execution and time travel. 

Reliable execution means that if a DBOS program is interrupted, it will automatically resume from where it left off, ensuring that no work is repeated and programs always run to completion. Time travel allows users to restore an application's state to any point in the past, making it possible to reproduce rare bugs and run new code against a historical state.

DBOS Cloud is now available for anyone to try for free. 

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All the hubbub around sudo coming to Windows might have been premature, as the headline feature of the latest Windows 11 builds across the Canary and Dev channels seems to be warnings of irretrievable data loss - or, a massive headache for users.

Dev Drives, first introduced in June 2023, are optimised volumes catering to development and working directories, offering performance increases of ‘up to 30%’ when building projects.

However, build 26052, first released in early February 2024, would be the first trace of Dev Drives breaking during a rollback, and this has persisted through to the very latest build 26058. 

Same dev drive, same dev channel

In software development, Canary and Dev versions invariably refer to bleeding edge releases of a certain application or, here, operating system. The difference between the two is even smaller in this case, given that there are no code differences between the Canary and Dev builds of 26058.

These channels differ from stable versions in that, while stable channel releases should be less prone to critical bugs and crashes, they tend to be the last to get new features. It’ll be a long time, for example, before the ‘sudo’ command makes an appearance in a stable Windows release.

So, despite the bug, this should ultimately not befuddle any self-respecting developer already aware of the importance of backing up in the cloud and to an external hard drive (or three). Microsoft did, however, flag up the issue on the unceasing hate sluice formerly known as Twitter.

Difficult second build syndrome

February 2024’s latest Windows build was never going to match up to the mind-melding, ‘oh my God’, tsunami of shock that was the sudo reveal, but still contains some neat features.

Low vision users can now take advantage of a pointer indicator to locate the cursor, the widgets board sees user interface (UI) improvements like a navigation bar and notification counts in the taskbar, and, should you be unlucky enough to still be using the default Windows 11 UI, labels have been added to file explorer.

Microsoft are warning that some of these features won’t be available to all insiders just now, prioritising the Canary and Dev channels, and that the installation itself could fail if users don’t use Windows Update, or even be forced to roll back regardless.

Via Windows Latest

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Microsoft’s Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) version of Windows 11 is officially in progress, and is set to be released at some point during the second half of this year, according to an April 2023 announcement.

A leaked Windows 11 2024 LTSC ISO, created in August 2023, has shed light on the company’s plans for the future and a new initiative – an “IoT Enterprise Subscription” tailored to business users.

Based on Windows 11 23H2, the leaked version reaffirms that the LTSC release is underway, indicating that the company has no plans to backtrack on its original plan to bring the product to market later this year.

Windows 11 LTSC is in the works

The company’s plans to make Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC and Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC available will likely center around Hudson Valley, the codename given to the upcoming 24H2 version of the popular operating system. The spotted ISO, built on 23H2, likely only represents early work on the LTSC.

Early observations have also revealed that an IoT Enterprise Subscription could be set to land with the new updates, though it’s unclear how this could differ from the non-subscription model.

LTSC products are designed to provide operating systems to enterprise customers who need a stable version of an operating system that doesn’t change over time. Windows 10 has a few LTSC options, including a 2021 version based on 21H2. Microsoft promises to support LTSC operating systems for ten years.

Redmond’s plans to terminate support for Windows 10 versions in October 2025 will not affect support for the LTSC version, but users may be more likely to consider upgrading to Windows 11 LTSC.

Uptake in the most recent version of Windows was slow, but it now accounts for nearly three in 10 (28%) of all Windows installs. Windows 10 is also decreasing in popularity simultaneously, but it still accounts for two-thirds (66%) of all installs.

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Apple debuted iOS 18 at WWDC 2024, and the feature-packed software update is now available to download on all iOS 18-compatible devices.

Now in its sixth iteration (known officially as iOS 18.5), iOS 18 brings Apple Intelligence to the best iPhones (i.e. the iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16 Pro, and some iPhone 15 models), and for everyone else, significant upgrades to core iPhone apps including Photos, Mail, and Maps.

Below, we've detailed the iOS 18 release date(s), key iOS 18 features, and a list of iOS-compatible devices. Here's how to download iOS 18 if you haven't already.

Incidentally, Apple is set to debut iOS 19 at WWDC 2025 on June 9. We've rounded up five new iPhone features to look out for at that event, and detailed how to watch WWDC 2025 in a dedicated article.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The latest major iOS release
• When did it come out? September 16, 2024
• How much does it cost? It's a free upgrade

iOS 18: release date

iOS 18 began rolling out to compatible devices on September 16, 2024, though the software update was actually announced way back at WWDC 2024 on June 10, 2024.

Between June and September, Apple released a steady stream of iOS 18 betas, giving both developers and users the chance to try out some of the best iOS 18 features well in advance of their arrival.

In the months since its initial release, Apple has rolled out five iterative iOS 18 updates: iOS 18.1 (on October 28), iOS 18.2 (on December 11), iOS 18.3 (on January 28), iOS 18.4 (on March 31), and iOS 18.5 (on May 13).

iOS 18: features

Below, we've detailed the biggest and best iOS 18 features. For the full list of confirmed features, check out as Apple's dedicated iOS 18 features PDF.

Apple Intelligence

Rather than debuting with iOS 18 proper, Apple Intelligence came to the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 16 line as part of iOS 18.1, which didn't arrive (in the US, at least) until October 28. The AI-packed toolset then debuted on UK devices in iOS 18.2, and in iOS 18.3, Apple removed the need to manually enable Apple Intelligence on compatible devices (i.e. it's now available by default).

You'll find a full list of Apple Intelligence features in our dedicated Apple Intelligence hub, but as a general rundown, the toolset includes a smarter Siri, text summarization, writing assistance, and generative image creation.

Redesigned Photos app

iOS 18 brings the "biggest-ever redesign" to the iPhone's Photos app. Essentially, it's been unified into a single view, comprising a photo grid and a dates grid, to better help you find the photo you're looking for. You're able to filter photos by categories, too, like screenshots and groups.

There's also a new 'Recovered' album feature in iOS 18, which houses any photos or videos that aren't in your main photo gallery. According to Apple, this reduces the risk of database corruption or issues with third-party apps.

Advanced Home Screen customization

iOS 18 grants users the ability to rearrange app icons and widgets. For the first time, you're able to position apps at the bottom or side of the screen, freeing up real estate for the wallpaper behind them. You're also able to trigger a new dark mode for app icons in iOS 18, as well as add color tints.

Control Center upgrades

Like the Home Screen, Control Center has also been upgraded in iOS 18. You're now able to separate the Control Center into distinct function groups, like Media and Home, and you can resize Control Center widgets, too.

For the first time on iPhone, iOS 18 also allows you to edit which Control Center widgets appear on the Lock Screen.

Messages upgrades

iOS 18 lets you react to messages using any emoji, and you're also able to schedule messages to send at a convenient time in the future. Apple has added new text formatting to the Messages app, too, so you're able to underline, strikethrough and bold your messages, as well as add new text formatting like ripple effects.

The Messages app also supports the RCS standard in iOS 18. This should facilitate a richer messaging experience when you're communicating with someone who doesn't own an Apple device.

Oh, and Apple has also expanded the satellite capabilities of compatible iPhones to let you send messages via satellite when cellular and Wi-Fi connections aren’t available. Neat!

A new Passwords app

iOS 18 brings with it a new, default iPhone app: Passwords. As the name suggests, Passwords acts as a one-stop shop for all your precious passwords, passkeys, and verification codes. As well as being a digital storage vault, the app will also alert you if you're using weak passwords, or if your details have been involved in a data breach.

Naturally, all of the information inside the Passwords app is protected by end-to-end encryption, and, of course, you're able to lock it behind Touch or Face ID authentication.

Mail categorization

iOS 18.2 leveraged the power of Apple's new-and-improved on-device processing to categorize emails into four folders: Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions. In this version of iOS 18, the Mail app can provide easy-to-read digests, too, helping you to quickly scan for what’s important in the moment.

For a rundown of the new system, read our guide on how to turn off Mail categories on iPhone, or customize them to your needs.

Wallet upgrades

The Wallet app has been upgraded with a new 'tap to cash' feature in iOS 18, which should help make paying friends easier. Certain event tickets will also now feature a more dynamic design.

Apple News+ recipes

iOS 18.4 added a new Food section to Apple News+, which features content on healthy eating, restaurants, and recipes.

The Recipe Catalog allows users to save recipes for later, and a follow-along Cooking mode makes putting them into practice a piece of cake.

A dedicated Vision Pro app

iOS 18.4 also brought a dedicated Vision Pro app to iPhone, giving Vision Pro users the ability to check for new spatial content and get quick information about their headset. The app will automatically install for those with a Vision Pro headset registered to their Apple Account.

Ambient Music from the Control Center

iOS 18.4 introduced a dedicated Ambient Music feature to iPhone, and oddly, it's part of the Control Center, not Apple Music.

Users can access four different ambient music playlists from their iPhone's drop-down menu, specifically Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.

For those not in the know, ambient music is a form of relaxed, slow music that aims to be enjoyable to listen to without focus – think woodwinds, strings, synthesizers, and a lack of percussion.

ID-authenticated app locks

iOS 18 introduces optional Face ID authentication for all iPhone apps – not just Notes and banking apps. You're also able to hide apps in a new Hidden Apps folder.

An upgrade for Power Reserve

Although not announced by Apple, the first iOS 18 beta revealed that the iPhone 15's Power Reserve feature (which lets you access cards and locate your iPhone when the battery is otherwise out of juice) also now displays the time, so we can only assume that this upgrade has made it to the final iOS 18 build, too.

Math in any text field

You might not ever need to use a calculator with iOS 18, because if you enter a math problem in any text field, the operating system will solve it for you.

Choose your Home hub

If you have multiple devices that could serve as a Home hub, then one iOS 18 feature you'll likely really appreciate is the ability to select which you want to use as your Home hub, so you can make sure the best, fastest option is selected.

Shoot videos without pausing audio

Previously, if you used the video camera mode on an iPhone, it would pause any music, podcasts, or other audio that was playing. But with iOS 18, you can record video without pausing your audio. This is a small change, but a welcome one.

iOS 18: Compatibility

Apple has confirmed that any iPhone newer than the iPhone XS is compatible with iOS 18 and its subsequent iterations (in other words, any iPhone with the A12 Bionic chipset or newer). Incidentally, that’s also the same device requirements as iOS 17.

It's worth noting, though, that Apple Intelligence features are limited to the iPhone 16 line, along with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Below, we've detailed the full list of iOS 18-compatible iPhones. For more information, including confirmed iPadOS 18 compatibility, check out our dedicated iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 compatibility explainer.

• iPhone 16e
• iPhone 16
• iPhone 16 Plus
• iPhone 16 Pro
• iPhone 16 Pro Max
• iPhone 15
• iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 14
• iPhone 14 Plus
• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone XS
• iPhone XS Max
• iPhone XR
• iPhone SE (2nd generation)
• iPhone SE (3rd generation)

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Oppenheimer is set to be IMAX's newest major blockbuster hit when it premiers on July 21, but it's running on technology dating from the 1990s: a PalmPilot. Turns out that operators will use the old system to project the movie, and it's sparked a flood of nostalgia online. 

The PalmPilot emulator had been spotted being used on an iPad in a TikTok video that IMAX released on July 14 about the engineering tweaks that have been had to be made to accommodate Oppenheimer's three-hour runtime. 

The video had meant to be showcasing how the 70mm film reel, which is 11 miles long and weighs 600 pounds, was so large that IMAX had to extend the film platter that holds it – the extension had been done specifically for Oppenheimer.

But those who are familiar with the handheld device's interface were quick to notice it being emulated on the wall beside the film platter and wanted more answers as to what the operating system was being used for. See the video below: 

Why is IMAX using tech from the 90s? 

The PalmPilot may seem like outdated tech, but its operating system's ease of use and stripped-back design made it popular with developers, including with IMAX. 

"The original Quick Turn Reel Units operated on PalmPilots. In advance of the release of Oppenheimer, IMAX Engineering designed and manufactured an emulator that mimics the look and feel of a Palm Pilot to keep it simple and familiar for IMAX film projectionists," an IMAX spokesperson told Motherboard.  

It seems fitting that a movie about the hurried and desperate development of technology should require its own strange technology mash-up to make it work. 

Can't wait to see Oppenheimer? Check out our Christopher Nolan movies ranked list to get ready for its big debut, or have a look at our new movies list to see what else is available.

Microsoft appears to still be struggling to get businesses everywhere to upgrade to Windows 11, according to new data that shows many firms still want to stick with older builds such as Windows 10.

Research from Lansweeper found that, despite promising rises in Windows 11 adoption in recent months (Statcounter has it that 23.1% of all Windows installs are of Windows 11 as of April 2023, up from 8.9% the year before), Windows 10 still makes up 71.4% of all installs.

Narrow that search down to business users, and Lansweeper reckons 80% of businesses continue to use Windows 10, despite the announcement that it will have support cut from October 2025.

Windows 10 remains top dog

Current figures suggest that 5.5% of compatible business devices are running Windows 11, up from 2.6% over the course of around six months.

With that being said, the threat that Windows 10 will soon lose its support has got IT leaders under increasing pressure to refresh their systems, whether that’s rolling out OS upgrades, issuing new and compatible hardware, or a combination of the two.

More alarming is the fact that a combined 4.3% of businesses are still running either Windows 7 or Windows 8, both of which have reached end of life, with a further 1.22% preferring Vista, XP, or Windows 2000.

“For enterprises with thousands of Windows machines, preparing for the Windows 11 upgrade is going to be a massive task if they don’t have automation in place - and even worse without an up-to-date IT asset inventory," noted Lansweeper Senior Technical Product Evangelist Esben Dochy.

While Windows 11 upgrades may be free, Lansweeper’s study found that 42.7% of workstations do not meet the CPU requirements for the OS with a select handful also not passing the RAM test, indicating the need for new hardware during a time of increased costs and reduced spending.

Some companies have been holding back in order to wait for their favorite office software to work glitch-free on the latest operating system, but with time ticking, now could be the time for a mass upgrade.

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Version 6.2 of the Linux operating system has been released, and while those expecting sweeping feature additions might be disappointed, one change will stand out for many.

In a short blog post, Linux founder and lead developer Linus Torvalds explained that, in the lead up to the release, there had been a few small fixes, stating: “I wasn't going to apply any last-minute patches that weren't actively pushed by maintainers”.

As nothing stood out as worthy of delaying the release of 6.2, Torvalds said any touches that had not been applied “will have to show up for stable.”

Linux 6.2

The 6.3 merge window has already opened, but Torvalds as ever has urged testers to check out version 6.2 to ensure that everything is running smoothly. 

It may not be a “sexy LTS release”, he said, but these sorts of “pedestrian kernels” require just as much testing as any other. 

This is perhaps underplaying the fact Linux-based operating systems are now supported on a wide array of Apple's proprietary silicon, including the M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra chips, thanks to the work of Asahi Linux’s developers being brought forward. 

Apple’s M-series chips have been great news for die-hard macOS fans, bringing significant performance enhancements to all aspects of processing and efficiency, however they have posed a roadblock to other hardware applications.

The mainline Linux support joins the recent news that Windows 11 is now available on M1 and M2-based Macs through virtual machine software Parallels 18. 

While good news, it's unclear what this could mean for the Linux roadmap going forward. While it doesn’t have the multi-billion dollar backing that Windows and macOS may have, its determined set of developers is likely to continue working on wider compatibility for future releases. 

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Ubuntu is gearing up to respond to Industry 4.0 in an era of increasing interconnectivity with the release of the latest real-time 22.04 LTS version.

Canonical, the company behind the popular open source operating system, says real-time Ubuntu 22.04 LTS is designed with performance, ultra-low latency, and security in mind.

With this release, the OS is aiming to deliver top performance to the telecommunications network amid the transformation to 5G, the automotive industry, and other models related to the interconnectivity associated with the so-called fourth industrial revolution.

Real-time Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

For pro users, this news has been a long time coming. While Canonical released a beta version in April 2022, the company advised against users deploying it for production workloads as it came with no support, but almost 10 months later it is now generally available. 

Part of the low-latency OS’s success is down to the integration of the out-of-tree PREEMPT_RT patches for x86 and ARM architectures, which Ubuntu says “ensure[s] time-predictable task execution” by making the kernel more preemptive than mainline Linux.

Canonical CEO Mark Shuttleworth said: “The real-time Ubuntu kernel delivers industrial-grade performance and resilience for software-defined manufacturing, monitoring and operational tech”.

Shuttleworth also explained that “Ubuntu is now the world's best silicon-optimised AIOT platform on NVIDIA, Intel, MediaTek, and AMD-Xilinx silicon.”

The open source company says that the added support for real-time compute allows it to “[push] the envelope of digital infrastructure and [bring] the future of robotics automation forward.”

What this means for companies is that they will have a new, powerful tool to aid in the development of interconnected devices as they gear up toward Industry 4.0.

• Check out our list of the best cloud backup tools

New 2022 figures have claimed some surprising results in what the most popular operating systems were in 2022

The 2022 Stack Overflow Developer Survey reports that Linux-based software is now more popular than Apple's macOS as developers apparently flock to other systems.

Linux distros, representing 40% for both personal and professional use, which are recognized as being some of the most customizable and adaptive operating systems for developers. The 40% share is up from around one quarter in each of the previous five years, which shows a significant shift to Linux that may continue into 2023.

Popular programming OSs

However macOS figures continue to be strong in an area of the market that’s becoming increasingly expensive, representing 31% of personal users and 33% of professional users.

Maybe less shocking is Windows’ popularity, which sees it take the top position as the most used operating system, with almost two-thirds (62%) of personal users preferring the OS and nearly a half (49%) of  professional users opting for Microsoft’s product. 

The year of 2022 has also been the year of rising popularity for Windows 11, according to monthly Statcounter figures, which show a steady increase from less than 3% market share in January 2022 to an adoption rate of over 16% in November 2022. Windows 10 remains the most popular version of the OS to date, representing a significant 70% of the OS’s distributions.

Moreover, Statcounter reports that Windows accounts for 75% of all computer users globally, including and excluding developers. macOS takes just 16% of the market, while Linux accounts for less than 3%, further implying that this is a popular go-to for developers and programmers. 

• Check out the best mobile workstations now

With adoption still struggling, Microsoft has found yet another route to push its latest Windows 11 operating system, specifically to users of Windows 10.

The company is hoping that a new out-of-the-box experience, prompting users to upgrade to Windows 11, will make it easier and smoother, as many users may be more likely to conform during setup.

Microsoft explains on a Windows 10 support page: “an out-of-band update was released to improve the Windows 10… out-of-box experience (OOBE).”

Windows 10 vs 11

The update has rolled out to Home and Professional versions 2004, 20H2, 21H1, 21H2, and 22H2 of Windows 10, and will be installed during the Windows OOBE process so long as the device has an Internet connection, according to the post.

Windows 11 installs appeared to have levelled off during the middle of 2022 according to figures posted by Statcounter, however recent months have seen a healthy uptake to the point that 16% of Windows users have opted for the latest OS. Windows 10 remains the most popular version by a long shot, accounting for a touch under 70% of all installs. 

Versions aside, Windows continues to be the most popular desktop OS, making up around three quarters of the market, compared with macOS in second place at 16% and Chrome OS trailing far behind at 2.5%. 

The Register reports that many businesses defer deploying the latest operating system until around 18 months have past, at which point it is deemed suitable (and compatible) enough. With that in mind, Windows 11 adoption could get a much needed boost as we near summer 2023.

In contrast, many businesses may be holding off because their current hardware doesn’t meet the stringent requirements that are in place to help Windows 11 be more secure than previous operating systems. This, and ongoing suffering PC sales, may mean that Windows 11 may never be as popular as Microsoft had once hoped.

• Check out the best online collaboration tools around right now

From monitoring performance to ending unresponsive programs, many Windows users will find themselves in Task Manager at some point - but an update to Windows 11 may now pose a problem. 

Users with the KB5020044 preview for Windows 11 22H2 may be affected with an issue that renders the Task Manager interface unreadable, though Microsoft is quick to stress that this is purely cosmetic and the tool remains functional.

The company posted on its website that, “After installing KB5020044, Task Manager might display certain elements in the user interface (UI) in unexpected colors. On affected devices, Task Manager should function as expected but some parts of the UI might not be readable.”

Windows 11 Task Manager problems

Microsoft explains that affected users are likely to have set up a custom mode under the Personalization > Colors menu, and that users with the mode set to Dark or Light should not be affected.

So Microsoft advises that, for now at least, users pick a Dark or Light theme in order for the Task Manager to display properly. While no timeframe has been given for a fix, the company is aware of the issue and hopes to have it resolved by the next release.

Many users, including most businesses who prefer to remain on a stable build of the operating system, will be unaffected by the issue. It only pertains to those who have manually downloaded the optional update within Windows Insider builds. 

What's more, only 16% of Windows users are running any version of Windows 11 as of November 2022, though this is on the rise from under 8% in February 2022. Windows 10 remains the most popular version of the operating system by far, accounting for just under 70% of installs.

• These are the best productivity tools

The latest build of Windows 11 is set to get a VPN indicator in its notification area, making it easier for users to check their connection status or connect more easily.

According to multiple reports highlighted by Neowin, upcoming builds of Windows 11 will feature the new icon as Microsoft addresses the growing popularity of VPN services across the world.

Apple fans will already be familiar with the feature, with VPN indicators available in the macOS taskbar along with a status bar icon for iOS devices. In fact, even Android devices have had an icon appear in their status bars, leaving Windows machines somewhat left out when it comes to using VPNs.

Windows 11 VPN icon

There are some caveats, though, as pointed out by Neowin. Firstly, the icon only appears to be working with a wired connection, so users with a Wi-Fi connection won’t be able to check their connection so easily.

Also, it seems that the operating system will not recognize third-party VPN apps, which will leave a large portion of VPN users uncatered for. The VPN connection will need to be set up from the system settings in order to function as described.

Then, of course, there is the fact that these are just rumours and speculations derived from those with early access, who have been fortunate enough to have a dig around build 25247. It’s likely that Microsoft will continue to fine-tune the VPN status icon to include Wi-Fi connections, and possibly third-party apps, maybe before its full release. That’s if it makes the cut, and isn’t delayed until the next build.

Also forming part of the latest update to the OS, users will be able to quickly toggle between video and mic effects from Quick Settings and select from energy saving options to improve efficiency. Details on these updates can be read on the Microsoft blog.

Want to write about VPN?

Users are still to fall in love with Windows 11, despite the office software having been available for over a year now.

According to data gathered by Statcounter, Windows 11 still has meager adoption rates, accounting for only 15.44% of all Windows systems.

In contrast, over 70% of users are still running Windows 10, and Windows 7 still maintains a dedicated user base of just under 10% of devices, despite not being officially supported by the company since January 2020.

All platforms considered

As has been the case for some time, Windows continues its dominance of the desktop space in comparison to other competitors, with close to an 80% share. Apple’s OS X is next with 15%, and the open-source Linux with just under 3%. 

However, a different picture is revealed when factoring in operating systems across all platforms, including mobile devices. Here, Google’s Android OS comes out on top with a market share of over 40%, followed by Windows at around 30% and iOS at just under 20%. OS X and Linux then fall to around 6% and 1% respectively.

Windows 11 was described by Microsoft as being more secure than previous iterations of its flagship OS, such as requiring computers to have Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chips installed, which carry out cryptographic processes and feature physical mechanisms related to security. 

However, this and other stringent requirements are part of the reason for the slow uptake of Windows 11. Only the latest processors are compatible with the new OS - and IT management software Lansweeper recently found that over 11 million PCs across 60,000 organizations did not have the right CPUs to install it.

Businesses are usually in no hurry to upgrade to new operating systems, often waiting around 18 months after release to purchase new hardware. With the current economic climate, there is now even less incentive to shorten that lead-time, as long as Windows 10 continues to remain as competent as it is currently. 

• Here are our picks of the best alternative operating systems

Google is hoping to expand its stake in the software industry with the launch of  KataOS, a new OS for machine learning tools.

Described in a company blog post as, "a provably secure platform that's optimized for embedded devices that run ML applications", KataOS will run alongside its reference implementation, Sparrow.

Most computer users will be accustomed to the Windows and macOS operating systems, while pro users have been left to source their favourite Linux distro for more specific operations.

Google announces KataOS and Sparrow

In its announcement, the company stated the importance of being able to build “verifiably secure systems for embedded hardware” as smart devices become more commonplace. 

Google says that our personally identifiable data - like images and voice recordings - could be at risk if the devices can’t be mathematically proven to keep data secure.

While there’s “plenty left to do”, Google has still confirmed some details about the upcoming KataOS. In the past, the company has favored the Carbon and C++ programming languages, however its new project is “written almost entirely in Rust”, according to its related GitHub page. 

The Register takes a closer look at the underlying seL4 microkernel, which is usually implemented in C. The article explains how CAmkES, which uses Haskell and Python, comes into play as an “abstraction layer to join the C and Rust layers together.” 

Google sees this as the first step in a “future where intelligent ambient ML systems are always trustworthy.” 

Moving forward, the company hopes to open source all of Sparrow - both hardware and software.

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The first major update to Windows 11 is here. Microsoft announced today (September 20) that this feature-packed Windows 11 2022 update is arriving on your Windows 11 PC very soon. In fact, if you open Windows Update right now, it might be waiting for you.

Windows 11 2022 update, (or 22H2) brings refinements to Start and the taskbar but also a wealth of new features across the operating system. These include tabs on the venerable File Explorer, a controller bar for your games, and Live Captions that can be used all over Windows.

Prior to this launch, Microsoft was seeding insiders with updates that gave us all a glimpse of what was to come. Now, however, the latest Windows 11 is open to all. In fact, you may already be downloading it without knowing how it will benefit your PC, laptop, or another device like a Surface.

With this in mind, we'll be live for the next few hours to keep track of the latest update to Windows 11, and all its new features.

We are live with the first major update to Windows 11 since its release last year. But is it showing for you?

A big feature of the new update is better Accessibility options. Live Captions can finally be used across the operating system, from Teams calls to when you play a video.

While the update isn't showing on my Gaming PC just yet, I've had the Insider program enabled for it, so tabs in File Explorer has been something I've been using for weeks. Microsoft tells us that the feature is launching next month.

Without sounding dramatic like a soap show on TV, this one feature has changed how I manage files and content on my PC, and it's been a long time coming.

If you're struggling to see the new update on your PC in Windows Update, we've created a guide to help try and push the process along.

And like clockwork, the update shows as available on my Gaming PC.

Windows had to install another update first, and after a restart and going back to Windows Update in Settings, the 22H2 update suddenly appeared.

And yes, that is Tomb Raider 2 in the background, arguably one of the greatest games of all time.

One of our fantastic freelancers Darren Allan has written up a great new feature in the update - a Controller Bar.

Allan describes this as a way of launching a game by pressing the 'Xbox' button on an Xbox Controller, making it easier to get to your games much more quickly than before.

There's also greater support for Auto HDR, and if you're not sure what that is, we've put together a handy guide all about it.

Another write-up from Darren, where Microsoft has announced that Android apps are faster in this 2022 update.

Apps now launch 'two to three times faster performance in terms of graphics, and better input for touch controls, plus mouse and keyboard for that matter'.

There's also greater availability for this feature, with it coming to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK.

If you've been waiting for a calibration app for your HDR monitor, then the wait is over.

A tweet announces the availability of one, where you can easily configure how best the image will look on your monitor when you're watching content or playing games.

Our friends over at TechRadar Pro have highlighted the security features for this new update, spanning areas such as identity, patch management, malware protection and more.

A big new feature is called Smart App Control, a new AI-enabled system that can stop users from running malicious applications in Windows 11.

We came across a redesigned Task Manager in a previous Insider build, and it's finally arrived in the new update.

Alongside dark mode, you can create crash logs to further look into why an app crashed, and there's a new 'Efficiency Mode', which can limit how apps use your PC in memory and processor usage to better control your laptop's battery life for example.

Looks like the Windows 11 2022 update hype is calming down for its first day, and so I'm signing off.

If you'd like to get in touch about anything you've found about the new update so far, my contact details are here.

Farewell!

Hi there, TechRadar US Editor in Chief Lance Ulanoff here, picking up with Daryl Baxter left off.

There's a lot to digest in this Windows 11 update, but I find myself focusing on the minutia.

For example, Microsoft says that the latest Windows offers enhancements to Snap layouts that should make you more productive. I often use these tools to manage as many as six windows across two screens but have found some of the controls less than intuitive. I'm hopeful that these updates will make them, as Microsoft promises, more versatile, but also easier to use.

However, what really intrigues me is the promise of Snap Layouts within the Microsoft Edge browser.

You see, I'm an "Edgey" (yes, I just made that up), which means I use Microsoft Edge as my default browser. It's better, faster, and lighter than Chrome. It also has cool tools like Collections and vertical tabs. Now, with Windows 11, it has Snap Layouts. That could be a real game changer, especially with the number of tabs I manage and how often I need to reference multiple web pages at once.

As this Windows 11 update rolls out, it pays to read the fine print on what's supported "out of the box" and what might need that extra bit of hardware to make it so.

Windows Studios Effects, for instance, sounds like it could super-charge video meetings with AI-enhanced voice focus (cuts out all the background noise) and background blur to cut out the unmade bed behind you. Microsoft also mentions "Eye Contact" an AI-powered feature that makes it appear as if you are always looking at the camera - even when you're not. 

The idea is that it will look to your video call recipient as if you are making intense eye contact with them. It's a cool and slightly weird feature that I saw in action once, right after the launch of Microsoft's Surface Pro X convertible laptop.

In fact, that was the only device that supported it at the time. Since then, there's been more hardware support. That said, there's no guarantee that your laptop's camera and subsystem will support the feature. So, yes, be thrilled if it does, but not too disappointed if you can't maintain artificial eye contact with your updated Windows 11 PC.

One thing not many people are talking about is Windows 11's new environmentally-friendly features, specifically, the ability to be carbon-aware.

With the right data, Windows 11 can operate in a more environmentally responsible way, scheduling Windows updates at times when doing so might result in lower carbon emissions.

This doesn't just work, though. First, the computer needs to be plugged in and connected to the Internet - a reasonable assumption. Secondly, it needs data from your power grid that describes current levels of regional carbon intensity. Smart grids do have this, though it may not be immediately clear if they are or can feed that info back to your home or office and for Windows 11 to use.

Still, we appreciate the effort in a world where the climate is changing fast and every little bit may count. At least we hope so.

That's gonna do it for me and this Windows 11 Update live blog. Be sure to check out all of TechRadar's coverage of the major update.

Hello there, Daryl here. We're on day 2 of the first major update to Windows 11 being rolled out, so we wanted to ask - have you installed it yet?

What's your thoughts on it so far?

Or are you holding out until tabs in File Explorer arrive next month?

Do let me know, or on TechRadar's Twitter.

Before bed yesterday, I spent a couple of hours arranging some files for my Steam Deck that's since shipped, and I noticed how much faster everything felt.

From copying files to loading up some Windows apps, it all felt much zippier. Have you experienced the same on the 22H2 update?

One feature that's a big finally from me, is the ability to create folders within the Start menu. This is as easy as holding down on an app, dragging it over another, and hey presto, both will be in a folder.

Now let's see an option for the 'Recommended' section to disappear forever Microsoft.

We'll be back for another day, but do let me know if you're having issues with the new update, or on TechRadar's Twitter.

Until next time!

You can now purchase a Windows 11 license and download it directly from the Microsoft website, instead of upgrading from a version of Windows 10, the company has confirmed.

According to PCMag, the change appears to have occured at some point in May 2022, however a lack of any press release or communication from Microsoft meant this change slipped through the net.

For many PC users, Windows 11 will already come installed or will be available as an upgrade for their existing machines, and has been since its launch in October 2021, but DIY PC builders have (up until recently) had to download a version of Windows 10, before upgrading from within that OS.

Download Windows 11 from Microsoft

A Windows 11 Home download can be added to an online cart and purchased for $139 (£119.99), which represents no price increase over the equivalent Home version of Windows 10.

At first, it appears that there’s no Pro version of the operating system, however this is found under another page on the Microosft website. Windows 11 Pro is available for $199.99 (£219.99) - the same price as Windows 10 Pro. 

The ability to purchase a Windows 11 license should save PC builders time, who will no longer need to get it via the previous OS. 

A processing speed of at least 1GHz, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a minimum nine-inch 720p display are some of the key requirements for DIYers to install Windows 11.

Windows 11 update 22H2 also brings with it greater control over security measures and offers more protection against malware. 

We confirmed with a Microsoft store representative that the current downloads run on build number 21H2, and users should receive a notification when 22H2 is ready to download.

• We've found the best office software

Chrome could soon get Windows 11-style overlay scrollbars, or at least they’re set to go into testing on Google’s browser according to the grapevine.

An overlay scrollbar simply means that the bar for scrolling on the right side of the browser window is pretty much hidden – it’s just a very thin line – and it only pops fully into existence when you move the mouse near to it, or over it. This gives a neater look, and provides a touch more real-estate to show the contents of a web page in the browser window when you’re not scrolling around (or when using your mouse wheel to scroll, of course).

As spotted by Leopeva64-2 on Reddit (via Neowin), overlay scrollbars have been in testing on Edge since August 2021, when Microsoft promised it would bring this feature to Chromium – and therefore presumably Chrome, eventually.

Well, it seems like that’s finally happening, because a fresh patch in Chromium Gerrit has witnessed a comment from a Microsoft staff member stating that overlay scrollbars will soon be tested in Chrome (presumably beginning with Canary, the earliest preview build).

Analysis: Bug squashing will hopefully proceed at a speedy pace

Also in this patch, Microsoft developers have said they are trying to fix a glitch whereby YouTube in full-screen mode is bugged when the overlay scrollbars are enabled. Doubtless there will be other wrinkles which need to be smoothed over as this work progresses – assuming this move happens as anticipated – so it could take some time for this feature to appear in the release version of Chrome.

When it does, overlay scrollbars should be present in Chrome with not just Windows 11, but also on Windows 10, because the functionality came to both operating systems with the Edge browser. Fingers crossed we don’t have to wait long, at least for those who like this style of scrollbars; for those who don’t, there’ll doubtless be an option to turn them off.

• These are the best laptops of 2022

Knowing how to move your operating system to another hard drive might not be a skill you can utilize every day, but we promise you that mastering it is bound to come in handy sooner or later.

If you currently have one of the best hard drives, then learning how to move your operating system to a new one is likely not high on your list of priorities. But, if you have an older model that's starting to show signs of decline, then this guide will talk you through everything you need to know to help make swapping over an absolute piece of cake.

When it comes to moving your operating system to another hard drive, you have two choices - start from scratch and do a new operating system (OS) install or simply move it from your old drive. We're not going to lie, the former is a long and tedious process that we wouldn't wish on anyone - especially not a lovely person like yourself! Even when you have your OS up and running, you'll then need to re-install all your applications and transfer all your data and files - we mean, really, who has time for all of that?

Not us, that's for sure! Which is why we're huge fans of the second option, which is a lot less time consuming. If you have one of the best computers, the best and most pain-free way of migrating your information onto a new drive is to move your entire OS. Granted, it's still going to take you some time but we promise you that you'll lose far less hair in the process. 

Before you get started, there are some tools you'll need which we've listed below. And if you find that storage space is an issue for you after making the switch, we recommend investing in one of the best external hard drives to give you the extra capacity you need. For now, let's talk you through how to move your operating system to another hard drive so that you can get back up and running as quickly as possible.

Before you get started…

Now, before we begin walking you through how to move your operating system to another hard drive, I want to point out some important prefaces. The most important of all is you need to make sure that your computer is virus-free. If it has a virus then that will copy over to your new hard drive. If your operating system is corrupt, then you run the risk of your information not being accessible or being corrupt on the copy (sometimes it won’t be a problem but it depends on the damage of the hard drive). 

Also, make sure that you are moving to either the same size drive or bigger to ensure that the copy will not fail. This might sound like no-brainer, but it’s easy to overlook when you’re caught up in the excitement of it all.

What you will need:

• A USB Flash Drive (with no data on it or one that is expendable)
• Maybe an hour (depending on how big your hard drive is)
• A storage disk to take a system image of your computer and save a backup (always do this!)
• Both hard disks installed
• TuxBoot
• CloneZilla

Get everything you need ready to how to move your operating system to another hard drive to ensure a smoother process. Once you have installed all the programs, settings, and have all the data you want, you can get started. Follow the steps below, and it should work out nicely and without a hitch.

1. Go to Windows/My Computer, and right-click on My Computer and select Manage. Once the window opens, choose Disk Management, and usually Windows will acknowledge a new disk has been located and that it needs to be initialized and formatted. Click OK and choose NTFS quick.

2. Download Tuxboot and CloneZilla. CloneZilla will be the application we will use to create an image of the hard drive, and Tuxboot is what we will use to mount it to the USB Flash Drive so that we can boot to it.

3. Once these applications are downloaded, plug in the flash drive that you will be using and format it clean, as we will be using this Flash Drive for CloneZilla. Go to Windows/My Computer, and right-click on My Computer and select Manage. Select the disk (making sure you do NOT select C: drive or another drive you are using) and right click and format it to NTFS Quick, and give it a Drive Letter.

4. Open Tuxboot. Once Tuxboot opens, click on the bottom and choose ISO and click the button to find the location of the CloneZilla live .ISO file. Once that is complete, make sure that the drive you are mounting CloneZilla to is the USB Flash Drive. Hit OK.

5. Reboot the computer and boot off of the USB Flash Drive. Go into BIOS. I don’t know what key that is for your computer but it is either F2 or the DEL key by default. Once you are in, go into your BOOT section and manually boot off of the USB flash drive. This will start CloneZilla.

6. Choose the default CloneZilla Start option, choose your Language Keyboard, choose Do Not Touch KeyMap, and choose the first option: “Start CloneZilla Live.”

And there you go. In just six steps, you've managed to how to move your operating system to another hard drive - well done!

7. The next prompt will show you either device-image or device-device. Choose Device-Device as we want to clone information from one disk to another. Once you hit enter, there will be a subsequent page for either Beginner or Expert. Choose Beginner. The main window of CloneZilla will ask you to choose where you want to move your disk-copy. There are different options, Disk to Local Disk, Disk to Remote Disk, Part to Local Part, and Part to Remote Part. We are going to want to choose Disk to Local Disk.

8. Now, time to choose the Source Disk that will be copied. Now, if you are like me, I have eight hard drives in my tower and when I did this I was using a Patriot Ignite 480GB drive (after my review, I bought one) so when my list came up I saw two Patriot Ignite 480GB drives and then Serial Numbers. I rebooted my machine, unplugged the new drive, restarted this whole process, and wrote down the serial (last 6 digits) of the old drive. Once I had that, I shut down, plugged in the new machine, and I chose the old machine (out of the two Ignite drives listed) as the Local Source. After you have selected the hard drive choice hit Enter to continue.

8. Once the Source Disk is chosen, we now just have to choose where this is going. If you are like me and have two of the same drives, only one will show up here (as the other one has already been selected). If you are smarter than me and just have two drives, choose your location and press Enter.

9. The screen will go black and you will see text, but do not fret! There will be a lot of warning text on the screen. Essentially, Clonezilla is checking everything for you. It will then prompt you, “Are you sure you want to continue? (y/n)” two times to ensure you want to do this. Now, if you made a backup image of your disk and/or checked that you are using the correct source and destination drive information then you are good to go. Worse comes to worse you have to restore your image and do it again. Hit Yes.

10. Once you hit yes, a screen will pop up to start calculating bitmap files, partition locations, and then it will automatically start copying your information. Now, depending how big the drive is, how much data is on it, and whether you are using all SSDs, IDE SATA drives, or going in either direction depends on how fast this will take. For me, I have about a 110GB worth of data on my drive so this took me about 6 minutes and 33 seconds.

11. Extra step(s) for those who move from a smaller hard drive to a larger hard drive (e.g. 128GB hdd to a 1TB) - once you are done with CloneZilla, choose to power off the machine and remove the old hard drive from your computer. Upon Startup you may have to go into BIOS and select the new drive as a Boot Option in your Boot Priority (mine automatically detects). Once you are in Windows, you will need to go back to Disk Management and you will have to edit how big your C:/ Drive is. The reason for this is that Windows thinks it exists on a smaller hard drive than it currently does, but that is easy to fix. Go to Windows/My Computer, and right-click on My Computer and select Manage and choose Disk Management. Right-click on C:/ Drive hard drive and choose “Extend Partition.” A Window will open up and just follow the prompts. I suggest using all of the disk space that you can and hitting enter.

Knowing how to screenshot on Windows is not only a necessity but it’s also pretty easy, meaning you can share something meaningful or funny with the people you care about or quickly take screenshots for work.

Regardless of whether you’re using Windows 11 or a previous version of Microsoft’s OS like Windows 10,  you’ll take pretty much the same steps to get your screenshots. However, to cover the few small differences, we also have a guide for how to take a screenshot on Windows 11.

There are not usually a lot of steps to taking a screenshot in Windows. In fact, the quickest, easiest way is to press the Print Screen button on the keyboard. But, there are some other methods that might work better for different reasons, including taking one of a specific window or taking a freeform screenshot of one area on your screen. We’ve included steps for each process so that you can get the one that you want.

If you’re on an Apple Mac or MacBook, it’s even easier. You can learn how with our taking screenshots on a Mac guide if you need help.

Steps for how to screenshot on Windows

1. Find what you want to print screen
2. Press the print screen button, as well as 'alt' if you want to capture your active window, or open Snip & Sketch to take your print screen
3. Save or paste your image as desired

Step by step guide for how to screenshot your whole screen

Step by step guide for how to screenshot an active window

Step by step guide for how to screenshot part of your screen

If you'd rather be a little more precise with your screenshots, then Microsoft has rolled out a tool that will help you - an app called Snip & Sketch, replacing the old Snipping Tool.

Snip & Sketch gives you the option to take screenshots now or in a few seconds if you need some time to prepare. Additionally, it will allow you to edit, crop and annotate existing screenshots, even the ones you haven’t taken with the app.

• Need a new laptop? Check out the best laptops here

The Remote Desktop feature of Windows is an app that not everyone is aware of, but it is something that would almost certainly be far more widely used if it was better known. In short, Remote Desktop provides a way to control your Windows 11 computer from somewhere else – remote control, if you prefer.

While this is mainly designed with business and technical users in mind, such as remote working or offering remote support, the feature can also be used for simpler tasks such as controlling your upstairs computer from your laptop downstairs. 

Assuming you have a network set up, use the following guide to get started with Remote Desktop.

• How to download and install Windows 11 right now
• Windows 11 problems: how to fix the most common issues
• How to check if your PC will get Windows 11 update

1. Open Settings first of all. You can do this by clicking the Start button followed by Settings, or you can use the Windows + I keyboard shortcut. In the list to the left, move to the System section and then click Remote Desktop to the right-hand side. 

You can then enable Remote Desktop by flicking the Remote Desktop toggle to the On position. A pop-up will appear in order to double-check that you want to enable the feature – just click Confirm to continue.

2. To the right of the toggle you will see a small button feature a downward-pointing arrow. If you click this, additional options will appear, although it is not a good idea to change these settings unless you have a particular reason to do so.

By default, Remote Desktop requires devices to use Network Level Authentication in order to establish a connection, but if this proves problematic, or if you have a complex network configuration, you can display is by unchecking the option box. Below this, Windows shows you the port number used by Remote Desktop in case you need to make a note of it.

3. When you have Remote Desktop enabled, a new section will slide into view letting you know the name of your computer, as you will need this later on in order to establish a connection. 

t is possible you know, or even chose the name of your computer, and it is the same name that is used to identify your computer on your hoe network. If you would like to change the name for any reason, return to the System section of Settings and click the Rename link to the upper right of the window, enter a name and click Next before restarting Windows when prompted.

4. Now that you have Remote Desktop enabled, you can use various tools to connect  and remotely control your computer. Windows has its own Remote Desktop Connection app built in, found in the Start menu, so we'll start by looking at this one.

Launch the app from the Start menu of a second computer and type the name of the machine you would like to connect to. You can now jump right in and click the Connect button, or you can configure additional options as described in the next step.

5. Click the arrow next to Show Options and you can specify the username you would like to use to connect with. Moving to the Display tab you can use the slider to choose the size of your remote session window and also specify the color depth that should be used.

On the Local Resources tab, you can choose how audio should be handled between remote and local session as well as choosing what resources should be shared between devices – such as printers and clipboard contents. If you have a slow connection, use the Experience tab to dial back visual option. Click Connect to establish a connection.

6. You will have to provide the login credentials for the computer you are trying to connect to – this is just the same password that you normally use to log into Windows – and then click OK.

7. You will now find yourself logged into your other PC, ready to use Windows 11 within a window.

8. If you want to exit the remote access, just press the close icon and you will be brought to a message box, confirming if you want to disconnect the session.

Press OK and the connection will shut down.

9. Microsoft's Remote Desktop app is also available for mobile devices so you can use your smartphone or tablet to control your PC if you want.

Both the Android and iOS versions of the app are available free of charge and work in very much the same way as the desktop app that we have already looked at.

• Windows 11 system requirements – is your PC compatible?

The look of Windows 11 is rather different from its predecessors, and for many people this is a nig part of the attraction of upgrading. But for others, the updated look leaves a little to be desired, and may even lead to yearnings for the aesthetics of older versions of Windows. If you've ever wondered about how to make Windows 11 look like Windows 7, we're here with the answers you've been looking for.

There are various reasons for wanting to revert back to the look of an old version of Windows. It may just be a personal preference when it comes to appearance, but there are also practical reasons.

Microsoft introduced some fairly significant interface changes to Windows 11, and these were not all to everyone's liking. If you opt to make Windows 11 look like Windows 7, you can also regain some of the functionality.

It is possible to enjoy the best of both worlds. You can have Windows 11 installed so you benefit from the very latest features and security options, but implement the look of Windows 7 if this is the look you prefer. Let's dive in and take a look at how to make Windows 11 look like Windows 7.

• How to download and install Windows 11 right now
• Windows 11 problems: how to fix the most common issues
• How to check if your PC will get Windows 11 update

1. Perhaps the most obvious change to Windows 11 is the repositioning of the Start button and other apps to the middle of the taskbar. Thankfully, Microsoft has made it easy to move it back to the left hand side of the screen for people who prefer things the way they used to be.

Right-click an empty section of the taskbar and select Taskbar settings, then look for the Taskbar behaviours section. Click the drop-down menu labelled Taskbar alignment, and select the Left option. The Start button and all of the other buttons in the taskbar will all be aligned to the left.

2. Moving the Start button is one small win, but you'll still see the Windows 11 Start menu when you click it. By installing StartAllBack, however, you can very closely mimic the look and feel of Windows 7 – the full version of the app costs $4.99, but there is a free trial available as well.

After downloading and installing the app, select the Remastered 7 option in the Welcome section. This will reinstate the Windows 7 Start menu and taskbar instantly, but you can customise things further by working your way through the Start Menu, Taskbar, Explorer and Advanced sections of the app.

3. In the Start Menu section you can choose which shortcuts can be displayed in the menu, as well as opting to add fly-out menus for many items. In the Taskbar section, you can customise the appearance of the Start button and other elements of the taskbar.

You can combine elements of Windows 11 and 7 by deselecting the Use enhanced classic jumplists to retain the more modern menu when you right-click on taskbar button. There are further options in the Explorer section including the Classic context menu setting that lets you choose between old and new style right-click menus throughout Windows 11.

4. The move away from the Control Panel has been underway for some time now, with Microsoft encouraging you to use the Settings app whenever possible. While this makes sense a lot of the time, you may well yearn for the days of the Control Panel.

This is still available in Windows 11, but it is far from obvious in how to access it. There are various ways to get to the Control Panel, but perhaps the easiest is to press Windows + R at the same time to bring up the Run dialog, and then type control before pressing Enter.  You may also want to make it easier to access in the future – just right click its taskbar button when it is running and select Pin to taskbar.

5. It's great to customize your desktop with a photo you have taken or another image you love. But if you're looking to take a trip down memory lane even further, you could reinstate the default Windows 7 wallpaper.

Sadly, Microsoft decided not to include this image with Windows 11, but you can download it from various websites including the Windows Wallpaper Wiki. With img0 (or Harmony as it is known) downloaded to your hard drive, right-click an empty area of the desktop, select Personalize and click Background. Click the Browse photos button and navigate to the folder containing the image you have just saved.

6. Windows 11 includes numerous components and features that simply did not exist in Windows 7 and this means that there are various extra elements dotted around that you may not need.

In the taskbar for instance, Windows 11 has buttons that serve as shortcuts to Search, Task view and Widgets. You can get rid of all of these – assuming you do not want them – by right-clicking an empty section of the taskbar and selecting Taskbar settings. In the Taskbar items section, use the toggles to disable any buttons you would prefer to hide.

7. A strange change in Windows 11 means that it is no longer possible to drag and drop items onto the taskbar to create a shortcut, or drag and drop files onto a taskbar button to open it in the associated app – but you can change this by editing the registry. Press Windows + R, type regedit and press Enter.

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell \Update\Packages, click Edit > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and create a new entry called UndockingDisabled. Double click this new item and assign it a value of 1 before restarting your computer to enable the new drag and drop ability.

8. One of the aesthetic changes Microsoft introduced in Windows 11 is rounded corners – and it is not something that's to everyone's taste. There is no built-in option to disable rounded corners on windows and applications, but the appropriately named Win11DisableRoundedCorners can help.

Download the utility, and double click to launch it. When Microsoft Defender SmartScreen springs to life, click the More info link and then the Run anyway button. You may also need to click a User Account Control confirmation, and then rounded corners will be banished and replaced with square ones. You can run the tool again to get them back if you change your mind.

9. Windows 11 includes Widgets (press Windows + W to bring the Widget panel into view), but Windows 7 used to include something similar called Gadgets. Although no longer officially available, you can port Gadgets back into the latest version of Windows using 8GadgetPack.

You can download this free utility here and when it's installed, the Gadgets bar will appear to right hand side of your screen. Right-click an empty space and select Add gadgets to browse through the selection of tools and information panels, adding any that take your fancy.

10. If you would like to recreate the Aero transparency effects used throughout Windows 7, you should look no further than the free tool Glass2k which you can download here.

Once installed, you can right click the title bar of any running app or open window to set a transparency level. You can configure Glass2k to start automatically with Windows and it will remember different settings for different apps and windows so you don’t have to keep tinkering with settings.

• Windows 11 system requirements – is your PC compatible?