The Photos app isn’t new to Windows 11, but Microsoft has been overhauling it with new features, view modes, and editing options over the past two years. Four more changes are now being tested, including AI-powered background removal and new viewing options. Microsoft released a new Photos app update toWindows Insidertesters, with the ability to remove the background from a photo (turning it into a transparent image) or replace the background with a solid color....

Quick Links Since 2022, the Galaxy S Ultra range has taken a certain direction — that of the Galaxy Note. Both theGalaxy S22 Ultraand theS23 Ultrahave the former Note range’s signature squared design and S Pen. But S Pen, however, is perhaps the phone’s biggest gimmick. Let me explain. From the Galaxy Note to the Galaxy S The S Pen is, by no means, a new feature onSamsung phones. It was first introduced back in 2011, with the very first Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone....

The Tor Browser 13.0 update introduces several long-awaited improvements, including a landscape aspect ratio, a fix for the “red screen of death,” and several enhancements from Mozilla’sFirefox ESR 115. Updated app icons and GUI elements are also part of the mix, though Tor Browser retains its basic look and feel. For many users, the new landscape aspect ratio is the biggest change in this release. Tor Browser previously limited its inner content window to 1000 x 1000 pixels, which isn’t wide enough for some modern websites (and often triggers the mobile versions of webpages)....

On my main tower PC, the boot screen lets me choose between two operating systems: Windows 11 and whatever version of Linux I’m testing at the time. I almost always choose Linux. Here’s why. Dual-Booting Is Nice (When Done Right) I dual-boot both Windows and Linux because I need to have access to Windows. It’s part of my job as a tech service journalist to test Windows software and keep up with what’s happening to the operating system, and being able to switch over with a few clicks makes my work convenient....

Quick Links Summary I’ve been building PCs for almost 20 years. During that time, I realized that a quality budget motherboard offers everything a regular PC user might need and that overspending on the motherboard isn’t worth it unless you need specific high-end features. The Old Days Were a Different Time for Budget Motherboards Fifteen-ish years ago, a high-end motherboard would give you an actual performance boost, both in games and productivity workloads....

Quick Links If you’ve ever used theshuffle buttononSpotify, you’ve probably noticed it often doesn’t feel random at all. Turns out this is by design, and there’s actually a lot that goes into how shuffle works on Spotify. You are very much not alone if this is a complaint you’ve had. TheSpotify Support forumsandRedditare littered with people airing their grievances about the shuffle feature. It’s clearly not working how people expect it to work....

Plenty of beloved arcade genres have experienced recent revivals. Unfortunately, not all of them have been so lucky, and many hit genres that disappeared after the death of arcades have remained dormant ever since. From hardcore action games to quarter-munching classics, these iconic arcade genres are still awaiting a modern revival. 5Maze Games Although you’ve probably never heard of the “maze game” genre, there’s a good chance you have played at least one of its many iconic titles....

Quick Links Texting is one of the most basic functions of a smartphone, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Google’s “Messages” app is default on many Android devices, and it has quite a few nifty features to enhance the text messaging experience. Services such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger make it super easy to message on a bunch of platforms at once, including the desktop. That’s typically not something you can do with SMS, but Google has a solution that works somewhat similarly to iMessage....

Quick Links Many people would claim that Excel’s desktop app is far more useful than its web-based counterpart, and they would be right: it has more tools, is much more powerful, and works well without an internet connection. However, over the past year, Excel for the web has improved in many ways. 1Easily Insert Rows and Columns Toadd rows and columns between existing datain the Excel desktop app, you need to select and right-click a row or column and click “Insert....

If you’re always running from one deadline to another, a time-tracking app can help you build effective time-management habits. They’ll help you concentrate on doing deep work and actually free up more hours in the day for doing other stuff. The Perfect Time Tracking App I’m always on the lookout for the perfect time-tracking app. As a freelancer, I’m often juggling multiple projects with multiple deadlines and a seemingly endless list of tasks....

Quick Links You can use virtual machines to run different operating systems within Windows, macOS, or Linux. There’s no need to reboot to switch OS, and some solutions even support 3D acceleration, which makes it possible to play games too. Here are some of our favorites. ✓Runs Windows 11 (among others) on any Mac ✗Mac-only ✓Effortless setup but still customizable ✗Not cheap (start with the free trial) ✓Integrates tightly with macOS...

Quick Links As home theater technology evolves, your video receiver may still include a few ports that feel like relics. Once essential for connecting devices like VCRs and early DVD players, many ports are now outdated and have been replaced by more modern wiring. Still, understanding what they were used for can help you make smarter upgrade decisions—or just scratch that nostalgic tech itch. Here are seven outdated ports and their original purposes....

We regularly criticize carriers and regulators for failing to block SMS scams. And while this criticism may be somewhat warranted, Google is keen to note that the world’s most potent SMS attacksare nottransmitted through legitimate cellular networks. Such attacks are completely beyond your carrier’s control—they must be blocked at a device level by disabling 2G connectivity and implementing next-gen security features. Modern smartphones operate on LTE and 5G networks and rarely, if ever, fall back to 2G....