Windows

According to Microsoft, some users in the Windows 11 Insider program with left-aligned taskbars may see Widgets moved left of the systems tray, while the share menu can now easily generate QR codes for URLs and links to files stored in the cloud.

I’m not sure if this great collection hosted by product engineer Alex Meub is all of the Windows 98 icons, but it sure has all the ones I remember.

Yes, Windows users can get the Threads app Mark Zuckerberg is showing here from the Microsoft Store

Instead of having to go into a separate authentication app to get your 2FA code and then manually type it in, Auto-Type via Quick Access now copies the code to the clipboard for you.

Proton’s end-to-encrypted password manager launched last year — but only on the web, Android, and iOS. This new Windows app lets you access your passwords offline (as long as you have a Proton Pass Plus or Unlimited subscription). It also keeps passwords protected with the Argon2 hashing algorithm.

Originally, Microsoft made it hard — but not impossible — to install Windows 11 on older machines. That’s reportedly changing. Bob Pony:

The rumors are true, even Notepad is getting a generative AI boost. A new update called “Explain with Copilot” will help users decipher any text, code segments, or log files they select within the text editor as Microsoft’s AI add-on enters its second year.

Linux fans and regular macOS Terminal users are more likely than anyone to be familiar with the “sudo” command. Short for “superuser do,” it tells your system to elevate your privileges to root access when you’re bopping around your system using command line — that is, text-only — control.

The latest Windows 11 Insider build (22635.3066) for the beta channel includes “the first major update” of the USB4 standard, which enables 80Gbps performance instead of 40Gbps. Microsoft says the capability will only launch on “select” devices with the Intel Core 14th Gen HX-series chip, including the Razer Blade 18.

The company’s valuation surpassed Apple during trading early Thursday, though Apple took the top spot at the end of the day. However, Microsoft won the day yesterday with a market valuation pegged at $2.89 trillion (versus Apple’s $2.87 trillion).

The company initially said some Windows Insiders on “widescreen devices” would have to deal with Copilot automatically launching, but Microsoft updated its blog post to caveat that even further:

Lenovo’s new 2-in-1 is a Windows laptop with a detachable Android tablet. They run on separate hardware. This is the least awkward way Lenovo could have done this.