The most popular operating system in the world, Microsoft’s Windows is the software that powers hundreds of millions of PCs. Introduced back in November 1985, Windows has changed and evolved over time to grow as gaming, design, development, and productivity needs have shifted. Whether XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10, or, most recently, Windows 11, Microsoft’s OS is one of the most important pieces of software ever made.
9to5Mac spotted a Hackintosh Reddit community post in which user OceanDepth95028 showed off what they say is a near-total replacement of the 2013 Windows phone with the guts of a 3rd-gen iPhone SE.
They even preserved the iPhone’s Touch ID button (now on the back) and Lightning port (subbed for the Lumai’s Micro USB).
The ad encourages you to “recruit your squad” with a free trial of PC Game Pass that you can share with friends. Microsoft says the ad will only appear if you’re signed into your Microsoft account and “meet the required eligibility criteria,” similar to the other Game Pass ad it tested last year. It’s rolling out now to the Dev and Beta Channels in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.3281.
Two zero-day holes being fixed on this Patch Tuesday could potentially allow attackers to delete your files and gain unmitigated system-level privileges, Bleeping Computer reports, so update ASAP.
In lighter news, the KB5051987 update continues rolling out a feature that improves taskbar previews. Plus, a new system tray icon will appear when using apps that support Windows Studio Effects on computers with a neural processing unit, like new Copilot Plus PCs.
With rumors of Nvidia entering the CPU market, 2025 might be an even bigger year for Microsoft’s Arm efforts.
Update your systems ASAP, as Bleeping Computer points out that today’s Patch Tuesday updates include one for a zero-day flaw already exploited by attackers.
CVE-2024-49138 - Microsoft Windows Common Log File System (CLFS) driver contains a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows a local attacker to escalate privileges.
[msrc.microsoft.com]
The enterprise-focused feature downloads updates in the background that “become effective immediately upon installation, eliminating the need for a restart.” It’s supposed to pair with Windows Autopatch, a cloud service that automates updates across Windows, Microsoft 365, Edge, and Teams.
Windows Hotpatch is now available in preview to commercial customers.
A new “improved” Windows search will allow you to search for documents, photos, and other files by just describing them — even when you’re not connected to the internet. The new AI search experience will roll out to Windows Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs early next year.
The app launched last month, but was initially was only available for paid users. Now, all users can try it, OpenAI says.
Ayaneo has revealed some specs for its next Windows handheld. The Ayaneo 3 will be available with either a seven-inch LCD or OLED HDR display, and an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 or Ryzen 7 8840U processor. The handheld will introduce an extra set of buttons on the back, plus lock switches to reduce the travel of its triggers for FPS players.
