Microsoft recently announced a limited public preview of Windows Backup for Organizations, which makes it easier for enterprise customers to back up all of their device settings and preferences and then restore them on any Entra-joined device. In theory, this simplifies the upgrade process from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Now, it seems like Microsoft wants to make the latter operating system even more enticing by constructing an orchestration platform that can handle Windows and app updates centrally.

I just got back from Microsoft Build, which was in Seattle, and it always feels like I'm going somewhere. Whether it's CES in Las Vegas, Computex in Taipei, IFA in Berlin, Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii, the Valnet offices in Montreal, or even just a few days in New York for something or other, there's always something on the calendar.

Unraid is favored by many, mostly because it doesn't use a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) — hence the name. That makes Unraid a unique operating system for network-attached storage (NAS) and one you should consider when shopping around for the very best. It's not perfect, however, and having used it for months, I've since switched back to other operating systems, such as TrueNAS and even Proxmox for storing data and running virtual machines or Docker containers, respectively.

One UI 8 includes updates to Quick Share and the Reminder app.Samsung has launched its beta test of One UI 8, the company’s customized take on Android 16. The beta is available now on the Galaxy S25, Plus, and Ultra — though strangely not the new S25 Edge — for users in the US, UK, Germany, and South Korea.Unsurprisingly, Samsung is emphasizing the OS update’s AI features, which purportedly include improved multimodal capabilities and more personalization. Despite that, the company’s announcement and update changelog are light on specific details of AI upgrades beyond speed improvements that make AI Select immediate to use, eliminating the previous start-up delay. One UI 8 has also been “optimized for the unique form factors across the Galaxy product portfolio,” echoing Google’s emphasis on Android 16 improving performance and user experience on tablets and foldables. One such change is a new split-screen option to move one app partially off the screen to the edge while you focus on another, which sounds similar to the multitasking tools on the OnePlus Open.Other changes include updates to the layout of Samsung’s Reminder app to make it easier to organize and share to-do lists; a simpler interface for Quick Share; and Android 16’s support for Auracast, an accessibility feature that allows hearing aids and some earbuds — including the Galaxy Buds 3 — to quickly connect to shared audio streams like public announcement systems or concert audio feeds.The beta is available now through the Samsung Members app, and Samsung says that One UI 8 will launch this summer alongside its next generation of foldable phones, likely the Z Fold 7 and Flip 7. The company says the new launch “initiates a new rhythm for Samsung’s software evolution with major UX and AI updates.” That’s certainly vague, but sounds like good news for fans frustrated by the protracted, months-long process for One UI 7 to reach most devices.

Microsoft is starting to open Windows Update up to any third-party app that needs to be updated. The software giant is now allowing developers to sign up for a private preview of what it calls the Windows Update orchestration platform, that will enable Windows Update to support any update for apps or drivers in the future. It’s focused largely on business apps, but it will be open to any apps or management tools.Windows Update is largely used to update the core parts of Windows right now, alongside key drivers for devices and even install some third-party management apps for peripherals. “We’re building a vision for a unified, intelligent update orchestration platform capable of supporting any update (apps, drivers, etc.) to be orchestrated alongside Windows updates,” explains Angie Chen, a product manager at Microsoft.Most apps on Windows are updated independently, using update mechanisms that developers have created themselves. Microsoft’s new Windows Update orchestration platform will let app developers take advantage of scheduled updates based on user activity, battery status, and even sustainable energy timing.Developers will also be able to hook directly into the native Windows Update notifications, and be listed in the app update history part of Windows Update. Microsoft will support MSIX / APPX packaged apps, and even some custom Win32 apps. Any apps that are part of the Windows Update orchestrator will automatically get future improvements to the underlying Windows Update platform, too.Microsoft has tried in the past to convince developers to list their apps in the Microsoft Store, where the store can handle updates or developers can continue to use their own update mechanisms. While the store on Windows has greatly improved in recent years, there are still some missing apps and businesses prefer to update their own line of business apps independently.Microsoft’s Windows Package Manager has also tried to solve some of the problems with installing and updating apps on Windows, but it’s not a widely used way to install and manage apps outside of power users and developers.Integrating more app updates into Windows Update certainly makes sense for a variety of apps, and it will be interesting to see whether this will be used primarily by businesses or if big developers like Adobe might move over to the Windows Update system instead of a separate installer that runs in the background.

The solid-state drive (SSD) has transformed the way we store data, paving the way to the modern smartphone, super-fast PC storage, and the thinnest laptops money can buy. They also allowed us to improve the performance of older or slower hardware, namely, mechanical hard drives. Intel Optane, AMD StoreMI, and some other technologies made their way to the datacenter, but you can take advantage of them at home with a server, NAS, or even your Windows PC. The thing is, only the first two scenarios are worthy of NVMe caching as your desktop PC likely already has fast enough storage and memory to handle everything you throw at it.

There's truly nothing better than buying a brand-new component for your rig. The unboxing, the peel, and that new computer part smell. Despite the fact that my nostrils yearn for the scent of a new graphics card, the current market is still a bit volatile. Prices are relatively high, and stock is still thin, leading me to lean towards grabbing a pre-owned card.

Apple is expanding its self-service repair program to cover a range of iPads, including mini, Air, and Pro models. The program opens tomorrow, at which point you’ll be able to order spare parts and repair kits for the Apple tablets.The program is mostly limited to the iPad models that Apple currently sells, including the A16-powered iPad, the iPad mini running the A17 Pro, and the M4-based iPad Pro. The M2 iPad Air is the only older model supported, along with the current M3 versions of that tablet. Apple hasn’t yet announced prices for the repair kits and components, which will include displays, batteries, cameras, and charging ports, along with rentable tool kits to carry out the work. iPhone parts range from $69 to $119 for a battery, while displays cost $129 to $379, and iPad parts are likely to cost more.The Self Service Repair program launched in 2022, initially covering only iPhones, though has since expanded to include select Macs, MacBooks, and the Studio Display. Apple has also announced today that the service will expand to cover Canada this summer, and that MobileSentrix will be added as a US parts distributor in the US as part of the recently launched Genuine Parts Distributor program, which allows third-party sellers to offer official Apple parts to independent repair shops.

I started using Google Drive as a convenient and free cloud storage solution, but it quickly became a digital junkyard. Files were everywhere, important documents were hard to track down, and collaboration always felt chaotic due to disorganization. It was nearly impossible to find the specific files when I needed them the most. Finding files felt like a treasure hunt. After struggling with this disarray, I discovered these five tools that transformed my Google Drive from a cluttered mess into an organized system.

There’s nothing worse than watching a game crash and burn on day one, only to realize its true potential as a fantastic title. It’s like seeing a beautiful car roll out of the showroom and immediately catch fire. They might be fantastic now, but their launches? Unforgivable.

If you use Notion to manage your notes, you'll likely want the app on every device you own for maximum productivity. And while Notion isn't on every app and operating system that people want it to be on, it's making its way around.

The new entry-level Surface Laptop is nicely put together.Microsoft finally found its answer to the MacBook Air last year with the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop (formerly known as 7th Edition). That Snapdragon X-powered laptop matched the MacBook in build quality, battery life, and at least some aspects of performance - something Windows laptop makers have been trying to do for ages. The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop was brilliant, but Windows on Arm's occasional app incompatibility stopped it just shy of being the default alternative to the MacBook Air.Nearly a year later, Microsoft has new Snapdragon-based Surfaces that are a little smaller and a little cheaper. The $899.99 13-inch Surface Laptop is nearly as great as last year's, despite some cost-cutting measures like a lower-resolution screen, a processor with two fewer cores, no face unlock, and no magnetic charging port. The hardware remains excellent, and Windows on Arm is even slightly better than last year. It'll probably work fine for some of you, but not all.The base 13-inch Surface Laptop, officially known as the Microsoft Surface 13-inch 1st Edition with Snapdragon (man alive, what a name), has an 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus processor, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. For …Read the full story at The Verge.