Microsoft's Rudy Huyn has announced a huge change that comes to the web version of Microsoft Store. It will now offer direct links to lightweight online installers instead of launching the Store app when installing an app. The online installers are small executable files that will run much faster and consume less resources than the full-featured Store.
Category: Software
PowerToys 0.80 adds WebP/WebM support to Peek, allows pre-configured setup with winget
PowerToys 0.80 is another release of the famous app suite developer by Microsoft. It is a major update to the software that brings with it a number of new features. The Peek, a tool that supports quickly previewing the files from within the Explorer, can now handle WebP and WebM formats. Also, you can now use winget to install PowerToys preconfigured. It now supports an ultimate set of options for desired state configuration, that you can use to specify what feature to enable or disable in each and every tool, along with base installer options.
A dedicated AI chatbot is coming to Xbox tech support
Microsoft is currently testing an AI assistant in the form of a chatbot to streamline Xbox technical support. The company refers to this tool as an animated "AI character." This chatbot is linked to Microsoft support documents for the web and Xbox ecosystem, enabling it to respond to inquiries and process game refund requests on the Microsoft support site.
Microsoft will move its cloud services to a single cloud.microsoft domain
Less than a year ago, Microsoft announced its intention to consolidate domains, and it has now reiterated to developers that a unified domain for Cloud.microsoft cloud services will be launched in June 2024.
Copilot now uses the GPT-4 Turbo model with free access for users
The latest Copilot GPT-4 Turbo model is now accessible without any charges or fees. Users can also activate the GPT-4 Turbo in either Creative or Precise mode, granting access to a range of new features. Copilot also offers users the choice to stick with the previous version if they prefer.
Supermium Browser brings the newest Chrome engine to Windows 7, Vista and even XP
Meet the new Supermium browser, a modified version of Chrome (Chromium 122) on older Windows systems such as XP, 2003, Vista, 7, and 8.x. These OSes aren't supported by the official Chrome and Edge versions. The unofficial one allows users to log into their Google accounts, sync settings and extensions.
Microsoft announced DirectSR API for efficient image scaling
Microsoft has officially introduced the DirectSR API, which aims to simplify the integration of image scaling technologies into game development projects. This API serves as a unified solution for utilizing upscaling technologies from various vendors such as NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel, allowing developers to use one set of code for different technologies.
Sudo for Windows 11 actually runs on Windows 10 and Windows 7
It is not for only Windows 11: The recently announced Sudo tool for Windows has been successfully installed in Windows 10 and even in aged Windows 7. And it does its work without issues. The only missing thing is configuration options in the settings app. But the sudo tool can be configured from the command line.
Microsoft Copilot now opens with a larger chat window by default, has new capabilities
Microsoft has made a small but noticeable update to Copilot for Windows. The AI assistant now launches with a larger chat window by default, thanks to user feedback. The window is also resizable and will offer more size options, including full screen, in the future.
DirectML is getting NPU support on the Intel platform
In December 2023, Intel launched the Core Ultra chips based on Meteor Lake, marking a significant advancement in processor technology. These chips incorporate embedded NPU chips, specialized neural processors that greatly enhance the performance of AI apps. Building on this development, Microsoft has announced the release of a developer preview for the DirectML API. It adds support specifically designed for Intel Core Ultra processors.
