For Insiders in the Beta channel, Microsoft updates Windows 11 22H2 with two new builds. Build 22631.2262 comes with several new features, while build 22621.2262 has them hidden. The new release comes with the KB5029339 patch.
Firefox now allows importing extensions from Chrome
Firefox is getting the ability to import add-ons from other browsers, e.g. Chrome. The new feature will work similar to how it imports bookmarks, settings, saved passwords and browsing history. As of this writing, an early implementation of the expanded import is already enabled for a small percentage of Firefox 116 users.
Microsoft introduced new Windows 11 policies for optional updates
Microsoft has made updates to its Windows 11 policies, allowing administrators to have control over the installation of monthly non-security preview updates. These new options apply to Windows 11 version 22H2 and its successors.
Firefox lost 3.92% (7.4 million) users in the last 12 months
According to an analysis of the company's report by developer Alex Ivanovs, the number of Mozilla Firefox browser users has decreased by approximately 3.92% (7.4 million) over the past year. Since 2019, the browser has lost a total of 30.3% of users, equivalent to 77 million.
Microsoft Office Excel gets Python support
Microsoft announced that Excel users can now use the Python programming language to work with data in spreadsheets. The feature is currently only available to members of the Microsoft 365 Insider program as a public preview.
Microsoft Edge 116 brings with it a desktop sidebar
Microsoft is releasing Edge 116 to the stable branch. The browser version 116.0.1938.54 brings with it a detachable sidebar that remains always visible on the Desktop. Besides, Edge 116 introduces Edge for Business, a special version of the browser with enterprise features and options.
Microsoft may soon add AI to Camera, Snipping and Photos apps on Windows 11
Microsoft continues to experiment with artificial intelligence-powered features in its software. Now Redmond software giant wants to add AI-based features to some of the inbox apps in Windows 11. However, some of the additions may require a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) or a Machine Vision Processor (VPU).
Google cancels Chromebooks with NVidia GPUs
Google has canceled a project of reference motherboards codenamed Agah, Hades, and Herobrine with discrete GPUs, which could signal the abandonment of expensive gaming Chromebooks. Overlays and builders for them have already been disabled and removed.
Rar and 7z archive support in Windows 11 one step closer to release
The latest Windows 11 Insider Beta Channel build, version 22631.2199, now supports a range of archive formats including tar, tar.gz, tar.bz2, tar.zst, tar.xz, tgz, tbz2, tzst, txz, 7z, 7-zip, rar, and gz in read mode and some in write mode. However, encrypted archives are not yet supported in this version.
Windows 11 Build 22631.2199 (Beta) adds native support for many archive formats
Windows 11 Build 22621.2191 and Build 22631.2191 (KB5029352) are coming to the Beta Channel. The latter comes with new features enabled by default, such as native archive support for several popular formats, improved Start menu and Narrator, and also includes some exclusive fixes.
