We’ve asked Microsoft for comment, although it already said it was “investigating the matter.” The Verge claimed the code was legitimate, with Ronin Dey and others also supporting those beliefs (via Windows Central).

One version of the code leak also includes code for MS DOS, Windows CE, Windows Embedded and Windows NT, although those aren’t believed to be new leaks. Experts talking to ZDNet believed the new leaks came from academia, which has long had access to Windows source code to help bolster its security.

This won’t necessarily lead to security issues on par with the WannaCry ransomware attack. While WannaCry exploited Windows XP flaws, the campaign succeeded in part due to poor security policies. No amount of source code will change that, especially if it doesn’t include later XP releases. Microsoft also ended regular support for Windows XP in 2014, limiting any help to organizations with special contracts. Windows XP has been vulnerable for years, and this isn’t likely to make the situation worse.

The Windows XP SP1 source code leak looks pretty legit

Thanks to @RoninDey for confirming https://t.co/A2Ap1fKX5x

— Greg Linares (@Laughing_Mantis) September 24, 2020

Since I still have to go through the entire notifications list instead of dealing with just the alerts near the top, the new section headers actually add to the amount of scrolling and swiping I have to do. 

Google placing conversations near the top is nice in theory, but it leaves out people I interact with on apps like Twitter, Instagram and email. I prefer to address Twitter and Instagram alerts sooner than messages, so Google’s ranking isn’t my favorite. You can prioritize specific chats, but only if they’re already coming from supported messaging apps. If you hate clutter like I do, you’ll be disappointed to learn that there’s no way to disable these section headers.

Media and other device controls

Another change that Android 11 brings to your notifications shade is a new persistent media player in the Quick Settings panel. When you’re playing music or a video via a supported app like Spotify or YouTube Music, a dashboard appears above your notifications for quick access to controls. This is meant to make it easier to change your output device, whether it’s headphones, speakers, a TV or the phone itself. 

In general it’s effective but unnecessary. The player takes up two rows of space, pushing notifications down. And, honestly I found the lock screen controls more convenient. 

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

My early build of Android 11 continued to be a bit buggy here, with the player sometimes not showing up even though Spotify was streaming a banging KPop playlist. I started playing a show on HBO Max after pausing Spotify, but HBO did not take over the controls as I expected and music controls remained. This is on by default for media apps, so developer support shouldn’t be an issue. You can choose to hide the player when your media sessions are over, though I preferred to leave it on to resume playback whenever I wanted. 

It’s nice to have a space dedicated to playback controls instead of in a notification card like in Android 10, especially since the feature was a little finicky in the older software. But a lock screen version would still be easier to use since my phone is usually locked if I’m listening to music or casting a video and it’s faster to access the lock screen than the notifications shade.

With Android 11, Google is also trying to cram more controls into spaces that were previously underused such as the power button menu, which now shows devices connected to your network — like your smart lights, security cameras or speakers, in addition to your Google Pay cards. Oh and the shutdown and restart buttons, of course.

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Each of your devices has its own tile, and one tap on them will turn them off or on.  There’s also a master control tile that can turn off all your lights at once, which is handy. The master switch is the first box you’ll see, but you can also rearrange all your devices to put your favorites higher up. 

I was dubious of this feature when I first tried it in the beta, because I thought it was easier to just tell my smart speaker to turn my lights on or off. But I’ve since come around, especially after I added my Chromecast to this page. It’s much easier to hold down the power button and immediately control all my devices than having to find the Google Home app and search for the specific speaker or TV I wanted to turn off. Those in large homes with many rooms and multiple gadgets connected to their network will very likely find this helpful, too. 

Privacy permissions and small interface tweaks 

Those were the most obvious updates, but there are some small, less noticeable tweaks too. Google handles screenshots a little differently in this iteration. They appear as a thumbnail in the bottom left corner after being captured, with options to share, edit or dismiss. Thank God the company has gotten rid of the notification after every. Single. Screenshot, which used to really clutter up the page. Also, when you’re viewing all your open apps, Android 11 will show options at the bottom of the screen to take a screenshot or select parts of the page.These two interface tweaks will only be available on Pixel devices.

Another imperceptible but important update is the ability to set one-time app permissions for things like location and camera access. This way, you can have greater control over what apps are following you in the background. Plus, if you haven’t used an app in a few months, its permissions will automatically reset and it will have to request access when you open it again. Obviously I haven’t used Android 11 long enough for that to happen yet, but I appreciate it in theory.

Google

Android 11 also added the option to show an extra row of apps at the bottom of your home screen for easier access to what Google thinks you use most often. It’s similar to the suggestions already available at the top of the app drawer, but is pretty redundant. Most users already place their most frequently used apps on their home page. When I enabled this, Google showed me stuff like Spotify, Telegram, Instagram and Netflix, which were already sitting on the screen right above it. The good news is, you can choose not to enable this row and it’s not on by default.

There are some other small changes coming in Android 11 that will likely be more fruitful over time. For example, a new on-device visual cortex better identifies elements on the screen so those who use voice controls can navigate the interface more easily. It also works when you’re looking at your open apps and hit the “Select” option at the bottom — Google will highlight pictures, icons and texts on the screen and you can tap each one to share or save it or even use Lens to get more information.

Android Auto now works wirelessly to connect phones with compatible cars (though as a New Yorker with no vehicle I couldn’t test that). Also, new 5G app support means developers can check if you’re on a fast connection and bump up resolution for video streams or download higher quality game assets. 

That’s right, 25 years ago Microsoft officially released Windows 95, an operating system that was far more consumer-focused and internet ready than its predecessors. It also licensed a Rolling Stones song to commemorate its new innovation, the Start menu. Instead of watching a goofy video of execs stumbling around to the music, though, Microsoft would probably rather see you mark the event with this quick clip showing the evolution of Windows over the years.

Features like Internet Explorer would arrive in the Plus! expansion pack, while Windows 98 pushed the bar even further when it came to being ready for your online life and new connectors like USB. Of course its Start menu isn’t the only decision that persists to this day — it’s possible the name itself is why the company is on Windows 10 instead of Windows 9 right now.

If you’ve been eager to get your hands on the next big macOS update without having to run a developer build, now’s your chance. The public beta of macOS Big Sur is now live.

Apple has redesigned many aspects of the OS this time around, and it has described Big Sur as the biggest upgrade since it introduced Mac OS X. You’ll get to try out significant updates to the likes of Messages, Maps and Safari. The latter includes biometric sign-in options for website sign-ins, along with 4K HDR support for Netflix playback. Apple has overhauled the Notifications Center with support for more customizable widgets, while the new-look Control Center takes its cue from iOS.

The business-focused versions of Windows 10 have normally let you avoid major updates for up to a year, which can be helpful if you either value stability at all costs or just don’t like change. You might not have quite so much breathing room going forward, though. As WindowsTimes and Gizmodo have noticed, Windows 10 version 2004 has reduced manual deferrals for Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise and Education updates to 35 days (just as long as for Home) and pulled the option from the Windows Update settings in Advanced Options. If you want to keep deferring updates, you’ll need to change local Group Policy to match.

This is meant to “prevent confusion” and help make use of a policy targeting PCs whose version is nearly out of service, Microsoft said.

Windows 10 comes in both 32-bit and 64-bit varieties. While they look and feel nearly identical, the latter takes advantage of faster and better hardware specs. With the era of 32-bit processors winding down, Microsoft is putting the lesser version of its operating system on the back burner. Spotted by NeoWin in the system requirements for the upcoming Windows 10 May 2020 update, Microsoft states that, “Beginning with Windows 10, version 2004, all new Windows 10 systems will be required to use 64-bit builds and Microsoft will no longer release 32-bit builds for OEM distribution.” In other words, any computer you buy in the future that has Windows 10 preloaded will be running the 64-bit version.

This news doesn’t mean that Microsoft will no longer support computers running 32-bit Windows 10. Microsoft says that it will continue to update the OS with new features and security patches, and will still sell it directly to consumers. That said, if you’re still using a 32-bit processor, it may be time to upgrade — the weaker version of Windows 10 has several limitations, like capping out at 3.2GB of RAM and less stringent security measures.

Google I/O isn’t taking place this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so you might be wondering what’s next for Android, which Google typically spotlights at the event. It’s releasing the Android 11 beta a bit later than usual this year, with a virtual launch event on June 3rd at 11AM ET.

Dave Burke, the vice president of engineering for Android, and senior director of product management Stephanie Cuthbertson will lay out the future of the mobile OS in an hour-long keynote. You can expect news and announcements on safety, security, accessibility, productivity, emoji and more. After the keynote, there’ll be a live Q&A and developer-focused talks throughout the day on topics including Jetpack Compose, Android Studio and Google Play.

WSL2’s focus isn’t so much on basic functionality (there’s been an emulator for a while) as it is performance. It should load and run faster, with reduced memory consumption to free up your RAM for other tasks. This prioritization isn’t completely surprising. Now that Microsoft is less dependent on Windows sales and more on services like Azure, it benefits when it treats Linux like a first-class citizen. Still, it’s clear Microsoft has come a long, long way from the days when it was waging war on Linux and otherwise trying to hold on to its monopoly in computing.

This is arguably an overdue move. Microsoft hadn’t really touched Windows 10’s main icons since its debut in 2015, so they risked feeling old. There were also inconsistencies creeping in, especially once Office got its new look. This update drags Windows 10’s appearance into the modern era, and might just give you a more colorful OS in the bargain.

Some have claimed success by disabling a handful of Adobe update services, but it’s not certain if that’s a reliable fix or if Adobe software is to blame. A Microsoft spokesperson told Bleeping Computer in a statement that the company was “actively investigating” the flaw, although it’s not certain what happens next.

If this turns out to be a Windows bug and not the product of a wayward third-party app, it might prove embarrassing for Microsoft. The company already had to fix a wallpaper glitch in Windows 7 just a couple of weeks after support for the operating system ended. This would require yet another out-of-band patch, and for a much more serious issue at that. It may be a while before Microsoft can safely put Windows 7 in the past.