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Windows 11

Windows 11 finally gets native RAR support

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Place a vote for WinRAR, since Microsoft has recently revealed that Windows 11 will have native support for RAR and several additional archive file formats, which users of Windows have been awaiting for years. This is ideal if you are swimming in a sea of documents.

Windows 11
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“We have added native support for additional archive formats, including tar, 7-zip, rar, gz and many others using the lib archive open-source project,” says Windows chief Panos Panay in a blog post today. “You now can get improved performance of archive functionality during compression on Windows.”

Source: theverge.com

Microsoft said that following this week, compatibility with the new formats will likely be available in an updated work-in-progress version.

Also Read: Microsoft Build 2023: Big Announcements

In either scenario, those using Windows 11 will benefit greatly from the incorporation of tar, 7-zip, rar, and numerous other formats. You won’t need to download any additional programs in order to view these types of files. Although probably somewhat more effective compared to native ZIP functionality is the incorporation.

It went on for more than 30 years for Windows to finally allow support for the.rar file despite the need for any other software to be installed. It was one of many competing compression software or “applications,” because that’s how they were known back then, that were utilized to reduce large file collections so that they would be transported more quickly over our dreadfully slow internet connection.

But as time went on, the demand for applications such as WinRAR decreased because both drive space, as well as network bandwidth, expanded rapidly.

If you are considering calling your connection as broadband, the few MBs that used to take overnight to be downloaded and took up a sizeable section of the hard disc have become the absolute minimum that can be sent in just one second. Additionally, there are a growing number of open-source protocols and solutions, such as the “libarchive” project.

Also Read: WhatsApp to allow users to edit messages?

Given that many users pay bucks to utilize WinRaR’s file compression software, it is going to be fascinating to observe how it responds to this development, and what occurs to people who already purchased WinRaR given that everyone with a Windows 11 Computer can use it free of cost. 

“First of all, we feel honored with Microsoft’s decision. This will hopefully make RAR compression even more popular and more accessible to those users who are not familiar with WinRAR,” Louise in the sales and marketing division at Microsoft wrote.

Source: techcrunch.com
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Microsoft Build 2023: Big Announcements

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This week marks the beginning of Microsoft Build, which is shaping up to be a significant AI-focused event. The corporation has made a number of announcements about how it is increasing the use of AI in all of its products and services, including Windows 11, Microsoft 365, and others.

Copilot, Microsoft’s AI personal assistant, will be available on Windows 11. The same tool is already integrated by Microsoft into Edge, its Office apps, and GitHub.

Microsoft
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However, the Windows Copilot will be housed in the taskbar. By clicking on it, the Copilot sidebar appears, where you may ask it to edit your computer’s settings and summarise, rewrite, or explain the content in any of the apps you’re using.

Also Read: Will AI Take Over The World?

Additionally, Windows 11 will receive a few smaller changes, such as Bluetooth LE support, which enables you to listen to high-quality audio without compromising the battery life of your device. Along with native RGB controls in Windows 11, Microsoft is also introducing support for 10 new dialects and languages in live captions, a feature that instantly transcribes audio.

Regarding its 365 Copilot, Microsoft has some significant news to announce: the inclusion of plug-ins. Three different categories of plug-ins, such as Teams messaging extensions, Power Platform connectors, and products utilizing ChatGPT technology, will now be supported by the AI assistant.

You’ll also get access to dozens of third-party plug-ins, including those made by Atlassian and Adobe. Additionally, Microsoft claims that it will apply the same standard for all Copilot and Bing Chat plug-ins that OpenAI does for ChatGPT.

This makes it possible to utilize the same plug-ins throughout all three AI-powered applications, and it also makes it simpler for developers to make them.

Microsoft will make 365 Copilot available on Edge. The feature, which will be located in the browser’s sidebar, may be used to work on projects in Microsoft 365 products like Outlook, Word, Excel, and others by utilizing the information on the website you’re currently visiting.

By integrating with GitHub Copilot, Windows Terminal will gain an AI-powered chatbot. GitHub Copilot users can now interact with the chatbot directly from the Terminal to do a variety of tasks, obtain code advice, and describe errors. Additionally, Microsoft claims to be looking towards integrating the GitHub Copilot with other development tools, such as WinDBG.

Also Read: Why Is Minecraft Server Mineplex Shutting Down?

Bing being the default search engine in OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot isn’t all that surprising given Microsoft’s massive investment in the company. Citations found by Bing will now be added to the chatbot’s responses for users of ChatGPT Plus as of right now.

Although OpenTable and WolframAlpha plug-ins for Bing were originally disclosed by Microsoft, the pool is now significantly larger. Expedia, Instacart, Kayak, Klarna, Redfin, TripAdvisor, Zillow, and more will soon have plug-ins that Bing will support.

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UK restricts Microsoft, Activision from buying interest in each other

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An interim order prohibiting Microsoft and Activision acquisition has been issued by the UK’s antitrust watchdog. This comes weeks after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the regulatory body, decided to prohibit the $68.7 billion merger of the two companies.

Microsoft and “Call of Duty” creator Activision were required to obtain the CMA’s “prior written consent” prior to completing any acquisitions related to their respective businesses, according to an order released by the CMA on Thursday.

Microsoft
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It is the latest action taken by the UK’s watchdog to increase supervision of the two businesses amid concerns that the competition will suffer as a result of the landmark agreement reached in January 2022.

Also Read: Twitter to soon allow calls and encrypted messaging

The primary worries of the regulator center on Microsoft’s potential for undue influence over a growing cloud gaming business in what would eventually become the largest takeover deal in gaming history.

The CMA barred Microsoft from buying Activision due to worries that the transaction will change the direction of the rapidly expanding cloud gaming business, resulting in less innovation and fewer options for UK gamers in the future, the regulator stated last month.

The CMA initially launched its investigation into the transaction in September 2022, with its initial notice regarding its worries coming in February.

Microsoft President Brad Smith disagreed with the CMA’s ruling from last month, saying the tech giant will appeal. He claimed that the CMA’s judgment revealed “a flawed understanding” of the market for cloud technology and that it demonstrated its choice to disapprove of a “pragmatic path” toward resolving any competition concerns.

Microsoft’s representative issued the following statement: “We remain firmly committed to this deal and look forward to presenting our case to the Competition Appeal Tribunal.”

On January 19th, 2022, Microsoft announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. However, the UK government’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) expressed concerns that the acquisition could significantly reduce competition in the UK gaming market and ultimately lead to higher prices for consumers.

As a result, the CMA issued an interim order on April 5th, 2022, which temporarily prohibited Microsoft and Activision from integrating their businesses in the UK.

The proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft is one of the largest in the history of the video game industry. Activision Blizzard is a leading publisher of video games, with popular titles such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush.

Also Read: EU antitrust regulators seeking more info on Apple Pay

Microsoft, on the other hand, is one of the world’s largest technology companies and has been expanding its gaming business in recent years through the Xbox brand.

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is responsible for ensuring that mergers and acquisitions do not result in a reduction of competition in the market. The CMA has the power to investigate mergers and acquisitions and can prohibit them if it determines that they would harm competition.

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Did the U.K. Just Kill the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard Deal?

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In response to concerns that it would impede competition in the rapidly expanding cloud gaming business, British regulators on Wednesday rejected Microsoft $69 billion acquisition of video game developer Activision Blizzard. This prevented the largest tech deal in history.

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Image Source: bbc.com

In its final report, the Competition and Markets Authority stated that “the only effective remedy” for the significant loss of competition “is to prohibit the Merger.” The organizations intend to file an appeal.

Due to concerns that Microsoft would gain control of well-known game franchises like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush, rival Sony vigorously opposed the all-cash transaction, and regulators in the United States and Europe closely examined it.

Also Read: Amazon is working to boost the capability of Alexa. Here’s how

Concerns raised by the U.K. watchdog centered on how the transaction might impact competitiveness in cloud gaming, which involves streaming games to smartphones, tablets, and other devices. Players no longer need to purchase pricey consoles and gaming laptops as a result.

According to Martin Colman, chair of the Competition and Markets Authority’s independent expert panel looking into the agreement, cloud gaming has the potential to transform the industry by offering players more flexibility over how and where they play. In this new and fascinating sector, he continued, “It is critical that we protect competition.”

The transaction still has our full support, and we will appeal, stated President Brad Smith in a statement. The watchdog’s judgment, according to him, “rejects a pragmatic path to address competition concerns” and deters tech investment and innovation in the UK.

Smith stated, “We’re especially disappointed that, after a lengthy decision, this decision appears to reflect a flawed understanding of this market and the way the relevant cloud technology actually works.” Likewise, Activision retaliated, stating that it will “work aggressively with Microsoft to reverse this on appeal.”

Last month, regulators raised their objections to the agreement, stating that it wouldn’t be advantageous for Microsoft to restrict Call of Duty to its Xbox gaming platform. The agency said on Wednesday that it had looked “in considerable depth” at Microsoft’s suggestions to allay competition worries, but that it had concluded that those remedies would necessitate its supervision, whereas blocking the merger would enable cloud gaming to evolve naturally.

Regulators came to the conclusion that if the acquisition went through, it would strengthen Microsoft’s edge by giving it ownership over important game franchises, given its dominant standing in the cloud computing sector.

Late last year, the US Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit to stop the agreement between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard. The FTC action is still in the document discovery phase, and a hearing to present evidence is set for August 2.

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Is Microsoft going to unbundle Teams and Office?

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Microsoft has decided to stop including its Teams remote collaboration program in its Office productivity package, according to Financial Times.

The organization is taking action to address any EU antitrust concerns, which are the biggest regulatory worries they have encountered in the last ten years. Companies will soon have the option to purchase Office with or without Teams installed, according to FT’s sources, “but the mechanism on how to do this remains unclear.”

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There are allegedly ongoing discussions with EU regulators, but “a deal is not certain.” “We are mindful of our responsibilities in the EU as a major technology company,” Microsoft told the Financial Times.

Also Read: What is Auto-GPT and why does it matter?

We continue to engage cooperatively with the commission in its investigation and are open to pragmatic solutions that address its concerns and serve customers well.”

Microsoft and Slack don’t get along very well. Slack stated that it was “genuinely excited to have some competition” when Teams first launched. Slack’s CEO subsequently asserted, “Teams is not a competitor to Slack.”

Despite the CEO’s assertions, Slack stated in a 10-Q form that Microsoft Corporation was its current “primary competitor” in October 2019. Then, in 2020, Slack complained to the EU against Microsoft.

Microsoft’s response was that Slack “suffered” since it didn’t support video conferences. If not for Windows, Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, questioned whether Slack would even be around. During that time, Slack’s general counsel stated, “We’re asking the EU to be a neutral referee, examine the facts, and enforce the law.”

Microsoft is currently dealing with its first legal problems in ten years. The corporation entered into a settlement with the European Commission in 2009, promising to give customers in Europe a choice of web browsers; it was later fined €561 million in 2013 for persistently failing to uphold that promise.

Of course, the antitrust scandal that made it famous occurred when it was first compelled to split into two businesses; however, the decision was eventually overturned by an appeals court.

In an agreement reached in 2001, Microsoft and the DOJ agreed to limitations such as not sharing APIs with outside developers and allowing PC makers to include non-Microsoft applications on their hardware.

It is understandable that regulators would intervene when tech giants like Microsoft and Slack engaged in such a public battle. To see if Microsoft unbundling succeeds, we’ll have to wait.

Also Read: Will Dead Island 2 Be On Game Pass?

The corporation has been rushing to get regulatory permission for its intended $69 billion acquisition of game producer Activision Blizzard in recent months. According to reports, the corporation is anticipated to get the go-ahead from the EU and the UK. It has until July to satisfy the US Federal Trade Commission.

To allay those worries, Microsoft provided 10-year legal arrangements to distribute Call of Duty on Nintendo platforms and cloud-streaming service Boosteroid. Sony apparently turned down a comparable offer.

smart snap

Win 11’s AI feature smart snap layout is out. Is it worth the hype?

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In the fall, Windows 11 will receive a substantial update, and one of the latest additions might be Snap powered by AI. Soon, there will be an AI update that will revamp the windowing and snapping experiences. “Smart Snap,” which tries to alter the OS’s snap assist behavior, would be one of the initial new features.

It has now been discovered in the preview builds that Windows 11 would soon introduce an early version of the AI-driven smart snap layout features.

smart snap
Image Source: windowslatest.com

Microsoft has been developing the Smart Snap feature internally, which is now available for preview. Even still, it seems to be concealed and only operates in specific setups.

Also Read: What is the new RGB lighting feature in Windows 11?

Windows features a snap feature that helps you to multitask by displaying many app windows on a single screen while also increasing productivity by letting you select from a variety of layouts and sizes. While working on particular tasks, makes it simpler to maximize screen space.

Microsoft added “Snap Assist” with Windows 11, which pops up immediately after snapping the first window and displays open windows as thumbnails so that you may choose which one you want to focus on.

In order to enhance user experience, Windows 11’s snap feature will soon include smart snapping capabilities. Windows Latest is aware that this feature resembles artificial intelligence (AI) in that it can recall and comprehend a user’s snapping behavior.

The new functionality from Microsoft, internally referred to as “smart snap,” enables the operating system to recall snap configurations for particular groups of apps and restore them with a single click.

The smart snap layouts feature in Windows 11 is designed to improve multitasking and productivity by automatically arranging open windows on the screen in a way that makes sense. This feature uses AI to analyze the contents of the windows and suggests layouts that will allow users to work more efficiently.

Based on the information that has been leaked about this feature, it does seem like it could be a useful addition to the Windows operating system. The ability to automatically arrange windows in a way that maximizes productivity could be a significant benefit for users who frequently multitask or have to switch between different applications.

However, it is also worth noting that this feature is not entirely new, as similar window-snapping capabilities have been available in Windows for several versions.

Also Read: Microsoft to Improve Default App Settings in Windows 11?

What sets the smart snap layouts feature apart is its use of AI to make more intelligent and personalized window arrangements. Overall, whether the smart snap layouts feature in Windows 11 is worth the hype will depend on how well it performs in practice and how useful users find it in their daily work.

Microsoft is also thinking about displaying real-time recommendations and integrating Microsoft 365 with File Explorer.