Table of contents for October 2021 in Tech Advisor

Microsoft has announced Windows 10 21H2, the latest Windows 10 feature update and evidence that it isn’t dead yet. With Windows 11 on the horizon, however, it was reasonable to expect that Windows 10 21H2 wouldn’t have much to offer. And that’s true: Microsoft has identified three key features that Windows 21H2, probably none of which will especially appeal to mainstream users. The tech giant says that Windows 10 21H2 is available to Windows Insider preview members as part of Windows 10 Build 19044.1147, which will essentially be the ‘release build’ of Windows 10 21H2. (Microsoft typically finds and patches bugs up until the last minute, so the absolutely final release of 21H2 will likely carry a slightly different build number). Essentially, 21H2 is being offered as a ‘seeker’ experience…

In the September issue, we went hands on with an unofficial leaked build of Windows 11. Now, Microsoft has officially released Windows 11 to Windows Insiders, with many brand new features we haven’t seen before, including entirely new looks for the gorgeous Settings app, File Explorer, the Notification Centre, and more. Behind the scenes, there’s even more. If you’re interested in downloading Windows 11 for yourself, the process is simple: join the Windows Insider programme (see page 38), make sure that your PC meets the Windows 11 compatibility requirements, and then download the Windows Insider beta. In this report, we’ll show you what we saw in the official build, and what’s really new from the leaked beta. Microsoft has also indicated additional features that will show up under specialized conditions,…

Microsoft’s Windows 11 introduces a lot of new code into your PC: a new UI, new Widgets, a revamped Start menu, and more. But does it slow down your PC – or, conversely, speed it up? We ran a few benchmarks to find out. Let’s make one thing clear: these are not definitive Windows 11 benchmarks. We tested the first official build of Windows 11 as well as the second official build, which added back the ‘power mode’ performance booster found within Windows 10 – see page 13. Neither, however, are final builds of Windows 11, which means that performance may change between now and when Windows 11 is released. IS WINDOWS 11 FASTER OR SLOWER THAN WINDOWS 10? In the benchmarks below, we’ll use several of our standard benchmarks…

The rumours were true. Valve has officially pulled the curtain back on the Steam Deck – a £349 gaming handheld designed to bring your Steam gaming library to the palms of your hands, powered by AMD hardware and Valve’s own Linux-based SteamOS operating system. Preorders are open now, with shipments starting in December. The Steam Deck looks like the Nintendo Switch, if the Nintendo Switch was created by diehard PC enthusiasts. You’ll find a big 7in display front and centre – the same size as the new OLED Switch – complete with touchscreen functionality. It’s not OLED, alas, but Valve says the display shines at a very respectable 400 nits (crucial for outdoor use) and runs at 60Hz – the PC gaming gold standard. By comparison, the Switch drops down…

Google updates its Android operating system every year, introducing new features and designs that keep the software in fine fettle, and the new version for 2021 is Android 12. Launching later this year, it will bring about a whole new design language and a host of new privacy features, among other improvements, to Google’s device ecosystem. So, what will appear in Android 12 when it arrives on your phone? Here’s everything Google has revealed. RELEASE DATE The latest version of Android is usually first seen in developer previews in March, then publicly previewed at Google’s I/O event, with public beta versions releasing shortly afterwards and the final, full release of the software coming in the autumn. The first developer preview of Android 12 went live on 18 February, granting developers…

Windows 365 is Microsoft’s name for the Cloud PC, a new Microsoft service that will stream Windows in the cloud to Android phones, tablets, and more. Windows 365, available to businesses now, was announced recently at Microsoft Ignite, Microsoft’s partner conference. The concept is simple: just like you can now stream Xbox games from Microsoft’s Azure cloud to either your phone or your browser, now you can do the same for Windows 10 and eventually Windows 11. The Cloud PC won’t depend on local hardware to run Windows; instead, you’ll need a dependable, persistent Internet connection to reach Windows 365. For now, Windows 365 will be a business offering, though you’ll be able to run it on personal devices – just like you can access your company’s SharePoint files via…

If you don’t like Windows 11, you’ll have a 10-day windows to roll back to Windows 10, according to Microsoft and its customers. So far, what we’ve seen of Windows 11 feels surprisingly good, though Windows 10 users may be surprised by the sparser interface. We know Windows 11 removes a number of Windows 10 features. The official preview build of Windows 11 does away with dynamic Live Tiles, replaces the Start menu with rows of simplified icons, and more. We also know that Microsoft plans to add more Windows 11 features into future beta builds, such as Teams integration into the Taskbar, and PC gaming features like Auto HDR. This all assumes that you’ll want to use Windows 11 when it rolls out. Fortunately, you can try the final…

If you’re still wondering just why your relatively recent computer may get abandoned by Windows 11, it’s likely because your CPU’s performance would take a nose dive when all of the security features in the new operating system are enabled. Microsoft kicked over a wasp’s nest of anger when it announced that Windows 11 would not support 7th-gen and older Intel CPUs, as well as AMD Ryzen 1000 CPUs and older. To add to the confusion, much of the ‘why’ appeared to hinge on the requirement of a TPM 2.0 module to run the new OS – but many 7th-gen Core and Ryzen 1000 machines can and do support TPMs. Well, there’s way more nuance to it, which TechRepublic’s Mary Branscombe seems to have found. In an in-depth interview with…

You’ll often hear PC enthusiasts – including yours truly – say that the Nintendo Switch is the perfect companion console for your gaming rig, thanks to its handheld mode for on-the-go gaming, deep indie library, and access to Nintendo-exclusive games. The stickiness of that last benefit will soon be put to the test, as Valve’s newly announced Steam Deck handheld PC (pictured above) mimes the Switch form factor but revolves around your existing Steam account…and all the games already in it. Oh my. In the battle of the Steam Deck versus the Nintendo Switch, who comes out on top? We’ll take it to the tape below, but first let’s talk about what matters most: the games, and why the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch might not even be true competitors…

As we’ve seen, Google has announced a new version of its mobile operating system – Android 12. Although we’ll have to wait until the autumn for it to be formally released, you can get the Android 12 Beta 2 on a range of phones right now. Google sometimes limits the Android beta to its own Pixel phones, but this year you can get Android 12 Beta 2 on various other devices from the likes of OnePlus, Asus, Xiaomi, and more. The method is a little different, but we’ll explain how to get it on any compatible phone – and which phones support the new beta. Warning: As is always the case with beta software, it’s not advisable to load it onto your main phone as the software could be buggy…

Microsoft typically releases updates for Windows as part of its monthly ‘Patch Tuesday’ blitz, but the company took the unusual step of releasing an emergency out-of-band security update recently to fix the critical ‘PrintNightmare’ vulnerability published (and deleted) by researchers – even for Windows 7. Bottom line? Update your Windows PC pronto. But the patch won’t fix all PCs if you’re connected to a local network. PrintNightmare attacks the Windows Print Spooler service, which runs by default. “A remote code execution vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly performs privileged file operations,” Microsoft’s executive summary states. “An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user…

Microsoft’s has tweaked the way the Start menu works in Windows 11’s latest beta build, an update which also adds the performance power slider back into Windows 11. Windows 11’s latest Insider build, Build 22000.65, is available through the Windows Insider Dev Channel for those who wish to download Windows 11. While the build will download automatically, it can also be requested via Windows Update. We’ve already looked at this build and can tell you what we’re seeing. Interestingly, on our test system the update appeared as a ‘Cumulative Update’ for Windows 11, rather than as a traditional Insider build. Microsoft appears to be referring to these incremental updates as ‘quality updates’ in the Windows Update history. Microsoft detailed its latest changes in a blog post (see fave.co/3hNudRT), which includes…

Becoming a Window Insider used to be a major hassle, reserved only for Microsoft’s biggest fans and most dedicated developers. But as we look forward to the launch of the first beta builds of Windows 11, it’s a much simpler process. If you’ve been curious about becoming a Windows Insider with the intent of trying out Windows 11, look no further. Here’s what you need to know about the programme, and how to join when ready. WHAT YOU NEED TO BECOME A WINDOWS INSIDER To become a Windows 10 Insider, all you need is a Microsoft account and a PC running Windows 10. We’re assuming you’ve already upgraded to Windows 10, though you can upgrade to it for free if you haven’t already You’ll want to create recovery media (for…

Looking at the spec sheet alone, the just-revealed £349 Steam Deck gaming handheld should be a winner. Valve’s PC-centric Nintendo Switch rival features a big 7-inch touchscreen, plenty of control inputs, an all-AMD chip based on the same hardware inside the Xbox Series S|X and PlayStation 5, and the ability to double as a full-fledged Linux PC. But forget the hardware. While it’s impressive indeed, the Steam Deck will sink or swim based on its software, and that means Valve Proton technology is about to be thrust into the spotlight. The Steam Deck will sprint to a larger software library than most gaming handhelds because you’ll be able to tap into decades of existing PC games through your Steam account, rather than having to wait for new releases made specifically…