Tag Archives: Windows 11

Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Windows 11 Is Now Able To Run Some Android Apps

Recently, Microsoft announced that they were adding support for Android Apps to Windows 11.  The company first began testing that new functionality back in October of last year (2021).

Now, the public preview has been unveiled in the US, allowing users to run some Android apps acquired from the Amazon store right from their Windows 11 desktop.

For the most part, the apps available from the Amazon store are games designed for children but there are a few productivity apps also available.

If you want to venture beyond the Amazon App store, several developers and power users have already created ways of installing apps from the Google Play Store. That is along with various methods to sideload apps in Windows 11 which greatly extends and expands the App functionality.

If you’re already running Windows 11 you can start taking advantage of the new capabilities today although you will need to first launch your Microsoft Store app.

Once you do, go to “Library” and “Get Updates.”

This will download and install the latest version of the Microsoft Store App. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to install the Amazon Store app which is the trigger to also install the Windows Subsystem for Android.

This isn’t the only new Windows 11 feature available today.  If you’re an early adopter you’ll also be able to play around with the newly redesigned Windows Media player and get a first look at the re-vamped Notepad application.

Microsoft had this to say about their most recent update:

“As today’s release shows, we’re committed to delivering experiences into Windows 11 that enrich and inspire people’s lives. Over time, you’ll see us release new features into Windows 11 for end users more frequently in addition to our annual update.

We will leverage the variety of update mechanisms we have in place including servicing and Microsoft Store updates. Our goal is to deliver continuous innovation, providing you with the best experiences year-round.”

These are exciting changes indeed.  Grab the latest and start experimenting today!

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Malware Disguised As Windows 11 Upgrade Targets Windows 10 Users

According to researchers at HP, there’s a new threat to worry about.  Hackers have recently begun disguising malware as Windows 11 upgrades and are using them to target Windows 10 users who are anxious to move to Microsoft’s latest OS. This new campaign begins like many others with an email informing the recipient that if they click the link provided in the email, they’ll be taken to Microsoft’s website where they can get a free copy of Windows 11.

Victims who click the link will be taken to a site that is a very good and convincing replica of the legitimate Microsoft website.  Only a careful inspection of the URL will reveal that something is amiss and most users don’t pay much attention to URLs so this is quite likely to go unnoticed.

Once on the site, the victim will be prompted to download the file that promises to be Windows 11.  It is nearly 800 MB in size so at that point it still seems legitimate.

Unfortunately, if the victim runs the downloaded file they seal their fate as it will install malware on their system.

At present, the most common malware deployed via this campaign is RedLine Stealer which steals stored passwords, cookies, saved payment card information, and cryptocurrency wallet information. So if it lands on your system or finds its way into your company’s network it can deal significant damage with long lasting consequences.

The worst part of all this is that Microsoft has unintentionally made the issue worse than it needs to be.  There are a great many Windows 10 users who cannot get Windows 11 from official distribution channels due to hardware incompatibilities. That has created an enormous opportunity for hackers around the world and they are wasting no time exploiting that opportunity.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Android Apps Are Coming To Windows 11

One of the most persistently frustrating aspects of our highly interconnected world is that we seem to exist in at least three different distinct ecosystems.

Apple users live in the Apple ecosystem which encompasses both its mobile products and its PCs. Windows users live in the Windows ecosystem which encompasses both laptops and desktops but leaves mobile devices out in the cold. Of course, Android users live in their own ecosystem which is mobile-centric. By design there’s almost no overlap between these spheres and that’s a pity.

Microsoft thinks so, too. As part of their ongoing Windows 11 development they’re rolling out a feature that will allow users to run Android apps in a virtualized environment on their PCs.

This is huge news and a first tentative step that begins to bridge the divide between the various ecosystems.  Imaging installing a fun game on your Android based phone and then being able to pick up where you left off when you’re sitting at your Windows PC.

Or imagine downloading some type of productivity app on your Android phone and leveraging your PC to get even more out of it. Both of those are now possible with the latest release of Windows 11.

If you’re an early adopter of Windows 11 you probably already know what the most recent build contains. If you aren’t aware, in addition to the Android app functionality the latest build also sports a new look for Notepad, Media Player, and a raft of taskbar and other improvements.

Even better is that the company is reporting that Windows 11 adoption rates are even higher than the impressive Windows 10 adoption rates were. That bodes well for the company and signifies a broad-based acceptance of the company’s latest OS. Exciting times indeed and kudos to Microsoft for beginning to bridge the divide.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

New Windows 11 Bug Found With Displaying HDR Content

If you’re one of the early adopters of Windows 11 then you may have already experienced the latest bug that crept into the mix as of build 21H2.

Apps that utilize Win32 APIs to render colors on some HDR (High-Definition Range) displays may not work as expected.

HDR displays are noted for their rich incredibly broad color range which usually results in more vivid colors displayed than standard dynamic range (SDR) displays. In this instance though things aren’t going according to plan.

Microsoft recently published information about the bug on the Windows Health Dashboard:

“This is frequently observed with white colors, which could display in bright yellow or other colors. This issue occurs when certain color-rendering Win32 APIs return unexpected information or errors under specific conditions.”

This latest bug joins several other high-profile issues that the company is in the process of working their way through. These include an Intel audio driver issue that is causing Blue Screens of Death, assorted printer issues and system freezes, at least one issue impacting the Windows Remote Desktop, and a wide range of others.

On the other hand, the company is making progress.  Recently they isolated the root cause of an issue that prevented certain apps from opening after being repaired or updated using the Windows Installer System Tool (previously known simply as “Windows Installer.”)

Making something new is an iterative and risk-laden process.  It is one that Microsoft is well-acquainted with having traveled down this road many times before.  There are going to be problems along the way and that’s inevitable.  It simply can’t be avoided when dealing with a project as large and complex as this one.

We have complete confidence that Microsoft will get it done.  The result may not be perfect, and it will surely not please everyone. The company will certainly move their globally dominant OS a few more steps in the right direction, though

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Voice Commands Getting New Attention In Windows 11

For a few years now Microsoft has been experimenting with voice commands.  Their early experiments were limited to contexts that resided wholly inside specific applications however.

For example, once you opened Word you could use voice commands to activate a few of the software’s features.

Recently the company decided to take voice controls to a whole different level and by the time you read these words you’ll be able to download the latest Windows 11 update and play with the new feature.  Consider it to be a sneak peek of the shape of things to come.

As of Windows 11 preview build 22518 users can utilize voice commands to open and close applications, switch to Desktop view, minimize or maximize specific windows, select items, edit text, and more.

There are two important caveats to bear in mind though:

First at present only US English is supported.  Second the feature isn’t enabled by default so if you want to play around with it you’ll need to turn it on manually.

To do that go to Settings > Accessibility > Speech

Once there you’ll see an on/off switch to either enable or disable the Voice Access feature.  When you enable it for the first time there will be a slight delay as the OS will need to download a language pack.  Once that’s done you’ll be treated to a brief tutorial that will guide you through the basics of using the feature.  After that you’re all set.

In its current form the Voice Access feature supports more than 80 different commands. If the company’s massive user base embraces the feature you can bet that plenty of others will be added in the weeks and months ahead.

It’s a good feature and well worth taking the time to check out.  Kudos to Microsoft for bringing us one step closer to our Star Trek future!

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