In this tech news roundup for September 7, 2024, we focus on significant changes led by Microsoft involving Remote Desktop, growing adoption of Windows 11 among gamers, and the troubling implications of technology in our daily lives, including spying via smart devices.
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#### Goodbye Remote Desktop, Hello Windows App
Microsoft has taken steps to rename its widely used **Remote Desktop** application to the **Windows app**. While this change might seem minor, it carries weighty implications for clarity and user expectations. Historically, the term "Remote Desktop" provided a clear understanding of its functionality – allowing users to access their PCs remotely. In contrast, "Windows app" feels ambiguous. Microsoft describes it as the "gateway to Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Microsoft Dev Box, Remote Desktop Services, and remote PCs." This broad categorization might alienate users who relied on precise functionality.
Interestingly, the Windows app is not just limited to Windows devices. It extends to **macOS**, **iOS**, and can also be accessed via web browsers. However, the non-Windows versions do not feature the full array of functionalities. For instance, users specifically on Windows 11 are privy to advanced features such as support for multiple monitors, dynamic and custom resolutions, and optimizations for Microsoft Teams. This transition seems more about branding than user experience; the previous name was far more explanatory.
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#### Are Social Networks Spying on Users?
A recent report by **404 Media** raises alarming allegations against **Cox Media Group**, suggesting that they utilize microphones on smart devices to listen in on users for data harvesting, which potentially fuels targeted advertising. The promotional materials obtained reveal a feature dubbed "Active Listening." While there’s no direct proof to corroborate these claims, the fallout includes Google terminating its partnership with Cox Media Group, which heightens suspicions further.
In our age of heightened privacy consciousness, the notion of devices constantly listening has sparked discussions about transparency and consent. Users must evaluate the balance between personalization and privacy, as revelations regarding unauthorized data collection foster intent to distance oneself from intrusive technology.
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#### Firefox 130 Enhancements
The latest iteration of Mozilla’s browser, **Firefox 130**, has rolled out new features aimed at improving user experience. Among them is an automatic picture-in-picture mode, which allows videos to continue playing in a small part of the screen while users navigate to other tabs. This feature greatly enhances usability when multitasking, ensuring that media does not pause during browsing sessions.
Moreover, Firefox 130 has also upgraded its translation capabilities. Users can now select text to translate it seamlessly via the right-click context menu, supporting a variety of languages including Romanian, Croatian, and Vietnamese. These enhancements are part of an ongoing competition against other browsers, aiming to consolidate Firefox’s standing in the ever-evolving browser market.
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#### Windows 11 Finally Overtakes Windows 10
In a significant development measured by the **Steam Hardware Survey**, Windows 11 has officially surpassed Windows 10 in user share among gamers. Windows 11 now commands a 49.17% share, while Windows 10 follows closely at 47.09%. This shift may not entirely shock the industry, as Windows 10 is approaching its end-of-life support in 2025.
Nonetheless, it is surprising that it took this long for Windows 11 to take the lead, especially given the operating system's significant barriers to entry due to strict hardware requirements. By contrast, Windows 10 benefited from Microsoft’s free upgrade offer from Windows 7 and 8, which facilitated widespread adoption.
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#### Microsoft Copilot+ Features Coming to Intel PCs
In another shift towards integration, Microsoft has announced that AI features associated with **Copilot+** will soon arrive on a broader range of devices. Initially available on laptops featuring Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets, the next phase includes support for Intel’s **Lunar Lake** processors, set to launch in October.
These enhancements point to a consolidated effort within Microsoft to promote AI across devices, with expectations that specific models from Intel’s Core Ultra 200V series will leverage Copilot+ for tasks like image co-creation and accelerated processing. This flurry of activity suggests that the upcoming **Windows 11 24H2** update could bring further innovations and possibly amplify user engagement with advanced tech.
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#### Telegram's New Content Moderation Efforts
With privacy concerns reaching a crescendo, **Telegram** has announced it will begin moderating illegal adult content on its platform. This announcement comes on the heels of intense scrutiny after CEO Pavel Durov faced legal troubles in France over the platform’s previous lack of action regarding illicit content.
This commitment to moderating content raises pressing questions. If Telegram is to maintain user privacy while effectively carrying out moderation, it faces the dilemma of needing access to messages to ensure compliance. For many, this trade-off between privacy and community responsibility presents an uncomfortable choice, prompting some users to consider alternatives like Signal, known for its robust security protocols.
---
#### The Apple-Microsoft Feud Over Cloud Gaming
Tensions between Microsoft and Apple have resurfaced, primarily over Apple’s cloud gaming policies. Microsoft has accused Apple of tactics aimed at stifling competition through restrictive rules that impact apps like **Xbox Cloud Gaming**. Since Apple introduced its in-app purchase policy, which obligates developers to offer all content as an in-app purchase — with Apple taking a hefty 30% cut — Microsoft deems the measures unfair and restrictive.
This ongoing spat highlights the challenges tech companies face under divergent regulatory standards and the impact of platform politics on innovation in digital gaming.
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### Conclusion
September 7 has proven to be a pivotal date in the tech landscape, with Microsoft’s new branding decision for Remote Desktop set against the backdrop of users' rising concerns about privacy and data handling. As Windows 11 gains traction, the gaming community is rapidly adopting it, while ongoing lawsuits and policy disputes reveal the complex interplay of interests in the tech industry. By continuing to track these developments, WindowsForum.com aims to keep users informed and prepared for the evolving landscape ahead.
Source: FileHippo.com September 7 Tech news roundup: Remote Desktop gets a new name, Windows 11 becomes more popular among gamers
---
#### Goodbye Remote Desktop, Hello Windows App
Microsoft has taken steps to rename its widely used **Remote Desktop** application to the **Windows app**. While this change might seem minor, it carries weighty implications for clarity and user expectations. Historically, the term "Remote Desktop" provided a clear understanding of its functionality – allowing users to access their PCs remotely. In contrast, "Windows app" feels ambiguous. Microsoft describes it as the "gateway to Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Microsoft Dev Box, Remote Desktop Services, and remote PCs." This broad categorization might alienate users who relied on precise functionality.
Interestingly, the Windows app is not just limited to Windows devices. It extends to **macOS**, **iOS**, and can also be accessed via web browsers. However, the non-Windows versions do not feature the full array of functionalities. For instance, users specifically on Windows 11 are privy to advanced features such as support for multiple monitors, dynamic and custom resolutions, and optimizations for Microsoft Teams. This transition seems more about branding than user experience; the previous name was far more explanatory.
---
#### Are Social Networks Spying on Users?
A recent report by **404 Media** raises alarming allegations against **Cox Media Group**, suggesting that they utilize microphones on smart devices to listen in on users for data harvesting, which potentially fuels targeted advertising. The promotional materials obtained reveal a feature dubbed "Active Listening." While there’s no direct proof to corroborate these claims, the fallout includes Google terminating its partnership with Cox Media Group, which heightens suspicions further.
In our age of heightened privacy consciousness, the notion of devices constantly listening has sparked discussions about transparency and consent. Users must evaluate the balance between personalization and privacy, as revelations regarding unauthorized data collection foster intent to distance oneself from intrusive technology.
---
#### Firefox 130 Enhancements
The latest iteration of Mozilla’s browser, **Firefox 130**, has rolled out new features aimed at improving user experience. Among them is an automatic picture-in-picture mode, which allows videos to continue playing in a small part of the screen while users navigate to other tabs. This feature greatly enhances usability when multitasking, ensuring that media does not pause during browsing sessions.
Moreover, Firefox 130 has also upgraded its translation capabilities. Users can now select text to translate it seamlessly via the right-click context menu, supporting a variety of languages including Romanian, Croatian, and Vietnamese. These enhancements are part of an ongoing competition against other browsers, aiming to consolidate Firefox’s standing in the ever-evolving browser market.
---
#### Windows 11 Finally Overtakes Windows 10
In a significant development measured by the **Steam Hardware Survey**, Windows 11 has officially surpassed Windows 10 in user share among gamers. Windows 11 now commands a 49.17% share, while Windows 10 follows closely at 47.09%. This shift may not entirely shock the industry, as Windows 10 is approaching its end-of-life support in 2025.
Nonetheless, it is surprising that it took this long for Windows 11 to take the lead, especially given the operating system's significant barriers to entry due to strict hardware requirements. By contrast, Windows 10 benefited from Microsoft’s free upgrade offer from Windows 7 and 8, which facilitated widespread adoption.
---
#### Microsoft Copilot+ Features Coming to Intel PCs
In another shift towards integration, Microsoft has announced that AI features associated with **Copilot+** will soon arrive on a broader range of devices. Initially available on laptops featuring Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets, the next phase includes support for Intel’s **Lunar Lake** processors, set to launch in October.
These enhancements point to a consolidated effort within Microsoft to promote AI across devices, with expectations that specific models from Intel’s Core Ultra 200V series will leverage Copilot+ for tasks like image co-creation and accelerated processing. This flurry of activity suggests that the upcoming **Windows 11 24H2** update could bring further innovations and possibly amplify user engagement with advanced tech.
---
#### Telegram's New Content Moderation Efforts
With privacy concerns reaching a crescendo, **Telegram** has announced it will begin moderating illegal adult content on its platform. This announcement comes on the heels of intense scrutiny after CEO Pavel Durov faced legal troubles in France over the platform’s previous lack of action regarding illicit content.
This commitment to moderating content raises pressing questions. If Telegram is to maintain user privacy while effectively carrying out moderation, it faces the dilemma of needing access to messages to ensure compliance. For many, this trade-off between privacy and community responsibility presents an uncomfortable choice, prompting some users to consider alternatives like Signal, known for its robust security protocols.
---
#### The Apple-Microsoft Feud Over Cloud Gaming
Tensions between Microsoft and Apple have resurfaced, primarily over Apple’s cloud gaming policies. Microsoft has accused Apple of tactics aimed at stifling competition through restrictive rules that impact apps like **Xbox Cloud Gaming**. Since Apple introduced its in-app purchase policy, which obligates developers to offer all content as an in-app purchase — with Apple taking a hefty 30% cut — Microsoft deems the measures unfair and restrictive.
This ongoing spat highlights the challenges tech companies face under divergent regulatory standards and the impact of platform politics on innovation in digital gaming.
---
### Conclusion
September 7 has proven to be a pivotal date in the tech landscape, with Microsoft’s new branding decision for Remote Desktop set against the backdrop of users' rising concerns about privacy and data handling. As Windows 11 gains traction, the gaming community is rapidly adopting it, while ongoing lawsuits and policy disputes reveal the complex interplay of interests in the tech industry. By continuing to track these developments, WindowsForum.com aims to keep users informed and prepared for the evolving landscape ahead.
Source: FileHippo.com September 7 Tech news roundup: Remote Desktop gets a new name, Windows 11 becomes more popular among gamers
