windows 10 | Business Upturn

Google launches desktop app for Windows worldwide, blending search and Assistant

Rashmi Pandey — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:10:32 +0000

Google has rolled out its Google app for desktop to Windows users worldwide, marking a major expansion of its mobile‑centric Assistant‑style experience into the PC ecosystem. The application, now available globally via standard Windows‑store channels and official Google‑software repositories, is designed to bring search, voice‑assisted queries, reminders, calendar integration and other Google‑services features into a single, unified desktop window. The launch follows a limited‑availability test period in select regions and signals that the company is doubling down on integrating its core services across both mobile and desktop environments.

The Google app for desktop is built on the same foundation as the mobile Google app, with added shortcuts for commonly used tools such as Gmail, Maps, Google Drive, Photos, and Google Tasks. It supports keyboard‑based commands as well as microphone‑enabled voice searches, with users able to ask questions, set timers, check real‑time traffic, view calendar engagements or control smart‑home devices if they are linked to their Google account. The interface is kept minimal, with a centrally placed search bar, dynamic widgets for weather, sports scores and news highlights, and an integrated “feed”‑style stream of personalised information pulled from Google’s ecosystem.

Open‑source application‑data channels indicate that the app is optimised for Windows 10 and Windows 11, with native integration into the Start menu and taskbar, and the option to enable quick‑launch hotkeys or system‑level notifications for reminders, calendar alerts and news updates. The company has also emphasised privacy‑related settings, allowing users to control voice‑history storage, search‑history management and personalised‑content feeds through the same account‑wide controls used on mobile.

The global release aligns with Google’s broader push to make its core services the default “front‑end” for information access on PCs, even as the role of traditional browsers and standalone apps continues to evolve. The app’s availability across all major Windows markets from 14 April 2026 onwards is expected to deepen the integration between Google’s cloud‑based tools and the desktop‑workflow habits of hundreds of millions of Windows users.

Why is AMD giving up on Windows 10?

Bhavya Rai — Sat, 08 Jun 2024 11:50:48 +0000

AMD has confirmed that its new Ryzen AI processors will not support Windows 10, marking a significant shift in its hardware and software compatibility strategy. The Ryzen AI lineup, featuring a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of up to 50 trillion operations per second (TOPS), is designed to meet the demands of future computing needs, particularly those driven by artificial intelligence (AI). This decision aligns AMD with the latest advancements in AI and operating systems, specifically Windows 11 and Ubuntu, as highlighted on the AMD product page.

Key Points of the Transition

Focus on Future Technologies:
- The Ryzen AI processors are built to support advanced AI applications and Microsoft’s Copilot+ features, which require at least 40 TOPS.
- These processors, including the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and Ryzen AI 9 365, are optimized for Windows 11 64-bit and Ubuntu, reflecting the focus on cutting-edge AI capabilities.
Dropping Windows 10 Support:
- AMD’s decision to exclude Windows 10 support for its AI processors aligns with Microsoft’s plan to end support for Windows 10 by 2025.
- Despite this, Windows 10 remains popular, with approximately 70% of users still using it compared to 26% for Windows 11.
Market Implications:
- The slow adoption rate of Windows 11 suggests a reluctance among users to upgrade, potentially complicating Microsoft’s transition plans.
- AMD’s move is not expected to impact entry-level laptops still running Windows 10, as the AI processors are aimed at more advanced applications.

Broader Impact and Future Considerations

Desktop CPUs and Windows 10:
- Currently, AMD has not extended this decision to its upcoming Ryzen 9000 series desktop CPUs, allowing desktop users to continue using Windows 10.
- This cautious approach reflects the widespread usage and continued demand for Windows 10 in desktop environments.
Extended Support for Windows 10:
- Recognizing the slow transition to Windows 11, Microsoft plans to offer paid security updates for Windows 10 for up to three years beyond its official end-of-life, extending its usability to 2028.

AMD’s strategic decision to support only Windows 11 and Ubuntu for its Ryzen AI processors underscores a commitment to future technologies and AI-driven applications. While this move sets a clear direction for the future, it also reflects a recognition of the current market dynamics, ensuring that desktop users and those still reliant on Windows 10 are not left behind. As the industry continues to evolve, the balance between innovation and user adoption will remain a critical factor in shaping the landscape of computing technologies.

Microsoft to discontinue OneDrive app support for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1

News Desk — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 06:15:56 +0000

Microsoft has stated that the personal desktop OneDrive app will no longer get upgrades. This applies to the operating systems Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1.

Though files can still be accessible from the OneDrive app, regardless of the Windows version; however, they will no longer automatically upload to the cloud. Microsoft suggests updating to a newer version of Windows before March of next year to avoid any complications with OneDrive. Users who have systems that can’t run Windows 10 or Windows 11 can still back up their files by uploading them to the OneDrive online app, according to Microsoft.

OneDrive for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 will lose support on January 1st, along with updates and the ability to sync. The adjustment was made to “focus resources on new technologies and operating systems, and to provide users with the most up-to-date and secure experience,” according to Microsoft.

If you’re unfamiliar with the OneDrive software, it’s a file sync client that let you save your files to the cloud. When you select “Save as” and OneDrive as the destination, your system saves the file using the OneDrive desktop software.

There are a few options available to users who have been affected by this change. Users can manually upload and download files using the OneDrive online app. Installing Windows 10, which will be supported until October 2025, is also an option. Apart from that, customers can save their files online using a third-party cloud storage provider.

Microsoft Windows 11 to have Family widgets, bug fixes and much more

Aayushi Singh — Sat, 07 Aug 2021 15:09:07 +0000

Windows 11 had been announced by Microsoft a while ago and the company had been building hype by highlighting the changes that were made due to the glitches found from the Windows Insider Programme, and had been rolling out beta builds of the update on their Windows Insider Channel.

Yesterday, the company has revealed that it would bring Spotify integration to Windows 11, they would also get a new taskbar, an updated Notification Centre, and the ability to respond to chats in an inline manner.

For the Dev and Beta channel users, the company had released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.120, this update brought new features and bug fixes.

It had been revealed by Microsoft that the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.120 brought a new Family Widget to the users in all Windows languages and regions, it would also allow the users to see the recent activity of their family members from their Microsoft family group which would also provide locations and total screen time, etc.

Microsoft had also started to roll out notifications badging for their Chat icon on the taskbar. Settings could be moved to any Desktop the user is on.

The company had also moved the Identify button in the Display Settings, which would make it easier to find, and the new button in the File Explorer’s command bar would help use a dropdown menu style with all the options in one list.

Microsoft has also fixed the issue where if the users updated their preferred first day of the week then it would only be updated when the users signed out and logged back in.

Microsoft had also said that the setting would no longer crash when clicking facial recognition under the Sign-in settings when the Windows Hello has already been set up. They also said that changes had also been made to the command bar in the File Explorer that had resulted in increased thread count when a new File Explorer window was opened and grew continuously.