Microsoft is installing Office web apps on Windows 10 without your permission

Microsoft recently pushed an update for Windows 10 that covertly installs progressive web apps (PWA) for Microsoft Office apps without asking for permission. The ‘forced update’ installs Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook web-based apps. These are basically shortcuts to the web version of Office that can be accessed through any browser, such as Chrome or Firefox, although the installed apps open through Microsoft Edge only even if your default browser is set to something else.

There are also some reports that suggest Windows 10 devices were restarted without asking for any sort of permissions. This was done to install these apps through a forced software update. It was initially assumed that the update was pushed for Windows Insider members only. However, it seems to have reached non-Insider members as well. We can confirm the same, as a recent update has installed these apps on our system as well, with the installation date as October 14.

Windows 10 will soon get hardware-based AV1 codec, Spotlight for Desktop

Do note that these apps are not the full version of Microsoft Office. They will only open a web-version of the app where you need to sign in with your Microsoft account to gain access. It does seem like a convenient way for users that rely on the online version of Office as all of your Microsoft 365 apps are tucked nicely on the left allowing for easy access. Having said that, if you don’t care about these apps, you can easily uninstall them. There are two methods – by going to opening Settings App > Apps & Features page or using Control Panel > Programs & Features. The web-apps are mere shortcuts that hardly take any space on your system, nor are they the worst piece of bloatware that you will see on a PC. However, it has raised the question of forced advertising. A report from The Verge even calls out the company’s move as another “proof that it (Microsoft) doesn’t respect your ownership of your own PC.” If you do have Microsoft Office apps installed, the icons will open the full version of the apps.

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Story Via: The Verge

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Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ and Galaxy A51 receive One UI 2.5 with October 2020 security patches

Samsung has gotten considerably better at delivering updates to its phones in the last few years. The Korean OEM recently rolled out the One UI 2.5 update to the Galaxy A71 and the Galaxy Note 9. Now, the company has started pushing the stable version of One UI 2.5 to the Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, and the Galaxy A51.

Galaxy S9 Series

We knew One UI 2.5 was headed to the Galaxy S9 series as it was reported back in August, and today Samsung is finally making good on its promise. The Exynos 9810-powered global variants of the Galaxy S9 (model number SM-G960F) and the S9+ (model number SM-G965F) are receiving the new update in the form of software version G96xFXXUCFTJ2. The new builds are available for download in the DBT region, which is Samsung’s code for Germany. As expected, the update brings along the October 2020 security patches. It also introduces a new bootloader, which means end users can’t downgrade to a previous build after installing this update.

Samsung Galaxy S9 XDA Forums || Samsung Galaxy S9+ XDA Forums

Galaxy A51

At the time of writing this article, the SM-A515F variant of the Galaxy A51 has secured the One UI 2.5 update in Russia. The new firmware is tagged as A515FXXU4CTJ1 and carries the October 2020 security patches. We are unable to get our hands on the complete changelog of this update, but the build number is enough to conclude that the bootloader version has been incremented.

Samsung Galaxy A51 XDA Forums

Since Samsung prefers to conduct staged software rollouts, don’t worry if you’re not seeing any OTA notification on your phone just yet. The updates may take several weeks to reach other regional markets, but power users can skip the queue and manually download the new firmware packages directly from the Samsung update server using Frija or Samloader.

The post Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ and Galaxy A51 receive One UI 2.5 with October 2020 security patches appeared first on xda-developers.

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Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ and Galaxy A51 receive One UI 2.5 with October 2020 security patches

Samsung has gotten considerably better at delivering updates to its phones in the last few years. The Korean OEM recently rolled out the One UI 2.5 update to the Galaxy A71 and the Galaxy Note 9. Now, the company has started pushing the stable version of One UI 2.5 to the Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, and the Galaxy A51.

Galaxy S9 Series

We knew One UI 2.5 was headed to the Galaxy S9 series as it was reported back in August, and today Samsung is finally making good on its promise. The Exynos 9810-powered global variants of the Galaxy S9 (model number SM-G960F) and the S9+ (model number SM-G965F) are receiving the new update in the form of software version G96xFXXUCFTJ2. The new builds are available for download in the DBT region, which is Samsung’s code for Germany. As expected, the update brings along the October 2020 security patches. It also introduces a new bootloader, which means end users can’t downgrade to a previous build after installing this update.

Samsung Galaxy S9 XDA Forums || Samsung Galaxy S9+ XDA Forums

Galaxy A51

At the time of writing this article, the SM-A515F variant of the Galaxy A51 has secured the One UI 2.5 update in Russia. The new firmware is tagged as A515FXXU4CTJ1 and carries the October 2020 security patches. We are unable to get our hands on the complete changelog of this update, but the build number is enough to conclude that the bootloader version has been incremented.

Samsung Galaxy A51 XDA Forums

Since Samsung prefers to conduct staged software rollouts, don’t worry if you’re not seeing any OTA notification on your phone just yet. The updates may take several weeks to reach other regional markets, but power users can skip the queue and manually download the new firmware packages directly from the Samsung update server using Frija or Samloader.

The post Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ and Galaxy A51 receive One UI 2.5 with October 2020 security patches appeared first on xda-developers.

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PUBG Mobile 1.1 beta brings new ‘Metro Royale’ mode

PUBG Mobile is getting a new beta update giving us an early look at what players can expect in the near future. The biggest highlight of the update is a new mode called Metro Royale. PUBG Mobile had made an announcement back in August about its collaboration with Metro Exodus, the popular horror-themed first-person shooter (FPS) that is available on PC, PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia. The new 1.1 beta update arrives just days after the patch notes were shared on the official PUBG Mobile Discord channel. According to the patch notes, the new Metro Royale mode brings new maps, a pre-configured weapons and equipment loadout, a special black market place, a new weapon called Tikhar, along with some new challenges.

As for the regular classic mode, the new PUBG Mobile 1.1 beta update brings back the Winter mode that we saw late last year. Most importantly, the game is getting a new Spike Trap item, and the ability to throw melee items at opponents. The former seems to be a tool to disable vehicles while the option to throw items comes from the original PC version of PUBG.

You may have claimed a Chicken Dinner… but you haven’t seen anything yet!

Be sure to stay tuned for our collaboration with Metro Exodus, the latest video game in the acclaimed @MetroVideoGame series! More details coming soon! https://t.co/V8wiKgp7XD pic.twitter.com/DCyu8PERgo

— PUBG MOBILE (@PUBGMOBILE) August 7, 2020

We managed to install the beta update and hopped in a quick round of the new Metro Royale mode. It is an interesting addition to the game and seems to be inspired by Badlanders. The main objective, from what we could understand, is to go in the game with a loadout, hunt down enemies, get more loot, get to the extraction point, and then sell and upgrade your loadout in the marketplace. Considering this is a beta version, we mostly encountered bots that were fairly easy to hunt. Once you return from the game, you get a value for the amount of loot you collected. You can sell those items to upgrade to more powerful weapons and equipment. This mode goes beyond the existing offering in PUBG Mobile by offering up to six levels of armor protection and backpack as well as advanced levels of weapons that you can unlock.

Download PUBG Mobile 1.1 beta

PUBG Mobile 1.1 Beta Patch Note

• New Metro Royale mode
  • New map: Two unique maps…
  • New equipment: New Thermal Sight/Night Vision equipment and new Tikar Rifle.
  • New Challenges: Introduction of Agile bandits, Special monsters and more
• New Metro Royale non-battle system
  • New System – Mode Loadout: Equipment configured in the loadout can be brought into battle…
  • New System – Black Market: An exclusive Metro Royale Shop
• Classic Mode themed gameplay
  • Winter Festival: New Winter Castle Paradise. Players can visit the Winter Festival hut and gift pine tree…and more
• Classic Mode additions and improvements
  • New item: Spike Trap
  • Players can throw or pick up melee weapons and put them back into the backpack, and more.

If you’re in India, due to the recent ban around Chinese publishers, PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite are currently banned in the country. The government has advised not to download either of the games.

The post PUBG Mobile 1.1 beta brings new ‘Metro Royale’ mode appeared first on xda-developers.

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PUBG Mobile 1.1 beta brings new ‘Metro Royale’ mode

PUBG Mobile is getting a new beta update giving us an early look at what players can expect in the near future. The biggest highlight of the update is a new mode called Metro Royale. PUBG Mobile had made an announcement back in August about its collaboration with Metro Exodus, the popular horror-themed first-person shooter (FPS) that is available on PC, PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia. The new 1.1 beta update arrives just days after the patch notes were shared on the official PUBG Mobile Discord channel. According to the patch notes, the new Metro Royale mode brings new maps, a pre-configured weapons and equipment loadout, a special black market place, a new weapon called Tikhar, along with some new challenges.

As for the regular classic mode, the new PUBG Mobile 1.1 beta update brings back the Winter mode that we saw late last year. Most importantly, the game is getting a new Spike Trap item, and the ability to throw melee items at opponents. The former seems to be a tool to disable vehicles while the option to throw items comes from the original PC version of PUBG.

You may have claimed a Chicken Dinner… but you haven’t seen anything yet!

Be sure to stay tuned for our collaboration with Metro Exodus, the latest video game in the acclaimed @MetroVideoGame series! More details coming soon! https://t.co/V8wiKgp7XD pic.twitter.com/DCyu8PERgo

— PUBG MOBILE (@PUBGMOBILE) August 7, 2020

We managed to install the beta update and hopped in a quick round of the new Metro Royale mode. It is an interesting addition to the game and seems to be inspired by Badlanders. The main objective, from what we could understand, is to go in the game with a loadout, hunt down enemies, get more loot, get to the extraction point, and then sell and upgrade your loadout in the marketplace. Considering this is a beta version, we mostly encountered bots that were fairly easy to hunt. Once you return from the game, you get a value for the amount of loot you collected. You can sell those items to upgrade to more powerful weapons and equipment. This mode goes beyond the existing offering in PUBG Mobile by offering up to six levels of armor protection and backpack as well as advanced levels of weapons that you can unlock.

Download PUBG Mobile 1.1 beta

PUBG Mobile 1.1 Beta Patch Note

• New Metro Royale mode
  • New map: Two unique maps…
  • New equipment: New Thermal Sight/Night Vision equipment and new Tikar Rifle.
  • New Challenges: Introduction of Agile bandits, Special monsters and more
• New Metro Royale non-battle system
  • New System – Mode Loadout: Equipment configured in the loadout can be brought into battle…
  • New System – Black Market: An exclusive Metro Royale Shop
• Classic Mode themed gameplay
  • Winter Festival: New Winter Castle Paradise. Players can visit the Winter Festival hut and gift pine tree…and more
• Classic Mode additions and improvements
  • New item: Spike Trap
  • Players can throw or pick up melee weapons and put them back into the backpack, and more.

If you’re in India, due to the recent ban around Chinese publishers, PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite are currently banned in the country. The government has advised not to download either of the games.

The post PUBG Mobile 1.1 beta brings new ‘Metro Royale’ mode appeared first on xda-developers.

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The OnePlus 8T’s first OxygenOS update rolls out, bringing Canvas AOD

Just a few days ago, OnePlus unveiled the highly anticipated OnePlus 8T. The company’s latest budget flagship is a minor upgrade over the OnePlus 8 from earlier this year with two major changes — a 120Hz high refresh rate display and 65W fast charging support. While the device is yet to reach most buyers, OnePlus has now started rolling the first OxygenOS 11 update for the device with a new feature and several optimizations.

OnePlus 8T Review: The T upgrade that makes sense

As per a recent tweet from Talk Android’s Chief Editor Peter Holden, the first OxygenOS update for the OnePlus 8T (v. 11.0.1.2) brings the new Canvas AOD feature to the device. The Canvas AOD feature was first spotted late last month in the second OxygenOS 11 Beta release for the OnePlus 8 series. It essentially draws a wireframe sketch of your device’s lockscreen wallpaper and displays the sketch when the screen is turned off. The Canvas AOD feature is currently in beta, and it can be found within the Wallpaper settings.

There’s an update rolling out to the OnePlus 8 with the usual fixes and improvements, and more importantly, the new Canvas wallpaper feature#OnePlus8T pic.twitter.com/4TsaaPPGNd

— Peter Holden (@PeterHolden_) October 18, 2020

Along with the Canvas AOD feature, the first OxygenOS update for the OnePlus 8T includes optimizations for the unlock experience for Ambient Display, power consumption, nightscape mode for video, white balance accuracy, and camera app stability.

The OnePlus 8T is the first device from the company to ship with its new OxygenOS 11 skin based on Android 11. The device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 chip, and it features up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of onboard storage. The device packs in a quad-camera setup on the back, with a 48MP Sony IMX586 primary sensor, a 16MP wide-angle sensor, a 5MP macro sensor, and a 2MP monochrome sensor. It has a 4,500mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging with the included charger. In case you’re interested in purchasing the device, you can get it on Amazon by following the link below.

Buy the OnePlus 8T: Amazon.com || Amazon.in

The post The OnePlus 8T’s first OxygenOS update rolls out, bringing Canvas AOD appeared first on xda-developers.

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The OnePlus 8T’s first OxygenOS update rolls out, bringing Canvas AOD

Just a few days ago, OnePlus unveiled the highly anticipated OnePlus 8T. The company’s latest budget flagship is a minor upgrade over the OnePlus 8 from earlier this year with two major changes — a 120Hz high refresh rate display and 65W fast charging support. While the device is yet to reach most buyers, OnePlus has now started rolling the first OxygenOS 11 update for the device with a new feature and several optimizations.

OnePlus 8T Review: The T upgrade that makes sense

As per a recent tweet from Talk Android’s Chief Editor Peter Holden, the first OxygenOS update for the OnePlus 8T (v. 11.0.1.2) brings the new Canvas AOD feature to the device. The Canvas AOD feature was first spotted late last month in the second OxygenOS 11 Beta release for the OnePlus 8 series. It essentially draws a wireframe sketch of your device’s lockscreen wallpaper and displays the sketch when the screen is turned off. The Canvas AOD feature is currently in beta, and it can be found within the Wallpaper settings.

There’s an update rolling out to the OnePlus 8 with the usual fixes and improvements, and more importantly, the new Canvas wallpaper feature#OnePlus8T pic.twitter.com/4TsaaPPGNd

— Peter Holden (@PeterHolden_) October 18, 2020

Along with the Canvas AOD feature, the first OxygenOS update for the OnePlus 8T includes optimizations for the unlock experience for Ambient Display, power consumption, nightscape mode for video, white balance accuracy, and camera app stability.

The OnePlus 8T is the first device from the company to ship with its new OxygenOS 11 skin based on Android 11. The device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 chip, and it features up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of onboard storage. The device packs in a quad-camera setup on the back, with a 48MP Sony IMX586 primary sensor, a 16MP wide-angle sensor, a 5MP macro sensor, and a 2MP monochrome sensor. It has a 4,500mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging with the included charger. In case you’re interested in purchasing the device, you can get it on Amazon by following the link below.

Buy the OnePlus 8T: Amazon.com || Amazon.in

The post The OnePlus 8T’s first OxygenOS update rolls out, bringing Canvas AOD appeared first on xda-developers.

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