How to use Threads on desktop in Windows, Mac, Linux, and ChromeOS
No need to wait for the official Threads desktop client!
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard of Threads by now. Meta’s latest social media app is unapologetically a Twitter (or X) competitor, and it's deeply interconnected with Instagram to create an amalgamation of the two. However, access to Threads was only possible through its official iOS and Android apps when it launched. There was no proper web interface at the beginning, although you could directly go to a user's profile.
Windows 11 update tracker: Download and install the latest update
Now that Microsoft has released Windows 11 via stable channel, we're tracking all the updates
Keeping Windows up to date will ensure that you’ve got the least buggy version of the OS. When it comes to Windows 11, Microsoft has opted for the one update per year strategy, although it continues to make available regular patches and fixes throughout the year to address known issues. New feature sets, such as the Moment 3 release, are also being seeded through the Windows Update framework. This article will serve as the central repository of knowledge base (KB) articles and download links for all updates related to Windows 11.
How to download Android 14 for Google Pixel and other Android devices
Android 14 is available via the beta channel, and you can install it on your Google Pixel right now.
Android 14 is almost ready for prime time! For lucky owners of the Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, or any Pixel phone as old as the Pixel 4a 5G, you'll be among the first users to see what Android 14 has to offer, as these devices can participate in Google's beta initiative.
Samsung Android 14 Tracker: Here are all the official One UI 6 beta builds to download and install
Here's what we know about the One UI 6 update, including which devices have received the beta.
Android 14 is inching closer to its final stable release, and Samsung seems quite interested in getting its own version out to its customers as soon as possible after that. The Korean OEM's hard at work adapting the latest iteration of everybody's favorite mobile OS for its own devices in the form of One UI 6.0. Here is everything you need to do to keep track of the company's beta program and install it on your device.
Android 14 beta tacker: List of major phones getting the latest update
A lot of phones have already received a taste of Android 14, with more to follow soon.
Android 14 picked up the "beta" tag a while ago on Google Pixel devices, but that doesn't mean the non-Google phone you’re carrying in your pocket will get the same treatment anytime soon. This is because, unlike Apple, Google allows other OEMs to customize Android and ship their phones with various skins, which naturally takes time to develop and evaluate whenever a new version of the operating system is about to release.
Here's how to use ViveTool to force-enable new features in Windows 11
The bleeding edge features are just a few commands away.
You probably already know that Microsoft has the Windows Insider Program, so you can beta-test early versions of Windows 11 on a great laptop or a great Windows desktop, or even in a virtual machine. Each of the channels of the program gets you access to the various versions of Windows. Unfortunately, though, Microsoft often likes to A/B test Windows features in the Windows Insider program.
How to install Android 13 on Google Pixel and other Android devices
For those who need it, here's some help
The latest stable version of Android, Android 13, has officially seen its public release back in August 2022. As expected, if you’ve got an eligible Pixel smartphone, you can get in on the fun right now by downloading the Android 13 release for your device. Google also provides Generic System Images (GSI), which means the latest version of Android can be booted on non-Google Project Treble-compatible devices as well.
The stable version Android 14 is almost here, but we'll have to wait a few more weeks until it's available to the public. To prepare for this significant transition, Google today released the final pre-release build in the form of Beta 5 to let enthusiasts as well as regular users offer last-minute feedback. As expected, the fifth beta build features finalized SDK and NDK APIs and app-facing system behaviors, so it's time for developers to get their apps ready for the new OS.
How to download Android 13 for Google Pixel and other Android devices
Google has officially kicked off the Android 13 QPR3's stable version rollout. You can download the release right now and give it a try!
Google officially launched the stable version of Android 13 on August 15, 2022. For lucky owners of the Pixel 7a or any devices as old as the Pixel 4a, you’ll also be among the first to see what Android 13 QPR3 has to offer, as the company has already started rolling out the update on these phones. The Pixel Fold and the Pixel Tablet are also eligible to get regular monthly security updates on top of Android 13.
August 2023 security update rolls out for Google Pixels, Galaxy S23, and more Samsung phones
No stable Android 14 yet!
We're already 7 days into August, but since today is the first Monday of the month, that means it's time for the latest batch of Android security patches. Google today published the August 2023 Android Security Bulletin, and with it, the corresponding August 2023 security update for eligible Pixel devices. Google's Pixel phones aren't the only phones getting a freshly baked build today, though, as Samsung has also pushed new security updates to the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S20 FE, and a couple of foldables.
Samsung's big One UI 6 beta with Android 14 is on its way, but you need to wait a little longer
The Korean OEM really wants you to try its upcoming One UI skin
Samsung has steadily been improving the momentum of its software update over the last few years. When it comes to the monthly security patches, the performance is already impeccable, but major Android updates are still two or three months behind Google. As usual, there's no Android 14 beta initiative from the Korean OEM, but last week there was a rumor that Samsung would be kickstarting the One UI 6 beta program in this month. That seems to be the case, as one of the regional company newsrooms accidentally announced the beta early before swiftly deleting the post.
For many, even one of the best phones is anything but a black box filled with modern tech magic. But this is XDA, which means you can always come across people who like to dip their toes into rooting, ROM-ing, and various other aftermarket developments. So it's a good thing Nothing pushed out both the kernel source and the device tree for its most recent offering, the Nothing Phone 2.
ADB tips and tricks: Commands that every power user should know about
There's a lot to the Android Debug Bridge that you may not know about. Click here for some useful tips and tricks for using ADB!
If you've been an Android enthusiast lurking in the modding scene, or an app developer for any length of time, sooner or later, you will stumble upon a neat tool called the Android Debug Bridge, or ADB for short. It's extensively used in Android Studio as a command line companion utility. Android developers also use it as a standalone solution to manually install and test apps on Android smartphones as well as emulated Android devices.
Nothing Phone OS update tracker: Here are all the official Nothing OS builds to download and install
We tracked down all the Nothing OS updates so you don't have to.
Ever since the Carl Pei-backed startup Nothing unveiled the Nothing Phone 1 to the world, it's been making headlines for various reasons. Its Glyph lighting interface got a lot of attention, as did Nothing's idea of embracing a close-to-stock version of Android. Launched with Android 12-based "Nothing OS" out of the box, the phone picked up a stable Android 13 update in the form of Nothing OS 1.5 back in February this year. When it comes to software support, the company promised three years of Android upgrades and four years of security updates delivered every two months.
Google System Updates for July 2023 improve app content discovery and much more
Google Wallet might also get pass sharing
Aside from rolling out the July 2023 Android security patches to the eligible Pixel devices earlier this month, Google has also refreshed its Google System Updates support page to highlight all the changes included in this month's release. The new update brings a handful of Google Play Store improvements, some system management related enhancements, updated device connectivity features, and more.
Google Pixel Fold and Tablet join the bleeding edge with Android 14 Beta 4
The stable release is just around the corner
Android 14 Beta 4 is rolling out today for eligible Pixel devices. For folks keeping track of the development cycle, this is the last expected major release before it hits the stable milestone and is ready for the masses. This latest version also picks up support for the brand new Pixel Fold as well as the Pixel Tablet, which means it's the last chance for the app developers to get those tuning-and-testing toes wet before Android 14 is released.
Here's how to install Play Store and other Google apps on Windows Subsystem for Android
WSAGAScript is a tool that lets you easily patch the Windows Subsystem for Android to install the Google Play Store.
Windows Subsystem for Android is finally here. What's more interesting is that you can unofficially try it right now — even if you're not enrolled in the Beta channel of Windows 11. In case you're not happy with the mandatory Amazon Appstore integration, you should be happy to hear that the app sideloading process isn't difficult either. It is also possible to install a third-party Google Play Store client, but the lack of Google services in the Windows Subsystem for Android makes it a bit hard to use apps that are dependent on them, as we noted in our hands-on.
July 2023 Android security update rolls out to Google Pixel and some Samsung Galaxy phones
Come get your security patches
In case you're thinking, "today's a Wednesday, but Pixel updates usually land on Mondays," you're right, Google is indeed a little bit behind its usual schedule. This month's release has been delayed slightly until today, as a result of 4th July's federal holiday to celebrate Independence Day in the US. Nonetheless, Google's freshly baked Pixel software updates for July are finally here.
For those of us who like to tweak our home screen and change the wallpaper often, it's always interesting to see what's included on the latest and greatest phones. The Asus Zenfone 10 was released recently, and we already have all the static and live wallpapers from the device available for your perusal and download.
How to install ADB on Windows, macOS, and Linux
A step-by-step guide to get you started with the Android Debug Bridge tool.
Several features of the Android operating system can be accessed only through paths and methods that are hidden away from the average user. These have generally been done with the help of some command line Android Debug Bridge (ADB) commands, a tool that Google offers for developers to debug various parts of their applications or the system, but which we can use for all kinds of neat and hidden tricks. A prerequisite to these tricks is installing ADB on your computer. So, in this guide, we will show you how to install ADB on Windows, macOS, and Linux in quick and easy-to-follow steps.