Microsoft says a new Windows 11 update improves responsiveness in Search, Start, Settings, File Explorer and other tools by up to 20%, based on internal comparisons between build 26300.9550 and build 26200.7628. On systems with 8GB of RAM or less, Windows now delays loading Widgets until opened, freeing over 200MB of memory, and the OS can hold up to 2GB more active data in RAM before offloading it to storage. The update also speeds up Windows Hello sign-in and Bluetooth pairing, including faster AirPods connections, while a redesigned Search experience is being tested with Windows Insiders.
techspot.com
· 2026-10-16
Microsoft has released the Surface Laptop Ultra, a premium Windows-on-Arm laptop built with Nvidia to showcase its new RTX Spark chips, which are designed to run AI models locally alongside demanding games and creative software. The top-spec model costs $5,900 and features a 15-inch 3:2 MicroLED touchscreen reaching 2,000 nits, an all-aluminum design, and a new Magnetic Connect charging port built into a USB-C port.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-16
Folders is an esoteric programming language in which program logic is encoded entirely through the nesting and count of empty folders rather than text, with folder names ignored except for alphabetical sorting. Originally built for Windows, where empty folders consume no disk space, the project has an updated 2026 release and a public implementation on GitHub along with a browser-based emulator for non-Windows users.
danieltemkin.com
· 2026-10-16
Microsoft says its October KB5127648 security update for Windows 11, version 24H2 and later, can leave the Smart App Control option grayed out so it can't be switched on if it was previously off. Devices that already had Smart App Control enabled are unaffected. No permanent fix exists yet, but Microsoft has published registry edits and Group Policy settings administrators can use to restore the toggle.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-10-16
John Harrison and Juneyoung Lee have released a tutorial intended as an easier on-ramp to the HOL Light theorem prover than its existing manual. The guide walks new users through installation, including options for Windows users via Windows Subsystem for Linux or Cygwin, followed by a graded set of worked examples. It is presented as a supplement to, not a replacement for, the standard HOL Light manual.
hol-light.github.io
· 2026-10-16
Microsoft says recent Windows 11 updates have improved memory management and cut background resource use, making the OS up to 20% more responsive, with the biggest gains on machines with 8GB of RAM or less. Changes include freeing over 200MB of memory by deferring Widgets loading, letting the OS retain up to 2GB more active data before swapping to disk, faster Windows Hello sign-in, quicker Bluetooth pairing, a less disruptive Windows Update process, and a taskbar that can now be repositioned. A new, faster Windows Search is currently testing with Insiders ahead of a broader rollout later this year.
tech.slashdot.org
· 2026-10-15
Microsoft has begun rolling out Windows 11 updates to all users after Insider testing, claiming up to 20 percent improved responsiveness through better memory management. The update lets the OS keep up to 2GB more active data in memory before offloading to storage, with Microsoft saying PCs with 8GB of RAM will notice the biggest gains. On low-memory machines, widgets will now load only when opened, freeing over 200MB of memory, while Bluetooth pairing, Windows Hello logins, and a redesigned Photos app are also getting speed and reliability improvements.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-15
Apple unveiled HomeView, a $299 smart home hub with facial recognition and an AI-enhanced Siri. Amazon replaced its Fire tablet line with three new Alexa-branded tablets starting at $500 that emphasize voice control and on-screen intelligence features, while Microsoft introduced an AI-chip-powered Windows laptop priced from $2,599.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-15
NVIDIA's RTX Spark platform pairs a Blackwell GPU with large unified RAM, targeting AI developers who want to run large local models like a 125B-parameter Qwen3.8-Flash-Next variant. NVIDIA says the chips deliver RTX 50-series gaming features including DLSS 5, with performance comparable to an RTX 5070 at 1440p, and a new DLSS Frame Generation mode that pushed Cyberpunk 2077 to 280fps. Being Arm-based, RTX Spark relies on Microsoft's Prism emulator for x86 compatibility, with NVIDIA naming supported titles like Gears of War: E-Day, NBA 2K27 and World of Warcraft: Forever, and says it is working with anti-cheat vendors on multiplayer support.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-15
Acros Security's 0patch service released micropatches fixing CVE-2026-62878, a remote code execution vulnerability in the Windows DNS Server service, for Windows Server versions that no longer receive official Microsoft updates. Microsoft had already patched the flaw in supported editions in August 2026 by capping DNS query recursion nesting depth at 62, and 0patch used a public proof-of-concept exploit credited to researchers Nicolas Alejandro Malizia and Joaquín Grassi to build equivalent fixes for legacy systems.
techspot.com
· 2026-10-15
Tom's Hardware obtained an early unit of Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra equipped with Nvidia's new RTX Spark Superchip, featuring 20 CPU cores, 6144 CUDA cores, and 128GB of LPDDR5X-9400 RAM. The outlet compared its performance against a 14-inch MacBook Pro with Apple's M5 Max chip, though launch embargoes restricted disclosure of battery life, build quality, and display details until full reviews arrive later.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-10-15
Nvidia is launching RTX Spark laptops on October 16th, its first major push into Arm-powered Windows PCs since the ill-fated Surface RT. The company says these machines will run existing Windows software including Adobe, Office, Blender, and games with kernel-level anti-cheat, alongside local AI workstation capabilities with up to 128GB of RAM.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-15
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