iCloud integration.

Or, more specifically, iCloud Photos integration.

This basically means that those of you who are entrenched in the Apple ecosystem can now manage photos that you have stored on iCloud right from within the Photos app. This functionality was added to the application with version 2022.31100.9001.0.

It comes a little less than a month after Microsoft began rolling out the first Moment update for its operating system, which was promised during last month’s Surface showcase event.

While we still wait for the screen recorder and Apple Music app to arrive for the OS, the software titan has brought this iCloud integration to all Windows 11 users.

The company describes this new addition as:

“We know that many Windows customers have photo and video collections on their iPhones that they would like to be able to view on their PC. This iCloud Photos integration will make it easier for those with an iPhone to have direct access to all their cherished memories in one organized place and is another step in our continued efforts to make experiences on Windows 11 seamless.”

Sweet!

Those of you who own an iPhone and are using iCloud Photos to store pictures and videos now have the ability to sync your digital libraries with your Windows PCs.

The Photos app in Windows 11 has received a dedicated section where you can browse and manage the images stored in the cloud. This is not too dissimilar to how the application lets you view photos from OneDrive.

Getting in on this requires downloading the latest Photos app and iCloud for Windows from the Microsoft Store. Be sure to install all available updates, then sign in with your Apple ID. Launch the Photos app and click iCloud Photos on the left pane.

Microsoft says that the updated Photos app should become available to all users by the end of the month as the rollout commences.

Dynamic ones, at that.

Dynamic wallpapers are a personalization feature that MacOS has and Windows users lack. The Apple desktop operating system neatly cycles through different wallpapers that adapt to the current system time, thereby creating an immersive and beautiful desktop background experience.

While there were rumors that Microsoft was considering implementing similar functionality in Windows, nothing of substance emerged from them.

That said, dynamic wallpapers are a possibility on Windows, thanks to a third-party app that goes by the convenient name of WinDynamicDesktop.

The app has received an update to version 5.10 today, and this latest release arrives with new wallpapers and other improvements to the program itself related to the user interface and application of themes.

You can check out the changelog for the full details.

It is worth mentioning that version 5.1 ditched the Sync Virtual Desktop script that was responsible for changing wallpapers on all your virtual desktops. According to the developer, the script used an experimental API that was too unstable to support.

Still, restoring this deleted feature by installing the script is possible.

As for the app, WinDynamicDesktop is a free application that contains many free dynamic wallpapers, mostly the ones included with macOS. You can also buy additional packs from the app’s repository here.

You can download the program from the Microsoft Store or directly via GitHub.

If those are too many parallels for you, wait until you hear what’s new!

This program allows you to run Windows or another operating system inside macOS, making it indispensable for Mac users who want to experience the other side. Want to run a Windows-exclusive game or program? This is what you need.

Version 18 is now available and comes with several notable improvements and new features, including easier installation of Windows 11 and gaming enhancements.

Things start with the ability to download, install, and configure Windows 11 with a single click. It can also download a free set of Linux distros that are ready for use, making installing an alternative operating system a breeze.

The latest version also massively improves gaming, allowing users to pair a compatible DualShock or Xbox controller to their Macs and start playing. Performance improvements also result in higher FPS and a smoother Windows 11 UI.

Speaking of performance, Parallels Desktop 18 also comes with optimization and performance improvements on Apple Silicon devices, especially on M1 Ultra. This delivers an impressive 96% faster speed in Windows 11 compared to the previous release.

Improved USB 3.0 support provides access to streaming devices such as Elgato HD60, Startech USB 3.0 Video Capture, and others.

Also improved are x86 applications running in Windows 11 on ARM, which now benefit from better compatibility and performance. This is doubly true when saving and reading files from the Mac disk.

Other improvements in Parallels Desktop 18 include support for Apple’s ProMotion displays, networking features like custom network conditions, network isolation, and network boot on Linux. There are also improvements for the upcoming macOS Ventura.

Do note that some of these improvements are only available in Parallels Desktop 18 Pro or Business Edition.

This means Mac users that are running either Apple Silicon or Intel processors can run Microsoft’s latest and greatest operating system side by side with macOS. Since this is technically a beta, support is still a bit shaky, but it’s getting there.

Of course, VMware is not the only game in town—Parallels Desktop already allows you to run Windows 11 on your Mac like a breeze.

The virtualization firm announced this release in a blog post, confirming that Mac users who run this early version can create virtual machines that comply with Microsoft’s hardware requirements for Windows 11.

Strict hardware requirements, mind you.

Fusion now supports Virtual Trusted Platform Module 2.0 with Fast Encryption, providing users with improved performance and a secure enclave for sensitive data. Users also have the option to fully encrypt a VM if they so desire.

In addition to TPM 2.0 support, VMware Fusion 22H2 also includes a WDDM driver for 2D graphics, allowing users to operate their Windows virtual machines at high-screen resolutions.

Networking support is also included.

There are other improvements in this release as well, including those pertaining to Linux users. You have improved Linux support on M1 based Macs, as well as 3D graphics hardware acceleration and OpenGL 4.3 in Linux in virtual machines.

You can download VMware Fusion 22H2 below as a public beta.

Just be aware that since this technical preview is not the final version, you may encounter occasional bugs while using it on your machine.

Download: VMware Fusion Public Tech Preview 22H2

If you want to run Microsoft’s latest and greatest OS on Apple hardware, you have two choices. One is to run the operating system via a solution like Parallels, and the other is to use a Windows 10 hack to run it natively and upgrade to the newest version.

But as far as Microsoft is concerned, the company has already clarified that it was unlikely to ever support Windows 11 on Mac or M1 powered machines.

This only left room for enthusiasts to jump in, and it appears we have our first contender.

Developer Arminder Singh is working on a project to run Windows 11 natively on a range of Apple silicon, including the powerful M1 chip. But these are very early days, as he clarifies that several challenges must be overcome.

His words:

“Contrary to how it may appear on the surface, Apple’s chips are architecturally very different from standard ARM64 chips from companies like Qualcomm or MediaTek and a lot of hardware enablement needs to be done as a result. Thankfully a lot of work has already been done in this area for Linux through the Asahi Linux project

This is not going to be a trivial project to finish, there’s a lot of Apple specific oddities I must account for and things I need to do to ensure the M1 is able to boot Windows in a stable way.”

The major issue is the proprietary interrupt controller that the fruity company uses, conveniently dubbed the Apple Interrupt Controller (AIC). The second problem is the M1’s Input-Output Memory Management Unit (IOMMU), which supports 16K pages instead of 8K.

With these roadblocks in place, there is no guarantee that this project will succeed. Hence no ETA, at the moment.

But as mentioned above, the Asahi Linux project is a similar one that aims to run Linux on Apple Silicon, and it is far ahead in this endeavor.

So, there is hope yet.

Like other technology companies, Apple also constantly patents ideas and technologies, even if only a few of them ever manage to materialize in a consumer device. Like Microsoft, the company considers all sorts of wild ideas.

This latest one is not exactly wild, considering Redmond got their first.

But as discovered, the Cupertino based company has patented an iPad with a dock station that suspiciously resembles the Surface Book concept that Microsoft pioneered.

The design features a detachable keyboard with electromechanical keys, a trackpad, and a coupling mechanism that allows the device to be used in a range of different positions — all the usual ones like laptop mode, tent mode, and canvas mode.

Furthermore, the dock station’s hinge can display brief information, work as an Apple Pencil holder, and contain a camera, microphone, or projector.

Another noteworthy aspect of the iPad concept shown here is that it is powered by macOS rather than the tablet-focused iPadOS. The line between the two operating systems continues to blur as Apple has been adding M1 processors to more iPads while Macs are switching to the ARM platform.

If this concept becomes a reality, the company might launch a device that could switch between macOS and iPadOS, depending on the connected accessories.

Seems like a natural evolution, even though Microsoft seems to have abandoned the Surface Book idea.

Both supported and unsupported.

Naturally, some people are hoping to install the new OS on their Macs, not necessarily using Parallels for emulation, but as a native option on these sleek devices. However, they will not be pleased to know that Microsoft does not reinforce this notion.

According to this report, Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 11 running on the M1 chip is not a supported scenario despite the operating system still supporting Apple silicon via emulation software.

Apple, of course, launched its ARM-based M1 chip last fall, and it smokes the competition when it comes to performance. Rumor has it that the fruity company is gearing up to launch the M1X update that would power a new generation of Mac computers.

This successor chip could be unveiled in October as part of a second Apple event this fall.

And while the news that running Windows 11 natively on these devices remains an unsupported scenario is not exactly what these users might want to hear, it remains to be seen how the new OS will run on these machines.

Even if Microsoft does not officially support such a notion.

Work is underway behind Redmond walls on bringing this technology to its Surface line.

And a newly discovered patent application has provided us with hints at what this might be. The company envisions a new device with a display hinge that can connect the stand to the display with support for rotation.

The display hinge is a friction hinge that could have a display breakout torque to rotate the display around the hinge sitting above the keyboard.

As explained:

“The display hinge may include a stand hinge between the display and the stand. The stand hinge may be any type of hinge. For example, the stand hinge may be a friction hinge similar to the base hinge.”

The key thing to note here is that the device is neither a detachable tablet with a separate keyboard, nor a flip-and-fold convertible design. Idea being, a machine with a keyboard setup similar to Apple’s Magic Keyboard for its tablet that turns iPad into a Mac.

With this new design for a Surface device, Microsoft plans to offer support for multiple form factors while at the same time reducing the total width of the computing device.

It remains to be seen when and if something like this makes its way to the market. But if previous ideas that Microsoft has patented are any indication, there is a chance that an entirely new Surface model may become real soon.

A technology like this is too good to be ignored.

With Windows 11 becoming real, Parallels now has its work cut out to ensure that the new OS works as smooth as possible on macOS powered hardware.

Easier said than done, considering just how choosey Windows 11 when it comes to hardware compatibility. Microsoft is standing firm on the processor limitations for the new operating system, saying that only 8th generation chips and newer from Intel will be able to handle the new OS.

Over in the world of Apple, though, Parallels has confirmed recently that Windows 11 will definitely come to Macs.

However, for the time being, the team at Parallels is still looking at what this new operating system changes in terms of hardware before starting to work on the port.

Nick Dobrovolskiy, SVP of Engineering and Support:

“Since Windows 11 has just been announced recently, the Parallels Engineering team is waiting for the official Windows 11 Insider Preview build to start studying changes introduced in the new OS to deliver full compatibility in future Parallels Desktop updates.”

The company has not provided any ETA on when Macs will be able to run Windows 11.

But it is a solid bet that it should not take too long, seeing as the operating system itself is projected to go live later this year. These next few months should provide us a better idea where it stands in terms of being virtualized on Apple hardware.

In other words, the new Apple M1 chipset.

This also means that Windows 10 ARM is now compatible with these custom processors. And those of you who want to run Microsoft’s operating system on their M1 powered Apple computers can now do so effortlessly.

The benefits of native support are plenty evident, as virtualization programs tend to use a significant amount of hardware resources. Having native and fully optimized support means that it is possible to run all manners of Windows applications on Apple machines.

As the company explains:

“More than 100,000 M1 Mac users tested the Technical Preview of Parallels Desktop 16.5 for M1 Mac and ran Microsoft’s Windows 10 on ARM Insider Preview, as well as tens of thousands of different Intel-based Windows applications—including Microsoft Office for Windows, Microsoft Visual Studio, SQL Server, Microsoft PowerBI and MetaTrader”.

Performance improvements, of course, are the highlight of this new launch.

Parallels claims that even running Windows 10 on ARM on an M1 powered device is faster than on Intel chips. Users can obtain a performance boost of up to 30% in a virtual machine. Though it merits a mention that these tests were conducted in a controlled environment on Intel Core i9-8950HK chip.

Either way, if you own a M1 based Mac, this should at the very least, improve your experience.

Apple announced its own silicon last fall, and since then developers have been hard at work to bring their apps to devices powered by the M1 processor.

Parallels 16.5 for Mac is available today, and those of you who are already running Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac are allowed to update to this new release at no extra cost.

Check it out here.