PowerToys 0.55 brings another new tool to help you locate the mouse cursor easily

In October last year, Microsoft released a major update for its PowerToys suite. The update included a new Find My Mouse tool, which helped users easily locate the mouse cursor on their screens by shining a spotlight on it. Microsoft then released a Mouse Highlighter tool with PowerToys 0.51, which highlighted the cursor with a yellow circle on mouse button clicks, making it easy for users to show clicks during a presentation. Microsoft is now rolling out another mouse utility with PowerToys 0.55.0 that aims to help users locate the cursor on their screens by taking a slightly different approach.

The new Mouse Pointer Crosshairs utility in PowerToys 0.55.0 draws a crosshair on your screen centered on the mouse pointer (via Bleeping Computer). You can enable it using the default Ctrl+Alt+P keyboard shortcut (or set up a custom shortcut) and customize its appearance by heading to the Appearance & behavior section under the new ‘Mouse Pointer Crosshairs’ setting. As you can see in the attached screenshot, you can change the crosshair color, opacity, center radius, thickness, border color, and border size.

Unlike the Find My Mouse utility, in which the spotlight disappears after a few seconds, the new mouse pointer crosshair is persistent. This means that it’ll stay on your screen until you disable it using the keyboard shortcuts. As a result, it should be a bit more useful for users who have some form of visual impairment. The PowerToys team says that the new crosshair utility was co-developed with the accessibility team at Microsoft.

Along with the new Mouse Pointer Crosshairs tool, PowerToys 0.55.0 brings preview support for more than 150 developer files for the preview pane and STL format thumbnail generation with two new File Explorer add-ons. The update also includes a number of bug fixes, improvements, and changes. Check out the full changelog in the section below for more details.

Microsoft PowerToys 0.55.0 changelog

• General
  • .NET runtime is now on 5, our next release will be upgraded to .NET 6. Moving to .NET 5 and then 6 helped reduce our moving parts in a single release so we went this route. Why this is important is this is one of the major work items needed for ARM64 support. In addition, this should help provide a speed boosts once we are on .NET 6.
  • @jsoref’s spelling plugin help
• Always on Top
  • Fixed one of two borders showing incorrectly bugs.
  • Border defaults to OS accent color now. Thanks @davidegiacometti
  • Reduced CPU / GPU activity. Not done improving, we know we can do better.
• Fancy Zones
  • Bug fixed to not lose zones after update
  • Fixed editor margin issue for Chinese language. Thanks @niels9001
• File explorer add-ons
  • GCode thumbnails now have transparency. Thanks @pedrolamas
  • New Utility – Developer files for File Explorer preview pane. This should add about 150 file extensions total. We are using the Monaco Editor to power this experience. Thanks @aaron-junker!
  • New Utility – STL thumbnails added! Preview pane support is already in Windows. Thanks @pedrolamas!
• Image Resizer
  • Fixed bug with too much meta data. Thanks @CleanCodeDeveloper
  • Fixed bug resizing bug for constant height while maintaining aspect ratio. Thanks @CleanCodeDeveloper
• Mouse utilities
  • New Utility – Crosshair over pointer via Ctrl+Alt+P. This feature was co-developed with the accessibility team at Microsoft. Thanks @niels9001 for helping with the icon!
• PowerRename
  • Files are sorted now how File Explorer sorts.
•  PowerToys Run
  • Improved speed and fixed bugs with Window walker plugin. Thanks @htcfreek
  • Window Walker will now show path of elevated apps. Thanks @davidegiacometti
  • Added UEFI command to system commands. Thanks @htcfreek
  • Fixed crashing bug in EnvironmentHelper class. Thanks @htcfreek
  • Fix URI plugin bug with ^:. Thanks @franky920920
  • VS Code plugin not showing workspaces with latest Code version was corrected. Thanks @ricardosantos9521
  • Fixed bug that caused plugins to not load. Thanks @davidegiacometti
  • Fixed crash in Uri plugin and Web search plugin. Thanks @cyberrex5!
•  Settings
  • Fixed a regression with settings being reset when moving from admin to non-admin
•  Video Conference Mute
  • Fixed crashing bug with Zoom and other clients. We found someone we could remotely debug with and identify the actual crashing part.
  • Change of behavior: When leaving a meeting, VCM will now leave your microphone in the state it was. This mimics behavior of applications if VCM was not present.
  • Change of behavior: When you exit PowerToys, your current microphone state will remain.

You can download PowerToys 0.55.0 on the Microsoft Store or from the PowerToys GitHub page.

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Instagram Stories and DMs now support Meta’s 3D avatars

In a bid to compete with Snap’s Bitmoji feature, Facebook (now Meta) launched Avatars all the way back in 2019. At first, the feature was only available in Australia, but Facebook released it in other markets over the course of a year. As its name suggests, the feature lets you create a virtual avatar of yourself that you can use in Messenger or on the Facebook feed. Almost three years after debuting the feature, Meta is now bringing it to Instagram Stories and DMs.

In a recent blog post (via CNET), Meta said that Instagram users in the US, Canada, and Mexico will now be able to share their 3D Avatars with others through Stories or via DMs. In addition, the company highlighted all the new changes for 3D Avatars included in the latest update. These include:

New customization options

Meta’s updated 3D Avatars come with various new customization options, including Cochlear implants, over-the-ear hearing aids in several colors and wheelchairs. These options are available across all platforms, including VR, and will also show up in stickers on Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram DMs. Meta has also adjusted certain facial shapes and tweaked skin shaders with the latest update, which improves the look of Avatars.

Improved availability

Meta’s 3D Avatars are now available across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger for users in the US, Mexico, and Canada, along with the regions where Meta has already started rolling out Avatars. Users will now be able to use their 3D Avatars as profile pictures on Facebook and even share them in comments, stickers, and stories across all platforms.

Furthermore, Meta notes that if “your previously created an avatar on Facebook in the past, get ready to see a new side of yourself — literally. Your avatar will automatically enter the third dimension as part of this update, and we’re doing our best to make sure your new-and-improved self matches the choices you made previously. That said, there are a lot more options now than there were before! You’ll have the chance to jump into the editor and make some changes.”

In addition, Meta will now let you create different Avatars for different platforms. You’ll have the option to create three distinct Avatars — one for Facebook and Messenger, one for Instagram, and one for VR. If you keep a single Avatar and choose to sync it across platforms, any changes you make will automatically be reflected on all platforms.

NFL Partnership

Lastly, Meta has partnered with the NFL to bring NFL-themed customization options for Avatars. These options will be available until February 28 and will let you change your Avatar’s outfit to support the Cincinnati Bengals or Los Angeles Rams. In case you’re not a fan of these teams, you’ll also get the option to pick a neutral Super Bowl LV1 shirt for your Avatar.

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BOE showcases a gaming monitor with an insane 500Hz refresh rate

The Chinese display maker BOE has showcased a new display panel which sets a new benchmark in the world of gaming monitors. BOE’s new monitor offers a refresh rate of up to 500Hz, surpassing the current best monitors that can reach up to 360Hz.

The 27-inch monitor uses a high-mobility oxide TFT technology and offers full HD 1080p resolution (via Videocardz). The lower resolution is understandable considering the insanely high 500Hz refresh rate of the display. Even current 360Hz monitors are limited to 1080p resolution. The panel uses an 8-lane DisplayPort connection and offers a 1ms response time and 8-bit color gamut support.

BOE is one of the leading manufacturers of LCD, LED and OLED panels. The company is a market leader in the oxide semiconductor display market. It also makes foldable displays, which have been featured on smartphones like the Motorola Razr and Huawei Mate X.

BOE has shared a teaser video showcasing the prototype monitor in action:

“With years of technology accumulation, BOE has made important breakthroughs in the field of oxide semiconductor display technology, overcoming industry problems such as copper (Cu) easy to diffuse, easy to oxidize, and easy to drill and engrave, and is the first in the industry to achieve mass production of copper interconnect stack structures. And the integration of high refresh rate, high resolution, low power consumption oxide display technology,” reports Chinese publication Sina.com (machine-translated by Google).

Note that this monitor is a prototype unit, meant for demonstration only. We don’t know when, if ever, BOE plans to commercially launch a monitor with a 500Hz refresh rate. BOE also didn’t detail whether there are any tangible benefits of having a display that offers a whopping 500Hz refresh rate. In any case, you’ll definitely need one of the best graphics cards out there to drive this thing.

Would you like to see a 500Hz monitor come to the market? Let us know in the comments below

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February 2022 patches already rolling out to Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy A50s

While many Android flagships haven’t even received the January 2022 security update, Samsung is already marching ahead. Rolling out security patches even before the new month begins is something that Samsung has been doing for a while now. And in keeping up with that trend, the company is now rolling out February 2022 patches to some of its devices.

According to user reports on our forums, Samsung has started rolling out a new software update to Galaxy Note 20 owners which bumps the security patch level to February 2022. The update weighs 865.43 in size and carries software version N98xxXXU3EVA9. It’s currently rolling out in multiple European countries, with other regions to follow suit in the coming weeks. The update doesn’t pack a whole lot besides the latest security patches, with the changelog mentioning standard stuff like device stability improvements, bug fixes, and performance improvements.

Screenshot credit: XDA Senior Member Nizam_A

Samsung’s mid-range Galaxy A50s is also picking up February 2022 patches (via SamMobile) with a new update. The update is currently only live in Vietnam and it comes with a software version A507FNXXU6DVA2.

How Monthly Android Security Patch Updates Work

If you own a Galaxy Note 20 or Galaxy A50s and reside in the above markets, look out for an OTA notification in the coming days. You can also check for the update manually by heading to Settings > Software update and clicking on the Download & Install button.

The latest security update comes as we inch closer to Samsung’s Galaxy S22 series launch event. At the event, which is scheduled for February 9, we’re expecting the South Korean company to unveil at least three smartphones: the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus, and Galaxy S22 Ultra. We already know pretty much everything there’s to know about all three models thanks to multiple leaks and rumors in the past few weeks. If you’re interested, you can pre-order a Galaxy S22 right now.

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These are the Best OnePlus 8T Cases in 2022

If you just ordered yourself a sweet new OnePlus 8T (and if not, check out our OnePlus 8T review), or if you’re using one since launch, you’ll want to make sure you can prevent fingerprints, scratches, and dust. As usual, there’s a basic plastic case included with the phone — clear vinyl, flexible, snug-fitting, and emblazoned with a frosted ‘Never Settle’ slogan running vertically up the right-hand side.

It’s a nice touch that makes it more appealing than a simple clear case, but it also only offers limited protection. So what if you want more? There are literally hundreds of phone cases on the market, but how do you know if you’re buying a delight or a dud? Allow us to help with our guide to the best OnePlus 8T cases.

OnePlus Sandstone Case

Good old faithful

The old classic is back. The sandstone is a rigid clip-on case which previous OnePlussers will probably be familiar with. The big attraction of this one is it has a slightly rough-hewn surface which makes it easier to grip, because let's face it, these smooth phones can be slippery little suckers. The Sandstone case is available in Black or Cyan.

Buy at Amazon

Supcase Unicorn Beetle

Clear and protective

This case from Supcase provides ample protection against drops even on the edges and corners. It has reinforced bumpers for shock absorption. The back of this case is clear so that you can show off the color of your phone.

Buy at Amazon

Promoted

OnePlus Karbon Bumper Case

The best official case

Old faithful of the OnePlus case world, the Karbon is at the top end of the official designs. The familiar hard case with subtle diagonal pin-stripes is designed to add the maximum in knock and drop protection, with the lowest profile, most sympathetic to your sexy new handset. That level of design comes at a premium of course.

Buy at OnePlus

Otterbox Symmetry 8T Case

Affordable premium protection

Otterbox doesn’t always make the most exciting cases, but they’re tough as old boots, and we mean that in the nicest possible way. Largely, the Symmetry is similarly low-profile like the official Karbon case, but with the added bonus of slightly raised edges around the camera and touchscreen, which provides much better protection. Symmetry cases comply with DROP+, which is measured as 3x the protection of a military-grade case.

Buy at Amazon

dBrand OnePlus 8T Grip Case

Perfect for customization

One case. Many customizations. That’s the promise with dBrand, offering a 2mm thick case, including a design that encases the side buttons, protecting them whilst leaving more of the screen-free - an important consideration for a near bezel-less device. There are gripping edges down the sides that can be customized to your preferred color from a huge gamut and the whole thing reaches military protection ratings. dBrand also offers skins to be applied directly to the outer casing of your phone, but for full protection, the Grip Case is the way to go.

Buy at dBrand

Poetic Affinity

Best for butterfingers

Poetic’s phone cases are among the toughest we’ve seen, combining a stiff translucent body with a rigid toughened frame. As a result, they do tend to add a bit of bulk to your phone, but even so, hardly any extra weight. As ever, it complies with Military Grade drop-protection standards and yet, thankfully, doesn't impact contactless payments. The translucent section complements the handset perfectly. If you want big protection and don't mind making a bigger phone, this OnePlus 8T case should definitely be on your shortlist.

Buy at Amazon

Olixar OnePlus 8T Leather-Style Wallet Stand Case

Great value with great features

The first folio-style case to make our list, we've chosen Olixar's thanks to the company's track record for producing great value cases without compromising on quality. There are the usual carbon fiber offerings, but we've decided to shine a light on the Wallet Stand, thanks to its imitation leather, three card slots, plus one larger slot of notes or receipts, magnetic clasp, and full compatibility with wireless charging and NFC payments. The whole folio can be rejigged to create a stand for the phone - great for games and watching videos.

Buy at Amazon

Sidande OnePlus 8T Ultra-Slim Patterened Silicone Case

Best for Style over Substance

We chose this one purely to show you that not all cases for the OnePlus 8T are one color! These Sidande cases are simple, transparent silicone cases, similar to the one you'll find in the box with your phone. But if you don't want to walk around for the next year with 'Never Settle' across the back of your phone, there are six decal designs to choose from. Not the highest spec cases on this list, more one for the Insta-crowd.

Buy at Amazon

Qitayo Crystal Clear Case

Show Off Your Phone

If you like seeing the back of your phone, you'll definitely want a clear case. Qitayo's case is thin and clear, giving you a small amount of protection while still being able to see your OnePlus 8T in its full glory. It's also the cheapest on this list, so give it a go for something simple and sweet. You get a fairly decent level of protection, and you can let your phone retain most of its character. While not included, this case also might work out if you like to rock a skin but want some protection sometimes when you go out.

Buy at Amazon

Spigen Ultra Hybird Case

Durable and Thin

Looking for something that will protect against most normal smartphone wear-and-tear, but don't want to bulk out your phone? Get the of both worlds with the Spigen Ultra Hybrid case. This case has a nice protective bumper, but isn't so thick that it'll get in your way. The sweet spot between two worlds.

Buy at Amazon

Ringke Fusion-X Case

You'll Never See It

Like camo? You'll love Ringke's Fusion-X case. This durable case has a unique semi-transparent design that lets parts of your OnePlus 8T's exterior peek through the camo design. It's pretty neat when you look at it, but there are also clear versions of the case if camo isn't your thing.

Buy at Amazon

Nillkin CamShield Case

Protect the Lenses

Most cases don't do a very good job of protecting your camera lenses. They can get scratched too! Nillkin's CamShield case, however, has a slider on the back that will help you protect your camera when not in use. When you want to take a picture, just slide the protector away, and you're good to go!

Buy at Amazon

Our favorite pick of all the cases is the OnePlus 8T Sandstone case. The Karbon series is also good, has been around since the early days of OnePlus, and has proven consistently to be reliable. If you have slippery fingers and couldn’t transport an egg in the egg-and-spoon race at school, you’ll want to pick up the Otterbox Symmetry Case. Even Supcase and Spigen make good cases and are some of the most reputed case manufacturers.

OnePlus 8T

The OnePlus 8T is last year's flagship from OnePlus but is still a decent pick in 2021 especially if you find one with a good discount.

View at Amazon

The OnePlus 8T also ships with a basic clear silicon case, which should serve most users for the initial week of use. But as is the nature with clear silicon cases, it does develop a yellow tint over time as you use it naturally in the sunlight. So it’s best you explore some options in case you want some protection for your phone.

The cases we recommend should hold the fort well and let you use your phone with fewer worries. So grab one and ensure that you don’t get any serious damage to your brand new phone!

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These are the Best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Cases to buy in 2022

So you’ve just picked up the brand new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and spent a good fortune on it. It’s undoubtedly one of the best foldable phones on the market and if you love cutting-edge technology, you’re surely going to appreciate the engineering that went behind making the phone. After spending almost $1,800 on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 though, the last thing you want is to scratch the phone, or drop it and end up with a broken display or back. Accidents happen and no matter how good the new Gorilla Glass Victus is, glass is fragile and will shatter if it’s not your lucky day.

You can get a Samsung Care+ plan with the phone to cover accidental damage. But as they say, prevention is better than a cure. The best way to protect your Galaxy Z Fold 3 would be to put on a case. Some cases not only provide protection but also improve the usability of your phone. The Galaxy Z Fold 3, for example, comes with support for the S Pen. If you’re going to be using a specific case from Samsung, you’ll get an additional slot to house the S Pen which improves the overall functionality.

While you wait for your phone to arrive, you can take a look at some cases for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 made directly by Samsung and some other third-party vendors as well. It’s always good to have a case ready by the time the phone arrives since Samsung doesn’t include one in the box. That being said, let’s take a look at some of the best Galaxy Z Fold 3 cases you can buy across various designs and price segments. You can pick up the one that best suits your needs.

Samsung Aramid Case

Carbon fiber exterior

The Aramid case from Samsung is thin and offers basic protection with a carbon fiber exterior. Looks slim and classy.

View at Samsung

i-Blason Case with Screen Protector

Attractive and protective

This case is for those who want a colorful, fun look while protecting their expensive investment. It even comes with an in-built screen protector.

View at Amazon

Promoted

Samsung Leather Case

Premium leather feel

This leather case is for those who want a premium look and feel on their Galaxy Z Fold 3. The brown one especially looks great!

View at Amazon

Flip Cover with S Pen

To store your S Pen

If you're going to get the S Pen Fold Edition, this case will let you store it on the side. However, the case itself is quite bad and isn't recommended.

View at Samsung

Samsung Kickstand Case

Great for videos

This kickstand case is helpful if you're going to consume a lot of media on the Galaxy Z Fold 3's big display or if you want to use it as a tablet.

View at Samsung

Spigen Air Skin

Thin fit case

If you don't want to add a lot of bulk to an already bulky phone, this is the case that you should get. It's slim and protects against scratches.

View at Amazon

VRS Design Quickstand Pro

Built-in kickstand

If you don't want to spend a lot of money on Samsung's kickstand case, this is a cheaper alternative that does the job well.

View at Amazon

Spigen Slim Armor

Hinge protection

This is the only case as of now that even protects the hinge. While the name says slim, this case will add a little bit of bulk to your Galaxy Z Fold 3.

View at Amazon

Spigen Ultra Hybrid

Clear and protective

The Spigen Ultra Hybrid is a protective case with a clear back which means you can show off that new green color of your Z Fold 3!

View at Amazon

Spigen Neo Hybrid

Integrated kickstand

The Neo Hybrid case for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a unique design. It has an integrated panel that can be opened up into a kickstand.

View at Amazon

Ringke Slim Case

Thin and light

If you want minimal protection against scratches and a case that doesn't add too much bulk on an already thick phone, this is the one to go for.

View at Amazon

Clear case with S Pen Holder

Good for storing S Pen

The official S Pen Folio from Samsung is quite bad so if you've got the S Pen and want a place to store it, this can be a good alternative.

View at Amazon

Leather case with S Pen holder

Classy and useful

If you want a premium-looking case that can also house the S Pen at the rear, your search ends here! It looks better than Samsung's official S Pen case.

View at Amazon

Multifunctional magnetic folio case

Utilitarian

This is a magnetic folio case that has a detachable layer. You can use it to store the S Pen and as a wallet case too with the magnetic attachment.

View at Amazon

Spigen Thin Fit P with S Pen holder

S Pen slot

Spigen's cases are generally good and this thin case for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 adds a slot to store the S Pen on the side.

View at Amazon

Since the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has just been launched and is a new device, there aren’t a lot of third-party cases you can buy at the moment. We’ve collected the best Galaxy Z Fold 3 cases as of now which are mostly first-party cases directly from Samsung but there should be more options from case makers soon. The Samsung S Pen Folio case lets you store the S Pen, but is actually quite terrible when it comes to usability so we wouldn’t recommend it. If you want something that looks and feels rich and premium, you can’t go wrong with the Samsung Leather case, especially in that brown color scheme. If you’re looking for something thin and affordable, check out the Spigen Air Skin case.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is Samsung's latest and greatest foldable phone. It brings several improvements over the previous model, including high refresh rate displays, an under-screen camera, and top-of-the-line hardware.

Buy from Samsung

If you’re looking to get your hands on the latest foldable from Samsung, you might want to check out the best Galaxy Z Fold 3 deals that can help you save a few extra bucks.

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Netflix adds support for the Exynos 2200, the chipset powering the Galaxy S22 series

We’re not too far away from Samsung’s first 2022 flagship smartphone lineup. From design and full specifications to potential pricing, the steady stream of leaks over the past months have left little to the imagination about the Galaxy S22 series. Now Netflix has also seemingly confirmed a key detail about the lineup.

Besides maintaining lists of smartphones and tablets that support Netflix HD streaming, Netflix also has a similar list for compatible chipsets. The company has just updated this list (via Andriod Police) with the addition of the Exynos 2200, the chipset which is all but confirmed to power the Galaxy S22 lineup in most regions.

The fact that the Galaxy S22 series will support Netflix HD (and most certainly HDR as well) is pretty obvious and expected, but nonetheless, this discovery does indirectly confirm the new phones will be powered by the newly announced chipset. Note that in regions such as the US, India, and China, Samsung is expected to sell Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 powered models.

The Galaxy S22 series is officially launching on February 9. If you want to be one of the firsts to get your hands on Samsung’s latest and greatest, you can reserve your Galaxy S22 right now and get an extra $50 in credit.

Reserve the galaxy s22 and galaxy tab s8

Pre-orders are open for the Galaxy S22 series and Galaxy Tab S8 seies.

Reserve on Samsung's website

We’re expecting at least three phones at the Galaxy Unpacked event: the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus, and Galaxy S22 Ultra. Rumors have it the Galaxy S22 will feature a 6.1-inch display and Galaxy S22 Plus a larger 6.6-inch panel, with both packing a 50MP primary, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 10MP telephoto lens. Both models are expected to sport similar designs.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is going to be the most interesting device out of the trio. It’s widely believed to be a spiritual successor to the Galaxy Note lineup and would reportedly feature a curved display and an S Pen slot.

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