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TechCrunch
- Superhuman acquires YC-backed notetaker Fathom as productivity platforms push for agentic work
A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya is a startup offering fun music apps without any AI prompting
Traveling to China? Here Are the Apps Youβll Need to Survive


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How-To Geek
- This open-source Windows launcher does what Microsoftβs new Start menu should have done
This open-source Windows launcher does what Microsoftβs new Start menu should have done
After years of complaints about how little you could customize the Windows Start menu, Microsoft is finally overhauling it in the 26H2 update. In reality, though, they are only catching up to something an open-source app figured out years ago. Meet Flow Launcher, a keyboard-first app launcher that is superior to the current Start menu from all directions.

Google Lens can save you time by scanning these 6 things nobody thinks about scanning
Google Lens tends to get catalogued as a way to figure out how to identify plants or translate a menu while traveling. That's true, but it can do a lot more than that. You don't need to wonder about stuff or run vague Google searches to figure it out; Google Lens is basically Google search on your phone.

Iβve used PuTTY for years, but this open-source SSH app replaced my 3-tool setup
I've used PuTTY for years. It's a great program that has lasted this long because it does one thing really well. When I need to connect to another computer over SSH, PuTTY gets the job done without a lot of extra stuff getting in the way. I know how it works, I trust it, and I've never had much reason to replace it.

These 3 Windows apps deserve to be called the greatest of all time
An operating system is only as good as the apps you can run on it, but some apps go beyond that and end up defining the operating system. You seek them out, usually on day one of setting up a new PC, because Windows just feels incomplete without them. Here are three such apps that are so good that they define their entire categories β earning them the title of βgreatest of all time.β

4 classic Windows tools that did things Windows 11 still can't
Microsoft included a number of really helpful features and tools in past versions of Windows that many users came to love. While some of these utilities have survived the transition to Windows 11, others were left by the wayside. Some even made it to Windows 11, only to be retired in one of its subsequent updates. Here are some of my favorite classic Windows tools that are missing from Windows 11, with the latest version of Windows still lacking equivalent features.

3 free and open-source (FOSS) apps that embarrass Windows' built-in defaults
Most of us put a lot of thought into the big applications we base our workflows around β the video editors, the note-taking apps, the image editors β and almost none into the system-facing apps we use every day. However, those applications make up a huge chunk of our day-to-day experience and deserve more thought than they get. This is especially true right now, as tons of high-quality free and open-source apps have emerged that easily offer a better experience than most of your system defaults. Here are three such FOSS apps to replace your Windows defaults.

4 surprisingly useful ways to use your Android phone's built-in NFC reader
Android's NFC reader does more than tap to pay. Held against the right tag or accessory, it can do a ton of stuff. Here are just some things you can do that will immediately improve your experience.

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How-To Geek
- Your Android phone can recognize songs without Shazamβhere's the feature everybody keeps forgetting about
Your Android phone can recognize songs without Shazamβhere's the feature everybody keeps forgetting about
Unless you own a Google Pixel phone with the built-in Now Playing feature, you have to use Shazam to recognize songs playing around you, right? Well, actually, no. Many Android phones have access to Google's built-in Song Search feature, which is almost as good as Now Playing and Shazam.

Roblox is making it easier to build games with AI β and play them outside Roblox
5 new PowerToys features that are useful even if you're not a Windows power user
Microsoft's PowerToys suite of Windows utilities, which you can download from GitHub or install through the Microsoft Store, has earned a reputation as a tool designed for β and used exclusively by β Windows power users. But the reality is more nuanced.

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TechCrunch
- Matt Mullenweg tells (trolls?) Automattic staff, saying heβs back in control after CEO ouster
Matt Mullenweg tells (trolls?) Automattic staff, saying heβs back in control after CEO ouster
I found the app Samsung doesn't want you to know is already on your Galaxy phone
Our Samsung Galaxy phones get better with each update, but sometimes the best features are completely hidden or don't get talked about enough. A prime example is the powerful "Finder" app feature that apparently Samsung doesn't want you to know about. Better yet, you can now put it right on your home screen.

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How-To Geek
- These 5 legendary free, open-source apps are better than their expensive paid alternatives
These 5 legendary free, open-source apps are better than their expensive paid alternatives
Conventional wisdom says that if something costs money, it's probably better than a free alternative. However, that logic completely falls apart when it comes to software β especially with free and open-source software (FOSS). The space has matured to the point where many free apps don't just compete with their paid counterparts β they beat them outright. Here are my top five picks for legendary open-source software that give their expensive paid alternatives a run for their money.

My Android notifications kept arriving lateβthese settings were the problem
I've had problems with Android notifications arriving late for years. Usually, it's not a huge dealβif someone needs me urgently, they'll just call instead of texting me.

Metaβs AI agent Muse is now the No. 2 app in the US
Googleβs graveyard: 4 apps that should never have been shut down
Google has a reputation for shutting down some of its most useful and well-loved apps. Over the years, countless users have watched services that became part of their daily routines suddenly get pushed aside. Itβs a running joke at this point: just when a Google app or service finally gets some momentum, Google is ready to pull the plug.

OsmAnd's offline maps put Google Maps to shameβhere's why
Itβs no secret that offline maps are one of the best features of Google Maps. That doesnβt mean itβs the best overall, though. OsmAnd Maps is an excellent open-source alternative with a lot more to offer when it comes to offline navigation.
