MS Paint Updated: Microsoft Adds Layers And Transparent PNG Support

The iconic MS Paint has been undergoing significant updates and improvements over the past few years, aiming to enhance its utility for users. In the latest development, Microsoft has introduced two noteworthy features: support for image layers akin to those found in Photoshop and the capability to open and save images with transparent PNG backgrounds.

Layers play a fundamental role in advanced image editing by allowing users to control the arrangement of elements within an image — For instance, when working on an image with multiple components (like a blue sky background, an airplane, and a cloud) layers enable you to add elements without altering the existing ones. This preservation of individual elements makes it easier to edit and reposition objects within the image.

Microsoft has added support for layers in MS Paint. (Image: Microsoft)

The addition of transparent PNG support complements the inclusion of layers by enabling users to extract and reuse specific objects from images. This feature aligns perfectly with the recently introduced automated background removal tool in MS Paint, offering greater versatility in image editing.

While it’s evident that MS Paint now supports layers, the specifics regarding the number of layers permitted in a single image and the file format used for saving works-in-progress with editable layers remain unclear. Microsoft has yet to provide clarification on these aspects.

Exclusive to Windows 11

The updated version of MS Paint is currently available for Windows Insider testers in the Dev and Canary channels, both known for receiving cutting-edge updates. However, it’s important to note that this revamped Paint application appears to be exclusive to Windows 11, with no plans for backward compatibility with Windows 10.

MS Paint Updated: Microsoft Adds Layers And Transparent PNG Support

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Joe Biden Kicks Fleeing House Republicans With A Scathing Send-Off Message

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Terraforming Mars Creators Will Not Be Using AI in Their Next Project

Enoch Fryxelius, the CEO of FryxGames, took to Facebook today to defend the use of AI in the Terraforming Mars project, and announced that the company’s next board game will not be including AI.

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Microsoft’s Adaptive Touch makes laptop trackpads more inclusive

Microsoft continues to build inclusive accessories and features for its mainstream products and the company showed off more at its annual fall event on Thursday. It unveiled an Adaptive Touch feature that works on the “precision haptic trackpad” of the Surface Laptop Studio 2. During its keynote, the company called this the “most inclusive touchpad on any laptop,” and based on my early impressions, that claim might just be true.

Not a lot is currently known about how the feature will work, but I was able to spend some time with Microsoft’s accessibility program manager Solomon Romney to get a deeper understanding. Romney was born without fingers on his left hand and struggles to use standard touchpads on most laptops. Adaptive Touch allows him to drag his left hand on the glass-covered surface and not have the cursor jump around the screen.

The first thing to point out is that the adaptive touch feature currently requires a haptic trackpad to work, meaning at the moment it’s only available on the Surface Laptop Studio 2. You’ll have to go into the computer’s touchpad settings and enable Adaptive Touch, which throws up an alert that you won’t be able to use multitouch gestures like pinch to zoom.

That’s because the system is looking for multiple points of contact with the trackpad and noticing if they’re moving in the same general direction, to determine where to move the mouse. It’s in part based on the technology that Microsoft uses for palm rejection, but reconfigured for Adaptive Touch.

Microsoft barely mentions this feature in its materials announcing the Surface Laptop Studio 2, and Google searches for terms like “Microsoft inclusive trackpad” or “Surface Laptop Studio 2 accessibility touchpad” yield unrelated results. It’s clear there’s still a lot to understand about how Adaptive Touch works and what its limits are. For now, though, it’s encouraging to see Microsoft continue to design for inclusivity.

Follow all of the news live from Microsoft’s 2023 Surface event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsofts-adaptive-touch-makes-laptop-trackpads-more-inclusive-174526667.html?src=rss

Razer makes a $5,000 Lamborghini-inspired version of its Blade 16 laptop

This year’s Razercon event held a couple of surprises for those who love the computer accessory company and luxury lifestyle brands. Razer has partnered up with Lamborghini to create a beefed up Blade 16 laptop that draws plenty of aesthetic inspiration from the sports car maker. It boasts a customized chassis with orange highlights that’s “infused with the spirit of Lamborghini.” The price tag is also infused with the spirit of Lamborghini, as this thing costs $5,000.

It looks pretty cool, but the actual components also got some Lambo love. The CNC-milled chassis is made from a single block of aluminum, adding durability, with a finish inspired by Lamborghini’s signature orange and matte black. The design on the lid echoes the headlights of the recently-announced Lamborghini Revuelto hybrid vehicle. So now you can race down the information superhighway in your Lambo computer as you race down the actual highway in your Lambo car. It’s an ouroboros of unnecessary speed.

The specs here are on-point, as there are some significant improvements over the base-level Blade 16 laptop. This is a highly-souped up edition, with a 13th Gen Intel Core i9 HX processor that boasts 24 cores and 32 threads. It also features a GeForce 4090 GPU, a 4TB SSD, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a dual-mode mini-LED 4K 16” display. This thing is a beast, but remember that $5K price tag. Despite the cost, the Razer Blade 16 x Automobili Lamborghini Edition could become a collector’s item some day, as the company is only making 150 units.

An image of the D+G Razer Barracuda headphones on a desk.
Razer

Razer has also teamed up with fashion icons Dolce & Gabbana to create a gold-emblazoned edition of its popular Barracuda wireless headphones. The fashion brand’s signature design has even been applied to a Razer Enki gaming chair and a bunch of clothing items to celebrate the partnership, like hoodies and t-shirts. Let’s hear it for corporate synergy!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/razer-makes-a-5000-lamborghini-inspired-version-of-its-blade-16-laptop-180013410.html?src=rss

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Google takes a snarky shot at Apple over RCS in its latest ad

Google has been trying to publicly pressure Apple into adopting the GSMA’s RCS (Rich Communications Service) messaging protocol for a long time now, with nothing to show for it. As a matter of fact, Apple CEO Tim Cook seemed to completely dismiss the idea when he answered a question on the subject by saying that consumers should buy their moms an iPhone. Google and its Android platform aren’t giving up that easily and they’ve just released a snarky ad to continue criticizing Apple’s preferred messaging platform. 

The ad’s called “iPager” and mimics Apple’s marketing language to reveal a retro-styled beeper, indicating that Apple’s behind the curve with its chosen messaging platform. The spot states that the iPager uses “outdated messaging tech” to “text with Android,” citing many of the perceived disadvantages of sticking with SMS technology when communicating with Android phones. Google didn’t invent this comparison whole-cloth, as the 30-year-old SMS tech actually dates back to old-school pagers.

Apple’s continued use of SMS messaging does hobble Android integration in a few ways, but the reverse is also true. Most famously, there’s the dreaded green bubble when texting an Android user from an iPhone. There are some feature-breaking bugs inherent to group chats between iOS and Android users and images sent from Android phones to iPhones tend to be rather pixelated. This is yet another side effect of those interoperability issues.

One-on-one RCS messages have been end-to-end encrypted since 2021, with group chats following suit just last month. iMessage texts have long been encrypted too, but only from iPhone to iPhone. Google’s latest ad shines an (admittedly slanted) light on the vulnerability consumers face when texting across operating systems, as those SMS texts aren’t encrypted. Additionally, RCS text messages lose encryption when making the leap to iOS devices. It’s anyone’s guess why Apple should make this change and not Google, despite RCS being a more globally adopted standard.

This ad’s unlikely to convince Apple to change anything, as it’s only the latest salvo in Google’s snark campaign. Back in 2022, the company spoofed Drake to pile on Apple and there have been plenty of other minor jabs at Cupertino’s expense at events like I/O 2022 and on social media. We all know Apple is notoriously stubborn when it comes to adopting non-proprietary technology, especially if it views the change as unnecessary. No matter who’s to blame, these interoperability issues are annoying for consumers and bad for data privacy. Maybe an antitrust case will get this sorted one day.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-takes-a-snarky-shot-at-apple-over-rcs-in-its-latest-ad-181313519.html?src=rss

Razer's latest gaming gear includes RGB lights and new Huntsman Pro keyboards

It’s not only Microsoft that had a notable hardware event on Thursday. Razercon took place on the same day. As ever, Razer took the opportunity to reveal its latest gaming gear, accessories and software updates. Among the announcements was a new line of smart light bulbs, lamps and light strips called Aether to help you kit out your home in delicious RGB.

The range includes the $80 Aether Lamp, $130 Lamp Pro (which offers multi-zone lighting), $50 Light Bulb, $130 Light Strip and $30 Light Strip Extender. The devices will be available by the end of the year. They support Razer’s Chroma tech along with Alexa, Google Assistant and Matter.

Razer is expanding its range of gaming chairs as well with a new line called Fujin. These chairs have a breathable mesh back and lumbar support. The Pro model has a 3D contoured headrest (which you can buy separately for the base model for $129) and an aluminum alloy frame. The Fujin chairs start at $649 in the US and $599 in the rest of the world. The Pro model will run you $1,049 Stateside and $999 elsewhere. The base model is available now, while the Fujin Pro and headrest will ship in November.

Razer's Fujin Pro gaming chair.
Razer

Keyboard enthusiasts might be tempted by the Huntsman V3 Pro. The performance-focused keyboard for competitive gamers features what Razer is calling its most advanced switches yet. They have an adjustable actuation range of between 0.1mm and 4mm, along with a 100-million keystroke lifespan. Other features include a multifunction digital dial, dedicated control buttons, textured keycaps and a leatherette wrist rest.

There are three Huntsman V3 Pro variants, all of which will arrive in October. The standard model is $250. You can save a few bucks by ditching the number pad with the $220 tenkeyless version. The Huntsman V3 Pro Mini, meanwhile, is $180.

Razer's Hunstman V3 Pro keyboard lineup.
Razer

On the software side, you’ll now be able to use generative AI to create PC desktop wallpapers that hook into Razer Chroma. The company’s tech will detect the dominant colors in the wallpapers and reflect those in RGB lighting. There’s also a new dedicated Chroma app for managing lighting on Razer devices.

Meanwhile, the Razer Synapse app is getting an update. The aim is to reduce the system resource requirements and make it easier and faster to update Razer devices. You’ll still be able to manage RGB lighting in this app too.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/razers-latest-gaming-gear-includes-rgb-lights-and-new-huntsman-pro-keyboards-182303396.html?src=rss

Travis Kelce Breaks Silence On Taylor Swift Romance Rumors

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