Google has released v37.0.2062.94 of the desktop version of Chrome for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and it brings with it a highly requested feature on Windows: DirectWrite support.

DirectWrite is a set of API from Microsoft for rendering text and glyphs on screen. It allows higher quality rendering of fonts that look noticeably better than the standard GDI or Graphics Device Interface method of rendering. This is something Firefox and Internet Explorer have had for years on Windows but Chrome is just getting now. Read more »

It looks like Microsoft has a Google Chromecast competing device in development. Filings in FCC and the Wi-Fi alliance revealed the Redmond giant’s potential plans.

The filings reveal that the gadget will pack Wi-Fi, HDMI, and a USB port – right in line with what the Google Chromecast has to offer. Read more »

Apple has released the first update to the public beta that was released last month. Unlike the developer version, the public beta is not regularly updated, so this should bring quite a few changes.

The Yosemite public beta 2 is essentially the same as the developer preview 6 that was released earlier this week. It has several design changes, including new iconography throughout the UI (nothing you saw until now was finalized and things keep changing in the betas), new wallpapers, and some other bug fixes and general improvements. Read more »

According to a report in The Verge, Microsoft plans to unveil Windows 9 on September 30. The Redmond giant is tipped to be planning a press event, where a developer preview of the OS will be revealed.

The late September release date has been mentioned in past reports. Read more »

Mailbox has officially released a beta version of their popular app on the Mac. If you had signed up for the beta released back when it was first shown, then you should get a mail with a download link. Once downloaded, you can then also invite three other people to try out the app by sending them betacoins.

Mailbox works similar to its counterparts on iOS and Android. Other than the clean, minimalist interface, you also have full gesture support for deleting, archiving and scheduling mail. Mailbox is also adding support for drafts in the Mac and iOS version, and it’s coming soon on Android. Read more »

Thinking about checking out potential college campuses, but don’t have the time to see them in person?

Fret not, because Google’s got you covered. You can now take online tours of College Campuses right through Google Maps Street View. Read more »

Sure, your web browser might be secure, but the same cannot always be said for web plug-ins.

Well Microsoft has decided to do something about this security flaw, by adding greater protection against vulnerabilities found in browser plug-ins in Internet Explorer. Read more »

Shazam has released a desktop version of their popular mobile application for the Mac. The app has so far been limited to iOS, Android and Windows platforms.

The Mac version of Shazam works similarly to the mobile version, except you can now have it running all the time in the background. It will constantly look out for music or other media such as TV shows or even advertisements in the background and will show a handy notification for you when it recognizes it. Read more »

Nokia made its HERE Maps apps for Windows 8.1 available all around the world earlier today. As part of the wider release, the company has also included a bunch of cool updates to the app.

Highlights include manual location settings, new City page design, and a weather forecast feature. Read more »

Skype has announced a new update today, and this one enables you to do free group video calls if you use a Windows tablet or a “2 in 1 device” (which presumably refers to convertible laptops).

You have to be running Windows 8.1 on your device, though, as Windows 8 isn’t supported. If you do qualify, however, using this feature seems to be very straightforward. Read more »

Have you been enjoying iTunes Extras on your Mac? For a while now, the feature has been an exclusively desktop affair.

Well now, Apple has made the content available on Apple TV, and plans to bring it to iOS 8 in the fall. Read more »

Adobe released an updated desktop app of the popular Photoshop CC image editing suite. The new version brings a host of new features and enhancements to the application.

The latest Photoshop CC delivers improved layer comps, blur gallery motion effects, enhanced smart guides, and expanded 3D printing capabilities. Read more »

Viber has released a new version of its desktop app for Windows, OS X and Linux that puts a lot of effort and focus into stickers. The messaging company has also announced an important milestone – more than 100 million users are now using its service.

For those of you that aren’t familiar with Viber stickers these are basically emoticons on steroids that are downloaded in sets – some of which are free and others cost a few bucks. Now that the new Viber for desktop is released users can dock a sticker menu alongside their conversations and even search for stickers within the app. Read more »

Google has finally released a 64-bit version of Chrome for Windows. Currently only in beta form, the latest build can be downloaded from Google’s Canary and Dev channels.

According to Google, the 64-bit version is faster than the 32-bit version, with an average 25% improvement in performance. It is also more secure than the 32-bit version, and takes advantage of features such as High Entropy ASLR on Windows 8. Finally, the 64-bit version is also more stable with almost half the crashes of the 32-bit version. Read more »

It’s no surprise that Windows 7 is still the reigning OS, despite Windows 8.1′s slow and steady growth.

What is surprising, however, is that Windows 7 has also seen some growth of its own. Read more »