Skip to main content

You can now use ChatGPT on Windows 11 without ever opening your browser

Windows PowerToys strikes again with a brand-new update, introducing a huge change to how ChatGPT will function through the Windows 11 OS.

Windows Central reported that the PowerToys widget will introduce a new plugin to allow for direct access to the Open AI-based application without having to run a browser first. This is a huge development, as it makes ChatGPT more accessible for Windows 11. It also allows users to bypass any aggressive browser promotion from Microsoft Edge, which has become a notable problem in recent years.

ChatGPT plugin developer Simone Franco is behind the plugin and posted the process through the GitHub page for PowerToys. The plugin integrates through PowerToys Run, a search launcher for files, folders, and apps. Though it’s in its early stages with plenty of fine-tuning to go before it’s ready, this is a promising tool that lets users go right from desktop to ChatGPT. 

Edge and Bing doesn’t stand a chance

Microsoft has become more aggressive in the promotion of its Edge browser and, by extension, the Bing AI application that goes hand in hand with it. For instance, after a browser update, Edge will prompt you with a full-page ad that asks you to make Edge your default browser.

And with a recent Windows 11 update adding an AI-powered search box in the taskbar, it turns Bing into an ad, forcing people to use the Microsoft search engine by default. However, with this new tool, users can completely bypass forced advertisements and go straight for the application they want. In this case ChatGPT. 

It isn’t perfect of course, as you need an OpenAI account as well as a randomly generated OpenAI API key, but both steps only need to be completed once and then you have near-instant access to the AI chatbot tool. And even better, you only need a keyboard shortcut to summon it, making it even more convenient.

PowerToys dropping excellent Windows updates

It’s almost ironic then that a widget that functions through the Microsoft OS would help you bypass Microsoft OS issues, though it helps that PowerToys is an open-source suite of tools rather than a browser or search engine.

As such, this isn’t the only time we’ve gotten some handy new features through the widget. For instance, in February 2023, it introduced the much-needed "paste as plain text" option to both Windows 11 and Windows 10, which works in any app where PowerToys works. 

Another excellent feature, introduced in February 2022, was the mouse crosshair tool that lets users quickly find their mouse cursor using the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + Alt + P). And bundled in that same update were two new File Explorer add-ons that dramatically expanded the number of file types supported by the preview pane.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Windows Copilot leak suggests deeper assimilation with Windows 11 features

Key Windows 11 features may soon be customizable as Microsoft further integrates its Windows Copilot AI assistant into the operating system. This tidbit comes from tech news site Windows Latest , which claims to have discovered new .json (JavaScript Object Notation) files within recent preview builds of Windows 11. These files apparently hint at future upgrades for the desktop AI assistant. For example, a “TaskManagerService-ai-plugin.json” was found which is supposedly a “plugin for Task Manager integration”. If this ever comes out, it could give users the ability to “monitor or close running apps using” Copilot. In total, six are currently tested and they affect various aspects of Windows 11. Next, there is an “AccessbilityTools-ai-plugin.json” that gives Copilot a way to “control accessibility [tools]. This would make it "easier for those with [a] disability to navigate through the system.” Third is “ai-plugin-WindowsSettings.json” for controlling important Windows 11 set...
Post a Comment
Read more

Google Chrome releases security fix for this major flaw, so update now

Google says it has fixed a high-severity flaw in its Chrome browser which is currently being exploited by threat actors in the wild.  In a security advisory , the company described the flaw being abused and urged the users to apply the fix immediately.  "Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2023-2033 exists in the wild," the advisory reads. Automatic updates The zero-day in question is a confusion weakness vulnerability in the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine, the company said. Usually, this type of flaw can be used to crash the browser, but in this case it can also be used to run arbitrary code on compromised endpoints.  The flaw was discovered by Clement Lecigne from the Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG). Usually, TAG works on finding flaws abused by nation-states, or state-sponsored threat actors. There is no word on who the threat actors abusing this flaw are, though. Read more > Patch Google Chrome now to fix this emergency security flaw > Emergency...
Post a Comment
Read more

Samsung's ViewFinity S9 may be the monitor creatives have been searching for

Originally revealed during CES 2023 , Samsung has finally launched its ViewFinity S9 5K monitor after nine long months of waiting.  According to the announcement, the ViewFinity S9 is the company’s first-ever 5K resolution (5,120 x 2880 pixels) IPS display aimed primarily at creatives. IPS stands for in-plane switching , a form of LED tech offering some of the best color output and viewing angles on the market. This quality is highlighted by the fact that the 27-inch screen supports 99 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut plus delivers 600 nits of brightness.  Altogether, these deliver great picture quality made vibrant by saturated colors and dark shadows. The cherry on top for the ViewFinity S9 is a Matte Display coating to “drastically [reduce] light reflections.”  As a direct rival to the Apple Studio Display , the monitor is an alternative for creative professionals looking for options. It appears Samsung has done its homework as the ViewFinity S9 addresses some of...
Post a Comment
Read more