Living the Beta Life: Testing Apple, Google, and Microsoft pre-release operating systems
By Jason Perlow for Tech Broiler | July 30, 2021 -- 17:23 GMT (10:23 PDT) | Topic: Mobile OS
Some people like to live on the technological bleeding edge by installing beta software on their phones, tablets, and computers. I happen to be one of those people. And while it can be a rewarding experience, it also comes with pitfalls, as well.
This article will be one of those "Do as I say, not as I do" kinds of things. I do not necessarily fit the profile of a traditional consumer, and I take a lot more risks with our technology than other people do. Indeed, I do not recommend that anyone use beta software to run line-of-business functions or that you install beta code on personal devices unless you are prepared to deal with the consequences and side effects of when this software goes haywire.
For certain things, I dedicate hardware to beta testing, such as PCs for Windows 11. But for other things, I do not have the luxury of buying dedicated equipment for testing. As I am the kind of person that loves to play with technology, and others rely on me for guidance and recommendations, I always jump on new betas when they become available -- which means I am pretty much always in beta.
