Microsoft reminds Office users about end of support
This October marks the end of support for Windows 10, but the same is true for some version of Office. Microsoft has issued a reminder for anyone still using Office 2016 and Office 2019 that their version of the office suite will receive no more updates after the middle of next month.
Also losing support are Visio 2016, Visio 2019, Project 2016 and Project 2019, with the important date to keep in mind being October 14, 2025. Microsoft has advice for anyone who is working with any of these software titles.
Google launches experimental Windows search tool app
Google has launched a new search app for Windows 11 which is already being likened to the Spotlight found in macOS. There is also Windows 10 support, but this may not be the case for very much longer given the operating system’s days are numbered.
This is a wide-ranging search tool, and, despite Google’s heritage, it is not limited to searching the web – although it does do this. Using a simple keyboard shortcut that works from anywhere (it is Alt + Space, if you are interested) the app can be used to search files stored locally, those in Google Drive, your apps, and more.
PayPal Links are personalized links for sending and receiving money and cryptocurrency
PayPal has announced the launch of a new payment option called PayPal Links. The new system of personalized one-time links makes it easier to both send and receive money, including cryptocurrency.
PayPal Links have been designed for quick and easy sharing via email, text message, chat or social media. The links can be configured for sending money or requesting it, and the company is putting a great deal of focus on how easily links can be created – and by extension how quickly payments or money requests can be made.
Microsoft is bringing keyboard backlight controls to Settings in Windows 11
Whether you are using Windows 11 on a desktop PC or a laptop, keyboard backlighting can be extraordinarily useful... or a huge annoyance. We are talking about standard lighting up of keys here, not RGB craziness, by the way.
When using a keyboard in the dark or low light, the right amount of backlighting can be a boon. But just what is the correct backlighting level is not only a matter of personal taste, but also something that is extremely circumstantial. Microsoft is about to make it much quicker and easier to adjust lighting levels so you can adapt to ambient lighting changes.
Spotify gives free users more control over their music listening
It is not very often that companies give users more for free, but this is exactly what Spotify is doing. Having just recently announced that Premium subscribers are gaining access to lossless audio, Spotify is giving users on its free tier something extra as well.
As part of a major change to its treatment of users who do not pay for a subscription, Spotify now lets free users search for and play any song they want. There is no longer a need to wait for an album or playlist to reach the song you want, or use those valuable skips. Here is what you need to know.
Chrome prefetching will make your browsing seem faster – even if it’s not
Can your online experience ever be fast enough? Probably not. And this is why Google is taking steps to speed up Chrome – or at least to make the browser feel as though it is faster.
The company is testing a method of loading pages in the background before they are needed so the experience of a page appearing is faster. Currently in testing is an optional feature called prefetching which works much as you might expect it to.
Microsoft is giving Windows 11 users an internet speed test tool
There are plenty of internet speed test tools you can access from your browser, but it looks as though Microsoft is playing with the idea of adding one straight into Windows 11.
If the idea of an internet speed test tool being integrated into Windows 11 interests you, you should perhaps keep your expectation low. Early signs are that this is not an integrated speed tester as such, but a shortcut. Still, it is a useful feature, and making speed testing more accessible is very welcome.
WhatsApp threaded messages make for easier reading
WhatsApp is a near-ubiquitous messaging app used and loved by millions of people globally. Its popularity does not mean, however, that it is perfect – there are many areas in which there is room for improvement.
Thankfully, WhatsApp developers are not inclined to rest on their laurels and add features, make changes and improvements, and respond to feedback with speed and frequency that puts other dev teams to shame. The latest addition is a welcome one: threaded messaging.
Microsoft starts the 30-day death clock for Windows 10
This will all be over soon, we promise you. But for a little while longer you are going to continue hearing about Windows 10. It is something that has been talked about for so long that it would be easy to start to feel numb to any more mentions of the operating system, but the end of support for Windows 10 has reached an important milestone.
Over the weekend, we hit the point of there being only 30 days left. Never one to miss an opportunity to remind users of Windows 10 about the end of support – or, indeed, to suggest upgrading to Windows 11 – Microsoft issued a reminder about the upcoming end of servicing.
Microsoft is ready to badger Microsoft 365 subscribers to renew via a full screen nag
Microsoft is by no means a stranger to nagging its customers in one way or another – usually with the intention of parting people from their money. In a somewhat unusual move, the company has used the latest preview builds of Windows 11 to introduce a way to pester Microsoft 365 (or “Office” to most of us) subscribers.
A full screen “reminder” – or nag screen – has been added in the Dev and Beta builds of Windows 11 released to Windows Insiders. Microsoft, of course, is talking about it in rather different terms.
Google tests fingerprinting block to boost Chrome Incognito Mode privacy
Every web browser has a browsing mode designed to be more private; in Chrome, it is Incognito Mode. But while switching to this mode can help with improving privacy at a local level, it is not flawless when it comes to blocking external privacy invasions.
Tackling the problem of websites using invisible images to track visitors who have cookies disabled, Google is currently testing a new method of making Incognito Mode more secure and private.
Mastodon to roll out post quoting with powerful protection options
Mastodon is to roll out the ability to quote other people’s posts in your own posts on the decentralized social platform. This is something that has been a very long time coming, with Mastodon having talked about it for months.
The reason it has taken so long for post quoting to become a reality is because of the protections that have been built-in. Specifically, users have controls over who is able to quote their posts in order to avoid “dunking” – the phenomenon that sees mass quoting used for negative purposes.
Microsoft unbundles Teams from Office 365 to avoid EU fine
Microsoft has managed to avoid a hefty fine or other sanctions after the European Commission accepted the company’s proposal for unbundling Teams from Office 365 and Microsoft 365.
A complaint from Slack a few years ago started the European legal wheels turning as Microsoft was accused of anti-competitive behavior once again. The European Commission agreed that the company had “granti[ed] Teams an undue competitive advantage in terms of distribution”, but now accepts Microsoft’s unbundling proposal.
Microsoft helps out app developers by wiping out Store fees
Microsoft has announced that it is going to allow app developers to publish to the Microsoft Store without having to pay.
The company says that by removing a friction point of requiring a credit card, it is “creating a more inclusive and accessible platform”. More than just taking away registration fees, Microsoft is also offering free hosting, free signing and automatic updates for MSIX packages.
There are at least two problems with the Apple AirPods Pro 3
Apple’s newly announced, soon to launch, AirPods Pro 3 have been greeted enthusiastically by a crowd prone to enthusiastically greeting Apple products. Even before they are available to buy, praise has been heaped upon the latest incarnation of the iPhone maker’s wireless earbuds – but it is not all good news.
While the proclaimed audio quality is laudable, while the new features sound impressive, there are definitely issues with the AirPods Pro 3. And, no, we’re not talking about the price.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. She is currently training to be an LGBTQ+ affirmative psychotherapist. You can find her on Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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