Linux kernel 5.7 to include new exFAT file-system driver
Version 5.7 of the Linux kernel is due to land later this spring, and when it does there is quite a lot to look forward to. Additions include a new exFAT file-system driver which is great news for users.
While Linux has supported exFAT for a little while, the version that is currently support is limited because it is based on an old driver. But Samsung has been working away on an update version which will land in Linux 5.7, making it possible to work with larger media formatted using the exFAT file system.
Windows 10 KB4535996 update is causing sleep problems and degrading performance
When Microsoft released the KB4535996 update for Windows 10, it was supposed to fix problems with search and printing. But, as has become something of a recurring theme, the update has been causing problems of its own for users.
Myriad reports have come in of issues with sleep, BSoD errors, and a reduction in system performance following the installation of the optional update.
Twitter slaps 'manipulated media' label on deceptively edited video of Biden retweeted by Trump
Just last month, Twitter announced new rules as it tries to stem the flow of "synthetic and manipulated media" on the platform. The company only started using the "manipulated media" label on March 5, and it was White House social media director Dan Scavino who earned the questionable honor of being the first recipient.
Over the weekend, he shared a video clip of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden that was edited in such a way as to make it seem as though Biden was endorsing Trump. But the clip had been carefully edited to change the meaning of what was actually said.
Microsoft Edge has more privacy-invading telemetry than other browsers
Microsoft may be making great claims about the speed and security of Edge, but a recent study found that the browser is one of the least private. Douglas J Leith from the School of Computer Science & Statistics at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, tested six web browsers to determine how often they phoned home, and what data they were sharing.
He pitted Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Brave Browser, Microsoft Edge and Yandex Browser against each other, and the results were rather damning of Edge. Among the findings was the disturbing fact that all URLs typed into Edge are shared with multiple Microsoft sites, as are unique hardware identifiers, opening up the possibility of history tracking.
Google stops issuing security warnings to Microsoft Edge users
When Google started to warn Microsoft Edge users about potential security issues to encourage them to switch to Chrome, it seemed as though the browser wars were in full effect once again.
But now Google seems to have realized that displaying the warning to users of Chromium-based Edge is, well, a little petty. The company no long displays such warnings -- a move which could remove an obstacle for those who have been sitting on the fence about switching.
Open source operating systems FreeNAS and TrueNAS are merging
iXsystems has announced that its two open source operating systems for network attached storage are unifying. Moving forward, FreeNAS and TrueNAS will merge into TrueNAS Open Storage.
Despite the unification, there will still be two versions of the operating system available: TrueNAS CORE and TrueNAS Enterprise. Both are billed as enterprise-quality software, but TrueNAS Enterprise requires a license and offers an extended set of features, while TrueNAS CORE is free.
Microsoft Edge now supports Chrome themes -- here's what you need to know
Since switching to the Chromium engine, Microsoft Edge just became a whole lot more interesting -- and development has sped up dramatically.
As well as speeding up Edge, Microsoft has been busy adding new features such as a Potentially Unwanted Apps blocker, support for Chrome extensions and more. One of the latest changes does nothing to add new features, but it is important for anyone concerned with aesthetics; there is now support for Chrome themes to change the look of the browser.
Microsoft has new utilities planned for the next version of PowerToys
It is mere days since the last pair of updates to PowerToys for Windows 10, but there was really very little to get excited about. PowerToys 0.15 and 0.15.1 weren't much more than bug-fix releases, but version 0.16 is something to look forward to.
While it's not known quite when this version will be released, Microsoft seems eager to make it available as soon as possible. This time around, there are new additions to excite you. A total of four new tools, including the return of the Image Resizer PowerToy.
DuckDuckGo protects your online privacy with new open source Tracker Radar service
Google competitor DuckDuckGo is already well-known as a search engine that goes further than others to protect user privacy. Now the company has open sourced Tracker Radar, its data set that details thousands of domains that track you as you use the internet.
DuckDuckGo Tracker Radar is something that the company already uses itself to power the tracker protection in the DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser mobile apps and DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials desktop browser extensions. Now it is being made publicly available, and developers are invited to contribute to the ever-growing list of trackers to further protect user privacy.
Microsoft subdomains hijacked following DNS security blunder
Vulnerability researchers were able to hijack a series of subdomains belonging to Microsoft after the company was found to be employing poor DNS practices.
Subdomains including mybrowser.microsoft.com and identityhelp.microsoft.com were among ten hijacked by a team of security researchers from Vullnerability. In all, more than 670 Microsoft subdomains were found to be at risk of being taken over.
Facebook Messenger lands in the Mac App Store in some countries
There has been talk of a macOS version of Facebook Messenger for the best part of a year, and now it seems that the app is finally rolling out.
Facebook had said that it wanted Messenger for macOS to launch by the end of 2019, but it is only now that it has started to appear in the Mac App Store. For now, sadly, it is limited to a handful of markets, suggesting that this is a staged rollout targeting key countries first.
Apple now allows ads in push notifications on iPhone and iPad
Push notifications could be about to become rather more irritating for iPhone and iPad users. Apple has updated its App Store Review Guidelines, giving developers permission to use push notifications for advertising purposes.
There is something of a silver lining to this dark cloud, however. App-makers are not being given carte blanche to bombard people with an endless stream of ads; Apple says ads are only permitted when "customers have explicitly opted in to receive them". Nonetheless, it marks a major policy change for Apple.
Microsoft releases PowerShell 7 for Windows, macOS and Linux
Microsoft has announced that its cross-platform automation tool and configuration framework PowerShell 7 is now Generally Available.
Available for Windows, macOS and Linux, PowerShell 7 sees Microsoft moving from .NET Core 2.x to 3.1 which enables greater backwards compatibility with existing Windows PowerShell modules thanks to the resurrection of numerous .NET Framework APIs. The cross-platform nature of PowerShell 7 means that Ubuntu, openSUSE, Fedora, Debian and other Linux distro are embraced.
Install the latest PowerToys update for important bug fixes
Microsoft has pushed out two updates in quick succession to the preview version of PowerToys for Windows 10.
PowerToys 0.15 was released and included fixes for nearly 100 problems, as well as a making other key changes -- including notifications about the availability of updates. But mere hours later, PowerToys 0.15.1 was unleashed to fix a further bug.
The DOOGEE N100 is a highly affordable phone with a big bastard battery
When looking for a new phone, it's easy to just opt for the latest Android handset or iPhone -- people like the familiarity of sticking with the brands they know. But going down this route does not necessarily mean you get the most suitable phone, and it certainly doesn't mean that you'll get the cheapest.
The newly announced DOOGEE N100 may not be a familiar name, but if you're someone who doesn't like to be tethered to a charging cable, it's a handset that has a great deal to offer you. The phone boasts a colossal 10,000 mAh battery, giving up to 100 hours of talk time and 350 hours of standby, making it ideal for travelers -- but there's much more.
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. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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