Apple's macOS Catalina 10.15.1 update adds AirPods Pro support, new Siri privacy options and gender-neutral emoji
Apple only released Catalina three weeks ago, and already there is a fairly significant update available -- macOS Catalina 10.15.1.
With this release, Apple adds support for the newly announced AirPods Pro as well as fixing a number of bugs. There are also new HomeKit options, enhanced privacy in Siri, and the arrival of more than 70 new or updated emoji, including gender-neutral options.
Microsoft releases updated PowerToys with new PowerRename tool -- and dark mode!
It has been a couple of months since Microsoft unleashed the first build of the Windows 10 version of PowerToys with the promise of more to come.
Now this day has arrived. Today, Microsoft has released PowerToys v0.12 which includes not only improvements to the existing utilities, but also a brand new tool in the form of PowerRename.
Google is expanding its handy .new TLD shortcuts to third-party sites
It's not something that everyone knows about, but Google owns the top-level domain .new, and the company has gone beyond using them as simple web addresses. Instead, addresses such as cal.new, doc.new and keep.new can be used as shortcuts to create new calendar events, Google Docs files, and Keep Notes.
Until now, .new shortcuts have only worked with Google's own products and services, but this is about to change. There are already shortcuts that can be used in conjunction with the likes of Spotify, Canva, Word and GitHub, and Google has announced that other sites will be able to register domains -- and therefore shortcuts -- very soon.
DoH! Google tries to clear up DNS-over-HTTPS confusion
Google has already revealed plans for Chrome which it says will increase privacy and security. DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) was announced back in September, and the company is already worried that people are confused about the implementation.
The company has published a defensive blog post in which it says that "there has been some misinformation and confusion about the goals of our approach and whether DoH will impact existing content controls offered by ISPs". It goes on to try to dispel the incorrect beliefs it says have built up.
Report: Alphabet wants to buy Fitbit
Google's parent company Alphabet has made an offer to buy health and fitness wearable maker Fitbit, according to reports.
Although unconfirmed by either party, such a bid would not be entirely surprising. Although Google has produced its Wear OS operating system for wearables, it is yet to produce any devices of its own -- despite users clamoring for a Google-made smartwatch for some time.
US government eases sanctions and grants Adobe permission to offer services to Venezuela
Following an announcement that it was pulling out of the country because of sanctions imposed by the US government, Adobe has now said that it has been granted permission to offer its services in Venezuela.
The company had previously said that it would be deleting all Venezuelan user accounts and would not be offering refunds. But now, having been granted a license by the US government, people in the country will be able to continue using Creative Cloud and Document Cloud.
Windows 10 still has problems with the Start menu and search even after the KB4522355 update
The Start menu is at the heart of Windows 10, so any problems with it have serious repercussions. Included in Microsoft's recent batch of bug-riddled updates, however, there have been two -- KB4515384 and KB4524147 -- which have broken the Start menu in various ways.
Last week Microsoft released KB4522355 proclaiming that it fixed issues with both the Start menu and search. Only it didn't fix problems for everyone. Start menu problems remain, and some users are still unable to use the search facility.
Microsoft awarded Pentagon's controversial JEDI contract
Microsoft has beaten Amazon to win the controversial $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) cloud contract from the US Department of Defense.
A year ago, Microsoft employees were trying to discourage the company from bidding for the contract over concerns that the technology is develops could "be used for waging war". The DoD confirmation that the "contract will address critical and urgent unmet warfighter requirements for modern cloud infrastructure" will do nothing to calm these fears.
Adobe exposed personal data of 7.5 million Creative Cloud users in unsecured database
The personal data of nearly 7.5 million Adobe Creative Cloud users was exposed earlier this month when an unsecured database was discovered online.
The database, which could be accessed by anyone without the need for a username or password, included information such as email addresses, member IDs and payment status. People accessing the database were also able to see which Adobe products were used by individuals, the country they live in, and whether they are Adobe employees.
Major leak reveals more about Microsoft Windows 10X
When Microsoft revealed the Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X recently, it also revealed Windows 10X, a version of Windows 10 optimized for dual-screen devices. At the time, details were not extensive, but now a major leak sheds some light on what we can expect to see.
Documentation for Windows 10X (or Santorini OS) has appeared online, revealing that Microsoft will also allow the operating system to be run on more traditional laptops. There are also some intriguing screenshots that give us a glimpse into the future.
Microsoft releases KB4522355 update for Windows 10, fixing Start menu problems and more
Microsoft has released a series of problematic updates in recent months. The company seems to be playing catch-up, pushing out patches for bugs caused by the last update, in turn introducing new problems.
With the newly released KB4522355 update, Microsoft says that it has fixed a number of issues -- including problems with the Start menu, the Cortana Search bar, Tray icons and Microsoft Edge -- that were caused by other recent updates.
BBC launches censorship-dodging news site on the dark web, accessible through Tor
In an attempt to avoid censorship around the world, the BBC has launched a dark web version of its news portal.
Available on the anonymous Tor network, the BBC's new .onion site aims to sidestep government surveillance and censorship in countries such as China, Iran and Vietnam. It is the international version of BBC News that is being mirrored on the dark web, as well as foreign language services such as BBC Arabic, BBC Persian and BBC Russian.
Samsung pushes out patch for Galaxy S10 and Note10 fingerprint scanner vulnerability
Following reports that the fingerprint scanners of Galaxy S10 and Note10 handsets can be unlocked with any finger, Samsung is now rolling out a fix.
The security issue was caused by third-party screen protectors interfering with the fingerprint scanners, making it possible for anyone to unlock a phone with an unregistered fingerprint. While the patch is now rolling out, it remains to be seen whether the vulnerability has been addressed fully.
The Pixel 4's 90Hz Smooth Display slows down when screen brightness is lowered
When Google launched the Pixel 4, one of the key features it pointed out was the Smooth Display feature, refreshing the screen at 90Hz. But all is not as it seems.
We already knew that the high refresh rate is not supported by all apps and all scenarios, so Google drops from 90Hz to 60Hz on occasion. But a new condition has been unearthed. It seems that the use of a 90Hz refresh rate is dependent on screen brightness levels... until Google issues a fix, that is.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 teardown reveals that it is partly held together with magnets
Microsoft recently unveiled the Surface Laptop 3 and, true to form, iFixit has taken one into the labs and ripped it to pieces.
The teardown shows that Microsoft has learned a lot, and the laptop is significantly easier to repair than the previous generation. While still a long way from perfect, the Surface Laptop 3 earns itself a huge jump in its repairability -- not least because it is held together in places with magnets.
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!
© 1998-2024 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.