Microsoft boosts Windows 11 security with encrypted DNS server discovery and SMB encryption for outbound connections
With the release of the latest Canary build of Windows 11, Microsoft has introduced welcome new security options. The first gives administrators the option of requiring encryption of all outbound SMB client connections.
The second is the arrival of support for Discovery of Network-designated Resolvers (DNR) which allows for the automatic discovery of encrypted DNA servers. Eliminating the need for manual configuration is an ease-of-use move that makes adoption more likely.
Apple TV+, Apple Arcade and Apple News+ all get massive price increases
Following the lead of Netflix, Apple is set to increase its subscription prices. Apple TV+, Apple Arcade and Apple News+ are all affected, with existing subscribers having 30 days before the price jump; new subscribers will have to pay the higher price immediately.
The increases are significant, with Apple TV+ subscriptions going up by a colossal 43 percent per month. Apple One also jumps in price across the three tiers -- Individual, Family and Premier. The new pricing will apply in the US as well as "select international markets".
Twitter alternative Pebble -- previously known as T2 -- announces shock closure
When Elon Musk took over at Twitter and set about implementing sweeping and controversial changes -- including renaming it to X -- there was a surge in rivals vying for attention. The likes of Mastodon and Bluesky dominated, and continue to do so, but there were also newcomers seeking to offer an alternative and a safe refuge for Twitter exiles.
One such option was T2, a social platform set up by two former Twitter employees. T2 recently rebranded to Pebble, but after initially enjoying a period of success the announcement has come that the service is closing down in a matter of days.
Windows 11 23H2 ISO spotted online as Microsoft prepares to launch major Windows 11 update
Microsoft is preparing to launch the final significant update to Windows 11 before the release of Windows 12. We already know a fair amount about the upcoming Windows 11 23H2, but the release date has not really pinned down to anything more specific than Q4 of 2023.
But ISO images for Windows 11 23H2 have now been spotted online, strongly suggesting that testing is now over and Microsoft is ready to unleash this hugely important update to Windows 11 users.
Google Chrome will soon offer to hide your IP address for added privacy and security
Google is preparing to launch a new Chrome feature which will give users the ability to hide their IP address. Previously known as Gnatcatcher, the feature is now called IP Protection and makes use of proxies to help prevent online tracking.
IP Protection is described as "a privacy proxy that anonymizes IP addresses for qualifying traffic". One of its primary aims is to limit the possibility for fingerprinting as a means of tracking users online, which is something that has become increasingly common as steps are taken to block, and even kill off, third-party cookies.
Microsoft Edge may be using your browsing history to inform Bing Chat AI -- here's how to stop it
AI is just about everywhere now. Its ubiquity makes it nearly impossible to avoid, and Microsoft is just one of the big tech firms to have thrown everything at artificial intelligence.
As well as adding AI to Windows 11 with Copilot, Microsoft has also brought a generous dose of it to its Edge browser courtesy of Bing Chat. What users of this feature may not be aware of is that their browsing data is being used to personalize Copilot, meaning that a huge amount of potentially revealing information is being shared with the artificial intelligence tool.
Photoshop Elements 2024 gives access to Adobe Photoshop's AI tools without a subscription
Adobe has released Photoshop Elements 2024, the latest version of what amounts to a cheap (ish), lightweight version of its Photoshop image editor. Some of the changes to be found in this latest release are AI-powered tools, much like many of the most exciting changes in its big sibling.
There are many reasons some people are put off by Photoshop, including its complexity and steep learning curve. But the fact that modern editions are only available on a subscription basis is turn-off for many. Not so with Adobe Photoshop Elements 2024. Here, you get the best of all worlds -- a powerful yet accessible image editor, incredible new tools powered by artificial intelligence, and an old-fashioned pay-once price tag.
BitLocker could be cutting the performance of SSDs almost in half in Windows 11
A new report goes some way to showing that the BitLocker security feature of Windows 11 could be massively reducing the performance of SSDs.
An investigation found that the data encryption tool, which is enabled by default in Windows 11 Pro, can slow solid state drives by as much as 45 percent. While it would be reasonable to expect a bit of a performance drop overall as the software works away encrypting and decrypting files, few people would expect the hit to be quite so significant.
Microsoft launches Azure AI Content Safety to filter harmful content from users and AI
Microsoft has announced the general availability of its Azure AI Content Safety service. The system is designed to help platform operators to detect and filter harmful user-generated content and that generated by artificial intelligence in their services and apps.
Azure AI Content Safety can be used to scan and block text and image-based content, and Microsoft has made it highly customizable so it can be tailored for various modalities. The company says that the service can be used to weed out content that is offensive, risky, or undesirable, such as profanity, adult content, gore, violence, hate speech, and so on.
Google has a quintet of improvements to supercharge Chrome's address bar
Google has announced a number of upcoming changes to the address bar in Chrome. The company says that the five improvements will help people to browse even faster.
Some of the enhancements are long-overdue, such as updating URL autocomplete so that characters you type do not have to be the first part of the address. Others are sensible ease-of use and security-related improvements, such as automatic typo correction for typed URLs.
WhatsApp will let you sign into two accounts at once... but there's a catch
Life is about to get a little easier for WhatsApp users with more than one account. Many people have a work phone and a personal device, each associated with a different WhatsApp account. There are also plenty of users with two phone numbers for other reasons.
Simplifying living with more than one account, WhatsApp is introducing the ability to log into two accounts simultaneously. This eliminates the need to keep logging in and out, or having to carry two phones around to stay connected. So what's the catch?
Netflix is increasing prices by as much as 20 percent for many US customers
As Netflix revealed its quarterly earnings, the company also announced a couple of subscription price hikes for its customers in the US, UK and France. The price increases come despite Netflix's recent password-sharing crackdown which it says has resulted in millions of new revenue-bringing subscribers.
Both the Premium plan and the Basic plans will increase in price, but the Standard and ad-supported plans will remain as they are. Although Netflix's Basic plan is no longer available to new customers, users who have been grandfathered on this tier face the largest price jump.
WhatsApp adds passkey support to boost security
The Meta-owned messaging app WhatsApp has joined the growing legions of apps and services to support passkeys.
Initially available to Android users, the passwordless authentication feature makes it possible to secure a WhatsApp account with face recognition, a fingerprint or a PIN. It is a security feature that is billed as not only offering greater protection than passwords, but also being faster to use.
Microsoft is ready to launch new System Components hub in Windows 11 23H2
It is a number of weeks since we first learned about Windows 11's new System Components section in Windows 11. Initially discovered hidden in a Canary build of the operating system, Microsoft is now readying the new hub for a wider launch.
When it is made available to everyone, the new System Component hub will make various aspects of system management easier. It serves as a handy portal through which it is possible to change default apps, and take control of built-in apps and components without the need to hunt around in numerous places.
Apple will soon be able to update iOS on new iPhones in sealed boxes
It can be frustrating to buy a new phone only to discover that there is an OS update to install before you can start using it. For iPhone users this could soon be a thing of the past thanks to an innovative new system developed by Apple.
The recently released iPhone 15 suffered with an overheating issue that was later fixed with a software update, putting the onus on owners of new devices to download and install the patch. But a new "proprietary pad-like device" will allow Apple Stores to install the latest software on handsets without the need to open the box.
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 Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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