Google is turning Android 3D
There is so much focus on AI from the likes of Google, Microsoft et al that it's easy to forget that there are other things happening in the tech world. Case in point: Google's new 3D look for Android.
Sadly, we're not talking about a three-dimensional mobile operating system offering virtual reality or anything like that. Google is simply updating its branding, and this means a new logo for Android.
Millions of Freecycle users need to change their passwords following a huge data breach
Swap-unwanted-stuff-for-free site Freecycle has acknowledged a security breach that took place at the end of last month. Hackers were able to access a wealth of data including usernames, User IDs, email addresses and passwords.
The organization says that it has notified the "appropriate US authorities" of the incident, as well as the Information Commissioner's Offier (ICO) in the UK. Few details of what happened have been revealed, but Freecycle is advising all members to change their account passwords as a security measure.
Microsoft jogs users' memories about disabling old TLS protocols in Windows
Hot on the heels of a reminder about the end of support for Windows 11 21H2, Microsoft has reminded everyone that Windows will soon have TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 disabled.
Transport Layer Security (TLS) has been around for a number of years, with TLS 1.0 not only dating back to 1999, but having been superseded by far more secure versions. TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.2 are now very much the norm, so Microsoft is following others in the industry by dropping 1.0 and 1.1.
Microsoft is dropping WordPad from Windows 10 and Windows 11
Having just delivered an impressive update to the much-loved text editor Notepad, Microsoft has revealed that its (slightly) more advanced sibling, WordPad, is to be discontinued.
Serving as a halfway house between the barebones Notepad and a fully-fledged word processor, WordPad has been a feature of Windows for decades -- having been preceded by Write . But now Microsoft feels that the time has come to pull the plug, saying that the app is now longer being developed and will be killed ff.
Microsoft reminds Windows 11 21H2 users of impending forced upgrades ahead of end of service
There is now a little over a month until Windows 11 21H2 reaches end of service. When October 10 rolls around, the operating system will no longer receive updates.
With just a few weeks to go, Microsoft has issued a reminder to users of this two-year-old version of Windows 11 that support is coming to an end. More than this, the company has warned users of Windows 11 21H2 that they should expect to be forcibly upgraded to a supported version of the OS very soon.
Microsoft treats software stalwart Notepad to a long-overdue update
Notepad is one of the longest standing Windows apps, having been around for decades. Over the years, there have been slow, gradual improvements and now Microsoft has delivered a much-needed update to the beloved text editor.
Bringing the app more in line with word processors like Microsoft Word, this latest update sees the arrival of automatic file saves and more.
Microsoft releases PowerToys v0.73.0 with a wealth of updates and new Crop And Lock utility
Kicking off the v0.73 release cycle, which is "focused on new features, stability and improvements", Microsoft has released PowerToys v0.73.0, complete with a new module -- Crop And Lock.
The latest addition to the PowerToys family is described as making it possible to "crop a current application into a smaller window or just create a thumbnail. Focus the target window and press the shortcut to start cropping". This update also includes a number of bug fixes and a range of new features for existing modules.
Microsoft gives Windows 11's Snipping Tool an important ease-of-use upgrade
Microsoft has released an updated version of its screen capture and screen recording utility, Snipping Tool. As well as bug fixes there are improvements and additions to the Windows 11 tool.
The latest version of the app introduces a number of key changes including the arrival of the combined capture bar, something Microsoft says simplifies switching between screen grabbing and screen recording. There are also changes to audio recording options.
Microsoft Edge gains a secret option for screen grabbing videos
It is usually the case that when a web browser, or any other app for that matter, gets an interesting new feature, the company behind said app shouts about it. Usually, but not always.
A newly discovered option in Microsoft Edge is a good example. Microsoft has made no announcement about it, but has snuck a handy new "Copy video frame" option into the browser that makes it possible to grab a still from a video.
Microsoft is unbundling Teams from Microsoft 365 and Office 365 to address European antitrust concerns
Microsoft has announced that it will unbundle Teams from Microsoft 365 and Office 365 in the EEA and Switzerland starting in October -- and this will mean a price reduction.
The move comes after the European Commission expressed concerns about the bundling of the software. Microsoft describes the decision as being part of "proactive changes", and the company will no doubt be hoping that it is enough to stop further probing and legislation. For now, the unbundling is limited to Europe.
Chrome password sharing feature makes it easier to share login credentials... with limitations
There are many reasons for wanting to share passwords, and it is surprising -- and also a source of irritation -- that doing so is not easier. But Google is looking to change this by introducing a dedicated password sharing option to Chrome.
Users of the browser will soon be able to use the Password Manager function of the browser to quickly share login details with others. To start with, it appears that Google will limit sharing to people you have added to your Google Family Group, but it is possible that this will be opened up further in future.
Microsoft is testing OS-level plugins for Windows Copilot in Windows 11
Windows Copilot -- Microsoft's latest AI tool -- may not seem groundbreakingly useful yet, but all of this is set to change. Microsoft is currently testing a series of plugins for the artificial intelligence-powered assistant that will make it a valuable asset for getting things done at OS-level in Windows 11.
Rather than simply being a glorified version of the new AI-driven Bing, Windows Copilot's plugins allow for tight integration with Windows 11. This means that users will be able to call on Copilot to change settings, interact with the operating system and apps, and much more. Importantly, by taking a plugin-based, modular approach, Microsoft is helping to ensure that Windows Copilot does not become a bloated behemoth.
Microsoft reveals how to mitigate the Downfall vulnerability affecting Intel processors running Windows 10 and Windows 11
Following on from the Meltdown flaw and other related vulnerabilities, a more recent security issue was discovered in the form of Downfall. Tracked as CVE-2022-40982, exploitation of the flaw is known as a transient execution attack and it affects Intel CPUs.
Microsoft has not only acknowledged that the problem exists, but has now provided details of mitigation techniques that can be used. In security advisory KB5029778, the company gives instructions for users of Windows 10, Windows 11 and Windows Server.
MSI reveals workaround for UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR errors in Windows 11 after KB5029351 update
When Microsoft released the KB5029351 update for Windows 11 a few days ago, it didn't take long for complaints to start. Owners of systems with MSI motherboards started to see UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR error messages and Blue Screens of Death.
Microsoft has said that it is investigating the issue, but its announcement was worded quite defensively. The company said: "We are presently investigating to determine if this is an issue caused by Microsoft". Thankfully, MSI has stepped up to the plate and offered up a workaround.
Microsoft confirms UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR error reports following latest Windows 11 update
Installing updates for Windows is always something of a gamble, and this is greatly magnified for anyone who chooses to install the preview versions Microsoft releases each month. A good case in point is the KB5029351 update preview that was released for Windows 11 this week.
There are lots of positive changes introduced by this update, but there are also numerous reports of blue screens and UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR errors. There's good news and bad news to come.
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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