Browser extensions are making a comeback in Firefox for Android
Mozilla has issued a notice to developers, saying that it is preparing to launch support for an open ecosystem of extensions on Firefox for Android.
Pointing out that the move will make Firefox the only major Android browser to support such an ecosystem for extensions, Mozilla says everything sound be in place before the end of the year. The change means that it should not be long before Firefox users with Android handsets are able to use more than just the handful of extensions that are currently available.
People are mad at Apple for a crazy change to the End Call button in iOS 17
Change is often divisive, and with a UI tweak in iOS 17 Apple is certainly dividing opinion. In the latest beta version of the iPhone operating system, the company has made the decision to move the End Call button.
Shifting the button from the center of the screen -- where it has resided for many, many years -- is causing confusion and wails of discontent from beta testers. Having becomes use to the button being in a central position for well over a decade, users are complaining that the new location is a problem for muscle memory.
Microsoft adds a hidden System Components section to Windows 11 Settings
With the latest Canary build of Windows 11, Microsoft is at it again, hiding new features for anyone who knows where to look. In Windows 11 build 25926, it is a new section in the Settings app that has been secreted away.
Added with no announcement, and no mention in the release notes, a hidden System Components section in Settings can be enabled with the likes of ViVeTool or Microsoft’s own StagingTool. It provides a list of Windows 11's built-in apps and tools, and allows many to be uninstalled.
Microsoft releases Windows 365 Switch to simplify moving between a cloud PC and the desktop
Microsoft has announced the availability of the public preview of Windows 365 Switch. The utility makes it easy for Windows 11 users to jump between a Windows 365 Cloud PC and the local desktop.
The company highlights the benefits of the feature to BYOD scenarios, pointing to a seamless experience from within Windows 11 via the Task view feature. Using Windows 365 Switch, switching between a Cloud PC and a local desktop can be achieved with keyboard commands, as well as a mouse-click or a swipe gesture.
Google is switching to weekly Chrome updates to boost security
Google has announced that it will release security updates for Chrome on a weekly basis, doubling the speed with which fixes are delivered to the stable channel.
This will not change the release schedule for significant new versions of Chrome, but it means that users of the browser can enjoy greater security. Google's change in pace is designed to reduce the "patch gap", with the company saying that it treats "all critical and high severity bugs as if they will be exploited".
All Windows 11 users should install the KB5029263 update as soon as possible
Microsoft has released a large new cumulative update for Windows 11 in the form of the KB5029263 update.
As this release fixes a series of security issues in the operating system, everyone running Windows 11 22H2 should install it as soon as possible. KB5029263 is a mandatory update so it will be installed automatically -- eventually -- but it is important enough to justify taking manual action to ensure you have it immediately.
The latest beta version of Intel graphics drivers collect telemetry by default, including web visits
There is always an element of risk involved in using beta software, particularly beta versions of drivers. But the latest pre-release GPU driver from Intel comes with a very unpleasant payload.
Run through the Intel Graphics Driver install without paying sufficient attention, and it will install in "typical" mode. This automatically signs you up for the Intel Computing Improvement Program (CIP), a telemetry feature which collects a huge amount of data including information about the websites a user visits.
Microsoft announces indefinite postponement of multi-account search in Outlook
With few people having just one email address nowadays, the problem of searching for email across two or more accounts is one that affects many users. Just last month, Microsoft announced an upcoming feature for its Outlook email client -- the ability to search across multiple email accounts simultaneously.
Now the company has had a change of heart, updating its plans to indicate that the handy option is now "postponed indefinitely".
Microsoft drops support for dozens of Intel processors in latest Windows 11 system requirements update
It is not unknown for Microsoft to change the system requirements for its software, and this is something that applies to Windows 11.
Back in June, the company updated the list of processors from AMD, Intel and Qualcomm. Now another update to Windows 11 system requirements means that large numbers of Intel CPUs are no longer supported -- 44 models in total.
Microsoft is finally killing off Cortana in Windows 11 as Windows Copilot heralds an AI future
Cortana may have been Microsoft's response to Siri, but while Apple's digital assistant prevails, the Windows maker's offering has slipped into insignificance. Never much-loved by users, Microsoft's Cortana has been in its death throes for a while and now the company is finally moving on.
With the release of Windows 11 Build 25921 a few days ago, Microsoft has introduced the option to uninstall the Cortana app, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. The company had already announced plans to stop supporting Cortana in Windows as a standalone app, and that time has now come. A Microsoft Store update is also being used to forcibly deprecate the tool.
OpenAI is bringing some exciting new features to ChatGPT this week
Artificial intelligence is not a technology that stands still, and the same is true of its users. As people have become increasingly familiar with AI tool, and used to working with the likes of ChatGPT, they are becoming more demanding.
In response to this, OpenAI has announced a number of significant updates that will be rolling out to ChatGPT over the course of the next few days. Among the changes are suggestions for initial queries to put to the AI, as well as recommended replies so you can delve deeper into your research.
Microsoft hides secret 'Fix problems using Windows Update' in latest Windows 11 dev build
When Microsoft released Windows 11 build 23516 a few days ago, the biggest change was billed as being improvements to screen casting. There were other changes, fixes and additions that Microsoft shouted about, but there was also a hidden feature that the company kept quiet about.
Cast your mind back a few months and you may recall that we learned of Microsoft plans to introduce the option to fix problems with Windows 11 using Windows Update. This handy feature is now available in the latest Dev build of Windows 11, but it is hidden and disabled by default. With the help of ViVeTool -- or Microsoft's own StagingTool -- however, it can be enabled.
Microsoft is disabling TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 in Windows 11... and it will break some apps
Starting next month, Microsoft is making some significant changes relating to Transport Layer Security (TLS) in Windows 11.
This security protocol has been one of the more controversial system requirements for the operating system, and the company has revealed plans to disable older versions -- specifically TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 -- by default from September. Microsoft has already determined that this will cause problems for a fairly lengthy list of apps, including some of its own.
Google rolls out privacy tools to make it easier to remove personal information and explicit images from searches
Google has announced the rollout of a series of new and updated privacy tools designed to give users greater control over the removal of information about themselves from search results. A new privacy dashboard will alert users if search results start to include their contact information.
As well as making it easier to request the removal of such personal data, Google is expanding its privacy protections to give people a way to remove personal, explicit images from search results. There are also expanded controls for limiting the appearance of other explicit images in searches.
Google has moved downloads to the toolbar in Chrome -- but you can resist change if you want
As users of Google's web browser will be aware, Chrome has long featured a download bar at the bottom of the app window. While keeping download progress tucked out of the way made sense in some ways, it represented somewhat of a frustrating design inconsistency in moving download-related information away from the main browser controls in the toolbar.
This is something that Google had addressed in the latest update to Chrome, ditching the downloads bar with a new button in the main toolbar. While this is likely to be welcomed by most users, there will be some who prefer things how they used to be. Let's take a look at the new download button and also show you how to revert to the old approach if this is your preference.
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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