OpenAI releases an official ChatGPT app for iOS
There are a huge number of fake ChatGPT apps out there -- particularly for Android handsets -- but now the company behind the artificial intelligence has released an official iOS app.
The app is not only free, it is also devoid of advertising. For most people, the app provides access to the GTP-3 powered AI, but anyone who subscribes to ChatGPT Plus gains access to the power of GPT-4.
Microsoft is working on Windows 11 23H2... but this Moment 4 update will be nothing to get excited about
Microsoft’s new approach to bigger updates for Windows 11 has already seen the release of Moment 1 and Moment 2. The Moment 3 update is due very soon, and the company is already working away on Moment 4.
This fourth update to the operating system is also known as Windows 11 23H2, and it seems that this may be a bit of a damp squib.
Microsoft provides more details about the drawn-out death of Internet Explorer 11
You thought Internet Explorer was dead and buried? Almost... but not quite. IE11 is still clinging to life, but Microsoft has detailed plans to finish the task of killing it off.
While the company has used updates to disable the browser in Windows 10, parts of it remain in the operating system. Microsoft has now provided an update about how it plans to completely eliminate Internet Explorer 11 -- which remains accessible in certain circumstances -- from Windows.
Montana becomes the first US state to ban TikTok
Governor Greg Gianforte has signed a bill that bans TikTok in Montana, making it the first US state to do so. He says that the decision was taken in order "to protect Montanans' personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party".
A month ago, the state legislature passed a bill that requires app stores to block the service, and having been signed by Gianforte, the law will come into force next year. The law bans TikTok from operating in Montana, with daily fines of $10,000 in case of violations. TikTok is expected to fight the ban with the claim that it infringes on users' First Amendment rights.
Google will start deleting inactive accounts and wiping out user data later this year
Google has announced an update to its inactive account policies that means some user accounts will be deleted before the end of the year.
The company says that accounts that have not been accessed for two years will be deleted starting in December. While the deletion of inactive accounts might seem fairly innocuous, there are serious implications for many people, such as those who have used Google cloud storage, or Gmail, as a means of backing up data and have had no reason to access their account since.
Microsoft is looking into slow VPN speed problems in Windows 11 caused by recent updates
The curse of the problematic Windows update may have struck again. Some users who installed the KB5025305 preview update or the KB5026372 update for Windows 11 are complaining about a significant slowdown in VPN speeds.
Microsoft says that it is looking into speed issues with L2TP/IPsec VPN connections in Windows 11. The company is yet to provide a fix, but there is a less than ideal workaround available in the meantime.
EU approves Microsoft's multi-billion-dollar Activision Blizzard acquisition despite UK and US opposition
Just last month, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked the proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft because of concerns about the impact on competition in the cloud gaming arena. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission is also seeking to block the deal
But now EU regulators have cleared the acquisition, subject to conditions. The European Commission will hold Microsoft to commitments it has made to ensure gamers in Europe will have the ability to stream all Activision Blizzard games for which they have a licence via any cloud game streaming services, as well as a corresponding free license to cloud game streaming service providers to allow EEA-based gamers to stream any Activision Blizzard's PC and console games.
WhatsApp introduces Chat Lock to protect sensitive messages
WhatsApp has long been one of the more secure messaging apps with mass appeal, largely thanks to end-to-end encryption. This has been boosted further by features such as disappearing messages, and now Meta has added Chat Lock.
The company says that the feature "lets you protect your most intimate conversations behind one more layer of security"; what this means in practice is that message can be password or fingerprint protected. But there is more to Chat Lock than this.
Microsoft is able to look inside your password protected zip files
Microsoft has been spotted scanning for malware within password protected zip files stored on its cloud services.
Security researcher Andrew Brandt was among those to notice that Microsoft appears to be bypassing passwords added to zip archives in order to check for malware. While the intentions of the company may be good, the practice raises serious questions about privacy and security.
Brave is gaining 'Forgetful Browsing' to dramatically improve online privacy protection
Web browser Brave has long had a focus on privacy, making it the browser of choice for those with concerns about online tracking and the like. Although Brave may be regarded as one of the most private browsers available, its developers continue to work on new innovations; the latest is Forgetful Browsing.
This new feature makes it possible to always clear cookies and other storage when a site is closed, helping to eliminate the potential for tracking and bringing other benefits. Forgetful Browsing can be enabled on a site-by-site basis, or applied across the board, and it prevents sites from using trackers to identify you, bypasses article viewing limits, and ensures that you are logged out of sites when you leave them.
Microsoft reminds Windows 10 21H2 users about imminent end of service... and forced upgrades
No operating system is supported forever, and this is true of Windows 10. In fact, anyone using Windows 10 21H2 has just one month of servicing left.
As such, Microsoft has issued a reminder about the approaching end of service, giving users time to prepare. The company has also confirmed that anyone still running this version of Windows should expect to be automatically updated to a supported version of Windows.
Microsoft will launch the huge Windows 11 Moment 3 update this summer, but you can have it now!
With Windows 11 Microsoft has made major changes to the approach it takes to updating the operating system, not least of which is the idea of "Moment" updates being used to introduce new features.
We've already seen the release of Moment 1 and Moment 2 for Windows 11, and Microsoft is planning to release the eagerly anticipated Moment 3 in June. If this seems like too long to wait, there's a way to get the update right now and enjoy an update File Explorer, Taskbar changes, an improved Task Manager and much more.
Microsoft releases KB5026372 update for Windows 11 with security fixes and faster update option
It is that time of the month again; Microsoft has released a new update for Windows 11, not only addressing security issues, but adding new options.
With the release of the KB5026372 update for Windows 11, Microsoft has addressed an issue with Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) as well as fixing numerous other security flaws, including three zero days. The update also adds the option for Windows 11 users to receive non-security updates faster in future.
Shell Frosting is a free tweaking tool to unlock hidden features of the Windows 11 taskbar
Complaints about Windows 11 center on various changes Microsoft has made to the Windows 10 successor, but the taskbar is something that crops up time and time again.
While there is some good news in that Microsoft is listening to feedback and working to implement some of the missing features users want, the bad news is that it is taking time. If you are impatient to see the return of taskbar labels and the option to never combine buttons, Shell Frosting is the tweaking tool you need.
Twitter admits a 'security incident' allowed private Circles messages to be seen by anyone
Following numerous complaints from users concerned that the Circles feature of Twitter was broken, the company has conceded that tweets that were supposed to be visible to only a select number of people were in fact accessible by anyone.
The idea of Twitter Circles is that messages can be seen only by people who have been added to a Circle. But Twitter has now revealed "a security incident that occurred earlier this year" that ignored privacy settings.
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!
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.