Microsoft is working on a new PowerToy that will let you copy text from an image
It is something pretty much all of us have needed to do at one time or another -- copy text from an image so it can be used in another document. Search online for how to extract text from an image, and you will be pointed in the direction of various OCR tools, but Microsoft is working on a solution of its own.
The ability to copy text from an image is coming to PowerToys. The developers are working on a new utility that will make the process very simple. Called PowerOCR, the unreleased PowerToys utility is undergoing testing right now.
Microsoft may release Windows 11 22H2 update on September 20
When it comes to the release dates for big updates to Windows, Microsoft is notoriously cagey. The company gives itself a big window of opportunity to release feature updates by giving them names such as Windows 11 22H2. This tell us nothing more than the release can be expected in the second half of 2022.
But now we may be able to narrow down the release date to something rather less vague than a six-month period. Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans say that the release of Windows 11 22H2 is scheduled for September 20 -- so just a month from now.
KB5012170 update for Windows is even more problematic than first thought… Boot issues and BitLocker irks abound
Microsoft may have issued a warning that the recently released KB5012170 update for Windows might cause 0x800f0922 errors, but it seems that the update is even more problematic. Users who have been able to install the update are complaining of numerous other issues including boot problems.
Among the issues being reported are the appearance of BitLocker recovery screens, slow boot times and more.
Microsoft warns that KB5012170 update may cause 0x800f0922 error
Microsoft has issued a warning about the KB5012170 update, a security update for Secure Boot DBX released a few days ago.
The company says that users of Windows 11, Windows 10 and Windows Server may find that the update installation fails, resulting in a 0x800f0922 error. While there is currently no fix, Microsoft has issued some advice while it investigates the problem.
Microsoft launches Dev Box Preview to make life easier for developers
Microsoft has announced the availability of the public preview of Microsoft Dev Box. The service lets developers create cloud-based workstations whenever they are needed for projects, even when working out of the office.
The company describes the secure Azure-based service as "a managed service that enables developers to create on-demand, high-performance, secure, ready-to-code, project-specific workstations in the cloud".
Google Cloud and Google Workspace now support multiple SSO IdPs
Google has announced an expansion of its sign-in options. The company is opening up google Workspace, Google Cloud and BeyondCorp Enterprise so users can take advantage of single sign-on (SSO) from multiple third-party identity providers.
Google has long-supported SSO using the SAML protocol from a single identity provider (IdP), but the company recognizes that times are changing. Support for multiple SAML-based identity providers instead of just one is something that will benefit many customers.
Will Microsoft never learn? The company hits paid-up Office 2021 users with ads for Microsoft 365
There are various business models for software these days, ranging from simple purchases to subscriptions. There are also freemium apps and games that are cost-free but feature advertising. If you have spent money on software, you might rightly expect it to be free from ads, but not in the case of Microsoft Office 2021.
Microsoft is certainly no stranger to using its products -- such as Windows 11 -- as platforms to advertise other products and services. Office 2021 is just the latest example, with Microsoft using the software -- for which users have paid a one-off fee -- to advertise the subscription-based its Microsoft 365 products.
Microsoft is launching a new PowerToys utility -- Screen Ruler
The last few PowerToys updates have been slightly disappointing (but only slightly) in as much as they have been largely bug-fixing releases, and have not included any new toys to play with. This is about to change.
Microsoft has a new utility in the pipeline, and its name gives you a very good idea of what it does: Screen Ruler. Perfect for all sorts of design work, the tool will let you measure the distance between two points on your screen in a number of ways.
CISA warns of UnRAR security flaw affecting Linux systems
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has issued a warning about a security issue with the UnRAR tool for Linux-based systems.
The vulnerability is being tracked as CVE-2022-30333, and if successfully exploited, the flaw could allow an attacker to use the process of unpacking an archive to write data to an area of storage.
Microsoft warns Windows users that a recent update has broken XPS viewing
Craving another problem caused by an update to Windows? Microsoft is happy to oblige! The company has issued a warning that users who install the KB5014666 update -- yes, the same update that caused printing problems and issues with the language bar -- may experience difficulties with XPS files.
The problem means that XPS documents with non-English language characters might not open, and it is not limited to those who have installed the KB5014666 update.
Microsoft releases KB5016629 update to fix Windows 11 Start menu problems and security issues
It is that time of the month again -- the time that Microsoft releases updates for Windows 11. This time around, the company has released the KB5016629 update to not only fix a problem that prevented the Start menu from opening, but also to address various security issues.
This is a cumulative update which also includes the changes that were part of the KB5015882 update that was made available last month. This means that the KB5016629 update fixes problems with File Explorer as well as introducing new Focus Assist features and better Windows 11 updating.
WhatsApp is gaining some great new privacy features including screenshot blocking
WhatsApp is not only one of the popular messaging apps out there, it is also one that is subject to some of the fastest development work. Existing features are constantly being tweaked, new options are being added all the time, and Mark Zuckerberg has just revealed three exciting new privacy-focused features.
In an announcement on his personal Facebook page, the CEO of Meta teased a trio of new features which will help to improve the privacy of group and one-on-one chats. The upcoming additions are part of a new global campaign from WhatsApp that focuses on and promotes privacy and security features.
Twitter comes clean about serious security incident affecting millions of accounts
Twitter has confirmed that a hacker was able to exploit a security vulnerability on the social platform earlier this year, gaining access to the private data of millions of users.
In total, 5.4 million accounts were affected, with the attacker able to link account names to email addresses and phone numbers. While the incident took place back in January this year, Twitter has also revealed that the exposed user data was made available to buy just last month. In what will be regarded by many as something of an understatement, the company says that "it is unfortunate that this happened".
GitHub rival GitLab ditches plans to delete inactive repositories
GitLab recently announced plans that meant repositories that were part of its free tier would be erased after a year of inactivity. This led to complaints from users of the GitHub rival, saying that it was unfair and that the decision made no sense.
Having listened to the negative feedback, GitLab has now announced a change of heart. Inactive repositories will no longer be deleted when they have not been active for a while, but there will still be consequences for inactivity.
DuckDuckGo to block Microsoft tracking scripts after user uproar about recent revelations
DuckDuckGo likes to bill itself as a privacy-centric search engine and web browser, and it is hard to deny that it is more private than the likes of Google search and Chrome. But earlier this year, it came to light that there was an agreement in place between the company and Microsoft that meant the DuckDuckGo browser did not block all trackers from the maker of Windows 11.
When users learned that DuckDuckGo was granting a level of leniency to Microsoft there was an understandable backlash. Now the company has announced it is to offer "more privacy and transparency" after failing to meet users expectations, and will block Microsoft tracks -- most of the time.
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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