Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson

It may be the middle of the month, but that hasn't stopped Microsoft releasing an important update for various versions of Windows, including the KB5020387 update for Windows 11.

The updates fix a TLS handshake issue that causes SEC_E_ILLEGAL_MESSAGE errors. In all, there are seven non-security updates available for Windows, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2022.

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Emoji -- you either love 'em or you hate 'em, and at the moment it seems that Google dislikes them quite a lot.

Confused internet users are reporting that performing certain searches about emoji is causing Google to time out and display a server error. The bizarre problem is yet to be explained, but there are theories about what is happening.

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No matter how recently Microsoft has launched a new version of Windows or released a significant update, talk about "the next version of Windows" is always babbling in the background. At the recent Microsoft Ignite conference, however, the company gave good reason for people to start looking to and talking about the future by seemingly leaking an update look for Windows -- Windows 12, maybe?

There is not a huge amount to go on, but a still from the video of the opening keynote speech from Ignite shows a version of Windows with a different look. A version of Windows that looks heavily inspired by macOS. A version of Windows with a floating taskbar and a macOS-style menu bar at the top of the screen.

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In the latest version of PowerToys released by Microsoft earlier in the month -- version v0.63 -- perhaps the most notable change was the fact that the size of the installer had been dramatically reduced. While this was a welcome step, what most people are looking for is new features and options!

We already know that the PowerToys development team is working away on a new utility called File LockSmith that will reveal which processes are locking a files, but there is much more in the pipeline. What is there to look forward to? In addition to a tool for editing the HOSTS file, Microsoft is also planning to introduce the ability to backup PowerToys settings.

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It has been a very, very long time coming, but a cheaper Netflix subscription tier, complete with ads, arrives next month.

The new ad-supported plan is called Basic with Ads, and will cost $6.99 per month when it launches in the US on November 3. Netflix says that the cheaper tier will be available in 11 other countries, and shares details of the limitations subscribers will have to put up with, including the fact that some shows and movies simply will not be available if you're not paying for a more expensive ad-free Basic, Standard or Premium plan.

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RSS feeds may not be as popular as they used to be, but for some things they are one of the most efficient and useful means of keeping updated.

Microsoft is aware of this and, having listened to feedback from customers, has launched a new RSS feed to make it easier to keep updated about the latest security notifications from the company. Specifically, there is now an RSS feed for the Security Update Guide (SUG).

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While there has been some disappointment about the release of Windows 11 2022 Update because of certain features not being ready, there are some secret changes in the update that are just being revealed.

A great case in point is a new way to adjust the volume in Windows 11 22H2. The tip was shared on Twitter by Senior Program Manager at Microsoft, Jen Gentleman. Intrigued? Read on!

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We've written previously about how the Xbox Game Bar can be used as a screen recorder, but it doesn't work in all circumstances. At its Surface event yesterday, Microsoft quietly let it slip that Windows 11 is getting a proper screen recording tool.

Capturing a screenshot is incredibly simple thanks to the existence of the Print Screen key, but with the arrival of the Snipping Tool, Microsoft expanded the range of options available without the need for additional software. And next, the company is expanding the capabilities of Snipping Tool so that it can be used as a screen recorder, not just a screen capture utility.

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It is now almost a month since Microsoft started the rollout of Windows 11 2022 Update. While there have been a number of issues standing in the way of some people upgrading, Microsoft is keen that people understand the benefit of installing the first major update to Windows 11 since it launched last year.

As part of this awareness drive, Microsoft has published an article filled with Windows 11 tips. In the name of numerical neatness, there are 11 tips in total, all focused on the new features and options of Windows 11 2022 Update -- or Windows 11 22H2 as it is also known.

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Streaming video giant Netflix has signed up as a member of Barb (Broadcasters' Audience Research Board) in the UK. This means that starting in November we will have access to independently audited viewing figures for Netflix shows.

The numbers will make for interesting reading as, until now, this is data that Netflix has been very secretive about. But with an ad-supported tier due to be launched, advertisers will require details about the number of people they can expect to reach with their advertisements.

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Microsoft is warning people who use Windows Hello not to upgrade to Windows 11 2022 Update because the sign-in system may end up not working.

The company has also put a safeguard block in place meaning that people who may be affected by the issue will not be offered the Windows 11 22H2 upgrade. There is also a warning not to try to bypass the block with a manual upgrade due to the problems this may cause.

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Microsoft has released its first update to Windows 11 22H2 / Windows 11 2022 Update in the form of KB5018427. This is a cumulative security update that includes the improvements from the previously released KB5017389 update, as well as additional "security issues".

While the update addresses quite a large number of problems with Windows 11 22H2, it does not fix the known issues with provisioning packages or slow file copying.

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YouTube has announced that creators can now make use of @ handles for their channels. The move is a long time coming and the aim is to help increase engagement on the platform.

With the introduction of handles, YouTube is making it easier for users to mention others in their comments and more. Handles are rolling out over the next month, and YouTube says that it will notify creators when they are able to choose one for their channel.

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There are plenty of virtualization tools to choose from, but if for anyone looking for one that offers solid support for a wide range of host and guest operating systems, it's hard to go wrong with VirtualBox. Bringing support for Windows 11 -- something previously available in the beta builds -- Oracle has now released VirtualBox 7.0.0.

As has been the case in the past, VirtualBox 7.0.0 is available for Windows, Linux and macOS (as well as Oracle's own Solaris), but this release is about more than adding full Windows 11 support. There are also new options for cloud-based virtual machine, as well as improved security and much more.

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Twitter is taking steps to increase engagement on the platform by discouraging people from taking screenshots of tweets. iOS users are the first to be subjected to prompt to share a tweet rather than a screengrab of it.

The move makes it clear that Twitter is able to determine when users are taking screengrabs, and while many of the images will end up being shared on Twitter itself, the company would prefer that links were shared to other platforms to encourage click-throughs.

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