Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson

Microsoft has released a significant update for Windows 11 that not only fixes a number of bugs, but also addresses security issues.

The KB5010386 update takes Windows 11 up to build 22000.493 and it includes a fix for a problem with LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol). On top of this, there are numerous fixes in this security and quality improvement update. Microsoft has also shared a number of Windows 11 tips.

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In so many ways macros have made life easier for Office users, helping to automated and speed up a variety of tasks. But they also pose a gigantic security threat, particularly in documents downloaded from the internet.

Now Microsoft is taking action, and will block internet macros by default in Office. The reason for the move is the widespread exploitation of VBA macros by bad actors to spread malware.

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Delving into the underbelly of just about any software can reveal exciting secrets, and this is certainly true of Windows. A software detective has taken a peek behind the curtain and found no fewer than three exciting new features hidden away in Windows 11. These are likely to be features that Microsoft is currently still working on and will unlock in a future update for the operating system.

An intrepid explorer has unearthed evidence of upcoming changes to the way notifications work and a possible renaming of Focus Assist to simply "Focus". Other gems include wallpaper stickers and a new energy conservation section of Settings that, among other things, will assign your computer an Eco Score and provide recommendations for how you can reduce its energy consumption.

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Twitter has announced that it is testing a new way to start direct message conversations with users on the platform, leading to criticism from those concerned about the potential for abuse.

The new system means that it will be possible to start a DM conversation by simply clicking a newly added direct message button in individual tweets. While Twitter says that the move is about making it easier to start conversations, critics point out that it is likely to be used for harassment.

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There are many things that Twitter users would like to see implemented on the platform, not least of which is the option to edit tweets. As this is extraordinarily unlikely to happen, they'll have to make do with the next best thing -- a dislike button.

Except Twitter doesn't want you to call it that. And it does not function in the way you'd probably hope. So... prepare to be underwhelmed and disappointed by the downvote option which is now available worldwide.

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It is only a couple of weeks since it came to light that Google was killing off 'G Suite legacy free edition', meaning that users would have to pay for Google Workspace instead. But now the company has announced that there is now a free tier of Workspace Essentials available.

With Google Workspace Essentials Starter Edition, Google is hoping to placate those who were annoyed by recent changes. The free option will also help to attract new users look to conduct collaborative work without charge.

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It feels as though it has been a little while since there was a new version of Windows Terminal, but Microsoft has now rectified this. The company has released Windows Terminal Preview 1.13 with an impressive list of new features, options and fixes.

There are a few particularly noteworthy changes including the introduction of a new text rendering engine. There is also a new Windows 11-style UI for Settings, and a newly added option to have a profiles automatically elevated so it launches as Administrator. But the list of changes and additions is much longer than this.

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Amazon has announced a significant price hike for Prime membership. The company is blaming the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase in labor costs for the subscription fee jumping by nearly 17 percent annually, or just over 15 percent for those paying monthly.

Starting later this month, new Prime members in the US can expect to pay $139 per year, or $14.99 per month. The same price increase is also coming to existing Prime subscribers, but not until the end of March.

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It may only be a few days since Microsoft released PowerToys v0.55.0 complete with new utilities, but there is already another update available to install.

This time around, with the release of PowerToys v0.55.1, there are -- sadly -- no exciting new toys to play with... but this does not diminish the significance of the update. This is an important patch release which addresses a number of issues that have come to light.

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We have already written about the KB5008353 update that was released for Windows 11 last month. Made available as a preview, the update addressed a number of issues with the operating system, including problems with Bluetooth audio and the taskbar.

But it seems there may have been more to KB5008353 than met the eye, or than Microsoft revealed. According to reports, the update has helped to boost the performance of Windows 11 while apparently fixing an on-going issue with various types of hard drive.

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The days of the viral daily word-guessing game Wordle being free could well be numbered. The New York Times has bought the popular puzzle game for an undisclosed seven-figure sum, adding to its game portfolio.

While there are no immediate changes to the game planned, there are fears that the brainchild of software engineer Josh Wardle may not remain free. A carefully worded announcement about the acquisition gives a strong hint that Wordle gameplay may be tweaked and that charges could be on the horizon.

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Making good on its recent promise to add a new mouse tool to PowerToys, Microsoft has released a new version of the utility collection complete with the addition of Mouse Pointer Crosshairs (previously previewed as Inclusive Mouse). But it doesn't end there -- there are two more new tools to explore as well!

The release of PowerToys v0.55.0 also sees the addition of two new add-ons for Explorer. For developers, there is now support for 150 file type previews, as well as a new tool for generating STL file format thumbnails.

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Meta is adding a new warning to encrypted chats in Messenger so that users will know if another participant has taken a screenshot of the conversation.

The company formerly known as Facebook has already implemented this same feature into messages sent when the app's Vanish Mode is activated. While Messenger has not been updated to prevent screenshots from being taken in in E2E encrypted chats or Vanish Mode conversations, the appearance of the warning should serve as a deterrent against secret screen grabbing.

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The controversy surrounding the need for TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module version 2) to run Windows 11 may have largely died down, but it remains an issue for some people. Specifically, it is people with AMD systems for whom TPM (or fTPM as AMD labels it) is proving problematic.

Complaints are popping up online from Windows 11 users who report performance problems with their computers, including stuttering. The common thread linking them together seems to be AMD's fTPM firmware implementation.

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While Microsoft may have released more than its fair share of problematic updates, it's still a good idea to keep Windows fully updated to help minimize the risk of security issues. But there are plenty of systems out there which are not up to date. Why is this?

It could be that it is not a matter of user error, or even there being a problem with Windows Update itself. Rather the issue could stem from the simple fact that a computer needs to be connected to the internet for an unexpectedly lengthy period of time in order to guarantee reliable update installation. Microsoft has revealed the surprising data surrounding update delivery.

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