WSA PacMan is a new way to sideload Android apps in Windows 11
The arrival of Android app support in Windows 11 is something that has been met with mixed reactions. While many are happy to be able to use Windows Subsystem for Android to run apps and games, the fact that only the Amazon Appstore is supported has led to people seeking ways to sideload apps.
We've already seen the release of WSATools for this very purpose, and now there is a new open-source option. WSA PacMan is a delightfully accessible tool that makes it easy to sideload apps without the need to battle with ADB commands.
Microsoft releases fix for email-breaking Y2K22 bug in Exchange FIP-FS
Microsoft Exchange users were hit by a New Year bug that prevented the delivery of emails. The "year 2022" bug in the FIP-FS anti-malware scanner resulted in error messages including "The FIP-FS Scan Process failed initialization. Error: 0x8004005. Error Details: Unspecified Error" and "Error Code: 0x80004005. Error Description: Can't convert "2201010001" to long".
While the bug caused a degree of panic, Microsoft has now released an official fix. Anyone who has encountered the issue can apply the fix manually, or use an automated script to take care of things.
The first big Windows 11 update, Sun Valley 2, should be ready in mere months
Windows 11 may still have that new OS smell wafting off it, but there is still work to be done. We already know that Microsoft is only planning a single feature update each year, and it looks like the first major update for Windows 11 -- codenamed Sun Valley 2 -- could be available for testing in a matter of months.
Windows 11 22H2, as Sun Valley 2 is also known, is said to be scheduled to be completed in May. The update is expected to be finalized some time in the summer, and then be ready for a full release in the fall. But what can we look forward to in this release?
LastPass says master password leak warnings were sent in error
LastPass users around the world were thrown into a state of panic after the company issued email warning about unauthorized use of master passwords.
The password manager company advised users of suspicious login attempts using the master password associated with their account. This led to concerns that the company has been hacked or that passwords had been leaked, but LastPass says that the warnings were erroneous.
Microsoft confirms color problem in Windows 11 -- but a fix is weeks away
Windows 11 has a color rendering issue which results in some image editors showing white as yellow or other hues.
Although Microsoft has confirmed the existence of the problem and says that a fix is on the way, details are a little sparse. The problem affects certain HDR displays when using particular image editors, but the company has not revealed what combinations of hardware and software are problematic, or how widespread the issue is.
Intel releases performance-enhancing graphics driver update to fix Desktop Windows Manager problem in Windows 10 and Windows 11
There is good news for Windows 10 and Windows 11 users who have noticed high resource usage by Desktop Windows Manager.
Intel has released updated graphics driver which addresses an issue that caused DMW.exe to use more CPU time and RAM than it should. The update means that Intel's DCH drivers have now reached version 30.0.101.1191.
Newly announced LG DualUp Monitor is amazing and weird
LG has announced details of some of its 2022 range of monitors, due to be properly unveiled at CES in January. By far the most interesting is the LG DualUp Monitor with the rather extraordinary aspect ratio of 16:18.
As you may have calculated, this is essentially two 16:9 monitors merged into one, eliminating the border that would ordinarily appear between two seperate screens. With a resolution of 2560 x 2880, the DualUp monitor is great for multi-taskers, and while the specs are not mind-blowing, it's a screen that's interesting enough to warrant a second look.
DuckDuckGo is bringing its privacy-focused web browser to the desktop in 2022
DuckDuckGo is a name associated with privacy, and it is best known for its tracking-free search engine. But the company has other strings to its bow, including a privacy-focused web browser for mobile devices.
Now there are plans to bring things to the desktop. With DuckDuckGo for desktop, the company is looking to give users a fast, simple and private alternative to the likes of Chrome. Interestingly, DuckDuckGo says that the desktop browser will not be based on Chromium, but that it will be built "around the OS-provided rendering engines".
YouTube TV slashes subscription price as dispute leads to the loss of numerous Disney channels
Subscribers to YouTube TV have lost access to a number of Disney-owned channels including ABC News, FX, ESPN, the Disney Channel and National Geographic. The channels have been dropped after contract negotiations between YouTube and Disney broke down.
But while subscribers will no doubt be mourning the loss of nearly 20 channels, there is a silver lining to the bad news. YouTube has cut the price of a YouTube TV subscription until such a time as the Disney channels are available once again.
Anti-5G 'Quantum Pendant' found to be radioactive
As with many misunderstood aspects of science and technology, lots of myths and skepticism have built up around 5G technology. In addition to the idea that 5G is somehow inherently dangerous, conspiracy theories linking the technology to coronavirus vaccines and infection -- and wider COVID-19 conspiracy theories -- abound.
So it is perhaps little wonder that there something of an industry has built up around anti-5G products and accessories. One such product is the "negative ion" Quantum pendant. This has been found to be not only ineffective at offering "protection" against 5G (indeed, entirely unnecessary), but also dangerous. The Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ANVS) in the Netherlands has warned that the Quantum Pendant and numerous other negative ion products are radioactive, and people should stop using them immediately.
Now you can embed your Instagram profile on websites
Instagram has been busy adding new options and features recently, with no fewer than three rolling out this week. Head of the visual social network, Adam Mosseri, shares details about Instagram Playback, Reels Visual Replies, and Profile Embed.
Instagram Playback is a perfect end-of-year feature, giving users the ability to share their favorite Stories from the year in a new post. The company has also made it possible to reply to commends with Reels, and -- assuming you live in the right part of the world -- to embed a miniature version of your Instagram profile in websites.
Ditch Twitch? Download TikTok LIVE Studio to test out the new desktop streaming software for Windows
TikTok is currently testing a new desktop tool that will enable users to stream their own live footage to the platform. TikTok LIVE Studio is currently only available to download for Windows, and it would seem to be TikTok's answer to Twitch.
If you have a TikTok account, the beta software can be used to stream content from various sources. This could be games, as happens with Twitch, or it could be from an app or webcam capture -- or, as the introductory blurb puts it, "stream and share experiences directly to TikTok".
Microsoft has blocked all default browser workarounds in Windows 10 and Windows 11
When Patch Tuesday rolls around, we can usually expect a series of Windows problems to be fixed (and perhaps to see some new ones introduced), as well as new features added. But Microsoft also uses such updates to take things away -- and this is precisely what has happened with the latest updates for Windows 10 and 11.
Microsoft, quite understandably, would like everyone to use its Edge browser, and has taken endless steps to ensure that it stays the default browser on as many computers as possible. With the latest operating system updates -- specifically the KB5008212 and KB5008215 updates -- the company has implemented a block on workarounds used by the likes of EdgeDeflector and Firefox to force links to open in a browser other than Edge.
Microsoft continues to deliver death by a thousand cuts to the Control Panel in Windows 11
Microsoft has hardly made a secret of the fact that the beloved Control Panel is on its way out. Slowly but surely the company has been moving various options from the Control Panel into the Settings app.
There is, however, a strange sense of limbo to be drawn from the fact that both the Control Panel and Settings exist alongside each other, some options are duplicated in both places. On top of this, -- and despite Microsoft really want people to use Settings -- there are numerous occasions on which the Settings app will dump users unceremoniously back into the Control Panel. But with the latest build of Windows 11, Microsoft's assault on the Control Panel continues, with the death knell sounding ever louder.
One-to-one Microsoft Teams calls finally have the security of end-to-end encryption
Microsoft is improving the security of one-on-one Teams chats by adding end-to-end encryption. After a couple of months of testing the feature as part of a public preview the company says that the optional security boost is now generally available.
In order for calls to be protected, both parties need to have end-to-end encryption enabled. And if you're wondering why you might want to have E2EE disabled in Microsoft Teams, it's because having the security feature enabled means that some other call features do not work.
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 Facebook, Twitter and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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