Instagram previews make a comeback on Twitter
Almost a decade after killing off support for previews of Instagram posts within tweets, Twitter and Instagram have finally made friends, relented and decided to bring the feature back.
The reappearance of Twitter Card previews is something that will be welcomed by people who cross-post between Instagram and Twitter. It comes as great news for anyone who was irritated by Instagram's decision to stop displaying previews of tweeted content back in 2012.
Microsoft releases KB5008295 update for Windows 11 to fix app problems
Just yesterday we wrote about a series of issues with apps in Windows 11. Users found that the Snipping Tools and various Windows settings did not work, something Microsoft has blamed on an expired certificate.
Now the company has released the KB5008295 update to address the problems, but not everyone is going to be able to install it just yet.
Microsoft warns of problems with several of Windows 11's built-in apps
If you have been experiencing problems in Windows 11, particularly with the Snipping Tool, you are not alone.
An issue with an expired certificate means that the Snipping Tool app, as well as other apps and settings in Windows 11, do not work properly -- or at all in some cases. Microsoft has workarounds and fixes for some of the problems, but not all of them.
Microsoft is bringing drag and drop back to the Windows 11 taskbar... but you'll have to wait
There are many complaints about Windows 11, mainly focused on the features and capabilities that were removed.
One change that has proved controversial and frustrating relates to the taskbar. If you try to drag and drop an app to the taskbar to create a shortcut, or drop a document on an existing shortcut to the associated app to open the file, you will find that you can't. Microsoft is planning to bring this functionality back to Windows 11, but not immediately.
Meta is deleting a billion 'faceprints' and closing down Facebook's facial recognition system
Facebook's parent company, Meta, has announced a major shift for the social networking, saying it will no longer use facial recognition to identify users in photographs.
As well as closing down the facial recognition system, the company will also delete over a billion people’s individual facial recognition templates. Meta says that it is part of "company-wide move to limit the use of facial recognition in our products", and it is move that will be welcomed by privacy advocates.
Windows 11 has a weird problem with empty folders
An odd problem has been found in Windows 11 that sees dozens, scores, hundreds or even thousands of empty folders being created in a directory of the System32 folder.
The fact that the folders are empty means that there is no danger of hard disks filling up, but it's a bizarre bug that has many Windows users scratching their heads. If you're affected by the issue, you'll find that your drive is littered with large numbers of folders with names ending in .tmp.
macOS Monterey update is bricking some Macs
Microsoft may have stolen a lot of the attention with the launch of Windows 11, but Apple has also released the latest update to its own operating system -- macOS 12.
The rollout of macOS Monterey started last week, and as the update spreads, users are experiencing serious issues when performing the upgrade. More and more reports are emerging of Mac owners ending up with computers that are very unstable, or won't even power up.
Microsoft is bringing Clippy out of retirement to make an appearance in Teams
Computer users from a certain era may remember with fondness, Clippy. The animated paperclip was an assistant in Microsoft Office, on hand to answer questions, and popping to life every now and then with hints and tips.
While some celebrated its death when the character was dropped, there were also many that mourned its passing. For anyone who falls into the second category, there is good news: Clippy is back!
KB5006674 and KB5006670 updates are causing printer problems in Windows 11 Windows 10
The seemingly never-ending stream of printer problems caused by Windows updates shows no sign of abating.
Following the Patch Tuesday releases a couple of weeks ago, Microsoft has added warnings of known issues to the support pages for the KB5006674 and KB5006670 updates. Printer-related errors including 0x000006e4 (RPC_S_CANNOT_SUPPORT), 0x0000007c (ERROR_INVALID_LEVEL), and 0x00000709 (ERROR_INVALID_PRINTER_NAME) are among those the company says users may experience.
Microsoft releases PowerToys v0.49 with new mouse utility and UI updates
A new release cycle has started for the PowerToys collection of utilities. Kicking off with PowerToys v0.49, Microsoft promises that this and the upcoming batch of releases include "exciting new updates".
And things get off to a great start with the arrival of not only the Video Conference Mute tool in the stable build, but also a brand-new utility -- Find My Mouse. There are also numerous fixes and improvements as a well as a UI update for PowerRename.
Meta leak shows Facebook smartwatch could be an Apple Watch killer
Meta, TCFKAF (the company formerly known as Facebook) appears to be working on a range of smartwatches that bear more than a passing resemblance to the Apple Watch.
At least two wearables are thought to be in development, one of which is codenamed Milan. But what is causing the greatest interest is an image of a smartwatch featuring a notch that is home to a camera.
Apple reveals how to scale apps to avoid the MacBook Pro notch
Earlier today we shared details of a handy free app called TopNotch that makes it possible to hide (or at least disguise) the notch that Apple has added to the latest version of the MacBook Pro.
But it seems that even Apple is aware that the position of the notch is not going to be to everyone's liking. The company has published a new support document that explains how apps can be scaled so they do not make use of the notched area of the screen. Here's what you need to know.
WSATools makes it ridiculously easy to sideload Android apps in Windows 11
Microsoft's decision to bring Android app support to Windows 11 has caused responses ranging from hatred, through ambivalence to love. Partnering with Amazon, however, means that the Windows Subsystem for Android has access to a slightly limited range of apps, resulting in people seeking ways to sideload APKs.
A few days ago, we looked at one of the techniques that can be used to sideload apps, but it was a bit fiddly and complicated -- certainly not something everyone would be happy undertaking. But by turning to the free app WSATools, sideloading Android apps in Windows 11 is made so much simpler.
Hide the MacBook Pro notch for free with TopNotch
Apple is famous for its attention to detail and quality designs, but even such a well-respected company is not immune to making design decisions that divide opinion.
One of the controversial choices made by Apple was to add a notch to the iPhone, using it to house the selfie camera; it was a decision that was loved and hated in just about equal measure. With the recent launch of the latest MacBook Pro, the same notch has landed on Apple's top-end laptops, once again polarizing users. If you fall on the side of hating the notch, there are steps you can take to hide it.
Microsoft's Tenjin project is a Chromebook rival running Windows 11 SE
Microsoft is said to be working on a new addition to its Surface range, with a new laptop in the pipeline to compete with Chromebooks.
Aimed mainly at the K-12 education sector, the project is codenamed Tenjin and goes hand in hand with a new version of Windows 11. Said to be called Windows 11 SE, the operating system will run on much cheaper and more basic hardware than its big brother.
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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